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In a surprising last minute move, ReSaurus, Showtime and MTV have announced a partnership to bring the popular on-line cartoon character Whirlgirl to life as an action figure. No design or sculpting work has been done for the newly announced property, but the license is being promoted at this year's Toy Fair to attract the interest of buyers.
But even before the deal was officially announced, there were several strategic retail partnerships in place. The Whirlgirl line is set to debut as a single figure of the title character in the Summer of 2000. For the first two months, it will be exclusive to Spencer Gifts along with both Showtime and MTV's on-line stores. After that, all mass market and specialty retailers will be able to carry the figure.
This licensing deal may signal yet another groundbreaking trend in the action figure industry. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a property that was developed on-line has made the leap to the toy shelves. ReSaurus was a leader in the video game to action figure revolution and they look poised to blaze a new trail with the Whirlgirl license.
You can bet that other companies will follow suit in the coming months and years as on line entertainment properties become more widely available and accepted forms of pop culture. Remember that you heard it here first!
More information and photos will be available later this Spring. Stay tuned!
