[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
(Unless you want to be.) |
|
|
 Toys R Us has recently stocked a boxed set of Space Combat |
From the files of "They Really Should Know Better": Retail Super-Giant Toys-R-Us has recently stocked a boxed set of the Class-Three Star Wars bootleg "Space Combat". The set features the Vader-esque figure shown here, a gold dual-cockpit Millennium Falcon, and other illicit goodies. These sets have been found stocked in both the Star Wars aisle as well as with the "Cheap Toys". These sets have been reported in both Georgia and Louisiana, so if you're curious, go check your local TRU!
|
| Two of the largest Bootleg toy review sites went "missing" this past week, thanks to unannounced changes at the ISP where the sites were hosted. Both Chris Doyle's Island of Bootleg Toys and Joe Medrano's Undiscovered Playthings experienced troubles. While Joe's site has reapeared, the Island is down until it can be reworked using a new IP scheme. |
 ISP Troubles have plauged two big Bootleg review sites |
|
Nintendo has demanded that reviews of Pokemon bootlegs be removed. |
Last week, popular Bootleg Toy website Joe Medrano's Undiscovered Playthings was targeted by Pokemon distributor Nintendo. Apparently the company (or at least someone in it's legal department) thinks that Joe's site is promoting the sale of Bootleg Toys. In particular, bootlegs of Nintendo's Pokemon toys. They have issued a letter demanding that all photos of said bootlegs be removed from his site. Joe has complied for the time being, while checking on the legality of Nintendo's demands. You can read the letter, and Joe's thoughts on the issue, here. With so many Pokemon bootleg items in production, this action comes as a complete shock. In Joe's own words: "How is this hurting Nintendo? I personally believe that this site gives other toy collectors the opportunity to see what counterfeit items are out there. That way, if collectors see them, they can avoid purchasing them."
|
|
Over the past couple of months the bootlegs for Star Wars: Epsiode One toys have undergone several permutations. Lots of new, illegal, product has made its way to the back alleys and flea-markets of the world. Among the many items found are:
With Christmas a little over a month away, the amount of knock-off product is expected to reach a staggering peak soon. Be aware of what you're buying!
|
 Recent Bootleg Star Wars item - "Floppy Hat" Luke Skywalker with Deluxe Figure Lightsaber. |
 Recent Bootleg Pokemon items. |
Bootleg Correspondant Kevin "Bootleg Jedi" Vincent sent in this report: "Just watched a story on my local news station, KCRA Channel 3 in Sacramento, California. US Customs in Los Angeles just completed a HUGE crackdown on shipments of counterfeit (bootleg) Pokemon merchandise entering the US from China and Taiwan. Q-Boy trading cards, keychains, toys and the rest - - A ENTIRE WAREHOUSE FULL OF STUFF - - confiscated by the government at the Port of Los Angeles. So, if you want bootleg Pokemon, you best get it while you can!" This bust has been confirmed by other sources in Californina, although details remain sketchy. It is doubtful that this will have much of an effect on the flow of bootleg Pokemon to the rest of the USA, but California may be in for a dry spell, giving the legitimate toys a better chance. (Like they need any help!)
|
|
The third wave of EP1 boots has shown it's ugly face in both Singapore and scattered areas of the US. Unlike the first wave of EP1 knock-offs (on the Queen Amidala cards), this wave is a much higher quality reprodcution of the Collection One figures. The CommTech chips have the correct stickers, the paint and detail are both good. The tipoff is that they come all come on Anakin cards, the chips don't work, and all the copyright and fan club information has been removed. Watch for continuing coverage of this wave of bootlegs at The Island of Bootleg Toys
|
 Bootleg Watto on C-3PO backer.
|
The second wave of EP1 boots just arrived in the USA. Bootleg Correspondant Joe Medrano located the entire set in California on 7/28. Photos of all the figures should be available soon at Joe's site Bootleg Toys: The Undiscovered Playthings. (Toyfare's pick for Best Bootleg Site!)
|
|
The next wave of Star Wars:Epsiode One bootlegs have begun to surface. Independant sources from Brazil and Australia have both reported the Collection Three wave appearing. The bootleg set includes five figures:
Photos to come! |
|
The search goes on for the first sightings of Austin Powers bootlegs. McFarlane Toys has, in the past, cracked down on illegal copies of their Spawn line. Did their actions have a lasting effect?
|
 Bootleg Darth Maul on Queen Amidala backer.
|
We all knew they were coming...and now they're HERE!!! The first wave of Episode One Bootlegs have surfaced! There are eight figures in the set, all from Collection One:
|
 Bootleg "Pirate" R2 and counterpart Cheap-PO
|
Here's a first look at the Bootleg Star Wars Buddies showing up in crane-grabber games all over the USA. Notice that while the R2-D2 clone doesn't have the same detailing as the Hasbro version, the pattern is identical, right down to the way the dome is stitched together. In addition to the list posted earlier, there are a few new discoveries in this line:
|
|
Wal-Mart has settled the court case it had pending over it's line of Bubbly Chubbies, a line of toys with MANY silimiarties to Teletubbies. Too many, as it turns out. Wal-Mart has agreed to pull all Bubbly Chubbies items off shelves, destroy its remaining inventory and provide itsy bitsy Entertainment and Ragdoll Productions with information on the manufacturing and distribution of such items. Wal-Mart reportedly paid no monetary damages. The lawsuit will continue against the manufacturer of the Bubbly Chubbies and another distributor. (Chubbies have been reported at several chain stores in Canada and the US.)
|
 The Bubbly Chubbie line has been yanked from Wal-Mart stores and destroyed as part of the settlement.
|
|
As predicted, the mass of Episode One toys has brought the Star Wars bootlegs out of the back rooms and onto the shelves. Last Friday I recieved a report that bootleg versions of Hasbro's Star Wars Buddies had shown up in one of those crane/grabber games. This past weekend, I saw them for myself. The Aladdin's Castle in Town Center Mall in Kennesaw, Georgia had one third of their grabber game FILLED with these illicit knock-offs. And a small poster (in the game) boasting of the player's chance to win "Authentic Star Wars Collectables"! Unfortunately, the game was as close to "rigged" as they could get away with. The dolls were packed in tightly, and the gabber had no pressure to speak of. After $2 worth of tries, and a request to the manager just to let me buy a couple of the toys (denied), I gave up. So no pictures of these yet. If anyone out there has a scan of these, and would like them featured here, please let me know. Here's a list of the bootlegs that I saw:
|
 Prime, Bootlegged and re-named Mycal-Z Car (Dig the funky colors, baby!)
|
Almost anyone can spot a Spider-Man bootleg, but it takes a certain level of knowledge and skill to correctly identify and classify Transformers bootlegs. The Island of Bootleg Toys has teamed up with Dangerous Toys listmember Crazy Steve to showcase these interesting knock-offs in the month of May. Each day a new photo, with commentary by Steve, will be featured as the Bootleg D'Jour. Topics covered will range from Generation One to the current Beast Wars line...and almost everything in between.
|
 Pikachu Bootleg from the Walking of Fairy line.
|
Here's a first look at the Walking of Fairy bootlegs.
Pretty obvious you're looking at a Pokemon clone, no? These are basically wind up toys, each requiring some assembly. The label on the package shows twelve different figures. Reported pricing on these bootlegs ranges from $2.99 to $5 each. This style of toy doesn't match anything yet released in the US by Hasbro.
The Undiscovered Playthings
|
 Charizard Bootleg from the Walking of Fairy line.
|
 A dark-brown, white pupiled, Bootleg 6" Darth Vader from the Galaxy Empire line. |
With the mass release of Episode One toys due in early May, be on the lookout for
bootleg versions of Hasbro's offerings to start appearing. In the past, Star Wars bootlegs have ranged from very close copies of the Power of the Force line to oversized Galaxy Empire figures to toys that just suggest a Star Wars theme. If the expected Phantom Menace bootlegs follow established trends, be on the lookout for poor quality figures from earlier POTF2 waves (like Luke in Dagobah fatigues) to appear on decent-quality reproductions of the new backers. Odds are that the new figures will be bootlegged as well, but it may be a few weeks or even months before they surface. In any event - make sure that "hot, rare prototype" you're buying is the real thing....beware the imitations! |
|
A recent wave of Pokemon toys has hit the market...and many collectors have been left
wondering if they are seeing the real deal or not. The toys reportedly have the original Japanese
text on the packaging (The only English text being "Pocket Monster"), but with cheap production
values (poor quality plastic, bad paint detailing) that suggest that these may be bootlegs. In any event, these toys are NOT yet part of the standard import/repackages offered by Hasbro. Reports of these toys have come in from both Canada and the costal USA. There are Pokemon bootlegs out there...most notably under the name of "Walking of Fairy".
|
 |
|
eBay has recently stepped up enforcing their "Questionable Items" policy.
(This is the policy which states that Potentially illegal and infringing items
may not be listed on eBay.) As a result, several auctions for bootleg toys have been closed by eBay officials. Custom action figures have reportedly also been targeted by this crackdown.
|
|
Teletubbies' makers (Ragdoll Productions Limited and The Itsy Bitsy
Entertainment Company) have taken Wal-Mart to court over the Bubbly
Chubbies line of toys. The reason? Well, Ragdoll's lawyers claim that Wal-Mart's figurines are "obvious, studied knock-offs of the famous Teletubbies characters". They have filed a lawsuit in the United States calling for damages. It also demands that the dolls are withdrawn from sale and destroyed. The Bubbly Chubbies line features several different versions of the characters, from 3" tall posable figures with light up eyes (at right) to 1" non-articulated figurines. All are available in the Teletubbies' color scheme of blue, purple, red and gold. This is one of first times that a toy manufacturer has been called to task over a line's similarity to existing copyrights.
|
 A Bubbly Chubbie, one of several versions produced for Wal-Mart
|
