Raving Toy Maniac

The Avengers have Assembled! Avengers Movie Minimates Arriving Now at Toys "R" Us

April 2012 - Only days remain until Marvel's The Avengers hits U.S. theaters, but U.S. toy stores are already getting in some of the most fun Avengers toys we'll see this year! The movie-themed wave of Marvel Minimates is hitting Toys "R" Us stores now, with four two-packs featuring Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury and Loki. Diamond Select Toys took the figures out on the streets of New York City to recreate their epic battle with Loki's Army, and they look even more spectacular in action! The Loki's Army Footsoldier and General and Maria Hill Minimates will be available exclusively at at comic shops later in May, so for now you'll have to make the Avengers fight each other, but judging by the trailers (and 50 years of comic books) that is apparently fairly common.

April 2012 - Gentle Giant is giving away a production sample of their Kit Fisto mini-bust.

To see how to enter, head over to the Gentle Giant blog and log in with your Facebook account or email. You can tweet to earn extra entries. Get moving, you only have until May 4 to enter.

April 30, 2012 - The first day of CustomCon 31 is now online!

The Day One galleries include:

• Archer Minimates
• New Avengers
• Tim Burton's: The Batman Minimates
• Marvel Legends Golden Age Series 1 Two Packs
• HEROES4US
• Age of Apocalypse Minimates

April 27, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - we've just listed a bunch of new preorders for the upcoming summer blockbusters:

GI JOE RETALIATION MOVIE TOYS
Hasbro has just announced the line-up of toys for the upcoming GI Joe movie. It includes 2 series of 3.75" figures as well as Alpha, bravo and Delta Vehicles, 10" Figures, Showdown Sets, and a number of role play items like Ninja masks, a blaster and a sword. Many people have been eagerly awaiting this line, and now it is ready for pre-orders.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=2963

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE TOYS

April 2012 - CustomCon 31 (Spring 2012) is coming soon! But if you just can't wait, why not take a walk down memory lane and look over the previous thirty CustomCon events.

Some of the more memorable moments for me were the Justice League Unlimited: Locker Room from CustomCon 16, the use of a Brett Favre figure in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer custom from CustomCon 21, and Sillof's many Steampunk interpretations, including this one from Dune from CustomCon 24.

April 2012 - Of all the aliens that have invaded Earth in Marvel Comics over the years -- the Skrulls, the Kree, the Chitauri, the Dire Wraiths -- none are quite so unpleasant as the Brood. But that unpleasantness makes them the subject of some great stories, which is why the next series of Marvel Minimates features the Brood alongside their frequent foes, the Uncanny X-Men!

April 27, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer Urban-Collector has several new items of interest to collectors:

This week we are featuring new pre-orders including The Noble Collection Dark Knight Rises prop replicas, Bowen Designs Black Suit Spider-Man statue and Universal Monsters figures!

Featured Pre-Orders

• Spider-Man Black Costume Museum Statue
• Angel Original Statue Bowen Designs
• DC Comics Super Heroes Batgirl Bust

MetaCon Announces Power Rangers Stars Jason Faunt and Jessica Rey

Bloomington, Minnesota - April 23, 2012 - MetaCon 2012, the newest and hottest comic, sci-fi, and anime con to come to Minneapolis is excited to announce stars of Power Rangers: Time Force and Power Rangers: Wild Force, Jason Faunt and Jessica Rey, will be appearing at the 2012 Meta Convention. MetaCon will gather thousands of fans of TV, comics, sci-fi, anime, and popular culture at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota for a three-day weekend celebrating fan culture. Jason and Jessica will be joined by numerous other guests soon to be announced, in addition to previously announced anime-star Todd Haberkorn and Internet hacker YTCracker. MetaCon lasts for three days, from August 31 to September 2, 2012.

Walmart Joins Forces with Marvel's The Avengers to Transform Stores into a Super Hero's Playground

Super Hero Augmented Reality Mobile App Delivers First Integrated In-Store Gaming Experience

BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 26, 2012 -- Fans of Marvel's The Avengers, prepare for game play! Beginning today, in advance of the film release of Marvel's The Avengers on May 4, only Walmart customers will have access to the Super Hero Augmented Reality (AR) game featuring their favorite Avengers, including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow. This new "Super Hero AR" app is available now for download at the iTunes App Store and Android Market. Once downloaded, customers have instant access to Hawkeye, and only from the aisles of their local Walmart stores, customers can then "unlock" the superpowers of the five remaining Avengers and ultimately save the world.

ELVIS PRESLEY LICENSING SEES CONTINUED GROWTH IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS AND FUN NEW WAYS FOR FANS TO CELEBRATE THE KING

Demand for Elvis-themed product attributed to use of social networks and special events to grow fan base by exposing consumers to the movies, music and imagery of the King of Rock ‘n' Roll.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (APRIL 12, 2012) – The worldwide licensing program of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. continues to see growth with hundreds of new products being launched by more than 260 official licensees around the globe. Included is significant new activity from six international agents as well as growth and new products from domestic licensees.

Exciting new products include apparel, books, music, a 4D film, and more targeting Elvis fans of all ages.

Elvis and his legacy of rockin' music are being celebrated in a new multi-level progressive jackpot slot machine from International Game Technology (IGT) unveiled recently at the Global Gaming Expo. A jukebox included in the game allows players to sing along to Elvis' hits while they play.