Raving Toy Maniac

July 12, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

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New PRE-ORDERS
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TRANSFORMERS FALL OF CYBERTRON G2 BRUTICUS NOTE
We wanted to let you know that BBTS will be carrying this upcoming exclusive. Pre-Orders will open on September 10th, Send a blank email to [email protected] and we'll send you the preorder link on September 10th about an hour before it is published on our site for the general public!
See the link below for more info
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/content.aspx?content=61

NECA SDCC PORTAL ITEMS

VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL, BOOTH #2813

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING PERSONAL APPEARANCES, BOOTH ACTIVITIES AND SHOW EXCLUSIVES FOR 2012 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

Company Welcomes Studio 4ºC Founder For Discussion On BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC Anime Film Trilogy And Offers A Variety Of Collectable Giveaways, Fun Booth Activities, Panel Discussions And Much More!

San Francisco, CA, July 9, 2012 - VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, returns to Comic-Con International, the nation's biggest comic book, science fiction and pop culture event, with an exciting and expansive roster of special personal appearances, exciting panels, anime feature film premieres, and fun giveaways and convention exclusives. The show takes place July 11-15 at the San Diego Convention Center, CA, and VIZ Media will be located in Booth 2813.

LEGO Systems Celebrates a New Theme Each Day at San Diego Comic-Con

SAN DIEGO, July 11, 2012 -- SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON -- LEGO Systems, Inc., the world's leading construction toy manufacturer, unveils its largest ever San Diego Comic-Con presence with a "theme of the day" calendar of events that celebrates its top licensed properties including LEGO® THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ and LEGO THE HOBBIT™, LEGO Super Heroes, LEGO Star Wars™ and LEGO NINJAGO. LEGO Systems welcomes show attendees with displays of life-size models, first-ever "reveals" of LEGO building sets and limited edition giveaways. In addition, attendees are invited to help "build" a section of its booth each day that features 7.5 feet tall mosaics of Comic-Con favorites at booth #2829 of the San Diego Convention Center, July 12-15.

Valpak Teams with Ice Age for Family Vacation Sweepstakes

LARGO, Fla., July 11, 2012 -- Valpak, a leader in local print and digital coupons, along with 20th Century Fox and Movietickets.com wants to give your family the chance to win a big adventure. A lucky family of four could win a vacation worth up to $10,000 with a choice of overseas or domestic vacation spots.

The Valpak envelope features the sweepstakes along with the fourth installment in the popular #1 family film series, Ice Age: Continental Drift, which will be released in theaters nationwide on July 13. Consumers can scan the QR code that is also featured on the envelope to purchase tickets from Movietickets.com directly from their smart phone.

In addition, Ellie, Sid, Diego and Manny have tucked tickets to their new movie, Ice Age, inside The Blue Envelope. Consumers can instantly win these tickets just by looking through their Valpak envelope.

Consumers can enter to win the sweepstakes at Valpak.com or MovieTickets.com. The sweepstakes ends July 20.

HGTV and Disney Collaborate to Create "Electrifying Garden" Interactive Experience at Comic-Con International 2012

Shocking Garden Environment Inspired by Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie"

NEW YORK, July 10, 2012 -- HGTV has collaborated with Disney to create a garden inspired by Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie," a stop-motion animated feature film that was filmed in black and white. The event will take place at Comic-Con International, the largest comic book and popular arts convention, where the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter lawn will be transformed into a 3,500 square-foot HGTV Electrifying Garden from July 12-14. Open to visitors between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. PT, the exhibit will showcase the beauty of black and white with more than 20 dark plants growing amid low-lying fog, pet tombstones and other striking oddities in the pet cemetery-themed garden.

July 11, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Optimus Maximus has just been listed at $39.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22044&mode=re...

A big round of new KRE-O kits and figures have just been listed. Devastator, blind-bagged KRE-O mini figures, and a variety of other kits can be found here:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10058

A new case of Bot Shots 3-pack figures has been listed here:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22054&mode=re...

July 10, 2012 - Each year the town of Long Beach WA celebrates the birthday of their most unusual native son... Jake The Alligator Man. Jake, who is a resident of the world famous Marsh's Free Museum is known far and wide as one of the finest Alligator-men to ever crawl upon the shores of Washington.

During his annual birthday celebration, local residents choose a local maiden to become Jake's bride. They also hold a car show which attracts some of the most amazing custom cars and hot rods in the US.

For 2012, Mezco Toyz is supplying the Bride of Jake with a set of the world's longest running, best selling, horror themed collectibles in the world: The Living Dead Dolls.

To register for the car show or to be Jake's Bride, visit
http://jakethealligatorman.com/6th-annual-75th-birthday-party-car-show/

to buy Living Dead Dolls, visit
http://www.MezcoToyz.com

Shown below are past brides and Jake's "stunt man" posing with a set of 13th Anniversary Living Dead Dolls:

Prize #12 of the 20 Big Prizes From K'NEX®

Enter for your chance to win a trip to New York City and $250 gift card to Nintendo World!

Hatfield, PA – July 2012 – K'NEX Brands, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, is pleased to announce the launch of K'NEX'S "Win a Trip to New York City and $250 Gift Card to Nintendo World Store" Sweepstakes. From July 10, 2012 at 9:00 am EST through July 25, 2012 at 3:59pm EST, K'NEX fans can enter for their chance to win a 2-night/3-day trip to New York City.

This trip for four includes a two night hotel-stay, coach airfare, and a Nintendo World gift card; an estimated retail value of $3,250. Hopeful winners can enter once per day either through the K'NEX Facebook page (which links to the K'NEX 20th Anniversary Celebration page of the Knex.com website), or directly through KNEX.com. Contestants must be 18 years or older to enter. Please see official rules for details. http://www.knex.com/20thanniversary/20BigPrizes/new-york.php

HEROCLIX ONLINE ANNOUNCES MARVEL'S CHAOS WAR FAST FORCES

July 10, 2012 - NECA/Wizkids, developers of HeroClix Online today announced the inclusion of a new Marvel collection, Chaos War Fast Forces, adding six new figures to the online game on Thursday, July 19.

The six new figures include Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Wasp, Mockingbird and Scarlet Witch and may be used in game alongside all other Marvel figures and maps.

As with recent Marvel content, fans and players can find codes for the virtual Fast Forces within physical Chaos War Fast Forces products at participating hobby and comic shops starting Wednesday, July 11. Codes can be redeemed in game starting July 17.

For more information on HeroClix Online, visit http://www.hco.heroclix.com.

For news updates and announcements, follow HeroClix Online on Facebook and Twitter.

About Marvel Entertainment

July 10, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

A great new batch of DC Direct product was just announced this morning:

Darkseid Deluxe Action Figure -
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DCC11546&mode=re...

DKR - Batman with EMP Rifle Bust
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DCC11549&mode=re...

We Can Be Heroes - Justice League 7-Pack
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DCC11545&mode=re...

Batman Black & White - Batman Beyond - Dustin Nguyen
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DCC11547&mode=re...

A total of 14 items have been listed or updated including more Busts, Statues and Figures - the full list is here:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10051