Raving Toy Maniac

K'NEX Announces August Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20 Contest

Contests Run Monthly Through December, 20 Chances to Win Each Month!

Hatfield, PA, August 2012 – K'NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, announced its eighth in a series of twelve contests, Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20, monthly "hunts" for secret codes on various K'NEX related web pages.

Every month on the 20th day, through December 2012, K'NEX will be giving away K'NEX products to lucky fans! On the 1st weekday of every month a prize will be revealed and a new "mission" is assigned. Missions can be found on the K'NEX website: http://www.knex.com/20thanniversary/Mission20on20/ which directs participants how to find secret codes. Once a code is found, participants must return to the K'NEX site and enter the code. If correct, they are eligible to be entered for a chance to win a prize. On the 20th of each month, when the contest closes, winners will be randomly chosen from those eligible entries.

August 6, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - we sold out of this wave in under 12 hours last time. We have been able to secure a bit more stock - preorders are available again now at $119.99 - grab them before they are gone, this wave has limited distribution.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22114&mode=re...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Re-emerge To Battle Evil And Save The World In A Special One-hour Event On Nickelodeon Saturday, September 29, At 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT)

August 3, 2012 - Listed below are the toy (and child-related) recalls from this week; these links go to the official announcements on the Consumer Product Safety Commission web site.

- Stage and Riser Caddies Recalled by Midwest Folding Products Due to Risk of Injury or Death - Child died when stage stored on caddy fell on her

- Green Toys Recalls Mini Vehicles Due To Choking Hazard

- Liberty Mountain Recalls VAUDE Kenta Child Carriers Due to Fall Hazard

"Leave the real world far behind" with Pandoracon!

New Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention Comes To Cincinnati
September 28th - 30th, 2012

August 2012 - On September 28th, 29th, and 30th, fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy in the Cincinnati area and beyond will have a new reason to get excited: Pandoracon, a weekend convention of all things geeky. Guests of honor include Travis Richey from the leading Doctor Who parody Inspector Spacetime, British actor Jason Carter from the award winning TV show Babylon 5, and many other authors, artists, and creators of fandom.

Saban Brands Acquires Zombie Farm Creator The Playforge

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2, 2012 -- Saban Brands is adding serious game to its digital capabilities. The company announced today its acquisition of The Playforge business, a leading mobile games developer and publisher, known for Zombie Farm, the third highest grossing iOS app in 2011 and a top 10 grossing game for nearly two years, accounting for more than 37 million downloads.

The company plans to extend current and future free-to-play mobile games developed by the San Mateo-based The Playforge into licensing, merchandising and media opportunities. In addition, the acquisition greatly expands Saban Brands' development capabilities, providing additional resources for advancing games currently in its slate. The Playforge team adds more than 25 employees to the organization and gives Saban Brands a solid footprint in Silicon Valley.

All Aboard The Big, Big Dinosaur Sweepstakes As Amtrak And The Jim Henson Company Join Forces For A Big Big DINOSAUR TRAIN Promotion Throughout August 2012

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 1, 2012 -- All aboard the Big Big Dinosaur Sweepstakes, the new national summer promotion for the critically acclaimed animated preschool series DINOSAUR TRAIN which airs daily on PBS KIDS®. The Jim Henson Company, a leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and producers of the DINOSAUR TRAIN series, have joined forces with Amtrak for a second year to present a fun and engaging summertime promotion that will award one lucky family with an Amtrak vacation. The promotion and renewed partnership with Amtrak was announced today by Melissa Segal, Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products for The Jim Henson Company.

August 3, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - some great new items have just been listed:

Hot Toys - Batman Dark Knight Rises - 1/4 Scale Figure - $35 off MSRP - $429.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10407&mode=re...

Hot Toys - Terminator Endoskeletor - 1/4 Scale Figure - $30 off MSRP - $369.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10408&mode=re...

New Bandai - Godzilla, Gundam, Figuarts & More - 14 new listings from Bandai
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10212

Halo - ThreeA Commander Carter 1/6 Scale Figure
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=THR10050&mode=re...

On Sale This Week: Halo, Dawn and Marvel vs. Capcom!

August 1, 2012 - It's Wednesday,which means that your local comic shop has gotten in yet another batch of comic books... and a new batch of exclusive toys from Diamond Select! This week brings a new assortment of Minimates, a new box set and a new Femme Fatales statue, so gamers and comic lovers take note and plan your trip now!

Marvel vs. Capcom Minimates Series 3
These 2-inch-tall gladiators represent some of the most popular characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes: Captain America and Ryu! She-Hulk and Chun Li! Doctor Doom and Albert Wesker! X-23 and Felicia! The female characters are only available at comic shops, so be sure to snag your set!

Halo Minimates Series 5 Box Set

Marvel vs. Capcom Minimates are Back for Round 3! Fight!

August 2012 - After two rounds, Diamond Select Toys has still not decided who the winner is in their Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Minimates line. Now it's time for the third and final round! Series 3 hits comic shops this week, and will be coming to Toys "R" Us shortly, and DST has put together a series of exhibition bouts to show off the new characters' moves! In a new photo shoot, DST has pitted Marvel characters against Capcom characters based on Series 3's two-pack pairings. That card includes:

- Captain America vs. Ryu
- Doctor Doom vs. Wesker
- She-Hulk vs. Chun Li (specialty market exclusive)
- X-23 vs. Felicia (specialty market exclusive)
- MODOK vs. Akuma (Toys "R" Us exclusive)
- Thor vs. Amaterasu (Toys "R" Us exclusive)