Raving Toy Maniac

Saban Brands Acquires Digimon Brand; Will Debut New Digimon Fusion Season at MIPCOM

MarVista Entertainment to Manage International Distribution Beyond Asia

LOS ANGELES, CA (Sept. 25, 2012) – Saban Brands has acquired the Digimon franchise, adding the long-running Japanese anime property to its growing portfolio of entertainment assets. The acquisition, which encompasses rights to the property outside of Asia, continues Saban Brands' dramatic growth since reacquiring the Power Rangers property and purchasing lifestyle brand Paul Frank in 2010, amongst others. Saban Brands will work with MarVista Entertainment for distribution of the series outside of Asia. Japanese animation studio, Toei Animation Co., Ltd. will handle licensing and distribution of the property in Asia.

The Digimon franchise, which was first brought to the U.S. in 1999 by Saban's Fox Family Worldwide, explores a digital world where powerful creatures known as Digimon, or digital monsters, battle for supremacy. With the help of their young human partners, the Digimon defend their world and ours from various evil forces.

Toys"R"Us® to Hire 45,000 Employees Nationwide for the 2012 Holiday Shopping Season

Company Increases Hiring Plans Over Previous Year, Propelled by New Positions Dedicated to Fulfilling Orders Generated by Its Growing Omnichannel Capabilities

September 25, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - Here is an update about more cool new stuff just listed:

Arms Micron - Thundercracker & Orion Pax Exclusives. Please Note - the $64.99 price is not final and will likely be reduced once further details are known.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=am+prime

NECA Rocky III figures with Clubber Lang
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=rocky+03

Aoshima Airwolf 1:18
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=airwolf

Puppet Master 1:1 Replicas
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=1%3a1+puppet+master

Diamond Select:

Star Trek - U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC10866&mode=re...

Han Solo in Carbonite Bottle Opener
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC11850&mode=re...

September 2012 - A few years ago, Casimir had all his DC animated comics collected as hardcovers. This lead to a re-reading of all the stories, some of which were surprisingly good. "How can I get the word out about some of these surprisingly good stories?" And thus, DCAUC was born.

DC Animated Universe Comics intends to chronicle every issue that ties into the various animated series collectively known as the "Timm-verse." In addition to brief summaries, each entry will feature commentary about the script and art, identify "new" characters and costumes, and let you know if tracking down an issue is worth your precious time and money.

http://comics.dcau.org/

Spy Monkey Creations Inc. is proud to announce the debut of their new original property: The Weaponeers of Monkaa!

Enter the world of the Weaponeers of Monkaa! Witness the eternal battle between the heroic Gearo and the evil Vilhain as it rages across space and time! Empyreus, Palidar and their Gearo defenders protect the cosmos from Umbreus, Brutok and the ravening Vilhain hordes! Discover the secrets of the mysterious Gohlem; will they follow the path of good or evil? Join the battle and decide the fate of The Weaponeers of Monkaa!

September 2012 - The Weaponeers of Monkaa will introduce fans and collectors to a new world of fun and adventure. Meet the heroic Gearo and the evil Vilhain. Join in their epic cross-dimensional battle. Decide what path, good or evil, the beings known as Gohlem will walk. Play with and display them as they are or rebuild and customize each character your way. The possibilities are endless!

HEROCLIX TABAPP™ LAUNCHES, MARVEL FIGURE PACKS HIT TOYS "R" US

Free iPad Download Now Available

Hillside, N.J. & Cary, N.C. - September 24, 2012 - WizKids Games have announced the launch of HeroClix TabApp™, the much anticipated iPad application that combines Marvel Universe Super Hero miniatures with digital gameplay.

Beginning today, players, fans and collectors can pick up the Marvel Super Heroes HeroClix TabApp™ figure pack, which includes Iron Man, Thor and Captain America miniatures, from participating Toys "R" Us stores nationwide.

"It's amazing to watch the evolution of HeroClix over the past 10 years," said Justin Ziran, President at WizKids Games. "HeroClix TabApp marks the next generation of the HeroClix franchise, and is a game the whole family can enjoy."

September 24, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - A couple cool new preorders to mention:

Square Enix Play Arts - Arkham City 02

Batman:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SEP10376&mode=re...

Robin:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SEP10375&mode=re...

Mezco Universal Monsters Living Dead Dolls:

Frankenstein & Bride
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=living+dead+universal

Announcing Street Fighter X Tekken Minimates Round 2!

September 2012 - The first series of Street Fighter X Tekken Minimates will be arriving in stores on Wednesday, but Diamond Select Toys is already hard at work on Series 2! Coming in January 2013, some of the most iconic characters in Street Fighter will face off with some of the biggest names in Tekken, as seen in the recent crossover video game! Check out the line-up!

After the new year, comic and specialty shops will get the following two-packs:

Ryu vs. Yoshimitsu
Abel vs. Kazuya
Rufus vs. Julia (exclusive)
Chun Li vs. Hwoarang (exclusive)

Around the same time, Toys "R" Us will receive:

Ryu vs. Yoshimitsu
Abel vs. Kazuya
Hugo vs. Heihachi (exclusive)
Rolento vs. Kuma (exclusive)

Pre-order the specialty figures today at your local comic shop, and pick up Series 1 on Wednesday!

The Magic of FURBY Returns as Hasbro Unleashes an Unpredictable Furry Creature with "A MIND OF ITS OWN"

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- September 17, 2012 -- Almost 15 years after its debut, the iconic FURBY creature from Hasbro, Inc. returns this fall with a "MIND OF ITS OWN" and advanced technology that gives each FURBY an unpredictable nature that will continue to delight and surprise children and fans of all ages.

Already named to hot lists for holiday 2012, the quirky FURBY creature first appeared in 1998, becoming the must-have toy of that holiday season and sparking a collector craze around the world, solidifying its place in pop culture history. Now FURBY, a toy industry icon, returns with advanced technology that delivers a uniquely interactive play experience and introduces this unforgettable character to a whole new generation.

September 2012 - Disney is holding a sweepstakes to help promote their upcoming Frankenweenie film. The grand prize is a trip to Disneyland for you and three guests. The other prizes are autographed movie posters.

Enter by October 7th.