Raving Toy Maniac

February 20, 2013 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

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NEW PREORDERS
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GI JOE BASIC FIGURE SERIES 01 - SET, SINGLES
This new assortment includes new decoes of Cobra Commander, a Cobra Trooper and Storm Shadow, along with Snake Eyes, Duke and Shipwreck. We have them listed as singles at $3.99 - $11.99 each, and as a Set of 6 at $31.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=GI%20Joe%202013%20...

MASS EFFECT SSV NORMANDY SR-2 18" SHIP REPLICA
This new 18" version of the SSV Normandy SR-2 rests atop a specially-designed base. It is limited to 1500 pieces worldwide and is priced at $239.99, saving you $60 off of the MSRP.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DH11060&mode=retail

WAR LORD UT-W02, UT-W03 - WAR RHINO, WAR BISON

Walking Dead Minimates Series 3 Will Rise this Spring

February 2013 - The dead cannot be stopped, and neither can the Walking Dead Minimates! With Series 2 in Toys "R" Us, comic shops and specialty stores now, Series 3 is gearing up for production from Diamond Select Toys! And like the first two series, it includes popular lead characters, short-lived favorites and zombies straight from the comic book pages!

Coming in Spring 2013, look for the following figures to hit comic shops and specialty stores:

Rick in Riot Gear and Guard Zombie
Dexter and Dreadlock Zombie
Prison Hershel and Farmer Zombie (comic shop and specialty store exclusive)
Prison Tyreese (Battle Damaged) and Farmer Zombie (comic shop and specialty store exclusive variant set)

At the same time, Toys "R" Us will get their own exclusive assortment:

The Disney Store Celebrates the 60th Anniversary of Peter Pan with Exclusive Minimates!

February 2013 - In 1953, the Walt Disney Company delighted audiences with its full-length animated feature Peter Pan, an adaptation of the 1911 novel about a magical boy who wouldn't grow up. Now, with the first-ever Blu-Ray release of the film in stores now, the Disney Store has teamed up with Diamond Select Toys to release the first-ever Disney Minimates, based on Peter Pan!

Top Secret Iron Man 3 Minimates Revealed at New York Toy Fair!

February 2013 - Now that the latest trailer for Iron Man 3 has been viewed by millions of people, it's time for another unveiling... of Iron Man 3 Minimates! Diamond Select's 49th consecutive assortment of 2-inch mini-figures will include four 2-packs, two exclusively at comic shops and specialty stores, and two shared with Toys "R" Us!

War Machine with Maya Hansen and Aldrich Killian with Cowboy Tony Stark will only be available on the comic specialty market, while Iron Man with the Mandarin and Iron Patriot with a top-secret figure will be shared with Toys "R" Us. Still under embargo are two more sets made exclusively for Toys "R" Us, to be revealed later, and an exclusive box set, at a retailer to be announced!

Battle Beasts Series 1 Hits Toys "R" Us with New Battle Beasts Animated Short!

February 2013 - The Toys "R" Us-exclusive assortment of Battle Beasts Minimates has started to pop up in stores, and Diamond Select Toys is celebrating with a new stop-motion animated short film!

Featuring alternate paint schemes from the specialty assortment, as well as two different characters, fans of the existing figures will want to expand their Battle Beast collections with this new batch of Beasts from Toys "R" Us! The line-up includes:

- Vorin the Ram vs. Scorpus the Scorpion (new decos)
- Merk the Falcon vs. Spidron the Tarantula (new decos)
- Gruntos the Walrus vs. Scalpus the Snake (new decos)
- Antalor the Moose vs. Nychirix the Bat (exclusive)

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Partners with Wonder Forge, Inc. to Create Exciting New Justice League Games

Seattle, WA (February 10, 2013) – Wonder Forge, Inc.™, ranked one of Washington State's fastest growing companies(1) and a stand-out in the game aisle, has teamed up with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, to debut an innovative new lineup of Justice League games at the New York International Toy Fair this month.

Each table top game will feature favorite DC Comics characters such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash, designed for kids ages 8 and up.

"Wonder Forge has an inventive style and passion for family-friendly entertainment that makes them the perfect match to develop games for our loyal Justice League fan base," said Karen McTier, executive vice president of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros.

Stratego – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Game

The Unexpected Journey Comes to Boardgames Fall 2013

Los Angeles, CA – February 10, 2013 – Spin Master Games and Warner Bros. Consumer Products have teamed up to create Stratego – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Game based on The Hobbit Trilogy, including the blockbuster The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, as well as the highly anticipated second and third films, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

"Building on the success of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, we are excited to partner with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on games for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," said Ivory Jones, Brand Manager Games at Spin Master. "Our 'Stratego – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' Game lets The Hobbit Trilogy fans and strategy-game fans alike relive the excitement and fantasy of the films."

Mario's Brother Gets Top Billing: Nintendo Introduces The 'Year of Luigi'

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 14, 2013 -- After decades of playing second fiddle to the No. 1 video game hero, Luigi is getting some love from Nintendo. Nintendo has named 2013 the "Year of Luigi," thanks to the numerous appearances that Mario's timid, green-clad twin brother will be making in games this year. In a Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo provided details about games on the way that feature Luigi, as well as information about more than two dozen upcoming games, including content for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS across packaged and digital formats.

"Luigi is just the green tip of the iceberg of all the great news we have to share with Nintendo fans this year and beyond," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president and COO. "We're showing how Nintendo 3DS and Wii U continue to be a source of fun, entertainment and great surprises."

To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. Today's announcements included:

The Year of Luigi

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Unveils Wonderful Product Lineup for the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard Of Oz"

Robust Roster of Toy and Collectible Licensees Led by Master Toy Partner Jazwares

Burbank, Calif., February 13, 2013 – Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) announced during New York Toy Fair an impressive roster of licensees set to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" in 2014, with creative product lines that will excite fans of the classic film on both sides of the rainbow. Master toy partner Jazwares, as well as USAopoly and Mattel are among the partners helping to honor one of the most beloved properties in all of film history, which will inspire a range of product across multiple categories including toys, collectibles, games and more.

(RTM note: for pictures of the toys mentioned below, please check out the galleries over at AwesomeToyBlog.com.)

JAKKS Pacific 2013 Boys and Girls Product Highlights

Boys

Monsuno®

The JAKKS Pacific Monsuno® toy line continues to grow in 2013 with the addition of all-new collectible transforming action figures. The toy line, which brings the excitement of the Monsuno® boys action adventure series to life, will offer all-new fun, easy-to-learn, action-packed game play that is tightly integrated with Season Two of the Animated Series, Monsuno®: Combat Chaos™ which will premiere on Nicktoons this Spring. Also brand new for 2013 will be a dynamic lineup of accessories, battle sets and much more, allowing kids to fully immerse themselves in the world of Monsuno!