Via TNI, here’s a stop-motion shot for shot remake of the first six minutes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which starred Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. More info at the facebook page for the project.

- Matt Price

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars in “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” the sequel to 2009′s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is set for a June 29, 2012 release.

What do you think of the trailer? The star quotient has certainly been upped in the second film.

- Matt Price

Mill Creek has announced a special edition of the second season of “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” will be available at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

It will be on sale at booth #4135, the FUNimation booth. This special Comic-Con release is available nearly two months before the regular edition release of the second season.

The complete 8-DVD, 65-episode second season, features exclusive artwork on collectible holographic foil packaging.  It will be on sale for $25, with bonus features including interviews, audio commentaries, character profiles and scripts.

The fantasy series features the hero, He-Man, who gets his powers from the mysterious Castle Grayskull.  He faces off against the evil Skeletor and protects the planet Eternia.    The cartoon series originally aired from 1983-1985.

The “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” program was based on the Mattel toy line, first launched in 1982.

- Matt Price

He went from a scrawny 4F in the early days of World War II to America’s super soldier! The Toy and Action Figure Museum will celebrate the Marvel Comics hero Captain America from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the museum, 111 S Chickasaw in Pauls Valley.

The film “Captain America: The First Avenger” will be released Friday, July 22, and is based on the Captain America comic book series from Marvel Comics.

As World War II beckons, scrawny Steve Rogers volunteers to undergo a series of experiments for a secret U.S. program to develop a super soldier.

Captain America’s origins and his battle with the Red Skull will be featured in the upcoming film.

Movie memorabilia will be available to visitors of the museum all weekend while supplies last.

For more information, call the museum at (405) 238-6300 or visit the website at www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

Captain America is also getting a spotlight in comic books as his movie prepares for release.

Marvel is featuring Steve Rogers’ return as Captain America in a new “Captain America” No. 1, released this week.

“I gave myself a few challenges for this new No. 1 — I wanted to do the perfect Cap comic for anyone who walks out of the Cap movie and wants to know what’s next, but it also had to build on everything I’ve done on the book beforehand, too, and feel like the natural next step,” said writer Ed Brubaker.

Brubaker will be joined by artist Steve McNiven, who drew the Marvel Comics best-seller “Civil War.”

“Steve is at the top of his game, and no one draws action like him,” Brubaker said.

McNiven said he’s been itching for a chance to draw Captain America.

“Captain America has been a character I’ve wanted to work on in more depth since ‘Civil War,’ a real icon of the Marvel Universe,” McNiven said. “Not only do I get to run with Cap, but Ed Brubaker, a guy who has redefined the character at Marvel, is writing the books and he’s come up with an absolutely brilliant storyline that I can’t wait for folks to read.”

“Captain America” No. 1 is a $3.99 comic book on sale now. Fans can find a nearby comic shop by visiting comicshoplocator.com or calling (888) 266-4226.

- by Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Production Still from Season One of Shelf Life, featuring Tara Platt as Hero Lass, Travis Willingham as Hero Man, Yuri Lowenthal as Bug Boy and Bryan Enk as Samurai Snake! photo by Matthew Matt Swanson, from the Shelf Life facebook page

Yuri Lowenthal, Tara Platt, Travis Willingham, and Bryan Enk are set to star in the new live-action web series “Shelf Life,” which stars four action figures on a young boy’s shelf.

The series was co-written by comic book writer Paul Jenkins and Lowenthal.  Jenkins will direct.  Created and produced by Lowenthal (Terminator: TSCC, Ben 10: Alien Force, Legion of Superheroes) and Platt (The Gilmore Girls, Charmed, Afterworld) the series will follow the action figures’ irreverent antics.

The first season of Shelf Life introduces us to Hero Man (Travis Willingham: Thor, Transformers, Marvel Super Hero Squad), Hero Lass (Tara Platt), Bug Boy (Yuri Lowenthal) and Samurai Snake (Bryan Enk) and is set to debut in late summer.

It was produced under Lowenthal and Platt’s Monkey Kingdom Productions shingle in conjunction with Stephanie Thorpe’s (Elf Quest: A Fan Imagining, Night of the Zombie King, After Judgment) Ultimatum Entertainment. The series was shot at Monkey Kingdom Studios in downtown Los Angeles.

“It’s a high concept idea, and it was very important to us to have high production values and high quality scripts as well,” said Platt, who lived in Oklahoma from age 7 to 11.

Lowenthal said he wanted to make a show for nerds.

“Technology has made it easier and cheaper to shoot and distribute shows via the Internet, but we didn’t want to use that as an excuse for putting out a show that wouldn’t be competitive even if you were watching it on TV.” Lowenthal said.  “I’m a nerd. I wanted to make the kind of thing that my friends and I would watch. It’s got the four S’s: Sex, Social commentary, Slapstick and Superheroes. It’s like Toy Story only we say (expletive deleted) a lot more.”

- Matt Price

Nerdage: So, the first GI Joe movie was, to put it kindly, a bit of a mess. Casting announcements for the sequel, thus far, have been a mix of “huh” and “hmmm”…. RZA may play the Blind Master. DJ Cotrona likely to play Flint. Channing Tatum and Ray Park set to return as Duke and Snake Eyes. Elodie Yung signed as Jinx. John Chu set to direct. The Rock expected to play Roadblock. Bruce Willis keeps being rumored. And this weekend, the news that may cause Staticblog’s George Lang to see a GI Joe movie: Adrianne Palicki, Deadline reports, will play Lady Jaye.

What do you think, Lang? Are you buying tickets for a Dwayne Johnson/Bruce Willis film based on 3 3/4 inch action figures?

StaticBlog: Actually, if it were based on the 12-inch Vietnam-era guy with the awesome bristle-cut hair and beard combo, I’d be in, because Kung-Fu Grip is freaking insurmountable in plastic hand-to-hand combat.

But because this is the “Real American Hero”-era Joe, I’m basically in for the reason you surmised — Palicki, Palicki, Palicki. They can have the guy who directed the last two “Step Up” time-wasters and “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” at the helm, and yet they have Palicki, so everything’s going to be just fine.

Adrianne Palicki was, without a doubt, one of the best things about the first three seasons of “Friday Night Lights,” and as NBC viewers will certainly enjoy this Friday, her character, Tyra Collette, returns for the final two episodes of the series. She got a ton of bad press this spring when early costume photos from David E. Kelley’s “Wonder Woman” were given a trial balloon treatment by NBC and failed miserably in Internet comments sections everywhere. My personal view is that Palicki, standing nearly 6 feet tall with a distinctive beauty, was perfect for the role, but Kelley wasn’t the right guy. Joss Whedon was always the best choice. Palicki also got seriously screwed over when “Lone Star,” the best reviewed pilot of the 2010 television season, got dropped by hair-trigger cancellation champion Fox after two episodes. Considering that “Friday Night Lights” is one of the best dramas of the past 10 years but never was a ratings success, Palicki could stand a break — even from a clankety-clank monstrosity. Having her involved suddenly makes the thing interesting.

Nerdage: Tangentally, the rumor mill has it that Bruce Willis may be intended to play the original “GI Joe,” though I don’t know if Bruce is likely to rock the bristle-cut and beard… The character made, I believe, only one appearance in the Larry Hama comics and didn’t, as far as I know, appear on the TV show.

I, of course, enjoyed the original Larry Hama comics as a kid, and heard he consulted on the first film. Still, I found that movie mostly a confusing mess, though it was filled with attractive people. Will John Chu have better luck than Stephen Sommers?

StaticBlog: OK, so I understand how Sommers got from the first two “Mummy” movies to “GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” but how does Jon Chu parlay the “Step Up” movies, which are essentially “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo” with electro-pop and slightly larger budgets, much less the Bieber hagiography, into “GI Joe 2: Cobra Strikes”? He must know how to follow a budget and make money or something.

Nerdage: Chu told The Deadbolt that he’s a big fan of GI Joe from back in the day, played with the toys, had the comic and everything, so maybe he’ll make a movie the fans of the property want to see. Here’s hoping, anyway.

StaticBlog: At least there’s Palicki.

Palicki, Palicki, Palicki.

Josh Duhamel in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

While the “Transformers” films feature epic, explosive action involving robotic aliens from beyond our solar system, actor Josh Duhamel, who plays Lt. Colonel William Lennox, aims to keep his part as grounded as possible, given the circumstances.

“I think in a movie like this, when you’re dealing with something as far out as alien robots from outer space that turn into vehicles and cars, it’s such a far-fetched idea that you have to, especially in my case, playing the leader of this military team, to play it as real as we can,” Duhamel said in a phone interview promoting the film. “And as accurate and tactical as the military would.”

Duhamel said he works with former Navy SEALs and Army Rangers on the “Transformers” films, and he doesn’t want to let them down with his portrayal.

“My personal goal in this movie was to make the guys around me proud,” Duhamel said. “I held a gun right, I shot it right, I changed magazines right and led the team the way it’s supposed to be led — because I’ve become good friends with these guys over the years. So … it is important that I portray the military in the best light possible.”

The third “Transformers” film, “Dark of the Moon,” is set for release this week. Like the first two films in the franchise, it is directed by Michael Bay and stars Shia LaBeouf. It’s based on the toy line from Hasbro. That pre-existing audience helped the “Transformers” films gain traction, Duhamel said.

“There was already a built-in sort of following for the Transformers,” he said. “I was part of the generation that watched these cartoons growing up and played with the toys … but it was also the vision that Michael Bay and his team had to reinvent the genre.”

Despite being familiar with the cartoon and toys, Duhamel wasn’t initially sure that the “Transformers” concept would make for a successful big-budget film.

“I remember when I first met with him on it, I was meeting his producing partners on another movie, and he came in and told me about this movie he was doing called ‘Transformers.’ I was like ‘Wait, Transformers? Like the cartoon from the ’80s? That sounds like the worst idea ever.’ I didn’t tell him that, but I remember I was thinking it,” Duhamel said. “And a few months later he had me come in to look at some of the artwork that they were doing, and I was like, ‘Oh, OK, now I get it. They’ve completely reinvented it and made it better.’”

He said those elements, combined with a solid group of actors and special-effects animators, led to the success of “Transformers.”

“The combination of having a following already, reinventing it in a way that makes it better, and then you have guys like Shia, and you have the direction of Michael Bay, and those guys at ILM that make these robots feel real, is the reason these movies work,” he said.

- By Matthew Price
From Sunday’s The Oklahoman

The alien robots the Autobots and Decepticons will again battle on movie screens next week when “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is released.

Fans can dive deeper into the world, based on the Hasbro action figures, with comics from IDW Publishing and an event at the Toy & Action Figure Museum this weekend.

“Transformers Weekend” at the Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw St. in Pauls Valley, will feature movie memorabilia, scavenger hunts and a chance to see classic “Transformers” toys from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information about “Transformers Weekend,” call the museum at (405) 238-6300 or go to www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

In the film, the Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the moon and race against the Decepticons to reach it first, according to imdb.com. The Transformer Shockwave will appear for the first time in the movies in “Transformers 3.”

Shockwave first appeared in comics in 1985′s “Transformers” No. 5. The Transformers had been introduced into comics in a four-issue limited series from Marvel; it was expanded to an ongoing series with No. 5. Shockwave for a time usurps Megatron’s leadership of the Decepticons. Shockwave transforms into a laser cannon and is a highly logical, cunning robot. The Shockwave toy was introduced in the second year of the “Transformers” action figures, 1985. Shockwave was recently introduced in the IDW comic books set in the movie universe.

Dirk Wood, IDW’s retail marketing director, talked about “Transformers” at the recent ComicsPRO annual membership meeting in Dallas.

Two “Transformers 3” film prequels, “Foundation” and “Rising Storm,” have been released by IDW. “Rising Storm” introduces Shockwave into the movie continuity, and “Foundation” explores the past of Megatron and Optimus Prime.

“We want to take the perennial licenses that obviously do great for us, but we want to give people a fair chance of getting in and getting excited about it,” he said. He noted that “Transformers” comics sold well during each of the previous two summers that featured a “Transformers” movie.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

JAMES MARSDEN WOULD LIKE TO RETURN FOR X-MEN 4

Oklahoma-born James Marsden, who played Cyclops in X-Men 1-3, said he’d love to return for a fourth film with the original cast, in an interview with Movieline.

‘It would be great to get Hugh [Jackman] and Famke [Janssen] and Patrick [Stewart] and Ian [McKellan] and Halle [Berry] and everybody back together again to do another installment, our next chapter,” Marsden told Movieline.

OKLAHOMA’S GATES GETS NEW PROJECT

University of Oklahoma graduate and former “Supergirl” writer Sterling Gates is joined by Rob Liefeld, one of the most popular artists of the 1990s, for the “Hawk and Dove” relaunch from DC Comics in September.

Liefeld worked on the late 1980s “Hawk and Dove” miniseries written by Barbara and Karl Kesel.

He was a popular Marvel artist on “New Mutants” and “X-Force” before co-founding Image Comics, where he created “Youngblood” and dozens of other characters and titles.

TOY MUSEUM CELEBRATES GREEN LANTERN

The Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw St. in Pauls Valley, is celebrating the release with a weekend-long event starting Saturday, June 11.

And DC Comics announced a brand-new “Green Lantern” No. 1 comic for September, written by Geoff Johns, the company’s chief creative officer, who has been involved in the film adaptation.

Fans who dress as any Green Lantern will receive free admission to the Toy & Action Figure Museum from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. If you can’t swing an entire costume, wearing green will get you $1 off museum admission.

The museum has a new Green Lantern display and will have giveaways of items related to the upcoming film.

REVIEW FILE: Echo 30, Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager 1, Ghost Rider 0.1
Comics read in 2011: 772. Still to go: 1239.

Green Lantern toys are on display at the Toy & Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley.

Green Lantern, an intergalactic peace officer who stars in comic books from DC Comics, has probably his highest profile ever this month.

Ryan Reynolds will star as Hal Jordan, Earth’s defender in the Green Lantern Corps, in the movie “Green Lantern” opening Friday, June 17.

The Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw St. in Pauls Valley, is celebrating the release with a weekend-long event starting Saturday, June 11.

And DC Comics announced a brand-new “Green Lantern” No. 1 comic for September, written by Geoff Johns, the company’s chief creative officer, who has been involved in the film adaptation.

“It’s building off the Green Lantern stories I’ve done since ‘Rebirth,’”Johns told The Associated Press about the series, which features art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy. “Taking it in a very new direction that we’ve never seen in ‘Green Lantern’ before.”

Green Lantern first appeared in the 1940s as Alan Scott. This first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell. He first appeared in July 1940′s All-American Comics No. 16, and he had a magically powered Green Lantern ring.

“Of all the Green Lanterns, he really stands out,” said Kevin Stark, curator of the Toy & Action Figure Museum. “He’s got the cape, he’s got the red shirt. He’s really totally different from all the Green Lanterns.”

After superheroes fell out of favor in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Green Lantern disappeared from comic book racks.

But the concept would return, this time with a science fiction tinge.

Hal Jordan first appeared in “Showcase” No. 22 in October 1959 as part of the so-called “Silver Age” revamp of the DC Comics characters. Hal Jordan, a test pilot, became Green Lantern when a dying

Green Lantern in "Showcase" No. 22

alien selected Jordan to replace him as a member of the Green Lantern Corps.

“I do like the Hal Jordan Green Lantern a lot also,” Stark said. “I like the whole concept of this space police force. Having a lot of characters … where they carry a theme throughout the costume, the costumes are variations on a theme, I really like that. I think that’s cool.”

There have been other Green Lanterns featured in DC Comics through the years, including Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner and John Stewart, all of whom still appear in the comics and will be involved in new series in September. “Green Lantern Corps,” featuring Guy Gardner and John Stewart will be written by Peter J. Tomasi and illustrated by Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna. “Green Lantern: The New Guardians,” starring Kyle Rayner will be written by Tony Bedard and illustrated by Tyler Kirkham and Batt.

Fans who dress as any Green Lantern will receive free admission to the Toy & Action Figure Museum from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. If you can’t swing an entire costume, wearing green will get you $1 off museum admission.

The museum has a new Green Lantern display and will have giveaways of items related to the upcoming film.

For more information, go to www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

As a big fan of Christopher Reeve’s Superman, I’m thrilled with the representation in this upcoming Hot Toys release, set for late 2011.    I can practically hear the John Williams theme in my head.

Based on Superman: The Movie, this Christopher Reeve Superman figure features 30 points of articulation.   It stands 30 cm tall and features three pairs of interchangeable hands.

A movie-style Fortress of Solitude stand and a nameplate with the movie logo also comes with the figure.   A portion of the sales will be donated to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation by Hot Toys Limited.

More info at Comics Alliance; click past the cut for more images.

- Matt Price

Chris Hemsworth, who plays “Thor” in the upcoming film, and Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, check out the toy versions of the accessories most associated with their characters — Thor’s hammer Mjolnir and Captain America’s indestructible shield.

The pair visited Hasbro’s showroom on Tuesday at Toy Fair in New York.   The “Thor” line is set to debut March 1, and the Captain America toys hit the shelves on May 16.   The “Thor” movie releases May 6, and Captain America: First Avenger hits on July 22. Click past the cut for more images, via Hasbro.

Iron Man vs. Batman from Kyle Roberts' stop-motion animation

A battle between two superhero billionaires comes to life in a new exhibit at the Toy and Action Figure Museum, 111 S. Chickasaw in Pauls Valley.

The “Iron Man vs. Batman” exhibit will officially open at 11 a.m. Saturday, and writer/director Kyle Roberts will be on hand to talk about his video and sign autographs. Special commemorative posters will be given away.

Roberts, a videographer with NewsOK, created the stop-motion animation using Batman and Iron Man action figures in battle. The mix of action and parody-style humor has led to nearly 75,000 views on the video. The Toy and Action Figure Museum sponsored the video, and now want to give people an even closer look, said museum curator Kevin Stark.

“After Kyle did the stop-motion film, we decided we wanted to showcase that here at the museum, and give people a behind-the-scenes look at how it was created, and let them look at the actual figures from Hot Toys,” said Stark.

The exhibit also explains more about the process of stop-motion filmmaking.

Roberts shot more than 1,200 photos before putting it together in a motion picture. Each step had to be individually captured, and then edited into the Oklahoma City backdrop.

- Matt Price

Avatar - Fans will want to get their hands on Mattel’s “The Final Battle” action figures. The toys depict the penultimate clash between Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and will be available at the Mattel booth (#2945).

The Simpsons - Springfield will come to San Diego with two exclusive pieces from The Simpsons. A 6″ figure of the famous donut boy statue, Lard Lad, available at the Kidrobot booth (#4529) and a Christmas ornament depicting Springfield’s richest resident, Mr. Burns, at the Hallmark booth (#2913H).

Predators – Hunters have to make sure they don’t become the hunted while tracking down the ‘Berserker Predator’ from NECA (booth #3145). The figure resembles the Predator’s distinct ‘camouflage’ mode and comes with a removable wrist blade.

Futurama - Toynami will also have a limited edition plush of the Futurama’s cute, intergalactic pet, Nibbler at their booth (#3229).

DC Direct shows off its new Brightest Day figures, set to begin release in March, at DC Comics Source blog.  The picture, which shows figures from the first two waves, includes Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Deadman, Aquaman, Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, Firestorm and Mera.

- Matt Price

Hasbro has provided the included images of the Marvel Universe 3.75” Captain America special edition, which will be an exclusive figure at Comic-Con International: San Diego at booth #3329.

The figure is for ages 4 and up and the approximate retail price is $9.99.

From Hasbro:

Hasbro is excited to introduce fans at Comic-Con International to its special edition MARVEL UNIVERSE 3.75” CAPTAIN AMERICA FIGURE! This classic CAPTAIN AMERICA figure is styled in the character’s World War II gear, complete with a removable helmet and triangular, badge-shaped shield. The figure’s packaging features artwork by Joe Quesada, Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief. In addition to being available at Comic-Con, a limited number will be available on HasbroToyShop.com after the convention.

Iron Man in a promotional image from the Dr Pepper Website.

Guest Column
By Tony Panaccio

All we had in the old days were the Slurpee™ Cups.

It was back in the day when you could get a whole month’s worth of comics off the giant spinner rack at the 7-11. Well, it was giant to me because I was 8 years old, and everything looked gigantic to me, but you know what I’m talking about. About $5 would get an armload of comics, and if I got really good grades on my report card, my dad would spring for the Slurpee so I could get that week’s collectible cup.

Back then, it was the only other thing you could get with a super-hero on it that wasn’t a printed comic book. I remember the summer when I was 10 years old, I had a collection of cups that was considered epic, if we had used “epic” as a descriptor back then. I had all the icons like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman (although I never used that one — I let my sisters, though), and they even made a set for the Legion of Super Heroes.

Back then, you didn’t have your choice of flavors, so if you wanted the cup, you had to take whatever flavor they had in the machine that day. I loved the cherry and the banana Slurpees, but every so often they’d have a cup I REALLY wanted — like the Neal Adams version of Superman breaking the chain across his chest — but they’d only be serving Cola flavor that day. Now, this was the worst tasting Slurpee ever created, but I’d drink it anyway, because my dad grew up in the depression eating soap for dinner, so no consumable we ever bought could be allowed to go to waste.

These days, however, I defy you to try and escape the comic’s collectibles. It’s gratifying that all my childhood heroes are now considered mainstream, but it’s still a bit annoying. I bought a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper the other day, and got a cool collection of Iron Man cans, and the look of Iron Man’s helmet on a shiny metal can is way cooler than the cheap ink they used on the Slurpee cups. Heck, I even had to hand wash my old cups because the dishwasher would have stripped the ink right off them.

And you don’t have to hunt all over the place for collectibles, either. Today, there are Web sites like Things From Another World (www.tfaw.com) that carry every kind of collectible you can imagine, from statues to stickers to posters to paintings to skins for your laptop and even meticulously created action figures.

I remember the Mego action figures from when I was a kid — cheap hollow plastic connected by the rubber band on the inside. But they were hard to find, since no one really thought action figures — “dolls for boys” is what my dad called them — would be very popular. So, when I’d find them in the odd place, like an airport gift shop or a street vendor, I’d pledge to clean the table for a week to get my parents to snatch them up.

And they were crap, really. But it was the only crap we could get, so we bought them and played with them until the rubber bands snapped.

Now, you can get comics collectibles at Burger King, McDonald’s and even Subway from time to time. I had to resist getting the kid’s meal at Taco Bell last week, because I didn’t feel like explaining away the Green Lantern poster that came with it to my office mates.

So, for those of you just getting in on the amazing wave of collectibles coming your way from Iron Man 2 and all the other comics movies on the way, take heart. You live in a platinum age of collectibles, and you should bask in your geekitude, because back when I was a kid, all we had was the Slurpee.

Which, by the way, comes in an Iron Man, a War Machine or a Black Widow cup this week while supplies last. I’ll take a cherry, thank you.

(Tony Panaccio, Senior Campaign Strategist for EMSI Public Relations www.emsincorporated.com , is a 25-year veteran writer, marketer and producer in the entertainment industry, having worked with luminaries such as William Shatner, Stan Lee and Michael Uslan. He has been a journalist and a senior executive with several of the world’s largest PR firms.)

From left, Amanda Arroyo, Brady Moran, and Kiley O'Brien, first-graders at Cumberland Hills Elementary School, wrap up G.I. Joe figures that were launched with parachutes from the rotunda of the Rhode Island Statehouse in Providence, R.I., to open the 2010 International G.I. Joe Collectors' Convention, Friday, April 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

From Hasbro:

Providence, RI – April 30, 2010 – The world’s first action figure comes home to Rhode Island for the 17th annual G.I. JOE Convention, hosted by the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Club and Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS).  To celebrate the homegrown hero and its fans, Rhode Island Governor, Donald L. Carcieri, proclaimed today as “G.I. JOE Day” as Rhode Island schoolchildren were on hand for the celebration in the State House rotunda.  The Governor was also joined by Hasbro’s President and CEO, Brian Goldner, as well as 250 parachuting G.I. JOE action figures that descended from the upper level of the domed structure, kicking off the official and largest convention of G.I. JOE enthusiasts.

Thousands of G.I. JOE fans will converge on the Rhode Island Convention Center on May 1st and 2nd to participate in events and activities that surround the brand’s 45-plus year history that includes action figures, comic books, animated series and a blockbuster movie.

“We are excited to have the G.I. JOE brand and its many legions of fans come to Providence for its annual convention this year,” said Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri. “We are proud to have such an internationally iconic hero call Rhode Island home.”

This year’s convention will feature some of the original G.I. JOE vs. COBRA creators, industry guests, artists, and the Hasbro G.I. JOE brand and design team. The convention will celebrate G.I. JOE, the original action figure, and its journey through the decades from the 1960s, all the way through last summer’s blockbuster, G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra, and beyond.

“Hasbro is thrilled to celebrate the G.I. JOE brand in Rhode Island” said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc.  “G.I. JOE is a property that was created and developed here at Hasbro in Rhode Island over 45 years ago and is now known around the world. This year’s convention will showcase the full history of the G.I. JOE brand, with special emphasis on the future of the iconic action and adventure property.  We’re thrilled that Governor Carcieri has bestowed such an honor to the world’s first action figure hero and we’re excited to celebrate “G.I. JOE Day” with our employees, fans and fellow Rhode Island residents.”

The convention is being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center located at 1 Sabin Street in Providence, Rhode Island. General admission tickets are available at the door, $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-12 (free child’s admission with a paid adult). And, as always, admission is free for those 4 years old and under. General Admission tickets provide access to the showroom on Saturday, May 1st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on Sunday, May 2nd from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Additional details and pre-registration information can be found at gijoecon.com, or by calling (817) 448-9863.

Hasbro inaugurated the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Convention in 1994 to bring collectors, fans and the G.I. JOE team together to share in the history of the brand. The annual event attracts thousands of people for G.I. JOE-related presentations and activities, along with buying, selling and trading rare and vintage G.I. JOE action figures.

Click past the cut for more pictures from the GI Joe Day celebration.

The military display at Pauls Valley's Action Figure Museum, shown here, will get a companion in a display dedicated to GI Joe: A Real American Hero.

Check out this link to see Time magazine‘s write up as the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley as a one of “50 Authentic American Experiences.”

Time writes: “The Toy & Action Figure Museum opened in 2005, and it has displays dedicated to all kinds of colorful plastic through history, including G.I. Joe, Transformers and other properties that Hollywood has unwisely decided to make into movies this year. Visitors will also find exhibits honoring local cartoonists, including Dick Tracy creator Chester Gould.”

If you have a chance, pop by the museum this weekend to see the debut of its latest exhibit, a room dedicated to the “GI Joe: Real American Hero” toy line.

The Toy & Action Figure Museum is located at 111 S. Chickasaw in Pauls Valley. General Admission is $6.

- Matt Price

SAN DIEGO — Mattel is previweing the Avatar line of action figures at Comic-Con International.  The figures are based on the upcoming film by James Cameron.

The figures from “Avatar” incorporate augmented reality technology, marking the first time this technology will ever appear in a retail toy product, according to a Mattel release.

Here’s how it works, according to information from Mattel:

Each action figure, vehicle and creature in the product line will come with a 3-D web tag, called an i-TAG, which consumers can “scan” using a home computer’s webcam. Scanning the i-TAG will reveal special content onscreen unique to the corresponding product. Exact content varies for each item, but could include biographical information, additional images and animated models of the figures. When the i-TAG for deluxe figures, vehicles or creatures are placed under a webcam, animated 3-D models will “come alive” through engaging, evading or defending moves. Place two i-TAGs from the “Battle Pack” together and the 3-D images will interact with each other.

“The development of our ‘Avatar’ toy line with the integration of the augmented reality technology marks an entirely new level of innovation in toys,” said Doug Wadleigh, Vice President for Boys Action Play Marketing, Mattel, Inc., in a press release.  “Boys will be able to play with the ‘Avatar’ figures and vehicles in ways that previously could only be imagined.”

The i-TAG technology was developed by Total Immersion.  According to the release, Total Immersion’s patented augmented reality technology integrates real time interactive 3-D graphics into live video. Once the object is recognized by the webcam, the product comes to life on screen.

“Augmented reality is a software solution that has significantly gained momentum and popularity with advertisers, retailers and marketers over the past several years because of its unique ability to engage consumers in their experience with a brand,” said Bruno Uzzan, CEO and co-founder, Total Immersion, in a release. “The launch of Mattel’s ‘Avatar’ toy line is truly groundbreaking, as this marks the first time augmented reality has been featured in a mainstream consumer product line.”

The Mattel line of “Avatar” action figures, creatures and vehicles is scheduled for October 2009.

Kevin Eastman signs during Preview Night at Comic-Con International

SAN DIEGO — I didn’t schedule anything major for tonight, so I could wander the floor and check in with people.   While traffic is lighter than it’ll be during the full days, it still felt pretty full once the show got in full swing.

Among things seen at Preview Night:

* Saw Mark Waid signing at Boom! Studios and thanked him for giving me an interview back in the mid-1990s when I was starting my own comics zine.   He was friendly and gracious about it.   I encourage everybody to check out his Irredeemable, which is a dark and intense comic.

* Saw Alex Ross artwork that costs more than my car.  By quite a bit, actually.

* Saw some Heritage auctions items that also were quite pricey – a 9.8 Incredible Hulk 181 had an estimate of $17,000.

* Lots of new toys in the Mattel booth – Captain Marvel has a figure upcoming in the “Brave and Bold” line, so I hope that means we’ll see him on the show.

* Got a “Nexus Army” T-shirt from the Rude Dude booth.  They were going fast, according to Rude Dude’s Jaynelle Rude, so if you want one, get over there quick!

* Also purchased a new “Scott Pilgrim” shirt from the Oni booth – really getting excited for that movie, and of course the comic remains among my favorites.

* Kevin Eastman was drawing a large line with his new “TMNT” book – congrats on the 25th anniversary of that indie hit!

* Dan Parent, “Archie” writer/artist, was doing a commission of Archie marrying Betty – giving the Betty fans some retailiation for the upcoming Archie/Veronica wedding, it seems!

- Matt Price

As of 1 p.m. ET today, MovieTickets.com is reporting over 350 sold out performances for “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” Of those sellouts, 115 are midnight performances.  “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” accounts for 41 percent of tickets sold at MovieTickets.com this week.  “Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen” is directed by Michael Bay, and stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox.  It opens June 24.

- Matt Price

Kyle Roberts and Matt Price talk to Jason Henry, who creates a show called “Superhero Muggs” on YouTube.

With the Oscar success of “The Dark Knight,” the Christopher Nolan-directed film is again in the public eye. Mattel, the toy licensor for “Dark Knight,” has launched new toys in its “Dark Knight” line of toys, including playsets and role-playing items.

Rob Novickas, spokesperson for Mattel, spoke to the success of the “Dark Knight” line, and the method of translating a somewhat dark film to a successful all-ages toy line.

Q: How successful has the Dark Knight line of toys been?

A: Batman is considered an evergreen property. While “The Dark Knight” was not a movie seen by most kids, the fact that the character is so popular and has been with many generations made the toy line very popular with kids and especially adult collectors.

Q: Was it difficult creating a line of toys that was true to the dark themes of the movie, and yet still play-friendly?

A: For years, Mattel has created a variety of Batman toys that bring this perennial super hero favorite to life for fans of all ages – from action figures and role-play toys, to playsets and games. Our close-working relationship with the filmmakers and Warner Bros. on this film allowed us to be an active participant throughout the entire process. This presented a unique opportunity for Mattel to demonstrate its distinct ability to translate what viewers see on screen into child-appropriate, fun toy line that captures the spirit of the Batman characters.

Q: Tell me about some of the special features of the Dark Knight toys.

A: Mattel has developed an exciting collection of innovative and fun products including role play toys that allow kids to transform into the Dark Knight and fight crime just like Batman, cool vehicles straight out of the streets of Gotham City, realistic action figures and interactive playsets that capture the action, drama and thrill of the movie.

Q: What about Batman has made the character and accessories so popular over so many years?

A: It’s all about the gadgets and the ultimate cool car – what’s cooler than the Batmobile? The cape and cowl is also extremely popular with boys. Batman has entertained and inspired generations of people, and is truly considered an evergreen property between its multiple films, comic books, television series, and consumer products. He’s embodies the “good triumphing over evil” that makes super hero play so appealing to children of all ages.

Q: How much of an effect does the success of a film, in dollars or awards consideration, have on the success of a toy line?

A: At Mattel the success of a toy line comes from creating innovative and fun toys first and then over laying of a license. In the case of Batman, we make the ultimate in action figures and vehicles, and the role play items allow a kid to really feel like he’s the best of the super heroes – Batman.

– Matthew Price
From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman

The following toys are recent releases in the “Batman: The Dark Knight” line.

Batman: The Dark Knight – The Rapid Fire Utility Belt: This role play toy includes a cape and features a rapid-fire motorized blaster with foam projectiles that feeds into the buckle.

Batman: The Dark Knight Mega Cape: The cape can rapidly expand to a 5-inch wingspan, or retract into a convenient back harness for run-around play.

Batman: The Dark Knight Gotham City Battle Playset: This playset transforms into four different environments, as well as a Batmobile.

Batman: The Dark Knight Shift Attack Sports Coupe: Bruce Wayne’s sports coupe can transform to an attack mode. As the car changes, the four-inch Bruce Wayne driver figure changes to a Batman figure, and out come battering rams, missile launchers and massive turbo engines.

WORD BALLOONS

“Watchmen,” the Zack Snyder adaptation of the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, hits theaters next month. In the meantime, DC Comics and Titan Books have created books and merchandise to take fans into the alternate 1980s world of “Watchmen.”

First, the story itself. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 greatest novels, the “Watchmen” graphic novel is available in a variety of formats.

Most impressively, the oversized “Absolute Watchmen” ($75) features 48 pages of supplemental material beyond the 12-issue series. It contains the series proposal, pages from the original script, and additional art. The art was remastered and recolored for the original printing of “Absolute Watchmen,” and it’s now used for all of the “Watchmen” reprints.

Also available are a “Watchmen” hardcover ($39.99), a “Watchmen” trade paperback collection ($19.99) and a single-issue reprint of “Watchmen” issue No. 1 ($1.50).

In addition to the book, DC’s toy division, DC Direct, has created action figures, busts and props of the “Watchmen” characters.

Titan Books, meanwhile, has released four tie-in books surrounding the “Watchmen” film.

“Watching the Watchmen,” written by Dave Gibbons, comes in two editions. The comic-store exclusive edition has a cover featuring the character “The Comedian” and additional pages. It’s also signed by Gibbons and comes with exclusive prints. This edition retails for $50. The standard edition retails for $39.95 and has a cover featuring Dr. Manhattan.

“Watchmen: Portraits” ($50) features black-and-white portrait shots of people in the film, ranging from stars to extras, and was shot by official movie photographer Clay Enos.

“Watchmen: The Film Companion” ($29.95 hardcover, $19.95 softcover) was written by Peter Aperlo and explores the behind-the-scenes making of the film. Aperlo also writes “Watchmen: The Art of the Film,” ($40), which features storyboards, photography and preproduction art. Possibly most intriguing for comic-book fans will be the new art created by Gibbons, as well as alternate takes on the characters by comic-book artists John Cassaday, David Finch and Adam Hughes.

All of the Titan Books releases contain spoilers for the film and graphic novel, so read the book or see the film prior to reading the ancillary material.

Judging from the books, Snyder and company look to have created a rich alternate world, and tried to respect the graphic novel, which has engrossed readers for more than 20 years.

– Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

It’s good to see one of Oklahoma’s meccas of cool stuff being noticed by the outside world!  Congratulations to curator Kevin Stark.

– Matt Price

Game developer EA has announced the company is working on “G.I. Joe” games for all major console and handheld systems, tying into the release of this summer’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” film.

A sneak peek of the game will be shown at Toy Fair next week in New York City.

The G.I. JOE video game picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, according to the release, and will feature 12 Joe characters.

The full release is after the break.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 11, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro’s legendary G.I. JOE® brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in summer 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters August 7, 2009. EA will unveil a “first look” of the G.I. JOE® video game at Hasbro’s Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.

“As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the G.I. JOE® property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. “G.I. JOE® offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as G.I. JOE® fans.”

For fans of all ages, 2009 is gearing up to become another watershed milestone in the timeless franchise by introducing even more new ways to engage, immerse and play within the G.I. JOE® universe. The G.I. JOE® video game will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line. The game will feature 12 G.I. JOE® characters, each with unique abilities and weapons. Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil as they work together to defeat the powers of the COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE® video game is under development for Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii^TM, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS^TM, and mobile devices.

“G.I. JOE® has been an icon of action for 45 years,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. “EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans.”

For more than four decades, G.I. JOE® has been one of the premiere brands in the history of boys’ toys. Originating the term “action figure” in 1964, Hasbro’s G.I. JOE® brand ushered in a new play pattern that forever changed the scope of the toy industry. The G.I. JOE® brand made another revolutionary introduction in 1984 with the release of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA toy line, which introduced a generation of boys to the heroic G.I. JOE® forces, led by Duke, and their epic struggle to defeat the evil COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga featured a diverse cast of characters – both good and evil – that became a part of pop culture through Hasbro’s toy line, an animated television series and best-selling comic book franchise.

For more information about the G.I. JOE® video game and to sign up for updates, visit gijoe.ea.com

Toymakers are aiming for the next generation of “Star Trek” fans with a new line of toys based on the J.J. Abrams film. Gareb Shamus, publisher of Toy Wishes (www.toywishes.com), says director Abrams will bring a contemporary feel to a classic property.

“For this brand especially, by bringing in somebody like J.J. Abrams, who has been an amazing contemporary director-producer in this decade, with hits like ‘Alias’ and ‘Lost’ … he’s able to appeal to today’s core fan, and (the) masses, as somebody who’s … innovative and exciting in what he does,” Shamus said.

“What they want to do is introduce Star Trek to a whole new generation of kids, and also appeal to the core fans they’ve had all these years.”

The Playmates Toys’ products, coming to stores this spring, will be available in three different sizes – 3 ¾ inches, 6 inches and 12 inches. The company is also teaming with Mattel to offer “Star Trek” Barbies.

The 3 ¾ inch line is expected to retail at around $7 and feature the characters from the new film, including Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

“Especially in today’s economic times, there’s definitely a trend for all toy companies to offer less expensive price point items,” Shamus said. “There’s no question that especially with the ‘Star Trek’ line, they want to create an entry point that can get as many people interested in and excited about the toys as possible.”

The smaller line also makes it more affordable to build sets and accessories, like playsets for the Bridge and Transporter Room of the Enterprise.

“‘Star Trek’ has history that can be built upon, so that when you see it for the first time, you feel like it’s a very rich, exciting franchise,” Shamus said. “This is a great chance for them to introduce the movie to a lot of kids that haven’t been exposed to it.”

– By Matthew Price
From Wednesday’s The Oklahoman