Hot Toys’ Christopher Reeve Superman: The Movie figure looks authentic, fantastic
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, Chris Evans check out figures, props at Toy Fair
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 stop-motion exhibit to open at Toy & Action Figure Museum
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
20th Century Fox consumer products offers Comic-Con International exclusives
20th Century Fox Consumer Products offers several exclusives at this year’s Comic-Con: International in San Diego.
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 unveils Brightest Day action figures
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
World War II Captain America figure is Hasbro Comic-Con exclusive
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 and the Iron Can: Why Are Collectibles So Much Cooler Today?
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.)
G.I. Joe Day declared in Rhode Island
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.
Time magazine honors Toy & Action Figure Museum
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
Mattel’s Avatar toys to feature new technology
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.
