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Well, the New Year has come and gone hopefully with minimal interruption, and we are well on the way to another glorious year in toys. Christmas meant toys for all good girls and boys and it looks like things went well for all toy manufacturers. The late coming Pokemon figures were a big success (anybody got a Jessie to spare?) as well were wrestling figures (I got Undertaker, Kane and Big Show to go with my others). The only thing that seemed to be a let down was the Star Wars Phantom Menace line. Sure some figures sold, but when I went to Toys R Us the Sunday before Christmas, they still had pegs and pegs full of them. Even some of the new line like Adi Galla, Captain Tarpals and OOM-9 were there in force, as well as old hotties like Darth Maul and Yoda. I think Kenner waited a bit to long to get this new crop out, and the price is not all that good, either. Hey Kenner, just drop the CommTECH chips and just give us the figures like the good old days. Nothing fancy, just something that is good to look at a reasonable price.
Looking at the two latest ToyFares, there seems to be a lot coming up. Here are some random thoughts from them.
Pokemon marbles from Toy Biz. I think this is about as far as this line goes in merchandising. I think the only thing they have not done is Pokemon toilet paper. Have rolls of 150 with pictures of each on one square.
Digimon is supposed to give Pokemon a run for it's money? If the cartoon is any indication, then Pokemon has nothing to worry about.
Street Fighter Action Figures. So far only six available and only two that I have any interest in. One will be a birthday present, and one looks cool. Now where's the Chun-Li figure, eh?
Heavy Metal band action figures, this is proof that people will do anything for a buck. These figures are just too specific. McFarlane, I think, has learned from his error with the Kiss figures.
Britney Spears is getting her own line of dolls (I have seen some and they are rather cute). Elvis is getting his own action figures. I can understand Elvis, because he's the king of Rock and Roll, but Spears? See what I said above about the heavy metal band action figures and add, `Worse than Barbie for girl's body image.'
The Donkey Kong line is out, and already marked down at Target. All look great, I just might get a Cranky Kong to put on my computer to beat on Yoda and Kosh.
They are already making a Titan Tron Series 2 for the Titan Tron Playset when I have barely seen any of the Series 1 figures. At least Big Show is being made.
Sonic the Hedgehog figures. God Almighty! Hey every company wanting to make figures that are based off a video game, learn from the Donkey Kong line. Don't bother.
Yes! After many years of not having a line of their own (Except a sorry line from Mattel in the early 1990's,) the Simpsons are getting one. The first line consists of four of the Simpson family [Grandpa, Homer, Bart and Lisa] (Maggie and Marge are in a playset) Krusty, and Mr. Burns. There are also three playsets. One of the Kwik-E-Mart with Apu, one of Homer at his station at the Power Plant with Homer and one of the Simpson's living room with Marge and Maggie. In future lines expect to see Barney, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Otto, Nelson, Milhouse, Chief and Ralph Wiggum, Moe, Lenny and Groundskeeper Willy. From the pictures that I have seen, they all look great and will be worth the price.
For those fans of the Preacher comic series, there are going to be three figures put out by DC Direct in May. Cassidy, Saint of Killers and Tulip are expected to be out first. All will have accessories correct for each character.
More Star Wars for both the original and Phantom Menace lines. Some of the high points are Battle Droid and Gungan invasion force sets along with two droids in January, and Battle Damaged Destroyer Droid and Qui-Gon Jinn in March. For the older lines we will see a Leia in her early A New Hope dress with hood up and a choking Admiral Motti (who hopefully will have the choking sound on his chip.)
It appears the same company who is doing the Elvis figures is also doing a series from Saturday Night Live. In the first line, there will be a Nat X, the Samurai, Goat Boy and either a Mary Catherine Gallagher figure or a Hans and Franz two-pack. I'll be buying a Nat X simply because the skits with him were so funny.
The Matrix figures are coming out. What is so good about this movie that you must make figures about it with tons of guns?
Barbie as Wonder Woman. The world will end tomorrow.
More Buffy according to the rumor mill. Be on the look out for the Oz figure as well as a Giles and maybe a resculpted Buffy.
More Spy Who Shagged Me figures. You get Austin Powers, Vanessa Kensington, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me in Space Suits, a Fembot and a Scott Evil figure. So those Seth Green lovers out there, just get ready.
That looks to be about all for this month. I also took a step into getting the special figures they offer in Toyfare. This month they offered a Seven of Nine figure and carried over their Buffy offer from a few months ago. I went ahead and got both for $27 with shipping. They say it takes 16 to 20 weeks for delivery if I am one of the less than 8000 that get their orders in. Hey! If that is true, then we'll probably be well into the summer semester at school, and I'll have forgotten all about it.
[As always this is a work that is to be posted on collectortimes.com and nowhere else. If I find it anywhere else other than there, without my consent, then you will find a very lost old man pounding on your door looking for his medicine and talking about how the president is a Demi-crat.]
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