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Well, here it is for another month. If you have any news you
would like to share, please send it to me and Ill pass it on in my
column. Meanwhile, enjoy.
The Lord of the Rings movie is not even close to being out
yet, but Toy Biz has already released some information on the
figures for the line. There will be action figures that are either
four and a half or six inches tall depending on the character, a
six-inch deluxe action series and three twelve inch figures.
For those of you clamoring for Indiana Jones action figures
will need to pack your bags. Disneyland has started selling
limited edition Indiana Jones figures. There is a ten-inch vinyl
statue, a six-inch action figure and more.
Hasbro has the rights to produce toys based on the new
Planet of the Apes movie. Little is known at this time, but look
for more information as we get closer to summer.
Also on the Hasbro front, rumors are floating around that
they may release new vehicle Transformers later on this year.
Hopefully this is true because I am sick and tired of seeing Beast
Wars action figures sitting on the shelves and nobody purchasing
them. I mean, how many versions of Megatron can you make
before we get tired of him?
It looks like Irwin Toys has some big plans for their Dragon
Ball Z line. They are producing a line of what are called "Second
Skin" figures. The figures will have a flexible skin that allows you
to put the figure in a thin suit of plastic to become Super Sayan.
There will be four characters produced, due out in the second
half of this year.
For those of you who thought the Jay and Silent Bob action
figures were the only ones out there, there will be more. This
time they will be in the form of their alter egos Bluntman and
Chronic. The pair is being done by Graphitti Designs and will
have 16 points of articulation and a boatload of accessories
including an orangutan. If you are looking for something to tide
you over until those two come out, Graphitti Designs has
Hellboy, the Christine Spar Grendel and Will Eisners Spirit
figures coming out by the end of this month.
Trendmasters is trying its hand in the Toy business again, this
time with a line from the summer movie Osmosis Jones. This line
includes the main character Osmosis Jones with a water-
squirting gun, his partner Drixorial (isnt that the name of a cold
medicine?) with water shooting action and a pop open chest,
and the bad guy Thrax. He has a light up chest and three
interchangeable heads. Look for them to be in stores right
before the summer movie season starts.
DC Direct has two sets of figures due out this spring. The
first one due out this month includes Martian Manhunter, Red
Tornado and a Flash two-pack that features both the Barry
Allen Flash and Wally West as Kid Flash. April has four foes of
the Green Lantern available. Look for the likes of Sinestro,
Mirror Master, Captain Cold and Star Sapphire to be out, as
well as a two-pack of Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl (they
are not Green Lantern villains, of course.) All will have
accessories and about nine points of articulation.
A month without Star Wars news is just not a month, now is
it? Well, this month gives us a preview of three twelve-inch
figures for the line. In the fall, look for a Death Star Droid (which
looks like it fell off the ugly tree), Death Star Trooper and a Han
Solo in Stormtrooper armor (see my comment about the Death
Star Droid).
Lastly this month, just to show you that the toy day of
reckoning is at hand, it looks like one of the castaways from the
first Survivor tv show is getting his own twelve-inch figure. No, it
is not the nekkid Rich figure (thankfully), instead it is a figure of
Rudy that is going to be put out by BBI. They have him done up
in modern Navy Seal gear. No release date, but I have to ask,
who is going to purchase one?
Thats all for this month. Hopefully, next month Ill have a
extra large version as I sift through reports from the New York
Toy Fair.
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