|
Sorry about missing last month kids, but I was having some
computer trouble as well as other things going on. So this month you get an
extra long column this month because of all the Toy Fair
information that I have been able to dig up from my various sources.
As always if you have any ideas for articles, questions or
comments please write me at the e-mail address above. I'm already having a record
year for e-mail, and that is 2 so lets increase that number.
First up this month, are two lines related to Spider-Man are coming
out. The first one is based on the Spider-Man Movie. This one will
consist of Leaping Spider-Man, Web Swinging Spider-Man, Battle Ravaged
Spider-Man, Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Norman Osborn, and two Green
Goblins. The other one is the Spider-Man and Friends line. This is NOT based
on the 1980's cartoon "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" (although I
never thought Firestar or Iceman were that amazing). Instead, this seems
to be a line that is directed to the about under six crowd that is sort of like
the Rescue Heroes line from Fisher Price. This line will have Police
Spidey, Construction Spidey, Diver Spidey and just a plain Spider-
Man. Look for the Spider-Man movie line to be out now and the Spider-
Man and Friends line to be out in August. Due out soon will be the another
series of figures based on the Spider-Man movie. There will be Battle-
Ravaged Green Goblin, Power Punch Spider-Man, Mary Jane, and
Transforming Wrestler Spider-Man. Look for them in May.
The Simpsons line just keeps growing and growing. Look for two
new playsets. The first is the cafeteria with Lunchlady Doris and the
Springfield DMV with Selma. Also due out is the eighth series of
figures. It will include Kearney (one of the last bullies), Daredevil Bart,
shirtless Willie, Uter, Superintendent Chalmers and the twins
Sherri & Terri. All of these should be out some time in the Spring.
DC Direct reaches into the vault of obscure characters for their
latest release of DC Superheroes figures. This series, due out some time
in June or July, will incude Blue Beetle, Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady,
Phantom Stranger and Mordru. DC Direct will also have a line based on the
WB show Smallville some time in the summer. Look for likenesses of the
ultra hot Lana Lang (in cheerleader outfit), Clark Kent and Lex Luthor. Also
there will be a boxed set of five Justice League figures (Flash, Wonder
Woman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern.
Look for it in the Summer too.
IF Labs will release their first set of Dragon Ball Z figures in August
and these are ones that every Dragon Ball Z figure collector will be
drooling over. Other than Vegeta, there will be a Goku in Spacesuit,
Krillin in Spacesuit and a vary shiny and cool Meta-Cooler. These
figures look vary good and will probably cost a bit more than the normal
figures.
On the Star Trek front, Art Asylum is going to be putting out the first
figures of the Star Trek: Enterprise line. In June will be a set of
figures based on the shows first episode, Broken Bow. The figures
in this line will be Mayweather, Archer, Silik, T'Pol and Klaang. Each
figure will come with an electronic base that, when combined, will form the
bridge. The second set, due in August, will be space suit versions of
Captain Archer, Dr. Phlox, Sato, Tucker and T'Pol. There will be an
electronic Enterprise that has sound and lights.
I don't think that a month goes by without me mentioning
something about Star Wars. With the new movie due out next month the big push of
the new figures is on. The 3 3/4 inch line is getting a big shot in the arm with
two different lines. I won't go into detail here because I do not want
to spoil names for people who do not want to know. I can tell you,
that the line will have figures of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker from the
Bespin duel scene. The figures will also have snazzy action features and
magnets in the hands to hold weapons.
What is the Star Wars line with out vehicles. They are not going as
nuts with them as they did last time, but there are still going to be some.
Look for Two Coruscant speeders, a Jedi Starfighter (it looks
interesting) and a Republic Gunship (it's big enough to hold 10 figures and has
a handle on top). A snazzy new playset is also in the works that is
like getting two playsets in one. Look for these in the Summer and Fall.
Last on the Star Wars front there will be all sorts of 12 inch figures
from the new and old movies. In keeping with my no spoilers
policy, I will not tell you about the Episode II figures, but I will tell you about the
ones from the Empire Strikes Back. There will be 12 inch
likenesses of Zuckuss and Dengar as well as an Imperial Officer.
GI Joe is up next. The line is getting a huge shot in the arm in the
year 2002. This time they are returning to using the O-rings in the
figures so that is making me somehwat happy. For the Joes look for Scarlett,
Beachhead, Flint, Blowtorch (who-whoo), Dusty, Sgt. Stalker (I'm
presuming that's just Stalker), Big Ben (ugh), Sure Fire (????), Mirage (I
thought he was a Transformer), General Tomahawk (I hate that name) and
Nunchuk. For the cobras there will be: Zartan, Dr. Mindbender, Baroness,
Snow Serpent, Desert Cobra CLAWS, Neo-Viper Commander, Alley
Viper (I hope it's in that garish orange and blue color), Cobra Slice, Viper, Headman
and Firefly. Look for these starting in July.
The GI Joe line is also getting vehicles too. There will be the GI Joe
Assult Quad, Sand Razor and Night Attack Chopper (warning it's
huge). Cobra will be getting the FANG III and HISS IV. Look for them in
August and throughout the Fall.
Mattel is going places with its He-Man line. In this case, they are
re-doing the Castle Grayskull for the new figures. This time it will
have special readers throughout that will read chips in the characters
feet. There will also be a vehicle called the Bashin' Beetle. It will have
claws to smash bad guys and a boulder. Look for them sometime between
July and September.
Toy Biz will be doing more Fellowship of the Rings toys before they
release toys for the nest movie "The Two Towers."Look for Elrond, Aragorn,
Bilbo and the Balrog. More two-packs of Frodo and Samwise as well as
Gimli and Uruk-Hai. All of those should be due this month. In August look for
the Brute Orc, Haldir, Twilight Ringwraith and Galadriel.
|
