Raving Toy Maniac

April 25, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - Here is a quick update from http://www.bigbadtoystore.com about a big batch of exciting new preorders as well as more cool new arrivals.

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NEW PREORDERS
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TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS 2012 SERIES 01 - CASE, SET, SINGLES
This first wave of 2012 Generations comes from the Fall of Cybertron game, due out in August. The case includes three each of WFC2 Optimus Prime and WFC2 Jazz, along with two of WFC2 Shockwave, and is listed at $104.99. The set of one each of the three is also up, priced at $47.99. Finally, we have singles of Optimus and Jazz, each listed at $15.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Transformers+Gener...

HOT TOYS - MGS SNAKE EATER VIDEO GAME MASTERPIECE FIGURES - NAKED SNAKE, THE BOSS

Hasbro Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter 2012

• Net revenues of $648.9 million for the first quarter 2012 versus $672.0 million for the first quarter 2011; foreign exchange had a negative $8.5 million impact on first quarter 2012 revenues;
• Net loss of $2.6 million, or ($0.02) per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $17.2 million, or $0.12 per diluted share in 2011; Excluding $11.1 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, of severance costs, first quarter 2012 net earnings were $5.1 million, or $0.04 per diluted share;
• International segment revenues up 14% to $289.7 million, reflecting growth in all major geographic regions; International revenues up 17% absent negative $8.2 million impact of foreign exchange;
• Boys product category revenues up 4% and Preschool revenues up 2%;
• Positive point-of-sale trends in the U.S. and international markets versus the first quarter 2011;
• Gained share in the U.S. and Europe

April 2012 - It's Wednesday, which means hordes of comic book fans are flocking to their local comic shops to pick up the latest releases. For those of you hoping to pick up the latest issue of Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose (the deluxe and signed editions of #73 arrive today), you may also want to swing by the toy department, because the newest Femme Fatales statue from Diamond Select Toys is also shipping to stores! Raven Hex, the stern sorcery-slinging sister of Tarot, stands 9 inches tall and is cast in PVC plastic, which puts her price far below that of most resin statues. Our original statue of Tarot is sold out, and we expect her sister to move just as fast! Pick one up and take her home today -- those comic stores get cold at night.

HASBRO BRINGS 'MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE' EXCITEMENT TO DALLAS WITH THE 18th ANNUAL TRANSFORMERS CONVENTION

The TRANSFORMERS Global Entertainment Phenomenon Rolls Into Texas With Special Guests, Interactive Experiences and Much More

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (April 24, 2012) – Thousands of TRANSFORMERS fans from around the world will celebrate the iconic brand from Hasbro, Inc. in Dallas as the TRANSFORMERS fan convention known as "BOTCON" serves up a Texas-sized helping of AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS from April 27-29. Hasbro and the TRANSFORMERS Collectors' Club, will be offering opportunities to engage in and learn about the TRANSFORMERS brand that can only be experienced at BOTCON.

WIZKIDS, NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT COLLECTIBLES ASSOCIATION REVEAL 2012 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY FIGURE

Hillside, N.J. - April 24, 2012 - Wizkids and National Entertainment Collectibles Association (N.E.C.A.) today revealed the 2012 Free Comic Book Day figure to be distributed at no cost to collectors, enthusiasts and fans at comic shops nationally on Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, May 5th. The physical figure, Thor, comes from the Marvel's The Avengers HeroClix collection and will also contain a code for its digital counterpart.

This year marks Wizkids' fourth year participating in Free Comic Book Day, offering comic book shops around the country a free Super Hero figurine to distribute to shop-goers.

"Comics are a big part of what we do at Wizkids," said Jerome Gonyeau, marketing and community manager at Wizkids. "Supporting the event and providing a special item for the community in appreciation of the art is something we'll continue to do."

DARK HORSE DIGITAL ANNIVERSARY SALE

DARK HORSE DIGITAL CELEBRATES FIRST YEAR!

April 24, 2012, MILWAUKIE, OR - Dark Horse Digital reaches a new landmark, turning one year old this Friday. To thank our loyal fans, Dark Horse announces an anniversary appreciation discount.

This weekend, Dark Horse Digital is offering 10% off all titles in the web store, with an additional coupon to newsletter subscribers and new subscribers who have signed up by this Thursday. And yes, the coupon stacks with an even greater discount off your order!

The sale starts this Friday (April 27) and ends Sunday (April 29) at midnight PST - so head over to Dark Horse Digital and sign up for the Digital Newsletter to maximize your discount on some incredible comics.

Dark Horse Comics launched its standalone comic-reader app and digital store on April 27, 2011 and has received incredible support from the continuously growing digital-comics fan base.

April 2012 - Marvel's The Avengers movie is on the way, and so are the Avengers movie action figures from Diamond Select Toys! DST's new, movie-based Marvel Select figures are currently en route from the factory, but they couldn't wait to do an Avengers giveaway, so they thought they'd give away some awesome comic-based Avengers instead! One randomly selected fan will get Marvel Select figures of Iron Man, Spider-Woman and the four Disney Store-exclusive Avengers: Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Black Widow! Plus, the lucky fan will get a solid blue prototype version of Thor, straight from the factory floor!

April 24, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

We've just listed Solid Snake and The Boss from Hot Toys at $15 under MSRP at $199.99

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10391&mode=re...

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10392&mode=re...

The Avengers Hot Toys Captain America also was listed yesterday at $199.99

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10390&mode=re...

April 2012 - There are a lot of traditions that happen every Halloween, but Diamond Select Toys has created a new one -- 7-inch Universal Monsters action figures! DST has put out two series of Universal Monsters 7-inch figures in the past two years, and this year will see that tradition continue with five new figures due out this September!

At comic shops and specialty stores, horror fans will be able to pick up a highly detailed Metaluna Mutant from 1955's This Island Earth. With his bulging brain and claws, he conveys all the menace of the movie creature, and he even comes with the Interocitor, the device that allows humans to contact the Metalunans.

April 2012 - Huge thanks to Albert Brocca for letting us know about this neat stop motion film - it is the Avengers movie trailer, made using Marvel Legends action figures!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aXoemMSFc