Raving Toy Maniac

April 2012 - It's Wednesday, which is the day of the week that new Diamond Select Toys products hit comic shops and specialty stores across the U.S., and while only one DST product comes out today, it's a doozy! DST and the DMV don't normally have much in common (no lines, friendly employees, better photography), but DST manufactures almost as many license plates. First it was the Back to the Future "OUTATIME" plate, then it was the Ghostbusters "ECTO-1" plate plate, and now it's the Knight Rider "KNIGHT" plate! (You may think that KITT's license plate read "KITT," but it actually read "KNIGHT," as in "Knight Industries Two Thousand.") This plate is just the thing to make your car look like a high-tech piece of machinery, or at least justify your frequent conversations with it. Pick one up today!

Look for it at your local comic shop, specialty store or your favorite online retailer! You can find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!

Hasbro Announces Its Newest Sustainable Packaging Initiative; Company to Improve Product-to-Packaging Ratios for Range of Global Brands

Effort will reduce environmental impacts by minimizing material used

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- April 10, 2012 -- Global branded play leader Hasbro, Inc. today announced plans to reduce materials used in product packaging for many of its highly popular global brands, including MY LITTLE PONY, NERF and PLAY-DOH. This new initiative will result in an approximate 15 percent improvement in the average product-to-package ratio of brands and products included in the initiative, with retail availability of Hasbro products in the more environmentally-efficient packaging beginning this year.

Over the next two years, retailers and consumers will begin to see an even broader range of packaging efficiencies put in place, including redesigned disposable boxes and blister packs that use less material. As an example, a more efficient package design for the 2013 MY LITTLE PONY assortment pack is expected to reduce the size of shipping containers by 20 percent, creating transportation efficiencies.

SEAN ASTIN TO APPEAR AT CHICAGO COMIC & ENTERTAINMENT EXPO (C2E2)

Actor Joins Extensive List of Guests from Entertainment World to Appear at Annual Pop Culture Convention

Norwalk, CT, April 10, 2012: Show organizers at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), which is set take place this coming weekend, April 13 – 15 at McCormick Place in Chicago, have announced that Sean Astin will appear as a guest at the show. In addition to featuring top artists and creators from the world of comics, C2E2 is a showcase for celebrities from all corners of the entertainment universe including film, TV, books and music. Sean Astin is well remembered for his role as loyal Samwise Gamgee in the universally acclaimed Lord of the Rings; his role as Mikey in the 1980's classic The Goonies; and his title role as the American working class hero in Rudy. He joins other entertainment celebrities at C2E2 including:

John Barrowman
Nicholas Brendan
Ryan Buell
Lauren Cohan
John Cusack
Anthony Daniels
Josh Gates

April 9, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer Urban-Collector has several new items of interest to collectors:

This week we are featuring new pre-orders including Captain Action figures and costumes, Star Wars Pendants and Marvel Figurine Magazines!

Featured Pre-Orders

• Nemesis Statue Resident Evil
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Hand Glove with Lighted LED
• Dr. Evil 12 inch deluxe action figure

Barbie Collector Unveils Hunger Games™ Katniss Barbie® Doll

April 9, 2012 - "May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor."

Paying tribute to Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant heroine of The Hunger Games™ who is beloved by millions, Barbie® Collector introduces: The Hunger Games™ Katniss Barbie® doll for the adult collector.

The Katniss Barbie® doll depicts the strong and ever resourceful heroine as she enters the arena to defend herself in a brutal Government sponsored game which she has entered after volunteering to take her younger sister’s place.

She wears a black hooded jacket with orange trim, a black t-shirt, army green cargo pants and utilitarian brown boots.

On her shoulder, she totes her trusted bow and arrow and of course, proudly wears her mockingjay pin on her lapel to symbolize freedom. Her hair is fastened into her signature, loose braid.

Barbie® Announces Plan to Turn the White House Pink with a Run for the Oval Office

Barbie® Doll Stands on Her Own (Literally!) for the First Time with the Barbie® I Can Be...™ President Doll

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- April 4, 2012 -- Today, Barbie® doll formally threw her pink hat into the presidential campaign ring by unveiling the new 2012 Barbie® I Can Be...™ President doll. The global icon will represent girls of all ages on her road to the "Pink House," serving as the "B Party™" candidate. Barbie® will hit the campaign trail with a full-scale "glam-paign" alongside her longtime political advisor – The White House Project®. With a designer pink power suit and a new Tumblr blog, Barbie® stands on her own (literally) as this campaign's sole female candidate.

NAAF Welcomes Barbie's Bald Friend

SAN RAFAEL, CA – April 9, 2012 – The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) applauds Mattel's news that it will unveil a doll for children experiencing hair loss. The as yet unnamed doll is a bald friend of the iconic Barbie, and is expected to come with wigs, scarves, hats and other accessories.

The doll will not be available in stores. However, NAAF is scheduled to receive a quantity of the new doll upon release expected in late 2012 or early 2013, as well as a cash donation from Mattel to pay for shipping and administrative costs involved with shipping to children afflicted with alopecia areata. "We are very proud Mattel has selected us to carry this special doll, which will make so many children happy," said NAAF President Vicki Kalabokes.

April 9, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi everyone - a few cool items just listed this morning that are worth mentioning:

Transformers Generations 2012 Volume 01 - Artfire - Mailaway Japanese Exclusive
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=MPB10008&mode=re...

Captain Action - Wave 02 - Dr. Evil, Thor, Loki
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1312&company=0&categor...

Mortal Kombat - 18" Rain Statue
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SYC10011&mode=re...

DC, Star Trek, Star Wars Cufflinks
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=cufflinks

APE ENTERTAINMENT DRAWS SESAME STREET

Ape Entertainment and Sesame Workshop to Create Entertaining Educational Comics for Young Readers

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - April 06, 2012 - Ape Entertainment announced today that they have entered into a licensing agreement with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization, to produce a series of print and digital comic books featuring the cast of the beloved children's show Sesame Street. The new and original comic book series will emphasize educational and entertaining content for younger readers.

From television to the comic panel, Ape Entertainment will portray the characters that millions of parents and children have come to know and love in a comic series that will be produced in full color and available in stores this fall in standard comic sized printed editions for $3.99 and digest sized hardcover comic book editions for $7.99. They will also be available as a digital comic book that will be available through Apple's App Store for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

April 2012 - This week, Diamond Select Toys is giving away a set of Marvel Minimates Series 43 -- yes, that's the set with Spider-Man, Daredevil, Jean DeWolff and the Sin-Eater, among others. But the set they're giving away is a special one -- its been signed by acclaimed comics writer Peter David! The man who wrote the Jean DeWolff Saga this series is based on has signed all four packs: Spidey/Jean, DD/Sin-Eater, J. Jonah Jameson/SHIELD Agent and even the rare variant Aunt May/SHIELD Agent. And all you have to do is:

1. Follow @Minimates on Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/minimates
2. Tweet "@Minimates" and #PeterDavidRulz
3. Sit back and wait for DST to pick a winner!

The drawing will happen on Tuesday, April 17. You can enter once per day, so Tweet early and often!