Raving Toy Maniac

With the Help of Celebrity Elves, Marine Toys for Tots Launches "Thank You Santa" Social Media Campaign

TRIANGLE, Va., Dec. 13, 2012 -- The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation announces the launch of "Thank You Santa", a social media campaign giving the public yet another easy way to get toys under the tree of children in need.

Now through December 26th, individuals can write a note to say Thank You Santa, for a gift that inspired them as a child or this year's favorite Christmas gift at http://www.ToysforTots.org/ThankYou or #TFTThankYou. In return, Hasbro, Inc. will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots. This simple act of sharing a favorite gift will help Toys for Tots create a Christmas memory of hope and happiness for up to 10,000 deserving children.

Skelanimals™ Livens Up The Holidays With Virtual Photo Mobile App And Branded Virtual Goods By Bare Tree Media

BOSTON, Dec. 13, 2012 -- Dead animals need love too, especially during the holidays! Skelanimals are adorable little animals who met their untimely end due to their own reckless and ill advised behavior. Although deceased, they need a warm and loving home. Now everyone can 'virtually' adopt Skelanimals by including them in their photos and sharing the love with friends via the Skelanimals Photo Bones virtual photo mobile app, available on iTunes starting today!

Skelanimals Photo Bones is created and published by Bare Tree Media, a leading developer and publisher of branded interactive entertainment for global audiences. The company entered a licensing partnership with Art Impressions to create branded mobile apps and games under a global digital license agreement. Bare Tree Media also offers Skelanimals branded virtual goods in leading virtual worlds such as WeeWorld and Meez.

New NASA Book Traces Space Nutrition From Tubes To Today

HOUSTON, Dec. 14, 2012 -- America's space program has come a long way from the early days when astronauts ate food packed in toothpaste tubes. Today, nutrition is known to be a key ingredient in astronaut health in space, just as it is for humans on Earth.

NASA scientists and educators have teamed up to publish a book, aimed at intermediate school students, that explains the role of nutrition in the space program. The free e-book describes how space nutrition research is conducted and highlights this important avenue of ongoing research at NASA. Educator Guides that suggest ways to incorporate the material into the classroom, along with mapping to National Science Education Standards, accompany the text.

December 16, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - Some new listings and new arrivals to mention:

War Lord UT-W01 - War Hawk
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=UQT10000&mode=re...

Demolition Crue & Long Blast Accessory Set
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=mech%20ideas

Back to the Future Model Kits
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1376&company=125

Uranos Gun Upgrade
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=XTR10004&mode=re...

Enterbay 1/4 Scale Batman & Joker
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=enterbay%201/4%20b...

Portal Gun Replica
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=NEC11982&mode=re...

The makers of UglyDoll will be featured on CNBC's show "How I Made My Millions" on December 14th. The episode also includes Bruce Lund, the man who created TMX Elmo. Check out the episode description at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100286386

UGLYDOLL Feature Airs Friday, 8PM EST on CNBC

Green Brook, NJ - December 13, 2012 - "Stitched Together" - UGLYDOLL - David Horvath signed letters to his sweetheart far away in Korea with a character named "Wage". Sun-Min surprised him by making a doll version as a holiday present. Soon after, a toy store owner in Los Angeles ordered 20 -- which sold out in a day -- and the love birds launched what became a wildly successful line of Ugly Dolls, books, products and even a movie soon at a theater near you.

How I Made My Millions premieres Friday 8pm ET on CNBC.

Moshi Monsters™ Happy Meal™ Promotion Launches In The US

Collect Moshi Monsters' Happy Meal Toys in McDonald's restaurants - December 14 to January 10

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2012 -- Starting December 14, the monstrously popular kids hit, Moshi Monsters will invade McDonald's restaurants throughout North America for a Moshi Monsters Happy Meals promotion. The special program will give fans from coast-to-coast a chance to get their hands on exclusive Moshi Monsters toys for four weeks during the holiday season.

One of eight different colorful characters from the Moshi Monsters universe will be featured in every McDonald's Happy Meal, including an all-new, top-secret mystery Moshling to be unveiled as part of the month-long promotion. The collectible figures (exclusive to McDonald's) will include fan favorites Katsuma, Poppet and IGGY along with Furi, Jeepers, Shishi and Luvli, while supplies last. Each Happy Meal also comes with a free 3-day membership to http://MoshiMonsters.com.

December 14, 2012 - CustomCon 33 Day Five is online at The Fwoosh!

The Day Five batch of galleries includes:

• Kamandi Klassics by Joshua Izzo
• ML Griffin Series by Calbretto
• DCUC King Shark Series by Probodigy
• ML Demonic Forces Series by Rabid_Ewok
• Injustice Unlimited by Charles Rouse-Rodriguez

Take a look back at the previous CustomCon events.

The Best Just Got Better! Best of Marvel Minimates Series 2 Coming Soon!

December 2012 - Collecting Marvel Minimates can be daunting -- after all, they're celebrating their tenth year in 2013, and releasing their 50th consecutive series of mini-figures. So where does a new collector start? Which are the "best" Marvel Minimates? Diamond Select Toys answered that last year with the first Best of Marvel Minimates assortment, which featured the best-ever versions of some of Marvel's top heroes and villains. Now DST is bringing you more of the Best in Series 2!

Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl Statue, is On Her Way! (Everybody Hide!)

December 2012 - Don't let her cuteness fool you -- Lenore is not to be trifled with. Nor is she to be talked down to, lied to, threatened, annoyed, spoken to or looked at. Any one of those things is punishable by Lenore removing your kneecaps. Which is why we're content to observe Lenore from behind the sturdy plastic window of her packaging. This 7-inch PVC statue of the undead cult-favorite comic book character is due out later this month, and you can see the boxed production piece below!

Pre-order the statue at your local comic shop or favorite online toy store, and be on the lookout for the Lenore Vinyl Bust Bank in early 2013!

Bitta Critta T-shirt by Scott Tolleson from outsmART originals

Still drink from a bottle,

Meet my babysitta!

December 2012 - outsmART originals proudly presents the next release in our Artist Apparel Collection, Bitta Critta by Scott Tolleson. That's right, the Prince of Plaid, the Nobleman of Nosellots and the Archduke of Argh has created another classic character that will be a must-have in 2013. Lil grumpy, badass Bitta Critta, teased in 2010 at various cons in 3D form, will make his very first appearance ringing in the New Year as an outsmART originals t-shirt! Get your shirt first and prepare for the Bitta Reign when the horned Critta blasts onto the scene in 3D this spring starting the Year of Bitta!