Raving Toy Maniac

MINNETONKA, Minn., March 26, 2012 -- Beginning late this month Blip Toys' popular mini-collectable, Squinkies, will be the featured girls toy during a four week release in the new McDonald's Happy Meals.

Squinkies are 1" squishy, squashy collectible toys that each come in their very own bubble container. Since its launch in 2010, Squinkies has earned numerous awards and continues to be a white-hot collectable phenomenon available in over 100 countries worldwide.

Blip Toys and McDonald's have partnered to create 32 unique collectible Squinkies toys, each on their own rocking base, for this Happy Meal promotion. Like the original Squinkies, every toy will come in its own specially-sized, themed bubble that kids can pop open to reveal the "surprize inside."

There are four different themes which include zoo, fantasy, pets and ocean. Kids can collect elephants, kitties, mermaids, and more, as well as four exclusive rare Squinkies characters designed specifically for the McDonald's Happy Meal.

Lifetime Barbie Collection to Be Sold Online by Caring Transitions of North Central Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 26, 2012 -- Caring Transitions of North Central Ohio, a company specializing in estate sales, downsizing and senior moves today announced the sale of a vast Barbie collection on the company's exclusive online auction Web site, http://www.ctonlineauctions.com/ncentraloh.

The sale, starting at 9 a.m. EST today, Sunday, March 25th, features more than 400 lots of Barbie dolls, clothing ensembles, accessories, furniture, vehicles, novelties, convention items and other Barbie collectibles. This extensive collection has been fueled by a local collector's passion for Barbie and it has been in process for more than 50 years.

March 2012 - The Toy2R USA web store will be starting its Spring Sale at midnight tonight (3/26/12)!

• 20% off everything in stock (use coupon code SPRINGQEE).
  • That's right - everything in stock, new releases to classic pieces - all 20% off!

• 30% off orders of $100 or more (use coupon code: QEEPLOSION).
  • Make off with some sweet deals on your favorite Toy2R items, by ordering $100 or more, you'll save 30%!

Get some spring savings and stock up on those figures you've been waiting to pick up!

Only at www.toy2rusa.com - Pass It On!

March 2012 - Toy collectors and fans of the 80s are in for a treat this weekend as the 2012 Canadian 80s Toy Expo will be at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel - 600 Highway 7 East, Richmond Hill, Ontario this Sunday, April 1st.

Featuring Canada's largest dealer room of vendors selling 80s related merchandise, former WWF Tag Team Champion Fred Ottman aka
Tugboat/Typhoon/Shockmaster is scheduled to attend from 9:30 AM to 3 PM. Also available is an exclusive print by Matt Moylan who will be setup at the event selling prints and doing sketches for the attendees celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Masters of the Universe toy line. Additionally the 501st Canadian Garrison representing the Galactic Empire in the Star Wars universe with Stromtroopers, Sith Lords, Bounty Hunters and other Imperial Denizens will join the event for photo ops with attendees.

March 2012 - Get your money out of that dusty vault and shine it up nice, because Diamond Select Toys has a new place to keep your cash! Spinning out of DST's successful line of Star Wars bust banks comes the all-new Universal Monsters series! The most famous monster of all, Frankenstein's Monster, will kick off this new line of 8-inch vinyl banks -- from the front it just looks like a high-quality bust, but turn it around and there's a slot to stick your change in! Nobody will want to raid your savings when they're safe inside this resurrected giant!

Get Ready Kids: Gak™ is Back! Floam® Comes Home!

NSI International and Nickelodeon Introduce Reformulated Floam and Gak to a New Generation of Kids

Innovative Reusable Compounds Encourage Endless Playtime Entertainment, Right at Your Fingertips!

NEW YORK, March 26, 2012 -- NSI International and Nickelodeon today announced the launch of all-new Floam and Gak products. For kids growing up in the 1990's, Nickelodeon's Floam and Gak were two of the most popular playtime staples, beloved for their uncanny ability to entertain kids for hours on end. Available in stores now, Nickelodeon's Floam and Gak are back...and they're better than ever!

March 26, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer Urban-Collector has several new items of interest to collectors:

This week we are featuring new pre-orders including 1/12 scale Dark Knight Rises statues, Universal Monsters bust banks and Monster Heaven vinyl figures!

Featured Pre-Orders

• Dark Knight Rises Batman 1/12 Scale Statue
• Dark Knight Rises Bane 1/12 Scale Statue

DC ENTERTAINMENT TO BRING TOP TALENT TO CHICAGO COMIC & ENTERTAINMENT EXPO (C2E2)

Renowned Comic Book Publisher will Participate in Nine Panels at Convention; Executives and Creators to Meet with Fans

March 2012 - Icon Heroes has sent an update on their Thundercats display piece:

Hello, we are pleased to announce our Thundercats Cats Lair Polystone Environment has arrived! It was on display at this past weekend's Wondercon show in Anaheim and received fantastic reviews! Here are the details and where to purchase:

Because every hero needs a place to unwind, Icon Heroes created the museum replica of the Cats Lair. Made of heavy weight polystone, this environment statue measures a massive 7.9" wide x 11" deep x 9.5" tall and weighs approximately 6 pounds. A perfect backdrop for your Thundercats station figures, this environment is detailed with towering archways, mechanical like claws, and blazing red cat eyes. The Cats Lair is the pivotal training ground, operations base, and sleeping quarters for the Thundercats. Sold exclusively by Action Figure Xpress and limited to only 600 pieces, this individually numbered collectors piece is a rare find.

http://www.iconheroes.com

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DC ENTERTAINMENT TO SHOWCASE "BEFORE WATCHMEN" AT CHICAGO COMIC & ENTERTAINMENT EXPO (C2E2)

Leading Entertainment Company Will Bring Top Talent to Preview Highly Anticipated Prequel

Norwalk, CT, March 23, 2012: DC Entertainment announced its plans today to bring some of the comic book industry's most iconoclastic writers and artists to Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) to discuss this year's highly anticipated BEFORE WATCHMEN comic book event. Although the first issue of BEFORE WATCHMEN doesn't go on sale until the first week of June, the announcement of all new stories building on the foundation of the bestselling graphic novel of all time is already the talk of the comic book industry. Among the creators who will be on hand to discuss why they signed on for the project and to answer fan questions will be Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo, Amanda Conner, Adam Hughes, J Michael Straczynski, and Len Wein.