Raving Toy Maniac

NECA AND 343 INDUSTRIES ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR NEW LINE OF HALO MERCHANDISE

Hillside, NJ – November 12, 2013 - National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), entertainment conglomerate and global leader in licensed consumer goods, has partnered with 343 Industries for a new worldwide merchandise program for "Halo®", the award-winning franchise that has shaped video game and entertainment history.

"We are thrilled to be part of a franchise with such wide-reaching impact," said Joel Weinshanker, president and COO of NECA. "Bringing the rich universe of Halo to tangible form is an honor, and we'll be working closely with 343 Industries to ensure Halo's loyal fans around the world are pleased with the result."

The new line will be available to consumers beginning in April 2014, and will include a wide assortment of products, including 1:4 scale action figures, mini figures, DOT-approved motorcycle helmets, prop replicas, board games, and HeroClix miniatures games for a variety of platforms.

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW HALO® ONGOING SERIES: ESCALATION!

SAN DIEGO, CA, JULY 22, 2013 - Announced at Comic-Con International, 343 Studios' Frank O'Connor announced that Dark Horse Comics would publish an all-new ongoing series later this year based on the massive video game franchise Halo.

This news comes prior to next month's release of the first issue of the highly anticipated miniseries Halo: Initiation.

While the first miniseries ties directly into Microsoft's Halo: Spartan Assault video game, Halo: Escalation will spin directly out of the events of Halo 4. The series begins when the UNSC Infinity is assigned escort duty for a diplomatic mission between the Arbiter and the Brutes, but has to fend off an attack meant to thwart the negotiations. Featuring Captain Lasky, Spartan Palmer, and a cast of recognizable characters, this ongoing series is poised to be essential reading for fans in search of new story lines set within the canon of the Halo universe!

A NEW ERA OF HALO® COMICS BEGINS AT DARK HORSE!

One of the most iconic video game franchises in history comes to the number-one publisher of licensed comics!

CHICAGO, IL, APRIL 26 – Dark Horse continues in the tradition of bringing only the biggest and best characters and story lines to comics with the announcement of the Halo: Initiation miniseries, launching in August! This exciting new miniseries will be written by Halo 4 writer and comics veteran Brian Reed, with art by Marco Castiello (Secret Invasion: Front Line, Star Wars: Purge)!

Before she was a supersoldier defending humanity as part of the Spartan-IV program, Sarah Palmer was an ODST - Orbital Drop Shock Trooper - carrying out the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines! See how she became the first Spartan-IV commander in this must-read series for fans of Halo 4 and the Halo franchise!

New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Limited-Edition Statue Revealed

THE MASTER CHIEF VS THE HUNTER Statue Pre-order Now!

Tempe, Ariz. - November 2, 2012 – McFarlane, Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries reveal the first ever HALO 4: FORWARD UNTO DAWN resin statue THE MASTER CHIEF VS THE HUNTER.

HALO 4: FORWARD UNTO DAWN is an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice taking fans back to the beginning of the Human-Covenant War. The live-action digital series created in partnership with top Hollywood talent from film, television and new media, FOWARD UNTO DAWN delivers an exciting story, leading into the events of Halo 4, the biggest entertainment event of 2012.

This highly detailed, hand-painted, cold-cast resin statue depicts the series' climactic scene, when the Master Chief - out of ammo and out of options - single-handedly faces the unstoppable rampage of an invading Covenant Hunter to save the lives of UNSC Cadets.

New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Limited-Edition Statue

Statue Reveal & Pre-order on November 2nd

Tempe, Ariz. - October 31, 2012 - McFarlane Toys has teamed up with Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries to bring you a new iconic collectable from the Halo universe.

Leading up to the highly anticipated release of Halo 4, Microsoft created the live-action digital series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. This online epic live-action digital series delivers an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice taking fans back to the beginning of the Human-Covenant War, leading into the events of Halo 4, the biggest entertainment event of 2012.

To commemorate this riveting action story, the McFarlane Toys Collectors Club is offering the first-ever Halo resin statue exclusively on the McFarlane Toys online store. This highly detailed, hand-painted, cold-cast resin statue depicts a pivotal scene from Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn that is a MUST have for Halo fans.

Mega Bloks Halo Toymation Contest is back

The second edition of the Mega Bloks Halo Toymation Fest calls on fans to raise the bar

MONTREAL, Aug. 28, 2012 - MEGA Brands Inc. - After a successful and exciting first year, Mega Bloks will soon launch their second edition of the Halo Toymation Fest, a community-driven competition in which Halo fans can create and submit their own Mega Bloks Halo toymations (stop motion animations featuring toys) for a chance to win incredible prizes.

The official 2012 Mega Bloks Halo Toymation website (http://halo.megabloks.com/en/toymation), launched on August 3rd, will once again be the home page to many hopeful contestants. At this time, fans can visit the site to learn more about the different genres of videos they will be allowed to submit, discover the panel of judges and the amazing prizes to be won, receive details about the voting criteria and tips on stop motion animation.

On Sale This Week: Halo, Dawn and Marvel vs. Capcom!

August 1, 2012 - It's Wednesday,which means that your local comic shop has gotten in yet another batch of comic books... and a new batch of exclusive toys from Diamond Select! This week brings a new assortment of Minimates, a new box set and a new Femme Fatales statue, so gamers and comic lovers take note and plan your trip now!

Marvel vs. Capcom Minimates Series 3
These 2-inch-tall gladiators represent some of the most popular characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes: Captain America and Ryu! She-Hulk and Chun Li! Doctor Doom and Albert Wesker! X-23 and Felicia! The female characters are only available at comic shops, so be sure to snag your set!

Halo Minimates Series 5 Box Set

Halo Minimates Series 5 Is Amassing an Army at Your Local Toy Store

July 2012 - What is it about Halo Minimates that make them so addictive? Is it their collectability? Poseability? Interchangability? They certainly have a lot going on for a 2-inch mini-figure, and the new assortment from Diamond Select Toys has even more going on than ever before, with with enough extra parts to make army-building a snap! Read on to see all of the Spartans, Marines, Prophets and Elites in Halo Minimates Series 5!

- The UNSC Marine and UNSC Sergeant come with two assault rifles, plus an extra helmet to turn your Sergeant into another Marine! DOUBLE MARINES!
- The Red Spartan vs. Blue Spartan two-pack comes with two assault rifles and four extra helmets -- two Rogue and two ODST -- so you can add some diversity to your squad!

May 2, 2012 - It's Wednesday again, which means it's time to visit Ye Olde Local Comic Booke Shoppe to pick up the latest releases. (It's also Free Comic Book Day, so some of those comics might not cost you a dime!) But besides comics, your local shop should also be getting in some sweet new Minimates from Diamond Select! Marvel Minimates Series 44, featuring some George Perez-style Avengers, and the Halo Series 4 Box Set, featuring Master Chief and Cortana, both hit stores today. If your local shop doesn't have them, order them today, or find an online retailer who can hook you up!

Find your closest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com! And get regular DST updates on Facebook and Twitter!

May 1, 2012 - The next series of Halo Minimates is hitting comic shops tomorrow and Toys "R" Us stores any day now, so we thought we'd show you the packaging for this amazing assortment. The two-packs will only be at TRU, the four-pack is only at comic shops and specialty stores -- both have Master Chief and Cortana, but the rest of the figures are only available at their respective locations! Check out the carded pics and collect them all!

Pre-order the TRU two-packs at toysrus.com, and find your closest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com! And get regular DST updates on Facebook and Twitter!