You can find our past Q&A’s here. And you can discuss the answers at our Mattel board. 

PopCultureShock Collectibles new Street Fighter ‘Vega’ Statue starts pre-orders on May 15th on www.sideshowcollectibles.com. This 18" mixed-media statue is limited to 400 pieces with a price of $250usd. It also includes a Certificate Of Authenticity signed by Jerry Macaluso.  Jerry didn’t sculpt this one (but it is his new company)…John Cleary gets those kudos and Mike Najera painted it ! Jerry art directed it to make sure it fit in with the other statues that he did sculpt.

There is also a limited edition unmasked variant version that will be available to order at the sametime 

Mezco continues to break new ground with the introduction of Roto Busts  "Mezco Roto Busts" update the standard concept of busts by adding articulation and utilizing the latest in cutting edge 21st century roto technology to make a highly detailed, poseable bust that is more affordable than other busts on the market. The new Roto Bust  format debuts with Hellboy. Standing an imposing 9.75 inches tall this Hellboy bust will be the focal point of your collection. Featuring a new interactive element that allows you to pose him in more than 1600 possible positions!

This limited edition version has a faux bronze finish giving it the look of a classical sculpture plucked from deep in the archives of the BPRD. The special finish highlights the extreme details of the sculpture; the wrinkles by the eyes, the texture of the skin, the nooks and crevices of the “stone” base, and much more.

Available exclusively through Mezco Direct. (more…)

(Editor’s Note: I had the opportunity to see this at a private screening two years ago and it’s AMAZING.   If you are in the LA area make it a point to try to catch this!- DP/JM)

Teenagers’ Tribute Called the ‘Greatest Fan Film Yet’

All proceeds to benefit the FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization.  

It took seven summers to make, required a cast of, well, dozens, and included the star’s first on and off-screen kiss, but “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation,” has become a favorite of film festivals around the world.  Scott Rudin bought the rights to the filmmakers’ story for a Paramount feature film, and Steven Spielberg to Eli Roth to Quentin Tarantino have declared themselves fans of the film.  Now the 100 minute feature will make its Los Angeles premiere at Mann’s Chinese Theater, at a one-night-only screening on Wednesday, May 14 at 7:30pm.  

Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos were just 12 years old when they set out to make their own shot-by-shot re-creation of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”  They finished at age 19.  By saving up their allowances, hijacking younger siblings, and setting Eric’s basement on fire, they used astonishing ingenuity to make a film that is surprisingly entertaining, even stunning.  It’s been hailed as the “greatest fan film yet” by Wired.com, “the best damn fan film I have ever seen… pure magic” by Harry Knowles, and “phenomenal” by Wes Craven.   

For 15 years, “Raiders of the Lost Ark: the Adaptation” was nearly a forgotten masterpiece, until Harry Knowles obtained a copy from Eli Roth and screened it at his film festival.  It became an instant phenomenon, featured in Vanity Fair, The Today Show, and NPR, but because of rights issues, the young filmmakers have carefully controlled the film’s venues.  

 “Due to copyright issues, revenue from the screenings of our film must go to a non-profit organization” noted Strompolos, “a reason why we’re very selective about where we screen.”   

“We’ve shown this film all over the world,” says Zala,” and it’s still exciting to us to see the reaction.  It makes the near-permanent loss of my eyebrows during filming well worth it.”  

Scott Rudin purchased their story rights and the feature film about their childhood adventures, with Daniel Clowes (Ghost World) penning the script is in active development by Paramount.  

Wednesday, May 14 — 7:30 PM

Mann’s Chinese Theater

6925 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA  90028  

Tickets are available to purchase in advance online at the Mann Theatre website, at the Mann Chinese Theatre Box Office or call 323.461.3331.

http://www.movietickets.com/movie_detail.asp?movie_id=46732&tstate=3&rel=&SearchZip=90028&ShowDate=5&SearchRadius=15  

Admission: $12.  CHARITY FUNDRAISER.

All proceeds to benefit the FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization. http://www.festivalofchildren.org  

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Released as a Hot Wheels® 2007 New Models edition, the 1966 TV Series Batmobile™ was an instant sensation with collectors — but harder to find than the elusive Batcave™. We got the message like a Bat Signal™ on a dark night… and POW! BAM! WHOMP! Here’s a special Red Line Club™ edition of the Dynamic Duo’s heroic ride!

The one-week Priority Window for RLC™ members only begins Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 9:00 AM PT and will end at 11:00 AM PT on Monday, May 19. Note that this edition will be made to order, meaning if you want one, this is the bat time – the only bat time – you’ll be able to order one.

This edition appears as it would have if we’d manufactured it back in 1968 with the original batch of Hot Wheels cars. It features a Spectraflame® finish, Neo-Classics™ Redline® wheels, and a full-metal chassis — all for the first time on this casting! This is just the vehicle you need when you’re running down all the criminals in Gotham City™, and you still want to do it in high style:

• Spectraflame® true black finish
• Red pinstripes and Batman™ logo tampo
• Neo-Classics™ Redline® wheels
• Full-metal chassis
• Clear windshield
• Black interior

Each package features brand new artwork of the car by Otto Kuhni, an individually numbered holographic sticker and ships in a Hot Wheels® Kar Keepers® case. Priced at $14.99 each plus S&P, the RLC™ 1966 TV Series Batmobile™ will be produced ONLY in the quantity of the orders we receive during the one-week Priority Window.

Don’t forget: Club members earn an RLC™ Rewards Point for each car purchased (purchase limit of four per membership).

Offer opens to RLC™ members only for a one-week Priority Window: 5/13/08, 9:00 AM PT

The offer is being made only to Red Line Club (RLC) members.  This is one of the perks of membership, along with a 24-hour priority window on most exclusive items offered for sale.  Another one of those exclusive items is the large Pixar Piston Cup Racer "Cars" boxed set I’m sure you’ve heard about (going up for sale 5/20).  If any readers are interested in that setand the Batmobile, now’s a great time to join the club.   

Additional details of a Red Line Club membership can be found here: http://www.hotwheelsshop.com /store/hwprodc.php?p_page_id =122313&p_display_group_id =494You

Building on the phenomenal success of Marvel’s Iron Man franchise comes this latest exclusive box set featuring the unstoppable Marvel Minimates!  Featuring various high-tech armors utilized throughout Iron Man’s history, the all-new Iron Man Through the Ages box set will be exclusively available from Action Figure Xpress at this year’s San Diego Comic Con!

Featuring four unique armors and additional armor components, this set contains Modular Armor Iron Man, Proto-Classic Iron Man, Recovery Armor Iron Man and the fan-favorite Demon In A Bottle Iron Man!  Also included are additional helmets and accessories designed to recreate several more of Tony Stark’s high-tech designs!

Each Minimate stands two inches tall and includes 14 points of articulation.  With the included interchangeable and removable parts, your army of Iron Men is only getting started!  So suit up and start renovating your Hall of Armor for this must-have set available only from Action Figure Xpress at this summer’s San Diego Comic Con.

Belgian born artist, sculptor and designer Patrick Ma, has developed and designed a multitude of interesting projects informed from his unusually eclectic background as an army weapons specialist, an M.F.A. student and entrepreneur. Patrick made his mark with his first business, TAD Gear, a genre-defining retailer and manufacturer of "tactical adventure gear". His military-spec rugged and highly functional, yet street-smart and stylish TAD Gear designs are found on fashionable urbanites, military and law enforcements personnel, and active adventurers the world over.

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SOTA is proud to announce the third piece in our Street Fighter Resin line,
Sagat! Sculpted with all the attention to detail that you’re used to from
SOTA Toys, this 12-inch scale statue features Sagat clutching his scarred
chest. Perhaps he is thinking about a certain Japanese Street Fighter who
he’d like to pound into a pulp?

Sagat will be available in September.
Sagat is limited edition and will have an SRP of $119.99. This item is up for pre-order at www.sotatoys.com right now!

The LEGO Group and Toysrus.com want you to help pick one of the new Star Wars products for 2009. Go to www.Toysrus.com/LegoStarWarsVote from May 10 at 12:01 am to May 18 at 11:59 pm to vote for one of three classic Star Wars scenes that you’d like to see transformed into a LEGO set.

Results will be released in February 2009, and the product will be available only at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and online at www.Toysrus.com in September 2009!

AFI has been planning for quite some time to host a custom figure event, and after much internal debate we thought that showcasing customs of DCUC figures from Mattel would be a perfect fit! Especially in light of what has been revealed for the 2008 schedule so far. 

The event is being spearheaded by Ryan "The Superfly" Prast and Peter "Vader" Go, who have done a bang-up job setting it up and implementing a truly unique submission process and subsequent gallery.

The concept is simple: customize any DCUC/DCSH or related figure into any character in any comic universe! Just think of it as what would happen if the Four Horsemen could sculpt anything they wanted in the line. While this is truly a showcase, and not a contest, there will be special prizes for excellence in  special categories awarded by celebrity judges to be revealed later (we’re still finalizing details).

So what are you waiting for? Get customizing!

Click here for all the details about the AFI DCUC Custom Showcase!