Our man Vader and his cohort Carthut have come through again with more shots fo the SDCC Day One festivities! Check out their  Day One shots here, and then don’t forget to keep checking the AFI galleries throughput the day as we add new tidbits that feel through the cracks last night!

Day One Galleries are now online: Hasbro, Mattel, McFarlane, DC Direct, Diamond, and BiffBangPow!

Our man Mike has done it again with his awesome reportage. He braved the crowds and the horrific stories about the nightmare that was Hasbro’s Store booth to bring us this stirring report:

As mentioned on our news page, Hasbro held their Marvel panel today. Daniel already covered most of it below, but here’s a few more items:

1) Don’t be surprised to see Shang-Chi show up in Legends at some point in the not too distant future. That’s a favorite character of one of Hasbro’s designers.
2) Someone asked if any Star Wars characters will show up in Legends. 6" scale, articulated Star Wars characters are something that Hasbro’s talked about doing.
3) HML 4 will be the first wave of 2008. Nova, Astonishing X-Men Beast, Black Bolt (Variant redeco), First Appearance Daredevil (Red variant), The "Tim Bradstreet" Punisher (Variant Crossbones) and Tigra. Nemesis will be the BAF. Six figure waves will be the norm from this point on.
4) The Black Queen will be a TRU exclusive.
5) No variants in the FF Ronan BAF assortment. That should hit shelves in October.
6) FF animated series toys: Only if the cartoon moves forward with new episodes.
7) Someone asked about Thunderbolts two-packs. Hasbro says it’s on their radar.
8 ) First Appearance Storm? That will happen. The Hasbro team loves First Appearance.
9) Will their be an Iron Man movie line? Yes. It will be shown at Toy fair. Scale? They won’t say. They don’t want to discuss 2008.
10) The brand managers and the designers that were on the panel acknowledged making mistakes. They said that it was a learning curve. They will try and do better. They read the boards to see what we want.
11) BAS (Build-A-Set) and BAVs (Build-A-Vehicle) were mentioned. There’s no plans for those right now, but Hasbro considers them an option.
12) Some of the ToyBiz stuff that was show last year was asked about. The X-Babies, Thor Frog, Forbush Man and the goons. Hasbro said they can’t confirm or deny that any of it will see the light of day.
13) Will we see the Jim Lee version of Jean Grey in Legends. Hasbro says it’s on their radar.
14) Hasbro says they’re going to conduct a Marvel Legends fan poll in conjunction with ToyFare. The details should be in the September issue. The winner of the poll will get a figure in Legends.
15) I asked about more Inhumans after Black Bolt. Yes, there will be. Hasbro knows that collectors like complete teams because that’s how we like to display them on our shelves (Hence the Jim Lee era Jean Grey getting a figure).

I think that’s it. If I remember anything else, I’ll post it.

Mike
(Should be some cool DCD and Mattel news tomorrow! Stay tuned for pics and reports!)

AFI takes a look at both of the initial series of Marvel Toys’ Legendary Comic Book Heroes line that is just now hitting toy shelves across the country.  Marvel will reveal the third series most likely on Friday at SDCC, but in the meantime let’s take an in-depth look at these bad boys of the independent comics world!

While we wait for Day One pictures to come rolling on it, why not take a look at all the Preview Night shots our man Vader has posted over on AFHub? You’ll be glad you did. 

George Perez Titans, baby! Unmasked Deathstroke, Terra, Jericho, and "College" Robin!

The Hasbro Marvel Panel is happening at this very minute and our man Julius Marx is there taking notes. Keep checking as we’ll be adding to this report as the panel continues.
Among the nuggets of info to come out of the Q&A sessions so far: 

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SD Comics has done it again! Mike has sent down more of his brilliant pics from the fun that was preview night, showing such items of interest as the Hasbro Indian Jones Ark of the Covenant, the re-launched SuperHero Showdown 2-packs, JLU hanging out in the desert, and lots of creamy goodness from DC Direct! So what are you waiting for? Go take a look at our galleries now! And don’t forget to take a look around the con floor in the Preview Night section!

Our friends at Toyfare have a sneak preview of the new Marvel Legends lines, including the Spider-Man 3 movie 6" assortment, the Fantastic Four Legends assortment, and Hasbro Marvel Legends wave 4! Keep checking their page for more SDCC goodness to come, then come right back here for what we got coming up!

Also online, Jedi Insider has some new Star Wars pics,  Marvel News has new ML Icons, and CoolToyReview has some Sideshow and Mattel pics!

Our man SDComics is on the ground and running around at Preview Night currently.   He’s calling us with updates and we’ll have pictures later tonight.  But for now this is what he has seen and read about:

DC Direct

Nothing is on display quite yet at the time of his call, but their schedule flier DC Direct mentions some cool new items.   I don’t have descriptions yet of what they will look like but here’s the news.

13" Figure  Green Arrow – April 2008

Smallville Series II - May 08 – Clark Kent, Green Arrow, Arthur (Aquaman), Impulse, Cyborg, Bizzaro

New Teen Titans II – May 08 – Jericho, Tera, Deathstroke, Robin 

HASBRO

Indiana Jones – No figures were on display, but they had what looked to be a 2-up of the Ark of the Covenant.    Coooooooool!

Marvel- The 6" Fantastic Four wave is on display – Dr. Doom, Namor (in Speedos), Mole Man, etc.

They don’t appear to be showing the 2 Hulk waves yet.  We may see them after the Hasbro Marvel Panel.

ML Wave III – The same figures that were shown at NYCC are on display. 

That’s the news for now.  Keep checking back for more updates and pictures.

Fans Identify with Revolutionary Contact Cards Introduced at Comic-Con International

SAN DIEGO, CA – July 25, 2007 – For 30 years, Star Wars fans have escaped the confines of this galaxy by living in the virtual world born from the mind of filmmaker George Lucas. Today at Comic-Con International: San Diego, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Get Solo, LLC announced they have joined forces to help enthusiasts express their passion for the saga by creating personalized Star Wars Social Networking Cards that fans can proudly exchange. Get Solo, a provider of innovative marketing media and solutions, is taking orders for the cards starting today at starwars.getsolo.com.

"Millions of people of all ages have a deep bond with the characters and stories of Star Wars. These new products are unique, because they capture that personal connection. Fans will find the social networking cards to be a fun way to express themselves when meeting other fans, because they can personalize them with their favorite Star Wars images, include interesting personal information, and even build a collection," says Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing.

Fun and Convenient Personal ID

Star Wars Social Networking Cards provide a stunning and more personal alternative to traditional business cards for true fans who want their own customized ‘calling card’. Cards can be tailored by selecting from 75 full-color images for the front, and can be personalized to include interesting facts and personal contact information. Fans can create cards for themselves, and as a gift for a friend or a family member.  They can be exchanged at events, parties and school to make new friends and promote oneself, or even one’s virtual self. For online networking, an electronic card is included for free with every order.

"The event season is hot right now, and we can see why fans will be very excited to get and hand out their cards. Hundreds of thousands of people attend events like Star Wars Celebration IV, Celebration Europe and Comic-Con International every year, because they love to meet other fans. Most keep in touch long after the show is over, and cards like these are a fun and convenient way to make those new friends," says Mary Franklin, Events Manager at Lucasfilm.

Bridging the Online and Offline Gap

The internet is teeming with ways to express oneself. E-mail, blogs, instant messaging, MySpace.com, YouTube.com and other innovations have created a new foundation for free speech and broadcasting. Social Networking Cards from Get Solo are a perfect way to take that phenomenon offline, and to promote favorite online links or share key information with others. For fans who participate in reality games, cards can even be created for their characters or avatars.

"Online, there are many ways to promote, build and join a social network. However, people told us that when they meet, they want a more convenient way to drive people to their favorite web destinations, and to invite others to join their social networks. The desire to bridge that gap is what drove us to create Star Wars Social Networking Cards. Fans are incredibly excited," according to Ashesh Shah, founder and Chairman of Get Solo.

Regardless of one’s online passions, one thing is true – interaction with others is what makes the experience the most vibrant. Voicing personal opinions, sharing information and demonstrating creative flair requires an audience and feedback to be fulfilling. That need for a community is exactly why social networking is so hot. With these new cards, now people can experience that thrill every time they meet someone in person.

Available Now

Star Wars Social Networking Cards are available in quantities of 100, 500 and 1,000 for as little as $29.99 (shipped). To order cards, visit: starwars.getsolo.com.

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