The Transformer’s Team at Hasbro has once again come through for AFi readers answering your latest and greatest post-Comic Con Transformers questions. These questions were submitted by AFi readers via our Forums.
Q1: I read a while ago that the Henkei versions of Thrust and Dirge will be used for the Classics 2.0 line in the future. Is this still in the works or has the idea been shelved?
A1: It is still a bit too early to be discussing our plans for the future as we are focused on the continued success of our Revenge of the Fallen product line.
Q2: My big questions is "Since Transformers Animated has it’s last season on the Cartoon Network, Is there any chance it gets picked up on the channel that Hasbro/Discovery have formed?"
A2: TRANSFORMERS Animated has been an incredibly successful endeavor and we will certainly explore opportunities to place it on our new network. However, it is still too early to say what will be on the network.
Q3: Will any of the Titanium prototypes in 2007 like Bumble Bee (War Within), Cosmos, Arcee or Shockwave ever be used? For example the Target exclusive Titanium line or the Universe Classics line?
A3: Unfortunately, not at this time. We definitely appreciate and enjoy these designs, but feel as though we could do a better job designing these figures in other assortments/expressions.
If you have a question you would like to ask the Transformers team, you can submit them via this thread. New questions are due by: Friday October 2nd.
THIS SUMMER’S BIGGEST ACTION MOVIE HERO PARACHUTES INTO KANSAS CITY 16th Annual International G.I. JOE Convention features Action Figure Parachute Drop, Special Guests from the Movie, and Thousands of Rare and Vintage G.I. JOE Figures
Kansas City, MO – August 10, 2009 – Over 300 12-inch, parachute-equipped, G.I. JOE action figures will be taking a plunge off a 42-story Kansas City hotel roof and soar over 500 feet to the ground as an army of G.I. JOE enthusiasts cheer at the incredible spectacle.
The parachute jump, at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 14, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, marks the official opening of the 16th annual Hasbro International G.I. JOE Collectors’ Convention hosted by the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Club and Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). Attendees should arrive at the convention around 10:00 AM to ensure they don’t miss this amazing aerial stunt. For three days, thousands of G.I. JOE fans will meet at the Hyatt Regency to participate in events and activities that celebrate the brand’s 45-year history — with a special emphasis on the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga, the premise of this summer’s live action movie, G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra, from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro.
“We are excited to bring the fan convention and rich history of G.I. JOE to Kansas City during such a monumental year for the brand,” said Michael Ritchie, Global Brand Strategy and Marketing Director, G.I. JOE. “Attendees are going to participate in a weekend packed with G.I. JOE fandom as well as the latest and greatest from the G.I. JOE brand including activities and guests related to the live-action movie and new toy line.”
This year’s convention will feature a very special guest from G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra: actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, known for his television roles including Mr. Eko in LOST, who plays HEAVY DUTY. Also in attendance will be some of the original G.I. JOE creators from the 1960s and 1980s, industry guests, artists and, of course, the Hasbro G.I. JOE brand and design team. Additionally, the first 100 children, 12 years old and younger, through the doors on Saturday morning will be given a free G.I. Joe toy.
Collectors and fans alike have a chance to own one-of-a-kind "Star Wars" art pieces while giving to a good cause with The Empire Muggs Back. Lucasfilm asked artists, comic book creators, toy designers, and celebrity fans to get out their markers, paint brushes and glue guns and transform blank Mighty Muggs (donated by Hasbro) into custom art depicting their favorite characters, creatures, ships and scenes from the "Star Wars" saga.
Some of the many artists participating include "The Clone Wars" director Dave Filoni, "Fanboys" director Kyle Newman, actress Jaime King, Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wiedlin, model makers from "Robot Chicken," the lovely Nicole Falk of NECA, graffiti artist Urban Medium, and tattoo artist Karen Roze.
All art pieces are auctioned by The Make-A-Wish Foundation. The auction ends Aug. 14, 2009.
Last night at Just Blazed, the Munny Grubbers exhibition opened in Phoenix. If you didn’t get to fly out to the boiling hot desert, it’s all good because Delicious Drips is bringing you some of the shows top talent right here. Not only can you see some of the pieces, but you can take part as a judge and vote for your favorites.
Right now it’s really anyone’s game. Voting will be online for one week and winners will be announced next Sunday.
Updating the current collaboration between Dark Horse and TOY2R – the release of DOMO Qees across the globe continues – you can now find exclusive versions at TARGET in the newly developed vinyl figure section – located in the Toy Area.
These new DOMO Qees come in Classic Brown, Yellow, Clear Blue and a couple of other versions sure to keep collectors happy. Single blister carded versions are available as well as a double blisters featuring one visible Domo Qee and one blind boxed mystery version.
Currently these editions can be found in select TARGET stores located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, Tennesse, Texas, Virgina and Wisconsin. Check out your local Super Target as chances are they will be the featured location.
Today GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra opens in theaters across the country. To celebrate I’m showing you images of one of the most impressive press kits I’ve ever seen. I know some other sites have already shown theirs but it looks like all of them had slightly different contents. This awesome box of Joe goodness arrived on my doorstep stuffed to the gills with all things GI Joe!
Enjoy and YO JOE!
The Outer Box
The Inner Box
Find out what was inside the box after the jump (more…)
This was just posted over on Matty’s Facebook page:
Hey He-Fans,
Just to let everyone know, we are working out some of the kinks with Moss Man right now. The flocking on a highly articulated figure is a bit tricker then we expected. There is a chance Moss Man may get pushed out to April and the "as-of-yet-unannounced" April figure will get bumped up to March (see why we have bonus figures in tow, stuff like this happens a lot!). This is not confirmed yet, just want to keep you all in the loop.
And along those lines, would fans be interested in Moss Man if he was not flocked? Or is this a make or break deal? We are doing everything we can to keep him flocked, but just curious what fans think?
If the only way to flock him would be to limit the articulation would that be okay also? Curious what you all think?
Baltimore, MD, August 2, 2009 The critically acclaimed new coffee table book, Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure by Michael Eury will be celebrating its national debut at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (GEM) in Baltimore’s historic Camden Yards sports complex with an author signing on Saturday, August 15, 2009, from noon to 3:00 PM. In addition to the author, Ed Catto and Joe Ahearn, the owners of Captain Action Enterprises, will be in attendance for the signing.
The event will also kick off a special exhibit covering the history of Captain Action, from the first action figures in the 1960s to the latest merchandise (and everything in between). The exhibit will run from August 15 through October 13, 2009.
Published by TwoMorrows Publishing, Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure chronicles the history of this quick-changing champion, including photos of virtually every Captain Action product ever released. With spotlights on Captain Action, his allies Action Boy and the Super Queens, and his arch enemy Dr. Evil, an examination of his comic book appearances, and more, nearly every facet of the character’s existence is put under the microscope. From the earliest concept stages to the multiple (and supposedly final) demises of the toy line, and from thriving collectibles market to the modern resurgence, no stone is left unturned. It is due in stores on August 19, 2009.
“When the first edition of Michael Eury’s superb book Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure was released, it was rightly referred to by some as a virtual ‘how to’ guide to doing a character-centric reference book. It reached longtime serious collectors, turned casual Captain Action fans into die-hard enthusiasts, and brought many new fans to the character,” said Melissa Bowersox, the museum’s Executive Vice-President. “This is the sort of project that GEM and our patrons are happy to support, and we’re also extremely happy to have the assistance of such passionate, creative fan-owners as Joe Ahearn and Ed Catto to help us present the history of this unique character.”
“We’re very happy to see Captain Action and Michael’s wonderful book given such a spectacular stage. Like many other collectors, Ed Catto and I really enjoy telling other enthusiasts about our favorite character, and this takes that enjoyment to the proverbial next level,” said Joe Ahearn Managing Partner of Captain Action Enterprises.
The original superhero action figure first arrived on the scene in 1966 with the ability to change into a fantastic range of other incredible heroes, including Superman, Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man, the Lone Ranger, Buck Rogers, and the Green Hornet. He took on their costumes and personas and fought the forces of evil in their places. Produced by the Ideal Toy Company and developed by Stan Weston, who had been involved in the genesis of Hasbro’s G.I. Joe just two years before, Captain Action enjoyed a fairly brief shelf life. The last of Ideal’s original production runs ended in 1968.
In that short time, though, the 12-inch action figurehad also doubled for Aquaman, Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Steve Canyon, Sgt. Fury, and Tonto. He had a sidekick, Action Boy (who became Superboy, Aqualad and Robin the Boy Wonder) and a blue-skinned, bug-eyed alien arch foe named Dr. Evil (obviously years before Austin Powers fought another Dr. Evil). There were playsets, vehicles, a headquarters, flicker rings, playing cards, a Ben Cooper Halloween costume, and a fondly remembered five-issue series from DC Comics that included contributions from such legends as Wally Wood, Jim Shooter, and Gil Kane.
As the years followed, Captain Action became the purview of the collecting community. A thriving secondary market developed and kept interest in the character alive within its ranks. In 1998, thirty years after the original production run ended, Playing Mantis brought Captain Action back to the world of new toys. Although their tenure with the toy line would also end after two years, it greatly fanned the flames of interest in the character and the original collectibles, and led eventually to the formation of Captain Action Enterprises, the present day owners of the intellectual property.
The exhibit will conclude just after the Diamond Comic Distributors – Alliance Game DistributorsRetailer Summit, which will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center, immediately across the street from GEM, October 11-13, 2009.
Our Comic Con 09 interview series continues with Jason Lenzi, President of BifBangPow! Jason talks about what new for Dexter, their Comic Con exclusives and getting the LOST license. Don’t mind the GIANT BABY in the background…he’s supposed to be there.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK), leading U.S. toymaker and master toy licensee for Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®), announced today a sub-licensing agreement with Mixed Marital Arts (MMA) collectibles company, Round 5 Corp. to share UFC and MMA talent. The agreement will allow both companies access to the biggest MMA fighters in order to manufacture, market and distribute action figures and related products under the UFC umbrella.
As a result, both companies now have access to a significantly larger MMA talent pool, including Randy Couture, Andrei Arlovski, Matt Hughes, Clay Guida, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Brock Lesnar, BJ Penn and other top MMA fighters.
“This is truly a match made in heaven and we are excited to enter into this agreement with Round 5,” said Jeremy Padawer, SVP Boys Entertainment Marketing, JAKKS Pacific. “As the master toy licensee for the UFC, JAKKS can now offer MMA fans an entire world of action figures, accessories and other collectibles encompassing the most notable fighters in the fight world. The synergy between JAKKS® and Round 5® will ensure cohesive and comprehensive merchandise offering at retail that will benefit all parties involved, including JAKKS, Round 5 and the UFC, as well as the MMA fighters themselves, and most importantly, MMA fans.”
JAKKS’ new UFC line of toys and collectibles is expected to be available at retailers nationwide starting this Fall, with plans to roll out the newly acquired talent beginning as early as Spring 2010. Along with the full line of deluxe articulated action figures, JAKKS also expects to offer Octagon playsets, accessories and role play toys based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), PRIDE® Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC®).
“We want to provide fans with the most complete and authentic line of UFC products,” said UFC President, Dana White. “This agreement with JAKKS Pacific and Round 5 brings the biggest players in the MMA action figure world together – now our fans will have access to the best and most diverse line of action figures.”
Damon Lau, President, Round 5, stated, “We are thrilled to partner with JAKKS and UFC, and we are confident that our teamwork will produce a more comprehensive product offering for MMA fans. In addition, JAKKS and R5 will facilitate marketing and distribution efficiencies at retail to increase exposure of our core product offerings. We are very excited to expand our line of 6” display collectible figurines and 10” display collectible statues with more of the biggest names in MMA.”
The Transformer’s Team at Hasbro has once again come through for AFi readers answering your latest and greatest post-Comic Con Transformers questions. These questions were submitted by AFi readers via our Forums. 
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK), 
“This is truly a match made in heaven and we are excited to enter into this agreement with Round 5,” said Jeremy Padawer, SVP Boys Entertainment Marketing, JAKKS Pacific. “As the master toy licensee for the UFC, JAKKS can now offer MMA fans an entire world of action figures, accessories and other collectibles encompassing the most notable fighters in the fight world. The synergy between JAKKS® and Round 5® will ensure cohesive and comprehensive merchandise offering at retail that will benefit all parties involved, including JAKKS, Round 5 and the UFC, as well as the MMA fighters themselves, and most importantly, MMA fans.” 
