Popular Obama Action Figure Serves As Catalyst To Explore “The Man Behind The Office”

How does President Obama spend his precious free time outside the office? Inquiring minds will know soon, at least according to the imaginations of photographers participating in an unusual and unprecedented competition.

Photographers from all over the country, both amateur and professional, are competing to show the world just what Obama is doing with his leisure time in the PHOTOBAMA freestyle CONTEST presented by Brooklyn-based Jailbreak Toys. (http://www.jailbreaktoys.com/ ).

Using creativity, inspiration, and artistry, contestants will pose the Obama Action Figure by Jailbreak Toys in places and situations they imagine the Commander-In-Chief to be during his free time. Contest rules and the early submissions can be found here: http://www.jailbreaktoys.com/ Photobama_Freestyle_Contest_s/ 58.htm

What does the winner of PHOTOBAMA freestyle receive? Only one of the coolest new gadgets on the market- the Flip MinoHD Camcorder! Contestants will also have a chance to win impossible-to-getlimited edition Obama Action Figures. Not only that, but 1^st and 2^nd place winners will receive one of the very first, yet-to-be-unveiled Michelle Obama Action Figures from Jailbreak Toys, signed by Jailbreak Toys founder, Jason Feinberg.

Prizes will go the photographer whose entry receives the most votes from the public and, using the latest technology, Jailbreak Toys is making winning easier than ever to achieve. The PHOTOBAMA freestyle CONTEST is housed inside a specially crafted widget which can travel to any website. Using a simple embed code (much like a YouTube video), contestants can place the PHOTOBAMA widget into any blog, MySpace, or Friendster page. This way, participants can host the contest on their own sites, making it easy for their friends, family, and fans to vote for them up to once a day. Not only that, but everyone can upload an entry into the PHOTOBAMA widget wherever they find it on the web.

The PHOTOBAMA freestyle CONTEST will be accepting photo submissions through June 29^th. Online voting begins on June 30th and closes on August 7^th.

(more…)

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

Stamford, CT June 6, 2009 – Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a settlement with Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, CA and its wholly owned subsidiary, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, NY in the amount of $2.3 million for violating the federal lead paint ban. Enacted in 1978, the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) prohibited toys and other children’s articles from having more than 0.06 percent lead (by weight) in paints or surface coatings. In 2007, about 95 Mattel and Fisher-Price toy models were determined to have exceeded this limit. As a broad reaching reaction, Congress enacted and President Bush signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August of 2008.

“One of the biggest frustrations with this issue is that Mattel and Fisher-Price broke a law that was already on the books, but the Congress reacted by writing another law that doesn’t improve the safety of children’s products on the market,” Mary Newell of Terrapin Toys (OR) states. “Instead, small companies get penalized for not having the capital to third party test their safe products, and Mattel and Fisher-Price get a financial slap on the wrist.” Members of the Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) have received quotes from certified third party testing facilities that range from $300 to over $4000 to test one batch of product that has often already been shown, via component certification and/or natural material exemptions, to be safe as per the CPSIA guidelines.

HTA manufacturers typically work in small batches, ranging from 10 -100 products in a batch in contrast to the 100,000+ product that larger product manufacturers may create in factories.

With the stepping down of Nancy Nord as acting Chairperson at the CPSC and the inevitable confirmation of a new Chairperson in the foreseeable future, there is hope that some of the specific issues that plague small businesses regarding the CPSIA may soon be addressed. “But, the law continues to ignore the general principles of risk assessment and is just an example of government ineffectively trying to fix a problem without looking at the practical application of the law to small business,” Rob Wilson of Challenge & Fun (MA) discusses. “The fact remains that Mattel and Fisher-Price violated a well established law and rather than looking at ways to improve enforcement of the law on the books, [Congress] enacted new, overly broad reaching legislation that could serve to destroy some of the most safety conscious children’s product manufacturers out there.”

(more…)

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

AFI wishes our good friend and Prototype Painter Eddie Wires a very Happy Birthday! 

For those of you that own the Toy Biz Hulk Classics Wave II Absorbing Man figure should find it every easy to remember Ed’s birthday each year as it is ole’ Crusher’s prison number on his pants.

You can check out all of Eddie’s amazing work at his official website. 

If you ever have a chance to meet Eddie out and about at a convention, he is the nicest guy you will ever meet.  We think the world of’im!
 

 Have a good one Ed!  See you in a few weeks at Comic Con!

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

Marvel is proud to announce that new and renewing subscribers to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited (www.marvel.com/nickfury) will receive an exclusive, all-new Hasbro Marvel Universe Nick Fury action figure! Inspired by his dramatic return in Secret Invasion, this all new figure features the kind of weaponry Fury needs to repel a Skrull invasion—or any other unlucky enemy crossing his path! Just sign up or renew a subscription and you can add Nick Fury to your collection of Marvel action figures! 

 

“Hasbro is very excited to be teaming up with Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited for this exclusive giveaway,” said Billy Lagor, Senior Director of Hasbro’s Global Brand Strategy & Marketing, Marvel.  “We truly value and appreciate the connection that we have with our Marvel fans and hope that shows in our action figures.”
 
John Dokes, VP, Sales and Marketing, Digital Media Group added, “Hasbro’s wowed fans with their take on Marvel’s iconic characters and we’re sure new and returning subscribers to Marvel Digital Comics will be thrilled with this exclusive Nick Fury action figure.”
 
What’re you waiting for? Click over to www.marvel.com/nickfury right now to experience the groundbreaking Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited and score an exclusive Hasbro Marvel Universe Nick Fury action figure!

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

This July, get ready for more Wolverine and the X-Men Action!  And just when the summer couldn’t get any better for Comic Book Fans everywhere……

Marvel Animation and Lionsgate will bring Wolverine fans the eagerly anticipated 2nd DVD from Nicktoons Network’s hit animated series Wolverine And The X-Men. In Wolverine And The X-Men: Deadly Enemies, fans can check out 5 all-new action-packed adventures including another heart-pounding showdown pitting Wolverine against fan-favorite The Incredible Hulk! The DVD includes an audio commentary from the show creators and is packaged with an embossed O-Card. Wolverine And The X-Men: Deadly Enemies  hits shelves July 21, 2009 for the suggested retail price of $14.98. 

(more…)

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

Playmates Toys has recently made a significant expansion to their boys action category in a big way this year with lines based upon two big summer movies: Paramount’s Star Trek and Warner Bros’ Terminator Salvation.

The first wave of product for both lines have been in stores prior to each films opening, and fans are looking forward to what Playmates has coming up for each property.

AFi recently spoke to Pat Linden, Playmates Toys’ Associate VP of Boys Marketing for a glimpse into the future for both Star Trek and Terminator.

(more…)

Share:

Posted by JeffCope • No Comments

Our very of SpyMagician of Men of Action fame has gotten a hold of an early copy of the upcoming Masters of the Universe Classics Tri-Klops figure and gives it a review.   

Tri-Klops will be available later this summer exclusively on MattyCollector.com.

Find out what he thought of it here.

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

The Transformer’s Team at Hasbro has once again come through for AFi readers answering your latest and greatest post-BotCon Transformers questions.  These questions were submitted by AFi readers via our Forums. 

 Q1: 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?"

A1: It’s a little too early to comment directly on what shows will be on the new network since the deal was announced less than a month ago.  Transformers is an important brand for the company and will very likely be a key brand for the network.  But there are no details on what shows will be included yet.  

Q2: 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?
A2: We certainly love the speculation out there and excitement for the future of the brand!  However, it is still too early to discuss our plans post Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  

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, there are no plans at this time to release any of these figures.

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 July 10th. 

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

A friend of ours got to see some production samples of Hasbro’s GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra figures from the first wave.  They were able to snap some quick pictures of the front and back of the cards.  Some are a little blury, but time was of the essence.  

I also have some shots of some packaged  vehicles and Combat Heroes that I’ll post in the next day or so.

For now you can check out what was sent to us as far as figures in the Toy Archive.

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • No Comments

PORTLAND, MAINE (June 2, 2009) – Nemo Publishing has released a new action figure variant of the retro hero Commander X.  The Commander X Western Knight is a limited edition, Mego-style, eight-inch collectible action figure available for sale exclusively on the company’s website, www.captneli.com.  The Western Knight is the third variant in the Commander X collection and there are many others in the works. 

Commander X is an integral character in Jay Piscopo’s all-ages graphic novel series, The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli, written and illustrated by Piscopo and published by Nemo Publishing.  Commander X is an amnesiac who has been sent from the future to save the earth from inevitable destruction.  He is based on the Depression-era heroes of the comic book and movie serials of the 1930s.  The collectible figure is created in a retro-style reminiscent of figures made by the Mego Corporation in the 1970s.

“Who says they don’t make heroes like they used to,” said Piscopo.  “Commander X has familiar, classic appeal yet is a new hero for our time.”

Mego has a massive cult following that sparked the creation of this limited edition collectible series.  There is a trend toward nostalgia and a rising interest in old favorites that bring back childhood memories of a simpler time.  The core concept behind The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli series and the Commander X character in particular is to draw from the best elements of traditional Americana and update classic themes of the old adventure comic strips for a new audience. 

(more…)

Share:

Posted by Daniel Pickett • 1 Comment