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Thu 13 Sep 2007 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a cooperative effort to ensure the safety of children’s toys, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced an agreement with its product safety counterparts in the Chinese government aimed at stopping the use of lead paint in the manufacture of toys and addressing other product safety issues. At a "Consumer Product Safety Summit" held today in Washington, D.C., CPSC made known that China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has agreed to take immediately action to eliminate the use of lead paint on Chinese manufactured toys exported to the United States. Lead paint on toys sold in the U.S. has been banned since 1978.
In addition to the lead paint agreement, the two agencies announced work plans for cooperation in four product categories: Toys, Fireworks, Cigarette Lighters, and Electrical Products. The Work Plans provide a roadmap for bilateral efforts to improve the safety of these products, which represent some of the most frequent hazards under CPSC’s regulatory jurisdiction.
CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord stated that the Work Plans show "significant forward progress" in the agency’s efforts to bring Chinese-made consumer products into line with U.S. safety rules.
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Tue 11 Sep 2007 |
 The time has come once again to let your voice be heard and help to choose and create an all new exclusive action figure for the Four Horsemen’s FANtastic Exclusive 3 project! If you’ve ever wanted your chance to work in the action figure industry, here’s your chance to get a taste of it, and be our bosses.
In this third installment of FANtastic Exclusive, the Four Horsemen have promised many changes in store for action figure fans. The first, most noticeable change will be that some properties have been removed from the running, while others have stepped I to take their place.
As some may have already heard, the winning property of both FAN-Ex ‘06, and FAN-Ex ‘07 – Seventh Kingdom has been removed from voting. The reason for this is that the overwhelming popularity of this property has enabled it to become it’s own separate action figure line, and will allow Seventh Kingdom to continue apart from, yet still side-by-side with the other FANtastic Exclusive properties.
And don’t fret if you’re a fan of the other two properties that have been removed from voting in FANtastic Exclusive 3. You’ve neither seen nor heard the last of either Chrysalis or the Aliens line. There’s a good chance they could reappear, possibly slightly revamped, in later versions of FANtastic Exclusive.
The newest addition to FANtastic Exclusive is actually an old friend! Way back in 2005, when the Four Horsemen first started doing summer convention exclusives of their own, their very first release was Commander Argus of the Four Horsemen property, Magma C.O.R.P.S. Well, Magma C.O.R.P.S. is back, and this time Commander Argus brought some buddies along with him!
Be sure to check out FANtastic Exclusive 3 online right now to get a look at all of the properties and characters you’re going to have to choose from as soon as voting goes live later this week!
Also, many new characters have been added to the properties you’re already familiar with, so be sure to stop into the FANtastic FANatics message boards to voice your opinions about your favorites and not-so favorites. FANtastic Exclusive 3. Summer vacation’s over.
Time to get back to work.
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Tue 11 Sep 2007 |
 Adult Swim, the #1 destination for young adults, is taking the pop culture strength of its programming lineup to the retail shelf through an exciting deal with Kidrobot, providing fans the opportunity to collect their favorite characters from the late night network. Kidrobot will launch a 3-inch Blind Box mini figure collectable series featuring popular characters across the Adult Swim programming lineup starting in February 2008.
"Kidrobot is a master in creating very cool toys that are perfect for Adult Swim fans and toy collectors," said Christina Miller, vice president of consumer products for Cartoon Network Enterprises.
 "These characters represent some of the greatest pop-art developed over the last ten years, and are a big inspiration to my own work," said Paul Budnitz, president/founder of Kidrobot. "So of course I’m totally blown away that Kidrobot is getting to do this!"
Kidrobot will develop figurines for a portfolio of characters featured during Adult Swim’s lineup. Starting in February 2008, 3-inch Blind Box mini figures will be available for fans willing to take a chance on what character they actually get inside. The chances of getting a particular figure are listed as percentage rates on the side of each branded box. All figures are wrapped in foil to prevent anyone from sneaking a peek at which character is featured, maintaining the experience and value to the line of figures. Kidrobot will feature 16-20 different figures per
series, and be made available in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Latin America.
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Fri 7 Sep 2007 |
 We now have a full feature up on this highly anticipated boxed set. Grodd is painted correctly, the Red Hood’s vac-metalized dome is great, and you shouldn’t be reading here! You should go now and check out the full feature over in the features section!
Thank you again to Mattel for allowing us this first look at the finished product.
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Fri 7 Sep 2007 |
 Hasbro’s Star Wars Saga Legends Fan Voting will be live on starwars.hasbro.com this weekend! Voting will be live by 5 PM EST today, if not earlier.
We want your votes! Phase 1 is now complete; Star Wars collector-fan sites around the Web have told Hasbro which characters they want to see brought back as Saga Legends in ‘08. Now Hasbro’s asking the fans to place a final vote for their favorite 3-3/4" figures that they want to see as part of the final Saga Legends wave in Spring 2008!
The top 20 are below, and from these your readers and fellow fans can vote for up to 5 figures. Voting will run for 14 days, and the top 5 vote-getters will become Saga Legends!
 # Figure
1 – ARC Trooper (Clone Wars) red & gray #43 (Saga)
2 – Bespin Guard (Power of the Jedi)
3 – Chewbacca (Early Bird kit)
4 – Clone Trooper (Treachery on Saleucami 2007 exclusive)
5 – Clone Trooper Pilot w/ball turret (Saga ’02 #49)
6 – Coleman Trebor (Saga)
7 – Colonel Wulf Yalaren (Death Star Briefing Room 2006 exclusive)
8 – Commander Neyo (Treachery on Saleucami 2007 exclusive)
9 – Covert Ops Clone Trooper (2005 exclusive)
10 – Ephant Mon (Saga)
11 – Graxol Kelvyyn (Watto’s Box)
12 – Gungan Warrior (Fambaa set exclusive)
13 – Pablo-Jill (EpIII/OTC bridge line)
14 – R3-A2 (Battle of Hoth multi-pack)
15 – Shadow Stormtrooper (2006 exclusive)
16 – Sio Bibble (Episode I)
17 – Stormtrooper (Vintage OTC)
18 – Utapau Shadow Trooper (2007 exclusive)
19 – Zev Senesca (Snowspeeder Pilot)
20 – Zutton (Blue Snaggletooth)
NOTE: There are TWO list changes from last week. The major one is the removal of Han Solo (VOTC) from eligibility because there is a high likelihood that he will be used in another set and will not be available. Instead, the next highest-rated figure, R3-A2 from the Battle of Hoth mullti-pack. The Bespin Guard listing has been corrected – it is not possible to vote for "black ethnicity" since no such figure was released. Instead, the listing will be corrected to say "Bespin Guard (Power of the Jedi)"
May the Force be with you…
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Fri 7 Sep 2007 |
Bandai America and Cartoon Network Partnering on the “Release Your Inner Alien” Promotion That Invites Kids to Become Ben 10 and Harness the Power of the New Deluxe Omnitrix Role-Play ToyFans Unite!
The Heroic Aliens From the Hit Cartoon Network Series are Being Unleashed on North America
 (CYPRESS, CA – September 6, 2007) – Launching September 7th, kids can truly experience what it’s like to become their favorite 10 year-old hero Ben Tennyson – from the hit Cartoon Network show Ben 10 – when the exciting “Release Your Inner Alien” promotion tour hits their hometown across the United States and Canada.
With simultaneous events taking place in over 20 cities on both coasts through late October, fans in attendance will be amongst the first to test drive Bandai America Inc.’s new Deluxe Omnitrix role-play toy, which debuts this Fall. Who knows what epic alien adventures will be unleashed when kids see for themselves how to harness the power of the Deluxe Omnitrix just like Ben!
 “Like the TV show where Ben is traveling the country in his ‘Rust Bucket’ RV, there will be two teams journeying across the country in their customized Ben 10 vehicles, bringing the action, adventure and aliens from the brand to kids everywhere,” said Matthew Golding, director of marketing for Bandai America. “Kids and their families are invited to join us for the fun in-store demos, score cool prizes and coupons, and test drive the new Deluxe Omnitrix role-play toy.”
To showcase the power of the Deluxe Omnitrix and its new LCD game feature, the Ben 10 teams will be outfitted with a wearable flat screen TV monitor that is built into a life-sized Omnitrix device. Fans can see highlights of the LCD game play, footage from the popular TV series and more. All kids in attendance will also get the chance to “spin and win” for prizes on a giant Omnitrix and can score temporary tattoos of the aliens from the show.
The “Release Your Inner Alien” tour kicks off on September 7th in Toronto and will travel to the following cities on both coasts of North America:
EAST COAST TOUR SCHEDULE:
- Toronto, Canada (September 7-9)
- Framingham, MA (September 14)
- Hartford, CT (September 15)
- New York City (September 16, 21-22)
- Seacacus/Rockaway/Raritan, New Jersey (September 23, 28-30)
- Richmond, VA (October 5-6)
- Wake Forest/Raleigh, NC (October 7)
- Atlanta, GA (October 12-14)
- Miami, FL (October 19-21)
- Tampa, FL (October 26)
- Orlando, FL (October 27)
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- WEST COAST TOUR SCHEDULE:
- Vancouver, Canada (September 14-16)
- Seattle, WA (September 21-22)
- Portland, OR (September 23)
- San Jose, CA (September 27)
- Los Angeles/Torrance, CA (September 28-30)
- Phoenix/Tempe, AZ (October 5-7)
- Houston, TX (October 12-14)
- Memphis, TN (October 19-21)
- St. Louis, MO (October 26-27)
- Springfield, IL (October 28)
Currently, the action-packed fourth season of Ben 10 can be seen daily on Cartoon Network (check www.CartoonNetwork.com for show listings). The highly-anticipated premiere of the series’ first live-action television movie, Ben 10: Race Against Time, will be this November.
For more information regarding the “Release Your Inner Alien” tour and a full schedule of events, please visit www.Bandai.com/ben10.
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Thu 6 Sep 2007 |
 Check out my new blog for a look at the next waves of upcoming CARS product. Mattel gives us a sneak peek at some recent and upcoming CARS single and two packs.
Either click on the blog link on the right to see more or click the image of Dale Jr. to see the new batch.
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Wed 5 Sep 2007 |
 September 5, 2007 (SEATTLE) — WizKids Inc. announces the release DC HeroClix®: Justice League, which heralds a new era for HeroClix! With 60 individual characters, the Justice League set represents one million years’ worth of JUSTICE LEAGUE characters!
 Each five-figure Justice League Booster Pack contains even more action-packed 3-D super hero combat than any previous DC HeroClix release. All-new HeroClix character cards add powers and abilities to give your favorite super heroes depth like never before. Keywords link Justice League heroes to other heroes and their allies from previous HeroClix releases. Each card also provides background information for Justice League characters, like real names and first appearances, which enhances storylines in game play. Even with all of these great additions, DC HeroClix: Justice League is fully compatible with all HeroClix products.
DC HeroClix: Justice League is available in Booster Packs (MSRP $9.99) that each contain five random figures with character cards, and one feat card, bystander token or battlefield condition card. Those who “Buy it by the Brick” (12 Boosters) will receive an exclusive figure, the DC HeroClix PHANTOM STRANGER, free!
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Wed 5 Sep 2007 |
 EL SEGUNDO, Calif., September 4, 2007 – Mattel, Inc. announced today that, as a result of the company’s ongoing investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China, the company has voluntarily recalled 11 toys globally, including eight pet and furniture playsets sold under the Barbie® brand and three Fisher-Price® toys, due to impermissible levels of lead. No Barbie® dolls are included within the recall. In total, there are 522,000 affected toys in the U.S., and 322,000 affected toys outside of the U.S. Mattel has completed the testing program for the majority of its toys, including all of its toys currently sourced from vendors.
The voluntary recall results from Mattel’s thorough investigation of vendor-sourced toys. Mattel has also globally implemented a strengthened, three-point check system to test toys throughout the manufacturing process.
“In August we promised that we’d continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys through extensive testing of finished products, thorough investigation of our vendors and the implementation of a strengthened three-point check system. As a result of our ongoing investigation we discovered additional affected products. Consequently, several subcontractors are no longer manufacturing Mattel toys. We apologize again to everyone affected and promise that we will continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys,” said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer, Mattel.
In the U.S., there are seven recalled Barbie®-branded toys. The specific affected parts include:
- Dream Puppy House™– orange on miniature dog
- Dream Kitty Condo™– brown on miniature cat
- Table & Chairs Kitchen Playset – yellow food on two dinner plates, brown on miniature dog, yellow and orange on potato chip bowl, orange on salad bowl
- Bathtub & Toilet Playset – brown on miniature cat
- Desk & Chair Bedroom Playset – brown on miniature dog
- Living Room Playset (deluxe) – brown on miniature cat
- Living Room Playset (premium) – yellow flower on purse
The playsets affected by the recall were produced by Holder Plastic Company (Holder), a Mattel contract vendor, which subcontracted the painting of miniature toy pets and small furniture pieces to Dong Lian Fa (DLF) and Yip Sing (YS). DLF and YS used uncertified paint and are no longer producing toys for Mattel. Mattel’s investigation revealed that the subcontractors painted the affected toys between March 2007 and August 2007. However Mattel is being cautious and recalling the entire production of the seven toys painted by the subcontractors. Therefore, toys manufactured beginning in October 2006 are included within the recall. The toys being recalled were sold at retail between November 2006 and August 2007.
Among the three Fisher-Price® toys recalled are two Fisher-Price® GEOTRAX™ toys and one “It’s a Big Big World” toy. Fisher-Price® toys with specific parts affected include:
- GEOTRAX™ Rail & Road System Freightway Transport™– yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
- GEOTRAX™ Special Track Pack™ – yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
- “It’s a Big Big World” 6-in-1 Bongo Band – painted decal on top of clear plastic on drum
The two GEOTRAX™ toys were manufactured by Apex Manufacturing Company Ltd. (Apex), one of Mattel’s contract vendors, which outsourced paint work to a subcontractor, Boyi Plastic Products Factory (Boyi). Apex supplied Boyi with certified paint; however, the toys were manufactured with uncertified paint. Boyi is no longer in business. The two GEOTRAX™ toys that tested for impermissible levels of lead were manufactured between July 31, 2006, and September 4, 2006; however, the painted parts were stored and incorporated into toy production throughout the year. Mattel is being cautious and recalling toys shipped between August 3, 2006, and July 31, 2007.
The Fisher-Price® “It’s a Big Big World” 6-in-1 Bongo Band toy was manufactured by Shun On Factory, one of Mattel’s contract vendors, which outsourced the molding and painting of one plastic piece. A subcontractor, Jingying Tampo Printing Processing Factory, used uncertified paint on the affected piece. The “It’s a Big Big World” 6-in-1 Bongo Band was manufactured between May 19, 2007, and August 1, 2007.
Mattel is working in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other regulatory agencies worldwide. Mattel is also working with retailers worldwide to identify and remove affected products from retail shelves.
For additional information regarding this recall, including a full list of affected products, please contact Mattel at (888) 496-8330, or visit the company’s Web site at www.service.mattel.com. A full list of products is also published by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
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Sat 1 Sep 2007 |
Upper Deck’s SubCast Version of the Famous Webslinger is Available For Purchase Online Beginning Today
 CARLSBAD, Calif. (August 28, 2007) – After having his likeness portrayed in virtually every medium imaginable, Upper Deck — in association with designers TWEEQiM Design Studio — is giving a makeover to the famous comic icon, Spider-Man, with the new SubCasts designer collectibles. Available worldwide beginning today, the limited-edition Spider-Man SubCasts will be available for purchase at the Upper Deck store online at www.upperdeckstore.com.
"Being fans of the designer toy movement, Upper Deck wanted to take our existing Marvel figure license and push the boundaries of each character’s design to bring a new look and attitude to each figure," said Dave Sanders, Upper Deck Action Figure Product Manager. "TWEEQiM has done a remarkable job in designing a look that appeals to both comic fans looking for a new take on favorite characters, as well as collectors of designer figurines."
Going beyond the traditional realm of comic styles, the design for the Spider-Man figure is far from the web-slinging Spider-Man toy and figurine designs that have been produced numerous times over the years. The uniquely-designed webcrawler collectible features the Spidey with an oversized comic stylized head with drastically curved shoulders. Additionally, each collectible is individually hand numbered on the bottom, with an overall run size on the figure at 2,000 pieces. TWEEQiM’s concept art wraps the figure’s box, highlighted with silver foil treatments on Spidey’s eyes and the SubCasts logo, making the box itself a collectible work of art.
Following Spider-Man’s main launch this month, Upper Deck’s SubCasts line will feature Marvel’s Iron Man(tm) in October and Ghost Rider(tm) in December. Additional characters, including Captain America(tm), Wolverine(tm), and Hulk(tm), will be released throughout 2008.
Each collectible figure will be available at www.UpperDeckStore.com beginning today, as well as at various comic and hobby stores. More information on the line can be found at www.SubCasts.com, a complete site dedicated to providing collectors with a behind the scenes look at the figures, and www.MySpace.com/SubCasts , the official community space for the figures.
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