Disconnected Ramblings on ECCC 2008

May 12, 2008 | Pete

It’s no San Diego, and it’s no New York, but Seattle gets a comic convention of its own–The Emerald City ComiCon. Yes, one word. Don’t ask me. Ask them. My original plan was for a trip to SDCC this year, but for a family of four, that’s no easy trip to plan in the space of three months–not on my income at least. So, instead, I turned my attention to more local fun. And boy, am I glad I did.

The convention was held in the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, which is the same place PAX–The Penny Arcade Expo–moved into last year. The place is HUGE. We walked in and just sort of stood there at first, taking in the place. What was really astounding was that the place was packed! They had all the booths and tables set up in a grid, and there wasn’t more than six to eight feet of walking space between the booths. Quarters were definitely tight, and there was certainly the potential for something to get ugly, but then, this is Seattle–home of distant politeness. Combine that with the generally passive nature of the average comic book nerd (once they’re off the Internet, that is), and you get a very mellow, enjoyable experience. (more…)

The Legend of Marvel Figures–Impressions from NYCC 2008

April 20, 2008 | Pete

Legend (n): 1 a: a story coming down from the past; especially : one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable b: a body of such stories <a place in the legend of the frontier> c: a popular myth of recent origin d: a person or thing that inspires legends e: the subject of a legend <its violence was legend even in its own time — William Broyles Jr.>

With the arrival of the New York Comic Con, news about the long-questionable status of the Marvel Legends toy line has finally come to light, and Hasbro has definitively confirmed that its status is still questionable.

Wait, what? (more…)

Iron Merchandising

March 21, 2008 | Pete

Hasbrotoyshop.com has posted images of a second Iron Monger figure in the the movie line–one that features an unmasked Obadiah Stane. The figure will be part of a sort of ‘Wave 1.5’–it’s expected to release later in the summer, well after the movie, in fact.

Witness:

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Pete says: Rock on! More un-masked versions of characters, please! It’s not quite having the characters in business attire (something that is certainly feasible–see DCSH Clark Kent), but it does make customs of that exact thing possible. This is the kind of variety I like to see in a line, though truth be told, I don’t see why the first Iron Monger figure couldn’t have the same thing…it certainly beats an action feature.

You can see a larger photo of Obadiah’s head here. The likeness is…yeah.

Mighty Marvel Merchandising! Toy Fair 2008

March 3, 2008 | Pete

Hey folks, Poe here again. While I have my share of Marvel action figures, I tend to cherry-pick just a few favorites, rather than obsessively collecting them. But you deserve obsessiveness! And so, please give a warm welcome to PGPoA’s newest correspondent, Pete! A frequent commenter here on the site and owner of fanwank.net, Pete’s got the skinny on Hasbro’s Marvelicious plans for you this year.

Hasbro-Marvel

Don’t hate Hasbro, Marvel fans…Hasbro loves you! Or, rather, your pocketbook…

Because eating through your bank account with all of the new Star Wars and Transformers offerings isn’t enough, Hasbro has unveiled yet another Marvel merchandising blitz this year, just like last year. Also like last year, they’re trying new things, mixing a bit of the new in with your favorite old standbys. So let’s start with the new! (more…)