Odds ‘n Ends > SDCC 2011 Preview Night Edition

July 21, 2011 | Poe

  • The Entertainment Earth/TRU exclusives are now on sale on the TRU website–here’s the link. HOWEVER: Rodimus is already sold out, and the Bizarro vs. Faker pack isn’t listed, apparently because it “missed the boat.” That’s what my pal at SDCC was told by the booth operators. Whether that means it will show up later in the ‘con, or not for another three to five weeks, is not something I know.
  • Mattel posted another MOTUC list. This one seems pretty obviously fake–Zombie Randor? Gwildor? Lodar? And Slime Pit He-Man as the exclusive, when we’ve been told the sub exclusive isn’t a He-Man variant?–but the odd thing is that one redacted bit after Sweetbee. Who redacts a fake list? Anyway, I have some limited knowledge of what may or may not be coming down the pike for the rest of 2011, and this doesn’t square with that at all, so I’m calling this fake.
  • There’s a “Project Photog” sticker next to Captain Glenn in the Mattel display case, including the names of the astronauts on the flight. The two that stick out to me are Mason–obviously a reference to Major Matt Mason, who, btw, would be an awesome MOTUC figure–and Bitner, a reference to Nathan Bitner, creator of Fearless Photog (who, until the lists popped up recently, was the frontrunning rumor for the 2012 sub exclusive).
  • NECA had most of its Evil Dead II line on display. There are three Ashes: a one-armed version, a torn-shirt version with a chainsaw, and Deadite Ash, whom I’ve wanted a figure of forever–plus Henrietta. Sixteen-year-old Poe would have LOST. HIS. S*** over this line. I’m a bit removed from that now–and bummed by the lack of leg articulation–but I’ll be buying every single Evil Dead II figure NECA makes.
  • You can also see the NECA Robocop behind that Henrietta–he looks pretty good.
  • I have to wonder, is it awkward shilling products for a failed blockbuster like Green Lantern at SDCC after the movie has come out? Still, Parallax looks awesome.
  • One of the bizarre things I’ve seen was the 1970s’-colors Arkham City Batman. It’s a TRU exclusive you get when you buy the game there, so I assume it’s going to be a skin in the game, too. Is it me, or is that head placed much better on the body than the regular version?
  • Possibly the best thing I’ve seen out of the show so far is the evidence that there will indeed be more Futurama figures. Lrrr! Morbo! Clamps! Joey Mousepad! The Donbot! And yet…NO HEDONISM-BOT. It’s a crime we’re getting the Destructor, whom I barely remember, before Hedonism-Bot. This line cannot end without that figure.
  • He is Vigo! The scourge of Carpathia!
  • Hot Toys is making a 1/6th Jack Nicholson Joker and a 1/6th Burton Batmobile; I can only assume a Keaton Batman is coming. I mention this solely because it irks me we still don’t have some Movie Masters of these in 6″ scale.
  • Speaking of Movie Masters, we’re also getting a figure of the Joker as he looked in the two-second scene in The Dark Knight where he dressed as a cop and shot at the mayor. Yay?
  • Mezco’s making a new Earthworm Jim figure. Weird, but cool. Oh, and it looks like there’s an Uncharted 3 Drake figure next to him. Square Enix is making a figure of Drake, too. Not sure I need one of those, but unless the Mezco one has articulated legs, of the two I’ll take Square’s.
  • Any photos that weren’t links to other sites were taken by Rustin Parr. Thanks Rustin!

Ask Mattel > Answers for June 15, 2011

June 15, 2011 | Poe

1.) Josh asks: The WWE figures utilize the basic, elite, and defining moments methods of selling figures and different price points. Would this model ever be considered for DCUC to get more “deluxe” versions of figures? For instance, a Superman with a cloth cape or even a Clark Kent outfit; A batman with cloth cape and accessories.

Always a possibility but nothing is planned right now.

2.) Chris asks: Regarding WWE,the knee and elbow pads restrict movement. Would it be possible to switch to a more sponge like material that would allow free movement but retain it’s natural shape? (more…)

NECA Gets Valve General License

June 7, 2011 | Poe

NECA lied to me.

OK, maybe that’s not quite true. They may have been telling the truth at the time, so far as they knew.

It was on April 20 of this year, when I asked them if they could make Portal 2 toys. Their response: “to date Valve does everything on their own, no outside licensing. We’d love to work on some of their titles, great stuff!”

Well, turns out Valve does do licensing, because NECA’s got it.

NECA Enters into Agreement to Produce Valve Consumer Products Based on Valve’s Game Properties

June 7, 2011 (Hillside, NJ) – The National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Valve Corporation to produce consumer products based on all of Valve’s titles. Merchandise will include action figures, toys, board games, accessories, and apparel for all Valve properties. “When Valve approached us to make their content, characters and art come alive in the physical world we were of course excited at the possibilities,” said Joel Weinshanker, President of NECA Games, “We quickly realized that our two companies have a similar view on how to ensure products exceed expectations of devoted fans and are thankful to be working with them”.

About National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA)NECA INC. operates as a media and entertainment company in the US and internationally, with divisions dedicated to Consumer Products, Filmed Entertainment, and Online Retailing / Digital Distribution. The Consumer Products division is a leading manufacturer and distributor of entertainment related products, dominating the specialty market. The Filmed Entertainment division is investing in the production and distribution of content that will benefit from NECA’s unique and proprietary distribution and marketing model. The online division leverages NECA’s properties to provide an immersive, platform-agnostic entertainment experience through subscription and transactional models.

So…Portal 2 and Half-Life 2 action figures, anyone? What’s even better is NECA’s videogame figures typically get tons of articulation, so this we have some great toys to look forward to–never mind a full-size Turret replica, replica Portal Gun…