ToyFare – Poe Ghostal's Points of Articulation

ToyFare #157 & 2011 Club Eternia/Club Ecto-1 news

On July 15, 2010

The latest issue of ToyFare, #157, hit newsstands this week, and it’s chock (what’s a chock? anyway) full of news. News you didn’t already know. Or maybe you did, but I didn’t. Among the highlights:

The Four Horsemen’s new line is Symbiotech, which should be familiar to Fantastic Exclusive voters. Still early on in the production development, but they’re coming!
Fantastic Exclusives Scarabus and Raven are still coming–look for more when the Horsemen relaunch the FE website just before SDCC.
Mattel will be producing a 6″ Ghostbusters II 4-pack with removable Santa hats which will be available at TRU in October. That’s Toys ‘R Us, Matty haters. Relatively minor bummer: no slime throwers.
DCUC Wave 16 includes Jonah Hex and the Creeper, with CnC Bane. (Pics of all, plus Green Lantern Classics ’90s Kyle Rayner, included in magazine).
The DCUC Fan Poll candidates, the winner to be turned into a CnC figure, are: Blockbuster, Girder, King Shark, Nekron, Shaggy Man, and Wildebeest. Vote at Wizardworld.com. Nekron will win.
JLU is getting the Gray Ghost (might be old news?)
Gentle Giant is creating massive 12″ versions of the vintage Boba Fett, Stormtrooper and Walrus Man 3 ¾” figures.
DCD Arkham Asylum Bane is just as crazy as the videogame version.
There’s a full-page ad of Carnivus (no Whiplash ad, apparently), that says he carries the “Sword of Saz,” which is apparently a reference to the Filmation series–“Saz” was some sort of feline mythological hero.

Mattel also released official news on the 2011 Club Eternia subscription. It’s all-in, so those of you hoping for tiered subscriptions are out of luck, I’m afraid. The sign-up will go from 7/21 at 4 p.m. PT through 8/4 at 4 p.m. PT. The January figure, Club incentive figure, and map poster will be revealed at the Friday SDCC panel.

But wait–there’s more! Ghostbusters fans get their own subscription, Club Ecto-1. It’s $20 for six figures plus a club exclusive figure.

But to quote Geordi La Forge, don’t take my word for it–buy your copy of ToyFare #157 today! Then you get all the pretty pictures.

Odds ‘n Ends > Arthropod Edition

By Poe

On June 9, 2010

In News

So, Voltron is back and Mattel has the toy rights. Thoughts, opinions, bitterly sarcastic comments regarding the availability and quality control of new toys?
Once again, ItsAllTrue.net has taken an idea I had and beat me to the punch. Check out their interview with Mel Birnkrant, inventor of the Outer Space Men. A must-read.
And while you’re there, check out their review of the awesome Revoltech Jack Skellington. I’m tempted, despite the price…my NECA Jacks are pretty fragile.
Any thoughts on the Lion-O staction by Icon Heroes?
Masters of the Universe will be inducted into the ToyFare Hall of Fame at WizardWorld Philadelphia this weekend. So that’s cool. Also, Scott Neitlich is going to reveal a new MOTUC figure on Friday at the “Big Toy Industry” panel. It’s the September sub figure, and the odds-on favorites on the He-Man.org forums are Roboto and Chief Carnivus. Anyone want to make their guess?
On a side note, I had to reset the poll because I realized it was only allowing one choice per person, instead of three.

ToyFare #146 (featuring my interview w/ Chris Spitale of Lucas Licensing)

By Poe

On August 13, 2009

In News

Before I forget, ToyFare #146 is out in stores this week, featuring an interview by yours truly with the head of Star Wars (non-figure) licensing at Lucas Licensing, Chris Spitale. It’s a Star Wars-themed issue.

Ask Mattel > July 1 Edition

By Poe

On July 1, 2009

In Ask Mattel

mattel logo

1.) Valo487 asks: The Legion of Doom has been fairly well represented in both JLU and DCUC with a few left to finish the team in both lines, however Toyman is currently missing from both. Is he in the works for either line? Also, any chance for a non-armored Lex Luthor?

Both are a possibility, but nothing to announce quite yet.

2.) He-Dan asks: Given the recent announcement in Toyfare that key figures (like Joker and Power Girl) will be part of the Wal-Mart exclusive line, what assurances can Mattel offer that the line will be available more widely and in greater quantities at Walmarts than Wave 5?

It is up to Wal-Mart (and any other retailer) to decide which toy lines to carry, not Mattel. If you are not seeing your favorite DC or other Mattel line at your local retailer, ask for it by name!

3.) Ed asks: Some collectors have reported their DCUC figures (wave 3 specifically) developing a strange coating of white film that doesn’t seem like normal dust. I myself have seen it on my DCUC figures and even some of my old Batman figures from the original Horsemen line. A collector on Fwoosh had speculated that it’s probably just mold release working itself out of the plastic. I was wondering if Mattel had a take on this to help clarify the mystery?

An interesting question. If you have photos of this to post we’d be happy to review with our safety department and get a more complete answer. At this time we are unaware of this particular issue.

4.) How much of the Question figure, revealed recently in ToyFare, is new sculpting/tooling?

The Question is based on the DC Superheroes suit body used for Clark Kent, The Riddler and Two Face with a new head, coat and arms.

5.) Given the success of the Movie Masters Batpod, is there any possibility of similar smaller-size vehicles (such as a Batcycle) for DCUC, perhaps as a Mattycollector exclusive or a Collect-and-Connect?

Nothing is planned at this time, but if there is enough fan interest it is something we can get to in time!

ToyFare #144 to debut DCUC Question

By Poe

On June 5, 2009

In News

dcu5

ToyFare‘s Justin Aclin just announced, via his Twitter account, that next week’s issue will feature the first exclusive photos of the DC Universe Classics Question!

As you may recall, the Question was the winner of a fan voting contest in ToyFare last year. Oh, and be sure to follow Justin on Twitter!

ToyFare #143

By Poe

On May 13, 2009

In Shameless plug

If you happen to pick up a copy of ToyFare #143, in comic shops today, you shall find therein an article written by yours truly. It’s an interview with the Hasbro Transformers design team, including Aaron Archer, about the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toys.

Toy news roundup, 2/13/09

By Poe

On February 13, 2009

In News

Happy Friday the 13th! Don’t walk under any ladders today, or go to any summer camps. Let’s see what’s in the news today…
newspoe

Topless Robot had a few things to say about the Jason X-like look of the movie Cobra Commander (spoilers, I guess). I kind of see what they’re going for–the plate-face Cobra Commander look, instead of the hooded one–but it doesn’t work.
Toy Fair 2009 starts tomorrow. We know there won’t be much, if any, Mattel news…anyone know if NECA will be there?
Does every single toy website have something going on with the new Mezco Jason figure this week? Was Mezco was shipping out review samples like crazy? If so, how about a little love for Poe? Heck, they even gave some to a museum. Oh, and be sure to hit this RTM contest for a chance to win your own Jason.
Vote on future Marvel Universe figures (Hasbro)
Mattel has posted most of the slides from their NYCC presentations on their Facebook page (although not the preview pic of DCUC Joker, in case you were wondering–he’s in this month’s ToyFare).

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode) 12/24/08

By Poe

On December 24, 2008

In Fanmode, News

Dave Van Domelen reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Blurr, Swindle and Blazing Lockdown figures. Excerpt: “(Re: Blurr) A very good updating of the original toy, and an amazingly solid toy in its own right.”

yo go re reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Leader class Ultra Magnus figure. Excerpt: “Ultra Magnus is fun in both modes, and has lots of play features all around.” (See also.)

Odds ‘n Ends

By Poe

On December 9, 2008

In Odds 'n Ends

As always, feel free to add your own odds ‘n ends in the comments!

ODD: This week’s issue of ToyFare features at least two awesome things: photos of Mattel’s next Mattycollector-exclusive DCUC two-pack (Ultraman and Alex Luthor) and an interview with Geoff Johns by yours truly. Buy it at your local comic shop tomorrow, or I’ll come to your house and smash all your fine china.

ToyFare #135, Blackstar, and the Alien Demon

By Poe

On September 10, 2008

In Blog

A few of you have remarked on the little pale green goblin who appeared on the menu a few weeks ago. Yes, he’s from the old Blackstar line, and yes, there’s a reason he’s there.

In this month’s ToyFare #135, which hits newsstands today, there’s an article by yours truly about the Blackstar toy line. I decided to make sure I had a Blackstar character on the menu to commemorate the occasion.

For those who aren’t familiar with Blackstar, it was a cartoon show that predated Masters of the Universe by a year or two and was produced by the same company, Filmation. The two shows have a lot of similarities: both feature a barbaric hero in a land of science and sorcery who battles a demonic overlord.

Blackstar carried the Starsword, which was one half of the “Powerstar”; the other half, the Powersword, was controlled by his foe, the Overlord. This is similar to what the early MOTU media (comics and storybooks) depicted, as He-Man and Skeletor both had half of the Power Sword–which is why the original figures came with those two half-swords that could be put together.

I don’t remember ever watching Blackstar as a kid. I don’t think many kids did–it lasted only one season, and the toys came out years after the show was cancelled, as Galoob tried to capitalize on the success of MOTU.

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