Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Comic News: CHEW SEES YET ANOTHER FULL SERIES SELL OUT WITH MORE NEW PRINTINGS ON THE WAY!



John Layman and Rob Guillory's CHEW sees a complete distrubtion level sell out on entire series in less than a week!


CHEW, the all-new crime series with a cannibalistic twist by writer John Layman and illustrator Rob Guillory, experienced yet another sell out on all issues despite the largest overprint on the series yet. More reprints are on the way, though: The second and third issues will each return for one final, "Last Bite" edition.

"I'm extremely thankful to all the fans and retailers, but I can't say I ever saw this coming," Layman said. "Even though we up the print run considerably every time we do a reprint, we just keep selling out in no time flat. That kind of support for such an odd book is hard to come by. Rob and I highly appreciate the overwhelming enthusiasm."

CHEW's star, Detective Tony Chu, is a cop with a secret. As a Cibopath, Detective Chu gets a psychic impression from whatever he eats. While it means he's a hell of a Detective if he can stomach the evidence, once his secret gets out the government makes plans for him, whether he likes it or not. CHEW blends horror, mystery and the strangest ability of them all in an ongoing series of horrific crimes solved in the most horrific way possible. With the sell outs continuing on a regular basis, Image will be once again increasing each printing’s quantities in hopes of keeping them available. The third printing of issue two and second printing of issue three will mark the final time these issues will be reprinted in the monthly comics format.

CHEW #2-4, all 32-page full color comic books for $2.99, will be available in-stores on October 7th, 2009. CHEW #5, also a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores October 21, 2009.

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Comic News: WOLVERINE VS. THOR #1 Debuts on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited



It’s time for some serious heavy metal mayhem when the God of Thunder goes hammer-to-claw with Marvel’s most popular mutant exclusively on Marvel’s groundbreaking Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited In celebration of the blockbuster “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” coming to DVD on September 15!


Wolverine vs Thor #1, from veteran Wolverine scribe Frank Tieri and fan favorite artist Paco Diaz, begins a three part epic in which Logan confronts by an army of his greatest foes—all at the same time! How can Wolvie possibly survive? And will Thor join the fray as friend or foe?

Get FREE four-page preview here (Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscribers can read the full comic!): http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/titles/WOLVERINE_VS~dot~_THOR.2009.1

Subscribe to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited here: http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/hq


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Toy News: Living Dead Dolls Go Back To School!- Now With Great Pictures!



Go to the head of the class with Living Dead Dolls Pencil Toppers. Dress up your pens and pencils with the disembodied heads of Sybil, Schitzo, and Sadie. Each topper is an accurate miniature recreation of your favorite Living Dead Doll.


They're back…Living Dead Dolls Minis return! These miniature versions of Series 16 celebrate the Halloween with your favorite little trick or
treators: Eleanor, Pumpkin, Mishka, Squeak and Isabel. Each wears a creepy removable mask, and comes entombed in their own coffin. Use the included noose clip-on to add them to your bag, rear view mirror, or wherever you want a little Living Dead Doll fun!




Living Dead Doll Pencil Toppers and Minis (sold separately) are now available at Hot Topic, Value Music, Spencer Gifts, Hastings Entertainment and other fine retailers!
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Comic News: WARNER BROS. CREATES DC ENTERTAINMENT



Diane Nelson to Serve as President, DC Entertainment

Paul Levitz to Segue from President & Publisher of DC Comics
To Writer, Contributing Editor and Overall Consultant to DC Entertainment



Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI) has created DC Entertainment Inc., a new company founded to fully realize the power and value of the DC Comics brand and characters across all media and platforms, to be run by Diane Nelson, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, and Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.

DC Entertainment, a separate division of WBEI, will be charged with strategically integrating the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. Entertainment and all its content and distribution businesses. DC Entertainment, which will work with each of the Warner Bros. divisions, will also tap into the tremendous expertise the Studio has in building and sustaining franchises and prioritize DC properties as key titles and growth drivers across all of the Studio, including feature films, television, interactive entertainment, direct-to-consumer platforms and consumer products. The DC Comics publishing business will remain the cornerstone of DC Entertainment, releasing approximately 90 comic books through its various imprints and 30 graphic novels a month and continuing to build on its creative leadership in the comic book industry.
In her new role, Nelson will report to Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in order to best capitalize on DC Entertainment’s theatrical development and production activities and their importance to drive its overall business with each of the divisions of Warner Bros.

Nelson will bring her expertise and more than 20 years’ experience in creative brand management, strategic marketing and content development and production to ensuring DC Entertainment’s dual mission of marshalling Warner Bros.’ resources to maximize the potential of the DC brand while remaining respectful of and collaborative with creators, talent, fans and source material. Additionally, Nelson will continue to oversee the franchise management of the Harry Potter property, which she has done since 2000, and also continue to represent the Studio’s interests with the author of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling. Nelson will segue from her post as President, Warner Premiere but maintain oversight responsibilities of that division. (An executive succession plan for Warner Premiere will be announced shortly.)

Paul Levitz, who has served as President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will segue from that role to return to his roots as a writer for DC and become a contributing editor and overall consultant to DCE. This transition will take place as expeditiously as possible without disrupting DC’s business operations.

In his new role, Levitz will be called upon for his deep knowledge and more than three-decade history with DC Comics, both as a comic creator and an executive. Besides serving as a writer on a number of DC Comics titles, he will be a contributing editor and consultant to DC Entertainment on projects in various media. Additionally, he will consult as needed on the transition and integration of the DC Comics organization into DC Entertainment and will utilize his unique experience, knowledge and relationships with the comics industry’s creative community to help achieve DC Entertainment’s goal of maximizing the value of DC properties. Further, Levitz will advise DC Entertainment on creative and rights-holder relationships, in particular regarding the legacy relationships that have been a part of DC Comics for decades.

Widely recognized and respected for his support of writers, artists and creators in the comics industry, Levitz is best known creatively for his work with DC Comics, having written most of the classic DC characters, including Batman, Wonder Woman and the Superman newspaper strip. At Comicon International in 2008, Levitz was awarded the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award as part of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the only industry executive ever so honored.

“DC Comics and its super hero characters are truly touchstones of popular culture, and the formation of DC Entertainment is a major step in our company’s efforts to realize the full potential of this incredible wellspring of creative properties,” said Meyer. “Diane knows our studio as a creative executive, a marketer and a senior manager, and this varied background will help her effectively and creatively integrate the DC brand and properties across all our businesses. We’re also thrilled that Paul will remain involved with DC and we’ll be able to tap his expertise to help us reach our goals for this new business.”

“It’s no secret that DC has myriad rich and untapped possibilities from its deep library of iconic and lesser-known characters,” said Horn. “While we’ve had great success in films and television, the formation of DC Entertainment will help us to bring more DC properties across additional platforms to fans around the world, while maintaining brand integrity and authenticity. Diane is a terrific choice to lead DC Entertainment, and with Paul in his new role as a valued consultant and contributing editor, both our company and comic fans win.”

“Based on the great success we’ve had working with DC Comics to create some of the most popular and successful super hero films of all time, I’ve long believed that there was much more we could do across all of Warner Bros.’ businesses with this great body of characters and stories,” said Robinov. “The prioritization of DC and the creation of DC Entertainment is a great opportunity that reaches far beyond the film group. There are endless creative possibilities to build upon the many significant successes already achieved by my colleagues Kevin Tsujihara and the Home Entertainment Group in the videogame, home video and direct-to-platform arenas and Bruce Rosenblum and the Television Group in live-action, animated and digital series. Collectively, we have the ability to grow a body of properties highlighting the iconic characters and the diversity of the creative output of DC Comics.”

“The founding of DC Entertainment fully recognizes our desire to provide both the DC properties and fans the type of content that is only possible through a concerted cross-company, multi-platform effort,” said Nelson. “DC Entertainment will help us to formally take the great working relationships between DC Comics and various Warner Bros. businesses to the next level in order to maximize every opportunity to bring DC’s unrivalled collection of titles and characters to life.”

“After so many roles at DC, it’s exciting to look forward to focusing on my writing and being able to remain a part of the company I love as it grows into its next stage,” said Levitz. “It’s a new golden age for comics and DC’s great characters, and I hope my new position will allow me to contribute to that magic time.”

DC Comics will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2010 (NEW FUN COMICS #1, the first DC comic, began publishing in 1935), at which time more explicit details regarding DC Entertainment’s corporate and management structure, film and content release slate, creative roster and business objectives will be unveiled at a multi-faceted anniversary celebration and press conference in the first quarter of the year.

Current DC properties in development and/or production at Warner Bros. Entertainment include:

– “Human Target” is being produced by Warner Bros. Television for a mid-season debut on Fox.

– “Midnight Mass” is in series development at Warner Bros. Television for consideration for the 2010-11 season.

– “Jonah Hex,” Warner Bros. Pictures’ supernatural Western starring Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and John Malkovich, recently wrapped production in Louisiana.

– “The Losers,” Dark Castle/Warner Bros. Pictures’ action-adventure drama starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans, began principal photography mid-July in Puerto Rico.

– “The Green Lantern,” Warner Bros. Pictures’ next big superhero tentpole release, recently cast Ryan Reynolds as the titular character. The film has a projected second quarter 2011 release date.

– “Lobo,” based on the DC Comics anti-hero, has Guy Ritchie attached as a director; Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona are producing for Silver Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.

– Warner Premiere’s direct-to-platform DVD animated release of “Green Lantern: First Flight” debuted July 28.

– Warner Bros. Animation currently produces “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” which airs on Cartoon Network.

– Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment released “Batman: Arkham Asylum” on August 25, a dark, action packed videogame adventure for Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows.

Prior to being named President, DC Entertainment, Nelson most recently served as President, Warner Premiere since its founding in 2006. Warner Premiere is a Studio-based production company which develops and produces high-quality, direct-to-DVD and short-form digital content, including the highly successful line of DC Universe animated DVD titles, and also pioneered the development of the motion comics category. Under Nelson’s leadership, Warner Premiere functions as a full-service production entity with its own resources and release schedule, furthering the Studio’s mandate of being a destination for both established and up-and-coming talent to create stand-alone properties as well as experiment in new media.

Before that, Nelson served as Executive Vice President, Global Brand Management, Warner Bros. Entertainment, with the primary responsibility of working cross-divisionally and throughout Time Warner to maximize and optimize all the various windows and outlets available to the Studio’s signature franchises, brands and event properties on a global basis. In this post, Nelson’s primary focus was the management of the Harry Potter brand, which she has overseen since the brand’s launch at the Studio in 1999. These efforts have helped drive the success of the brand to become the most successful film franchise of all time, as well as a respected consumer property that has generated billions of dollars for the Studio.

At Global Brand Management, Nelson and her team of more than 15 employees worked in all media and platforms to support a number of other key franchise properties, including “The Matrix Reloaded,” “The Matrix Revolutions,” “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” “Happy Feet,” “Polar Express” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” among others.

Prior to overseeing Global Brand Management, Nelson had served as Executive Vice President, Domestic Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures. Nelson rose quickly through the ranks, having also served as Senior Vice President, Domestic Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures and prior to that, Senior Vice President, Family Entertainment, Warner Bros. Corporate Worldwide Marketing and Planning. She was also Vice President, Worldwide Corporate Promotions, a post to which she was promoted in March 1998, after joining the Studio in September 1996 as Director of Worldwide Corporate Promotions.

Nelson came to the Studio from Walt Disney Records, where she served as Director of National Promotions. She is a graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications.
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Shipping This Week - 9/10/09



Shipping This Week: 9/10/2009

Every Monday, PREVIEWSworld.com provides a list of comics, graphic novels and other pop-culture merchandise arriving this week to your local comic shop.

Please check with your retailer for availability, as not all new releases may be on sale in all areas at the same time.


DARK HORSE COMICS
ART OF TONY MILLIONAIRE HC (RES) $39.95
BPRD 1947 #3 (OF 5) $2.99
EMILY THE STRANGE RAG DOLL $19.99
HELLBOY WILD HUNT #6 (OF 8) $2.99
LIFE & TIMES MARTHA WASHINGTON IN 21ST CENTURY HC $99.95
SIMPSONS CLASSIC CHARACTER #1 HOMER SIMPSON $49.95
TARZAN THE JESSE MARSH YEARS HC VOL 03 $49.95
UNCLE SCROOGE COMIC CHARACTER #1 UNCLE SCROOGE $49.95

DC COMICS
ADVENTURE COMICS #2 $3.99
BLACKEST NIGHT BATMAN #1 (OF 3) 2ND PTG $2.99
BLACKEST NIGHT BATMAN #2 (OF 3) $2.99
BLACKEST NIGHT TALES OF THE CORPS #1 (OF 3) 2ND PTG $3.99
BOOSTER GOLD #24 $3.99
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #41 $2.50
DMZ #45 (MR) $2.99
DOOM PATROL #2 $3.99
FREDDY JASON ASH NIGHTMARE WARRIORS #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
GOTHAM CENTRAL HC VOL 02 JOKERS AND MADMEN $29.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #40 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $2.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #17 (MR) $2.99
JAMES ROBINSONS COMPLETE WILDCATS TP (RES) $24.99
RED HERRING #2 (OF 6) $2.99
RED ROBIN #4 $2.99
SECRET SIX #13 $2.99
SHIELD #1 $3.99
STORMWATCH PHD #23 $2.99
SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #7 (OF 12) $2.99
TANGENT SUPERMANS REIGN TP VOL 02 $19.99
TITANS #17 $2.99
TITANS LOCKDOWN TP $14.99
UNI FORMZ SUPERMAN CLASSIC VERSION PI
UNWRITTEN #5 (MR) $2.99
WAR THAT TIME FORGOT TP VOL 02 $17.99
WARLORD #6 $2.99
WEDNESDAY COMICS #10 (OF 12) $3.99

IMAGE COMICS
BERSERKER #1 KEOWN RAGE CVR $10.00
DEAD AT 17 AFTERBIRTH #4 (OF 4) $2.99
DEAD SPACE EXTRACTION (ONE SHOT) $3.50
DESCENDANT #3 (OF 3) $3.50
ELEPHANTMEN #21 (RES) $3.50
FUSION #1-3 SET $5.99
G-MAN CAPE CRISIS #2 (OF 5) $2.99
LILLIM #5 (OF 5) $3.99
OLYMPUS #4 (OF 4) (IMAGE ED) $3.50
TYRESE GIBSONS MAYHEM #2 (OF 3) $2.99
WITCHBLADE #130 MELO DANI CVR C $2.99
WITCHBLADE #130 MELO SARA CVR B $2.99
WITCHBLADE #130 SEJIC CVR A $2.99

MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 2ND PTG ROMITA JR VAR (PP #881) $4.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #604 $2.99
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 TP VOL 03 VAMPIRE STATE $19.99
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN EXODUS DAX $3.99
DARK REIGN LIST AVENGERS ONE SHOT $3.99
DARK REIGN LIST AVENGERS ONE SHOT HERO CHO VAR $3.99
DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #4 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
ENDERS GAME COMMAND SCHOOL #1 (OF 5) $3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR LOST ADVENTURES BY STAN LEE TP $24.99
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP VOL 02 WAR OF KINGS BOOK 01 $19.99
HULK TEAM-UP ONE SHOT $3.99
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #134 $2.99
INCREDIBLE HULK #600 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR (PP #881) $4.99
KICK ASS #7 (MR) $2.99
MARVEL 1602 PREM HC $24.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #15 $2.99
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD #1 (OF 4) $2.99
MARVEL SUPERHERO TEAM UP TP $24.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #2 $3.99
MARVELS PROJECT #2 (OF 8) $3.99
MARVELS PROJECT #2 (OF 8) EPTING VAR $3.99
MS MARVEL PREM HC VOL 07 DARK REIGN $24.99
NOMAD GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #1 (OF 4) $3.99
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #74 (MR) $4.99
RUNAWAYS GOOD DIE YOUNG PREM HC $19.99
THOR TALES OF ASGARD BY LEE & KIRBY #5 (OF 6) $3.99
THUNDERBOLTS #135 DKR $2.99
ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #2 $3.99
ULTIMATUM SPIDER-MAN PREM HC $24.99
WAR OF KINGS WHO WILL RULE ONE-SHOT $3.99
X-MEN FOREVER #3 2ND PTG VAR (PP #881) $3.99
X-MEN FOREVER #4 2ND PTG GRUMMETT VAR (PP #881) $3.99
X-MEN FOREVER #7 $3.99
YTHAQ PREM HC NO ESCAPE (MR) $24.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT
TOYFARE #147 DC DIRECT BATMAN CVR $4.99

COMICS
ALL & SUNDRY UNCOLLECTED WORK HC 2004-2009 $29.99
AMULET HC VOL 02 STONEKEEPERS CURSE $21.99
ANGEL AFTER THE FALL HC VOL 05 AFTERMATH $24.99
ANGEL ONLY HUMAN #2 (OF 4) $3.99
ANNA MERCURY 2 #1 (OF 5) WIZARD WORLD PHILLY ED (MR) $3.99
AOD ASH SAVES OBAMA #1 (OF 4) HIGH END FOIL CVR PI
ARCHIE & FRIENDS #135 $2.50
ARCHIE DIGEST #257 $2.69
ASTRO BOY MOVIE ADAPTATION #4 $3.99
ASTRO BOY MOVIE ADAPTATION TP $17.99
ASTRO BOY MOVIE PREQUEL UNDERGROUND TP $17.99
B ICHI GN VOL 04 $10.99
BAMBOO BLADE TP VOL 02 $10.99
CLASSIC GI JOE TP VOL 05 $19.99
COMPLETE DRACULA #3 (OF 5) $4.99
DEAD #4 KINGDOM OF FLIES (MR) $3.95
DF CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #1 ROSS SGN EX CVR $29.99
DF DAREDEVIL #500 ROSS NEG ART EX CVR $14.99
DF DARK AVENGERS UNCANNY X-MEN FRACTION SGN ED $29.99
DF NEW AVENGERS REUNION #1 (OF 4) STAN LEE SGN ED PI
DOMINO LADY #2 (MR) $3.99
FALLEN ANGEL REBORN #3 $3.99
FARSCAPE DARGOS TRIAL #2 $3.99
FEMALE FORCE #6 CONDOLEEZZA RICE $3.99
FEMFORCE OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $29.95
FINDING NEMO REEF RESCUE #3 (OF 4) $2.99
FULL FRONTAL NERDITY TP VOL 02 YOUVE GOT THE TOUCH $12.99
GACHA GACHA NEXT REVOLUTION GN VOL 10 (MR) $12.99
GIRAFFES IN MY HAIR A ROCK N ROLL LIFE HC $19.99
GRIMWOODS DAUGHTER HC (MR) $12.99
HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 04 COTTON DRIFTING PT 2 $10.99
IGNITION CITY #1 (OF 5) AUXILIARY ED (MR) $3.99
INU YASHA TP VOL 40 $8.95
LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 #5 $3.99
LOCKE & KEY WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT SPEC ED #1 $5.99
LOVE & ROCKETS NEW STORIES TP VOL 02 (MR) $14.99
MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #4 (OF 4) $2.99
PAUL THE SAMURAI COMPLETE WORKS TP $29.95
POLITICAL POWER #2 BARACK OBAMA BK MKT ED $3.99
POLITICAL POWER #2 BARACK OBAMA DM EXCL $3.99
PROCESS RECESS HC VOL 03 HALLOWED SEAM (MR) $34.95
RED MONKEY DOUBLE HAPPINESS BOOK HC $22.99
RED SONJA #48 $2.99
ROCK CANDY HC $29.99
ROTTEN #3 $3.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #204 $2.50
SOULFIRE VOLUME TWO #0 $2.50
SQUIRREL MACHINE HC $18.99
STAR TREK NERO #2 $3.99
STORM IN THE BARN GN $24.99
STRONTIUM DOG TRAITOR TO HIS KIND TP $22.99
STUFF OF LEGEND #1 (OF 2) NEW PTG (PP #880) $4.99
SUPER HUMAN RESOURCES TP SEASON 01 $12.95
TALE OF WANING MOON GN (MR) $12.99
TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED GN VOL 03 (RES) (MR) $14.95
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED TP VOL 11 $7.99
TRANSFORMERS TALES O/T FALLEN #2 (OF 5) $3.99
VAMPIRELLA SECOND COMING #1 GONZALEZ CVR $1.99
VAMPIRELLA SECOND COMING #1 JUSKO CVR $1.99
VAMPIRELLA SECOND COMING #1 STEGMAN CVR $1.99
VAMPIRELLA SECOND COMING #1 SUYDAM CVR $1.99
WEST COAST BLUES HC $18.99
WHICH WITCHS WAND WORKS GN $6.99
WITH THE LIGHT RAISING AUTISTIC CHILD GN VOL 05 $14.99
YAKITATE JAPAN TP VOL 19 $9.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 01 $10.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 02 $10.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 03 $10.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 04 $10.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 05 $10.99
YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 06 $10.99

MAGAZINES
AVENGER DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 02 $12.95
DC SUPERHERO FIGURINE COLL MAG #17 STARFIRE $14.00
FANGORIA #287 OCT 2009 $8.99
RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #93 $9.95
STAR WARS INSIDER #112 PX ED $5.99
TORCHWOOD MAGAZINE #17 SPECIAL $9.99

MERCHANDISE
ARMY OF DARKNESS HELLO MY NAME IS AOP T/S LG $22.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS HELLO MY NAME IS AOP T/S MED $22.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS HELLO MY NAME IS AOP T/S XL $22.99
AXIS & ALLIES NAVAL CMG FLANK SPEED BOOSTER PACK $14.99
BBZ MINI FIG BMB 24 PC PI
BRAVE & BOLD BATMAN DLX COSTUME LG $55.00
BRAVE & BOLD BATMAN DLX COSTUME MED $55.00
BRAVE & BOLD BATMAN DLX COSTUME SM $55.00
CINEMA OF FEAR 3-3/4 IN AF SERIES 1 PI
CINEMA OF FEAR TINY TERRORS AF PI
CLUB PENGUIN CARD JITSU TCG BLISTER PACK INNER PI
CLUB PENGUIN CARD JITSU TCG VALUE DECK INNER PI
DARK KNIGHT BATMAN VER 2 HEAD KNOCKER $14.99
DARK KNIGHT TWO-FACE HEAD KNOCKER $14.99
DC COMICS GT DIGITALLY DRAWING COMICS SC (RES) $22.99
DISCIPLINE BOOTY BABE RESIN FIG (A) $90.00
DISNEY TRADITIONS MICKEY CANDY DISH FIGURINE $45.00
DK BATMAN DLX LATEX MASK $29.99
DOCTOR WHO DALEK SCULPTED WALL CLOCK $25.99
DOCTOR WHO LED DALEK TALKING ALARM CLOCK $19.99
FIST OF FURY BRUCE LEE FIGURE PI
FLASH GORDON MOVIE SER 2 AF (RES) PI
FRIDAY THE 13TH JASON 19-IN AF $99.99
FRIDAY THE 13TH JASON MASK IN SHADOWBOX $179.99
FRIDAY THE 13TH MACHETE REPLICA $179.99
GAME OF THRONES LCG TALES RED KEEP CHAPTER PACK $9.95
GARGOYLES GOLIATH STATUE $275.00
GODZILLA RISING SUN AOP T/S LG $22.99
GODZILLA RISING SUN AOP T/S MED $22.99
GODZILLA RISING SUN AOP T/S XL $22.99
GODZILLA RISING SUN WOMENS TUNIC T/S LG $22.99
GODZILLA RISING SUN WOMENS TUNIC T/S MED $22.99
GODZILLA RISING SUN WOMENS TUNIC T/S SM $22.99
GODZILLA SNAPSHOT T/S LG $17.99
GODZILLA SNAPSHOT T/S MED $17.99
GODZILLA SNAPSHOT T/S XL $17.99
GOLDEN AGE GREEN LANTERN LOGO T/S LG $17.95
GOLDEN AGE GREEN LANTERN LOGO T/S MED $17.95
GOLDEN AGE GREEN LANTERN LOGO T/S XL $17.95
GOLDEN AGE GREEN LANTERN LOGO T/S XXL $20.95
GOTHIC BUTTERFLY 1000 PC PUZZLE $18.00
GREEN LANTERN SPLATTER SYMBOL T/S LG $17.95
GREEN LANTERN SPLATTER SYMBOL T/S MED $17.95
GREEN LANTERN SPLATTER SYMBOL T/S XL $17.95
GREEN LANTERN SPLATTER SYMBOL T/S XXL $20.95
GROWN UPS ARE DUMB NO OFFENSE SC $8.99
GURPS 4TH ED PSIONIC POWERS SC $19.99
GURPS 4TH ED ULTRA-TECH SC $29.95
HEROSCAPE SM EXP SET 1 MALLIDDONS PROPHESY PI
IRON MAN FUNKO FORCE BOBBLE HEAD $12.99
JUDGE DREDD RPG $49.95
LINEBARRELS OF IRON VARDANT FINE SCALE MOD KIT $44.99
LIVING DEAD DOLLS PENCIL TOPPER PI
LIVING DEAD DOLLS SERIES 16 MINI DOLL PI
LIVING DEAD DOLLS SERIES 18 $149.95
MEMORIES OF HAMMER FILMS FANEX INTERVIEWS SC $25.00
MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS RPG POCKET ULTIMATE POWER $23.95
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD TURQUOISE T/S LG $17.99
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD TURQUOISE T/S MED $17.99
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD TURQUOISE T/S XL $17.99
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD TURQUOISE T/S XXL $17.99
PRIDE OF THE MASAI BOOTY BABE RESIN FIG (A) $90.00
RAZOR INK VAULT T/C BOX AND AUTOGRAPHS PI
ROCK ICONZ ELVIS PRESLEY ARMY STATUE $115.00
ROCK ICONZ OZZY OSBOURNE DIARY MADMAN STATUE $115.00
SF20 ART OF STREET FIGHTER SC $39.99
SPIDER-MAN ANIMATED AF 200902 PI
SPIDER-MAN LOVE WHITE T/S LG $17.99
SPIDER-MAN LOVE WHITE T/S MED $17.99
SPIDER-MAN LOVE WHITE T/S XL $17.99
SPIDER-MAN LOVE WHITE T/S XXL $17.99
SUPER ROBOT WARS OG ART-1 FINE SCALE MODEL KIT $49.99
THIS SIDE OF JORDAN $22.99
TMP NFL ROETHLISBERGER HOLMES AF 2-PACK CS PI
TO HEART2 TAMAKI KOUSAKA SEDUCTION VER ANI-STATUE $89.99
TOUMA X HONEYBABY MINI FIG BMB SER 03 PI
TRANSFORMERS MOVIE MINI VEHICLE PACK 200901 PI
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS LEGACY OF HORROR HC $40.00
URBAN LEGEND SHOCK STORIES T/C BOX PI
WARHAMMER CHAOS I/T OLD WORLD BOARD GAME $59.95
WATCHMEN MOVIE NIGHT OWL COSTUME LG $65.00
WATCHMEN MOVIE SILK SPECTRE COSTUME MED $65.00
WATCHMEN MOVIE SILK SPECTRE COSTUME XS $65.00
WET & WILD GALLERY GIRLS BOOK (MR) $9.95
WOLVERINE MUTANT LOVE BLUE T/S LG $17.99
WOLVERINE MUTANT LOVE BLUE T/S MED $17.99
WOLVERINE MUTANT LOVE BLUE T/S XL $17.99
WOLVERINE MUTANT LOVE BLUE T/S XXL $17.99
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

TV News: Cesar Millan and Scooby-Doo Share 40th Birthday Celebration



Birthday Bash for World Renowned Dog Behaviorist and Famous Pup Also Celebrates the World Premiere Movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins airing on Cartoon Network
and September 22 release on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack

Cartoon Network Makes Donation to Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation

40,000 Snausages® Scooby Snacks for Dogs Donated for Duo’s Birthday Celebration



Zoinks! Cesar Millan and Scooby-Doo have turned 40! The world renowned dog behavior specialist and beloved iconic cartoon character celebrated turning 40 together at their very own birthday bash today at the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys, Calif. Also sharing in the festivities were some of Cesar and Scooby’s favorite dogs available for adoption at the shelter, Los Angeles Councilman Tony Cardenas, children from Van Nuys Recreation Center’s “Off-Track Enrichment program” and the cast of the upcoming movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, a co-production of Warner Premiere and Cartoon Network.

The film premieres on Cartoon Network on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT, and Warner Home Video will release the film on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

In honor of Cesar Millan and Scooby-Doo’s 40th birthday, Cartoon Network presented a donation of $10,000 to the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation, supporting the foundation’s efforts to increase the number of dog adoptions each day. Currently, there are millions of dogs available from adoption shelters and rescue organizations across the nation hoping for a second chance and a permanent, new home.

The cast of the film – Robbie Amell (Fred), Kate Melton (Daphne), Hayley Kiyoko (Velma) and Nick Palatas (Shaggy) – and Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins producer Brian Gilbert also joined the festivities to help celebrate the birthdays.

“I'm so happy to be celebrating my 40th birthday with an icon like Scooby-Doo. And I’m thrilled to use this celebratory moment to promote the importance of giving dogs a second chance and adopting them from local shelters or rescue groups,” said Cesar Millan. “Many thanks to Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Consumer Products for contributing to the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation and for supporting our continued efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home shelter dogs.”

“When we discovered that both Cesar and Scooby were reaching this exciting milestone around the same time, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring the two of them together for a celebration that would not only be fun, but also honor the great work of the Cesar and Illusion Millan Foundation,” said Stuart Snyder, President and COO, Turner Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media.

“Scooby-Doo and Cesar Millan have played vital roles in helping kids relate to animals in a compassionate, empathetic way. I am proud they have chosen to celebrate their birthdays right here in one of the city’s animal care centers and are talking to our kids about pet responsibility,” said Councilman Tony Cardenas.

More than 40,000 Snausages® Scooby Snacks were also donated in celebration of the world’s favorite Great Dane’s birthday bash. With four flavors in each box - cheese, beef, chicken and pizza flavored – the crunchy Scooby Snacks are beloved by dogs everywhere. In addition, Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ licensees contributed an array of products for today’s festivities, including Thermos lunch kits, Ty Scooby Beanies, Scooby fruit snacks and baked graham crackers.

Dog behavior specialist Cesar Millan is best known for his hit television series Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan on National Geographic Channel. The Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation promotes the adoption of abused and abandoned dogs at shelters and rescue organizations. The foundation also provides direct funding for spaying and neutering programs and the humane education of children of all ages. For more information, visit MillanFoundation.org.

On Sept. 13, Scooby-Doo will not only celebrate his 40th year on television, but also the world premiere of the new live-action movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins on Cartoon Network. For the first time ever, the never-before-told origin story of the Mystery Inc. gang will be revealed in the two-hour movie premiering on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. (ET, PT). Warner Home Video will also release Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

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Comic News: ELEPHANTMEN OVERSHIPS ITS ULTIMATE JUMPING ON POINT THIS THURSDAY!



ELEPHANTMEN #21 comes to participating retailers this week with a very special overship!


This Thursday, the acclaimed sci-fi series, ELEPHANTMEN, will give readers a chance to jump on board as participating stores receive a special 25% overship.

"I'm so glad we're overshipping this particular issue, because I want it to get into as many people's hands as possible," Starkings said. "We've sold out of EVERY issue since #16 – the Marian Churchland issues were a huge hit – and our numbers have been holding very steady since we returned to our regular monthly schedule with our series of standalone stories, DANGEROUS LIAISONS. I envision ten hefty ELEPHANTMEN collections by the time we're done, so readers have a lot to look forward to."

ELEPHANTMEN #21 is an action-packed, pulls-no-punches story with Totally Kick Ass artwork by regular cover artist Boo Cook, and acts as a direct sequel to the series' first issue as it picks up on the stories of Elephantman Ebony Hide and his human friend, Savannah. This issue also sows the seeds for the next big storyline, QUESTIONABLE THINGS. Image's overship will ensure participating stores have the chance to bring new readers onboard along with the fans of the collections looking for an entry point to the ongoing series!

Starkings added, "In addition, original series artist Moritat returns with issue #23 as Hip Flask and Ebony are forced to deal with a MAPPO sleeper cell which seeks to reactivate the Elephantmen as the weapons of mass destruction they intended them to be! We also have knockout covers by J Scott Campbell and Steve Skroce, and a couple other big surprises in the months to come. Watch this space!"

ELEPHANTMEN #21 (JUL090393), a 32-page full color comic book for $3.50, will be in-stores September 10th, 2009. For more information, please see http://www.hipflask.com/issues/elephantmen21/.

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Comic News: Brubaker & Phillips Award-Winning CRIMINAL Returns!



Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the team that wowed fans and critics with the smash-hit Incognito, return with the crime noir series that started it all—Criminal is back!


Tracy Lawless, the most popular character in the series history, takes center stage in Criminal: The Sinners #1 as made men turn up dead all over the city! But when criminals need justice, Tracy’s their best—and only—hope! But just who’s behind these mob-style hits on made men? If you haven’t experienced Criminal, the series that ComicbookResources.com calls “The best crime comic ever published”, Criminal: The Sinners #1 is the perfect place to jump onboard!

“Doing INCOGNITO was just the break that Sean and I needed to recharge our crime batteries. Now we’re back with more grimy goodness, and hopefully all the new readers we picked up with INCOGNITO will follow us back to CRIMINAL,” Brubaker said. “And as always with CRIMINAL, this new story stands on its own, and is totally new-reader-friendly.”

Clocking in at 40 pages of all new content—with no ads—now’s the time to jump into one of the most acclaimed new series of the decade! Don’t miss Criminal: The Sinners #1!

CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #1 (JUL090583)
By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Mature Content/No ads…. $3.50
FOC—9/10/09, On-Sale—9/30/09

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Comic News: Top Cow releases The Darkness/Pitt #1 for Free on Comics by comiXology app!



PAUL JENKINS & DALE KEOWN’S

THE DARKNESS/PITT #1 FREE ON IPHONE

Sold Out Debut Issue Available at No Cost Through Comics by comiXology Application



Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that the first issue of The Darkness/Pitt, which has sold out at the distributor level, would be made available for free on comiXology’s Comic store/library/reader application for the iPhone beginning this Wednesday, September 9th. The issue will also be available in its entirety on comiXology.com.

Paul Jenkins (Captain America: Theater of War) and Pitt creator Dale Keown (Berserker) have reunited for the first time since their much-lauded run on The Darkness in 2002 in The Darkness/Pitt. The series also marks the first Pitt series in a decade and creator Keown’s return to the character he is best known for. In the three issue limited series, Jackie Estacado, mafia hitman and current bearer of The Darkness, encounters an alien infection which turns normal people into monstrous zombie like beings. Meanwhile, Pitt, an alien/human hybrid warrior, and his teen half-brother Tim arrive in New York tracking down this same problem. The highly anticipated crossover series has been over five years in the making and was held back from release by Top Cow Productions until all principal work on the series had been completed.

“We're thrilled to be a part of Top Cow's strategy to get more exposure for The Darkness/Pitt. The long-awaited return of Pitt deserves great exposure to a wide audience, and our patent-pending Guided View really shines with the material,” explained comiXology President David Steinberger, “Many thousands of people now have the opportunity to read the first issue and use Comics by comiXology's unique in-app connection to retailers to pre-order the next issue.”

“Top Cow has been talking with comiXology for some time about an opportunity to explore their terrific iPhone app and introduce some Top Cow properties to the world of mobile comics and this seemed like the perfect opportunity,” added Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik, “Not only do we put our best foot forward, but hopefully we can drive some additional sales to direct market retailers for issue #2 and #3.”

The Darkness/Pitt #2 is scheduled to be in stores on September 23rd and readers will be able to contact their local comic shop through the Comics by comiXology application. Customers can pre-order issue #2 with the following Diamond order codes:

JUL090442 DARKNESS PITT #2 (OF 3) KEOWN CVR A
JUL090443 DARKNESS PITT #2 (OF 3) HUTOMO CVR B

Comics by comiXology can be found at http://itunes.com/apps/Comics

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DVD News: MAD MONSTER PARTY: SPECIAL EDITION



“This party should make everybody chuckle!” - ¬The New York Times

Street Date: 9/8/09
Order Date: 8/12/09
DVD SRP: $14.98



Mad Monster Party, the beloved animated Halloween classic, comes to Special Edition DVD this September from Lionsgate. Featuring the voices of horror film legend Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) as Baron Boris von Frankenstein and Golden Globe® nominee Phyllis Diller (TV’s “The Pruitts of Southampton,” Best TV Star-Female, 1966) as the Monster’s Mate, Mad Monster Party: Special Edition is a hilariously spooky classic! This treasured stop-motion movie comes from the studios of Rankin-Bass - the team who created “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and other beloved holiday specials and has been called an inspiration for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Mad Monster Party: Special Edition includes a brand-new retrospective featurette and two fun sing-a-longs, and is encased in frighteningly fun neon O-card DVD packaging - making it the perfect treat for Halloween this year!

Baron Von Frankenstein has decided to retire as the head of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters. But first, he must inform the other monsters about his plans. How to deliver the news? How else - through a Mad Monster Party! Von Frankenstein’s guests include a who’s who of Halloween favorites, including The Werewolf, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Mummy, The Invisible Man and more. But who among them is fit to be the new head of the monsters? Find out in this frighteningly fun holiday classic from Rankin Bass (“Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer”) that will leave kids of all ages howling with delight!

*DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• “Groovy Ghouls: The Making of Mad Monster Party” – featurette that includes interviews with cast and crew and the official Rankin Bass historian.
• Two bonus sing-a-longs for kids of all ages!
• Theatrical trailer
*Subject to change

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 1967
Title Copyright: © STUDIOCANAL - Videocraft International Ltd.
Type: Special Edition
Rating: NR
Genre: Animated / Holiday / Family
Closed Captioned: English Closed Captioned
Subtitles: None
Format: Full screen (1.33:1)
Feature Running Time: 95 minutes
DVD Audio Status: Dolby Digital Mono

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TV News: ABC's HIT TV SHOW "LOST"-THE AUCTION AT DISNEY'S D23 IN ANAHEIM SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2009



ABC's HIT TV SHOW "LOST"-THE AUCTION
AT DISNEY'S D23 IN ANAHEIM SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2009


Come See Original Props And Costumes From The Show And Meet Cast Members Who Will Be Signing Autographs

Profiles in History will offer fans a special preview of the props, costumes and set pieces that will be available


If you are a fan of all things LOST, then Disney's D23, taking place September 10-13, 2009 at the Anaheim Convention Center, is definitely the place to be. Profiles in History, the world's largest Hollywood memorabilia auctioneer, will offer fans of the hit ABC television series, LOST a special preview of their Summer, 2010 auction, with a display of authentic props, costumes and set pieces including Kate's toy plane, Hurley's winning lottery ticket, Locke's hunting knife, Sawyer's letter and many other surprises! This four-day sneak preview will be at booth 1930 and runs from 9:00am-5:00pm each day.

ABC is pleased to announce the "LOST" Auction will take place after the series finale in May 2010. "In celebration of our fans around the world, Profiles in History has been selected to auction a selection of original props, set pieces, costumes and collectors' artifacts from the entire series in order to give our fans a chance to own a piece of one of the greatest, most iconic shows in history.

Profiles in History President, Joseph Maddalena: "Profiles in History is thrilled to be holding the LOST Auction. LOST is one of the most iconic TV shows ever created, and we are working in conjunction with ABC to offer fans from around the world an opportunity to own a memento of this amazing show. This is a once in a lifetime auction event that will celebrate one of the most beloved shows in television history."

For more information about Profiles in History and to download complete catalogs from previous auctions, please visit HYPERLINK www.profilesinhistory.com.

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Toy News: Uglydoll NYC! Fashion's Night Out at Yoyamart Thursday, Sept 10th 6-11pm





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Comic News: Marvel Comics On-Sale 09/10/09



Hey there True Believers, here’s your official list of comic books, collections and posters arriving in comic stores on Thursday, September 10th, 2009.


For more information on any of these titles, and on upcoming mighty Marvel releases, please visit http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?date=2009-09-10 or contact your local comic book retailer at 1-888-comicbook. Stay tuned each week for a brand new list of Marvel releases so that you’ll never miss your favorite heroes in action!

Comics On-Sale:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #604
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: EXODUS (DAX)
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: EXODUS BIANCHI VARIANT (DAX)
DARK REIGN: THE LIST - AVENGERS ONE-SHOT
DARK REIGN: THE LIST - AVENGERS ONE-SHOT HERO VARIANT
DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS #4 (DR)
ENDER'S GAME: COMMAND SCHOOL #1
HULK TEAM-UP ONE-SHOT
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #134
INCREDIBLE HULK #600 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
KICK-ASS #7
MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #15
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD #1
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #2
MODELS, INC. #1
MODELS, INC. #1 TIM GUNN VARIANT
NOMAD: GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #1
PUNISHER: FRANK CASTLE MAX #74
THE MARVELS PROJECT #2 EPTING COVER
THE MARVELS PROJECT #2 MCNIVEN COVER
THE MARVELS PROJECT #2 PAREL VARIANT
THOR: TALES OF ASGARD BY STAN LEE & JACK KIRBY #5
THUNDERBOLTS #135 (DR)
THUNDERBOLTS 135 70TH FRAME VARIANT (DR)
ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #2
WAR OF KINGS: WHO WILL RULE? ONE-SHOT
X-MEN FOREVER #3 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
X-MEN FOREVER #4 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
X-MEN FOREVER #7

Collections On-Sale:
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 VOL. 3: VAMPIRE STATE TPB
FANTASTIC FOUR: LOST ADVENTURES BY STAN LEE TPB
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2: WAR OF KINGS BOOK 1 TPB
MARVEL 1602 PREMIERE HC
MARVEL SUPER HERO TEAM-UP TPB
MS. MARVEL VOL. 7: DARK REIGN PREMIERE HC
RUNAWAYS: THE GOOD DIE YOUNG PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN NOIR GN-TPB
ULTIMATUM: SPIDER-MAN PREMIERE HC
YTHAQ - NO ESCAPE PREMIERE HC

*DAX= Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men:Utopia tie-in
*DR= Dark Reign tie-in



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Monday, September 7, 2009

Toy Review: SDCC Ghostbusters Classics Egon with Slimer (Mattel) by Dean René Middleton



SDCC Ghostbusters Classics Slimed Egon Spengler with Translucent Slimer

So, the Ghostbusters classics line is off to a start with the release of the SDCC Slimed Egon Spengler with Slimer figure. And much like any self respecting Ghostbusters fan I was eager to see what the figure would be like. And to be fair, it is actually pretty good.




First of all the packaging is great. The art work is spectacular, with both Zuul and Vinz Clotho looking menacing on the box art, with the spectre of the Staypuft Marshmallow man looming on the horizon. This was great because anyone who remembers the poster that used to be included in some o f the 1980’s Real Ghostbusters toys will remember a very similar pose was adopted by Mr Staypuft which really helps to hammer home that nostalgia factor.

The box can also be resealed which is nice. Some Mint on card collectors may be unhappy about this, but I think it is great because although I am primarily a loose collector, I do retain packages for particular figures. And yes, I am actually one of the crazy few who still has the packages for all his 80’s Ghostbusters toys even though I opened and played with them at the time. So, personally I feel it’s great to be able to tuck the figure away back inside the box when it is not in use.

Now, a lot of people have mentioned that the Egon figure actually looks lot more a bit more like Dustin Hoffman, than it does Harold Ramis. And after examining the figure, I think I can see why such comparisons may be drawn. And personally, I think that is down to a simple issue, and it’s to do with the Neck.

While I think that the head sculpt is an exceptionally good likeness of Harold Ramis, it seems that the neck is rather short. The result of this makes it look as though his head is slightly sunken into his shoulders, hence the "Dustin Hoffman effect" [no offence Dustin]. And one of the distinctive attributes about Harold Ramis Egon Spengler portrayal and the subsequent stylizations in the Real Ghostbusters media was his tall, and long features. Unfortunately those attributes seem to be a little bit lost on this figure, due to the short neck.

The actual slime that is on Egons uniform is not too overwhelming. I must admit, I had some big reservations about investing in this particular figure once I heard that there would be an unslimed version of Egon at some point in the future. However, no solid release date has been set for that variant, and I decided to take my chances with this version.

And I was not disappointed. The slime is very subtle, and in many ways I think that it actually helps to give points of visual to detail to the costume, which may perhaps have looked a little lack lustre without it.

Egons glasses also look better in person than the pre release photos that I saw of the figure. And they also contain little lenses which is great. They appear to be permanently fixed to his head, which is good, since there is no danger of them falling off and being lost, which is usually the case with characters who wear glasses.

The Proton Pack itself is very solid, and has a lot of sculptural detail. The good thing is that it really is very solid, and doesn’t seem to have any small detailed parts that would chip off or break off easily. It is really well painted, and looks very authentic, much like the version shown in the film.

The downside to the proton pack is that it cannot be removed from the figure, and this has raised doubts in many collectors minds about the future possibilities of an Ecto-1 vehicle being made to support the figures, because if you can’t remove the proton packs, how would they be able to sit in the vehicle?

Although with that being said, it is actually possible to sit Egon in the 1980’s version of the Real Ghostbusters Ecto 1, if you gently remove the Black seats. It’s a tight fit, but he looks pretty good inside it, and again, it makes me hope that Mattel does indeed produce an updated and in scale Ecto-1, because it really is such an iconic movie vehicle.

Sadly the Nutrona Wand is not sculpted out of the same solid plastic as the Proton Pack, and often ends up looking very limp since it bends far too easily. I also feel that it should have been slightly longer, because the tip of the nozzle seems to sit very close to the edge of Egons hand.

Now, perhaps I have a little bit too much of an overactive imagination, but looking at the Neutrona Wand in his hand, it’s difficult not to think that he would burn his hand off when using it. So perhaps an extra few millimetres in length could have helped a bit in this area.

Other features that I think would have been nice perhaps would have been a set of interchangeable gloved hands. Now, perhaps I’m a stickler for detail, but I don’t ever remember seeing Egon use his Neutrona Wand without having gloved hands in the first movie. In fact, I think the only time he ever used it without gloves was during the courtroom scene in Ghostbusters 2. But the point is that, to me he feels a little incomplete without the the gloves on. I suspect that others may feel differently, but he just doesn’t strike me as being fully suited up and ready for business.

The Slimer figure also turned out much better than I had expected. The translucent plastic effect works really well, and from a side view he looks very much like the way he look in the Sedgwick hotel scene in the first film. He is articulated in the same way as the NECA version from 2004, but is slightly smaller in scale, and some fans may actually prefer this aspect.

The Slimer figure really turned out well, and is actually one of the highlights of the SDCC Egon figure. The only things that I felt were perhaps a little weak on the Slimer were the dark black lines around the eyes and mouth. The actual painted parts eye and mouth are great, but the additional dark comic book looking lines do not look very subtle, and kind detract from the figure slightly.

Egon stands at around 5 ½ Inches and features all of the standard articulation seen in other Movie Masters figures, which includes approximately 24 points of articulation. This is great because it opens up avenues for interesting and varied poses.

But for $20 figure SDCC Egon also falls slightly short in the accessories department, which has always been a problem for Movie Masters figures. To be fair Egon doesn’t really have any real accessories of his own, because the stand belongs to Slimer.

So Egon is left with nothing to make him more interesting when removed from the package, since the proton pack is a permanent fixture. Again, this is where I really feel that either the inclusion alternate gloved hands, a P.K.E meter, a detachable trap or an attachable proton stream would have significantly increased the lasting appeal of this figure. As it is, he is pretty much just standing quietly in a corner waiting for the reinforcements to arrive.

Although, with that being said, I have had a considerable amount of fun positioning my Egon figure alongside my existing NECA Ghostbusters toy collection, and he fits in exceptionally well with those figures. To be honest, that was my primary reason for wanting these Ghostbusters classics figures, because the NECA line from 2004 had such a promising start, but unfortunately was cancelled before the 4 Ghostbusters themselves were released. And its great to see that Mattel have effectively picked up the slack, and are producing such highly detailed and realistic looking versions of the Ghostbusters after all this time.

So as a result it is actually a bit difficult to fully formulate an objective opinion on this figure at this present point, because there is no real context or frame of reference in which to properly judge him. When the Ray figure is released on October 15th it will be a good opportunity to see exactly where this line is going, and how the figures fit together as a collection.

So all in all, this is a very good first attempt and certainly an item that Ghostbusters fans, both young and old will be very pleased to invest in.

The figures are usually available through Mattycollector.com for $20. Unfortunately Egon is now sold out but if you act quickly he can still be found for reasonable price on eBay. The next figure in the line will be Ray and he goes on sale on October 15th at Mattycollector.com

Review and photographs by:
Dean René Middleton
Staff Reviewer




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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Toy Review: Masters of the Universe Classics Mer-Man by Patrick Garone



Our look back at Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics line brings us to April 2009’s figure, Mer-Man, Skeletor’s Ocean Warlord. Mer-Man was the first of the line to have his production numbers increased and he was offered in two unique shipments both of which sold out in under an hour, which makes him one the fastest-selling figures in the series. With his popularity, it would be logical for Mer-Man to be offered for sale again in 2010. Let’s hope he returns, because Mer-Man is arguably the best figure in the MOTUC line.




Like many other figures in this series, Mer-Man is given a goofy name in his bio, Squidish Rex. Out of all of the silly names created for this action figure line, this one takes the prize. The rest of the bio is pretty unremarkable and seems to allude to the Icons of Evil: Mer-Man comic which provided some back story for the character during the 2002 line.

Squidish is the first figure in the MOTUC series to come with a bonus head. His packaged head is a slightly updated version of that of his 1980’s figure, which also used for the vintage Stinkor. I’ve never been a fan of this head as it always seemed too feline. The bonus head resembles Mer-Man’s original package art and, later, his 200X design. Kudos to Mattel for allowing us the option of displaying our Mer-Man which ever way we like. I’d love to see more of this in the line for characters that had a distinct 200X appearance (Buzz-Off and Stinkor come to mind). The alternate head has a great sculpt, with big glassy-looking eyes and those great head-fins that really help to sell the aquatic nature of this character. The rest of Mer-Man is largely a repaint of Skeletor, with the “monster feet” and the scalloped forearms, both of which work better here than on Skeletor. His left hand is sculpted open with fingers splayed out in an apparent reference to his 1980’s package art. I like this open hand a lot and it makes for some really evocative poses.

Mer-Man’s accessories very skillfully help disguise the fact that he shares 80% of his body with Skeletor. One of the nicest inclusions is a sort of fishy-looking piece that goes around his neck as an add-on which helps distinguish it from the basic Skeletor body. He also comes with an update to his classic ocean armor, complete with weird fish/bowtie/belt buckle, here a part of the chest armor. Mer-Man also includes his “corncob” sword (which fits into a special sculpted holder on the back of the armor) and a trident inspired by his 200X incarnation. Due to his open left hand, Mer-Man can only hold one item at a time.

The paint on Mer-Man is pretty good but also the one area of the figure where I find fault. When Mer-Man was first unveiled, he was painted in a soft blue-green, which I thought was a fantastic color and between the great sculpt and the great paint job, I was knocked out by this figure and he was the one I was most excited to pick up. This paint scheme is still visible on mattycollector.com. However, as he came closer to release, the color was changed to a glossy dark green (and to be fair, the final figure also has a nice dark wash on all the armor and shin guards and gauntlets that he didn’t have on the prototype). And while I don’t dislike the final color, the prototype color was a lot nicer and I really hope Mattel considers re-releasing Mer-Man in this color when they get around to selling him again.

Despite my personal gripe with his paint job, Mer-Man is my favorite Masters of the Universe Classics figure to date and he is likely the best out of the series so far. With his fantastic extra head and his abundance of accessories, Mattel and The Four Horsemen showed old Squidish Rex a lot of love and attention. So far, Mattel has been tight-lipped about their re-release plans beyond Skeletor in December, but I would bet that won’t be too far behind him. If you absolutely cannot wait, this is one of the few figures in the series that warrants paying the inflated prices on the secondary market.

Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer
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Friday, September 4, 2009

DVD Review: Boot Camp (MGM) by Brian



Didn't I see this on Springer?

Every year, "troubled" kids are sent to correctional camps for one reason or another. Usually because parents don't want to act like parents.

Boot Camp is a fictional account of what happens in these camps.




To sum it up Sophie (Mila Kunis) is one of these "troubled teenagers" whose parents send her off to the rehabilitation camps, where they use psychical & psychological torture. Her boyfriend Ben (Gregory Smith) doesn't believe it & tries to break her out.

I found the message that director Christian Duguay was trying to convey extremely pretentious. Duguay was trying to say that these programs don't work. While I don't always agree with this programs to "rehabilitate" kids, they wouldn't be necessary it these parent would stop this stupid "time out" & PC crap & use some discipline.

But I digress. Overall the film wasn't bad, but it wasn't that exciting or thrilling at all. It was a bit predictable at times.

While not the worst thriller I've ever seem, it's far from the best.

At least worth the price of a rental.

Brian Isaacs
Executive Editor/Owner
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