November 2010

Photos: Kidrobot Releases Series 2 of The Simpsons Vinyl Figures

Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has teamed up with Kidrobot to release a second series of The Simpsons vinyl toy mini-figures. With 25 new figures in total, including 15 new characters, Series 2 features two alternate versions of the family.

The series will be the biggest Kidrobot-produced mini-figure series to date. Each vinyl figure stands three-inches tall, includes a character sticker, and comes blind boxed to preserve its identity. Figures will be sold separately (or can be purchased by the case) at all five Kidrobot stores, kidrobot.com, and at select retailers worldwide alongside Series 1 of The Simpsons vinyl toy mini-figures.

Photos: Charisma’s New Play Baby Doll Collection to Release in January

Charisma is launching a new play baby doll collection for children aged 1 and older, the Adora Playtime Dolls. The 12-inch Adora Playtime Dolls come in five skin tones and eye combinations. With lifelike features such as a silky smooth body, a bean bag-weighted bottom, and sculpted faces, the dolls can also be accessorized with a range of 12 accessory SKUs.

All Adora dolls are lightly scented with a fresh baby powder scent. The dolls were sculpted in the Adora studio and are hand-crafted; each face has been hand painted and each costume is individually sewn.

The collection was previewed with select buyers during the Toy Industry Association’s Fall Toy Preview at the Dallas World Trade Center, held October 4-7. The full line will be available to retailers starting at the Atlanta Gift Show, to be held January 12-19. Shipping to retailers will begin in late January.

Ubisoft To Include Special-Edition Glove with Initial Michael Jackson Video Game Launch

Ubisoft has announced a special launch and pre-order offer for its upcoming video game Michael Jackson The Experience. The company will include a special-edition glove, reminiscent of the one worn by the King of Pop, with the initial release of the Wii version of the game. The special edition gloves will only be available for no additional cost at launch or if the game is pre-ordered.

Michael Jackson The Experience allows fans to dance to the late pop star’s greatest hits in environments inspired by his music videos and live performances. To date the playlist includes Bad, Beat It, Billie Jean, Black or White, Dirty Diana, Earth Song, Ghost, Rock with You, Smooth Criminal, Speed Demon, The Girl Is Mine, They Don’t Care About Us, Thriller, Who Is It, and Workin’ Day and Night.

Eitech’s Teifoc Construction Line Now Available at American Specialty Stores

Eitech has announced that the brick and mortar construction kit line Teifoc is now available in the American specialty toy and hobby market.

Teifoc sets incorporate real, reusable miniature bricks. Each set includes an architect-like trowel to help lay soluble sand and corn-extract-based mortar on brick. Once the brick is layered, which can be built in a few hours, it can be dried overnight. Sets can be reused by soaking the model in water, drying the bricks, and starting again.

Available products include schools, houses, castles, and watermills, with hundreds of pieces in each set. Teifoc is manufactured and engineered in Germany and made exclusively by Eitech.

Photo Credit: Eitech.com

First Anchor Bay Chuggington DVD to Release February 8

Anchor Bay Entertainment, who recently secured the U.S. DVD rights to Ludorum’s Chuggington property, has announced that its first Chuggington release will hit retail stores nationwide on February 8.

The DVD, Let’s Ride the Rails, will introduce preschoolers to the world of Chuggington with six exploration episodes. Lessons taught in the episodes (such as “Clunky Wilson” and “Old Puffer Pete’s Tour”) will include humility, trust, respect, and teamwork. The DVD will also include special bonuses such as Chuggington-themed coloring pages and activity sheets.

More DVDs will release throughout 2011, including Chuggers to the Rescue, It’s Training Time, and Wheels To The Rails. Episodes of the series also debuted on iTunes last month.

New Power Rangers to Debut at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

The newest Power Rangers, the Samurai, will make its U.S. debut at the 84th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, to be held November 25 in New York City. Using their Samurai powers, which give them control over the elements of Fire, Water, Sky, Forest, and Earth, the Rangers will take their first journey together as they escort the Planet Earth balloon through the streets of Manhattan.

The Power Rangers franchise was acquired by Saban Brands earlier this year. Forty episodes of Power Rangers Samurai are currently in production and will premiere on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons in North America early next year. After the Macy’s Parade, fans can tune in to Nickelodeon for a special first look at the new series.

Photos: Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times Halloween Carnival

Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times hosted its 18th Annual Family Halloween Carnival on Sunday, October 24 in the Universal Studios Backlot. The event benefited Camp Ronald McDonald, which provides a cost-free sleep-away camp for children with cancer.

Street Surfing, maker of The Wave caster board and the Whiplash scooter, was one of the sponsors at the Halloween Carnival. More than 3,000 people attended the event including celebrities such as Gilles Marini and Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters); Billy Bush (Access Hollywood); Shar Jackson (Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp); Marissa Jaret Winokur (The Talk); Constance Marie (George Lopez); Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family); Alison Sweeney (Biggest Loser, Days of our Lives); Dan Benson (Wizards of Waverly Place); Daniella Monet (Victorious); Italia Ricci (Unnatural History, Secret Girlfriend); and Robbie Amell (True Jackson VP). Everyone had the opportunity to ride The Wave and Whiplash, as well as enter to win one of the many raffled off Street Surfing boards and other giveaways.

Record A Story Donates Books to Military Program

Beginning this Veterans Day (November 11), military parents separated from their children can record a story for their child and ship it to him or her in time for the holidays. As a part of the initiative, Publications International, Ltd. (PIL) will donate its new Record a Story books to the non-profit United Through Reading Military Program for deployed service members to record for their children.

The United Through Reading Military Program has been sending kids videotapes of their military parents reading books aloud since 1990. Operation Record a Story will take the program to the next level by donating the recordable storybooks. As children turn the pages, the story is read aloud to them. Titles include ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, Sesame Street: Together at Heart, Dora the Explorer, and Guess How Much I Miss You. Both the book and a video of the parent recording the story will be shipped to kids.

Recordings will take place at the following United Through Reading locations: USO DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex.; USO – Fort Hood, Tex.; USO – BWI Airport; USO Camp Beuhring – Kuwait; USO Balad – Iraq; USO Kandahar – Afghanistan; USO Bagram – Afghanistan (Pat Tillman Memorial USO); USO of Georgia – Jean R. Amos USO Center; USS George H. W. Bush in Naval Station Norfolk, Va.; and USS Abraham Lincoln in Everett, Wash.

For information on the United Through Reading Military Program, visit www.unitedthroughreading.org.