Toy Fair 2008 - Transformers Crossovers

When Hasbro announced Marvel Transformers, I was sceptical, due, in part, to the scattergun success of Star Wars Transformers! Well, I'll be eating my own words, it seems, if these official images, from Toy Fair 2008, are anything to go by!

Iron Man and The Hulk have transitioned well into Hasbro's new Transformers Crossovers line (incorporating Marvel & Star Wars)!



G.I. Joe can't be too far behind!

Marvel Transformers

It was inevitable! In the wake of Star Wars Transformers, two great tastes that don't taste entirely great together, Hasbro has announced Marvel Transformers!

*Venom/Jeep
*Hulk/Tank
*Iron Man/Jet

Could be interesting. What say you dear reader?

Major Victory

Just in time for the global release of Sony's Spider-Man 3 movie. From comic book legend Stan Lee (creator of SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN and THE FANTASTIC FOUR) comes the critically acclaimed reality show, WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO? Already a runaway success in the USA, the series will receive its UK premiere exclusively on the SCI FI channel over the May 5th - 7th Bank Holiday weekend.

Contestant MAJOR VICTORY will be in the UK for May 3 & 4 to promote the show.

The show is X-FACTOR meets X-MEN, with a motley crew of self-proclaimed superheroes slugging it out for the chance to have their character immortalised in a real-life Stan Lee comic and original SCI FI channel movie. But this is no easy task. Featuring a hilarious, X-FACTOR-style audition process, each contestant begins with an original idea for a superhero, a self-made costume, and their best superhero mojo. From thousands of hopefuls, STAN LEE chooses 11 lucky finalists – including MAJOR VICTORY, FAT MOMMA and MONKEY GIRL - to move into a secret lair together. There they begin their transformations — and the competition to become a real-life superhero.

In each episode, the aspiring hopefuls are faced with a series of challenges that are designed to reveal their true natures. With their mettle tested to the max, the contestants try to overcome their limitations, and do what it takes to prove that they are truly super. How? Well, forget feats of impossible strength… the modern-day saviour needs to display courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion, and resourcefulness!

Now onto its second series in the USA, something tells us that the world is going to be a far safer place if STAN LEE continues to churn out real superheroes. But don’t just take our word for it: tune in every day over the bank holiday weekend at 7pm and see for yourself WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO?

Who Wants to Be a Superhero?

“Surprisingly sparkly, like a summertime comic book… it’s hard not to get caught up in all the inner-child fun.”
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

“There’s no shortage of fun… you have to tune in to believe it in this entertaining series.”
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“This funny show is a nice surprise. 4 Stars ****”
PEOPLE MAGAZINE

“A summer pleasure.... this is summer camp!”
USA TODAY

“The SCI FI Channel outdoes itself...”
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

“Amid all the laughs there’s a feel-good element to ‘Superhero.’ The show proves that the Stan Lee generation has finally taken over the universe....Genuine cast makes ‘Superhero’ superior.”
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

UK PREMIERE - SERIES
WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO? BANK HOLIDAY SPECIAL
SATURDAY 5, SUNDAY 6 AND MONDAY 7 MAY FROM 7PM

If you think you’ve seen every possible reality TV show known to man, think again… you haven’t seen anything quite like this before. From the production stable of legendary comic-book writer, editor and creator STAN LEE (SPIDER-MAN, HULK, THE FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN) comes this smash hit, six-episode competition reality series that allows ordinary folk to become superheroes! And the prize for such an incredible deed? Something equally remarkable… immortality!

Fed up of creating fictional superheroes, STAN LEE embarks on a quest to find a real-life character who can save the day. But this is no easy task. Featuring a hilarious, X-FACTOR-style audition process, each contestant begins with an original idea for a superhero, a self-made costume, and their best superhero mojo. From thousands of hopefuls, STAN LEE chooses 11 lucky finalists who move together into a secret lair. There they begin their transformations — and the competition to become a real-life superhero.

In each episode, the aspiring hopefuls are faced with a series of challenges that are designed to reveal their true natures. With their mettle tested to the max, the contestants try to overcome their limitations, and do what it takes to prove that they are truly super. How? Well, forget feats of impossible strength… the modern-day saviour needs to display courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion, and resourcefulness — traits that every true superhero must possess.

With contestants ranging from the scantily-clad Monkey Girl (“ooh ohh, ah ah”), to the unashamedly bold Fat Momma (who wears a belt of Krispy Kreme doughnuts for whenever she needs a sugar rush of super-human ability), these superheroes are surprising to say the least. But don’t count them out just yet. In the end, one lucky finalist will have the inner strength and nobility to open the gates to immortality, in a new comic book developed with Stan Lee. And that's not all — the winning character will also appear in an original SCI FI Channel movie!

Now onto its second series in the USA, something tells us that the world is going to be a far safer place if STAN LEE continues to churn out real-life superheroes. But don’t just take our word for it: tune in every day over the bank holiday weekend at 7pm and see for yourself WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO?

DID YOU KNOW?

* STAN LEE makes a cameo appearance in a forthcoming episode of HEROES (Mondays at 10pm on SCI FI) – as a bus driver. The episode, titled UNEXPECTED, will receive its UK premiere on May 28.

* Movie sequels SPIDER-MAN 3 and FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER are both scheduled for UK release later this year.

* Rumours currently circulating around Hollywood are tipping BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN star JAKE GYLLENHAAL to play Captain Marvel in New Line’s potential movie, SHAZAM! The studio is reportedly looking to bid on a big franchise along the lines of BATMAN and SUPERMAN and think the DC comics character is the perfect project.

Toy Biz

Here are the second wave of figures from Marvel toys which has been formed out of what was once Toy Biz. TB were famous for their highly detailed and articulated Marvel Legends figures and now they are taking all that know how and using it to make some of the best Indy comics character figures we have ever seen. This second series has in-pack pieces which when assembled make a roughly 8" tall Monkey Man to go with your O'Brien figure. One for all you Art Adams fans.

Marvel Zombies Spider-Man

Diamond Select Toys and Marvel Toys are teaming up to bring you an all-new line of Marvel Select figures based on the best-selling Marvel Zombies limited series! Designed and produced for DST by Marvel Toys and sculpted by Dig Deep Entertainment founder Digger, all of these seven-inch figures capture the zombi-fied counterparts of the biggest names in the Marvel Universe!

The first Marvel Zombies figure will be an undead Spider-Man complete with a comic-accurate removable leg. The Marvel Select line will feature at least two more Marvel Zombies characters, with special bonus pieces of the ill-fated Silver Surfer included with each release! Further details and images will be released during tbe American International Toy Fair.

Marvel Superhero Squad

For Hasbro the Marvel license provides an opportunity to replace the cornerstone of the toy giant's action figure line as the Star Wars property fades to a galaxy far, far away.

Hasbro is broadening its Marvel Legends license to include the diminutive Marvel Superhero Squad.

Finally, someone got Marvel's heroes to smile! Fun for all ages, the Marvel Superhero Squad brings colourful, bright, and I dare say cute super heroes to comic fans the world over. Each figure has limited articulation and authentic costumes, but is specially designed for the younger hands. Of course, that doesn't mean collectors won't love these too!

Given the success of Hasbro's Galactic Heroes - arguably more popular than the 3" action figure range - these are sure to fly off the shelves!

Marvel Transformers coming soon...

White Queen of the Hellfire Club

Although Emma Frost is currently serving as co-headmaster of the Xavier Institute, she hasn't always fought on the right side of the mutant agenda. As one of the world's most powerful telepaths, Emma has the ability to read minds, project thoughts into the minds of others, and create powerful psionic force bolts. These powers combined with Emma's great wealth attracted the attention of The Hellfire Club, an elite social organization that conspired to achieve world domination through economic and political means.

Emma Frost quickly ascended the ranks and assumed the title of White Queen. Years later Emma would leave the Hellfire Club and serve as headmistress of Generation X and also as a member of the X-Men. The continuing mutation in a majority of mutants has enhanced Emma's already powerful abilities. The White Queen can now transform her body at will into a diamond-hard form, making her nearly indestructible.



A sultry addition to Sideshow Collectibles' Marvel Comiquette line. The White Queen is cast in high-quality polystone direct from the concepts and designs of fan favorite artist Adam Hughes, well known for his buxom superheroines. Each White Queen Comiquette is cast in high quality polysone, then handfinished and hand-painted to exacting standards. Standing at a stunning 16" inches tall, the White Queen Comiquette is certain to enhance any collection.

Heavy Metal

In 1979, you could go buy your favourite Star Wars vehicles in die-cast from Kenner. Then, there weren't a whole lot of options, but today Hasbro brings back all the detail and collectibility of die-cast metal with its Titanium Series of toys!

Starting with Star Wars, Hasbro brings all of the best-loved characters, vehicles, and more to the world of die-cast metal collectibles. With Battlestar Galactica and Transformers new and old, there's fun for every sci-fi fan with Hasbro's Titanium Series.

Each collectible item has moving parts, display stands, and so much more. The AT-AT has moving legs and a snowy base, the Imperial Shuttle has wings that descend, and the Titanium Ultra Millennium Falcon has an entire crew of figures sculpted inside! Collect them all!

Did anyone call for a metal webslinger? Hasbro's highly successful Titanium brand now includes an assortment of die-cast metal action figures licensed from The House of Ideas.



Bringing heavy metal detailing to the world of Marvel's most famous characters, including: Spider-Man, Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus.

Oh! Mustn't forget to wish readers a happy and safe Hallowe'en!

Make Mine Marvel!

Things have been a little quiet around here! Aside from very flakey iDisk and BlogSpot servers precluding updates. I've been busy creating new banners for a client, Forbidden Planet International (see the Marvel Legends 468 x 60 banner) whilst, simultaneously, cutting my teeth on Adobe Photoshop CS2!

Forbidden Planet International know how important it is to have fun during Halloween, and they're going to help you have fun this Halloween! Featuring hand-picked costumes, collectibles, action figures, and gifts, FPI have the world's best items for everyone's favourite spooky holiday.

From the V for Vendetta Mask to the Halloween Michael Myers Head Knocker, there's something for everyone at Forbidden Planet International!

The Iron Giant

Meet the mighty Marvel Legends 12" action figure range from Toy Biz (Hasbro now owns the license).



Super articulated to heighten the sense of power and flexibility, these mammoth Marvel Heroes look as good in the collector's box as they do in action! Just place them on their display base with hyper-action stand and fans can replicate their Super Hero's favorite poses and battles!

Adding to the authenticity, Toy Biz has included an exclusive, character-dedicated book: Evolution of an Icon, which contains a full of history of each character, stats, must-read issues and more.

DC's Dark Deeds

Following The Four Horsemen's feted sculpts for Mattel's Masters of the Universe franchise. They turned their attention to DC Super Heroes (amongst others). These are amongst some of the coolest mass-produced articulated figures I've ever seen!

More then a match for Marvel Legends? I'll let you decide.



DC Super Heroes Series 5 from Mattel focuses heavily on the Superman mythos featuring Lex Luthor, Darkseid (see picture for illustrative purposes only), Brainiac and more from the boy scout's universe.

Merchandise Maniacs

So, avid reader what are you favorite franchises to collect? To start the ball rolling, I'll list (in no particular order) some stuff:

Star Wars Transformers
Why Hasbro didn't think of this sooner is a question for another day! Of course they didn't merge with Kenner until the early 90's. The initial releases were a bit hit and miss. Waves 2, 3 and 4 and there's no looking back, eh Annie?

Star Wars Die-Cast Titanium Series
Kenner's die-casts were collectible gold in the 70's and 80's. My parents bought me Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, X-Wing, Land Speeder, Imperial Cruiser (and Rebel Blockade Runner), Y-Wing, Snow Speeder, Slave I and Millennium Falcon. These are just too great for words and are ample compensation for never owning the elusive TIE Bomber!

Transformers Die-Cast Titanium Series
The G.I. Joe crossovers are an homage to the 80's Marvel comic. Can't wait to see Skywarp/Cobra Rattler jet.

DC Super Heroes
Mattel finally unleashes the Four Horsemen (MySpace friends) and demonstrate that they can go head-to-head with Marvel Legends. Marvel Legends are now licensed to Hasbro. The toy wars continue!

Doctor Who (both classic and 200x)
The Denys Fisher Mego range of 10" figures and accessories has a very special place in my childhood! Giant Robot, Doctor Who, Cyberman and Dalek were welcome company during an extended stay in hospital in 1977! Now Character Options' new merchandise has pride of place on my bookshelves.

Masters of the Universe (200x)
I'm still collecting 200x and NECA stactions (static action figures). Aren't you?

Drawing Red Shadows

As I was writing a bio for MySpace. I recalled the following anecdote, which is loosely relevant to the themes of this very blog!

When I wasn't playing with Star Wars, Transformers, Zoids, Masters of the Universe or G.I. Joe toys. I was sending unsolicited toy franchise submissions to Palitoy (the famous Coalville company which sub-licensed products from Hasbro and Kenner)! For example Baron Ironblood's, original UK name for Cobra Commander, Man o' War submersible. Whilst Palitoy invariably couldn't accept my ideas, their customer relations department graciously sent me posters and action figures along with dutifully returned artwork and a thank you note! Incidentally, Character Options is the modern equivalent of Palitoy and hopefully will not suffer its forebears fate.

In the UK weekly comic Battle Action Force, Baron Ironblood mercilessly allowed the destruction of the Red Shadows before emerging as Cobra Commander and the advent of the Marvel comic.

This brief quote from Marvel comics gives an insight into the motivation for the creation of Cobra Command:

"I'm not going to be ground under the wheels of big government!... I'm going to create an underground organization that will bypass government restrictions, and garner power through terrorism and extortion!... I won't stop until my organization coils around the whole world like a giant cobra!"-- Cobra Commander, circa. 1978

Unlike the animated series, Marvels G.I. Joe comic presented an insidious and palpable terrorist threat in the form of Cobra. From Crimson Guard to Zartan, the enemy was violent and relentless.

Transformers - Shockwave

Shockwave was one of my favorite Generation 1 (G1) Transformers! He functioned as Decepticon Military Operations Commander and tranformed into a spectacular space gun (the perfect prop for after-school Star Wars sortes)! In Marvel's animated series, Shockwave remained on Cybertron and acted as Megatron's caretaker. However, the comic took an entirely different direction and was all the better for it (in terms of characterization).

Rather than remain behind on Cybertron, Shockwave was on the Decepticon cruiser, but did not board the Ark. After the Ark crashed, he followed it down, but his guidance systems malfunctioned, and he ended up in the region of Antarctica called the Savage Land (a prehistoric jungle as seen in many other Marvel comics).

Detecting his presence, the Ark's computer used the last of its power to reactivate five Autobots (Grimlock, Snarl, Sludge, Slag and Swoop) with alternate modes based on the Savage Land's dinosaur inhabitants, and they went off to fight him, winding up in a tar pit for four million years, while Shockwave got buried in a landslide for the same.

Shockwave awoke millions of years later and assumed command of the Decepticons, prior to Megatron's return, and ordered the construction of Jetfire (Skyfire in the US).

Despite sending letters and making repeated phone calls to Hasbro (UK), the Shockwave toy was never officially released. However, Radio Shack released a silver variant called, wait for it, Galactic Man (I'll post photos on Flickr).

Mego’s Marvelous Microverse

If I were ever asked to write down my definitive list of toy brands, Mego’s Micronauts would be in the top five alongside The Transformers, LEGO, G.I. Joe and Zoids! Wait, where’s Star Wars? Come on, Star Wars transcends the fickle fancies of any top five collectible chart!

In 1976, the Mego corp. signed a deal with the Japanese toy company Takara that would forever change the way children played with toys. They inked a deal that would import one of Japan's most popular toy lines to the USA and Europe (Airfix in the UK). By 1977 the Micronauts were born. Incidentally Hasbro combined Takara's Diaclone and Microchange toylines in 1984 to create The Transformers.

Mego was an already strong competitor in the toy marketplace in the early 70's. Their World's Greatest Super Hero line was a huge success, and they had cornered the market in the 8" action figure genre – Batman, Spiderman and Superman owned my bedroom long before the arrival of Luke Skywalker and friends!

Mego were the licensing kings, scooping up almost every character name and likeness on both TV and in comics. But the time had come to have their own "original" property, and Takara's Microman was an excellent fit.

The Microman concept was a simple, yet ingenious, one: a line of toys that used a 5mm peg-and-hole interchangeability system. This allowed any item from the line, figure, vehicle or playset, to be fully interchangeable with each other and assembled anyway the child wanted, albeit in a fashion more restrictive than LEGO.

Backed by a gripping Marvel weekly tie-in, Future Tense, Micronauts were a transient hit. Mego spent approximately $3.5 million in advertising in 1978, and it paid off. Christmas 1978 saw Baron Karza clash with Darth Vader for supremacy of the toy galaxy and parents pockets!

Micronauts graced UK toy shelves until 1979, when Mego corp. teetered on the verge of bankruptcy due to poor business decisions including passing over Star Wars to Kenner. D’oh! In desperation Mego had licensed Disney’s The Black Hole and Star Trek The Motion Picture, which soon filled depart store budget bins.

The fate of these lines was no reflection on the quality of the products (in many ways the likenesses were superior to Kenner’s products), but the movies had not captured children’s mindshare in the way that Star Wars had, and with the advent of the first Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, Mego’s and the Micronauts fate were sealed…

The story doesn’t end there!

Micronauts 0 The Transformers 2

Easter 1984 and Star Wars toys made way for a new obsession. The Transformers toys and, by the Summer, the animated series (review pending).

I can still picture the cryptic advertisement in the March edition of Doctor Who magazine (published by Marvel), which simply introduced the, now iconic, Autobot and Decepticon insignias against a black background inscribed with the legend "Robots In Disguise"! A marketing masterpiece. Little did I know that only a few hours later I'd see the first wave of Hasbro's The Transformers for myself!

At the time I was collecting Star Wars, Action Force (the UK name for G.I. Joe), Masters of the Universe, Zoids and, what there's more? Micronauts.

Mego's Micronauts had captured my imagination at a very early age, but the line had ended and I was purchasing the, increasingly, elusive toys whenever, and wherever, possible. A school holiday trip (with Mum) to Tiverton was no exception.

The Model Centre only carried a very limited range - the insipid Alpha, Beta and Gammatron. Undaunted we walked over to Tesco (the toy department was huge) and Transformers point-of-sale (POS) was everywhere! The first wave included stalwarts Starscream, Soundwave and the cassette twin-packs Rumble/Ravage and Frenzy/Laserbeak.

An hour later, I sat in a Tiverton cafe transforming Rumble and Ravage, whilst heaping spoonfuls of sugar into my cola drink (as one did at that age)!

More Transformers recollections to follow.

The Green Death

Since 2003, I've been steadily building my Doctor Who DVD collection at £11.99 a pop! Early this morning the latest release arrived courtesy of Her Majesty's Royal Mail! The Green Death is one of my favourite stories from the Jon Pertwee era and now takes pride of place alongside Pyramids Of Mars, Earthshock, Resurrection Of The Daleks et al.

A few weeks ago I watched, and thoroughly enjoyed, the Dalek Invasion Of Earth - that enduring and iconic image of the Daleks crossing Westminster Bridge was forever imprinted into my young mind via the pages of the Dalek Omnibus, which I still own sans dust jacket - too young to appreciate the value and used the inside back cover for sketches when I ran out of paper one Sunday afternoon many, many years ago! Who'd be a fine artist eh?

Regarding the restored disc. Has anyone else noticed a soft line running down the image, roughly at the halfway point? Presumably some artefact from the source material/restoration process? Otherwise a clean print and remarkable work in spite of Auntie's historical faux pas - deleting all those episodes back in the day! And the CGI option is a terrific nod to the comic serial (thanks Marvel for reprinting them in the 1980s). Imagine The Chase with a few of those spruced-up saucers and Mechanoids?

The Doctor Who restoration team are doing a sterling job and have re-ignited my interest in the show (it was a staple of my childhood)! Now if only the BBC would release the twisted tale Terror of the Autons, which I watched at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Convention, Longleat (1983)!