The International Toy Fair kicks off in New York City tomorrow, and the Jaegers from Pacific Rim will be there in full force.

It used to be a tradition that every summer film would receive a slew of merchandising, but over the years that has trickled off as kids have turned more to the Internet and video games. It seems that Legendary Pictures thinks it has a property on its hands in Pacific Rim that could win over kids, and I think they may be right.

Pacific Rim will focus on humanity building giant robots known as Jaegers to take on an invasion of giant monsters called Kaiju. Giant robots? Giant monsters? Fighting? What 12-year-old boy isn’t going to go insane for this movie? Heck, what adult male’s inner 12-year-old boy isn’t going to go insane for this movie?

Beyond the action figures there will also be mobile games, model kits, prop replicas, statues, books and Halloween costumes. As merchandising pushes, this is the largest I’ve seen for a brand new property in some time. Sure you see it on things like Batman, but he has a track record to base it on. Unproven licenses don’t get these sorts of backing any more as no one wants to take a risk. Heck, brand new properties rarely even come to the screen any more as every thing is based on a comic book, novel, video game or something else.

Check out larger images of the toys along with some new stills released this week for the film.

Pacific Rim hits theaters on July 12, 2013.

Adding to the potential pain felt by Transformers fans by the news coming that Michael Bay may be heading up a Transformers 4, there may be a fifth installment on the way as well.

According to Variety Paramount is looking into filming the next two Transformers films back-to-back to cut down on production costs and allow the makers of the bazillion licensed goods to get going on all of the items children will be begging their parents for.

Shia LaBeouf has said he won’t return for any more movies in the series, which means we will miss out on this sort of great acting.

In his place it has been rumored for some time that Jason Statham may be joining the franchise. According to sources no offer has been made to the action star as of yet, but considering how long this rumor has circulated, I would suggest taking it with a generous helping of salt.

However, I have a crazy idea, how about instead of worrying about a human lead, you actually focus on the Transformers?  I know, what a crazy idea.  Yes, you can have a human involved, but worry about the Autobots and the Decepticons for once as the series is named for them after all.

Color me absolutely not surprised, but apparently toy manufacturer Hasbro has been talking to Michael Bay about returning to direct a fourth installment of the Transformers franchise.

Despite saying that Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the third film in the series, would be his last outing with the giant robots, according to Deadline,  Hasbro has approached the director about returning for a fourth outing.  Although the newest movie came in second domestically in the series’ domestic box office numbers, it did enough money overseas to become the fourth highest grossing movie of all time in worldwide receipts.

Here is how the series has broken down so far.

Looking at these numbers, do you think there isn’t any chance that there won’t be a fourth film with Bay at the helm.  It isn’t like this is a director that has some passion project cooking in the back of his head, he’s a hack that makes popcorn movies with next to no script.  Bay makes tens of millions himself on these films off of deals off the backend, and that’s going to be awfully hard for him to say no to.

Hasbro said on the earnings call where they said they had approached him that they hoped to have more news on the next quarter’s call.  Seeing that the movies are usually shot 12 months before release, there is still time to put together the fourth movie for summer 2013, and movie going audiences can continue to flock to these messes.

You have to give it to Hasbro, they sure know how to sucker a collector back into their world.

I was really starting to pull away from Star Wars toys because they were well past the figures that I really had any concern with. Then they announced that in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back they were were going to begin releasing figures again in the same type of packaging they used in the 1970′s and 1980′s.  They were even going so far as to put the Kenner logo on the packaging as they were the original company to release the toys, and they had purchased the company several years ago.

rackin’ frackin’

Oh, and they’re going to be doing this for two years.

mumble grumble

Oh, and if the figure had been a part of the line back then, they would use the same packaging art as they did back then, and if the character hadn’t been a figure back then, they would receive new art that brought it into line.

Okay, I’m done.  Where do I sign my paychecks over to you?

Pictured below is a comparison of a re-issue with a first issue on the “Vintage Collection” packaging.

The backs of the packages differ from the originals, but that’s fine, and they actually give a bit of history of that figure which is cool.

To add insult to injury, they are doing an old fashioned mail-in offer for a “Rocket Firing Boba Fett”. To Star Wars collectors this is like the Holy Grail of figures. It was offered in the late 70′s, but was never released due to safety issues. So they are releasing a new copy of the original figure that we all lusted after as children … if we buy five figures and mail in the UPC codes.  Oh goody … now I have to buy doubles on five figures, and at $7.99 a pop.  Oh joy.

Anyway, the figure packaging may all be old, but the figures themselves are all new molds, and they look great.  Honestly, this packaging makes a lot more sense to me than some of the oddball stuff they have come up with over the years with curved fronts, and couldn’t hang on a peg in the store more than five seconds as they would fall off.  Give me the classic packaging any day!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go sort my action figures.

While I have hated both Transformers movies, I have appreciated what they have done for the toy line.  I may be 39, but I still have a deep love of toys, and I collect those that interest me.

All that being said, all of the pictures popping up from the filming Chicago seem to indicate that we are about to hit with an onslaught of toys unlike anything we’ve seen before in the Transformers universe, and I sadly think characters are being dropped into the movie at this point strictly to up the toy count.

No, this isn’t some great revelation, and it is certainly not unprecedented, but the number of new Autobots showing up in Chicago is verging on the insane.  And while only two brand new Decepticons are known for sure at this point, that is mainly because their vehicle modes aren’t conducive to being seen on set.  However, here is a list of what has been seen thus far:

(List updated on 8/5/10 with the removal of “Rollbar” as it turned out to be a fan prank, and the addition of Wheelie)

The Autobots in Transformers 3

• Optimus Prime – same basic truck, new trailer = new toy
• Bumblebee – New version of the same car (2011 Chevy Camaro) = new toy
• Bumblebee (1970′s Datsun form) – The character of Sam has been seen with a 1970′s Datsun that has the same paint job as Bumblebee leading us to believe he hides in a new form for part of the movie.  New toy.
• “Einstein” – Character confirmed, but placeholder name.  Blue 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 = new toy
• Ironhide – No changes
• Mudflap – 2011 Chevy Sparks, new paint job = new toy
• Ratchet – Same H2 Hummer mode, all new paint job = new toy
• Sideswipe – Same Corvette Stingray concept car, except now a convertible … yep … new toy.
• Skids – 2011 Chevy Sparks, new paint job = new toy
• Wheelie – Return of the RC truck.
• Blue NASCAR – We now know the three NASCAR cars are an Autobot commando team called The Wreckers, all three are sure to get toys.
• Green NASCAR
• Red NASCAR
• Unknown – Ferrari 458 Italia = new toy
• Unknown – Rosenbaurer Panther airline fire truck

The Decepticons in Transformers 3

• Megatron – Unknown vehicle/alt mode
• Shockwave – Unknown vehicle/alt mode, but definite new toy as he’s a new character
• Soundwave – Unknown vehicle/alt mode
• Unknown - Chevy Tahoe = new toy
• Unknown – Armored truck = new toy

The thing is, we have no clue how big a role any of the new characters play, but they are sure to get toys.  Two of the worst instances of this in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was a Decepticon named Sideways who was in the film merely to be killed off by Sideswipe in the opening minutes, and the other was an Autobot named Jolt who was seen in the background of I believe two scenes.  Not only did he get one toy, but he got two.

Of course nothing says you are required to buy every movie related toy that comes out, and I don’t, but there are completists out there, and I feel like they are about to be taken for a huge ride.  There is no way the Decepticon list is complete yet (We’re assuming Starscream is in the movie, but nothing has been seen on set yet to confirm this), so who knows how many more that will add to the roster.

Here’s an idea for Michael Bay: Try making the best movie you can, and not just a two hour commercial for a whole new line of toys.  Did Ratchet really need a new paint job?  You can count the number of lines this character has said in both movies on two hands.  Did Skids and Mudflap, who most people hated in the last movie, even need to be included?  (Bay has denied they’re in the movie, but the cars have been spotted on set multiple times)

Start saving your pennies everyone, the series is going out with a bang.

Apparently Warner Brothers has a lot of faith in the Green Lantern movie because the studio is already moving forward on a sequel.

The long-awaited Green Lantern movie is currently filming, and isn’t due for release until June 17, 2011, but apparently that isn’t stopping Warner Brothers with moving ahead with big plans for the franchise.

At the end of May, Cartoon Network, another property of Warner Brothers, announced that it was working on Green Lantern: The Animated Series for release next fall. A toy line for the movie and cartoon are a given also, and already announced, but that isn’t all that’s coming.

Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim, the men who wrote the script for the current film, have been contracted to write up a treatment for a Flash movie and Green Lantern 2.

Really?  You haven’t even finished the first film, and you’re moving ahead on the second?  You must have a lot of faith in this movie, and as a life-long fan of the character, I hope it works out, but man do I think this is ambitious.  This character has next to no track record with the general public, and this is a whole lot of eggs to put in his basket without knowing for sure how it will go.

Count me in for the ride, I just hope enough other people follow along.

Once again, government knows what is best for us.

Apparently parents in Santa Clara county California are incapable of telling their kids “no”, so they got county officials to do it for them.  In a three-to-two vote by officials, toy premiums are banned in any incorporated part of the country from being included in what is considered a high-calorie meal pack.  Toys can only be included with meals that meat certain nutritional requirements.

“This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children’s’ love of toys” to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food,” Supervisor Ken Yeager told The Los Angeles Times.  ”This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes.”

On one side of the argument were doctors and parents, on the other were fast food franchisees, some other parents and toy collectors.  As a compromise to get the measure passed, there is a 90-day window for them to alter their menus to conform with the new rules.

Here is an idea …

Mom, I want a Happy Meal!

Too bad, have an apple.

Wow, see how hard that was?

No, instead lets have a law passed where the government has no business being involved.  You wasted time on this.  You will waste enforcement on this.  And why?  Because a bunch of parents lack the ability to say “no” to their kids  Here’s another idea, I’ll give it to you for free … GROW A PAIR!

This is not something the government needs to be involved with, but when does that stop anyone any more?

The other day, my UPS man was asking me about the 32 different R2-D2 figures that sit on the power strip above my desk at work. Yes, I have 32 of them up there, only two of them are actually “R2-D2″, the rest are various R2s, R3s, R4s and R5 units. The majority of them appeared in the Star Wars movies, usually in the background of scenes.  A couple of them are EU (Expanded Universe) units, such as the red, white and blue one in the picture here, but most of them come from the movies.

So, I got to thinking about my love of R2, and while I don’t go as far as some others out there, it does run pretty deep back to my childhood.  There was just something about him and his pluckiness (okay, someone please shoot me for using the word “pluckiness”), but he was Luke’s steadfast companion, and the idea of a computer that just rolls around with you?  Sweet!

As I grew out of childhood, I just thought the concept of these background characters were fascinating, and something that helped breath more life into the Star Wars universe.  Sure, they all looked similar, but you knew there was only one “R2-D2″, none of the rest displayed the personality he did.  The majority of them were just work-a-day droids, toiling away at making the universe that much more livable.

It is fairly obvious I am not the only one who loves the little guys as back in July of 2003, during production of Revenge of the Sith, fan club members (yes, I was a member at the time so I could watch the production web cams) were allowed to vote on the color scheme of a new droid, R4-G9.  We didn’t know much about what sort of role he would play, just that he was connected to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we were allowed to vote on what color we wanted him to be.  As I remember it, we had four choices, but it was obvious from the get-go that copper was the only real choice, the others were all a bit odd.

Yes, it is another one of my odd little quirks: I love fictional droids from a series of movies.  Oh well, there certainly could be worse things about me, like I could be 36 and still playing video games on a regular basis… Oh bugger…

I’ve said it before, but I am not big on building posts around YouTube videos, but JL over at Little Lost Robot posted this today, and I had to share. Reasons after the video.

Back when I had my retail store front, we ended up in a never-ending Nerf war. We had Nerf guns hidden behind racks, under the desks, on top of top shelves… we had Nerf weapons everywhere. When we had an exceptionally bad day, someone would scream “NERF WAR!” and we would all dive for the closest weapon and open up on each other. Yes… sometimes with customers in the store.

While we never had anything at the store to quite rival this video, there was the time I get set loose in the Nerf showroom in New York City. I was attending Toy Fair for one of my magazine jobs, and though Nerf wasn’t something I wrote about, Hasbro was giving me the complete tour anyway.  In the Nerf room they had target ranges set up, every imaginable weapon set out, and buckets of spare ammo strewn around the room.  You were encouraged to just pick up guns and start shooting as you toured the room… I did… so did my tour guide… and my mother.  Nothing like a Nerf fight with unlimited ammo.

All that said… I love this video.

I’ve waited 30 years for a better Millennium Falcon toy. The picture to the right shows what’ I’ve been waiting for.

See, the one they released in 1978 was “okay”, but it always seemed lacking. It was stubby looking, the guns on top didn’t sit right, it had no bottom guns… that really bothered me for some reason… but I still loved it, and played with it loads. Now it seems I am finally getting the Millennium Falcon of my dreams! So what if it comes out six days after I turn 37, I still want it! (info from Hasbro)

• Light-up headlights and loads of electronic vehicle and weapon sounds – engine boost, cruise mode, fly-by, firing cannons, and more

• Opening, light-up cockpit can fit up to 4 figures. Vehicle includes Han Solo and Chewbacca and can hold up to 18 figures

• Remove outer panels to access the ship’s interior, then head for the medical bay to treat wounded Rebels

• Secret smuggling compartments to hide from stormtroopers

• Boarding ramp with auto-opening action, deployment sounds and landing lights

• Pivoting gunner station to target Imperial fighters

• Light-up hyperdrive lights and authentic movie phrases and sounds from favorite characters: Han, Luke, Obi-Wan, C-3PO, Chewbacca and R2-D2

• Rotating laser turret fires 2 missiles and makes weapon sounds; ship also features a 3-missile launcher with blasting sounds, and a cannon that launches a “laser” missile

• Missile-firing mini-fighter fits inside an opening docking bay that makes electronic boarding and flight sounds

• Pivoting training probe makes lightsaber and movement sounds – learn the power of the Force

• Illuminated dejarik table with holographic creatures – let the Wookiee win

Okay, fine, I’m just a big kid, I don’t care! It’s 2 & 1/2 feet long, will retail for $150… I have to save up for it and figure out where the heck I am putting a toy that big, I’m open to suggestions!
… but I must have this. Again, I DON’T CARE THAT I WILL BE 37 BY THEN! What’s life without some fun?

I did make myself a promise awhile back that I would stop buying toys, but… then those really cool G.I. Joe toys came out… and there’s been a few other Star Wars toys… and a couple Transformers… -sigh- I can’t help it, I still love toys. I worked in the toy industry for too long not to love them, and I appreciate them for their art and the skill it takes to make them beyond just being collectibles or items for kids to play with. I understand the work that goes into them from befriending so many toy sculptors over the years, and it’s not something you just whip out, they take a year or more of development before they hit the shelves, so I can really appreciate the beauty in them sometimes as art.

Course, that also doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate them as a toy, a tool for fueling fantasies. Sure, kids should be able to develop their own imagination, how else would we ever get fresh ideas, but it is also nice to sometimes to have a toy from something you already love, and play in that persons imaginary sandbox sometimes.

By the way… Hasbro has also confirmed the new version has bottom guns…

SCORE!

Back when I was writing in the 1990′s, it was almost always about toys, more specifically action figures. At the time I was considered one of the leading experts in the industry on action figures of the 1970′s and 1980′s, but I always had a soft spot for G.I. Joe, specifically the 3.75″ line.

I had grown up loving the toy line, which was in response to the ultra successful Star Wars line in the same scale, and was launched in 1982. The overall toy series had it’s ups-and-downs, and seemed to have breathed it’s last in 1998, though there were several unsuccessful attempts to re-launch it, it seemed the line was dead for good.

With 2007 being the 25th anniversary, Hasbro decided to give it a try again with a nostalgia angle and… BAM, huge success. To the right you can see Snake Eyes from the new line, a favorite of almost every collector since his first appearance, and you can see what a great line this is.

Retro packaging with some new flair, superior sculpts, great articulation, an overall homerun of a line update. And it’s made me realize something… I’m still a huge toy geek! I have bought everything in the line so far… in multiples. And the funniest part is that I couldn’t care les what folks say, I love my geekiness, and I embrace it.

I came to this realization last night when I was in Wal-Mart, giddy over them getting a new shipment and I walked out with a cart full. That also made me realize, “Wow… I am that grown up geek they aimed this for! It’s nostalgic, but I have money to blow on it now… WHO CARES!” *throws another stack in his cart*

And I leave you with the theme song you can never get out of your head:

Yo Joe!
He’ll fight for freedom where ever there’s trouble.
GI Joe is there.

It’s GI Joe against Cobra the enemy
Fighting to save the day.
He never gives up.
He’s always there,
Fighting for freedom over land and air

GI Joe- A real American hero
GI Joe is there

GI Joe is the codename for American’s daring, highly trained
special mission force.
It’s purpose, to defend human freedom against Cobra-
a ruthless, terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

He never gives up.
He’ll stay til the fight’s won.
GI Joe will dare.

GI Joe- A real American hero
GI Joe

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=W6ueHzMwxt0[/youtube]