"WE'RE NOT THERE" Coverage of Toy Fair 2009!
Coverage by Scott D.M. Simmons
Hello, everyone, I am the columnist of TOY RELATED and thus basically Comic Related's own resident toy geek. I shot photos of toys off and on professionally for about 15 years, including working inside Hasbro Toys for eight of those years. I am an avid collector of DC superheroes, a big fan of Transformers, and a member of the Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club. Starting today and for about a week, I will be bringing you some links to news sources with articles and photos covering Toy Fair 2009.
I mean, come on, I can't have a column called Toy Related without at least mentioning Toy Fair. Practically one week after New York Comic-Con (coverage for that continues here at Comic Related), the annual TIA Toy Fair show swarmed into the Jacob K. Javits Center, running from February 15th through to the 18h. (Sunday through Wednesday). This meeting of toy companies, retailers, licensors, and press happens in New York City towards in the beginning of every year, and spotlights the new products that are being hyped by the individual companies. The hope is that the toys they show at Toy Fair will become the stuff that floods toy shelves at anything from chain stores and specialty shops to collector websites and comic book stores. Orders are placed, deals are struck, and toy lines live or die based in part on what happens at Toy Fair.
When I worked at Hasbro, I had asked to go to Toy Fair a few times but could not go for one reason or another, as there is a lot of time involved and it would have keep me away from work at the office. It's something I have always wanted to experience, and it would be great if I could go maybe next year as press, but we will have to see. As a fan and collector these days, I tend to surf the internet and look up photo galleries and the like during the weekend of Toy Fair and the following week. So, much like Comic Related's coverage of San Diego Comic-Con (aka "We're Not There Coverage"), I'd like to share some of those links with you!
--Scott D.M. Simmons
NEWS LINKS for TOY FAIR 2009 - Day 2
Since we could not be there this year, here is all the news from around the web covering Toy Fair International 2009! Also, here is the OFFICIAL HOME PAGE of Toy Fair 2009: http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=toy_Fair
BATMAN: Brave and the Bold
Press photos of Plastic Man, Aquaman, Blue Beetle and more!
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=567
More photos from the show floor this time
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=562&page=2
Sportsmaster!
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-95.php
Batmobile
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=361
A secondary style comes out, the MINIS, similar to say, Combat Heroes
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128427
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=340
DC: Diamond Select
Diamond offers up Grodd and Bane figurines
http://afigures.com/g/?mode=album&album=09_Toy_Fair%2FDiamond_Select_Toys%2FDC+Superhero+Figurine
DC DIRECT
The popular 7-inch scale expands (Blackest Night characters, JLI, New Gods, and more)
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=552
13 inch figure gallery (I love that Jay Garrick Flash! And a sweet Wonder Woman!)
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=551
The wonky looking Uni-Formz
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=556
Watchmen gallery
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=554
Ame-Comi Catwoman (awesome!)
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=416
Creepy cool Ame-Comi Batgirl
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=417
A look at the packaging for the wonderful large scale Dark Knight Harvey Dent
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=489
Likewise, the Bank Robber Joker
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=487
Another gallery of images of DC Direct product
http://i.toynewsi.com/g/index.php?mode=album&album=09_Toy_Fair%2FDC+Direct%2F&dispsize=600&start=0
DC: General
The start of at least six pages of galleries covering Mattel's DCU product
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/
DC: Infinite Heroes
A close-up of Two-Face, Gordon, and Captain Atom
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-8.php
DC: Justice League Unlimited
The cartoon may be gone, but the toys aren't (Vibe, Devil Ray, Silver Banshee and more)
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-14.php
Another gallery, with more close-ups (love the Atomic Skull!)
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128426
DC: Universe Classics
Gallery of great stuff coming down the pike from Mattel
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=561
Including this Hawkgirl (large size??)
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=381
And, it seems, a large Mister Terrific as well!
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=375
Nice shot of the display of DCUC toys
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-26.php
DRAGONBALL: The Movie
Presenting the six-inch movie figures (yep, a Dragonball movie is actually happening)
http://img.animenewsi.com/g/image.php?mode=album&album=2009_Toy_Fair%2FBandai%2FDragonball_Evolution%2F6_Inch
Um... check out Goku's freaky double arms (creating arm-punching illusion in plastic)
http://img.animenewsi.com/g/image.php?aid=&mode=view&album=2009_Toy_Fair%2FBandai%2FDragonball_Evolution%2F6_Inch&pic=6inGoku.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0
The four-inch figures (hey, kids, it's Chow Yun Fat!)
http://img.animenewsi.com/g/image.php?mode=album&album=2009_Toy_Fair%2FBandai%2FDragonball_Evolution%2F4_Inch
FUNKO
A gallery of characters you love looking abit silly with wonky bodies
http://www.cooltoyreview.com/TF2009/Funko/default.asp
LEGO: Star Wars
A shot of the Briefing Room from Return of the Jedi
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-LEGO/1234708376-13.php
MARVEL: General
A sampling of the Hasbro Marvel 2009 images
http://www.toyark.com/news/marvel-toy-news-4/marvel-toy-fair-2009-hasbro-official-images-886/
Whoa! It's like chaos when Cap comes in for a landing (and check out Falcon!)
http://www.toyark.com/news/attachment.php?do=fullview&attachmentid=4706
MARVEL: Kotobukiya
NICE fine art sculptures coming from Kotobukiya (including Rogue and Scarlet Witch)
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=565
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=566
Shot of Rogue
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=679
Shot of Scarlet Witch
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=503
A cute Black Widow
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showphoto.php?photo=647
More angles of the items at this gallery
http://i.marvelousnews.com/g/index.php?mode=album&album=2009_Toy_Fair%2FKotobukiya%2F&start=40
Yupon Mini Figures are coming
http://i.marvelousnews.com/g/index.php?mode=view&album=2009_Toy_Fair%2FKotobukiya%2F&pic=IMG_0131.jpg&dispsize=800&start=40
MARVEL: Legends
An even better look at the display of Legends characters (and Star Trek for some reason)
http://www.cooltoyreview.com/TF2009/Hasbro-ML/default.asp
MARVEL: Monogram
Gallery of some Marvel stuff from Monogram
http://toyfair09b.figures.com/showgallery.php?cat=550&page=1
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
A look at the “Classics” line of Masters of the Universe figures in package
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-45.php
PIXAR
Toy Story gets the MINIS treatment too
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-115.php
A display for CARS
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Mattel/1234746727-117.php
SHOCKER TOYS
A gallery of INDIE SPOTLIGHT (Katchoo, Maxx, Kabuki, Tick, Dick Tracy, and more)
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=130668
Another gallery of images of the Shocker Toys display
http://pulsefigures.com/2009/02/15/toy-fair-2009-coverage-shocker-toys-indie-spotlight/
THE SPIRIT
Some great looking PVCs from Dark Horse
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128127
STAR WARS: Clone Wars
A gallery of Star Wars ArtFX+ offerings from Kotobukiya
http://www.rebelscum.com/TF2009/Kotobukiya/default.asp
Gallery featuring Hasbro figures (including Medical Frigate Luke and young Beru)
http://www.rebelscum.com/TF2009/Hasbro-SW/default.asp
Another look at the Hasbro Star Wars showroom
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-Hasbro/
STAR WARS: Diamond Select
Here's where you can see Mace, Palpatine, Obi-Wan, and Anakin from Diamond Select
http://www.rebelscum.com/TF2009/DST-SW/default.asp
STAR WARS: Mighty Muggs
Check out these guys, including the cute Biker Scout and Hoth Luke
http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/New_Mighty_Muggs_Revealed_121062.asp
STREET FIGHTER
A look at the NECA Series 2 take on Chun-Li
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-NECA/1234746034-6.php
Here's a gallery to look at Guile and the others from Street Fighter IV
http://afigures.com/g/?mode=album&album=09_Toy_Fair%2FNeca%2FStreet+Fighter+IV
I love this setup that looks like the game screen
http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=09_Toy_Fair%2FNeca%2FStreet+Fighter+IV&pic=IMG_0645.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0
Another gallery with some interesting angles
http://www.toyark.com/news/video-game-toy-news-8/street-fighter-4-series-2-from-toy-fair-2009-858/
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
Other views of Neca's TMNT displays
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-NECA/1234746106-11.php
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/TF2009-NECA/1234746106-12.php
TONNER DOLLS
Here is a gallery including Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman
http://www.cooltoyreview.com/TF2009/Tonner/default.asp
UMBRELLA ACADEMY
Some shots of the awesome looking figures from Dark Horse
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128082
This character looks so cool
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128295
And how can you go wrong with such creative packaging?
http://74.52.193.82/events/main.php?g2_itemId=128307
You can visit our coverage from day one here.
Check back tomorrow for more coverage
Scott D.M. Simmons (www.scottdmsimmons.com) is an artist and writer living in Cincinnati, Ohio, and used to work as a digital photographer for Hasbro Toys. Nowadays, he is the artist for WANNABEZ (with writer Brant W. Fowler), an inker for HALLOWEEN MAN (and its crossover with Hack/Slash), and the creator of his upcoming ANGELWOLF COMICS stories. He also helps keep the open source JENNY EVERYWHERE seen on the web, and is the artist on the upcoming DEADLY CINEMA comic books.
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