Report: TOY FAIR 2011

This week, New York’s Jacob Javits Center is host to Toy Fair 2011. If you’re not familiar with Toy Fair, it’s one of the world’s largest trade shows for toy manufacturers, retailers, importers, and licensors. I was there to cover all the new and cool comic-related merchandise on display, the record for which was a tauntaun sleeping bag and a slumber party courtesy of Think Geek and Midtown Comics.

I’ve been to a decent amount of cons before, but this was my first trade show. There were no throngs of fans crammed into narrow aisles here. Instead everything was nice and spread out, the booths were bright and inviting, most everyone was dressed nicely. I was completely out of my element. I almost wanted to get elbowed by a portly Deadpool running to grab free swag being launched from the Marvel booth. So while the main floor was all a-buzz with the news from Mattel that Barbie did, in fact, take Ken back, I spent most of my time lurking in a corner of the lower level with exhibitors like Diamond, McFarlane Toys, and Bif Bang Pow. It was safer down there, there were superheroes and zombies and plushies.

First stop on my list was the McFarlane booth to check out their newly announced The Walking Dead line of action figures. On display were the models for this first series of figures, which based on the comic, as opposed to the TV show, and are expected out in September. We got to see the fully painted and accessorized models for Rick and the Zombie Lurker, but just the base model thingies of Michonne and the Zombie Roamer. I was able to chat with one of the guys on the design team about the zombie figures and their gruesome play action. The plan is for the zombies to look consistent across both series of toys, this way people can create their own zombie hoards. And since McFarlane Toys hasn’t really explored a lot of play action with their lines, they thought the zombies would give them a chance to play around with some awesome gross features. The zombies are set to have removable plates in their heads, chests, or stomachs with gory entrails underneath them and most of their appendages can be removed. They look and sound like a lot of fun, and personally I can’t wait to get my grubby hands on them!

With the impending comic-property invasion that’s set to attack the box office this summer, there were a lot of licenced toys found on the floor – Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, various puzzles, board games and action figures with Ryan Reynolds’ and Chris Evans’ faces plastered all over them. Mattel’s big Green Lantern toy was the Ring Blast Jet – which is really nifty transformable jet/tank made from transparent green plastic. Whooshing sounds not included. I was able to find a picture of it, but sadly wasn’t able to actually find it in Mattel’s giant booth. I was able to get out some adorable Thor movie tie-in bobbleheads, part of Funko’s POP line and available in the next month or so.

With a new cartoon set to hit Cartoon Network, the Thundercats were also out in force. I love the classic series, so I totally freaked when I saw giant-sized Lion-O action figure by Mezco. It’s nearly two feet tall and comes with the awesome Sword of Omens and the Claw Shield. I was a bit surprised to hear that it has the standard 7 points of articulation, which means I can pose it in silly positions.
 

Walking down the aisles looking for the third Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, I was randomly asked if I wanted to hug a panda. I turned around, expecting to see a creepy dude in a panda-suit with a sign for Free Hugs. But instead I found myself at the Squishable booth. Squishable makes adorably round and extra soft plushes of almost every animal in fact or fiction. I hugged a panda, a unicorn, Cthulhu, an Android, and a narwhal. The company also worked with Ryan North of Dinosaur Comics to create a T-Rex plush. You can follow the adventures of Squishable’s cutest characters at their Fuzzy Five webcomic.   

If you’re more into tech than toys, Mimobot is releasing a full line of Batman USB flash drives. Starting this month Batman, Robin, Joker, or Catwoman can guard all your important files. Like all the the Mimobot drives, they’re available in sizes ranging from 2 to 16 gigs and come preloaded with wallpapers, games, and themes for the character.

It was around this point in the day that I got completely distracted by the Funko booth. What can I say, I am a sucker for things with abnormally large heads and eyes. Funko already has lines of their plushies and POP figures for DC Comic characters, and this spring they’re releasing Marvel lines for each of the products. After spending more time than any adult should spending re-enacting the infamous scene between Han Solo and Greedo at the cantina, I was escorted out of the Javits center to a hotel where I got to play with tauntauns and talk about all manner of geeky things with friends.

I'm sure I only scratched the surface of what the show had to offer, but hopefully I've given you a few interesting ways to spend your money at your local comic shop or corner toy store in the coming months. Toy Fair runs through Wednesday, February 16.  

Ali Colluccio felt a lot like Tom Hanks in BIG this weekend. Please forgive any improper use of industry jargon or the word “thingies”. You can check out all of her pictures of Toy Fair and the infamous Geek Girl Sleepover here.