Too Much Awesome

As the new Cartoon Network show, Ben 10, gains popularity, so do its toys.  The show about a boy, Ben, who is able to transform into any number of alien life forms thanks to his technologically advanced watch, the Omnitrix, is rapidly growing fans.  This Japanese animation inspired cartoon rides the wave of other popular [...]

New toys and action figures will not be in short supply as a dozen hot movies for 2009 hit the big screen with many creative figurines and poseable figures. UPdate: Here’s our review of  Pixar’s UP movie toys.

Toy News announced the winners today of the annual Toy Fair in London.   The winner of “2009 Toy of the Year” is the Ben 10 action figure series by Bandai. One of the most popular figures in this series is the DNA Alien Big Chill.

It’s official, the new Star Trek action figures will be released on April 19, 2009.  These classic figures are made by Playmates, and will be available in 3¾-inch ($7), 6-inch ($9-$10) and 12-inch ($30) models, according to USA Today.

Scientific American has reported that toys containing toxic phthalates may still be on shelves in the United States because the federal government has yet to enforce the new Children’s Safety Product Act.

Lego lost its bid to make the iconic brick shape of its products a trademarked-protected design.  According to ToyNews,

A report by China Daily suggests that the salad days for off-shore toy manufacturing in China are over. A toy industry insider suggested that “over half” of the manufacturing plants will close their doors in the next two years. From the article in ToyNews: it is predicted than companies with good financials and their own [...]

Toy News has announced its top 12 toys for Christmas.  These are the most sought-after toys in the United States and the UK that Toy News predicts will dominate sales… and maybe inspire a few toy line brawls.

Rainbow Brite is coming back to children’s lives, refreshed and updated for a new generation.  Originally a Hallmark division, the Rainbow Brite franchise will now be administered exclusively by Playmates Toys. Below is the original trailer for the popular animated TV show in the 1980s.

The global financial market is pretty gloomy these days, and analysts are finally using the “r” word.  As in Re-cession.  What does this mean for toy retailers, and for your average shoppers looking for toys and games?