Mezko Announces New Collectible Frankenstein For New York Comic Con 2014

Lines of toys and action figures made exclusively for trade events like Comic Con are popular with collectors. At the summer Comic Con in San Diego, there were reports of attendees buying these figures and selling them on ebay to pay for their trip to Comic Con. Now comes Mezko, generating early buzz for Comic Con in New York this coming October. Mezko Toys announced they will sell an exclusive Son of Frankenstein Figure available at the New York Comic Con this coming October.

Fans that are attending the show this fall (October 9-12) will have the chance to purchase this 9-inch tall Son of Frankenstein figure in his attire from the classic 1939 film. He boasts 10 points of articulation and is going to be covered with scars from his assembly. Frankenstein comes dressed in a genuine simulated fur tunic with cloth sleeves, complete with booth allowing him to tower over the rest of your action figures.

There are only going to be 500 pieces of the exclusive Son of Frankenstein figure made, so if you want one head directly to the Mezco Toyz booth at New York Comic-Con. A select number of the figures are going to be made available on the Mezco Toyz website to non-attendees beginning August 22nd, 2014.

The Collectors Show Comic Book Collecting Resource

As a way to compliment the Collectors Show interview with Maggie Thompson on collecting comic books, we put together a primer on collecting comic books. It is very basic, intended for the novice who may be considering starting a collection. Of course this is offered free of any charge. In this document are:

The death of comic book guy, probably another fake out much like the death of Sadsack.

• a very brief history of comic books,
• how to determine value,
• on line places to find the monetary value of comic books,
• the 6 ages of comic books,
• a few auction trends,
• a list of comic book collecting clubs.

I was surprised at how few clubs there were devoted to collecting comic books.

If you know of more, please let me know. I hope folks enjoy this resource.

To download the PDF, just click the link:

The Collectors Show Comic Book Collecting Resource

Collecting Comic Books With Maggie Thompson On The Collectors Show

Our guest this week on The Collectors Show is Maggie Thompson. Maggie collects comic books. I guess we generally think of the comic book collecting hobby as one where men/boys do all the collecting, but it shows how little I know as Maggie and her late husband Don, practically invented the comic book collecting hobby.

The couple wrote, edited and published the Comics Buyer’s Guide (ISSN 0745-4570) (CBG), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It has also awarded its annual Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Awards since 1982, with the first awards announced in #500 (June 17, 1983).

The publication ceased with the March 2013 issue.

Maggie is also a well-respected commentator on pop culture and continues to report on the industry from her blog at Comic Con (http://www.comic-con.org/toucan/categories/maggie-thompson).

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Collectibles From Comic Con

Would a woman like this ever talk to the average Comic Con attendee outside of the trade show?

Comic-Con is all about bringing fans close to the artists and properties they love — after navigating crowds and waiting in line. But what do collectors get out of the event?

Looks like toys, figures and still more toys. Promoters will make and sell very limited edition issues that are available only at the convention. And those limited editions can fetch a nice price.

“You buy it here, you sell it on eBay and it pays for your whole trip,” said Chris Schultz, a 26-year-old from Edmonton, Canada. After shopping at the Marvel booth, where he bought “Guardians of the Galaxy” merchandise in multiples, he was set to “give up all night in line” to earn a spot inside the 6,500-seat exhibition hall where movie and TV studios present exclusive previews of anticipated properties.

“For Hall H, it’s worth it,” he said. “You can’t get this stuff anywhere else,” said Lionel Torres, 47, who traveled from North Carolina to buy collectible toys and indulge in community fandom. “People are fighting for a place in line, but there’s camaraderie out there.” But are there serious toy and action figure collectors? You better believe it. And if you are a doubter, check out Action Figure Insider (www.actionfigureinsider.com) to learn more.

The perception or manufacture of scarcity is what is at work here. Like the tulip market of old, if people believe something is valuable and will pay for it then it is.

Expand your figurine collections

Three-dimensional printing will allow fanboys and girls the opportunity to make their own toys and figures without ever leaving home. A company called 3DS will be displaying and selling exclusive, limited edition Star Wars, Alien, and Marvel figurines from its Gentle Giant Ltd brand. Each figurine was scanned or digitally sculpted by master artisans with the collector in mind. No detail has been forgotten in these stunning collectibles that remain faithful to the original artwork.

This sounds like less fun than actual collecting. Where is the hunt, scarcity or bargaining that real collecting delivers? I doubt that 3D printing for all of it use and appeal will ever replace those.

 

 

Comic-Con 2014: Heath Ledger’s Joker Immortalised In Lego

The late Heath Ledger‘s iconic Oscar-winning performance as The Joker in the 2008 film The Dark Knight, has been commemorated in Lego form.

Batman and Joker from the 2008 motion picture in Lego form.

The new Lego line based on Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy will be unveiled this week at San Diego’s Comic-Con and will be the first time Heath Ledger’s take on the notorious villain has appeared in Lego form. The Lego mini-fig portrays The Joker with the distinctive, disturbing face make-up central to Ledger’s role.

Also included in the new line is a mini-fig of Christian Bale‘s Batman and will be part of a set that allows builders to recreate the “Tumbler” version of the Batmobile from Nolan’s films.

The set contains 1869 pieces and will sell at a retail price in the US of $199 when it arrives in stores in September, after it is previewed at Comic-Con. Fairfax reports, the release of the Lego set coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Batman character. Other commemorative events planned by US studio Warner Bros, which owns DC Comics, include the DVD release of the 1966 Batman television series, and the debut of new television series, “Gotham”, which will feature origin stories for many of the Batman franchise’s key villains. The stars of the 1966 Batman television series, Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman), will also be special guests at this year’s Comic-Con.

Fox To Unveil Planet Of The Apes: Caesar’s Warrior Collection Package At San Diego Comic-Con

Later this week, thousands will descend upon San Diego for the city’s annual Comic-Con International convention. In the beginning (ahem, 1970) it was a three-day convention where fans of comic books and science-fiction/fantasy congregated together and interacted with such luminaries as Ray Bradbury and Jack Kirby. Over the decades it has grown beyond its comic-book roots to be a Hollywood launching pad for upcoming productions (see Django Unchained, World War Z, and of course Marvel’s Cinematic Universe).

Outside of panel discussions, early teasers and film clips, studios have upped the ante by allowing visitors to get some home video exclusives when pre-ordering titles set to arrive in the fall. 20th Century Fox is no exception. In an official press release, the studio revealed that attendees would be the first to see the official packaging and design for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, complete series collections of Sons of Anarchy and How I Met Your Mother, and many more.

● PLANET OF THE APES: CAESAR’S WARRIOR COLLECTION

○ Be the first to pre-order this 4-disc limited-edition collection at a special Comic-Con price featuring RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES and DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD packaged in a fiercely lifelike replica bust of Caesar wearing his tribal war paint. Designed by WETA, the special effects masters responsible for bringing Caesar to life on film, this must-own collection also includes an all-new 32-page booklet “Planet of the Apes: Building an Icon” that explores WETA’s creation of the Caesar replica, four battle-ready ape collectible character cards and hours of special features. Available this Holiday season.
● THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

○ Get your SDCC exclusive collectible mini-poster when you pre-order THE FAULT IN OUR STARS Blu-ray.
● SONS OF ANARCHY THE COLLECTOR SET

○ Catch up on the complete F/X series with a special branded lanyard containing video clips from all seasons and pre-order the complete series box set featured in a customized recreation of the iconic SAMCRO clubhouse table.
● HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: THE WHOLE STORY

○ Pre-order the whole story at Comic-Con and receive a collectible poster replica of the print Josh Radnor commissioned for the cast and crew of “How I Met Your Mother” in celebration of the series finale featuring call backs and references to all nine seasons of the show.
● 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY

○ Fans that pre-order Jack Bauer’s latest adventure will receive the collectible comic “24: Underground” from IDW publishing
● AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

○ Celebrate the Emmy® nominated mini-series release of the F/X horror anthology with your very own Voodoo Doll from Marie Laveau when you pre-order.
● FARGO SEASON ONE

○ Pre-order the FX hit mini-series that received 18 Emmy® nominations and get an exclusive Fargo knit beanie while supplied last
● FOX & MGM COMIC-CON 2014 EXCLUSIVE BLU-RAY PACKAGING

○ Each title includes a matching and numbered limited edition lithograph
○ Sci-Fi: ALIEN, THE FLY (1958) and ROBOCOP (1987)
○ Comedy Classics: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and THE PRINCESS BRIDE
○ Cult: FIGHT CLUB, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS and EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
● THE TERMINATOR

○ Purchase the Blu-ray in honor of the 30th anniversary of this iconic film and receive an exclusive La Boca-designed poster.
● MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN

○ Unleash the fun and pick up a limited pop vinyl figurine of Mr. Peabody or Sherman when you pre-order this hilarious comedy-adventure from DreamWorks Animation.
● HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

○ Get the official SDCC 2014 edition “Toothless” battle figurine available for purchase; pre-order DreamWorks Animation’s HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 and receive the collectible “Toothless” battle figurine as a gift with purchase.

Tags: 24: Just Another Day, Alien, Dawn of the Planet of the APes, Fargo, Fox, RoboCop, Sons of Anarchy, The Fault in Our Stars

Comic-Con offers Mattel collectible toy designers a chance to go wild

LOS ANGELES (AP) — When it comes to designing the highly coveted collectible toys for sale at Comic-Con, the annual celebration of pop culture lifting off Thursday in San Diego, the sky’s the limit for the designers at Mattel. Fittingly, the building where Mattel’s dreamers conceive of their limited-edition playthings is just down the street from the Los Angeles International Airport.

This photo provided by courtesy of Mattel, Inc. shows a detail of the “Hot Wheels Life-Sized Darth Vader Car.” When it comes to designing the highly coveted collectible toys for sale at Comic-Con, the annual celebration of pop culture lifting off Thursday, July 24, 2014, in San Diego, the sky’s the limit for the designers at Mattel.

Inside the colorful design center — a Hot Wheels-themed shuttle bus transports employees from Mattel’s parking garage — the designers have spent the past year working on 10 toys created especially for the Comic-Con crowd, including a replica of the Batmobile from the game “Batman: Arkham Knight” and a 9-inch-tall action figure of Superman killer Doomsday.

“It’s one of the coolest things we do,” said Doug Wadleigh, Mattel’s senior vice president of global brand marketing for boys and entertainment. “We don’t have to worry about retail. We don’t have to worry about margins. We don’t have to worry about operational efficiencies. We only have to worry about creating the coolest toys for our fans. Period.”

Because the toys aren’t intended to be sold in stores, only in small quantities on the Comic-Con show floor and on Mattel’s collectors’ site, Mattel designers are encouraged to employ premium materials and create over-the-top packaging. Mattel’s exclusives this year run between $20 and $85, but the elite toys can fetch much more when they’re put up for auction.

The crown jewel for Wadleigh and his team this year is a Darth Vader die-cast car, the first official collaboration from Hot Wheels and the “Star Wars” franchise. The car — imagine if a Chevrolet Corvette C5 and the villainous Sith lord’s helmet had a baby — comes in a sleek black box and encased in a replica of Vader’s lightsaber, complete with a swooshing sound effect.

“We’ve been trying to partner with Lucasfilm and Disney on this property for a long time,” said Wadleigh. “It took us time to get them to understand how Hot Wheels and ‘Star Wars’ could be married together to create a unique opportunity within the vehicle space. It blows me away to finally see it come to life in such a beautiful form. It’s gorgeous.”

Wadleigh isn’t exaggerating about the toy car coming to life. A full-size working replica of the Vadermobile will be on display at Mattel’s booth at the massive San Diego Convention Center. The vehicle is capable of going up to 80 miles per hour, and the dashboard inside will resemble the interior of Darth Vader’s helmet. Yes, it will emit his breathing sounds, too.

Comic-Con will be the first place that fans can see the initial line-up of “Star Wars” Hot Wheels. The first set is modeled after such classic characters as Han Solo, Yoda, R2-D2 and Chewbacca. If sketches on display inside the Mattel design center are any indication, rides based on Princess Leia, Jabba the Hutt and the new “Star Wars Rebels” characters are being tinkered on.

“There’s a lot of thought that goes on behind the scenes on how we select what type of car goes with which character,” said Bryan Benedict, the designer behind the “Star Wars” autos. “It’s not just about what the character looks like but who the character is and their personality traits. The Darth car, and this is reflected in the full-size build, is really a timeless looking car.”

Several other toy makers and publishers are also pushing collectible toys and books at the convention. The line-up from Mattel rival Hasbro this year includes a set of Marvel superhero figures that comes with a wearable foam Infinity Gauntlet, a box of Transformers figures depicting the ‘bots as rock stars and a giant foam replica axe from “Magic: The Gathering.”

For Comic Book Entusiasts: DC ENTERTAINMENT IS FRONT AND CENTER AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Historic Display of Iconic Film and Television Costumes,

Moving DC Entertainment Beyond the Convention Floor 

Spotlight Also Shines Brightly on Batman,

Neil Gaiman’s Return to Vertigo’s Seminal Series THE SANDMAN,

Green Lantern ‘Lights Out’ Crossover and Much More!

 BURBANK, Calif. (September 17, 2013) – DC Entertainment, home of the World’s Greatest Super Heroes and the comic book industry’s most talented artists and writers, today announced a stellar program of New York Comic Con panels, signings, announcements and other events certain to excite fans of all ages, led by a jaw-dropping display of eight historic Superman costumes from the big and small screen in celebration of Superman’s 75^th Anniversary.

With an array of costumes previously worn by the likes of Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill, Brandon Routh, Dean Cain and Tom Welling – the scope of this epic exhibit will expand the publisher’s convention presence beyond the floor of the Jacob Javitz Center and into the building’s public entryway – making DC’s expanded footprint undeniable to convention attendees and the public at large, and making for a convention-wide 

75^th anniversary celebration of The Man of Steel. A star-studded panel honoring the Man of Steel and discussing the beloved character’s many personifications, impressive history, and ongoing relevance within society and entertainment, is also in the works.

DC Entertainment will further put its stamp on this year’s convention through appearances by some of the biggest creative names in the comic book industry – including the writers and artists from Batman, Green Lantern and Superman family of titles, MAD Magazine and many more. Legendary author Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed SANDMAN series will also be a highlight as fans clamor for the first issue of 

THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE, a centerpiece of the ongoing reinvigoration of the Vertigo imprint. Additionally, for the first time DC will host over 50 creator signings at an exclusive DC Entertainment area in the increasingly popular Artist Alley.

The largest English-language publisher in the world will continue to make its mark with a packed schedule of panels, and fantastic collection of additional appearances and signings, exclusive announcements and other events.

As their epic BATMAN: ZERO YEAR storyline expands into the rest of DC Comics – The New 52 and BATMAN VOL. 3: DEATH OF THE FAMILY prepares for its October release, superstar creators Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo will share the latest insider’s view on The Caped Crusader and their unique creative process. A Batman panel featuring this “dynamic duo” and creators such as John Layman, Ann Nocenti, Peter Tomasi and James Tynion IV will be a convention highlight. Following this year’s show, Snyder and Capullo will be the guests-of-honor at a Q&A and signing for BATMAN VOL. 3: DEATH OF THE FAMILY on Monday, October 14th at 7:00 p.m. the Union Square Barnes & Noble in NYC.

·      Set for release on October 30, Vertigo’s THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE will also be a convention highlight as Neil Gaiman returns to the iconic comic book series that launched his career. Vertigo will be celebrating its 20^th year in publishing through panels, signings and more, casting a spotlight on the imprint’s horror, mythic fiction, and sci-fi titles – including the dark fantasy COFFIN HILL, the epic adventure HINTERKIND, and THE SANDMAN spin-off THE DEAD BOY DETECTIVES as well as the new series THE WAKE, TRILLIUM, FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS and more.

·      Kicking off on October 2 and spanning across all GREEN LANTERN family titles throughout the month, the “Lights Out” crossover event will change the Green Lantern universe forever! Convention attendees will collect more behind-the-scenes knowledge on this ambitious storyline by attending the October 13 panel featuring creators Bernard Chang, Van Jensen, Justin Jordan, Charles Soule, Brad Walker, Robert Venditti and more. The storyline ties together every Lantern of every Corps who has ever appeared in any comic book – ever. Nothing is held back, and devoted fans will want to know more!

·      Fresh off the release of FOREVER EVIL #1, written by comic legend Geoff Johns with artwork by the infinitely talented David Finch, as well as the unprecedented “Villains Month” unveiling of 52 villain-centric 3-D Motion covers from across The New 52, fans will get the chance to learn more about the FOREVER EVIL storyline (and all of the dastardly villains that everyone loves to hate) at the Justice League – Forever Evil panel on Saturday, October 12.  Boasting a collection of DC creators that includes Finch, Ray Fawkes, Matt Kindt, Joe Prado, Ivan Reis and more. Convention attendees will also get a sneak preview of the all-new documentary “Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics,” which investigates the inner-workings of the most nefarious collection of baddies in comics history. Narrated by legendary film bad guy Christopher Lee, “Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics” will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on October 25.

·      Get an inside look at INSIDE MAD, the hugely anticipated collection being released on October 29 from “The Usual Gang of Idiots” at MAD Magazine. Those looking to get an additional dose of the iconic magazine’s acclaimed wit and snark can visit the Mad About MAD panel on October 12 – led by Editor John Ficarra and a laughter-inducing cast of characters.

·      A wide variety of exclusive offerings will be available throughout the weekend at this year’s New York Comic Con – including giveaways throughout the weekend as well as FOREVER EVIL #1, BATMAN #24 and SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #1 variant covers priced at $10 each. DC Collectibles also has two exciting convention exclusives lined up for New York, including a DC Nation: Super Best Friends Forever Poison Ivy statue and DC Super Heroes of Green Lantern 3.75” action figure two-pack featuring Hal Jordan and Blue Lantern Saint Walker. Each of these exclusive offerings will be available for sale at the DC Collectibles Boutique at the Graphitti Designs booth (#755).

·      Fans can get all the latest information on New York Comic Con and other DC Entertainment events by downloading the free DCE Events app for iOS and Android smartphone users. It’s available for download today on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. 

Can’t make the Con? DC Entertainment’s website is the go-to place for behind the scenes coverage and in-depth interviews. Visit the “Con Away From Con” page at http:// www.conawayfromcon.com.

About DC Entertainment: 

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League Super Heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.