This weekend: WIZARD WORLD PHILLY!

It’s Wizard World Philadelphia this Friday-Sunday, and ToyFare is all over it like a motherlover!!!

Philly is our big toy show, so ToyFare is going to be running programming all weekend long (like the Hall of Fame Awards, seen above!). Me and my new semi-smart QWERTY phone are going to be Tweeting all the news and panels, all weekend long, so make sure to follow me for all the updates.

Here are the panels we’ll be involved in:

Friday

1pm – 2pm
Toys: Room 201C
The Four Horsemen: What’s Up With The Four Horsemen?
Join the sculptors extraordinaire as they take a journey through their amazing work for Mattel and on their own Fantastic Exclusives line, give hints to aspiring sculptors and debut brand-new toy images for the first time!

2pm – 3pm
Toys: Room 201C
Ask Diamond Select Toys – Live!
Join the company behind Ultimate Quarter-Scale Star Wars figures, classic Trek toys and a bevy of MiniMates, from Marvel to the Godfather, to see what they’ve got coming down the pike! Join DST’s Chuck Terceira as he answers your questions and shows off upcoming products.

3pm – 4pm
Toys: Room 201C
How a NECA Figure is Made
Join the sculpting team behind toys like Cult Classics, Street Fighter IV and Twilight as they share tips and tricks for turning clay into works of art!
Showcase: Room 202B
Tom Savini Q&A
Learn the secrets of Special Effects from the King of Splatter! (Hosted by my man TJ Dietsch!)

4pm – 5pm
Toys: Room 201C
A Look Ahead w/ Tonner
Join the makers of the incredible Tonner Character Figures as they share the latest news on their exciting lines, from the DC Stars collection to Doctor Who and Torchwood, and beyond!

5pm – 6pm
Toys: Room 201C
Big Toy Industry Panel
Got a question about anything going on right now in the toy industry? These guys have all the answers! Join nearly every toy industry guest who’s going to be at Wizard World Philly, from Jesse Falcon to the Four Horsemen, as they appear onstage together to talk shop and answer your questions!
Moderated by Justin Aclin

Saturday

11am – 12pm
Toys: Room 201C
How to Sculpt w/ Tonner
Join world-renowned sculptor Robert Tonner, CEO of Tonner Inc., for his “Sculpting from Clay to the Finished Product” panel. Learn how the process works from beginning to end, get sculpting tips and tricks, and learn about the artistry he puts into each Tonner Character Figure. Participate in a Q&A with the sculptor himself and, of course, there will be giveaways at the end!

12pm – 1pm
Toys: Room 201C
NECA – A Look Ahead
Makers of some of the finest movie and video game toys in existence, join NECA’s Director of Product Development Randy Falk and the NECA team as they share some secrets about what’s next for the exciting company!

1pm – 2pm
Toys: Room 201C
Marvel Toys: Legends and Beyond!
Join Marvel Legends mastermind Jesse Falcon as he takes a look back at the legendary Marvel Legends line, including some figures that never made it to store shelves. Jesse, Legends sculptor Phil Ramirez, and David Vonner and Scott George from Hasbro’s Marvel team will be on hand to take your questions about your favorite Marvel figures!

2pm – 3pm
Toys: Room 201C
How to Sculpt w/ Tim Bruckner
Take advantage of this unique experience to learn about toy and statue sculpting from one of the masters of the form – this year’s ToyFare Hall of Fame inductee Tim Bruckner, the man behind many of your favorite DC Direct collectibles and more!

3pm – 4pm
Toys: Room 201C
Toy Customizing 101
The hit ToyFare magazine section comes to life on stage! Whether you’re new to the world of customizing action figures or you’re a seasoned pro looking for expert knowledge, our panel of noted customizers and toy industry pros will be able to shed some light on this fast-growing hobby. Stick around afterward for the custom toy contest!
Featuring Justin Aclin (ToyFare Magazine), T.J. Dietsch (ToyFare Magazine), Matt “Iron Cow” Cauley (DST’s MiniMates), Robert Torres (Art Asylum) and Pierre “Airmax” Kalenzaga.

4pm – 5pm
Toys: Room 201C
Custom Toy Contest
Presented by ToyFare magazine! Think you’ve got what it takes to be an award winning action figure customizer? Enter your figures in the 3.75-5 inch, 6-7 inch, and 8-12-inch cloth costumed categories for a chance to win prizes, including custom figures that have been featured in ToyFare, and a chance for your figure to appear in the magazine!
For more info on our contest rules and submission guidelines, please check the Contests Page.

5pm – 6pm
Toys: Room 201C
Second Annual ToyFare Hall of Fame Awards
It’s like the Kennedy Center Honors, but with more build-a-figures! Join the ToyFare staff and toy industry luminaries as we salute this year’s inductees: Jesse Falcon (Marvel Legends), Tim Bruckner (DC Direct), Randy Bowen (Bowen Designs) and Hasbro’s Transformers (represented by product manager Aaron Archer). Randy Bowen will have a special video acceptance, and the rest of the honorees will be on hand to be presented with this year’s amazing statuettes, designed by the dream team of the Four Horsemen and Clayburn Moore!

Sunday

12pm – 1pm
Toys: Room 201C
Twisted ToyFare Theatre: Behind the Stupidity
Join the creative team behind ToyFare Magazine’s award-winning satirical comic strip Twisted ToyFare Theatre to find out what sort of magic they employ to produce their patented brand of satirical goodness (hint: it’s voodoo!). Get an exclusive peek at the next Twisted ToyFare strip, and answer TTT trivia to win crap! In this case, crap refers to TTT collected editions.

1pm – 2pm
Toys: Room 201C
Shocker Toys – What’s To Come
Come meet the crew of Shocker Toys and find out what they have in store for you this year!

3pm – 4pm
Comics: Room 204A
Humor in Superhero Comics
Join ToyFare’s own Justin Aclin as he explores the ways that comics make you laugh. Not all comics are 100% dark and serious, there’s a reason why they’re called “Funny Books”.
Hosted by Justin Aclin with awesome guest panelists Kevin Maguire, Dan Slott, Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente!

Full Harold Ramis Interview Now Up!

Hey Gang, hopefully everyone’s enjoying the recently released ToyFare #144, we had a lot of fun putting that bad boy together. And personally, I had a lot of fun interviewing comedy legend Harold Ramis of Ghostbusters, Animal House, Year One and just about every other really funny movie from the 80s. We were only able to squeeze a small portion of the interview into the magazine, but head over here for the whole thing. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed working on it.

–TJ

ToyFare # 144: On sale 6/10!

It was 25 years ago this year…that just about everything that was cool in the ’80s happened!

ToyFare’s celebrating with a special issue dedicated to how friggin’ awesome 1984 was, and our cover features the poster-boys of ‘84 awesomeness, the Ghostbusters!

Here’s what you’ll find between the covers:

• ToyFare’s own lucky duck TJ Dietsch got to interview Harold “Egon” Ramis about the Ghostbusters toys and video game, and his new flick “Year One”! Plus, an interview with the makers of the aforementioned Ghostbusters video game, which we’re totally jazzed to play!

• 1984 mini-features on Super Powers, Voltron, Ninja Turtles, Terminator, Secret Wars and the year’s best films!

Plus, non-1984 stuff:

• If you follow me on Twitter, you already know we’re world-debuting DC Universe Classics Question in this issue! And hey, there’s a new wave of DC Direct JLA Classified in here that I’m pretty sure is brand-new as well!

• Get to know the inductees into this year’s prestigious ToyFare Hall of Fame at Wizard World Philadelphia!

• Twisted ToyFare Theatre: The Troopers are back, and this time they’re running afoul of the universe’s deadliest killers…the Ewoks!

• Plus, more Incoming, San Diego exclusives, Big Shots and all the other goodness you’re accustomed to!

ToyFare’s on Twitter!

Or, well, I’m on Twitter at any rate.

Just in time for #followfriday, add me as a friend on your Twitter account! In celebration of this exciting new technology I’m discovering after Oprah and 98% of the free world, I’m announcing which DC Universe Classics figure we’re going to be debuting in ToyFare #144 on my Twitter account (twitter.com/aclincorp) right now! Check it out, and welcome me to 2008!

The Greatest Letter Ever

We get a lot of great letters here at ToyFare and Wizard. Some of them are interesting or heartwarming, and some of them are just…interesting.

But one letter has been hanging on ToyFare’s door as long as I’ve been here, and it’s one of the only things from the old office I made sure to take with me and hang up when we made the move to New York City recently.

Behold:

When this letter first arrived it was pure white, and as far as we can tell it turned hot pink over time out of pure awesomeness.

In case you can’t read, it says:

Dear ToyFare,
I’m familiar with Mattel’s “Masters of the Universe.” It originally ran from 1982to 1987, and now the Four Horsemen have revamped it for a new generation. The line won’t be released until mid-June 2002, not July or August, but mid-June. “Masters of the Universe” is a concept everyone can relate to. It’s definitely the best!

Your pal,
Philip

P.S. Is He-Man really a magician?

Well, we never took the time to answer this letter, so let me just say: Philip…He-Man is whatever the hell you decide he is. Rock on, buddy!

New York Fangoria Con

Hey horror fans, we wanted to let you know that this weekend will find all the coolest ghouls descending upon the Jacob Javits Center in NYC for the New York Fangoria Weekend of Horrors (June 5-7). I could go on about how cool it is, but this press release lays it all out for you, so enjoy and maybe I’ll see you there:

“FANGORIA’s Weekend of Horrors” Brings the Best of Horror June 5-7, 2009 Back to New York City!

“Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors” returns to New York City June 5 thru 7 with a thrilling line-up of top terror talent from both film and television. This fright-filled event takes place at the gargantuan Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street, with show hours Friday, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM and Saturday/Sunday 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Scream Celebrity guests scheduled to appear include: acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, director of PAN’S LABYRINTH, THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE, BLADE II and the HELLBOY movies; master of Italian horror Dario Argento, the maestro behind SUSPIRIA, DEEP RED, TENEBRAE, OPERA, MOTHER OF TEARS and new GIALLO; Tobe Hooper, director of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, POLTERGEIST, ’SALEM’S LOT, TOOLBOX MURDERS and MASTERS OF HORROR; “Godfather of Gore” Herschell Gordon Lewis, the director of BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS!, WIZARD OF GORE and many others; Tom Savini, makeup FX legend from DAWN OF THE DEAD, FRIDAY THE 13TH, MANIAC and many more, as well as actor from FROM DUSK TILL DAWN and GRINDHOUSE; Larry Fessenden, cult director of HABIT, WENDIGO and THE LAST WINTER, previewing new productions I SELL THE DEAD and THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL; Dennis Paoli, screenwriter of RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, BODY SNATCHERS, MASTERS OF HORROR, DAGON, CASTLE FREAK, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM and many more; and Michael Dougherty, writer/director of TRICK ‘R TREAT and screenwriter of SUPERMAN RETURNS and X2.

Three special horror reunions/panels include:

☛ LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT Reunion: with original baddies David Hess, Fred Lincoln, Jeramie Rain and Marc Sheffler

☛ TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Movies Reunion: with actresses Marilyn Burns & Caroline Williams.

☛ FRIDAY THE 13TH Tribute: with Betsy Palmer, the deadly Mrs. Voorhees, and her “sons”—Jason actors Kane Hodder and C.J. Graham

☛ DEAD AIR Panel world premiere screening of the new zombie flick; introduced by cast members Josh Feinman and Elle Travis.
-Continued-
Fangoria, 2-2-2

More of the fright field’s favorite faces will also appear at the Fango Convention: Doug Bradley, HELLRAISER’s Pinhead and star of new Clive Barker film BOOK OF BLOOD; James Marsters, beloved Spike of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL, as well as the series SMALLVILLE and TORCHWOOD; Ashley Laurence, actress from HELLRAISER films; Tony Darrow, much loved actor/comic from STREET TRASH, THE SOPRANOS, GOODFELLAS and LYNCH MOB, a new gangster horror flick; Robin Sherwood, actress from TOURIST TRAP and BLOW OUT; Lesleh Donaldson, Canadian actress from HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, CURTAINS, DEADLY EYES, FUNERAL HOME and FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE SERIES; and Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Argento actress from MOTHER OF TEARS, OPERA and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

A jam-packed indie horror movie festival and advance previews will be featured throughout the weekend of such films as FINAL DESTINATION: DEATH TRIP, ORPHAN, Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN 2 and HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO, THE CHILDREN, PANDORUM, WRONG TURN 3 and many others!

Contests are back! Fangoria Weekend will host a Spooks Model Competition, a Creepy Costume Contest and a Terrifying Savage Tattoo Contest, that will offer cash and prizes to the winners.

A dealer’s room will be filled with vendors selling horror film merchandise. Plus, tons of cool collectible giveaways will be available while supplies last and a prize-filled costume contest will take place.

On Saturday evening at 7:30 PM, James Marsters will perform live in concert as a part of Fangoria weekend. A separate ticket price is required.

“FANGORIA’s Weekend of Horrors” is sponsored by Tattoo Savage, Coffin Case, Baby Tattoo, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Premiere Props, Schector Guitar Research, Suicide Girls and co-produced by FANGORIA Magazine (www.fangoria.com), the world’s most popular publication for readers who enjoy horror in film, television and other media, and Creation Entertainment, the leading entertainment marketing and merchandising company.

General admission tickets are available in advance through www.creationent.com, Friday is $20 and Saturday and Sunday is $22. At the door tickets are, Friday, $20 and Saturday and Sunday, $25. Tickets for children 7-12 are $15 at the door only, and children six and under are free with parent or guardian. Tickets for the Saturday night concert are $25.

For further information, call Creation Entertainment, 818/409-0960 or visit our website at www.creationent.com.

–TJ

ToyFare # 143: On sale 5/13!

Okay, first off I just realized that there hasn’t been a blog post since the LAST time we were hyping an issue, and that’s lame. I apologize. In addition to our regular duties we’ve been wrapping up a new Twisted ToyFare volume (on sale in July!) and a few other cool projects, and that’s been keeping us mega-busy. I’m hoping that we’ll resume a more normal blog schedule very soon.

But back to the subject at hand, which is, of course, hyping an issue.

ToyFare #143 hits stores tomorrow, and we once again have two covers for you to agonize over choosing between. On the one hand there’s the terrifying new Megatron figure from the upcoming film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. On the other hand we have our President (Barack Obama, in case you didn’t know), talking to a hologram coming out of a robot. Decisions!

And here’s what you’ll find lurking beneath the covers:

• An interview with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen screenwriters (and Trek and Fringe writers) Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci! How much did fanboy feedback affect their script? Why are they stepping away from the franchise after this film? Who’s got more Transformer toys?

• An interview with Hasbro’s Transformers brand team about the new movie toys.

• Twisted ToyFare Theatre: What menace will the Megos face this month? Behold, the coming of…Bizarrobama!

• We interview comedy mega-legend Mel Brooks and put ideas in his head about toys!

• We interview DVD legends Shout Factory! about their upcoming Transformers G1 releases!

• The rise and fall (and subsequent re-rise) of Mego toys, as told by the man who started it all, Marty Abrams!

• Ever wonder what would have become of MV Studios’ He-Man comic or Devil’s Due’s G.I. Joe if they hadn’t stop publishing? Wonder no more, because we’ve got a feature all about it!

• Plus, your first look at Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics Webstor figure and tons more toys in Incoming, Big Shots, the results of TWO of our recent fan’s choice polls and tons more.

Yes, my friends…it’s a good-ass issue.

ToyFare # 142: On sale 4/8!

Hey, guys. ToyFare #142 is out this week, and with it we are proud to unleash on the world the most exciting new character of 2009:

Golden Age Spider-Man!!!

Who is he? How does he come into Mego Spidey’s life? What kind of archaic slang does he use? You can only find out in this month’s Twisted ToyFare Theatre!

Also in this issue:

• Confused by the continuities of all those Terminator movies and shows? Our timeline will set you straight, while our interview with Terminator Salvation director McG will set you salivating! And not just because his name sounds like a fast food restaurant!

• If you’re one of the bazillions of World of Warcraft players worldwide, check out our special feature on all the cool-ass merch you can score to show off your love! Special bonus: We interview my college roommate! (No, it’s cool…he’s an expert on the subject.)

• We interview the biggest box office star of all time…Frank Welker! Yes, the voice of Megatron (and Scooby Doo, and Nibbler, and Dr. Claw, and…)

• Get a beginner’s guide to the ever-popular (but occasionally impenetrable) designer/vinyl toys movement. It art-tastic!

• ROM Spaceknight. Nuff said! …What? Not Nuff said? Well, we cast a retro eye back at this ground-breaking toy, and speak to ROM co-creator Bing McCoy. Bing!

• Plus Big Shots, buttloads of Star Wars toys, and our back page ad featuring the product that lets you worship Kali AND save on your heating bill…plus much, much more!

Pick. It. Up.

G.I. Joe Resolute Premiering Soon

Looks like Cartoon Network has finally announced when the much-anticipated Warren Ellis re-imagining of the G.I. Joe universe will be hitting screens. Get read, because April 25th will see G.I. Joe Resolute lighting up your TV screen with plenty of violence and we couldn’t be happier. The schedule says it will be an hour long at midnight on the 24th, which is interesting because, when we talked to the producers, they said the episodes would be 5 minutes long. Looks like they’re stringing them all together like a movie.

Go go vote in our Power Rangers poll!

Whether you’re a fan from back in the days of Bulk and Skull (whatever happened to those guys…?) or you’re a die-hard Power Ranger fan of every iteration, you’ll definitely want to check out and vote in our Power Rangers Fan Poll! You’ll be helping Bandai determine which character gets interpreted as a super-articulated chase figure in an upcoming wave.

Climb into your Zord and hit the link!