Jon Bon Jovi is one of the latest musicians to join McFarlane Toys’ expanding collection of music action figures. The figure stands 6" tall and features Bon Jovi singing into the microphone on the stand, with his black acoustic guitar slung behind him. Launch date: August 2007.

The first wave of this series features the industry's finest sculptors collaborating with the amazing designs of Alex Ross to create a truly unique collectible.  Each figure includes special accessories and a sense of hyperrealism. The case includes 12 individually packaged action figures; among the figures are 6x Flash Gordon and 6x Ming the Merciless.  Launch date: October 2007.

Combining the fun of the movie with the stylized look of urban vinyl toys, this exciting assortment of 12 individually packaged action figures includes: 6x The Dude and 6x Walter.  Each action figure includes accessories from the movie, outfits featuring cloth pieces, removable glasses and more.  Launch date: October 2007.

Papo is proud to introduce its new line of Weapon Master for 2007. The hand-painted King of Knights is just one of 10 in the series. For added play value, each of the Weapon Master Knights can ride a horse and stand on its own.
— Shirley Reilly, owner of Let's Play in Hillsboro, Ore., discussed with TDmonthly the upcoming 2007 Christmas season, noting that Papo Knights will be big with little boys.
— “Papo has truly outdone themselves creating one of the most detailed knights on the market,” said Brian Shackleton, operations manager for Hotaling Imports, the toy’s U.S. distributor.
— Ask retailers’ advice for how to sell to boys and Papo Knights ride to the rescue again and again, no matter what the season. They’ve been on three TDmonthly Top-10 Most-Wanted Toys lists over the last year, which is why they’ve been named a TDmonthly Top Seller 2007.

Where to Buy: Really Great Toys

The historically accurate western figures are aimed at both boys and girls.

These historically accurate Samurai figures are part of a line that’s expanding out to cover all areas of life during feudal times in Japan.

Now everyone in the armed forces can get a custom action figure that looks just like them; after all they are all real heroes. Each comes dressed in either , Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines Dress Uniforms and each has a 20-second on site recordable voice chip. The figures were inspired when Herobuilders founder, Emile Vicale, was separated from his 2-year-old daughter. “She would walk around with my pictures in her hands and was always looking for me,” said Vicale. “When I heard this, I made several action figures of myself, each with special messages for different situations …and now she drags "baby Daddy" around wherever she goes. So it was just obvious to me now why Military personnel need a memorable cost effective gift for family and friends” Special discount price of $380.00 for military personnel is for the first figure; copies are $39.95 each. Launch date: May 2007.

Assembling a top-notch zoo in the playroom just got a little easier. These well-crafted, realistic looking, humorously named animals are packaged as a pair — a male and female of each species. The cards that accompany the animals detail information about the habitat and size of each species. All animals are built to a consistent scale of 1:24. “Each animal pair is packaged with an educational ID Card that contains a unique secret scratch code, similar to Webkinz. When collectors gather and register the entire series, Caboodle! Toys rewards their diligence by sending a Caboodle! — a box of special, exclusive rewards,” Co-founder Steve King of Caboodle! Toys told TDmonthly. Noah's Pals was a spring 2007 Parents' Choice Approved award winner. Launch date: February 2007.

Driven to a life of crime to save his sick daughter, Flint Marko went down the unintended but dark path of becoming the Sandman. Now he won't let anything get in his way, including Spider-Man. The Sandman figure has interchangeable hands. Press the lever for smashing sand-punch action. Super detailed, this is one friendly neighborhood action figure to add to your collection The Sandman also comes with Spider-Man peel-off stickers.
— "Action figures? We do it across the board. Just got Spider-Man stuff from Hasbro. We ordered all of that," said Buddy Wood, owner of Le Jouet Inc. in Metairie, La.

Snake Eyes uses a tactical flight pack with pivoting blades, giving him speed and maneuverability in the air. His skills are essential in combating Storm Shadow, who has his own flight pack to perform aerial missions of sabotage and destruction. The articulated Snake Eyes action figure comes with ninja weapons and accessories, and features a backpack with spinning copter blades.
— Buddy Wood, owner of Le Jouet Inc. in Metairie, La., cited "G.I. Joe" as one of the lines of action figures selling well with customers in the spring of 2007.

The King is one of six figures in Safari’s imaginative Once Upon a Time Collection. The figures range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall (the King is 2.5” long by 5.25” high) and are offered individually or in a POP display for flexible retailing. Pieces in the collection are superbly sculpted by masters for hours of imaginative play. Launch date: May 2007.

The Sorceress is one of six figures in Safari’s imaginative Once Upon a Time Collection. This figure measures 3.75” long by 4.5” high. Pieces in the collection are superbly sculpted by masters for hours of imaginative play. Launch date: May 2007.

Smart weapons, realistic lights and sounds and twin-firing power are some of the features in the new 8” ShadowTek Batman Electronic figure assortment. With three distinct themes — Electro-Armor Batman, Twin-Blasters Batman and Dual Defender Robin — this assortment captures the essence of ShadowTek with electronics. Each figure requires three button cell batteries, which are included.
— "I do have some of the Batman action figures," said Anna Barr, owner of Anna's Toy Depot in Austin, Texas, when asked about best-sellers in her store.
— Batman action figures were cited by specialty retailers, primarily those located in the Southwest.
— Two of 34 retailers TDmonthly spoke with in spring 2007 mentioned Batman, as well as Mattel, when asked about action figures in their stores.

This 4” figure is part of the Knights and Dragons series and is sold separately. It’s hand painted and accurately detailed.
— Safari knights are big sellers, Hans Masing, owner of Brain Station in Ann Arbor, Mich., told TDmonthly.
— Trish Garlock, owner of Treasured Child in La Grange, Ky., also did well with Safari knights and animals.
— “Safari toys are educational,” assured Safari’s President, Ramona Pariente (View Article). The knights are designed to be historically accurate.

Every town has a Crazy Cat Lady — the one who lives in a tiny house full of feral felines. This 5-1/4” hard vinyl Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure weighs 1 lb. and has a wild look in her eye. She comes with six cats and an illustrated blistercard. "Do you get excited when you hear a can opener?" That question and more can be found on an accompanying quiz, so that consumers can find out if they’re a Crazy Cat Lady.  
— "We really don't do action figures. The only ones we have are the ones from Accoutrements. The best seller is the Crazy Cat Lady. They have a whole line of action figures. They have Mozart, for example. Lots of stuff," said David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont.
— When asked about sales for the action figure, Campbell responded, "A couple a month for the Crazy Cat Lady. It's not just cat ladies who are buying it …. It's lots of fun."
— David Wahl, company spokesman for Accoutrements/Archie McPhee, told TDmonthly, "The Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure is a tongue-in-cheek look at a figure that is familiar in our culture. We find that people with multiple cats enjoy identifying themselves with the figure. It makes a wonderful gift for your favorite cat person."

The canoe was an important tool that Indians used for hunting and to cover long distances over water. The hand-painted Canoe With Figure captures this importance and is a great addition to the Schleich American Frontier Collection. The bold warrior figure is considerably detailed, from feathered headband to realistic canoe. It weighs 11.2 ounces and is 9” long.
— "We do a lot of Schleich, and the Schleich Indians have been doing really well," said Kate Tanner, owner of Kidstop Toy & Book Store in Scottsdale, Ariz., when asked about action figures in her store.
— As for specific reasons customers buy the Schleich Indian figures, Tanner added, "It's probably because we're in the Southwest. Schleich does extremely well for us here."
— Although knights and pirates were cited most often by retailers who mentioned Schleich action figures to TDmonthly, six of 10 also named other popular figures, such as the Canoe.

In the battle against the infidel, many knights joined forces and formed different knights' orders. This knight is part of the World of Knights Series and is no exception to Schleich’s reputation for beautiful art work and detail on hand-painted figurines. The knights are 1:20 scale, ranging in size from about 4" to 6", and are made of durable synthetic material.
— Trish Garlock, owner of Treasured Child in La Grange, Ky., said, "My Schleich has done wonderfully," when asked about action figures in her store. She said the knights, in particular, were among customer favorites.
— Retailers TDmonthly spoke with reported monthly sales of 10 to 200 Schleich action figures a month.
— Ten of 34 retailers TDmonthly spoke with in spring 2007 cited Schleich action figures as being popular with customers.

The Witch is one of six figures in Safari’s Once Upon a Time Collection, which also includes Princess, Prince Charming, Sorceress, Wizard and King — figures that range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall. Launch date: May 2007.

Princess is part of a magical collection of fantasy figures called the Once Upon a Time Collection. Pieces are superbly sculpted by masters for hours of imaginative play, and the collection consists of six figures: Princess, Prince Charming, Witch with Owl, Sorceress, Wizard and King. It is offered individually or in a POP display for flexible retailing. The figures range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall. Launch date: May 2007.

This ship’s helm and cannonballs are part of Safari’s pirate collection, which includes six pirate figurines and other accessories that range from 3” to 4” long. The pieces are hand-painted and phthalate-free. Launch date: Spring 2007.

This treasure chest and cannon are part of Safari’s pirate collection, which includes six pirate figurines and other accessories that range from 3” to 4” long. The pieces are hand painted and phthalate free. Launch date: Spring 2007.

This skeleton is part of Safari’s new pirate collection, which also includes a treasure chest, six pirates, cannonballs, a cannon and a ship’s wheel that turns. It is hand painted and phthalate free, and comes with a treasure map. Launch date: Spring 2007.

Safari's pirate collection embraces the intrigue and adventure of life on the high seas. Gunner Phillip Morton is one of six 4”-tall pirates in the collection. He is hand painted and phthalate-free. "Our Pirates are...[v]ery finely detailed with excellent handpainting. The collection also includes a treasure chest that opens and closes, cannonballs, a ship’s wheel that turns and [a] cannon that moves up and down," Safari Ltd. President Ramona Pariente told TDmonthly. "Educational information is included in five languages." Launch date: Spring 2007.

With this collection, kids can embark on a spellbinding voyage of yesteryear when seas were plagued with marauding pirates. This hand-painted and phthalate-free pirate measures 4” tall. Launch date: Spring 2007.

This historical marauder is part of Safari's collection of six pirates and various accessories. It is offered individually, on platform boxes or in a POP retail display. All figures are hand painted and phthalate free. Pirates measure 4” tall and the accessories range in size from 3” to 4” long. Launch date: Spring 2007.