With some of the most popular and sought after brands in the entertainment industry for movies, television, video games, comics, collectibles and more, Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) returns to San Diego Comic-Con to deliver special opportunities for fans of its pop-culture juggernaut properties. Led by displays of upcoming action figures, new NERF VORTEX blasters and “larger than life” statues from its powerhouse G.I. JOE, KRE-O, MARVEL, MY LITTLE PONY, STAR WARS and TRANSFORMERS product lines in its booth (#3213), Hasbro will offer fans an inside look into the breadth of many of these brands throughout the weekend with a variety of panels, autograph sessions and access to brand stewards, designers and more.
“San Diego Comic-Con is an amazing opportunity for us to engage with the most passionate fans of our brands and licensed properties,” said John Frascotti, global chief marketing officer, Hasbro, Inc. “Comic-Con allows us to provide our most enthusiastic fans with unique experiences based on the properties and characters they love as well as to introduce them to the newest brands and products from Hasbro. We look forward to this special celebration each year and are excited to deliver compelling panels, outstanding special edition collectibles and the opportunity for interactions with the amazing talent behind our brands that have become touchstones in the lives of many.”
Making its first San Diego Comic-Con appearance in 2011 is Hasbro’s new KRE-O brand, bringing action and adventure to the construction toy category. At launch and on display in the Hasbro booth, the KRE-O brand offers twelve building sets featuring popular TRANSFORMERS characters. Comic-Con attendees will want to keep an eye out for roaming OPTIMUS PRIME and BUMBLEBEE KREON costume characters, KRE-O statues and special edition OPTIMUS PRIME KREON figures featuring “MATRIX OF LEADERSHIP” deco not available in stores (while supplies last).
Giving fans a peek behind the curtain and an inside look into what’s coming in the future for many of its entertainment brands, Hasbro’s 2011 lineup of panels and autograph sessions follows:
Hasbro TRANSFORMERS Brand Panel: Thursday, July 21 from 2:30 – 3:30 PM in Room 24ABC
Hasbro Studios “The Making of ‘Transformers Prime’” Panel: Thursday, July 21 from 3:30 – 4:30 PM in Room 24ABC
Hasbro STAR WARS Panel: Friday, July 22 from 11:00am-12:00pm in Room 7AB
“Evolution of Transformers Animation” presented by Shout Factory and Hasbro Studios: Friday, July 22 from 5:30-6:30 PM in Room 8
Hasbro MARVEL Panel: Saturday, July 23 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM in Room 9
As a special experience for STAR WARS fans, Hasbro will welcome Dave Filoni, Supervising Director of the hit television series STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS for an autograph signing session on Saturday, July 23 from 2:00-3:00pm in the STAR WARS action figure section of the Hasbro booth #3213. Mr. Filoni will be signing a special edition STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS poster he designed specifically for this autograph session, free for fans. *** A ticket will be required to participate in the autograph session. Hasbro will distribute tickets on a first come, first serve basis Saturday morning beginning at 9:30am in the Hasbro booth #3213 (while supplies last).***
Hasbro’s presence at the convention will be rounded out by the highly anticipated HasbroToyShop.com special edition San Diego Comic-Con collectibles available at the HasbroToyShop booth (#3329) and in limited quantities, after Comic Con, at www.HasbroToyShop.com. The complete list of 2011 special edition items follow:
G.I. JOE 3.75″ ZARANA SPECIAL EDITION FIGURE
(Ages: 4 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $14.99 each)
The Dreadnoks get even more dreadful as ZARTAN’S sister, ZARANA, becomes the latest G.I. JOE Comic-Con special edition figure…in two different styles! The primary figure features the mistress of disguise’s classic look, with pink top, pink hair and a classic-style buzzsaw weapon. The variant figure (sold separately) depicts the character in her “Cold Slither” rock band disguise—black Cold Slither shirt and black hair—and also comes with the buzzsaw weapon.
G.I. JOE SKY STRIKER VEHICLE WITH STARSCREAM DECO AND 3.75″ COBRA COMMANDER SPECIAL EDITION FIGURE
(Ages: 4 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $49.99 each)
The worlds of G.I. JOE and TRANSFORMERS collide in toy form. The new G,I, JOE: SKY STRIKER jet receives a custom make-over to become the vehicle form of legendary DECEPTICON STARSCREAM. The COBRA COMMANDER figure, which can fit in the cockpit of the jet, features the classic character in a flight suit and comes with a custom Walther P38 pistol – well known to TRANSFORMERS fans as the alt-mode of DECEPTICON leader MEGATRON!
INDIANA JONES “LOST WAVE” SPECIAL EDITION COLLECTOR’S PACK
(Ages 4 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $64.99)
Just in time for the 30th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hasbro excavates an entire “lost wave” of the fan-favorite 2008 INDIANA JONES line as a Comic-Con special edition Collector’s Pack! Each pack includes INDY IN GERMAN DISGUISE (with rocket launcher), SAPITO (with torch and backpack), CLASSIC INDY (with pistol, Idol, sandbag, torch and logo base), MARION (with snakes and torch), GERMAN MECHANIC (with removable hat and wrench) and TOHT (with medallion, hot poker, removable overcoat and alternate “melting” head). Complete your INDIANA JONES collection with this collectable box set featuring six individually carded toys!
NERF N-STRIKE TRANSFORMERS BARRICADE OPTIMUS PRIME RV-10 Blaster
(Ages 6 years & up; Approx. Retail Price: $24.99)
Introducing the special edition NERF N-STRIKE TRANSFORMERS BARRICADE OPTIMUS PRIME RV-10 blaster, a motorized, semi-auto NERF blaster with revolving dart barrel that holds up to 10 whistle darts. The blaster features an exclusive new deco with TRANSFORMERS detailing, styled after the OPTIMUS PRIME character. The NERF N-STRIKE TRANSFORMERS BARRICADE OPTIMUS PRIME RV-10 blaster is compatible with the NERF Tactical Rail System and accessories (each sold separately). Requires three “AA” batteries; not included.
MARVEL MINI MUGGS THE AVENGERS SPECIAL EDITION COLLECTOR’S PACK
(Ages: 3 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $34.99 each)
MINI MUGGS, Assemble! The Marvel universe gets its first set of ultra-hip vinyl MINI MUGGS as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes get remade from “100% recycled awesome”. HULK, THOR, IRON MAN and CAPTAIN AMERICA are each included as MINI MUGGS, with a MIGHTY MUGG-sized GIANT MAN literally bursting out of the special edition packaging!
MARVEL UNIVERSE 16” SPECIAL EDITION SENTINEL FIGURE
(Ages 4 and up; Approximate Retail Price $59.99)
The bane of mutantkind is now a red-hot Comic-Con special edition figure! Hot on the heels of 2010’s wildly popular MARVEL UNIVERSE 19” GALACTUS FIGURE, fans at Comic-Con will be the first to be able to purchase this MARVEL UNIVERSE 17” SENTINEL FIGURE, featuring a variety of lights and sounds and packaged on a giant blister card! Both the blister card and its special edition outer box are adorned with one-of-a-kind artwork by Joe Quesada, Marvel Comics’ chief creative officer.
MARVEL MIGHTY MUGGS SPIDER-MAN SPECIAL EDITION FIGURE
(Ages: 6 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $15.99 each)
Your friendly neighborhood SPIDER-MAN is back, as a cool and collectible MIGHTY MUGGS figure! This special edition figure features a removable soft goods mask with a Peter Parker paint deco underneath, and is highlighted in premium commemorative foil packaging.
MARVEL LEGENDS THOR SPECIAL EDITION FIGURE
(Ages: 4 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $24.99 each)
Celebrate the return of the fan-favorite MARVEL LEGENDS toy line in 2012 with this limited-edition preview figure. THOR, the mighty AVENGER is featured in his latest comics-accurate costume in the classic 6-inch MARVEL LEGENDS scale, and in a premium package shaped like his hammer, MJOLNIR.
MY LITTLE PONY 2011 Special Edition Pony
(Ages 3 and up; Approximate Retail Price $14.99)
The popular special edition MY LITTLE PONY figure, available each year at San Diego Comic-Con, will be showing fans a more mysterious side of the MY LITTLE PONY brand in 2011. This special edition, translucent pony figure is decorated with playful gothic details and a few ghoulish graphics, featuring beautifully rooted hair in shades of fuchsia and magenta. Look closely – can you spot a hidden “M” “L” and “P” in the details? The pony is housed in a vibrant package with two clear “peek-a-boo” MY LITTLE PONY silhouettes on either side of the box, showing off every goth detail of the black and purple figure. Fans can get a first look at this HasbroToyShop.com exclusive when it launches at San Diego Comic-Con 2011!
STAR WARS VINTAGE REVENGE OF THE JEDI SPECIAL EDITION DEATH STAR COLLECTOR’S PACK
(Ages 4 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $129.99)
Revenge is finally served in this incredible package of 12 figures and two exclusive mini-figures, all on highly collectible Revenge of the Jedi packaging! This Comic-Con special edition figure is the only place to get all 12 short-packed STAR WARS VINTAGE figures in one place, all individually carded with packaging that pays tribute to Kenner’s classic “lost” Revenge of the Jedi backing cards, which bore the original name of Episode VI. In addition, this special DEATH STAR collector’s pack will be the only place to get SALACIOUS CRUMB and the MOUSE DROID on Vintage Revenge of the Jedi mini-backing cards. The other figures included are LUKE SKYWALKER, HAN SOLO, R2-D2, DARTH VADER, B-WING PILOT, ADMIRAL ACKBAR, BOBA FETT, ENDOR REBEL TROOPER, STORMTROOPER, WICKET THE EWOK, PRINCESS LEIA and TIE-FIGHTER PILOT.
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON SPECIAL EDITION ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME FIGURE
(Ages: 5 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $79.99)
Fans will have their first chance to get their hands on the new TRANSFORMERS MECHTECH ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME action figure at Comic-Con, with a special edition foil-wrapped, slide-out package and customizable sticker sheet. This special edition ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME will be the only way to get the figure displayed in vehicle and trailer mode; the trailer doubles as a weapons arsenal and is an integral part of the figure’s converting play pattern. The MECHTECH ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME figure features lights, launching projectiles, electronic battle sounds and phrases and three modes of conversion – vehicle, robot, and robot with “mech suit.” The trailer, which serves as a weapons depot and command center, also converts into a “mech suit” that OPTIMUS PRIME shows off when it’s time to rumble.
TRANSFORMERS PRIME OPTIMUS PRIME FIRST EDITION FIGURE
(Ages: 5 & up; Approximate Retail Price: $19.99)
With the mainline series not available until later in 2011, be among the first to get an action figure based on the style of The Hub’s hit animated series, TRANSFORMERS PRIME with this special edition figure. This deluxe class OPTIMUS PRIME figure converts from robot to truck mode and features a premium deco only available in this special edition Comic-Con figure. And, in true TRANSFORMERS fashion, the “Matrix of Leadership” packaging in which the figure is housed ‘converts’ into a wearable piece!