Inside Out

The year isn't starting out too shabby for comics and graphic novels. According to ICv2, Madison, Wis., sales of comic periodicals and graphic novels were both up 19 percent in 2005, while graphic novels grew by 15 percent in January and comics sales increased 19 percent, compared to the same time last year. While January is usually a slow month, graphic novels sales declined only 7.7 percent from December to January because of several strong titles, including Serenity, Dark Horse Comics. Combined, comic and graphic novel sales declined 15.6 percent from December, a significantly shallower drop than last year when sales slipped a dramatic 26.5 percent from December of 2004…The Ruckus Card Game, manufactured by Funstreet, Northfield, Ill., has a new Web site, www.funstreetgames.com...Video game-themed theme parks? Nintendowill launch a theme park based on the characters of Pokémon this year, beginning in Taiwan. The park will open in Taipei in June and run for three months before moving on. The company is considering an opening in the U.S. as well as countries in Europe, at a later date. The property celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2006 and is featured on this month's video game page…Australian-based multimedia entertainment company Big Red Frog, Sydney, and its North American marketing agent, 360ep, Princeton, N.J., are launching a property aimed at combating child obesity, The Body Mechanics. It features a team of super heroes who help teach children healthy habits. The company will focus initially on comic books, young readers and edutainment series, toys and games, home and interactive entertainment and packaged food...New Line Cinema will launch a merchandising and licensing campaign in support of Inkheart, a film, about a 12-year-old girl, Meggie, and her dad, who brings characters in books to life once read aloud. The film is scheduled for release next fall...Diamond Select Toys is currently developing product based on X-Men: The Final Stand. The recently acquired license will include several collectible product lines based on the feature film scheduled for release May 26. Diamond's The Final Stand line will include statues, busts and Minimates.

Amid the first annual New York Comic-Con last month, several toy makers showcased their new, “animated” offerings for 2006. Art Asylum, New York, showcased the Clive Barker short stories and plush line, Jump Tribe, as well as Minimates and other figures. Art Asylum vice president Adam Unger says that the spring-released, Minimates movie, Darktide, will be one of the hottest things for the company this year, expanding interest in Minimates to more retailers. “Everyone's really excited about it, and a lot of retailers are taking [product] in already, including Toys “R” Us and Target,” says Unger...Schylling, Rowley, Mass., displayed their Tin Age of Marvel Toys line, featuring Marvel pinball, handheld Marvel fighters, a Spider-man tin car and Spider-Man Jack-in-the-Box. A Captain America Jack-in-the-Box will also be available this summer...Corgi, Chicago, showcased their Silver Age of Batmobile die-cast vehicles, which includes the 1960s Batmobile, a 1950s Killer Moth Mothmobile and 2000 Batmobile. The Corgi booth also featured an exclusive line of die-cast action figures for the Francis Lee created Tales of Midnight...For vinyl collectors, the Android 8 booth featured limited edition vinyl models of Brian Taylor's Rustboy, Opera Dude, Jesus Astronaut and Octopo. Android 8 CEO Glen Liberman says that the vinyl toy industry is getting bigger and bigger, but he still wants to keep his retailer base small. “Android 8 is here to promote the artist,” Liberman says. “Collectors love the limited appeal, because it's not mass produced. I see it more as a lifestyle, and I want to promote figures that I would personally want to own. It's special, because it has substance and depth.”