Go retro!

Wonder if you'll ever see Tom & Jerry, Voltron or Dick and Jane ever again? The answer is yes. In fact, these classics and others make a comeback this year for collectors and offer a little something different for younger fans-to-be. The following are some retro reruns to keep an eye on in coming months—collectors sure will.

In I Love Lucy's Oct. 29, 1956 episode, “Visitor from Italy,” Lucy worked in a pizza shop. Forty years later the comedy classic has been immortalized by USAopoly, Carlsbad, Calif., as a 500-piece, pizza-shaped puzzle, packaged in a pizza box printed with the image of Lucy with pizza dough on her face. The collector's puzzle will be available to specialty retailers this spring.

McFarlane Toys, Tempe, Ariz., has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products for a new line of action figures based on characters from vintage 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoons. The initial assortment, available in July, features Fred Flintstone on either a motorcycle or in a car, Quick Draw Mcgraw as El Kabong, and two Tom & Jerry designs—No Trespassing! and Rock 'n' Roll. Two other Hanna-Barbera properties—Scooby-Doo and the Jetsons—will be featured on apparel, footwear and food, and as collectible figures by McFarlane and plush from Cuddles. Outside of its Hanna-Barbera efforts, Warner Bros. is also developing a merchandising campaign for Thundercats featuring collectible figures, apparel, accessories and gift/novelty items, and pushing classic Tweety with exclusive product assortments at Los Angeles boutique shop Kitson and at Scoop, New York.

Mezco Toyz, New York will release the first-ever action figures based on the original Miami Vice TV series. Detective James “Sonny” Crocket and Detective Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs come in 9-inch form along with accessories such as Elvis the crocodile, guns and removable sunglasses, police badges and briefcases. The figures are decked out in true mid-80s Miami style—rolled-up suit jackets sleeves and all. They will ship in September/October.

• Archie Comics, Mamaroneck, N.Y., celebrates the 65th anniversary of the Riverdale High crew—Betty, Veronica, Jughead and Archie—with numbered, collectible busts from Diamond Select Toys, apparel, new titles and additional promotional product. Look for mobile games from Nazara and a video game this fall from Infospace.
• The Wildflower Group, New York, has developed a product selection around Penguin's classic early reading book Dick and Jane, which made its first appearance in 1930. This spring, Hyp Hats, maker of children's T-shirts, and bag producer Worldwide Dreams were the first of many licensees to help bring the brand to some new markets. Later this year an expanded children's merchandise program for the property will include classic toys and a back-to-school products push.

As the “Defenders of the Universe,” Voltron figures are back courtesy of Toynami, Sherman Oaks, Calif. The five Robot Lions from the 1980s cartoon transform and unite to create Voltron. The complete, assembled Voltron figure will stand 11 inches tall. The Voltron Lion Masterpiece line initially sold out when first released this January. Toynami is re-releasing the collection of five lions: Princess Allura's Blue Lion, Pidge's Green Lion, Keith's Black Lion, Lance's Red Lion and Hunk's Yellow Lion. Each is packaged in a book-style box with slide-out tray for safe mint-in-box storage.