Collectible craze
By Karyn M. Peterson -- Playthings, 10/1/2006
Comic book shops' recent non-book top sellersSt. Mark's Comics, New York
DC Direct action figures, especially Elseworld (such as Red Son: Superman) and those inspired by Alex Ross's Justice, DC Comics, New York
Marvel Legends action figures: new releases, especially the Onslaught series, Toy Biz, New York
Star Wars R2-D2 Interactive Astromech Droid (2006), Hasbro, Pawtucket, R.I.
Force FX Lightsabers, Master Replicas, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Titanium Series die-casts (Star Wars, Transformers, Battlestar Galactica), Hasbro, Pawtucket, R.I.
BeGoths Collectible Dolls, Bleeding Edge, Torrance, Calif.
DC Direct action figures new releases, especially Identity Crisis and those inspired by Ed McGuinness' JLA, DC Comics, New York.
1:43 scale die-cast Batmobiles, Corgi, Chicago
Marvel statues from Bowen Designs, Milwaukie, Ore.; Diamond Select Toys, Timonium, Md.; Hard Hero's Marvel statues, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and DC Direct's Jim Lee-designed figures and statues, DC Comics, New York.
Vintage toys (G.I. Joe, Star Wars figures)
Gentle Giant maquettes/busts (such as Clone Wars), Gentle Giant, Burbank, Calif.
Golden Apple, Los Angeles
DC Direct action figures, especially Else world (such as Red Son: Superman) and those inspired by Alex Ross's Kingdom Come and Justice(Shazam), DC Comics, New York
Uglydolls new releases (Chuckanucka, Secret Mission Uglies), Prettyugly, Kenilworth, N.J.
Marvel statues at 1:4 scale, Sideshow Collectibles, Westlake Village, Calif.
Superhero insignia T-shirts (Batman, Superman), Graphitti Designs, Anaheim, Calif.
Marvel Selects action figures, Diamond Select Toys, Timonium, Md., and Marvel Legends action figures, Toy Biz, New York
Marvel busts/statues, Bowen Designs, Milwaukie, Ore.
HeroClix game figure booster packs, WizKids, Bellevue, Wash.
Gacha Machine toys new releases, especially Simpsons, Tomy, Newport Beach, Calif.
Limited-edition vinyl figures from Critterbox, Santa Monica, Calif.; Medicom, Japan; and Strangeco, San Francisco (especially Gary Baseman, Frank Kozik and Disney designs)
Movie Maniacs action figures, McFarlane Toys, Temp, Ariz.
Nightmare Before Christmas figures, Neca, Clark, N.J.
