|
September
27, 2000: Straight from the pages of beloved horror writer H.P.
Lovecraft, has arisen Toy Vaults first plush doll; based on the hideous creature
Lovecraft dubbed Cthluhu.
Toy Vault is the company responsible for producing unbelievably detailed
action-figures on such wonderful properties as “The Lord of the Rings,” “Astro
City,” and “Farscape.”
H.P. Lovecraft, considered by many critics to be
the inventor of modern horror, is an inspiration to such modern writers as
Robert Bloch and Stephen King. Lovecraft
is also well known for his loosely linked cycle of stories known as the Cthulhu
Mythos, his works will be forever cherished by fans of horror related
literature.
Designed as a cuddly companion for Lovecraft fans, the “Cthulhu Plush”
should be considered a great addition to any Lovecraft collection. “The
flawless design of this doll makes it hard to resist purchasing one,” said
Adam Stines, an avid Lovecraft enthusiast.
“I believe H.P. Lovecraft himself would be pleased, and furthermore
with Toy Vault doing the manufacturing, you know you’ll get a quality product!”
Constructed of a green felt-like material, the “Cthulhu
Plush” has tentacles filled with beanies and beautiful wings assembled with a
wire underskirt, but don’t let the cute outside fool you, for a monsters heart
lies within. “We were extremely
pleased with the design and construction of our new “Cthluhu Plush” doll,”
said Jon Huston Toy Vault Creative Director.
“We originally showed the Cthulhu doll at GenCon 2000 in Milwaukee, and
were overwhelmed by the response from both the dealers and more importantly from
the fans.”
Shipping this winter with a retail price of $29.99,
“Cthluhu Plush” is a must have for Lovecraft collectors!
September
13, 2000: Toy Vault, the company responsible for producing the
acclaimed “Lord of the Rings” and “Astro City” lines, has announced
their first assortment of action figures based on the hit, online computer game,
EverQuest.
“The challenge in creating a line of toys based
on a computer game,” said Jon Huston, Creative
Director for Toy Vault, “Is
to produce figures that look like the game characters, but with an added level
of realism and extra detail that may not show in the original computer
animation. Our EverQuest action figures are not only going to meet that
challenge but surpass it. Our
ultimate aim,” said Huston, “is to bring to the marketplace, the most
realistically rendered figures ever based on a popular computer game.”
Toy Vault will launch its new EverQuest line in the
fall of 2000, with an initial wave of four figures.
These detailed figures will feature seven points of articulation and will
be on a scale of six feet to seven inches tall.
Regular version and specialty versions will be produced for each figure.
The regular version Troll, “Troll Shaman,” will
be available with a plain 2 eyed head. This
figure will also feature various accessories, such as black enameled mace, a
clockwork rat and a moss snake. “Troll
Warrior,” the specialty version of the Troll figure, will be produced with a
different head and comes packed with leather tunic, Shortsword of the Ykesha,
spiderling, a clockwork rat.
Like the Troll, the Female, Dark Elf will also be
available with different face sculpts. The
regular version “Dark Elf Magician,” comes equipped with a Robe of the
elements, elemental pet, Stein of Moggok, and a lava duct crawler.
Shipping with an alternate head the specialty version, “Dark Elf
Wizard,” includes a Robe of the Kedge, Staff of the Wheel, Book with silver
runes, and a briarweb spider.
The Iksar, one of the Lizardmen Warriors of Kunark,
will ship in two unique styles. “Iksar
Warrior,” the regular version figure, has an open-mouthed head and comes with
Bladed Thulian claw and Qeynos Kite Shield.
The specialty version figure – “Iksar Necromancer” includes Iksar
with closed mouth head, wearing a Flowing Black Robe, scythe, black widow, and a
briar snake.
The Jackel-headed Gnoll, one of the many monsters
inhabiting the EverQuest universe, will have only one head sculpt but each
figure will come packed with multiple accessories.
“Splitpaw Gnoll,” the regular edition figure comes white in color and
includes a stone spider, a giant snake, and a Shield of the Slain Unicorn. A Polished Granite Tomahawk, a rattlesnake, and wooly
spiderling, are all accessories of “Grenix Mucktail,” the specialty version
of the Gnoll. This figure will have
a blue paint scheme with brown and green leggings.
Toy Vault has also announced plans to release a
“creature pack” containing a clockwork rat, undead froglok, elemental pet,
rock spiderling, briarweb spider, and a snake.
“I think that the EverQuest
line is going to emerge as one of the most exciting collection of action figures
this year,” said Huston, “and an absolute ‘must have’ for fantasy fans
and gamers alike.”
Sony
Online Entertainment is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation and Sony Pictures
Digital Entertainment. SOE produces and distributes online entertainment
targeted to mainstream consumers and game enthusiasts. SOE owns and manages The
Station@sony.com, one of the leading online entertainment networks, that
distributes online entertainment from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc., and third-party developers. SOE also works with
Sony's U.S. operating companies in the area of online advertising and
sponsorship sales. SOE is located in San Diego.
EverQuest, and Scars of Velious
are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. Verant Interactive and the Verant Interactive logo are trademarks
of Verant Interactive Inc. © 2000 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
September 7, 2000: Newly re-done Lord
of the Nazgul figures have recently arrived at our warehouse.
The new figures are repainted to correct the original versions, which had
poor paint jobs. The Black Rider
and The Black Captain figures were found most likely to have paint defects.
The gold trimming on many of
the figures was out of line in several areas.
Not all figures were affected.
Anyone interested in exchanging their figure, please e-mail Tony Smith (info@toyvault.com)
or call (606)877-9818. Please state
how many figures you are returning, approximate weight of the box your
returning, and what address you would like your UPS call tag sent to.
All figures must be returned complete with accessories and original
display box.
August 23,2000: The Toy Vault Toy Club online store has been
updated to include the Galadriel and Barrow-wight action figures from the
Middle-earth Toys line. To order, please click on the link at the bottom
of this update. Also new to the site is "Cthulhu Plush," check
back right here next week for more information and pictures on this exciting new
product based on the works of the great H.P. Lovecraft.
August 16, 2000: We apologize for the lack of an update last
week. Toy Vault attended GenCon 2000 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The
response to the Farscape Series 1 action figures was outstanding. Thanks
to all of our fans who dropped by our booth. The accessory list for the
figures was also recently announced and is listed below:
D'Argo:
· Specialty version:
‘Til The Blood Runs Clear
With dagger, Qualta Blade and sand mask.
·Regular version: Luxan Warrior
With sword, Tokaar knife, Shilquin
Zhaan:
· Specialty version:
Spiritualist And Healer
With
small face mask, trelkez with perch.
· Regular version: Delvian
Pa’u
With
blue robe and sleep mist bottle and headress
Crichton:
· Specialty version: Commander
Crichton
With helmet, big gun with strap, 2 DRDs, sand goggles, jacket
· Regular version: Astronaut and
Scientist
With helmet, baby drak, audio headset,
2 DRDs, Jacket
Chiana:
· Specialty version: Armed And Dangerous
With gun, handcuffs, neck collar
· Regular
version: Anarchistic Runaway
With bladed weapon, handcuffs, neck collar
August 2, 2000: The Toy Vault Toy Club is running low on
several figures including: Gollum aka Smeagol, Gollum with his Precious,
Gimli in Battle, and Gandalf in Hobbiton. If you are interested in
ordering any of these figures, please do so now, before they're all gone!
Gandalf the Wizard, Frodo the Hobbit, and Ugluk the Orc are all presently out of
stock, however the TVTC anticipates restocking these figures in 1-2
months. The Alice in Wonderland box set will also be restocked at that
time. If you have any questions concerning any of the above mentioned
figures, or if you would like to order figures, please give us a call
(606)877-9818 or e-mail the Toy Vault Toy Club at info@toyvault.com.
July 26, 2000: Toy Vault announces the release of it's eagerly anticipated The Other Side of the
Looking Glass line, with a deluxe set of cold-cast pre-painted resin figurines.
Taken from Lewis Carroll's timeless beloved fantasy classics "Alice In Wonderland" and "Through The Looking Glass", these beautifully sculpted and painted
figures come packaged in a special collectors see-through box.
"When I first encountered these books as a child", said Toy Vault's art director,
Jon Huston, "I was utterly enchanted by the illustrations of the legendary Victorian artist
Sir John Tenniel. While many toys and figures based on Carroll's work have appeared
over the years, most have either been original interpretations or based on some other
version such as the Disney animated film." "Even toys based directly on the books",
added Huston, "have for the most part, completely failed to capture the strange other-worldly quality of Tenniel's original art work. One of the
reasons we've been working on this line for over two years now is that we wanted to make sure
we got it right. I think we have!"
Toy Vault's initial set offers four of Carroll's most beloved characters, including
Alice with flamingo and hedge hog, Humpty Dumpty, the Mad Hatter, and the Caterpillar, complete with
hookah pipe and mushroom stand. A must have for figurine collectors and Alice fans alike, this
deluxe box set will sell for $29.95, and soon be found at retail outlets and gift and specialty shops across the country.
July 19, 2000: The Toy Vault Toy Club order forms have been
updated to include the upcoming Farscape and EverQuest action figures. To
download an order form in Microsoft Word format, please click here!
You can also order by phone, just call (606)877-9818. "Tales from the Vault" the official
Toy Vault Toy Club newsletter has hit the mail and should be arriving in the
next 1-3 weeks. Included in the newsletter is an order form, a full color
Galadriel and Barrow-wight flyer, and an EverQuest mail-in card thats good for
one free "Sharkjaw Cutlass" toy. Please contact us with any questions
concerning the newsletter.
July 5, 2000: In 1998, when Toy Vault introduced Middle-earth toys, a line of action figures
based on the best-selling novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, they became the first manufacturer
ever to release action figures based solely on a literary property. Carrying on this
tradition, Toy Vault has announced it's upcoming release of Cthulhu Rising, a new cold
cast resin statue based on the works of the noted horror writer, H. P. Lovecraft.
Just as Tolkien's trilogy set the standard for epic fantasy, Lovecraft's work has
become the cornerstone of modern horror fiction. Lovecraft's presence has spread to
every corner of the genre, influencing major writers like Robert Bloch, Stephen King, and
Brian Lumley and movies ranging from the low budget classics "The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre" and "The Evil Dead", to major studio releases like "Alien" and "John Carpenter's The Thing". In addition, since the
Lovecraft revival of the 1960's, there have been a number of films based directly on the master's
stories. These adaptations have ranged from the good ("Reanimator", "Haunted Palace", and
"The Resurrected"), to the poor ("The Curse", "Die, Monster, Die", and "The Crimson Cult"), but
all regardless of quality, have failed for the most part, to capture Lovecraft's unique mixture of gothic
horror and science fiction, which the author himself dubbed "cosmic horror."
"Lovecraft is one of the most difficult writers to adapt to a visual medium", said
Jon Huston, creative director for Toy Vault. While Lovecraft's feverish, adjective-ridden
prose packs an emotional whallop, his descriptions of the various monsters and elder
gods that populate his tales, tend to be rather vague." "Because of this", added Huston, "I
knew I had to find a sculptor, or sculptors, capable of bringing a nebulous concept to
terrifying life. When I finally came upon the work of Brandon and Jarrod
Shiflett, I knew
this was the team for the job."
Best known for their Kabuki and Duke Nukem statues for Moore Creations, the
world famous Shiflett brothers have created one of the most intricate and difficult sculpts
they have ever attempted. Cthulhu Rising marks the first time any artists have attempted
to sculpt a three dimensional representation of an actual scene from one of Lovecraft's
short stories. This beautifully painted resin statue depicts Lovecraft's shambling, "old
one" as it appears in the story "The Call of Cthulhu", devouring a band of unfortunate
sailors who've unknowingly opened the door to its domain.
Shipping early in 2001 at a suggested retail price of $199.00, Cthulhu Rising is a
"must have" for Lovecraft collectors, and fans of horror sculpture alike. The stars are
right again. CTHULHU FTAGHN'! Click here
for a picture of the Cthulhu Statue!
June 28, 2000: Toy Vault has announced its first wave of action figures based on the Sci-Fi
Channel's top rated hit series, Farscape. This Jim Henson Company Production, currently in its second season, has become the most popular and acclaimed science fiction
series currently on the air.
"We've promoted the new line at several major toy and sci-fi conventions so far
this year," said Lawrence Jones, sales manager for Toy Vault, "and the fans are just crazy
about this show. It's rare to find a television series with the combination of intelligent
scripting and feature film quality, special effects that one sees on Farscape. I've
attended a number of cons over the years, from Star Trek to Babylon 5", added Jones, "and I've
never seen fans more enthusiastic about any new series as they are for this one. Fan
anticipation for the action figures has just been phenomenal, and I can't wait to see what
happens when they hit the stores."
Toy Vaults first wave of Farscape action figures is due for an fall 2000 release,
and will feature four of the shows most popular characters. Zhaan, the blue skinned Delvian priest, will have cloth garments and feature six
points of articulation. Her accessories will include a sleep mist bottle, small face mask,
and a two-headed bird creature. Crichton
(Click for photo), the shows only human character and main protagonist, will have
sculpted clothing and six points of articulation. His accessories will include helmet, big
gun with strap, sand goggles, and audio and telescopic headsets. Chiana
(Click for photo), the alluring Nebari rebel who joined the cast towards
the end of season one, will have sculpted clothing, six points of articulation and accessories including a
gun, handcuffs, neckcuffs, and a bladed weapon. D'Argo
(Click for photo), the Luxan warrior, wears a red sculpted outfit with sword and belt. His
accessories will include a dagger, sand mask, black facemask, and a tooka bone knife.
All of the figures will be sized on a scale of six feet to seven inches and come in
regular and special editions.
Toy Vault will also create two additional Farscape products for release this year,
Aeryn Mutation, an exclusive action figure for Fandom.com, and a cold cast resin statue
of D'Argo.
Farscape airs on the Sci-Fi Channel Fridays at 8:00 P.M. Eastern and Pacific
Time. More information on the series can be found at www.farscape.com or
www.scifi.com.
The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more
than 40 years, is an independent multimedia production company; one of the top character licensors in the industry; a leading publisher of children's books; and home to
Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive and Jim Henson's
Creature Shop?. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London. The Jim Henson website is located at:
www.henson.com
June 21, 2000: Toy Vault has announced it's first release based on the role-playing game
Deadlands, a cold-cast resin statue of the evil gun-slinging wraith, the Hanging Judge.
Published by Pinnacle Entertainment, Deadlands is a fantasy RPG set in the American west of 1876. Unlike the history one was taught in school, however, Deadlands takes place in an alternative universe where the civil war continues to rage, most of California has fallen in the Pacific, the Sioux nations have reclaimed the Dakotas,
and the living dead are back in the saddle again. Players take on the roles of gunfighters,
Indian braves, hexslinging hucksters, or mad scientists controlling various "Jules Verne"
styled gizmos.
Winner of the 1996 Gama award for best role-playing game, this unholy marriage of Sam Peckinpah and George Romero, has become one of the most popular
RPG's currently on the market. In addition, Wizards of the Coast, creators of the gaming juggernaut Magic the Gathering, have issued
Doomtown, a collectible card game based on the Deadlands universe. Plans for a major motion picture version of Deadlands is also currently in the works.
In the Deadlands mythos, the hanging judges were five corrupt, confederate circuit judges who formed a secret alliance to steal land, ruin their rivals, and eliminate anyone who stood in their way. Hunted down and killed by enraged locals, they arose as
horrific abominations, stalking the chisolm trail by night, terrorizing anyone who happened to cross their path.
Based on original artwork by Ron Spencer, this fully painted resin statue was
sculpted by Karl Sanders. "Because of the beautiful work he'd done on our Middle-earth
line", said Jon Huston, artistic director for Toy Vault, "I felt sure that Karl was the
sculptor best suited to launch our new Deadlands franchise. He's done a fabulous job of
sculpting one of best cold cast statues on the market today. The intricate detail on this
figure", added Huston, "is nothing short of amazing."
The Hanging Judge, shipping in the early fall of 2000, with a suggested retail of $129.00, is a "must have" for Deadlands players, and fans of fantasy sculpture
alike. Click Here for a
picture of the Hanging Judge.
June 14, 2000: Congratulations to Toy Biz for picking up the rights to
produce figures based on the new LOTR movies. Toy Vault would just like to
point out that this does not effect our license to produce figures based on the
books. We will continue our line as planned with the release of Galadriel
and the Barrow-wight this summer, then the release of, most likely, Aragorn and
Legolas this winter. More figures will follow as our license isn't set to
expire for another year. From that point we have the right to negotiate a
renewal.
June 7, 2000: For
this weeks update, heres some various notes concerning whats happening with Toy
Vault products. * Lord of the Nazgul figures have been approved and are
ready to be reproduced. * The Sci-Fi Channel just announced that Farscape
would be renewed for Season 3. * Toy Vault Toy Club is now out of stock on
the Balrog of Khazad-Dum figure. * The toy club is also out of stock on
the Alice box sets, however these are being reproduced and will be available
again in August.
May 31, 2000: Toy Vault Toy
Club order forms have been updated to reflect the addition of the Galadriel and
Barrow-wight figures to the Middle-earth line. To download an order
form, click here.
Web-pages for Galadriel and the Barrow-wight have been completed and are
awaiting appoval. As soon as approval is given we'll be opening up the
sites. Your questions and comments are always welcome, if you've got an
idea or something you would like to discuss with the company, please send us an e-mail,
we'll be more than happy to give you a response.
May 24, 2000:
Toy Vault Toy Club is now taking pre-orders for the upcoming
Galadriel and Barrow-wight figures from the Middle-earth Toys line. Order forms will
be mailed along with the official Toy Vault Toy Club newsletter "Tales from the
Vault." All toy club members should start receiving their newsletter in 2-4
weeks. You can also order by phone (606)877-9818, fax (606)878-9061, or by emailing info@toyvault.com. The online store will not be
accepting pre-orders for another couple of weeks. If you have any questions please contact us.
May 17, 2000:
Welcome to the official Toy Vault news update section!
In the coming weeks we hope to give our customers and supporters behind the scenes looks
at whats happening at Toy Vault. We have currently have in development new action
figures and statues from magnificent toy lines such as Farscape, EverQuest,
Middle-earth, Call of Cthulhu, Deadlands, and Alice in Wonderland. Good ahead and
bookmark this page today, because we'll be updating this page every Wednesday!
|
