I hear MVL is getting into the Pokemon craze with Power Marbles (see press release below)...be sure to ask your kids about this...
Marvel Enterprises, Inc./Toy Biz Joins the Pokemon Craze With the Introduction of the Ultra-Popular Franchise's Newest Collectible
Pokemon Collector Marbles
Gotta Catch 'Em All - Over 300 Different Marbles to Collect and Trade Including 150 Special Power Marbles Make This the Pokemon Collector's Dream
Pokemon Collector Marbles Roll Into Stores in Time for the Post-Holiday Rush in January 2000
NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Pokemon Fever has gripped the world and is far and away the hottest property in the children's marketplace. Marvel Enterprises, Inc./Toy Biz has entered the Pokemon arena with the introduction of what is destined to become the popular franchises' newest collectible craze: Pokemon Collector Marbles. Each high quality, specially crafted marble represents one of the Pokemon characters and children are certain to collect and trade the marbles in their quest to accumulate each and every one. To add excitement for the marble line, Toy Biz is also introducing a unique Special Power Marble series that is sure to become the hottest collectible in the Pokemon Collector Marble realm.
To heighten the interactivity level of the line, Toy Biz has created a special Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooter, which provides unique ways to view and launch the marbles. The Pokemon Collector Marbles and Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooter roll into stores just in time for the post-holiday rush in January 2000. The Pokemon Collector Marble Pouches will contain 10 marbles at a suggested retail price of $7.99 while the Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooter has a suggested retail price of $14.99 and includes eight exclusive marbles. Toy Biz will add additional products to the Pokemon Collector Marbles line in April 2000, when it introduces the Pokemon Collector Marble Cases and the deluxe Poke Ball Carry Case. These items will be available at suggested retail prices of $7.99 and $29.99, respectively.
Pokemon Collector Marble Pouches and Special Power Marbles
Gotta Catch Em All. This will be the battle cry heard in January as children everywhere will be striving to collect each of the 300 high quality glass marbles that will be a ''must have'' for every Pokemon collection. Each colorful, transparent marble will feature an image of one of the 150 Pokemon characters, the name of the Pokemon and its number. The marbles are packaged in a special velour pouch that features one of eight Pokemon characters on the font. A variety of 16 different pouches will be released and each one will contain 10 marbles including eight Pokemon Collector Marbles and two Special Power Marbles.
The 150 Special Power Marbles will be the prize of every collection and children will be sure to collect and trade with their friends to ensure they obtain all 150. The Special Power Marbles are distinguished by a unique rainbow foil application that gives it a mirror effect. Special Power Marbles 1-50 will be available in the first series of pouches, while Special Power Marbles 51-100 will be available in the second series. Special Power Marbles 101-150 will not be available until April, when Toy Biz releases the Pokemon Collector Marble Cases.
Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooter
Children can utilize Toy Biz's Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooter as a fun and exciting way to showcase their collection to their friends. The child can place up to eight marbles in the shooter, use the special built-in magnifying glass to pick the preferred marble, light it up and then click on the motorized rotating tray to get that marble in the proper position. One pull on the handle and the child launches the chosen marble onto the Pokemon Battle Mat, which is specially designed to protect and showcase the marbles. This is the perfect way to collect and trade the marble with friends while adding excitement. The Poke Ball Collector Marble Shooters will be available in two different styles, representing Pokemon characters Charizard and Blastoise. Each Marble Shooter comes with the battle mat, eight marbles (two of which are Special Power Marbles) that are exclusive to each shooter and cannot be found in any other Pokemon product, a Pokemon Marble Rack, and a Marble Value Chart.
Pokemon Collector Marble Case/Poke Ball Carry Case
Just as children have had time to build up their marble collection, Toy Biz will release the Pokemon Collector Marble Case and the Poke Ball Carry Case. Children can collect eight different round marble cases, with each one containing a raised sculpture of a Pokemon character. The cases, which can hold eight marbles, come with a clip that will attach to a belt so the child can carry it around easily. Each case is packaged with a built-in magnifying glass and eight marbles (two of which are Special Power Marbles series 101-150).
The Poke Ball Carry Case is the perfect item for children to showcase their entire collection. It holds up to 178 marbles and is designed in such a way that the trays can span out so the child can admire the collection at once. For convenience, the top of the case turns into a handle that allows the child to transport the collection with ease. As an added bonus, five Special Power Marbles are included with the purchase of each carry case.
The Pokemon Franchise
Pokemon has been capturing the imagination of children throughout the world since its creation as a role-playing Game Boy game that challenges players to capture and train 150 Pokemon in an effort to become the world's greatest Pokemon trainers. The game has spawned a top-rated television series, one of the Internet's most trafficked sites, and a variety of best-selling merchandise. The franchise will continue to build momentum throughout the holiday season and into the new millennium.
The Pokemon Collector Marble line is recommended for children aged 5 and up.
The Pokemon program is owned by Nintendo Co. Ltd. Leisure Concepts operates as Nintendo's licensing agent for the property.
Nintendo originally launched Pokemon in Japan for the world's best-selling Game Boy hand-held video game system and watched the 150 creatures evolve into a cultural phenomenon. The franchise arrived in North America in September 1998, with the release of the Pokemon Blue and Red Game Boy games and has grown into a $5 billion dollar industry worldwide. Nintendo and its licensing agency, Leisure Concepts, Inc. (a division of 4Kids Entertainment), have licensed the franchise to more than 90 U.S.-based companies whose products entertain millions of fans all over North America.
Headquartered in New York City, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc., (Nasdaq: KIDE - news), is a vertically-integrated entertainment company whose wholly-owned subsidiaries include: Leisure Concepts, Inc., leader in domestic and international merchandise licensing and product development; 4Kids Productions, a television, film, and home video production company, and Summit Media, a domestic and international television distribution, media buying and planning company.
Toy Biz, a division of Marvel Enterprises, Inc., (NYSE: MVL - news), develops, markets and distributes licensed and original toy lines in the boys, girls, preschool and electronic categories. The company holds licensing agreements with several leading entertainment and consumer brand names including World Championship Wrestling, NASCAR, Sony Signatures, MCA/Universal, MTV: Music Television and Gerber Products. Toy Biz is based in New York.
Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies with operations in the licensing, comic book publishing and toy businesses. Through its ownership of over 3,500 proprietary characters, the Company has published comic books for over 60 years in the United States and numerous foreign countries. The Company licenses the right to use its characters in a wide range of products such as apparel, snack foods, video games and collectibles, as well as for television series and feature films. For additional company information visit the Company's corporate website at marvel.com.
CONTACT: Jan Murray, VP, Corporate Communications of Marvel Enterprises,
Inc., 212-576-8522; or Kathryn Maciel of Toy Biz, 212-588-5185.
SOURCE: Marvel Enterprises, Inc. |
