Yo, Joe! Toy Fair Blows Up With G.I. Joe, Transformers

Toys based on toy-based blockbusters among highlights of this year's Toy Fair; Mattel shows off latest Barbie and Disney lines

By Josh Grossberg Feb 17, 2009 11:00 PMTags

Usually we get the movie first, then the playthings. But not this year. Thanks to the Transformers sequel and a live-action G.I. Joe coming this summer, Hasbro is cranking out toys based on films inpsired by toys (got it?), and we got the preview at New York's annual Toy Fair.

Marking the franchise's 25th anniversary and the June 24 launch of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the toy giant is unleashing a fresh batch of Autobots and Decepticons, including the baddest yet, Devastastor, which combines six Constructicon vehicles into one giant killing machine. Decidedly less frightening is a Sam Witwicky figure that's the spitting image of Shia LaBeouf, meaning kiddies can recreate his Hollywood misadventures at home.

Ahead of the Aug. 7 release of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, starring Dennis Quaid and Sienna Miller, Hasbro has new team of Joes and Cobra baddies, including updated versions of Duke, Snake Eyes, Cobra Commander and Storm Shadow, complete with playsets and vehicles.

Over at Hasbro's archenemy, Mattel, there were plenty of Disney tie-ins, including a new line of High School Musical figures, Cars vehicles, Toy Story toys (in anticipation of 2010's Toy Story III) and dolls from the upcoming The Princess and the Frog.

Mattel is celebrating Barbie's 50th with the Barbie Pink World line, the Fashion and Beauty Collection, a Barbie Bye Bye Bad Hair Detangler Kit and dolls inspired by the direct-to-DVD Barbie and the Three Musketeers.

And although a new big-screen Batman is years away, the toymaker is banking on the Caped Crusader's enduring popularity with figures (Batman, Aquaman, Platic Man, etc.) and vehicles (the morphing Batjet/Batmobile and deadly Cybertank) from the new Cartoon Network series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

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