Toys And Games

The comic book series of Spawn has captivated its fans for many years. It is a dark, menacing world that has also produced an animated television series and a movie. Dedicated followers of the stories also like to collect the vast amount of merchandise available. The first Spawn toys and action figures went on sale in 1994 under license form McFarlane Toys.

The story tells the tale of a former CIA agent called Al Simmons who discovers the corrupt practices of his boss, only to be murdered by him. Simmons is dispatched to hell but makes a deal for his soul as he misses his wife so much. He returns to the land of the living as hellspawn.

Spawn was the brainchild of cartoonist Todd McFarlane, who had made his reputation on Spider-Man comics. He also went on to form the manufacturing company whose first creations were the Spawn toys. This gives McFarlane creative control and his products set a new standard in toy production. They are more detailed than competitors and meticulous in both the sculpting and painting.

The range soon became collector’s items and fans were delighted with the comic that came with each character. The first series of products was launched with Medieval Spawn in Blue Armor and Nectoplasm Spawn in translucent, green material. They were accompanied by the villains, Tremor, a Gold Clown, a Gold Violator and Overtkill. The versatile range includes many series, including Dark Ages, The Viking Age, Mutations, Regenerated, Evolutions and Other Worlds Spawn toys.

A live action movie version was released in 1997 and Todd McFarlane was involved in the story. It starred Michael Jai White as Spawn and John Leguizamo as Clown/Violator. There is an action figure set that depicts the graveyard scene from the movie with Spawn and Clown.

New products keep the fans happy and McFarlane has announced launch dates for retail and online outlets for 2007. Summer sees a one off, limited edition vinyl doll, which has been developed by a Japanese toy company under license. There are various Spawn toys promised in the fall, including themes such as Manga, Samurai, Pirate and the ever popular Necroplasm.

The TV series, which ran from 1997 - 1999 is said to return in 2007 with Keith David voicing Spawn once again. The original series won an Emmy award and its animation was widely praised. Fans will be hoping for more Spawn toys as a result of its return.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

It seems strange that a plastic disc, measuring eight to ten inches across, could bring so much enjoyment to the world but the Frisbee is a terrific success story. It was invented in 1948 and the toy company, Wham-O marketed it from 1957, taking it over as their registered trademark. From the 1950s, these flying discs, as they are also known, became a familiar sight on beaches and in parks. It caught on because you don’t need any other equipment to play and you can throw in a small or large space.

The physics of throwing the disc and the design has been studied by experts. It’s no accident that the Frisbee glides superbly. Most people look on it as a bit of fun, something to do on vacation or a day out. However, there are others who take it a lot more seriously. There are different types of Frisbee games, with their own set of rules and objectives. Some are considered to be sports and even have governing bodies to oversee them. It’s not a contender for inclusion in the Olympic Games yet but there are competitions.

The game begun in 1968, called Ultimate, is the most popular of these games. It’s played in teams and the winner scores the most points from throwing the disc into the opposition endzone and they are not allowed to run. There are several other games that are based on Ultimate with different variations. Goaltime is played on a half court, Hot Box is another team game, Schtick is played with two discs, Stop the Chump is an indoor version and Mini Ultimate is another variation on Ultimate.

Other sports and games have inspired versions of flying disc games. Frisbee Golf, known also as Disc Golf, takes its rules from golf and the disc is denser and smaller, Frickert is based on cricket, Dodge Frisbee is a version of dodgeball and Guts Frisbee is a team sport, inspired by murderball. There is also Fris-Nok, which is a game formed in Iceland and Canada. Even dogs get into the act and they have proved to be fine players. A special Disc Dog was made from a more durable material to withstand the dogs biting down on it.

Other specially made variations of disc are made. The Aerobies are designed to fly further than the standard Frisbee and there are discs designed for games that go on after dark, made from phosphorescent plastic or fitted with light diodes.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites