1980’s nostalgia comes to store shelves with a new release of The World of Strawberry Shortcake toys from The Loyal Subjects.
Excited to have added the new 5 1/2” Strawberry Shortcake doll to The Toybox Collection! Scented like strawberry she is dressed in her classic strawberry shortcake dress, apron, hat, leggings and shoes. She has 29 points of articulation, Strawberry Shortcake is fully poseable, elevating the play experience and allowing kids to unleash their creativity.
The doll comes with 10x stickers, and 4x surprise accessories that may include combinations of the iconic comb, strawberry purse, beloved animal friends, cakes and fruit baskets, lunchboxes, and super rare finds too. All packaged in a classic red window-style gift box with 4 punch-out surprise reveal boxes on the back. Her clothes and accessories are also interchangeable between other dolls in this series.
We found this doll at Walmart Canada for under $30. A fun and adorable addition to Mrs Toybox’s doll collection.
Shoutout to our friends @spinmaster toys for hooking us up with this sweet DC Batman Adventures: Batman vs Bane Action Figures set!
Whether you’re a collector or looking for a gift for a younger fan, this DC Batman Adventures: Batman Vs Bane double action hero set is a must have! With comic style detailing, these 12-inch figures have an impressive 17 points of articulation and they are customizable with 14 unique and interchangeable armor accessories! Mix and match these armor pieces to create endless looks!
We literally scoured the internet trying to find where in Canada to get this. We couldn’t even find it on Amazon or eBay so our best advice is to check out the Spinmaster toys website to find a retailer near you!
We received this gift courtesy of @thisisbutterly & @spinmaster toys
‘Tis the season for joy, laughter, secret Santa, and of course, the arduous task of gift searching. If you’ve got a beloved toy collector in your life, don’t sweat it, for Santa’s very own content marketing specialist is here to gift you with ten fantastic Christmas gift ideas.
Pinch of Pixar: This season, add some whimsy to their collection with a limited edition Pixar figurine. These high-quality replicas add a sprinkle of childhood nostalgia to any collection and are a sure-shot hit for every Toy Story, Cars, or WALL-E fanatic.
Masterly Miniatures: If your toy-enthusiast appreciates craftsmanship, miniature architectural models are calling your name. From the intricate towers of Hogwarts to the majestic Titanic, these sets will provide both hobbyist joy and a delightful display piece.
LEGO Lovers’ Delight: The iconic plastic bricks aren’t just for kids. The recent LEGO releases cater to adult collectors, including intricate replicas of famous city skylines. And if they’re Star Wars fans? The Millennium Falcon set will make their Christmas truly out of this world!
A Piece of Pop: Funko Pop’s charming figurines are a great pick for a modern collector. With a vast range to choose from, including iconic characters from movies, TV series, and comic books, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a figurine that tickles their fandom!
Tactile Tinkerer: 3D wooden puzzle models like the UGears collection are fantastic for a hands-on collector. The mix of building, artistry, and mechanics make every piece a memorable keepsake that channels the spirit of childhood in every adult!
Action Figure Fervour: An action figure of their favorite superhero or anime character is a timeless gift. With beautifully detailed designs and interchangeable accessories, these figures will help your collector recreate epic battle scenes from their favorite franchises!
Modeling Magic: Airfix model kits offer an exciting journey from a box of plastic components to an astonishingly authentic display piece. A Spitfire or a Lamborghini, perhaps?
Time-Honoured Trains: For a more traditional touch, consider a vintage-inspired model train set. With an old-world charm, these sets delicately blur the line between toy and treasure, making it an excellent pick for those who cherish history and artistry.
Box of Board Games: A deluxe version of a classic board game like chess, scrabble, or monopoly could be a fantastic pick for those collectors who love a bit of social interaction with their collecting!
Gift Cards for Collectors: Undeniably, choosing for a collector can be strenuous. For a no-fail option, a gift card to their favorite toy store or an online marketplace is a great choice. It allows them to hunt down that elusive piece they’ve been stalking for months!
With these gifting gems, we guarantee your presents will be serving up some happy, toy-filled memories these holidays! Remember, elves, in the world of adult toy collecting, it’s not just the thought that counts, it’s also the fun of unwrapping a gift that adds a quirky, enjoyable chapter to their unique collecting journey.
Don’t forget: while you’re shopping for your toy collecting loved one, why not pick up something extra and drop it off at your local malls toy drive for kids in need? ‘Tis the season to give!
So, let’s step into Santa’s boots, tip-toe down the chimney, and deliver that festive joy, one perfect gift at a time. Merry (toy-filled) Christmas!
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of caped crusaders and webslingers or just getting started in the world of comics, collecting these classic stories and characters can be an incredibly rewarding hobby. Comic books allow us to escape into fantastic worlds and go on thrilling adventures with our favorite heroes.
Starting and curating your own comic book collection is easier than you might think. Here are some helpful tips to get you going on this super fun hobby:
Start with what you love. Are you a Marvel fanboy or fangirl? Can’t get enough of Batman and DC titles? Build your initial collection around your most beloved characters and series. It helps when you’re passionate about what you’re collecting.
Go for quality over quantity. Comics in pristine or near-mint condition will always hold their value better. Be selective and focus on titles that are important to you rather than grabbing up every comic you can find.
Decide if you want to collect runs or key issues. Some collectors try to get full runs of certain titles or characters. Others focus on landmark “key” issues like first appearances and origin stories. Figure out your preference as that will inform what you look for.
Find a local comic shop you like. Having a go-to shop you’re comfortable with makes collecting much easier. The owner and staff can get to know you and help you find titles you’ll love. Many shops also have back issue sections rich for discovering new books.
Check out comic cons and shows. These events (like Comic-con or Fanaticcon) allow you to browse through a huge selection of vendors and sellers. You can often find rare issues as well as excellent backstock condition comics.
Store your collection properly. Invest in protective sleeves, boards, and boxes. You can purchase these online or in your local comic book shops. Remember, it’s an investment. Keep your books away from moisture, sunlight, and anything that could damage them. Handle them carefully.
Catalog and document your collection. Use an app or database to keep track of what you own. Note important details like publishers, issue numbers, condition, etc. This will help you follow and value your collection.
Enjoy the hunt! Seek out online sellers, garage sales, thrift shops and more to uncover hidden gem issues. The thrill of finding a coveted book for your collection is part of the fun.
Collecting comics is a wonderful hobby full of nostalgia, adventure, and excitement.
The wall of transformers g1 comics!
Whether you treasure Marvel’s mighty heroes or DC’s iconic superheroes, let your passion guide you as you build your perfect comic book collection. Excelsior!
This was our third time attending this local comic, game and toy convention. It’s always great to see how hard everyone worked and how it all came together. It was great to get out and mingle with some familiar face and meet some new ones.
We did our rounds and checked out all the amazing vendors. We brought our two youngest kids this year. It was fun and both of them (plus the Mr.) left very happy shoppers having found some treasured comics and must have video games.
I think the highlight for all of us this year (aside from going to begin with) were the cosplayers walking around. Incredible jobs done on their costumes and being in character just put the cherry on top. They’re always also so friendly and welcoming to take a picture! We ran into a Jawa, Darth Maul, and we also saw the capital ghostbusters among many other characters. So fun!
Thanks to the team at Fanaticcon for hosting us! We had a great time! A day well spent! Stay tuned for future announcements about Fanaticcon 2024!
We will be attending Fanaticcon 4 (Ottawa) and Ottawa Comiccon is happening in September plus we also have the Toys, Dolls and Teddys show in October, so many events I don’t know if we can make them all but we will try!
All these events got me thinking about something I could share with our readers, people like us who either participate or attend their favourite collectors events; how to prepare for a fun time and avoid unnecessary stress.
Going to events is always exciting but they can also be costly and overwhelming if you just walk in blindfolded. There are so many people to see and things to look at or do, where do we start?
First off, get tickets early. Don’t wait until the day of the event. Even if tickets are available at the door you don’t want to stand in line and have to wait. Plus, sometimes advance tickets come with perks and a discount.
Dress appropriately, unless you’re in costume. It can get pretty hot even in a well ventilated or laid out area. Lots of bodies in one space heats things up. Luckily, most events have wristbands or stamps or ticket stubs of some kind which allow attendees to go out for fresh air, grab a beverage or whatever and come back to enjoy the rest of the show. Also, wear comfy shoes because you will walk, a lot.
Charge your phone the night before (or if it’s an evening event charge it during the day beforehand) and bring your charger in your car. I once attended an event and had my phone die during a really awesome moment I attempted and failed to capture on video because SOMEONE (me) didn’t think to charge their phone before the event. Don’t do what I did. Don’t miss the moment.
Bring drinks and snacks in a cooler. If the event allows you to leave and come back, you’ll already have some things to munch on from the comfort of your cooler and save on spending at a cafeteria or worse have nothing if the venue doesn’t have any food sources.
Bring a bag. Reusable shopping bags can be found anywhere, usually we keep them in the trunk of our vehicle since you prettymuch need them wherever you shop. This goes for conventions too! You don’t want to walk around with your arms full of goodies (trust me it’s easy to get carried away with buying the things). A simple reusable shopping bag can come in very handy.
If you carry a purse or wallet, bring the bare minimum. I suggest paying cash for any items just to avoid any issues with disloyal currency and maybe theft at a bigger venue with more people. Carrying a heavy wallet or purse is just annoying imo.
Bring your best attitude and have fun! Take your time to look around(maybe you’ll see something and take a trip down memory lane), don’t be shy to talk to the vendors and artists, cosplayers love when you admire their costumes. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, you can still have a full and fun day at an event if you prepare.
Have any tips to add? Leave a comment below this post!
It’s that time of year again folks, when Mr and Mrs Toybox start getting hyped up for some summer collecting and also summer events happening in our local city!
This summer, geeks and nerds alike will be gathering in Ottawa, Ontario for our favourite local event: Fanaticcon 4!
Fanaticcon is described as a fan-driven convention for nostalgic toys, collectors items, games, art, cosplayers and more! It’s a day to get together and celebrate all things geeky with other enthusiasts like you!
What happens at Fanaticcon?
Vendors
Fanaticcon will have over 33 vendor booths to check out featuring some of the Ottawa areas finest nostalgic toys and games vendors, collectibles, artists and much more. There are also games and prizes throughout the day. Make sure to stop at Flacs Collectibles and Kaboom Comics stations!
Flacc’s Collectible’s!
Cosplay
Expect to see the unexpected! Fanaticcon attendees have amazing cosplay skills and they will definitely be on display once again this year for us to be in aw of! Plus, there’s a contest and you have a chance to win a prize if your costume is judged THE BEST of Fanaticcon!!! So fun!
Celebrity encounters
Come and rub elbows with some spectacular special celebrity guests like Abby Hagyard (You Can’t do that on TV/Carebears), Ken Sangoes (Nightmare on Elmstreet 3), Kurt Lehner (Celebrity Artist) and more including Lance (the loser) from Canadas Worst Driver 6 for pics, chats and fun!
I did actually meet the real Abby but this prop was too fun to pass up!
There is just a whole lot of awesome going on at Fanaticcon, it’s impossible to write it all here in the blog. Seriously, you walk in and it’s like 🤯 – mind blown, where do we start!!!
If you get VIP tickets and come early you get first dibs on all the vendors. Plus, kids under 12 get in free and have the chance to get a surprise bag (first come first served).
How much is it to get in Fanaticcon?
$15 at the door 11am-5pm or $20 early bird VIP 10am-5pm. Kids under 12 are free!
When and where is Fanaticcon?
August 13th 2023 at the Ottawa Conference and Event Center
Before we begin, we know that Mattel is one of the biggest commercial toy companies in the world and while we would love to post a sponsored content, this isn’t one of them.
Ever since she was a kid, Mrs Toybox has been a huge fan of Barbie. While she didn’t have the Malibu or Dream houses, she did have many different Barbie’s.
I’m sure by now you’ve heard that the movie is coming out this summer, unless you’re living under a rock. So naturally there are or were Barbie dolls available.
All I can say is CA-CHING! Wow. For Barbie’s these go from 39.99$ each to 99.99$ each depending which version you were lucky enough to get. Why am I saying this? Our local toys r us sold out within the first day of release. If you wanted a special 99$ Barbie or Ken you’re SOL my friends. They can now be found overpriced on eBay.
Let’s start with Barbie
Isn’t she pretty? I love her outfit and the accessories she is wearing. The pink is just so her.
I wasn’t going to buy Ken
What blasphemy is this? I wasn’t going to buy Ken? Oh good Lordy lord! No, seriously I did not want to spend $80 on two dolls who’ll stay in their boxes because I want them to stay perfect BUT Mr Toybox pointed out that technically they’re a set. So, here we have Ken. Why he is in beach clothes and not town clothes like Barbie is beyond me. I guess I’ll have to see the movie to find out. He doesn’t come with much special other than his loud clothes and a surf board.
I love that they are both ball jointed dolls and can be fully posed with many points of articulation from the head down to the ankles.
So there you have it folks, the collectors editions Barbie Movie Barbie and Ken. Good luck finding them so close to the movie release! 🙂
Gremlins was a hit movie back in the 80’s followed by Gremlins 2: The new batch in the later 80’s. They were supposed to be horror movies but the gremlins antics ended up making them more of a “family” movie, toys were even marketed for kids.
Growing up we had the posable versions of Gizmo and Stripe (see image below). They were pretty cool for their time; I have always been about details when it comes to toys and even back in 1984 they were fairly detailed for toys that originally were for kids (even though adults like me today would love to get our hands on them).
There have been a multitude of toys and other collectibles depicting gremlins and the popular Gizmo but none compare to the detail and fun of the Gremlins and Gremlins 2 collections by Neca!
Each figure is very detailed down to expressions on their faces and come with little accessories that are sure to bring back the Gremlins movie nostalgia.
You can read about the neca Gremlins release dates here.
Ultimate Gizmo
We started our Gremlins collection with the Ultimate Gizmo. He comes with familiar accessories from the Christmas scene in the movie; the instrument, candy, toys and also multiple faces to pose him with! He can be happy, sad, content; the choices are great! We will most likely unbox this guy for Christmas time.
Ultimate Stripe
Next up we found The Ultimate Stripe which is the “boss” or “leader” of the evil and mischievous gremlins. He comes with a very detailed chainsaw, a skateboard and another metal saw tool. He looks as ugly and angry as he did in the movie; we love it! You know, you can’t have Gizmo without Stripe; they go together!
Winter Gremlins Two Pack
Neca released a set of two Gremlins from the wintery scenes. They come in their winter attire and come with candy cane and a gingerbread man with its head bit off. The detail is phenomenal, I cannot express it enough. Maybe these two are the ones who messed with Mrs Deigle or Billy’s Mom with her cookies!
Ultimate Gremlin
When the gremlins take over the local downtown area (movie theatre, the bar etc), they have a blast. Neca did not disappoint with this gremlin who comes with all kinds of fun party accessories playing cards, candy, cup of pop, a cigarette and a mug of beer!
Ultimate Greta
She is out and displayed in a shelf with lights around to give her that dramatic look! Hello, Greta!
The only female Gremlin in the movie series is called “Greta”. She is from Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Her backstory comes when the gremlins take over a high rise building and one level happens to be a science lab. They get into different experimental potions, each having a different effect. This one pink potion happened to change this Gremlin from male to female with a really comedic lust for a man she sees. Today, what she does would be considered assault but hey it was the 80’s. She was also the sole living gremlin besides Gizmo who survives to the very end of the movie. This figure comes with a potion and a pink feather boa. Greta has “real” hair but her outfit is sculpted and painted on. It’s a beautiful figure to have in the collection.
Back to School Gremlin
Conclusion:
We didn’t originally set out to get almost the entire set of Neca Gremlins figures but it ended up being a great collection to have. What I like most about these, besides the incredible paint details and accessories, is the box they come in. It’s not a shell capsule so you don’t need to break the box or cut them out (except Greta who came with a plastic elastic around her head/hair but otherwise simple to get out) you can also easily put them back into their original boxes for safe keeping.
Are they worth collecting? For someone like us, absolutely. They aren’t extremely expensive compared to some other figures of similar stature, they come in a nice windowed box with movie pictures, on the back there are images of the figure posed with its accessories. They are superior collectors figures for us Gremlins movie fans.
I’ll admit, I know who the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are but I wasn’t a die hard fan of the show or movies; a younger generation as I was an older teen when this show originally aired. I did babysit a few kids over my teen years who were quite obsessed with MMPR. Even though it’s been revamped and rebooted into movies and new shows, my kids never got into the Rangers either. Needless to say, not being a huge fan didn’t stop us from getting this collectors special edition My Little Pony for The Toybox Collection!
Hasbro My Little Pony Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Crossover
With an intergalactic threat hovering over Equestria, a team of friends unite under the Harmony Grid. These are the Mighty Morphin Power… ponies!? Fandoms collide with My Little Pony Crossover Collection — an expanded universe of My Little Pony mashup characters! Crossover Collection Morphin Pink Pony toy combines the retro My Little Pony form with the design of Power Rangers characters. Character has unique deco, colors, and Cutie Mark inspired by the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger. This 4.5-inch figure comes in collectors’ packaging that’s great for fans of the My Little Pony or Power Rangers brand to display. Turn the stories you know on their tails with the My Little Pony Crossover Collection.
When you think of these two franchises crossing over into eachothers worlds, you might wonder what could a Power Ranger Pony look like? Well, Hasbro has shown us with this unique crossover figure named “Morphin Pink Pony”. The figure is 4.5” in size and a cross between an original ‘80s My Little Pony and the Pink Power Ranger, aka Kimberly Hart. She wears pink armour like the Pink Ranger. Really cool looking figure! Morphin Pink Pony will look excellent next to her other crossover friends, My Little Prime and Plasmane!
Next up…
Hasbro My Little Pony X Light Bright Crossover! This one is going to be a fun flash from the past!
TheToyBoxCollection 