Lego builds its inventory of Batman-related figures

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By

First of two parts

NEW YORK -- Chased by a snowstorm on my way to this year's American International Toy Fair and then consumed by it, I felt like an extra in an Irwin Allen film rather than a reporter as I visited showrooms around town and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to see the latest toys associated with comic books, cartoons and movies.

Despite missed flights, surly cab drivers and mounds of snow that quickly turned into small lakes at nearly every New York street corner, more than 10,000 buyers and representatives from about 1,000 companies were on hand to conduct business in a year that will feature potential blockbusters such as "Superman Returns," "X-Men 3," "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

Here are just some of the licensed pop-culture products to land on store shelves in the near future that may capture the imagination of collectors and youngsters.

Lego

With the Batman license from Warner Bros. secured, Lego between April and August will offer six buildable Batman sets loaded with the Dark Knight's most formidable villains. The best include a version of the Batcave (1,071 pieces, $89.99) that includes minifigures of Batman, Robin, Alfred, the Penguin and Mr. Freeze to interact within a two-level control center featuring a costume transformation chamber and prison cell.

Also, Batwing: The Joker's Aerial Assault (523 pieces, $49.99) offers the Clown Prince of Crime and a henchman in his hidden-weapons-loaded helicopter challenging Batman in his sleek rocket-equipped aircraft.

Next, SpongeBob SquarePants arrives at Lego in August in the Adventures of Bikini Bottom construction set (579 pieces, $39.99). It features SpongeBob's famed pineapple home, Squidward's Tiki abode, a jellyfish launcher and Patrick's TV along with minifigures of the yellow porifora, Patrick, Squidward, Gary, Plankton and eight jellyfish.

Star Wars will continue to be a Force for building fanatics this fall with Lego's Jabba the Hutt's Sail Barge (781 pieces, $74.99). Based on a pivotal scene from the 1983 "Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" film, the set comes with a barge featuring a removable center deck to access the weapons area, an escort skiff with plank and even a Sarlocc pit as minifigures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian and R2-D2 battle against miniature representations of Boba Fett, Jabba and a Gamorrean Guard.

Art Asylum