NERDY NEWS
Take Your Tech to the Stars with the ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ PopSockets Collection
After dropping collections inspired by Throne of Glass and Crescent City in December and March, PopSockets is finally dropping its long-awaited A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) collection. This lineup of tech accessories includes phone cases, Kindle cases, and PopGrips, all featuring artwork based on the Sarah J. Maas book series. The Curse Breaker case features the patterns of Feyre’s bargain tattoo on a purple background. The Starfall case features the purple night sky of Starfall over Velaris. The Wingspan phone case features Illyrian wings on a black background and says “Wingspan matters.” Finally, the Archeron Dresser Kindle case shows off the dresser drawers Feyre painted for herself and her sisters in the human realm. There are six PopGrips in the collection, including the Illyrian Warrior PopGrip, which features a pair of black Illyrian wings; the Tidepool Starfall PopGrip, which shows Feyre and Rhysand covered in star spirits; and the Chapter 55 PopGrip. The ACOTAR PopSockets collection is available now at popsockets.com. ✪
PopSockets
Crayola Makes Crafting Cool with New Adult Coloring Supplies
You’re never too old for arts and crafts. Crayola agrees, so it went to the drawing board to design Crayola All Grown Up, an all-new coloring line that inspires adults to reconnect with their roots. The collection features a variety of coloring supplies geared toward grown-ups, from dual-ended, alcohol-based markers to acrylic paint pens.
The line also includes a brand-new collection of adult coloring books. Every page features detailed, hand-drawn illustrations by real artists in themes like Crystal Vibes and Cozy Cottage, so fans can doodle to their heart’s delight. The Crayola All Grown Up collection is available now on Amazon. For more information, visit crayola.com/allgrownup. ✪
Whimsy Awaits at the First U.S. Studio Ghibli Store
Totoro, Ponyo, No-Face, and more of your favorite Studio Ghibli characters are heading stateside. Donguri Republic launched a limited-time store filled with must-have movie merch in Torrance, California. Through Dec. 31, fans can immerse themselves in Studio Ghibli’s enchanting worlds by visiting Shop No. 179 at Del Amo Fashion Center. The store re-creates the studio’s timeless storytelling with wood-inspired interiors, whimsical displays, and a large Totoro installation, and fans can find more than 400 licensed products inspired by their favorite movies. Fans who attend screenings during Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 can receive exclusive film-style bookmarks with qualifying purchases. For more information about the limited-time store, visit viz.com. ✪
Source: Crayola
Source: Donguri Republic
Source:
We know where you need to go in the exhibit hall to find the exclusives.best
KING OF THE HILL
FRAMED MDF WALL ART
SILVER BUFFALO
Cook up some fandom-fueled decor with this wall art, featuring Hank Hill and the crew supervising the barbecue.
MSRP: $10
Available: Booth Nos. 829 & 3849
LITTLEST PET SHOP 2026 YEAR OF THE HORSE
LIMITED COLLECTOR EDITION
BASIC FUN!
Celebrate the Year of the Horse with these Lunar New Year-inspired figures. The three 2-inch figure styles include the Jade Blossom Horse, the Lucky Gold Horse, and the Celebration Red Horse. Each figure comes with a holographic collector card and a commemorative coin, and each style is limited to 2,026 pieces.
MSRP: $24.99 each | Available: Booth No. 5613
TRANSFORMERS
JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS AUTOBOT BLASTER, KP GLIT, KP SUNDOR, AND KP ROSANNA HASBRO
Add something truly outrageous to your collection. This set of four Transformers includes a 7-inch Autobot Blaster that converts into a boom box and three mini-bots that convert into cassette tapes.
MSRP: $59.99 | Available: Booth No. 3213, hasbropulse.com
PEE-WEE HERMAN 3D FOAM BAG CLIP 3-PIECE SET
MONOGRAM
Up your whimsy level with this three-piece set of Pee-wee Herman-inspired 3D foam bag clips featuring Chairry, Pee-wee, and Pterri.
MSRP: $25 | Available: Booth No. 3645
GRIMLOCK G2 PLUSH
SYMBIOTE STUDIOS
Roll out your wallet for this Grimlock plush decked out in his blue G2 color scheme.
MSRP: $29.99 | Available: Booth No. 5629
DC COMICS BATMAN 8-INCH CLOTHED ACTION FIGURE NECA
Have a retro moment with this Batman action figure featuring a cloth costume and accessories.
MSRP: $45 | Available: Booth No. 3545
TOY STORY DELUXE VHS GIFT SET MONOGRAM
You’ve got a friend in this VHS-inspired case, which includes two 3D foam bag clips, two enamel pins, and a lanyard.
MSRP: $40 | Available: Booth No. 3645
ORIGINAL TAMAGOTCHI LIMITEDEDITION 30TH ANNIVERSARY
BANDAI NAMCO TOYS & COLLECTIBLES AMERICA
Hop in a time machine to the ’90s with this keepsake Tamagotchi that looks just like the original from three decades ago.
MSRP: $35 | Available: Booth No. 3345
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CHRONICLES GYM BRO SKELETOR ACTION FIGURE MATTEL
It’s leg day every day. This articulated figure, based on the new Masters of the Universe movie, comes in iconic ’80s-themed packaging that opens up to reveal Skeletor pumping iron.
MSRP: $50 | Available: Booth No. 2945
HELLO KITTY DEVILISHLY CUTE LARGE PLUSH & T-SHIRT KIDROBOT
We’re seeing a whole new side of Hello Kitty with these exclusives. The plush is limited to 500 units, and the T-shirt is limited to 300.
MSRP: $35 each Available: Booth No. 3545
STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION ANAKIN SKYWALKER & ASAJJ VENTRESS HASBRO
An iconic duo faces off in this action figure set, which features Padawan Anakin versus Asajj Ventress in an epic lightsaber duel.
MSRP: $51.99
Available: Booth No. 3213, hasbropulse.com
MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SPIDER-MAN, MARVEL’S LIZARD, & MARVEL’S ELECTRO HASBRO
These action figures do whatever a spider can. Based on the 1967 cartoon, the threepack includes Spider-Man, Lizard, and Electro, along with 28 accessories.
MSRP: $84.99 | Available: Booth No. 3213, hasbropulse.com
PEANUTS
SNOOPY JOE COOL REVERSIBLE HANGING WALL SIGN
SILVER BUFFALO
There are two beagles in every person: one who displays this reversible wall sign as Snoopy, and another who displays it as Joe Cool.
MSRP: $20 | Available: Booth No. 829
AHSOKA — ONE WITH THE FORCE
TRENDS INTERNATIONAL
Be strong with the Force with this limitededition watercolor print of Ahsoka Tano wielding her dual lightsabers. There are only 50 units of this print available.
MSRP: $35 | Available: Booth No. 2913-F
LARGE PLUSH KIDROBOT
It’s time for Grimace to have a new look, decked out in Hamburglar chic. The drop is limited to 500 plush.
MSRP: $40 | Available: Booth No. 3545
HOT WHEELS KPOP DEMON HUNTERS PORSCHE 911 GT3 R MATTEL
Derpy Tiger is about to speed into your collection in car form. This Hot Wheels diecast looks like the lovable cat from KPop Demon Hunters. Just keep it away from any potted plants.
MSRP: $30 | Available: Booth No. 2945
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 2012 CARTOON SKETCH TURTLES 7-INCH-SCALE
ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK
NECA
Celebrate animation with this four-pack of TMNT figures in a black-and-white sketch style. The packaging opens to reveal Mikey, Leo, Raph, and Donnie complete with their accessories.
MSRP: $150 | Available: Booth No. 3545
DC MULTIVERSE KILOWOG (GREEN LANTERN) 7-INCH DELUXE ACTION FIGURE GOLD LABEL
MCFARLANE TOYS
The Green Lantern of Sector 674 can join your DC Comics collection. The figure comes with a hammer, a lantern, a base, and a collectible art card.
MSRP: $34.99 | Available: Booth No. 1915
“If you’re wearing a large latex costume, Vividress Latex Dressing Aid makes getting in and out easy-peasy.”
— Chad Nelson, @chadpool
Source: Vivishine
“Superfeet insoles! We often get 22,000 steps a day, which is only possible if we take care of our feet.”
— Sofia Hussain, @sofiahussain6
Source: Superfeet
“We have a vest from ThermApparel that’s great for keeping heat under control!”
— Taylor Pope, @devisingdelight
Source: ThermApparel
At Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) 2015, a cosplayer hobbled over to Colleen Kelly Burks’ fan table, cradling a brown boot with a peeling sole.
Burks dug through her supplies for a solution, but all she had to offer was a roll of silver duct tape. Nevertheless, she wrapped the boot as best she could, added a matching patch to its twin, and sent the cosplayer skipping back to the floor, grinning ear to ear.
Later that night, Burks quietly added brown duct tape to her Amazon cart, and Cosplay First Aid was born.
Every SDCC cosplayer has an emergency toolkit: gaff tape, bobby pins, setting spray, and enough ibuprofen to survive a long day at the San Diego Convention Center. However, when something goes wrong — as it always does — the most useful tool in cosplayers’ back pockets isn’t a makeup pallette, a prop, or even a portable fan — it’s each other.
Armed with an arsenal of safety pins, super glue, and nearly 50 years of costuming know-how, Burks has become a lifeline for SDCC cosplayers in crisis. Her fan table, officially dubbed Cosplay First Aid in 2022, saves hundreds of ‘fits from falling apart every year, from little quick fixes to full-blown rebuilds. In 2025, Burks logged more than 200 repairs across the four-day con, so many that she had to recruit a second Cosplay Medic just to keep up with demand.
“I know the heartbreak when a costume or prop breaks or tears,” Burks says. “Using my past experiences and knowledge to help patch or repair a cosplay gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love making people smile.”
Burks may have the actual toolbox, but the instinct to help a fellow fan runs through many cosplayers on the floor. For Shawn Thorsson, who usually ringleads large-squad cosplays, teamwork is an absolute necessity for conquering the con.
“After you’ve gone through a few rounds of herding cats and chasing down all of the nuts and bolts to get a dozen matched outfits to show up all at once … there’s nothing I can’t fix with a bit of gaff tape and CA glue or a scrap of foam,” he says.
When Thorsson is packing for SDCC, he’s not only thinking about his own needs, but also the rest of his group’s. With so many people to keep track of, disaster could strike at any moment. His approach: “Game out all of the ‘What could go wrong?’ questions in advance and pack accordingly. One way or another, the show must go on.”
Whether it’s sharing supplies, playing handler for your group, or helping a stranger salvage months of hard work, these small acts of generosity are what turn a crowded convention center into a community — as Burks puts it, “a family within fandom” — held together by hot glue, helping hands, and a collective love of cosplay. ✪
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Miller is an assistant editor for The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. In her free time, she enjoys reading, visiting theme parks, and spending time with her adorable dog, Darwin.
Natalie
Design in distress? Visit Colleen Kelly Burks at Cosplay First Aid, located on the Mezzanine at SDCC. | Source: Colleen Kelly Burks
Every year at SDCC, Shawn Thorsson and his crew of cosplayers work together as a team to conquer the con. | Source: Shawn Thorsson
Tlives in a cupboard under the stairs, a reluctant Hobbit, a plain girl from District 12, and now, a man with no pants and his talking cat.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a LitRPG series by author Matt Dinniman in which an intergalactic corporation destroys Earth and forces what is left of humanity into a Dungeons & Dragons-style world where they compete in a televised game show: Crawler World: Earth. Protag onist Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s pageant star cat, Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk, must fight for their lives against monsters, other crawlers, and the mentally unstable system AI that may or may not have a foot fetish, all while leveling up their skills, saving lives, and trying to break the system from the inside.
In the almost six years since Crawler Carl it’s exploded into an eight-book series, with two more installments on the way. Originally self-published via Amazon, the series has since been picked up by Penguin Random House, which will publish the last two books of the series and distribute the earlier installments with new cover art.
“It’s surreal,” Dinniman says. “I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and the series sort of blew up very quickly. I still feel like everything is spinning.”
As the series’ popularity continues to grow, fans have built a vibrant community that has caught the eyes of merch makers, with collectibles from Playmates Toys and games from Renegade Game Studios launching this year.
JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
If you head to your local bookseller to
keep the new art true to the spirit of the series. Color has been really important. The vibrant, offbeat colors on the black backgrounds really capture the wild, but relatable and funny, world of the books.”
cover redesign while the books are still coming out can be a nightmare for the completionist collector.
To ensure that fans who
books with the original covers designed by Luciano Fleitas could maintain a cohesive collection, Dinniman was adamant about releasing the rest of the series with Fleitas covers in limited drops, alongside the new Penguin Random House versions.
“It was a deal breaker for me,” Dinniman says. “We have to allow the people who’ve been collecting from the beginning to collecting them, which is why we kept
purchase these limited-edition covers, it seems to be understood among the community that these drops are designed for those looking to complete their original collection. Plus, starting a full collection from scratch would come at quite the price — at the time of publication the OG cover editions are going for up to $900 on eBay.
pick up the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, it won’t be hard to miss the books, which have newly designed and illustrated covers by Will Staehle. These neon, pop-art designs will stand out on your shelves no matter how you display them.
“We really wanted the fun of the series to come through in the jackets,” says Adam Auerbach, art and design director at Penguin Random House. “[Staehle’s] color sense and visual wit really helped bring out the humor. We used the story and tone of the book as our main inspiration, which was how we tried to
PLAYING THE GAME
Fleitas’ Dungeon Crawler Carl covers may no longer be the definitive look of the series, but his art remains vital to the brand. Fleitas even worked with the design team at Renegade Game Studios to create featured artwork for the company’s Dungeon Crawler Carl games: the Dungeon Crawler Carl Role-Playing Game and the deck-building game Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable. Fleitas contributed to the artwork for both games, but the company also commissioned hundreds of images from
Fans who purchased the original Dungeon Crawler Carl book covers can complete their collection as the rest of the books come out, even though Penguin Random House gave the series a refresh.
Source: Matt Dinniman/Penguin Random House
different artists for them, each featuring their own unique style.
“Once we had those marquee pieces by Luciano, then we could go from there,” says Scott Gaeta, president and publisher at Renegade Game Studios. “We wanted to give artists some freedom, too. Some things are stylized differently. The Unstoppable style is different from the role-playing game book style. We didn’t want it to be like some other licenses where you can only draw this character exactly this way. We wanted to give them a little bit more expression. Matt seemed to love it. Being an artist himself, you could tell he wasn’t going to make everybody do it
Players can be a Skyfowl like Mordecai or an Igneous like Chris and take on a class like Hekla’s Shieldmaiden or Elle McGibbons’ Blizzardmancer. It’s complicated in the best way, full of book-accurate details and loaded with creativity.
For fans looking for a more approachable experience, Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable is a deck-building game in which players explore the first three floors of the World Dungeon. Players can go solo or team up with a fellow crawler and explore four difficulty levels. There are more than 280 cards to collect, multiple playable crawlers, an assortment of bosses to face off against, and more.
The games launched on Backer-
live and play in that space. Games are the perfect way to jump in and participate. That’s a natural fit for Carl, especially being a LitRPG.”
Both games are expected to ship in November, along with new accessories and add-ons, like Carl and Donut dice sets, minis sets, a game master screen, and more.
LOOT BOXES UNLOCKED
Playmates Toys, best known for making the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a household name in the ’80s, is also entering the dungeon, launching several lines of Dungeon Crawler Carl toys under the name of the company that runs the World Dungeon in the books:
“We thought it was a fun Easter egg for fans, but also, a lot of the other IPs that we work with are younger-skewing,” says Lydia Torres, marketing manager at Playmates Toys. “Sometimes people see the Playmates logo and expect toys for a younger demographic. We didn’t want people to see a cute cat and the Playmates logo and think it was an IP for children. It was a fun way to do something that meant a lot in the book and also keep it safe and clear as to who
While Playmates Toys is best known for its kids’ toys, fans can rest assured that the Dungeon Crawler Carl line will feature the same irreverent charm
“We definitely have not watered down the brand at all,” Torres says. “We went all in. We have the Uzi Jesus trading card in one of our loot boxes, and his catchphrase is across the top in big, bold letters. So what you get in the book, we’ve tried to really emulate that in
One of the staples of the collection is the Dungeon Crawler World Earth Collectible Crawlers, 6-inch collectible figures of Mordecai, Prepotente, and Carl and Princess Donut. Each figure comes with interchangeable hands and heads, and the magnetic Princess Donut figure even sits on Carl’s shoulder.
The collection also includes more de-
Playmates Toys’ Dungeon Crawler Carl collectibles include display-ready action figures, surprise boxes, and more. | Source: Playmates Toys
tailed pieces with the Dungeon Crawler World Earth Dungeon Highlight Statues, surprise figures that include some of the most legendary moments from the series, like when Donut uses Mordecai’s mother’s ashes as a litter box or the iconic cat atop Mongo’s back, riding over a severed Mantaur arm.
Collectors can also live their best dungeon life with the Dungeon Crawler World Earth Loot Boxes, which each include a mystery Princess Donut figure and one of four accessories; 8- and 12inch Princess Donut plushies; and Dungeon Crawler World Earth Trading Cards, which feature familiar characters from crawlers and NPCs to mobs and Borant Corp. officials.
Playmates Toys will debut the Dungeon Crawler Carl collection at Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) this year with an exclusive Carl and Donut figure (complete with bloodspatter), an exclusive poster, a CrawlCon loot box, and more.
CREATING COMMUNITY OUT OF CHAOS
The Dungeon Crawler Carl collectibles and games would not be successful without the vibrant, engaged community fans have built over the past six years.
Tyson Cox, a comedian with more than 25,000 followers on TikTok, started listening to the Dungeon Crawler Carl
audiobooks, narrated by Jeff Hays, after clips from them kept popping up on his feed.
“I, weirdly enough, was annoyed how many TikToks were using the audio,” Cox says. “Eventually, I was like, ‘Well, I got to see what this is all about.’ So I started to listen, and I was like, ‘This is the best thing ever.’”
Since then, Cox has posted Dungeon Crawler Carl-themed videos on his platforms, the most popular of which earned more than 250,000 views and a repost from Dinniman. In the video, Cox jokes that the plot of Dungeon Crawler Carl sounds like a toddler trying to tell a story.
“It could objectively feel like an insult, but it popped off, and then he noticed it,” Cox says. “He’s part of the reason why I did so well, because he liked it, he commented, and he reshared it. He didn’t have to do that. It was a super cool thing that meant a lot to me as a fan, and he could have just easily not done it or chosen to be offended by me goofing on it.”
Dungeon Crawler Carl has also made it into the libraries of the fan artists, including Naomi Dale, who goes by @_mimimaru on Instagram. Dale has crafted several pieces of art based on the series, including a moody portrait of Carl and Donut relaxing in the Desperado Club and a portrait of Carl flipping off the system AI, which he does at the end of
the series’ fourth book, The Gate of the Feral Gods
“Every book that I’ve listened to in the series, I’m always taken aback by how it can go from being so rambunctious and chaotic to showing these really humanizing emotional scenes,” Dale says. “I think Matt Dinniman balances that rollercoaster of emotions really well … I’m so attached to these characters now that I think it’s a work of art. I can’t help crying, laughing, and then like screaming to all my friends that they have to read this, too.”
Dungeon Crawler Carl is an adventure filled with creatively disgusting monsters, explosive mayhem, and a cast of characters that know no limits. It has gore, grit, and a ton of heart: a perfect cocktail for a winning franchise. With two books left in the series, a live-action TV series on the way from Peacock, and its first round of merch and collectibles leaving fans ravenous for more, it’s safe to say there are a lot of levels of the World Dungeon left to explore. ✪
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ashley Pelletier is an associate editor for The Toy Insider, The Pop Insider, and The Toy Book, with a master’s in journalism from Quinnipiac University. When she isn’t writing her latest story, she is reading a fantasy novel like Throne of Glass or Fourth Wing or rewatching one of her favorite TV shows over and over.
Dungeon Crawler Carl games and figures are hitting shelves as the series hits new heights of popularity.
Sources: Playmates Toys (left, middle), Renegade Game Studios (right)
MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN COSBI BOBBLE-HEAD COLLECTION
YUME TOYS
Turn your shelf into a Sinister Six showdown. Each mystery box features either a wiggling webslinger, like Spider-Punk, Spider-Man 2099, or Spider-Man’s Advanced suit (pictured); or a bobbling baddie, such as Scorpion, Rhino, Doc Ock, or Vulture.
MSRP: $16.99 each | Available: Target, Walmart
DUNGEONS&DRAGONSXWOLFPAKCOLLECTION
WOLFPAK
Blending fantasy flair with functional design, this campaign-ready collection features backpacks, duffle bags, T-shirts, and customizable Velcro patches to turn fans’ everyday quests into epic adventures.
MSRP: $109.95-199.95 | Available: wolfpak.com
PROJECTHAILMARYROCKY8-INCHCOLLECTORPLUSH TOYNK
How long since last sleep, question? With this Rocky plush watching over you, your next nap will be out of this world. Featuring soft sculpting and printed details, this collectible is the perfect co-pilot for Earth-side cuddles.
MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Amazon, Toynk
NINTENDO HARD SCHIFFER PUBLISHING
Written by Kelsey Polnik and 8-Bit Steve, this resource book breaks down the gameplay mechanics, design, and statistics of 669 iconic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games, complete with expert commentary, interviews, and insights into the most difficult challenges.
MSRP: $45 | Available: Amazon, Walmart
TEENAGEMUTANTNINJATURTLES X G.I. JOE ACTION FIGURES
PLAYMATES TOYS
Two ’80s icons collide in these cowabunga collectibles. Each 4-5-inch figure gives a classic G.I. Joe character a turtle-powered twist, complete with a variety of accessories and retro window-box packaging.
MSRP: $15.99 | Available: mass retailers
MY LITTLE PONY X LOUNGEFLY LOUNGEFLY
When it comes to style, Twilight Sparkle doesn’t horse around. Fans can rep the colt-classic character on mini backpacks (pictured), crossbody bags, and wallets to make everyday errands extra enchanting.
MSRP: $42-90 | Available: loungefly.com
GODZILLA SCRAMBLE
BANDAI NAMCO TOYS & COLLECTIBLES AMERICA
These egg-shaped surprises unfold to reveal one of five Godzilla figures, each rocking a wacky new look. You can hatch monster mash-ups like the super-rare “scrambled” chase, Ice Cream, Zebra, or Hamburger.
MSRP: $9.99 | Available: Amazon, Target
HARRYPOTTERGOLDENSNITCH WATCH NECKLACE
THE CARAT SHOP
A total catch for sparkle Seekers, this Golden Snitch pendant magically pops open without a single lick, revealing a secret pocket watch, so you’ll never miss the Hogwarts Express again.
MSRP: $26.59
Available: Amazon, thecaratshop.co.uk
HAPPY HAUL DROP 2
JUST PLAY
This collectible series features plush, clip-ons, figures, and other mystery surprises packed with pop-culture icons. Drop 2 features beloved characters from Disney Stitch (pictured), Trolls, Shrek, Harry Potter, and SpongeBob SquarePants.
MSRP: $9.99 each | Available: mass retailers
BEAVISANDBUTT-HEADCOUCH
BRICKCRAFT
This 626-piece building set re-creates Beavis and Butt-Head’s living room, from their pink couch to the boobtube. With a butt-load of accessories and a bonus Great Cornholio build, this set is gonna be cool.
MSRP: $49.99
Available: Amazon
SPIDER-MAN (SPIDER-MAN:BRANDNEWDAY)
HASBRO
With great power comes great collectibility. This 6-inch-scale webslinger rocks his new suit from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, equipped with alternate hands, web effects, and other action-packed accessories.
MSRP: $27.99 | Available: mass retailers
JURASSICPARK500-PIECEPUZZLE
CINEMA PUZZLES
Assemble a piece of the past with a Jurassic Park-themed puzzle. The 500-piece puzzle coems together to reveal a still from the 1993 film’s T. rex breakout scene, with a bonus poster to tricera-top it all off.
MSRP: $40
Available: cinemapuzzles.com
SUPERGIRL3DFOAMBAGCLIPS
MONOGRAM
Supergirl heroes and villains crash-land in this collectible keychain series with bold new designs perfect for suping up backpacks, bags, belts, bookshelves, and more.
MSRP: $7.99 each
Available: mass retailers
PEANUTS SCULPTED SNOOPY BOOKENDS HALLMARK
Prop up your paperbacks with the Peanuts’ playful pup. The set includes two bookends, each featuring one half of Snoopy and a faux book with a cheeky Charlie Brown-themed title that’ll make fans’ tails wag.
MSRP: $59.99 | Available: hallmark.com
POKÉMON
TCG: MEGA EVOLUTION " CHAOS RISING ELITE TRAINER BOX THE POKÉMON CO.
In this expansion, trainers will find Mega Floette ex wreaking havoc in Lumiose City. Players can ward off this dangerous threat by leveraging powerful Pokémon and discovering more Mega Evolution Pokémon ex through rare cards.
MSRP: $49.99 | Available: mass retailers
STAR TREK: PICARD MURDER ON THE TITAN!A BEADLE & GRIMM’S
Live long and prosper by uncovering key evidence in this Picardthemed murder mystery game. Players will work together to uncover clues, eliminate suspects, and avoid war with the Klingons.
MSRP: $40 | Available: specialty retailers
Bring fandom to the tabletop with new licensedofficially games.
DISNEY VILLAINOUS: DARKNESS BREWING RAVENSBURGER
Retell your favorite Disney stories from the villains’ point of view with this game, featuring six witches in one box: Ursula, The Evil Queen, Maleficent, and The Sanderson Sisters. Enjoy the game on its own or with other Disney Villainous games.
MSRP: $34.99 | Available: Target
FLIP 7: DISNEY TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS THE OP GAMES
Join Jack Skellington and the citizens of Halloween Town for a press-your-luck card game where players earn points based on the present cards they collect.
MSRP: $9.95 | Available: Amazon (August/September)
HORRIFIED: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS RAVENLOFT RAVENSBURGER
This Horrified expansion takes place in the terrifying domain of Barovia. Players must work together to defeat four new foes inspired by Ravenloft’s monsters.
MSRP: $34.99 | Available: Target
FOURTH WING: RISE OF THE WINGLEADER SPECIAL BOOKSELLER VARIANT
GOLIATH GAMES
Rebecca Yarros’ book series hits the tabletop with a game experience featuring popular story moments like The Parapet and Threshing, as well as the tension-filled politics of the Riders Quadrant. This game also includes a metal dragon bookmark.
MSRP: $24.99
Available: specialty retailers
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS: BATTLE FOR THE SPOTLIGHT
Z-MAN GAMES
Gear up and take it down. HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys are fighting for the spotlight, and players can cheer on their favorite group. In this fast-paced, tug-of-war game, cheers generate the fan energy that powers each group’s performance.
MSRP: $16.99 | Available: Amazon
JUMANJI: THE ULTIMATE LEVEL
SPIN MASTER
Survive Jumanji’s greatest challenges and trials in a fast-paced game featuring sound effects, lights, and five different levels. Each player is given a character role and must team up to collect the right tools and respond to prompts.
MSRP: $24.99 | Available: Fall
NEON ODYSSEY
AVANTRIS ENTERTAINMENT
Turn Dungeons & Dragons campaigns into a science fantasy adventure, with a Space Opera trilogy featuring bounty hunts, dangerous jobs, and high-stakes missions across strange worlds.
MSRP: $410 | Available: Kickstarter
The music-guessing game gets a bingo twist featuring more than 100 years of iconic songs. As players listen to the music and make correct guesses, they’ll mark them off on their bingo cards.
MSRP: $29.97
Available: Amazon, specialty retailers
LEGENDARY DC
UPPER DECK
Players must become DC superheroes and work together to stop the schemes of a mastermind villain in this stand-alone, deck-building game.
MSRP: $99.99
Available: specialty retailers
CODENAMES: CRITICAL ROLE ADVENTURES
CZECH GAMES
Inspired by the Critical Role universe, this co-op version of Codenames has one player act as a game master and lead their party through perilous missions.
MSRP: $39.99
Available: specialty retailers (Aug. 1)
DISNEY LORCANA: ATTACK OF THE VINE! RAVENSBURGER
The world of Disney Lorcana expands with new characters and stories from Pixar’s Monsters Inc., Up, and Turning Red. Players can collect more trading cards through the series’ booster packs, boxes, and Illumineer’s Trove sets.
MSRP: $5.99-143.76
Available: specialty retailers
HUNT A KILLER: BLOOD AND INK RELATABLE
Can you hunt down Tony Casagrande’s killer? The chef’s body is found in an alley behind his restaurant and features a new postmortem tattoo. Solve the case and get a temporary tattoo designed by celebrity artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy.
MSRP: $29.99 | Available: Target
REALTALK — FOURTH WING THAMES & KOSMOS
Enter the Empyrean universe from Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing by answering storybased questions. One person ranks the other players, and then the group tries to guess which of the three questions inspired the ranking.
MSRP: $14.95
Available: thamesandkosmos.com
SCRABBLE STUDIO EDITION WS GAME CO.
Scrabble becomes stylish with a modern game edition featuring a cozy neutral aesthetic; a suede-wrapped, book-style box; all-wood letter tiles; and a microsuede drawstring pouch.
MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Target
“Licensees approach this process with a deep respect for the source material,” McLaughlin promises. “By collaborating closely with our creative teams, licensees deliver products that not only delight fans, but also encourage imaginative play and storytelling — reinforcing the franchise’s legacy and broadening its reach for new generations.”
REACH FOR THE SKY
No brand unites generations as effectively as Newell Brands. The company behind Rubbermaid, Crock-Pot, and Yankee Candle is lassoing kids and adults with its Toy Story 5 collection, offering Sharpie Permanent Markers and S-Note Creative Highlighters and Elmer’s glue sticks and slime kits.
Elmer’s mission of developing creative minds through hands-on activities aligns with the film series. “There is so much nostalgia there,” says Morissa Wagner, brand director at Newell Brands, of the Toy Story franchise.
“The theme fits so well with the Elmer’s brand and our mission.”
Slime isn’t just for kids, though; moviegoers of all ages can enjoy the compound. “That balance is really what makes Toy Story so enduring,” shares Kristen Mahan, director of global brand marketing at Newell Brands. “For us, it’s that balance of honoring that iconic storytelling and characters that people already love while showing up in ways that feel current and relevant to how kids create and play today.”
Elmer’s is the No. 1 brand for school glue and slime. Adults, feeling like Rex and Mr. Potato Head, can take comfort in the sensory activity.
Available in four- and 10-piece sets, these kits include pre-measured ingredients, glue in themed colors, and an activator.
“People find that tactile experience to really bring creativity, but also, the relaxation element,” Mahan says, adding that the experience includes “that fidget element that is so popular these days.”
“With both Elmer’s and Sharpie, we’re bringing that story into real life,” Mahan says. “Creativity and creating those shared experiences between both parents and kids, where that nostalgia and the newness come together.”
“The anticipation around Toy Story 5 reflects the deep, crossgenerational connection fans continue to have with these characters and stories.”
— Rick Vargas, general merchandise manager and senior vice president of merchandise and marketing, BoxLunch
Sharpie’s Permanent Markers ($26.99) feature the film’s characters on the packaging and offer a limited-edition barrel design and franchise-inspired col ors, including Buzz Lightyear’s signature greens and purples. The S-Note Cre ative Highlighters ($22.99) deliver vivid, high-contrast shades with a chisel tip ideal for highlighting.
Basic Fun! joins in the creative play with Lite-Brite ColorPOP! Toy Story ($19.99). The interactive, light-up toy includes six ColorPOP full-color templates with a translucent, HD screen. Fans can scan a QR code at home to download more templates, blending modern tech with a classic toy.
“Lite-Brite is all about bringing art to life through light and creativity, which
made it a natural fit for Toy Story — a franchise built around the magic of toys coming to life,” explains Jessica Stuhmer, Basic Fun!’s global brand manager for Lite-Brite, My Little Pony, and Potato Head. “Both brands spark imagination and creative storytelling in a way that resonates across generations.”
“Toys are for play, but tech is for everything,” Woody comiserates in the new film. With Elmer’s and Basic Fun!, hands-on, screen-free time together may prove him wrong.
Fans can dress like Buzz Lightyear or an extra from Woody’s Roundup with BoxLunch’s Toy Story 5 apparel collection. | Source: BoxLunch
YOU’RE MY FAVORITE DEPUTY
Fans can show a love greater than Woody’s with apparel, accessories, and home goods.
“The anticipation around Toy Story 5 reflects the deep, cross-generational connection fans continue to have with these characters and stories,” says Rick Vargas, general merchandise manager and senior vice president of merchandise and marketing at BoxLunch. From everyday wear to the movie theater, BoxLunch has fans covered — literally. “Fans can expect fresh takes on iconic characters across apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products,” he adds.
Disney Pixar Toy Story Woody Plaid Mechanic Woven T-Shirt ($49.90) offers Woody’s biggest fans a brown plaid top with zipper details, patches, and Woody and Bullseye on the back. Disney Pixar Toy Story Characters Western Women’s Overalls ($79.90) match the theme, with cowprint straps and embroidered characters. Paired together, one might be fit as an extra on Woody’s Roundup or ready to dominate the claw machine at Pizza Planet. Nothing says first place at the arcade or in the space race like the Disney Pixar Toy Story Buzz Lightyear Flight Jacket ($99.90), an adventure-ready jacket begging for blast-off.
The exclusives stretch as far as Slinky Dog, including a Scenic Crewneck ($64.90), Cropped Baseball Jersey ($54.90), and Cropped Zippered Hoodie ($59.90). “At BoxLunch, we’re seeing strong demand for nostalgic, fan-first merchandise that feels both collectible and wearable, and this collection was designed with that in mind,” Vargas says.
“The film delivers heart, humor, and unforgettable characters who have become cross-generational icons. This unique combination enables products to serve as a seamless extension of the storytelling in the film.”
— JoAnn McLaughlin, senior vice president of licensed product design and development, Disney Consumer Products
Fans can journal and label with Sharpie markers in the franchise’s colorway (left) and connect with their kids with The LEGO Group’s new sets (right). Source: Disney Consumer Products
Fans can accessorize with more class than Woody’s sheriff badge through a Pandora collaboration ($85-130). The sterling silver and 14k gold-plated collection includes a Buzz Lightyear Dangle Charm, a 14k gold-plated Cowboy Boot Charm, a Sheriff Star Bracelet, a stretched Slinky Dog Charm, and a Pixar Ball Charm.
They can also get to their next adventure with Crocs ($19.99-129.99), which transformed the classic silhouette with a set that looks like the film’s aliens, and scaled into new heights with another pair inspired by Jessie’s cowgirl boots. A full line of Jibbitz accessory charms includes an alien, Bullseye, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and Woody. “Our line with Crocs allows consumers of all ages to showcase their fandom in a more expressive way,” McLaughlin says.
At the end of the day, fans can scrub themselves clean with Dr. Squatch hygiene products ($24-51). “Our collection with Dr. Squatch integrates the brand into personal care touchpoints for fans,” McLaughlin says. The collection features three soaps inspired by Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, along with two deodorants. “Toy Story is a cross-generational story about friendship, loyalty, and the inevitability of growing up, so we wanted this collection to reflect that,” shares John Ludeke, chief brand officer at Dr. Squatch.
Cosmic Captain has notes of crisp pear, cedarwood, and evening star, while Cowgirl Courage smells like wildflowers
and sandalwood, and Howdy Hero gives off warm vanilla and desert sage, ensuring fans will always smell better than Sid’s dreadful bedroom.
“This marks our first-ever partnership with our sister brand, Jukebox, with each product specifically designed to reflect what makes Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie so memorable for fans and collectors of all ages. From Howdy Hero’s rugged cowboy energy and Cosmic Captain’s fresh, space-ready feel to Cowgirl Courage’s bright, adventurous spirit,” Ludeke adds. “The goal was to create products that showcase the power of play and imagination, have a real place in your everyday routine, and feel worthy of the Toy Story universe.”
THERE’S A SNAKE IN MY BOOT
Travel has proved perilous in the franchise for Woody and Buzz, but Away makes the daunting task easier, with bag charms ($38), keychain lanyards ($38), stadium bags with enamel pins ($98), packing cubes in three colorways ($98 for a set of three), carry-on and checked luggage for kids and adults ($278-398), and kids’ backpacks ($98). Even when you’re far from the playroom, destined for infinity, the playroom is close to you.
Items like this provide fans “ongoing engagement touchpoints that bridge them into the next chapter,” McLaughlin says. Collectors can enjoy “the storytelling across our lineup of films this blockbuster season,” as a result, she says.
Happier surprises are in stores, with mystery figures at Pop Mart and Miniso. With the touch of a button, Pop Mart’s figures ($18.99) reveal scenes from the movie. Miniso’s Childhood Bonds Series Vinyl Plush Surprise Box is a collection of oversized bag charms, starring Andy dressed as his childhood toys. The mystery box accessories join Boot-Shaped Crossbody Bags that mimic Buzz Lightyear’s green, purple, and white space boots and Woody’s brown Western cowboy boots.
SO LONG, PARTNER
Is this the last Toy Story film? At the time of publication, Disney hasn’t confirmed — or denied — a sixth installment. “At its core, Toy Story is grounded in imagination, adventure, and friendship — values that inspire creativity and emotional connection,” McLaughlin says.
After 31 years, and love from three generations, one thing fans can count on is that they have a friend in Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and all of Bonnie’s toys, from the cowgirl rag doll Jessie to a decorated plastic knife. ✪
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katherine M. Hill is an associate editor at The Pop Insider. When she’s not reading, writing, and editing news this summer, she’s swimming, watching baseball, beachcombing, and weeding in the community garden.
Smell better than Sid’s bedroom with hygiene products from Dr. Squatch. | Source: Disney Consumer Products
NEXT-GEN NEWS
Gotta Stitch Fast with The Woobles’ Sonic Crochet Kits
Ready. Set. Sew! In honor of Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary, The Woobles joined forces with SEGA to create a line of crochet kits starring the blue blur and his besties. There are three cuddly crafts available: Tails, Knuckles, and, of course, Sonic himself.
And that’s not all: To celebrate the hedgehog’s emerald anniversary, fans can power up their plush collection with the Chaos Emerald accessory set. This mini kit is available in one of seven possible colors — purple, red, white, blue, navy, yellow, or green — adding a dash of mystery to your DIY.
Available now at the woobles.com, each kit contains everything needed for the craft, including a custom crochet hook, button eyes, The Woobles’ signature Easy Peasy Yarn, and access to instruction videos. ✪
Source: The LEGO Group
Get Your Giggles Out with Just Play’s Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max
Head back to Sesame Street with the new Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the classic 1996 Tickle Me Elmo, Just Play revamped the iconic ‘90s toy with a larger size and new features.
Kids ages 18 months and up can tickle Elmo’s belly and feet to see a range of reactions, including hysterical laughter, flapping arms, full body movements, and more. The more kids tickle Elmo, the more reactions he’ll have. Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max is available at mass retailers. ✪
Source: Just Play
Build to Infinity and Beyond with These Toy Story LEGO Sets
You’ve got a friend in The LEGO Group. Kids can build classic characters like Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and two green aliens as LEGO BrickHeadz, while older fans can re-create Slinky Dog as detailed bookends, complete with hidden, pop-out minifigures. Many sets also include poseable or interactive features, like LEGO Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear’s wiggly eyebrows or the LEGO Alien with Pizza Planet Ride, which moves back-and-forth just like the iconic arcade ride, thanks to a special crank. No need to visit Al’s Toy Barn — the entire LEGO Toy Story collection is available now in stores and at LEGO.com. ✪
Source: The Woobles
Many streaming services offer movies and shows for younger audiences, but there’s a chance your kids’ favorite series is on YouTube. What once started as a place for funny cat videos is now a global media phenom enon that’s bursting with content — especially for kids. YouTubers, or creators who upload content on the platform, are taking over little ones’ screen time with videos featuring toys, gaming, fashion, sports, and more.
But this content isn’t just for the screens anymore. With large fanbases and even larger views — and we’re talking billions — YouTubers are growing their brand by collaborating with companies across product categories. From Moose Toys’ MrBeast toy line to HarperCollins’ Aphmau books, kids are seeing their favorite YouTube creators beyond the screens. ✪
LIKE NASTYA
Subscribers: 132 million
Views: 120 billion
It’s always playtime for Anastasia “Nastya” Radzinskaya and her family. This channel promotes self-expression and imagination through skits, challenges, and storytelling. Many of Nastya’s pre tend adventures feature kid-friendly topics like food, superheroes, and animals. When she isn’t playing with friends, Nastya is collaborat ing with Basic Fun! As the offcial Littlest Pet Shop brand part infuencer hopes “to inspire kids everywhere to dream big and tell their own stories.” Little fans can fnd new ways to play through collectible characters inspired by Nastya’s own pets.
Source: Basic Fun!
GENEVIEVE’S PLAYHOUSE
Subscribers: 50.1 million
Views: 41.9 billion
Twelve-year-old Genevieve Mann can’t wait to see what her friends are doing, and neither can her millions of subscribers. Young kids and toddlers tune in to this channel for videos featuring educational content and toy-based learning. Genevieve shares how she loves “helping kids around the world learn and play. It’s really cool to be a part of so many people’s lives.”
Outside the “playhouse,” Genevieve and her stories continue with Bonkers Toys’ toy collection. Robert Mann, Genevieve’s father and the creator of vieve’s Playhouse, says the line is designed by Genevieve, “ensuring the toys maintain the wonderment that comes with a child’s bright-eyed imagination.” With hopes of fans “making quality memories, meeting our characters, and playing with them,” this line features playsets, fgures, plush, and mystery surprise sets.
MRBEAST
Subscribers: 492 million
Views: 125 billion
If families want extreme, high-energy content, then they should check out MrBeast. Jimmy Donaldson, or MrBeast to his subscribers, is an internet sensation known for his elaborate stunts and insane challenges. Outside of YouTube, MrBeast has a snack company, a restaurant chain, a game show on Amazon Prime, and a philanthropy organization, giving back to people worldwide through donations, service, and environmental work.
MrBeast’s brand also grows through its toy collection with Moose Toys. The MrBeast Lab series features action fgures and collectibles inspired by his signature panther logo. With hundreds of characters to collect, kids can conduct pretend experiments to reveal their mutated beast.
DANNY GO!
Subscribers: 4.8 million
Views: 5.3 billion
Are you ready for new adventures? Tune into Danny Go!, a channel that’s all about music, dancing, and learning. With his childhood friends, Daniel Coleman creates catchy, upbeat dance-along songs for kids, which he hopes will encourage them to “feel confdent, creative, and proud of who they are.” Each video features Kindergarten-level learning for math, science, and vocabulary, along with basic lessons about friendship, kindness,
Kids can fnd more ways to move through Just Play’s toy collection. This assortment encourages active play with toys like the Lava Adventure Game, the Music Mix-Up Boombox (pictured), and the Color Beat Drumsticks. Abrams Books is also on the move with Danny Go’s Volcano Adventure, a picture book, in which kids help Danny Go fnd treasure inside a volcano.
Source: Bonkers Toys
Source: Moose Toys
Source: Just Play
DOCTOR SQUISH
Subscribers: 3.5 million
Views: 426 million
She may not have an offcial PhD in squishies, but Doctor Squish knows her stuff! On her channel, she does product hauls, challenges, and reviews about squishies, stress relievers, and sensory toys. When she’s not creating her own squishy makeovers, she’s inviting her fans to join the fun. BOTI Interna tional’s Doctor Squish Squishy Maker is a DIY set for kids to make, customize, and enjoy squishies. Doctor Squish prescribes more sensory fun with Putty Buddies and glow-in-the-dark slime.
MARK ROBER
Subscribers: 77.9 million
Views: 17.2 billion
APHMAU
Subscribers: 24.9 million
Views: 29.3 billion
Leveling up kids’ on-screen experiences is Jess — better known to her subscribers as Aphmau. Every week, viewers watch her explore the world of gaming, with many adventures taking place in Minecraft. When she’s not playing with friends or exploring video games on her second channel, Aphmau Shuki (4 million subscribers), the YouTuber is collaborating with companies to make kid-friendly merch.
Sky Castle Toys features Aphmau in its signature product, Sticki Rolls, a wearable bracelet featuring collectible holographic stickers. HarperCollins offers literary fun with the graphic novel Aphmau: Searching for Home and the Aphmau: Game On! activity book. The upbeat YouTuber also has a mystery plush line with Bonkers Toys (pictured), featuring characters from her Minecraft series.
As a former NASA engineer, Mark Rober is using his expertise to bring the wonders of science to viewers worldwide. This channel introduces families to STEM concepts through videos featuring experiments, challenges, and DIY gadgets. Rober also founded CrunchLabs, a subscription service that offers hands-on projects that encourage kids to think like engineers.
CrunchLabs is also the name of Moose Toys’ STEM-based toy line. This collaboration brings educational value through experiments such as the Elephant Toothpaste Blast (pictured) and the Egg Drop Challenge. Along with science-themed sets, Rober shares that “each toy will have a dedicated video from me showing the science behind how it works,” blending educational value with year-round fun.
Source: BOTI International
Source: Bonkers Toys
Source: Moose Toys
MS. RACHEL
Subscribers: 20 million
Views: 15.9 billion
A pink headband, blue overalls, and exciting lessons for toddlers? It has to be Ms. Rachel! With experience in early childhood education, Rachel GriffnAccurso uses techniques recommended by therapists and educators to help children reach im portant milestones. Beyond her lessons on letters, numbers, and colors, she teaches toddlers through her numerous collaborations, including toys, crafts, books, and more.
Spin Master was one of the frst companies to bring Ms. Rachel to play rooms, with a preschool toy line featuring her educational lessons. Penguin Random House offers literary tales about Ms. Rachel and her friends with vari ous books, including the Little Golden Book, The Caterpillar Song: Soon You’re Going to Fly. Dressing up is always fun with the Ms. Rachel apparel line from Carter’s and Stride Rite’s baby sneakers. Adding more color to her educational journey is Crayola, which offers a variety of coloring books and paint sets.
DUDE PERFECT
Subscribers: 62.1 million
Views: 20.7 billion
These fve friends are always hitting it out of the park, bringing family-friendly sports and comedy content to viewers worldwide. Since 2009, Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert, Coby Cotton, and Cory Cotton have stayed ahead of the game with videos featuring challenges, battles, and all-around competitive fun. Their content extends beyond YouTube through a collaboration with Tommy Nelson Publishing. Operation Trick Shot, the frst book in the Dude Perfect + Panda series, follows fve eighth graders who try to save their neighborhood recreation center with a trick shot show. The channel also changes the game with Dude Perfect’s Spring Training Collection, an apparel and lifestyle line featuring jerseys, sweats, T-shirts, and other athletic gear for kids.
*All subscriber and view counts are as of the time of publication.
BLIPPI
Subscribers: 27.2 million
Views: 23.9 billion
Young kids can satisfy their curiosity with help from their best friend, Blippi. Throughout his videos across numerous channels, Blippi and his friends help viewers understand the world by exploring exciting places. As they travel, they feed kids’ curiosity by teaching them about vehicles, animals, nature, and more.
Many companies are joining Blippi’ s world, including the Natural History Museum with its apparel and plush collection. According to Louisa Skevington, the museum’s licensing manager, their collaboration “is a wonderful way for us to connect and inspire the next generation of curious children and nature lovers.” Bums & Roses also brings fun to bedtime with a sleepwear line made for the youngest explorers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Taylor Battle is an assistant editor at The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. Between reading fantasy novels and binge-watching Supernatural, she can be found building different LEGO sets. Taylor is passionate about creating and is always looking to try new things.
Source: Stride Rite
Source: Natural History Museum
Source: HarperCollins Publishers
NETFLIX
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS JOURNALS
HORIZON GROUP USA
Kids can write lyrics or plan their next pretend takedown with notebooks featuring 100 lined pages. These spiral-bound journals feature designs for HUNTR/X, the Saja Boys (pictured), and Derpy.
MSRP: $4.99 each
Available: Amazon, Walmart
MARVEL
SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS RESCUE!WEBS WEB!QUARTERS
HASBRO
Swing into daring rescue missions with this interactive playset, complete with a 3-inch Spidey action figure, a Trace-E bot figure, and character-inspired accessories.
MSRP: $64.97 | Available: mass retailers
DOG MAN’S DOGMOBILE PLUSH
MERRYMAKERS
When times get ruff, Bark Knight will race into action. This Dogmobile plush features a sewn-on wheel, a panting tongue, and a cool exhaust flame. It comes with a removable 5-inch Bark Knight plush.
MSRP: $40 | Available: mass retailers
FLUFFMELLIES
INCREDIBLE GROUP
These fidget toys combine ultra-deluxe, slow-rise squishy toys with charming designs. Kids can enjoy a calming, sensory experience with the collectibles’ silkysmooth feel and super-soft touch.
MSRP: $3.99-14.99
Available: specialty retailers (August)
TOMY TOOMIES MY MARIO BATH PIPES PLAYSET TOMY
Bring the Mushroom Kingdom to bathtime routines with a playset featuring warp pipes, power-ups, question blocks, and other Mario-themed items.
MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Amazon
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS SINGING FASHION DOLLS
MATTEL
Shining like they’re born to be, these fashion dolls feature Rumi, Mira, and Zoey in their Idol Awards outfits. These HUNTR/X dolls show fans how it’s done by singing clips of the hit song “Golden.”
MSRP: $32.39 each
Available: mass retailers (Fall)
STRANGER THINGS: TALES FROM ’85 COLLECTIBLE FIGURES
JAZWARES
Straight from the Upside Down are action figures of Will, Eleven (pictured), and Mike, each paired with character-themed accessories. Will comes with an HIC flashlight that reveals two show-inspired scenes when fans insert the film disc.
MSRP: $9.99-19.99 | Available: Target
SESAME STREET TICKLE ME ELMO GIGGLE MAX
JUST PLAY
This 18-inch interactive plush Elmo has the giggles. As Elmo laughs, he flaps his arms, opens and closes his mouth, and shakes his body with delight.
MSRP: $39.99 | Available: mass retailers
DISNEY: WHERE’S MOANA? LOOK AND FIND
PI KIDS
How far will you go to find Moana and her friends? Readers will explore the island of Motunui and the ocean as they embark on look and find challenges.
MSRP: $10.99 | Available: mass retailers
LEGO POKÉMON SMART PLAY: TRAINING HOUSE WITH PIKACHU
THE LEGO GROUP
Trainers can become the very best by assembling and training their own Pikachu. This allin-one set offers responsive play using LEGO SMART Play technology, adding dynamic lights and sounds to every interaction.
MSRP: $69.99 | Available: mass retailers, LEGO.com (Aug. 1)
MONSTER JAM CHOMPING
MEGALODON
SPIN MASTER
The mighty Megalodon R/C vehicle is ready to rev into action. Kids can watch the beast break free from its chains in Beast mode, or choose Berserk Mode to activate epic chomping mayhem.
MSRP: $49.99 | Available: mass retailers
CRUNCHLABS SQUIRREL DASH GAME
MOOSE GAMES
Kids will go nuts for this chain-reaction game inspired by Mark Rober’s YouTube series. As squirrels, players must race through his backyard course while dodging obstacles and collecting nuts.
MSRP: $24.99 | Available: mass retailers
WORLD’S SMALLEST KEWPIE
SUPER IMPULSE
Collectors can bring home timeless charm with a miniature collectible capturing the sweet, recognizable look of the classic Kewpie doll.
MSRP: $8.99 | Available: Amazon
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS LABYRINTH
RAVENSBURGER
This classic game becomes golden with character pieces inspired by KPop Demon Hunters. Players will travel through the Labyrinth with the goal of finding all the characters, including Rumi, Mira, and Zoey.
MSRP: $24.99
Available: specialty retailers (September)
GLO PALS BABY SHARK
LIGHT!UP CUBES 6!PACK
THE GLO COMPANIES
Bathtime becomes an undersea adventure with six Baby Shark-themed cubes that glow instantly in water and cycle through nine colors.
MSRP: $18.95
Available: specialty retailers
GEE BEYBLADE X SPINNING PIN COLLECTION
GEE
These pins are letting it rip. Each mystery bag contains a wearable pin featuring bladers and gears inspired by the Beyblade X generation, including Jaxon Cross (pictured), Robin Kazami, and Multi Nana-iro.
MSRP: $16.99
Available: specialty retailers (August)
HELLO KITTY BUBBLE BLOWER
SUNNY DAYS ENTERTAINMENT
With the push of a button, kids can say “hello” to a sky full of bubbles with this bubble machine featuring Hello Kitty and a bright pink flower.
MSRP: $14.99 | Available: Amazon
KRAFT SQUISHI TOYS
INCREDIBLE GROUP
You can play with food without any of the mess. Kraft favorite brands like Mac & Cheese (pictured), Kool-Aid, Oscar Mayer, Jet-Puffed, and Jell-O become squishy toys stuffed with scents and textures.
MSRP: $6.99 each | Available: Target, specialty retailers (August)
GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: SURPRISE DANCE PARTY!
PI KIDS
Help Gabby throw a boogie-rific party for DJ Catnip with this interactive sound book. Kids can press buttons as they read to hear music and sound effects inspired by Gabby’s Dollhouse
MSRP: $14.99 | Available: mass retailers
ITALIAN BRAINROT COLLECTIBLE KEYCHAINS
PMI KIDS
Increase your aura with the Universo Psichedelico series, featuring mystery bags containing one of 12 character keychains inspired by the Italian Brainrot universe.
MSRP: $3.99 each | Available: Walgreens
DON’T WAKE DAD! BLUEY EDITION
GOLIATH GAMES
While Bandit is sound asleep, players take turns tiptoeing through the Heeler house on a sneaky mission to get a midnight snack from the kitchen without waking Dad.
MSRP: $14.99
Available: Amazon, Walmart (July 30)
MINIONS PALM PUPPETRONICS ! JAMES, HENRY, AND DICK
WOW! STUFF
Bring Minions mischief home with electronic puppets for James, Henry, and Dick, each featuring blinking eyes, side-to-side glances, moving mouths, and more than 40 reactions. MSRP: $34.99 each | Available: Amazon, Walmart
GUND DISNEY KAI STITCH
SPIN MASTER
Designed after Gund’s lovable Kai bear, this 12-inch Stitch plush has an oversized head, a little body, big feet, floppy limbs, and long ears with pink lining.
MSRP: $33
Available: mass retailers (Fall)
15TH ANNIVERSARY
THE LEGO GROUP
Celebrate the Ninjago TV series’ 15th anniversary with an upgraded version of the LEGO Lloyd’s Titan Mech model. This 1,293-piece set features poseable parts, a large shield and sword, and minifigures.
MSRP: $129.99 | Available: mass retailers
PEPPA PIG X HUFFY KIDS’ BIKE HUFFY
Ride through muddy puddles and enjoy the outdoors with a 12-inch bike featuring a bright blue frame, playful pink accents, and Peppa Pig graphics.
MSRP: $98 | Available: Walmart
DOODLE GEMS
DISNEY PRINCESS BOOK AND ROYAL ACCESSORIES ACTIVITY
MAKE IT REAL
Young royals can use dry-erase markers to create gem designs for three role-play accessories, including Jasmine’s tiara, Cinderella’s wand, and Ariel’s necklace.
MSRP: $24.99
Available: Amazon, specialty retailers
BLUEY X TONIES COLLECTION TONIES
Enter dance mode with Tonies of Bluey, Bingo, and Muffin. This collection includes the three figures, a themed Toniebox 2, Tonieplay Bluey: All Day Play, a themed Toniebox 2 sleeve, and a Bluey Listen & Go Bag.
MSRP: $15.99-169.99
Available: Target, tonies.com
by Marissa Silva, editor-in-chief
hen you start a game of Street Fighter II, Capcom’s iconic ‘90s arcade game, one of the first things you do is choose a player. But thanks to Jada Toys, you can have them all.
In the toy-making game since 1999, Jada was best-known for its collectible die-cast car replicas, but in recent years, it’s fighting its way to the top of the pack of action figure manufacturers. Now known for its 1:12-scale figures, Jada offers fans impressive articulation, intense attention to detail, and the possibility of completion.
“We didn’t enter this cat egory to participate,” says Brian Sun, senior marketing manager at Jada. “We entered it
figure arena in 2023 with its Ultra Street Fighter collection, committing to the 1:12 scale with Ryu, Chun-Li, and Fei Long.
Jada’s Street Fighter II 1:12-Scale Action Figure collection is the only one in the world that features all 19 playable characters. At SDCC, fans can snag Ultra Street Fighter II Akuma (Player 2 Deluxe) (left) for $45, and preorder T. Hawk and Zangief (right) for $34.99 each. | Source: Jada
The figures feature more than 20 points of articulation with pinless double joints for detailed posing. They come complete with swappable heads, hands, and effect pieces, allowing fans to re-create signature in-game moves for their displays, like Ryu’s Hurricane Kick or Chun-Li’s powerful Kikoken projectile attack.
Since the initial launch, Jada released five total waves of Street Fighter II figures, featuring 19 characters and more than a dozen Player 2 variants. Up next, fans can preorder two new Wave 6 figures — T. Hawk and Zangief — during ComicCon International: San Diego (SDCC) through BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, and GameStop.
At SDCC, fans can also snag the “You Lose” Accessory Set, which includes defeated heads for all 19 players in the roster. “The damaged heads came from listening to collectors,” Sun says. “Real fans want to tell a story with their figures; they want options. Adding that kind of detail is how you go from a collectible to something people actually engage with. It’s a small thing that says a lot about how we think about this community.”
Later this year, preorders will also open for Jada’s Street Fighter Alpha 3 collection, which kicks off with Ryu, ChunLi, and Charlie Nash.
And the fun doesn’t stop at Street
“WE DIDN’T ENTER THIS CATEGORY TO PARTICIPATE. WE ENTERED IT TO SET THE STANDARD.”
— Brian Sun, senior marketing manager, Jada
Mega Man line still packs in all of the swappable parts, details, and premium articulation of its predecessor. “Street Fighter gave us the credibility; Mega Man showed we could build deep lore into a figure line,” Sun explains.
Jada spent the last three years bringing nostalgic video game characters from the arcade to collectors’ shelves, and now, the company is punching its way into animated films and series. Last year at SDCC, Jada announced it would make 1:12-scale figures for an extremely popular comic-book-turned-animatedseries: Invincible
an animated series based on the comics launched on Prime Video, and Amazon reported in a press release that the third season was Prime Video’s most-watched animation season of all time. From the comics to the series, fans love Invincible — but there’s shockingly little merch available, making Jada’s new action figure line highly anticipated.
Announced last year at SDCC, Wave 1 will feature Invincible, Conquest, and Kid Omni-Man, set to ship later this year. Plus, SDCC goers have the opportunity to snag the Invincible Battle Damaged Deluxe Exclusive 1:12-Scale Action
Figure, which is inspired by the Season 3 finale, capturing Mark Grayson following his brutal showdown with Conquest. The figure arrives in SDCC-exclusive, premium collector packaging, and will also be available online for $40.
Jada brings quality to the 1:12-scale collectible marketplace. Fans can look forward to more premium — and affordable — figures across multiple popculture brands for years to come. And in the end, it’s all about fan service.
“When you look at the portfolio we’ve built across Street Fighter, Mega Man, and now Invincible, I think the collector community has responded because they can see that every line is built with the same commitment to quality,” Sun says. “We’re not licensing for volume.
Jada will bring characters from Invincible to collectors’ shelves with its first wave of 1:12-scale action figures, including Conquest, Kid Omni-Man, and Invincible (pictured).
Source: Jada
L“ive long and prosper” — Spock’s iconic parting phrase, first spoken in Season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series, easily describes the beloved franchise. Sixty years after its TV debut, the Star Trek universe continues to expand as Paramount’s creative team introduces new stories, revisits beloved characters, and upholds its vital messages: help others, aim for unity, honor diversity, and boldly go where no one has gone before.
Creator Gene Roddenberry’s initial and undeniable call to action and barrier-breaking storylines resonated with fans of all ages — and, eventually, across all continents — resulting in numerous books, toy collections, and more than 25 movies and series. Star Trek fans, or Trekkies, are now celebrating six decades of their favorite (and least favorite) moments through fan events and merchandise.
A LEGACY? MAKE IT SO
Star Trek’s story is widely known: a three-season run, cancellations, fan letter-writing campaigns, reruns, a fan convention,
and a new animated era. Paramount’s decision to license the original series to other networks paved the way for the franchise to continue past a simple three-season stint into the powerhouse brand it is now.
While the scientific advancements and complex gadgets portrayed in Star Trek TV series and films are enticing, the unapologetic heart of the franchise — and what sustains its staying power — is its idea of tomorrow. Glyn Morgan, principal curator and head of collections at the Science Museum, notes that “one of the things that particularly has always drawn people to Star Trek is that optimistic vision of human potential.”
Morgan, who helped curate the London museum’s new Star Trek gallery, says, “From the very beginning, Gene Roddenberry is presenting a society that has moved past the challenges of today to a more outward-looking, united future … Star Trek offers a vision of a future where we make it, we get past all of the challenges, and we move together into the future in a positive and optimistic way. And I think that is the main appeal of the franchise for people.”
more featuring the Star Trek 60 logo. If a fan is more interested in a specific piece of content, like the newly released Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, they can upgrade their looks with Fluevog Shoe’s wearable replicas of the Tall Zip-Up Boots and Zip-Up Ankle Boots seen on the cadets in the streaming show.
Paramount’s merch lineup for Star Trek also infiltrates the gaming department, with new role-playing games and puzzles on the way. Fans can put their hands and minds to the test with Fun in Motion’s Star Trek Shashibo and a Star Trek-inspired Magic: The Gathering set from Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, both set to hit retail this fall.
BOLDlY GO … TO FAN-FOCUSED SPACES
The 1966 series paved the way for modern science-fiction stories, changing how fans interacted with what was unfolding on-screen. Viewers began writing fan fiction of the characters (particularly Spock and Kirk), crafting their own Bridge costumes, and organizing fan meet-ups.
There are several online fan communities dedicated to Star Trek, including the United Federation of Planets and the Trek Federation. The former, which was founded in 2002, began as a role-play group for Bridge Commander. Now, with nearly 17,000 registered users, the site offers forums for fans to connect, features Star Trek-focused news articles, and provides a space for text-based role-play. Rena Hobden, head of press and community leader of the United Federation of Planets website, notes that, while the number of active users remains steady, it ebbs and flows in tandem with news surrounding the brand.
Throughout the past 60 years, there have been multiple opportunities for fans to engage with the franchise — online and offline. Star Trek is often associated with the rise of convention culture in 1972, despite fandom gatherings predating the series. Through star-studded panels, cosplay sessions, or galactic activations, Star Trek frequently has a heavy presence at comic cons worldwide
Put on by Entertainment Cruise Productions, Star Trek: The Cruise lets fans embark on a voyage to tropical desti-
nations like Jamaica and Mexico while enjoying themed game nights, cosplay contests, trivia discos, and appearances from Star Trek celebrities. The week-long event approaches its 10th annual expedition next year, and it remains focused on strengthening bonds within the growing Star Trek community.
Robb Pearlman, author of several officially licensed Star Trek books like Fun with Kirk and Spock, served as a Federation Advisor on the February sail, which celebrated the 60th anniversary. According to the author, the cruise is “a completely immersive full ship charter during which you can leave your regular life on land and live your authentic Trek-loving life on board, surround yourself with thousands of people who love Star Trek
“STAR TREK OFFERS A VISION OF A FUTURE WHERE WE MAKE IT, WE GET PAST ALL OF THE CHALLENGES, AND WE MOVE TOGETHER INTO THE FUTURE IN A POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC WAY. AND I THINK THAT IS THE MAIN APPEAL OF THE FRANCHISE FOR PEOPLE.”
— Glyn Morgan, principal curator and head of collections, Science Museum
as much as you do, get up close and personal interactions and experiences with the franchise stars, and enjoy everything a traditional cruise can offer.”
Pearlman, who moderates parties, panels, games, and more on the cruise, is currently planning events for next year’s voyage, as well as the launch of his new Star Trek titles and card games. Fans can expect Star Trek: The Ultimate Trivia Deck, Star Trek: Warped Phrases, and Star Trek: Once Upon a Stardate: Fairy Tales and Fables from the Final Frontier
While born in the U.S., Star Trek has infiltrated science-fiction communities across the pond. In London, fans can cel-
Clear the shelf for books by Robb Pearlman (top), Nacelle’s new figures (middle), and Fanhome’s ships (bottom).
Sources: Robb Pearlman Nacelle/Fanhome
ebrate the 60th anniversary of Star Trek at the Science Museum until Sept. 8 with the Star Trek at 60 event, which includes a screening series and the Star Trek Warp Trail. On this artifact trail, visitors can discover 28 items from the franchise’s long history, each prop seamlessly integrated into the museum’s existing galleries. Visitors can view communication devices from the franchise, like the flip communicator and badges, in the museum’s Age of Information gallery; a silicon mold of Data’s (portrayed by Brent Spiner) head in the Engineer’s gallery, just a few steps from a display covering language models and artificial intelligence; and Zefram Cochrane’s ensemble from Star Trek: First Contact in the Flight gallery, which Morgan highlights as a connection between the first flight and the future of flight.
For Morgan, the licensed collaboration between Paramount and the Science Museum was a natural fit. The museum strives to help visitors feel comfortable with science, to increase their comfort with and access to the subject, and to inspire futures. As a result, working with Paramount’s archive team to integrate a science-forward and digestible series like Star Trek into the museum’s offerings during its anniversary was a no-brainer.
“I am a big proponent of the idea of science fiction as a tool that allows us to access scientific ideas and inspire ideas around our future,” Morgan explains. “[Star Trek] has always had this really im portant role in the scientific world, both in terms of its effect on people and the way it inspires people who’ve gone on to excel and participate in science and tech nology and medicine and engineering, but also in the way that it just introduces concepts to people.”
The museum is also hosting the first-ever screening of all 13 Star Trek films in a single consecutive season (which might come as a surprise to fans who consider their home marathons as official screenings).
Visitors can experi ence the full saga on the big screen and, at certain screenings, enjoy a panel featuring Star Trek experts and content contributors, like SFX
legend Paul Franklin.
Whether fans are honoring Star Trek’s 60th anniversary on a boat, at a convention, in a museum gallery, or by curating a scene-accurate display with figures and model ships, one thing remains true: They’re all celebrating the same themes of unity, curiosity, and forward thinking. The anniversary — which comes as the world shows renewed interest in space exploration, thanks to the release of Project Hail Mary and NASA’s Artemis II mission — will bring the already tightknit community of fans even closer. With new shows, movies, books, games, and of course, merchandise, these celebrations will likely continue for the next 60 years. After all, it is the order of things. ✪
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Samantha Connell is an associate editor for The Toy Book, The Pop Insider, and The Toy Insider. She loves to write, craft, and play with her dog, Willow. She is a Ravenclaw, Star Wars fan (prequels included), and Clemson alumna. She also thinks that she is the favorite aunt.
Flaunt your fandom with Star Trek accessories, from bags and glassware to boots and jackets.
Sources: Paramount/ Fluevog Shoes
For decades, fans used collectible cards to reflect their love for sports teams. Whether they were displaying a 2.5-by-3.5-inch lineup of their favorite baseball players or trading a duplicate card for a different athlete, the concept brought people together and created an avenue to connect with fellow fans. But in the ‘90s, cards became more than tradeable collectibles — they were gamified.
In 1994, Wizards of the Coast took fans’ desire to exchange and engage through a card-based medium to a new level with the introduction of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). This trading card game (TCG), and brands that closely followed like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!, offered fast-paced, portable gameplay and brand new worlds to sink into.
More than three decades later, the TCG fandom has grown to span dozens of original properties, officially licensed integrations, and hundreds of thousands of collectible cards. TCG fans gather at conventions, engage in hosted events within their communities, and connect online. There are more open seats at the TCG table than ever before, making it easy for new fans to sit and lay their cards out.
RIP, BUILD, PLAY
The general TCG mechanics follow a reliable pattern: Open your card packs, build your deck, and get to gaming. Oftentimes, players get hooked on step one — ripping open full sets or booster packs to reveal surprise cards, characters, and actions, looking for the ideal addition to a deck or uncovering a coveted rare pull. After the packaging is shed, a TCG becomes a customizable experience that puts the player in a position of
geeky, god-like power (if you play your cards right, literally).
TCGs offer players endless possibilities to stack their decks, with millions of possible outcomes in a single game or challenge. Instead of opening a single starter pack and playing with the same cards over and over, TCG enthusiasts can expand, trade, build, and refine as often as they like, keeping things fresh and exciting, especially as manufacturers give them new offerings on a regular basis.
Mark Rosewater, head designer on MTG, refers to this sensation as the “Crispy Hash Brown Theory.” According to Rosewater, the game often evolves through new cards, art, and complete sets, forcing players to stay alert and continue changing their perspective.
“Metaphorically, when you have a hash brown, the best part about it is the crunchy outside, right? Now, at some point, you eat the outside, you go to eat the inside, and it’s not as good as the crunchy outside … In gaming, the crunchy outside is the exploration period. The [most fun] part of a game is that you don’t know anything, and you’re exploring, and you’re learning,” he says. “With most games, you get past the exploration point … But Magic keeps regrowing its crispy undershell because we keep making more content. The idea is, ‘I think I understand Magic. I’ve cracked it. I know how Magic is.’ And then a new set comes out, and you’re like, ‘Uh-oh.’ Cards that might have been
great cards aren’t anymore, or cards that were bad become good. The churn, the flux of Magic keeps it very different.”
While the rip, build, and play pattern repeats and the Hash Brown Theory prevails, the TCG space expands. New games are also popping up as OG MTG players become game designers themselves, bringing their knowledge of game mechanics and experience in the hot seat to new generations of players.
“So many people who’ve grown up and become part of the ethos of being a gamer — people who have lived and breathed MTG their whole lives — are now creating games. And this next wave, they’re much more advanced,” Rosewater explains. “They’re gamers that understand what a TCG is, and they’re leaning into all the really great strengths of a TCG.”
TCG makers are cranking out new offerings for fans, featuring brandnew worlds of fresh characters, like Legend Story Studios’ Flesh & Blood. But others are taking a less risky approach and flipping well-known IPs into decks of their own.
FAST-PACED, FANDOM FUELED
For fans who can’t decide where to start, sometimes it’s about diving in with familiar faces. Ravensburger’s Disney
Lorcana, Kayou’s My Little Pony TCGs, and Riot Games’ Riftbound all invite an untapped audience to experience the thrill of TCGs with characters they already know and love.
Riftbound lets video game fans swap their controllers for deck binders. The relatively new TCG features characters from Riot Games’ popular League of Legends video games like Arcane, 2XKO, and more. Similar to the established video game series and spin-offs, players can employ different strategies as they work with a champion, manage runes, and control battlefields.
The team at Riot Games wanted Riftbound to cater to every type of fan. “It’s important to make a game that will connect with both new and existing TCG players while also staying true to the characters, themes, and universe that fans of the original IP already know and love,” says Nik Davidson, Riftbound design director at Riot Games. “With Riftbound, we wanted to create a game that felt accessible for League of Legends players who might be unfamiliar with TCGs, while still offering the depth and excitement for core TCG players.”
With TCGs centered on familiar faces, both new and veteran tabletop players have additional ways to interact with their favorite characters (or learn about a new fandom). For Disney and Pixar fans, Ravensburger’s Lorcana is a dream come true. During the immersive game, players
can create combos and decks with groups of characters that would likely never share screen time, bringing Disney fandoms together like never before.
Official Disney Lorcana host and caster Rebekah (@rebekahquests to her more than 12,000 Instagram followers) says, “Because it’s Disney, there’s this wholesome appeal [to the game] that maybe isn’t in some other trading card games out there on the market.”
She also notes that the specific fandom influence creates an opening for female-identifying players. “Don’t wait for permission to feel like you can dive in [to TCGs] … there’s space for you. TCGs are so predominantly male and the Disney Lorcana community is, anecdotally at least, one of the most diverse communities in the TCG space … I know that it can cause a little anxiety for people who’ve never stepped foot in a local game store to think about playing a
Fans can engage with their favorite fandoms through collections like Kayou's My Little Pony sets (left) and build communities with trading card games, such as Ravensburger's Disney Lorcana (below and right). | Sources: Kayou/Ravensburger
TCG, but there’s space here for everyone.” The TCG influencer also hosts the Happy Questing Club, where Lorcana fans can learn more about the game and connect with a Lorcana expert on a deeper level in a safe, secure space.
Even MTG frequently mixes fandomthemed sets with their original concept sets to reach wider audiences who have yet to discover their love for TCGs. The company is supplementing its original MTG brands with sets and decks inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more. The team recently released Marvel Super Heroes and The Hobbit sets, with a Star Trek collection coming in November.
DIGITAL CONTENT LEADS TO COMMUNITY CRAVINGS
While some players discover TCGs through an existing love of a familiar brand, others accidentally stumble upon the genre during a doomscroll.
There are millions of hours worth of content featuring TCGs from brands, influencers, and your next-door neighbor, highlighting how the gameplay works, showing what comes in a set, providing deckbuilding tips, and more. One style of video, however, seems to keep fans coming back: the rip.
For years, TCG players have held their breath while pulling at the perforated line, hoping to see their desired card. The simple act of ripping open a card pack has led to smiles, tears, laughter, fights and — depending on the rarity of the cards nestled inside — economic prosperity. Content creators like Deep Pocket Monster, EliPokeRips, and more have millions of followers tuning in to see what characters, designs, and abilities hide in a pack.
“There is a general excitement that comes with pulling a hit or a rare card, and social media has created an opportunity for fans to share those special moments with each other and with the community as a whole,” says Sergio Godinho, U.S. general manager at Kayou, which offers trading cards for a variety of IPs, including My Little Pony, KPop Demon Hunters, and more.
In games like the Pokémon TCG, rare cards often have stronger impacts during
play and beautiful, unique artwork. Fans look for these cards as a way to improve their in-game battles or collectible card displays, and the increased presence of TCGs online means that other players can easily jump into the experience.
According to Godinho, “Card rarity is based on a combination of character popularity, gameplay value, story significance, artwork, and overall product balance. Popular characters and highly playable cards are often placed in higher rarity tiers, while alternate and parallel versions help make the game more accessible for different types of players.”
The excitement continues as conversations, cards, and obsessions move from online to IRL. After interacting with other players and card-inspired content through keyboard clicks, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic, many players yearn for the social components of TCGs to unfold in person.
“When the world became so digital — when your face is on a screen 23 hours a day — people
around collectible cards in binders; employed poker face-worthy strategy; and occupied chairs at the kitchen table, in game shops, and throughout massive convention centers in major cities — and the party is just getting started.
Whether you come from a long line of MTG players, attend TCG events once a month, just started to make Lorcana nights a weekly tradition, or discovered what a TCG is through this magazine, there’s a place (and a pack) just for you. ✪
Fans can collect their favorite League of Legends characters in the Riftbound League of Legends Trading Card Game. | Source: Riot Games
What’s the most magical place in Walt Disney World? Once upon a time, the answer was obvious: Cinderella’s Castle. However, according to Disney’s most devoted fans, it’s actually a bit further down Main Street at a little souvenir shop called The Emporium.
As Magic Kingdom’s flagship store, The Emporium’s shelves are always drip ping with the latest and greatest Disney merchandise. Many fans beeline for the doors right at rope-drop (a short window of time before the rides even open) for the chance to grab the latest lightsaber, Loungefly mini backpack, or limitededition pin, most of which will be gone before the afternoon parade. Checkout wait times can sometimes exceed Space Mountain’s, and there’s no Lightning Lane in sight.
For the uninitiated, it’s baffling — but for the truest Walt Disney World fans, it makes perfect sense.
PART OF THEIR WORLD
“I think of shopping at Disney as an experience itself,” says O who posts her Disney adventures on Instagram as @everafterolivia.mp3 for more than 10,000 followers to enjoy. “There’s just something so fun about walking around with those blue plastic shopping bags or even using or wearing the merch while you’re there.”
A long-distance annual passholder, Chavez visits a Disney theme park two or three times a year, and merchandise is just as important to her budget as dining and travel. Every item in her collection represents a meaningful moment from one of her trips, whether it’s an exclusive Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Pandora charm or a Star Wars hoodie she stumbled upon by accident.
“I buy a lot of T-shirts, especially,” Chavez continues, “and sometimes, I think about how I actually enjoy folding my laundr because it’s always a little walk down memory lane. It’s just like when I pull out all the Christmas ornaments to put on my tree — same feeling.”
For Jessica Tagle (@givealittlejess on Insta gram), the memory attached to a piece of Disney merch almost matters more than the item itself. Although she usually heads back to New York City with stuffed suitcases, between Disney World trips, she doesn’t stalk the blogs, track releases, or buy any merch online. Regardless of how much she loves a piece: “If I wasn’t there, I don’t want it.”
“[My husband] will buy pins for a festival that he’s never been to if he likes the design, but I won’t,” Tagle says. “Why would you buy a Festival of the Arts pin if you didn’t go to Festival of the Arts that year? ... If I didn’t experience it, I don’t want to display it.”
However, for those after the latest limited editions, waiting until the next trip isn’t always an option. As a result, FOMO-fueled fans are forced to turn to personal shoppers and scalpers, often paying jaw-dropping markups just to avoid missing out on the Parks-exclusive merch. As long as you’ve got the will and the wallet to match, the most coveted collectibles ever created are only a few clicks away, sometimes within hours of their initial release.
But if the same merch is available online — albeit for exorbitant pric es — is it worth it to line up to get it in person? For many fa “yes.” The resale market might offer access, but the magic of the moment is something you can’t just add to cart. For example, at Trader Sam’s
Disney merch is magical on its own, but for Chavez (top) and Tagle (middle), the memory of finding that must-have Trader Sam’s mug (right) or a plush that’ll be gone at lightning speed (left) is a one-of-a-kind experience you can’t just add to cart.
Sources: Olivia Chavez/Jessica Tagle/Disney Consumer Products
Grog Grotto inside Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, guests gather in the hallway outside the bar hours before it opens — not to exchange cash or credit for a popcorn bucket or a pullover, but for something much harder to replicate.
MAGIC IN THE MOMENT
Trader Sam’s isn’t any old Disney dive. As your cocktail arrives in its ceramic tiki mug, available only on-site, this intimate tiki hideaway erupts with special effects, chanting, and sometimes lava, depending on the drink. Between the bursting volcanoes, bubble machines, and the silly, swill-slinging Skippers, every visit to Trader Sam’s is truly one-of-a-kind, never the same way twice.
“The best way I can describe it is ohana, immersion, and adventure,” says Dizz Fernandez, the tiki bartender and mug collector behind @reeldrinkbydizz
on TikTok. “The moment you walk in, it feels like stepping through a [portal] into another world: the world of tiki. A place where stories, laughter, and escapism take over for a while, and the outside world fades away.”
According to Fernandez, it’s this highly unique experience that separates a Trader Sam’s mug from any other souvenir you can find on a shelf. “They represent that moment when you’re there with friends and family, enjoying the atmosphere, the drinks, the laughter, the whole experience,” he says. “When you take home a mug, you’re really taking a piece of that feeling with you. That’s what makes it priceless. That’s what you’re truly buying.”
The merch masterminds at Disney Consumer Products call this “experiential merchandise.” Instead of just grabbing an item off the rack, these immersive
experiences are deeply personal, inviting fans to be part of the story and take it back home forever. Examples are popping up all over the Parks — buildyour-own lightsabers, DIY droids, the Key to Disneyland scavenger hunt, even the latest MagicBands, which sync to the fireworks and activate hidden statues around Walt Disney World.
“When guests go through immersive experiences like build-your-own offerings or highly interactive retail environments, the product becomes a reflection of their choices, their creativity, and their personal story within the Disney Parks,” says Robert LaFlamme, director of merchandising at Disney Consumer Products. “Customization and personalization transform the item into a one-of-one expression of that visit, making it deeply personal in a way traditional retail cannot replicate.”
LIVING THE DREAM
Although these experiences are once-in-a-lifetime for most, for Shannon Shaffer, whose more than 135,000 followers know as @pincessshannon, they’re a twice-a-week reality. Even before moving to Florida, Shaffer and her husband spent most afternoons making the most of their Disneyland annual passes. Now, as a certified Orlando resident, Walt Disney World is basically Shaffer’s backyard, whether she’s passing time riding rollercoasters or grabbing lunch with a friend.
“I feel like there is so much to do around the Florida Disney Parks that we never run out of ideas on how to spend our days,” Shaffer says. “Because we can go so often, it gives us a chance to try so many of the overlooked things that we might not have had time for if we were just visiting.”
Living so close to Disney is like having the keys to the kingdom of collecting. While long-distance fans constantly miss out on the latest drops, Shaffer can simply shuffle her schedule, and the latest shelf sensation is hers. However, without the now-or-never panic, Shaffer is a lot more selective about which pieces are worth the price of gas.
“It’s easy to find yourself with more items than you can handle when you’re collecting Disney merch, especially when you visit so frequently,” she says. “In my case, I have been trying to be more particular about what Disney accessories
Whether they love rewatching their favorite films or visiting EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival, there’s unique merch for every Disney fan throughout the theme parks, from limited-edition handbags to Mickey headbands inspired by new and classic characters. | Source: Shannon Shaffer
I buy … Instead of buying multiple bags that only represent niche movies and characters, I’ll try to get one bag that can match them all and accessorize it with different keychains or pins.”
And yet, as often as she visits, the magic never gets mundane. Disney is constantly rolling out new merchandise — from rotating capsule collections to limited drops tied to specific events and characters — so guests like Shaffer always have something to look forward to.
“The key is that ‘new’ is not just about product introduction,” LaFlamme says. “Each visit should feel like it has its own set of discoveries that connect directly back to what guests are seeing, doing, and feeling in that moment.”
YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN MERCH
While Disney puts considerable thought into the items on its shelves, some of the most meaningful parts of merch collecting extend well beyond them. The married couple behind @disneypintopia, who affectionately go by Mr. and Mrs. Pintopia on TikTok, started collecting pins in 2002, but it wasn’t until 2020 that they stumbled upon the digital Disney pin trading community.
“During the lockdown, like many others, I found myself bored at home,” Mrs. Pintopia says. “I started sorting through my collection and made little
videos featuring some of my favorite motion pins, glow-in-the-dark pins, hinged, slider, and lenticular pins, and posted them on TikTok. I realized there was a much, much larger community out there that extended way beyond the Parks when one of my videos unexpectedly gained more than a million views, and we grew to 200,000 followers.”
Since then, Mr. and Mrs. Pintopia have become incredibly active in the pin trading community, from swapping pins in the Parks and filming content for their followers to discovering new friends who share their love for the chase. While limited-edition drops like Pin-Tastic Tuesday can create long waits and intense competition, when Mr. and Mrs. Pintopia look around the line each week, they always see familiar faces smiling back at them.
“I even met my VIPP, or my Very Important Park Pal, through the wider community,” Mrs. Pintopia continues. “She lives in Wisconsin and visits every couple of months, and we enjoy hanging out at the Parks together. We trade pins and talk about them all day, and believe it or not, you can easily spend 12 hours doing just that!”
These types of connections don’t stay within the Disney Parks bubble. For many fans, merch collecting has slowly woven its way into their everyday lives, whether that’s joining tiki mug Facebook groups, meeting fellow fans in the wild, or even,
like Jessica Tagle, building a relationship around a shared love of Disney.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Tagle and her now-husband both discovered the Disney theme parks as adults: Tagle as part of a graduation gift, and Brendan shortly after they began dating. In the years since, the couple has been on a mission to experience everything Disney has to offer, from Shanghai and Paris to Aulani. They got married this spring at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort, and they even found a way to incorporate their passion for pins into the most magical moment of their lives.
“For our unity ceremony, we started a pinboard together,” Tagle says. “We surprised each other with pins and put them on a special board [during the wedding]. I bought him a wedding pin from Shanghai Disney, and he got me a Shelly May pin from Tokyo Disney because I love Duffy and Friends … Over the years, we’ll keep buying each other pins and slowly fill the board.”
In a way, every Disney Parks fan’s collection is a lot like Jess and Brendan’s pinboard: Whether they walk out of The Emporium with plush, pins, T-shirts, or tiki mugs in those little blue shopping bags, over time, fans’ shelves become a sort of scrapbook — filled with the people, places, and moments that make the Disney fandom a dream come true. ✪
Many Disney pin collectors, like Mr. and Mrs. Pintopia (left), have discovered a home within the pin-trading community, whether grabbing each week’s limited-edition releases (right), meeting up to trade inside the parks, or swinging by events outside the Disney bubble. | Sources: Mr. and Mrs. Pintopia/Disney Consumer Products
tecting your eyes. Available in six shades, each pair has the Crayola logo on the temples and comes in custom packaging that mimics the classic crayon box.
MSRP: $40 | Available: goodr.com
SPERRY-TODD SNYDER X MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
TODD SNYDER
Celebrate your favorite neighbor, Mister Rogers, with this collection from Todd Snyder, featuring the iconic CVO Sneaker by Sperry (pictured), a zip-up sweater in Mister Rogers’ signature red or blue, and a graphic Trolley Tee.
MSRP: $78-298
Available: toddsnyder.com
JURASSIC WORLD
TIKI RETRO DRESS
HER UNIVERSE
This dress will take you straight to Isla Nublar with its all-over print of dinosaurs and tropical foliage. Featuring pockets and a removable belt, it’s the perfect flowy outfit for any adventure.
MSRP: $74.90 | Available: heruniverse.com
BARBIE X UNIQUE VINTAGE BLACK & WHITE CHEVRON STRIPE ONE-PIECE BATHING SUIT
UNIQUE VINTAGE
Come on, Barbie, let’s go for a swim! This charming swimsuit resembles Barbie’s classic aquatic outfit, adding a retro touch to any summer day.
MSRP: $98
Available: unique-vintage.com
DISNEY LILO & STITCH
PHONE CHARM
BAUBLEBAR
This Disney-themed phone charm features glossy beads of Lilo, Stitch, and Scrump, paired with tropical accents that bring a fun, beachy feel to an everyday accessory.
MSRP: $68
Available: Amazon, baublebar.com
THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU ANZELLAN DRAWSTRING BUCKET CROSSBODY BAG WITH COIN BAG
LOUNGEFLY
Bring the magic of The Mandalorian & wherever you go with this bag showcasing Grogu cheekily smiling on the front and the Anzellas standing together on the back. This bag is the way.
MSRP: $75 | Available: Amazon, BoxLunch, Hot Topic, Loungefly, heruniverse.com
DISNEY STORE
RICHARD SCARRY’S BUSY BUSY STREETS CREWNECK
CAKEWORTHY
Take a trip to Busytown with this cozy crewneck featuring Richard Scarry’s classic characters, including Goldbug, Lowly Worm, Bananas Gorilla, and more.
MSRP: $75 | Available: cakeworthy.com
ONE PIECE X QUIKSILVER
QUIKSILVER
Set sail for the Grand Line with this One Piece x Quiksilver collection, inspired by the Netflix series. This lineup includes graphic T-shirts, a water-repellent jacket, a button-down shirt, and boardshorts.
MSRP: $34-99 | Available: quiksilver.com
Stay warm on a breezy summer evening with this Winnie the Pooh-themed 1966 varsity jacket, featuring embroidered appliques of the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood on the front and back.
MSRP: $149.99 | Available: Disney Store
DC COMICS SUPERGIRL PATCHES WOMEN’S SHORT OVERALLS
BOXLUNCH
Watch Supergirl on the big screen in style this summer with these overall shorts, decked out with Kryptonian-themed patches and embroidered designs.
MSRP: $59.90 | Available: BoxLunch
X THE LITTLE MERMAID
Featuring multichrome highlighters, lip prod ucts, an eyeshadow palette, a hair clip, and more, this ColourPop x Little Mermaid col lection captures the under-the-sea magic.
MSRP: $10-99 | Available: colourpop.com
