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It’s been busy, busy, busy here at WizKids. It’s an exciting time. Lot’s of planning going on.  Working on next year’s budgets.  Starting to flesh out ‘09 marketing plans and calendars with the team.  Discussing future sets for all product lines.  Matching convention appearances to budgets… WHEW!

By the way, the picture is me with Brobee, a character from the kids’ show Yo Gabba Gabba! at a PR event in NY.  He’s the green one! Have you seen it? Really weird, but sweet.  My 2 yr old son loves it.

And in the midst of it all we’re moving to a new office.  As of November 14th our new corporate address will be: 2800 156^th Ave S.E. Suite 200 - Bellevue, WA 98007

For all y’all in Texas, Wade Sugiyama (associate marketing manager) and I are going to our last show of the year at Wizard World Texas, November 7-9, where we will be running tournaments in ROOM #M-9. Check the details of the events we are running here: WizKids  Schedule @ WW TX. We will look forward to seeing the Texas fans and eating some killer BBQ!

• DC HeroClix: Arkham Asylum is out and the buzz is tremendous!  Have you seen the figures in the gallery?  Has everyone seen the Clown Prince of Crime Buy it by the Brick figure?  The set is really great, with awesome sculpts and paints, we hope you agree! Here’s one fan’s Arkham Asylum video Top Ten. Props Quinn!
• Planning for the 2009 HeroClix World Championships is going swimmingly.  I am expecting to see a first take on a new logo this week.  I will share that and other details as they are finalized. BTW, did you see this article on one Grant Clapp, of the top HeroClix players in the world for 2008?  He’s 11! Pretty impressive…

Here is the update I promised on what’s happening with our Star Wars PocketModel TCG. Just got some choice tidbits about how well STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS animated TV show is doing from the folks at Lucas:

·     Following its record-breaking Oct. 3 premiere on Cartoon Network, a cumulative total of more than 27 million people have seen the first three episodes!

·     STAR WARS has become the biggest licensed toy property of the year - the NPD Group reported in September that STAR WARS is the No. 1 boys’ toy property of 2008, and the No. 1 license overall in toys!

 

We are very optimistic that this renewed interest in all things Star Wars will drive demand for our Star Wars PocketModel TCG, especially the Cone Wars sets. The next release Clone Wars: Tactics comes out on November 12th, the day after The Clone Wars movie is released nationwide on DVD.

 

THE RETURN OF ORGANIZED PLAY

For any stores that have sold Star Wars PocketModel TCG, we recently sent a “thank you” package that includes a cool, oversized AT-AT PocketModel to use as display and November prizesupport, as well as tons of sample packs for retailers to give out to interested Star Wars fans.  We will also have additional free prizes for December and January events including additional oversized ships (see the image above) The oversized X-wing and Republic Gunship are for players, Slave One is just for Envoys! Additional prizes include chrome PocketModel ships, Clone Wars playmats and rare foil cards. Click here for more information: http://www.wizkidsgames.com/StarWars/cwop.php.

This effort is intended to “prime the pump” for…

A robust, in-store Organized Play program for 2009 that will support upcoming releases (Clone Wars: Conquest coming in February!) with suggested, set-related themes and family-friendly events. We are working with game designer Ethan “Jedi Master” Pasternack to create a variety of scenarios for players to enjoy at their local stores.  More on this as it happens…

THE MARKETING PUSH

•  On Tuesday, October 7th I was in NY at a press event called Toy Wishes Holiday Media Preview showing off Clone Wars: Tactics to a very positive reaction from journalists. It really is a great stocking stuffer and fun game for generations of Star Wars fans.  I will keep everyone posted as articles run.
• We re-launched the Star Wars PocketModel website, here: http://www.wizkidsgames.com/StarWars/. Check out the new gallery! We will be making further tweaks over the coming weeks.
• Thanks to our friends at Cartoon Network, we were able to get 10,000 Star Wars PocketModel sample packs into their promotional mall tour for the Clone Wars series in Washington, D.C. (Tyson’s Corner Center) and Atlanta (Lenox Square), with additional events as follows: Oct. 25th - 26th – Miami (Dadeland); Oct. 31st - Nov. 2nd – Houston (The Houston Galleria) and Nov. 8th - 9th - Los Angeles (Brea Mall)
• We are finalizing plans to promote Clone Wars: Tactics on 90 of the top radio stations in the country during the month of December.  We will share a list of participating stations when it is ready so that you can listen for it!

MY TOP 5:

1) MOVIES: In Bruges - A strange, funny and shocking hitman movie starring Colin Farrel (as the inexperienced assassin following his first, botched assignment), the awesome Brendan Gleeson (Hamish from Braveheart, Mad Eye Moody from the Harry Potter films etc) as the elder statesman hitman and Ralph Fiennes chewing up scenery as the principled crime boss pulling the strings.  The settings are gorgeous (Belgium) and, much like Tarantino’s best, humor and violence are sprinkled liberally through this morality play.  Highly recommended as a NetFlix DVD addition.

2) MUSIC: Ray LaMontagne’s Gossip in the Grain - His third album was released last week and I have been playing it every day.  For the uninitiated, Mr. LaMontagne has one of those rare voices that is able to honestly convey a full range of deep human emotion (pain, affection, loss, longing).  There are shades of Van Morrison’s warm honey, but more fragile. While his first album was steeped in Americana, and #2 was more layered and very moody, the new one has elements of its predecessors with the addition of a new Otis Redding-style soul shown in the super sexy song “You are the Best Thing”. Sample some songs here: Ray LaMontagne

3) TV: Heroes Season 4 - Silar a good guy?  Mohinder getting all creepy like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly? The cheerleader as gun-toting bad ass?  I am sold.  Hook. Line. Sinker! Is it Monday yet?

4) MOVIES: Across the Universe - Just watched this one with the wife over the weekend and as huge Beatles fans, we thoroughly enjoyed it.  It is directed by Julie Taymor, best known as the visionary/visual genius who brought the Lion King to Broadway. The film uses Beatles songs to tell a love story and while the story is fairly simple, the songs and psychedelic dreamy sequences are really exciting.  Worth viewing just to hear the Jimi Hendrix like character Jo-Jo (played by Roots cohort Martin Luther) sing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. Check it out here: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

5) ONLINE: Pandora Radio - The online music service at www.pandora.com builds radio stations based on your taste. Type in a band or a song and then check out the music they add and play based on the first entry.  The playlist gets better as you rate their selections. Following is a link to one of my stations, “Eclectic Smart Rock“, based on the Death Cab For Cutie, Doves, Elvis Costello, Fountains Of Wayne, Joe Jackson, Soul Coughing, TV On The Radio, Talking Heads, They Might Be Giants and Weezer.

That’s it.  Really.  Did you get down this far?  Congratulations!

More soon.

Yours,

Andre