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Standing in line to meet your favorite comic book artist or your favorite actor who guest-starred on an episode of Once Upon a Time is part of the Comic-Con experience. And so is standing in line to get the latest toy exclusives from Mattel.
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The toy company, like Hasbro, will be unveiling Con-only toys, for which many serious collectors are setting aside a portion of their budget.
Perhaps the hottest item on the list is the Hot Wheels: Star Wars – Darth Vader vehicle. This marks the first time ever Mattel has released a Star Wars-themed Hot Wheels car. And we’re guessing the majority won’t ever make it out of the box. And why would they? Each vehicle comes in packaging in the form of Vader’s lightsaber, which even lights up and makes the iconic saber sounds. Expect to pay $40.
Mattel is also unveiling The Homer, a Hot Wheels homage to Homer Simpson ($30) — although versions of that toy were previously on the market — and a Hot Wheels version of the Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond in 1964’s Goldfinger ($20). Again, the packaging promises to be almost as alluring as the collectible itself.
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Another highlight — and at $125 Mattel’s priciest piece — is the Batman Utility Belt replica based on the 1960s TV program. The show is enjoying a massive resurgence — there’s even a Hall H panel centering on the upcoming Blu-ray set of the Adam West series — and Mattel has designed this belt for adults. The 43-inch belt modeled after the belt worn by West on the show has four pouches that open from the bottom, four tubes and a 12-inch blue plastic Batarang.
Also watch for Masters of the Universe, Max Steel, DC and Monster High exclusives, among others.
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