[Someone forgot to lock the zoo doors!]Battle Beasts were probably the coolest anthropomorphic animal figures under 3" ever made - their sheer variety in characters was just boundless and their sculpting, finish and paint were vibrant. These figures, introduced in 1987, were far more interesting as collectibles than action figures.
If you remember or had these figures; stop, pat yourself on the back and continue on:
In the summer of 2009 at the San Diego Comic Con, it was announced that Diamond Select Toys, who produces Minimates, had acquired not only the license agreement to the Battle Beasts line, but ownership of the whole brand. They also displayed a play-set featuring a Minimates version of what is to become the new Battle Beast line. It was an Alligator named Gator Guard, and came with a human Minimates toy, as well as a cardboard play-set. The play-set was to become available for sale on December 31st 2009, but was then pushed back until March 2010, and has since been pushed back as far as possibly January 2011.
In February 2010 at the New York Toy Fair, Diamond Select Toys gave away a promotional Alligator Minimates Battle Beasts figure. It was the first toy in a probable relaunch of the Battle Beasts line. It is identical to the Gator Guard with the exception of the paint scheme, its armor is painted silver instead of gold, the eyes are green instead of red, and the claws are white instead of black. In April 2010, a second promotional Alligator Minimates Battle Beasts figure was released at the Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo. It is identical to the previous release with the exception of the paint scheme, it features black armor, gray skin, and yellow claws. Both of these figures were released in sealed bags and have no specific names.
Let's hope that this re-issue / re-vision will receive as much acclaim as the original 80's line did. But of course, just like Colonel Sanders would say, nothing beats the original !
In February 2010 at the New York Toy Fair, Diamond Select Toys gave away a promotional Alligator Minimates Battle Beasts figure. It was the first toy in a probable relaunch of the Battle Beasts line. It is identical to the Gator Guard with the exception of the paint scheme, its armor is painted silver instead of gold, the eyes are green instead of red, and the claws are white instead of black. In April 2010, a second promotional Alligator Minimates Battle Beasts figure was released at the Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo. It is identical to the previous release with the exception of the paint scheme, it features black armor, gray skin, and yellow claws. Both of these figures were released in sealed bags and have no specific names.
Let's hope that this re-issue / re-vision will receive as much acclaim as the original 80's line did. But of course, just like Colonel Sanders would say, nothing beats the original !
