McFarlane Toys may not have a mass market blockbuster like Shrek on its hands in 2002, but the company is planning to repeat its past successes in creating action figure lines based on video games and key rock music properties, while expanding its Sports Picks offerings to include all four major North American sports.  Todd McFarlane himself designed the characters for the Ultima On-Line Game, Lord Blackthorn's Revenge, so it's no surprise that McFarlane toys will have a line of toys based on the game, while Onimusha 2, the brilliant Capcom samurai game for Playstation 2, is also a natural for McFarlane Toys' highly detailed treatment, especially after the success of MFT's two series of Metal Gear Solid figures.  Meanwhile on the rock front, McFarlane Toys is returning to its most popular product, Kiss, for a new series of figures based on the 'Creatures of the Night' tour.  For an overview of the McFarlane Line and a look at the company's comic and horror-based figures see McFarlane Toys: Part I.

Video and On-Line Games

McFarlane Toys unveiled the Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge figures at last year's Toy Fair, but delays in the launch of the game led to delays in the manufacture of the action figures which should hit retail in the next few weeks.  The character designs are excellent and the almost 7.5' figure of the 'Juggernaut' has to be seen to be believed, while the evil Adranath figure is extremely well conceived and executed.

Capcom's new Onimusha 2 is following in the footsteps of one of the bestselling games in the history of Play Station 2.  The new game takes full advantage of the graphic potential of the PS2, and McFarlane Toys has provided six incredible Samurai warrior figures that are bound to please fans of this action-filled, blood-spattered, sword-fighting contest.  As is the case with the music figures profiled later in this article, McFarlane Toys based on videogames are largely sold in mall specialty stores.  These games are not for young children, nor are the figures, which are rough enough to be excluded from the biggest (and most vanilla) mass-market outlets.

Rock Music

McFarlane Toys' innovations in the creation of action figures are not limited to sculpting, painting and casting, the company has also revolutionized the category by expanding the pool of potential subjects to include popular rock groups.  McFarlane's Kiss figures were the real breakthrough in this regard, so it makes perfect sense to return to these rock icons of the 1970s and 80s for a new series of figures based on the Kiss 'Creatures of the Night' album and tour from 1982.  In addition to the four action figures, which may or may not be accompanied by a complete stage set, McFarlane toys is also creating a set of four Kiss Busts in 6'-7' scale that also commemorate the 'Creatures of the Night' album and tour.

Last year McFarlane Toys came out with a version of the Iron Maiden mascot Eddie that was based on artwork from the 1981 Killers album.  For 2002, the skeletal Eddie is back in a new figure based on the artwork that accompanied the single, The Trooper, from the 1983 Piece of Mind album.

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