The results are in, and Barbie’s new career has been chosen! Fans voted for Barbie’s 125th career to be newscaster (seen above right), but Mattel was apparently so happy with the voting results (and perhaps so keen on appealing to geek parents?) that they’re giving Barbie a bonus 126th career: computer programmer! So if you ever wanted to own a Barbie with nerd glasses and a shirt with binary on it…your day has come.

We’d like to congratulate Barbie on her new careers (it’s impressive when anyone can find a job in this economy, never mind two), but we have to be honest: we were kind of hoping if newscaster Barbie won, she’d look like this:

So what’s on Justin’s desk? Today, it’s Battle Cat (yeah, we got one early), being ridden by my custom Justin figure, who is also a Green Lantern. Who says childhood dreams don’t come true?

ToyFare loves Megos (they star in our signature comic strip, Twisted ToyFare Theatre, after all). ToyFare loves Venture Bros., one of the best shows on television. Put them together, and ToyFare owes someone at Bif Bang Pow! a beer.

That’s because the company just announced that their eagerly awaited Venture Bros. figures will be retro Mego-styled, thanks  to help from the awesome EMCE Toys company, who are behind Diamond Select’s recent Star Trek Megos and Mattel’s DC retro Mego-style figures. But wait, there’s more! ALL of BBP!’s licenses will be getting the Mego styling this year, including Dexter, Twilight Zone, Big Legowski and Lost. Lost!

We’re getting ready to write our next two year’s worth of Twisted ToyFares. Meanwhile, you can head over to Entertainment Earth and start pre-ordering the Lost figures.

Oh, and what’s the image we used to illustrate this story? Well, just in case you haven’t picked up ToyFare #151 (in stores now!), that, my friends, is a fictional ToyFare cover that will be appearing ON SCREEN somewhere or other in an upcoming episode of Venture Bros. We are, as the Belgian say, freakin’ psyched.

So you know how the economy was…oh, not so good last year? Yeah, well the toy industry was all like, “No, that’s cool, we’ll pass on eating the crap sandwich. We had a late lunch.”

According to industry trackers the NPD Group, sales for the entire toy industry were only down less than 1 percent over 2008. Plus, when it comes to the industry sector that you really care about (collectible porcelain dolphins…nah, just kidding, it’s action figures), sales were actually UP 4 percent from 2008.

You hear that, economy? Toys own you. Now who wants to touch us? (via toynewsi)

The good folks at SOTA Toys will be holding an auction on eBay starting Monday for a one-of-a-kind item to benefit relief in Haiti.

The Lightning Blanka you see above was a prototype for a proposed statue variant of Street Fighter’s popular hairy green fighter. All the proceeds will go to benefit the Red Cross’ efforts in Haiti.

The eBay link isn’t live yet, but check back on Monday at 9am Eastern by searching for Lightning Blanka or looking for Auction ID 170437372130.

War for Cybertron. Huh. Good god, y’all. What is it good for? Well, it’s good for an awesome looking upcoming videogame from Activision (taking place entirely on the Transformers home planet and using their pre-Earth-mode transformations). And it’s good for a new toy line from Hasbro based on said Cybertronian modes! Head over to UGO.com for a look at the vehicle and robot modes of for Optimus and Megatron!

It’s been a divisive day in this great nation of ours, but it’s important to remember the one thing that all right-minded people agree on: we need more Michael Keaton as Batman merchandise. Luckily, DC Direct is setting us on the right course with this September-shipping bust.

More, toy companies. More please.

Want to own a figure from one of 2009’s best movies from one of 2009’s most amazing toy companies (their 2010 isn’t shaping up too shabby, either)? Check out this teaser image of Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine from the incredible Hot Toys. We’re sure Aldo would look down on this toy from above and say, “I think it’s my best one yet.” (Via Topless Robot)

(Above: Dr. Orpheus hopes there better be Alchemist and Jefferson Twilight figures in the new Venture Bros. toy line, and so do we, damn it!)

We here at ToyFare have been something of evangelists for Venture Bros. toys in recent years. Before I ever even saw the show, former editor Zach Oat was putting together toy wish list features and even complete episode guides to the show, just because it was so damn great and its sensibilities and the things it references matched up so perfectly with what ToyFare covered. Later, when I finally got off my ass and watched it, I became an evangelist as well. I kicked off my giant interview feature with series creator Jackson Publick early last year by declaring that “No show on TV deserves toys more than the Venture Bros.”

Well, finally someone listened to us! And that someone is Bif Bang Pow! toys, makers of Big Lebowki figures and much more. BBP! is working with Publick on the figures right now for a release this year, and we’re pleased as punch. We’re also pleased as punch to have the exclusive first interview with BBP! CEO Jason Lenzi about the Venture toys. Look for it in ToyFare #151, on sale Wednesday in comic shops, along with an exclusive piece of art related to the next season of Venture Bros. Let’s just say that we’re VERY proud to be revealing this particular piece of art…

Check back tomorrow for an expanded look at what’s in ToyFare #151. And, of course, go team Venture! I mean, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say it…