Haven’t picked up the latest issue of ToyFare yet? What the hell are you waiting for? Inside our two awesome covers (Rocket-Firing Boba Fett by Hasbro and Green Lantern by DC Direct) you’ll find…

• The inside story of how Hasbro took the world’s most famous never-made action figure and turned it into the most exciting mail-away exclusive of the 21st Century! Rocket-Firing Boba Fett, this is your life!

• From the hottest comic book crossover of the year, we call out the figures we want to see made from Blackest Night…and DC Direct rates our chances. Who’s a lock, and who do we need to keep dreaming about?

• A crapton of photos of the hottest new figures of 2010 from the New York International Toy Fair and beyond!

• Twisted ToyFare Theatre: The thrilling and hilarious end to the secret origin of G.I. Joe and Cobra! Pranks! Humiliation! Breakfast Club references!

• A look at the most varied toy lines of all time – which has produced the most licenses all in the same style?

• Plus, Toy Fair hijinx, Market Watch and Top 10, and more!

Call me lazy, but I’m just posting this press release in its entirety! Check it:

Marvel Digital Comics (www.marvel.com/digitalcomics), in collaboration with Hasbro, is proud to bring the world’s greatest fan a chance to decide the next Marvel Universe 3 ¾ inch action figure! By visiting http://marvel.com/news/all.11583 , fans can vote to decide the next red hot, limited edition figure! But you better hurry—voting ends at 11:59 ET on March 15^th!

The choices are:

• Ms Marvel (Dark Avengers costume)
• Archangel (X-Force costume)
• Norman Osborn (H.A.M.M.E.R. uniform)

The winning figure will be unveiled at this year’s New York Comic Con (October 8-10) and be made available exclusively to fans signing up for a monthly subscription to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited (see www.marvel.com/digitalcomics to sign up now!).

Get in on the action now and visit http://marvel.com/news/all.11583 to cast your vote for the next exclusive Marvel action figure!

That’s a Lost reference, but it isn’t a Lost story…we’re talking Twilight’s Jacob!

Tonner Doll just revealed their upcoming Jacob Black character figure, based on his buff look from the more recent movies. If you’re a toy fan but not a Twilight fan, get used to Jacob actor Taylor Lautner: he’s been hired to play both Mattel’s Max Steel and Hasbro’s Stretch Armstrong!

Hey, if Ryan Reynolds can be Deadpool AND Green Lantern…

Just received from Marvel PR: this teaser image for their new “Heroic Age” initiative.
We’re guessing this is NOT the new line-up of the Avengers, since the text from Marvel mentions that “Marvel’s most elite characters will be at the center of The Heroic Age, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and more!” However, an Avengers team that included the Thing, the Beast and friggin’ Gorilla Man would make my day. Also of note: Hawkeye no longer in lame Ronin costume. Bucky still in Cap costume. Friggin’ Gorilla Man.

I’m in a good mood now, which fits in with EIC Joe Quesada’s news that “the Marvel Universe is going to be a more optimistic place than we’ve seen in a quite awhile.” Thanks, Joe!

Hey, you guys, my brothers-in-arms over at Wizard’s Magic Words blog let me know this morning that there’s a new Lost Season 6 promo on YouTube, the first one that has actual Season 6 footage in it.

I’m not going to watch it.

Now, this doesn’t mean that I’m not bursting at the seams to watch the new season of Lost. I am. I really am. (And keep an eye out for my Lost toy wishlist in the next issue of ToyFare, hitting 2/10.) But I know that the original plan going into this season was not to show ANY new footage in the commercials to keep people guessing about what happened after last season’s nuclear finale, and goldurnit, I intend to keep it that way for myself for as long as humanly possible.

Behold, our super-secret second cover to ToyFare #151!

You’re looking at Lego’s brand-new property, Hero Factory, which made its worldwide debut in the issue. We also speak to Lego’s brand team about what’s going to set the line apart from previous Lego offerings like Bionicle (short version: super heroes and villains theme, massive online community and customization abilities, including the ability to affect the toy line and story line!).

As part of the reveal, we’re also hosting a contest on the Wizard World home page where you can win a set of Hero Factory figures. Plus, check out Wizard World’s Twitter feed for an exclusive online look at the Hero Factory figures!

And remember…you saw it first in ToyFare!

Okay, the winner is…Bastila Shan!

The double-bladed lightsaber wielder from the video game Knights of the Old Republic was the poll winner, as well as the Fan’s Choice figure (unlike the last poll we ran, where the clear winner – Quinlan Vos – was already in production, making the runner-up – Darth Revan – the official Fan’s Choice figure).

Now, exclusive to FarePlay, here’s the entire breakdown of the Top 30, along with the percentage of the vote that they got.

1) Bastila Shan 10.6%
2) Jocasta Nu 10%
3) Darth Caedus  8%
4) Darth Plageuis  7.9%
5) Jaxxon  4%
6) Admiral Pellaeon  3.7%
7) Dash Rendar  3.7%
8 ) Guri  3.6%
9) Dorme  3.5%
10) Bariss Offee 3.5%
11) Weequay Skiff Master  3.5%
12) Tzizvvt  2.9%
13) Kittster and Wald 2.8%
14) Toryn Farr  2.6%
15) Cane Adiss  2.4%
16) Rebel Fleet Trooper  2.4%
17) Bom Rimdin  2.4%
18) Cliegg Lars  2.3%
19) Joruus C’Baoth  2.3%
20) Grand Moff Torkin  2.1%
21) Ben-Quadinaros  2.1%
22) Darth Sidious  1.9%
23) Queen Apailana  1.8%
24) Tey How  1.8%
25) Sim Aloo  1.7%
26) Sgt. Doallyn  1.5%
27) Taym Dren-Garen  1.3%
28) Dr. Evazan  1%
29) Corde  0.8%
30) Queen Jamilla  0.7%

Big, huge thanks to Hasbro for including ToyFare in their poll and for listening to the fans! We’re looking forward to seeing how this poll impacts the line moving forward!

What’s on Justin’s Desk? Today, two great tastes that taste great together: Punisher as Frankenstein, and new peppermint mocha creamer. Bringin’ a little taste of the holidays into the drab beginning of the new year!

I’m not ready for a definitive list yet, but I want to start collecting ideas. Here’s a preliminary list of lines that spring to mind – if you’ve got some more lines you think qualify, leave them in comments, and I’ll do a follow-up post some time in the new year. Get crackin’!

XEVOZ (Hasbro) Anyone who reads ToyFare knows that I have an unhealthy fixation with this late, lamented Hasbro line, which combined great poseability, complete customizability, great character designs and wacky, wacky characters (cowboys! gorillas! robots! ninjas! and much, much more!)

MUPPETS (Palisades) You won’t find another licensed line in the world where the company put so much obvious care and devotion into every single figure. Just typing this makes us miss Palisades.

MARVEL LEGENDS (Toy Biz/Hasbro) Tons of characters, incredible poseability and the introduction of build-a-figures? Legends will be influential for years and years to come.

DC UNIVERSE CLASSICS (Mattel) All of the above (well, they didn’t invent build-a-figures), plus an amazingly consistent style courtesy of sculpting team the Four Horsemen.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (2002), (Mattel) Speaking of the Horsemen, their reimagining of the classic 80s toy line resulted in some of the most fun designs ever seen on toy shelves.

WORLD OF SPRINGFIELD (Playmates) Before DC Universe Classics had us scratching our head at the obscure characters it included, WoS dared to put even the most minor of Simpsons characters on store shelves, all with a fun talking feature. Thank you, World of Springfield, for our Disco Stu and Stephen Hawking figures.

G.I. JOE 25TH ANNIVERSARY (Hasbro) Fan service done right! Hasbro presented the classic character designs with 21st Century toy design know-how, and Joe fans got the perfect birthday present (that lasted well past the 25th anniversary year).

So, that’s what I got off the top of my head. What else should be considered?