Starro Comes to Conquer on 'Batman Brave and the Bold' Third Season Opener

The fall season of the celebrated animated series Batman The Brave and the Bold kicks off Friday, September 17 on Cartoon Network (check your local listings) with "The Siege of Starro, Part 1" as the iconic conquerer starfish from space (and the first Justice League story ever) turns up in this version of the DC Universe. 

As the synopsis says, "Led by Faceless Hunter, the Starro Invasion comes on full swing. Only Batman and a handful of unlikely heroes remain uninfected to thwart the alien parasites and their mind-controlled hosts before all of Earth is sucked dry."

Looking the stills, Batman is joined by Booster Gold, Firestorm, Captain Marvel (Shazam!) and Bwana Beast, while it appears that those under Starro's control with his smaller face-sucking starfish include Aquaman, Green Lantern Guy Gardner and other Lanterns like Killowog, Mister Miracle and wife Big Barda, Dr. Midnight and Blue Beetle.  Oh, the horror!

Batman Brave and the Bold, which is aimed first at kids, has become a big adult fan favorite, teaming Batman with various incarnations of DC Comics heros (along with appearances by a myriad assortment of villains) from different eras, though mostly from the Silver Age of the 1960s with nods to comics Golden Age in the '40s and '50s along with the Bronze and Modern Age, too. 

Some Cool Comic-Con 2010 Exclusives in Toyville

This year's Comic-Con International in San Diego will offer all sorts of exclusives, ranging from collector's toys, to special comics and much more.  Here are just a few of the numerous cool figures found in just toyville:

Originally a Wonder-Con exclusive in April, Graphitti Designs and DC Direct will over 2,000 pieces each of White Lantern Sinestro from the end of the Blackest Night epic in DC Comics and also Black Lantern Hal Jordan. Each figure is $20 and will be available with a ticket handed out, first come first serve, then get in line. These went quicker than you can charge a ring with our power battery at Wonder-Con and they're sure to sell out in San Diego. Also offered for $20 in a production run of 4,000 is a Battle Damaged Batman from the hit video game, Batman Arkham Asylum. That'll go fast as well.

From Mattel comes a DC Infinite Heroes Brave & The Bold JLA First Appearance Set, with a big Starro the Conquerer bendy figure (an outer space Starfish, if you didn't know) and three-inch early '60s versions of Green Lantern (with a construct), The Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter J'onn J'onzz. 

This package is another release for the 75th anniversary of DC Comics and is based on cover of Brace and the Bold #28, the first Justice League of America story (seen left here). The box even features lights and sounds, plus the voice of Kevin Conroy, fan favorite voice of the DCU animated Batman, describing the characters and events seen on the cover.

As a bonus, and only available at SDCC as a free gift with purchase while supplies last, is a poly bag of four Starro Spores, compatible with six-inch scale DCUC figures. The Starro set will be sold online after Comic-Con, but will not include the Spores.

The DC Universe Plastic Man Figure us $20 and has interchangeable standard arms, stretchy arms, giant form hands (a fly swatter and a bouncy ball with racket), and interchangeable stretchy neck and leg springs. There's also a 

DC Universe Plastic Man Suitcase that's free with purchase, all available only while supplies last. You can attach his arms, head, and neck as if he has disguised himself as a suitcase. Open up the suitcase and you'll find chip art comic book covers from the 75 years of DC Comics. The Suitcase will not be sold online after the show, Mattel has said.

From Action Figure Express, the exclusive DC Stars Zatanna Tonner Doll is pricey at $175, but it's a limited editon of just 300. DC's mistress of magic spells speaking backwards has become more and more popular in the past decade-plus.  The collector's doll may be reserve at the show and will then be available August 2010.

Girls just wanna have super-heroine fun!  Polly Pocket celebrates the DC Comics 75th Anniversary with the Dressed for Justice toy set. Polly, Lea, and Lila make their first appearance at Comic-Con in their DC-authorized Supergirl, Batgirl, and Wonder Woman costumes. $20.

And finally....
 

On April 1st, Mattel's Hot Wheels sent a message to Facebook fans with a "sneak peek" of its 2011 Wonder Woman Invisible Jet. It was a joke,sure, but fans went wild. So now, the company claims on the Comic-Con site, that it will sell the package.
So where's the jet? Duh, it's invisible.

Again, this just some of the exclusives, you'll find special action figures, minimates and much more at Comic-Con 2010.