Nickandmore!

via Nerd Corps press release:

Slugterra ramps up the action for 2013!

• Toys and DVD on shelf with global rollout through 2013/14
• New episodes and international free TV
• New agent and merch deals around the world

VANCOUVER, CANADA (February 6, 2013) — As Nerd Corps Entertainment’s hit boys action/comedy property Slugterra continues to slug it out on more TV screens around the world, kids can finally show they’ve got what it takes to be a true Slugslinger as the global toy and merch rollout begins this month. Nerd Corps’ distribution arm has signed on new free-to-air broadcasters while the company’s licensing arm has locked down two new agents and several new merchandise deals to keep the momentum going. Slugterra launched on Disney XD in the US in the fall with new episodes coming out this February.

“Slugterra is a great experience full of thrills and laughs, and we’re finding boys are really connecting with it. Social media has been a very powerful tool for research and has provided us with that immediate feedback on how kids, and parents, are responding,” says Nerd Corps El Presidente Ken Faier. “The mechanic of befriending slugs, training them and blasting them at 100 mph to transform them in battle taps right into boys’ love of collecting, competing and blasting. These are the core components of the toy line from JAKKS Pacific, and makes the series a natural fit to cross over into other licensing categories, interactive, etc.”

“The strategy behind the licensing and merchandising program for Slugterra is calculated and based on what’s current and relevant with kids today,” adds Nerd Corps Head of Global Consumer Products Juli Boylan. “Our vision is to develop a program that allows the property to build and sustain itself for many years to come. We are seeding the marketplace with those products we know boys will demand first, allowing us to build a successful story at retail as we expand into broader categories in 2014.”

In the US market Slugterra is hitting retail shelves this month, kicking off with a line of collectible slugs and blasters with unique transforming darts from JAKKS Pacific. To coincide with the toy launch, Shout Factory is releasing Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang, the first in a series of DVDs coming out this year.

“Our plan is to launch Slugterra toys this spring with a product line centered around collectability, transformation and functional role play,” said Michael Wilde, Director, Marketing, JAKKS Pacific. “As the Slugterra animated series rolls out globally throughout markets in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, we will coordinate distribution of our entire product line, including figures, blasters, transforming slugs and other role play accessories to coincide shortly after the series debut.”

Nerd Corps licensing division continues to bring in domestic deals. Following the toys and home video rollout in the US, will be previously announced t-shirts from Hybrid Apparel and sleepwear from Mad Dog Concepts, both scheduled for Q3.

Additionally, Nerd Corps’ interactive team entered the App Store for the first time in December with a new game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch called Slug it Out!. The app quickly rose through the ranks of top paid games and continues to sell through well. Nerd Corps will be launching new modes and in-app purchases to coincide with the toy and DVD launch this spring. This follows a robust online offering from the team that saw the flash game Battle for Slugterra hit the top spot on disneyxd.com.

Globally, the series continues to roll out on Disney XD on pay TV and free TV launches will begin in the third and fourth quarter and continue throughout 2014. New deals include Noga (Israel), MBC (Middle East), and Switchover Media/K2 (Italy).

As broadcast ramps us globally, Nerd Corps is keeping the momentum going, bringing aboard more agents to help support the international merch rollout with product launches throughout 2013/2014. The newest additions to the Slugterra team are Character Licensing and Marketing (South Africa) and Brand Is Real (Israel). Additionally Beyond Home Entertainment has acquired the home video rights to the series in Australia and New Zealand, while In Latin America, Slugterra’s licensing agent CPL is currently closing deals for back-to-school, stickers, albums, and trading cards. Licensing agents now representing Slugterra include CPLG (UK), Haven Licensing (Australia), Elastic Rights (Spain, Portugal, France, Greece and Turkey), CPL (Latin America), Megalicense (Russia).

About Slugterra

Choose your ammo… Slug it out! Slugterra is an epic sci‐fi comedy adventure set deep underground, where the ammo’s alive and only the quick survive! In this luminous, high‐tech, underground world every cavern holds a new adventure, new battle and weird little slugs to be discovered. Eli Shane is determined to be the greatest slugslinging hero of them all. To do it, he’ll need to collect and train an army of little critters called slugs. When these magical creatures are fired at 100 MPH out of a high‐powered blaster, they transform into powerful battle beasts! The adventure follows Eli and his team of friends as they explore the caverns, challenge rivals and each other to duels, upgrade their cool gear, and generally have a blast in this never‐before imagined underground world. But there is a very real threat to Slugterra; Dr. Blakk is seeking to “ghoul” the slugs, transforming them into feral mindless weapons! No one has been able to stand up to Blakk’s powerful ghouls and army of henchmen… until now!

About Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc.

Nerd Corps Entertainment is a privately held IP creation, development, production, and distribution company based out of Vancouver, Canada, with offices in Toronto, Canada. The company’s mandate is to produce stylistically innovative animated projects for television, online, and mobile based on a solid foundation of creative and exceptional storytelling. Working in a state‐of‐the‐art studio with highly skilled artists and production staff, Nerd Corps’ expertise in creative development and execution covers all aspects of property generation and management, from development and production to distribution, marketing, interactive and licensing. The studio’s award‐winning stable of productions includes original series Slugterra, Storm Hawks, League of Super Evil and Rated A for Awesome, as well as Dragon Booster for Alliance Atlantis and Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5, Max Steel and Monster High for Mattel, Inc. Visit www.nerdcorps.com.