This week’s comic is an issue of Hero 9 to 5. Imagine a world where becoming a hero is a lot like applying for a job at a fast-food restaurant. In Hero 9 to 5, just having a little power such as shooting flames from your hands can put you on the government’s time clock as a personal super hero to aid the rich, leaving the poor having to seek protection from a government with limited resources.

Born as the entrepreneurial venture of Jusaburo Shimizu in 1947, Kotobukiya’s began as a single toy store for dolls. Now, Kotobukiya has developed itself to be one of the heavy-hitters when it comes to popular anime/video game/movie figures, busts, statues and model kits that include some big name licenses (Star Wars, Halo, Final Fantasy, Hulk, Dead or Alive and Indiana Jones to name just the tip of the iceberg). Always thriving for quality without exception, Kotobukiya is sharing the love with its English-speaking market by creating a website interface that is easier to navigate and feels very similar to…

To the delight of Final Fantasy fans everywhere, Square Enix launched its official online merchandise store on Monday, August 20, 2007. According to the press release, “The store kicks off with a lineup of high-end figurines and collectibles from top-selling Square Enix franchises such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. With new products arriving regularly, the official online store is slated to become the ultimate destination for all Square Enix goods.”

Highlights from the first batch of swag include…

I called it.

Weta will, indeed be making high-end Halo 3 collectibles. The announcement that Weta Limited acquired the Halo 3 license was was made at this year’s Comic Con.

As of yet, specifics have not yet been announced though, if the short film is an indication, you can expect to see life-size helmets, weapons and similar scaled-down replicas, er, collectibles. The only information was the announcement and the image to the right …

In anticipation for Halo 3, Master Replicas, a company dedicated to providing replica figurines and other collectibles, is bringing to miniature life two popular Halo weapons. The Battle Rifle and the Covenant Carbine are going to be available for consumer preorder July 19, 2007, for $19.99 each.

While Master Replicas deals with replicas from all facets of the movie business including Harry Potter , Star Wars and The Muppets, they’re just starting to tackle the video game realm.

Both replicas measure 6 inches long with die cast metal construction and a Halo 3 stand. Take a look at some pictures of each weapon here. These collector’s items are…