Live Nation Merchandise has announced several new deals for its artists, including two major new deals for KISS. KISS has signed deals with Monster Mini Golf for a glow-in-the-dark KISS-branded mini-golf course across from the Hard Rock Hotel, at the Shoppes at Harmon Square, in Las Vegas, and with Rubie’s Costume Co. for costumes, masks, wigs, and accessories for adults and children.

The custom-designed, frightfully fun mini golf course will feature animated KISS and monster props lurking in all 18 fairways. A live DJ will rock the raucous house with continuous KISS music, trivia, contests, and prizes. A gift shop will offer unique KISS and Monster souvenirs. And for party monsters, one-of-a-kind KISS themed event rooms will host KISS and monster-themed parties, events and wedding celebrations.

“At Monster Mini Golf presents KISS, rockers and golfers of all ages can enjoy a screamingly good time at affordable family-friendly prices,” explains Christina Vitagliano, Monster Mini Golf Founder. “There’s nothing like this venue anywhere else in Las Vegas or the world. So, it’s beyond cool. It’s KISS!” says Christina Vitagliano, Monster Mini Golf Founder.

The band itself is over the moon about the deal with Rubie’s. ”With your new KISS costumes, you will release the Demon within you. You are the God of Thunder!” says Gene Simmons.

But those aren’t the only deals for KISS: Live Nation has also signed the band up for a deal with Jumpin Jammerz for adult/kids/baby footed pajamas. Other recent Live Nation deals include:

Audio Technology of NY (Ipod/Iphone/blackberry/MP3, notebook/laptop cases) for Various Music Artist Deal, The Beatles and AC/DC
Skaffles (Pet Products) for AC/DC and Various Music Artist Deal
Big Idea Guys (Guitar Picks, Guitar Leather Straps,Motion Cards, Auto Air Fresheners) for Various Music Artist Deal and AC/DC
Street Player Holding (Pandas) for KISS
WMS Gaming (Slot Machines) for KISS
New Era Caps for our Various Music Artist Deal
Insight Editions (Children’s Book) for our Properties Bag One Arts
VM Global Manufacturing (Skateboards) for our Various Music Artist deal

For more information on Live Nation Merchandise, please contact Steve Senk, VP of Licensing, at 415-247-7467 or stevesenk@livenation.com. You can also visit the Live Nation Merchandise Licensing website at lnmlicensing.com.

—Bryan Joiner

Classic Media and World Events Productions announced new consumer products partners in the U.S.  for the relaunch of the Voltron franchise.

Voltron will return to defend the universe with the all-new animated series, Voltron Force, set to debut on Nicktoons this summer, with consumer products in development from The Bentex Group, Inc., via their Extreme Concepts division (t-shirts/tops) and their Dreamwave division (swimwear/sleepwear), Rubie’s Costume Company (costumes), VIZ Media (kid’s graphic novels for Voltron Force) and Dynamic Forces (new comic books and graphic novels for classic Voltron).

The new partners join Mattel, which is developing master toy lines based on classic Voltron and new Voltron Force, and THQ, which will produce video games based on the Voltron franchise.

Rubie’s Costume Company received the 2010 Costume Vendor of the Year Award from BuySeasons, an Internet retailer specializing in costumes, accessories, party supplies and seasonal décor.

“We are extremely excited and honored to be selected to receive this distinctive award from the most recognizable and largest Internet retailer in the Halloween Industry,” Executive Vice-President Howard beige said in a statement. “I would like to express my sincere thanks for BuySeasons continued support and patronage and look forward to working with them and helping them grow for many years into the future.”

“We have a great relationship with Rubies,” Daniel Haight, president and CEO, BuySeasons Inc.  said. “They deliver on all of the things you would expect from a partner of the year, great costumes, quality products, and timely delivery. Above all else though, their ability to react and work with us to develop new costumes that reflect the most recent trends in pop culture has been a Halloween game changer.”

To prepare for this year’s edition of The Halloween Insider (send us your product info!), Associate Editor Mackenzie Allison and I trekked out to the Queens headquarters of Rubie’s Costume Co., in Richmond Hill. It wasn’t the first time I’d been there, but it was the first time in seven years, and my first since The Halloween Insider was founded.

The storefront takes up two levels on the train next Jamaica Avenue and is filled with vibrant and popular costumes. Once you enter, the costumes are all behind the counter and hanging above you, with dozens of people ready to help you. There are catalogs on each counter with a different set of getups: there are hundreds upon hundreds of costumes to choose from. The most expensive of these are the Halo and Storm Trooper full-body armor costumes, which run around $800. I asked a salesperson if he sold any of these and he said he had, to people trying to win a radio contest.

I then asked what the most popular costumes of the season were. The first, he said, was Avatar. No surprise there. The second was the surprise, and a tribute to the ingenuity that Halloween brings out. He said people wanted to dress like the bank robbers in The Town (above), with the nun outfits and masks, presumably because they saw it on the poster. Rubie’s didn’t have the masks, but they had the nun outfits, which had been flying off the shelves as people went elsewhere in search of the masks. Interesting stuff.

This isn’t the end of  TLB’s Halloween store-visit adventure. Let us know of any stores/sites to check out as we do research for this year’s Insider. Tough job, we know.

—Bryan Joiner

Jersey Shore‘s DJ Pauly D performs quality control on the DJ Pauly D Halloween costume from Rubie’s and finds it to his liking.

Forum Novelties, Inc., a division of Rubie’s Costume Company, has been awarded the “2009 Vendor of the Year” Award for Best Category Development given by Spirit Halloween, a division of Spencer Gifts, in recognition of Forum’s creativity and extraordinary service.

Forum Novelties, Inc. has become a leader in the Halloween industry, as well as the joke, trick, magic, and novelty gift item business. Over the past 30 years, Forum’s product line has evolved to meet customer needs and consumer buying trends.  Forum Novelties is a manufacturer, importer, and distributor of more than 8,000 items, and only sells to the retail and wholesale trades.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) has renewed its global partnership with Rubie’s Costume Co. for an extensive library of properties including DC Comics Super Heroes, the Harry Potter franchise, Looney Tunes, The Lord of the Rings, and Hanna-Barbera characters including Scooby-Doo.  Since 1999, Rubies has held the worldwide rights to an array of Warner Bros.’ properties, allowing fans worldwide to become a part of their favorite films and series.

In addition to WBCP renewing the license for Rubie’s global business in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia/New Zealand, and Asia, Warner Bros. also continues Rubie’s license agreement for The Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Beetlejuice, and Corpse Bride in North America and around the world.

Rubie’s Costume Company has been granted the license for Lady Gaga, licensed by Bravado International Group. Pop star and musician Lady Gaga is known for her wild collection of outfits. Her signature style includes wigs of all length and styles and her unique couture costumes.

Rubie’s is now the worldwide licensee of Lady Gaga Halloween costumes and accessories. The costumes will be available for Halloween 2010.