Toy highlights included the technologically-enhanced X-Men Grip TechMutants that incorporate Toy Biz's exclusive "Smart Sense" technology that allows children to become Wolverine or Sabretooth ($49.99).

Action figures will be 6-inch fully pose-able with a character dedicated action feature that mimics their mutant powers and an accessory. For example, Storm is equipped with a lightning base and Professor X will have his trademark motorized wheel chair and cerebra accessory. Action figures will be available in a trio of battle ready twin packs that spotlight three of the most thrilling confrontations from the movie -- Wolverine vs. Sabretooth, Logan vs. Magneto and Logan vs. Rogue ($5.99 individual figure/$12.99 twin pack).

All X-men toys will be available June 2000.

Mattel
Hoping to recapture some of the success of Tarzan, Mattel has a complete line of toys for little paleontologists based on this summer's Dinosaurs by Disney.

Kids will be hatching dinosaur eggs and playing with their very own Aladar, the film’s hero with Dino Alive ($34.99). It takes the egg about four minutes to hatch during which it lights up, rumbles and shakes. Children will also be able to hear the dinosaur's heartbeat and scratching from the inside. Once hatched, the more kids take care of Aladar the more he will do.

The Fossil Finder set lets children become real paleontologists, as they dig for dinosaur bones and build their own skeletons ($19.99). The kit includes a rock block filled with bones that children chip away to reveal the hidden fossils.

Dinosaur Action Figures ($7.99) will talk and roar. By pressing a button on the figure's back, the dinosaur’s mouth will open, legs will move and the tail will sway as it roars.

These and numerous other toys including activity sets, figure gift sets and inflatable dinosaurs will be available in stores April 2000.

The Simpsons atop desk tops may cause less work to be done in 2000. © 2000 Jacquie Kubin.

Playmates
Playmates has moved away from collectible figures featuring Captain Kirk and created some interactive gems for the kiddies.

This winter, director Ron Howard brings Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas to cinematic life with Jim Carrey in the title role. Look for an assortment of 4-inch figures including Santa Grinch with Cindy Lou Who this October. My favorite, the Interactive Grinch, has a wide variety of phrases and songs from the movie and when smiling his heart lights up bigger and bigger.

The Simpsons have been around for 10 years, but in August Playmates will offer Simpson's E-Pals with a Bart and Homer version that will sit on top of computer monitors and aggravate users. Each animatronic character paints the room with sarcastic remarks and phrases from the show.

Joseph Szadkowski writes on various aspects of popular culture and is a columnist for The Washington Times.