2003 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives
August 19, 2003: No Superheroes in Melbourne
Reuters published the following article of a story coming out of Melbourne Australia...Superman, Batman, Spiderman and the Hulk might be able to save the world but they can't get through the doors of an increasing number of childcare centres in one Australian city.
Declaring themselves "superhero-free zones", at least 12 day centres for pre-school age children in Melbourne are banning crime-fighting superhero costumes because they say the unwelcome alter-egos encourage children to be aggressive.
Mayor Bill Baarini from Hobsons Bay Council, which runs the superhero-free Altona Meadows Child Care Centre, said it was often the less assertive child with lower self-esteem who ended up the victim of playground superheroes.
"While the policy hasn't eliminated rough play altogether, it had certainly made a significant difference in reducing injuries and bullying at the centre," he said in a statement.
But Vickii Jenvey, a Monash University expert on children's play, said the rough and tumble play the childcare centres were trying to stamp out was different from aggressive behaviour.
"Cloaks and masks don't cause aggression," Jenvey told Reuters. "Children can get aggressive with a piece of stick. Superheroes are actually archetypal characters, good fighting evil, and can be quite moral."
2003 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News
Listed below are all the Merchandise & Miscellaneous News items archived for 2003.- January 10, 2003: Smallville Soundtrack Cover Revealed
- January 11, 2003: New Justice League and SuperFriends DVD Covers
- February 2, 2003: Dynamic Forces Celebrates 10th Anniversary With QVC UK!
- February 5, 2003: New Superman Action Figures
- February 5, 2003: New Superman & Supergirl Shoes!
- February 17, 2003: Hear the Smallville Soundtrack Online
- March 1, 2003: Superman Returns to the GameCube and GBA
- March 6, 2003: Justice League and Smallville Trading Card News
- March 20, 2003: DC Direct Superman Action Figures Sold Out!
- March 28, 2003: New Superman Ride Opens in Texas!
- April 3, 2003: DC Comics Superhero Month Sweepstakes
- April 13, 2003: Pre-Order a Signed Copy of Noel Neill's Book
- April 15, 2003: Justice League at Burger King
- April 23, 2003: Justice League Team Up With Sargento Snacks
- May 5, 2003: EA Wins Superman Rights
- May 5, 2003: SupermanWoman Stage Play
- May 5, 2003: Superman Returns to Cleveland for Fundraiser
- May 7, 2003: Sweden Blocks Idea to Name Baby Superman
- May 14, 2003: Superman - The Stupidest Superhero?
- May 15, 2003: Superman Fundraiser a Success!
- May 22, 2003: Mythology by Alex Ross
- May 25, 2003: Bob Holiday to Perform at Superman Festival
- June 12, 2003: Superman fans visit Metropolis for annual festival
- June 13, 2003: Super Fans Fly to Metropolis
- June 17 2003: Holy Kryptonite - there's life after comics
- June 24, 2003: Countdown to Wednesday Comic Book DVD
- June 24, 2003: Cool Collecting's Second Annual Superman Celebration
- June 26, 2003: Hawaii Superman Convention Announced
- July 3, 2003: The Texas Superhero & Villain Collectors Show
- July 8, 2003: Win a Dynamic Forces Shopping Spree!
- July 9, 2003: Ohio Historical Superman Marker
- July 9, 2003: Dynamic Forces and QVCUK Heat Up the Summer!
- July 11, 2003: Midway Announces Next Generation Console Justice League Game
- July 21, 2003: Oprah Defeats Superman
- August 1, 2003: Curse of Superman... Radio Interview
- August 2, 2003: Australian McDonalds Super Heroes McHappy Meals
- August 4, 2003: New Superman Watch from Fossil
- August 19, 2003: No Superheroes in Melbourne
- August 27, 2003: Steve Younis in Superman: Metropolis #7?
- August 29, 2003: Texas Superhero & Sci-Fi Collectors Show
- September 13, 2003: Jay Morton, Coined Superman Motto
- September 17, 2003: Jim Lee at New York is Book Country 2003
- September 23, 2003: Ed McGuinness to do Animated Series
- September 25, 2003: Super Museum Featured on Discovery Channel
- October 2, 2003: Jollibee Justice League Toys in the Philippines
- October 27, 2003: Superman Watch Auction to Benefit CRPF
- October 31, 2003: Have a Super Halloween!
- November 1, 2003: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPERMAN HOMEPAGE!!!
- November 2, 2003: Online Kids Comics at AOL
- November 9, 2003: Monogram Lands DC Bobblehead Deal
- November 12, 2003: Justice League: Chronicles on Game Boy Advance
- November 25, 2003: Fossil Release New Superman Phone Booth Watch
- December 18, 2003: WizKids Announces DC HeroClix Second Expansion
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