Mainstream Jessica Rabbit

Are cats and dogs living with each other yet? It looks as if the moment some of us have feared and others anticipated is close at hand.

Jessica Rabbit: Mainstream Disney character

Can it be true? Is it really happening? Will we be spending money we shouldn't on even more Jessica merchandise? I think the standing "hares" on the back of my neck point to yes.

Let's take a look at some important pieces of merchandise. The Jessica and Mickey Mouse shirt was released in World of Disney, New York. Jessica also appeared alongside Mickey's dog Pluto in a recent Halloween pin set. And last, but not least, an official Jessica Rabbit Halloween costume was released this year. Jessica is being reintroduced and recognized!

I tried to describe this possibility with a chain of similar events that happened to our beloved friend, and at the time pretty obscure, Jack Skellington. Do I even need to discuss the cash cow Tim Burton's "Nightmare" gang has become? A niche for these bizarre characters was found and one cannot deny they have become familiar Disney faces.

NEW Jessica Baseball and special Personalized pins and new art

Now up for bid on Disney Auctions website is the Baseball Roger and Jessica pin.

Roger is the catcher in his blue and white striped uniform. Jessica over home plate with bat in hand! She wears long pink socks and a white uniform with red glittered sleeves and stripe going down the side of her dress. She also has a red glittered hat. This is a limited edition of 100 oversized pins - with only 25 available separate and the other 75 as part of the Baseball set with such characters as Pluto and Tinker Bell.

The other pin coming soon to DisneyShopping.com is the Toon Detective Tales personalized pin. Jessica is on the front cover of the "Toon Detective Tales - .10c" and below reads "In this issue - Shocking revelations about..." below there is a blank yellow space where you can have your name added.

Lastly, a high end, one-of-a-kind item has been listed on Disney Auctions. A framed paper art piece by Dave Avanzio. Jessica is framed in a shadow box with purple suede curtains parting. She has airbrushed features and a micro-bead and glittered dress and iridescent purple painted gloves.

Breaking News - Disney P.I.N.S. is closing it's doors!

Straight from the very popular Disney pin website, Dizpins.com, news has broken Disney Auctions Purchase It Now Store (P.I.N.S.) will be shutting down on its second anniversary. On and after October 3rd, any pins can be purchased through Disney's website, now being called DisneyShopping.com.

I'm not sure what happened but I do know there have been a heck of a lot of complaints about DA PINS. Missing packages, wrong items and more common - the pin quality was going downhill fast. I certainly agree that the quality was lacking in a lot of pins. However, they did offer us much fun and many great Jessica pins.

The first being the 2004 Jessica and Roger Valentine pin. The most recent - and last unless there is one on Thursday, being the Eric Robison Jessica and Roger multilayer pin.

I think the best pin was actually the 6 pin set - it definitely was a big surprise and all 6 pins were the first glittered Jessica pins to be offered in the US. Jessica with the Christmas Gift, Jumbo 2005 Valentine and Jessica seated were also nicely done pins.

The worst by far is the Jessica Park Ranger badge shaped pin - lacking in good color and detail. The Jessica a la Andy Warhol, The Jumbo Jessica photo (because of the quality of my pin) and Close up Heart Shaped were also at the bottom of my list.

And the most interesting pin is the recent Jessica Golfing!

Make sure you place that last bid...

Goodbye DA PINS

NEW Jessica & Pluto Halloween Tombstone Pin Set

In an odd pairing (but I guess it's ok since it's Halloween) Jessica Rabbit is joined by Pluto in a special Tombstone pin set. There are six different sets: Donald and Tink, Dumbo and Eeyore, Minnie and Cheshire Cat, Oogie and Jack, Stitch and Goofy, and of course Pluto and Jessica. Each set comes with a small tombstone between the couple. There is a separate diorama display base with a haunted house backdrop you can buy that holds all of the tombstone sets. When displayed it looks like a haunted graveyard - a special Mickey pin is included with the display.

Each of the pins features characters getting into the Halloween spirit. Mickey is dressed as The Big Bad Wolf with a special mask that slides on and off. Donald is dressed as a vampire and Tink is having fun in a pumpkin full of candy. Dumbo is dressed as "SuperDumbo" and Eeyore is dressed as Pooh. Minnie is dressed as Donald and The Cheshire Cat has a Stitch mask. Oogie Boogie has a Jack mask and Jack himself has a mask of The Mayor. Stitch is dressed as a pirate and Goofy is dressed as a skeleton. Pluto is dressed as a sherif and Jessica holds a trick-or-treat pumpkin while getting spooked by scary bats.

Each pin is $14.95 and the Diorama base with pin is $39.95. The tombstone is sculpted resin and each is a very Limited Edition of 1000.

Nurses Association vs. Jessica - costume - Big Figure and more

One major reason Jessica and Roger were out of the picture for such a long time (as in no more movies, merchandise, etc) was because the film is co-owned by Steven Spielberg's company, Amblin Entertainment. We'll never know the real story but Eisner and Spielberg were not fond of each other and all work was stopped on the Roger sequel. The contract called for any and all merchandise to be jointly agreed on by both companies. So it would take forever to get something produced or have Spielberg agree - so Disney just didn't bother with the characters, UNTIL Jessica made a big mark as a top selling pin icon!

It really all began with the Aloha from Jessica pin released in early 2003. From then she was everywhere as a pin Diva, with two pins coming out a month. The next year other merchandise had followed; shirts, mugs, statues, towels - and here we are today, finally with your very own official Jessica Rabbit Halloween costume. Not sure what to make of all this but I'm not going to look the gift horse in the mouth.

Getting to the Nurses Association - an unnamed author of www.nursingadvocacy.org wrote:
"At least 300 Nurses wrote to protest Disney's sultry Jessica Rabbit nurse pins..." "Within 48 hours of starting our campaign, Disney agreed to 'remove the pins from sale." "Therefore we are asking Disney to make amends to the profession by supporting activities to repair the harm that has been done to nursing's image."

Jessica Big Figure, NEW Halloween Costume and Baseball Cap

Three new items are being released at Disney Parks and on their Website. Photos of the Jessica Rabbit Big Figure have begun to show up, and the statue, which I believe is no smaller that 24", might be available by next month. Keep your eyes peeled.

A stunning new Jessica baseball cap was released. Jessica is embroidered on the entire from of this hat - it is a must see.

There were two new Halloween costumes introduced for this year - Roger and Jessica! Photos are in the new Disney catalog and on-line. This is the first time there has been an official Jessica Rabbit Halloween costume for sale to the public. There was an unreleased version of this costume on Disney Auctions in January of this year.

The Jessica Rabbit costume is a sparkly red dress and purple gloves. You can also get a red wig accessory. The description reads:

Jessica Rabbit Costume and Accessories

She's not bad, she was just drawn that way in our glittering satiny gown. Side slit. Slightly padded bodice. Back button and zipper. Includes long gloves. Wig sold separately. Dress 90% polyester/10% spandex. Wig olefin with polyester lining.

Imported. $79.50

Wig - $9.50

NEW Jessica pin coming to Disneyland

On August 12th there will be a new Jessica pin released in Disneyland. Jessica Rabbit strikes a pose in her glittered dress for this open edition pin which will retail for only $6.95.