Who’s the fairest toy of all?

By Sheigh Crabtree, Jevon Phillips and Patrick Day, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

Small toys mean big business at the annual Toy Fair, which kicked off at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City this weekend. Some 1,200 exhibitors rolled into town to show their newest wares to more than 15,000 registered buyers and 21,000 toy industry professionals from 94 countries.

Although the toy industry hosts three major trade shows each year, the annual February shindig in Manhattan is the media’s first peek at the trinkets headed to a living room floor near you. This year, big entertainment brands are earning big buzz at the Toy Fair. Consider the hype around television and movie characters such as “Ugly Betty,” “Hulk,” “Iron Man” and “Hannah Montana.”

“For girls there’s nothing hotter this year than Hannah Montana,” said Genna Rosenberg, senior vice president of corporate communications for Jakks Pacific, from the trade show floor on Monday. “She’s everywhere -- from the box office, to the Grammys, and now the Oscars. [Whereas] Barbie is a classic doll girls want to play with, they want to be Hannah Montana.”

Toys for boys this year include role-playing action figures in the form of WWE wrestlers, NASCAR drivers, extreme sports stars and -- what else -- superheroes.

Here’s a look at some of the hottest toys generating buzz at the 2008 Toy Fair, which wraps up on Wednesday.  (Bebeto Matthews / Associated Press)