Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995                   TAG: 9502140007
SECTION: RELIGION                    PAGE: B-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVID BRIGGS ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT'S SAMSON AND GOLIATH VS. THE POWER RANGERS

They may not force the Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtles back into their shells or send the Power Rangers to the farthest reaches of the toy galaxy.

But a Vermont toy inventor hopes his new biblical action figures have enough drama and excitement to capture the interest of 7- to 10-year-old boys.

Don't sell the biblical stories short when it comes to the action craved by preteen boys, says David Pagani, president of New Ventures, based in Montpelier.

Five Holyland Heroes sets, each with two action figures from scriptural scenes, will begin appearing in stores in March and are expected to be widely available by May, company officials say.

Characters paired off against one another include Samson and a Philistine, David and Goliath, Judas Maccabeus and a Syrian warrior, Moses and Ramses II, and Joshua and a Canaanite.

Each set, plus a book giving the biblical accounts of the two figures, has a suggested retail price of $6.95 to $8, Pagani said.

Without a multimillion-dollar marketing budget to promote the action figures to kids, Pagani said his company is counting on parents seeking alternatives to the hot licensing products such as the Turtles and Power Rangers to make the initial purchases.

``The fantasy and stimulating children's imaginations is great, but these are the years we have to teach them,'' Pagani said.

He added that the biblical action figures provide ``something with a message, something that has some value to the kids as they're playing.''

But the manufacturer did not forget who would be playing with them on the living room floor or on dirt piles in the back yard, Pagani said.

Samson, who the Bible says killed some 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, menacingly wields his weapon against a Philistine. David, with only a sling and a stone, faces a ferocious Goliath armed with a long spear and a sword.

Some toy sellers and parents who have seen the toys have already expressed concern about one similarity between the biblical figures and other action figures. ``These guys have as many knives and guns as all the other guys out there,'' some people have told Pagani.

``The reason it's there,'' Pagani said, ``is that's what excites kids and gets them to buy the toys.''

At the same time, the company says, the toys are designed to inspire kids with stories of heoric men whose faith in God enabled them to overcome tremendous odds.

The booklets end with inspirational messages. ``With God's help, like David, you can face your troubles with courage and trust,'' children are told in the booklet on David and Goliath. In the case of Samson, kids are told that the biblical accounts show how God ``is happy to forgive us, but we have to admit our mistakes and sincerely ask for his help.''

Eventually, kids may be motivated to learn more about the Bible and pay more attention in religious education classes, Pagani said.

``I'm hoping that children will look at these stories, see the values there and get interested,'' he said.