Yesterday Cartoon Network announced that a new a Ben 10 action-adventure animated series is planned for 2009-2010.

Ben 10: Evolutions (its working title) will be an all-new animated series following 16-year-old Ben Tennyson as his secret identity has been revealed to the world and he’s now an international mega-star super hero, loved by kids the world over but distrusted by many adults. Armed with a mysterious new Omnitrix, Ben will see action in places he’s never been.

These Ben 10 Alien Force 15cm (6 inch) DNA Action Figures are realistic, robust and well detailed but come with a unique battle feature that sets them apart from their smaller counterparts. These features, whilst cool, crank up the price somewhat and probably offer more short term interest than lasting fun. The toy then reverts to being good for imaginative play. On the downsides some of these toys can come apart quite easily and the parts are hard to move. For your money you are probably better off getting a larger collection of the 10cm figures.

These figures are great for children to ‘mix things up’. They encourage imagination as each alien they make is a new creation. They offer that bit more than your standard action figures as they are need interactivity. They do though still allow the usual role play fun with the ‘creations’ once made. They are perfect for children who are creative but are not limited to one-time creativity as they can be pulled apart and a whole new alien be made.

This new Ben 10 “beat-em-up” game has all the upsides of the last one, Ben 10: Protector of Earth – it is fun and fairly easy to play, it encourages children to solve problems based on the individual abilities of each character, there is great sound, a good story line and something new in each level to keep children excited. Another great feature is that when Ben 10 “runs out of life” he starts again from where he left off so you do not have to go back to the beginning to start again. It also answers one of the criticisms of the last game in that it has more playable characters.

“Ben 10: Alien Swarm” will be the new live action film based on the Ben 10 Alien Force cartoon. It has just started being filmed and will air on Cartoon Network this autumn. It follows the success of the first live action film “Ben 10: Race Against Time” from 2007. The plot is set within the new Alien Force world where Ben is now 15 years old. Ben, Gwen and their sometimes friend, sometimes enemy Kevin, find themselves facing yet another intergalactic threat to save the planet from aliens. A long time friend of Ben’s, Elena, needs help to find her missing father and of course the teenager is more than happy to “hero” up.