When Lisa Marks & Associates took on Starfarm’s Edgar & Ellen this past January, the Port Chester, New York-based licensing agency knew that the scary/cute aesthetic had legs. ‘They are the anti-heroes,’ says Lisa Marks, president of the company that bears her name. ‘They are all about pranks and mischief; it’s really funny, and people on the whole have really embraced them.’

With the aim of sculpting a broad-based multi-platform property, Marks has lined up a tidal wave of licensees and partners for a mass splash tjat will begin with a promotion at a major US retailer in September. That will be followed by heavy product rollouts in 2008, including merch from Lionsgate (DVDs), Activision (video games), Ballzout (T-shirts, denim and fleece), Keyser Kosmetics (bath and body) and Recycled Greetings (stationery). Add to that the new master toy deal with Sababa Toys, and you have what Marks refers to as a ‘robust’ program.

The push coincides with the transition of Edgar & Ellen from a series of shorts to long form in October. Nicktoons US will debut the expanded show, and international deals have been signed with broadcasters in more than 40 countries. Additionally, the property’s original publishing platform continues to gain strength. More than 425,000 copies of Edgar & Ellen’s first six-book series have been sold by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and six more books are scheduled to roll out to retail throughout the remainder of ’07 and through 2008.

After the initial merch launch, Marks expects the program to go even wider in ’09, adding second-tier categories including mobile. ‘There is a long-term plan in place to continue to build it,’ says Marks.