Play It Again

Leapin' lizards! Even though this summer's "Jurassic Park" sequel promises to usher in a wave of dinosaur fever, we still advise trend watchers to keep their eyes peeled for legendary creatures of another sort--dragons. Long a favorite among kids, these mythical beasts look to benefit from a virtual firestorm of recent entertainment projects.

For instance: Fresh on the heels of last year's feature film "Dragonheart" comes word that an unrelated animated TV series starring dragons will hit the airwaves this fall. "Pocket Dragon Adventures," a property of Bohbot Entertainment & Media Inc. in New York City, breathes life into the figurines designed by artist Real Musgrave a quarter of a century ago. Hardly the stuff of nightmares, the cuddly Pocket Dragons are expected to adorn licensed products ranging from toys and CD-ROMS to apparel. (Those who doubt there's a market for this merchandise need only consider that the Pocket Dragons already boast their own fan clubs throughout the world.)

Not to be out-dragoned, the literary world is afire with the release of author Graeme Base's The Discovery of Dragons (Harry N. Abrams), a lavishly illustrated book that has captured the fancy of adults and children alike.

Dragons, dragons . . . everywhere, dragons. Wonder if a magical dragon by the name of Puff is ready for a comeback.

This article was originally published in the February 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Play It Again.