Champions of the Galaxy - Filsinger Games

TOM FILSINGER
Owner of Dark Menace Productions, Filsinger Games and Filsinger Publishing

Champions of the Galaxy was born in the 1970's in Cleveland when Tom Filsinger was bored in his high school classes and created games to help pass the time. One was a cards and dice based wrestling game. Little did Tom know at the time that his basic wrestling game he created to get through algebra would evolve into a creative force in the gaming field.

Champions of the Galaxy wrestling game was first advertised as a mail-order item in a full page ad in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine in the summer of 1987. It was an instant success and the second game edition was released in 1988. Regular expansions have been released every year since 1990 with no end in sight as game fans watch and participate in the unfolding mythology of the GWF! Over 100,000 game editions have been sold worldwide since 1986.

Champions of the Galaxy was released as an online simulation in 2007 giving the game an exciting new platform! The online simulation provides unique features for game players like a stat tracker and match simulator. This was followed in 2010 by full color playing cards as the game continues to grow and expand.

Tom's "mission statement" for Filsinger Games is pretty clear. In Tom's own words, "Champions of the Galaxy is more than just a game. It's a state of mind. Champions of the Galaxy isn't about corporate hype or mindless entertainment. The GWF is a very real place to me and to those who play the game."

In 2001, Filsinger Games announced the release of a new Legends of Wrestling game featuring real-life wrestling superstars. The first playing card featured WWF legend, King Kong Bundy. Filsinger Games released their Legends of Wrestling introductory boxed set in January, 2003. Regular editions in the Legends of Wrestling series have followed.

Another development was the release of a Legends of Wrestling series devoted to independent wrestlers working outside of major federations. These game editions are called Legends of the Future and the game is popular with hardcore wrestling fans.

Tom further expanded his horizons in 2003 when he created and marketed Countdown to Our Wedding Day, the first calendar in a new line of Countdown to the Big Day products. The calendar debuted at Atlanta's Mart in January, 2003 and is currently sold at gift shops throughout the United States. In 2009 Tom released the second calendar in the series, Countdown to Baby's Due Date. Tom's goal is to increase distribution and expand the line of calendars to include Countdown to Graduation and several other titles.

For more information about Countdown to Our Wedding Day, go to the Filsinger Publishing official web site.

Tom's accomplishments as a creator have not gone unnoticed. He has been featured in articles in magazines such as Entrepreneur and picked among the 50 Most Interesting People by Cleveland Magazine. He has also been interviewed on television and radio shows both nationally and internationally, as well as making guest appearances at numerous comic book, game, and wrestling conventions.

In 2008, Tom began a successful partnership with Marvel Comics icon, Stan Lee. The result was Stan Lee's book of political humor called "Election Daze" which sold over 10,000 copies!

Tom celebrated 20 years of success in 2005 by releasing his first book as an author called The Dark Menace of the Universe. The book is a memoir on creativity and tells the inside story of the creating of Champions of the Galaxy, Legends of Wrestling, and Countdown to the Big Day. In Tom's words the book is "a rallying cry for creative Dark Menaces everywhere." Tom has dropped hints that he has started writing a sequel called, The Revenge of the Dark Menace, which he says "will go places the first book wouldn't dare go."

For more information about The Dark Menace of the Universe go to Amazon.com.

Tom founded a third company in 2010 called Dark Menace Productions, which is an umbrella company that includes Filsinger Games and Filsinger Publishing. The goal of Dark Menace Productions is to achieve success in the entertainment industry through the marketing and development of dynamic creative concepts. Tom will be seeking partnerships and licensing opportunities to expand the potential of the creative franchises he has created and new ones he will create in the future.

Dark Menace Productions released three DM-Books in 2010. A DM-Book is a trademarked expression referring to Digital Multimedia books (also Dark Menace books) and can be defined as an e-book packaged with multimedia bonus features. The three releases were Champions of the Galaxy: Battle for Cetus (e-book plus printable game), Flesh and Blood (e-book plus audio soundtrack) and Stan Lee's Election Daze (e-book plus fan interactive contest).

For more information about Dark Menace Productions go to the official web site.

Tom has a Master's Degree in Social/Personality Psychology from Northern Illinois University. In his secret identity, he is a mild-mannered Associate Professor of Pyschology at Jamestown Community College. In 1998, the New York State Education Commission approved a certificate program created by Tom called Psychology of the Workplace, the first of its kind in the state. Beginning in 2005 students will have the option to earn the degree by taking the classes online. Every bit as ironic as it seems, the guy who got bad grades and was bored in school (to the benefit of his own companies) went on to become a college professor!

Tom has a wife, Leslie, and four children, Alex, Keri, Dana and Holly. They currently reside in Jamestown, New York.

There is no stopping the growth of Dark Menace Productions, Filsinger Games, and Filsinger Publishing, and Tom's ultimate goal remains nothing less than leading loyal fans in taking over the galaxy!