Like space toys, collecting super hero action figures is a great hobby. I started about twenty years ago when I found a Captain America Coupe in the clearance shelf of the local Toys R Us pictured below [ebay]. It was from Toy Biz's Marvel Super Heroes line. Mint and boxed, big and slick, it was a thing of beauty and I was hooked!
As it was pre-internet back then, I equipped myself with some books on the subject like Comic Hero Collectables, Tomarts Guide to Action Figures and John Marshall's Action Figures of the Sixties. But it was a guide to loose action figures, which I consulted the most. A german publication, it covered all of the action figure lines I was likely to find at car boot sales here in the UK during the 1990's/ early 2000's. The best thing was that all the figures were photographed loose [uncarded], just like how I'd find them nestling in a box of candles or wing-nuts under someones stall! The book was a boon - a real field guide, which after so much heavy thumbing is as taped together as the Hulk's undies!
Armed only with my kid knowledge of sixties possessions like Little Big Man, Action Man and Major Matt, I had to basically start from scratch when it came to action figures from the seventies onwards. It was really great fun discovering stuff for the first time in books: Tomland monsters, Mego Super Heroes, Knickerbocker Lord of the Rings, Kenner Marvel Super Heroes and Secret Wars and I really envy anyone who is starting out on the same plastic adventure!
Secret Wars proved to be a terrific line to look for. The distinctive simple jointed slightly-soft plastic figures were scarce enough to keep the chase exciting and common enough to find one every now and then at a boot sale. Finding a loose Wolverine [pictured - ebay] or a Kang was like finding an uncut diamond! I once stumbled across a stack of mint Secret Wars toys again on the clearance shelf of Toys R Us in the early 90's: Doom Roller, Captain America Bike, a clock and a rucksack. I don't know if Toys R Us still have a clearance shelf anymore but it was like a gold mine back then! I even had a gold card I was there so often!
DC figures were another treat, particularly the jointed hard plastic heroes of Kenner's brilliant Super Powers line from 1984. I always wanted to find a loose Hawkman but never did. My consolation was finding a loose Super Powers Aquaman [pictured - ebay] and Batmobile. A huge toy range, Super Powers is incredibly popular with action figure collectors and the joy is shared online on lots of sites. Here's just one I like: Hall of Justice.
Alas, all my action figures and toys were sold during my dealer days on Ebay and at toy fairs during the mid - 2000's, but when I find myself at the odd car boot sale these days I always cast an eye over any plastic heroes hiding in the tat!
Let me know if action figures are your thing too?
Hi Woodsy,
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog and visit it now and then, I wish I could do it more often, but your post frequency is amazing, with up to three entries in a day.
Action figures are definitely my thing! specially plastic figures from the 70s on, they are (most of them) affordable, easy to find and durable, and these were the toys I had as a kid! So I now have a nice collection of figures ranging from Masters of the Universe to Real Ghostbusters.
Nice story you tell there, although a bit sad, because you sold all your figures a while ago.
Cheers!
Juan
When your an adult action figures are almost taboo and draw more ridicule than trains! I love action figures, from star wars, gi joe to mego micronauts. I cant take to the larger six inch size though, prefer 3 inch classics!
ReplyDeleteCheers Juan and Bill. Action figures hardly ever get a mention on the blog so I thought I'd restore the balance. I grew up with Action Man and it was easilly my favourite toy for some years above all others. It's odd he never crops up on the blog much [I suppose we are a space toy blog]. Collecting smaller action figures like Secret Wars and Super Powers as an adult seemed like a natural step forward. Of course there is the argument that Action Man is a doll and not an action figure. What do you guys think?
ReplyDeleteI do like action figures and started tio blog them until it hit me as to just how many were out there - millions! or so it seems. I've given most of mine to co-workers who have small kids but am trying to find a comfortable niche cuz I still like 'em overall.
ReplyDeleteWell many action figures are also space toys, just to mention a few, many superheroes are also space and/or time travellers, Star Wars, even Big Jim had it's own space-themed series. Other lines (less likely to fit in this category, like He-Man, Dino-Riders...) also had extraterrestrial origin. That is not exactly "space exploration", as it was understood in the 60s, but nonetheless something.
ReplyDeleteAnd about the difference about dolls and action figures, I don't get it, what's the real difference? Dolls are usually intended for girls, and action figures for boys, but simply because boys and girls like to play different things: dolls with guns don't sell as well as (male) action figures with combs and pink ribbons on their hair neither.