Captian Action: Overview
The History of Captain Action
The first Captain Action was introduced in 1966 and he quickly became identified as the Superhero of all Superheroes. It was possible to buy clothing for this action figure that would turn him into Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, Captain American, Buck Rogers, the Phantom, the Green Hornet, and the Lone Ranger- you could even turn him into Tonto. This doll was able to win a lot of the market from GI Joe; this doll had been released two years previously. This competition between the products did not bother creator Stan Watson though; he designed and created both GI Joe and Captain Action.
The idea of an action figure who could take on the identity of all these different superheroes was an instant winner with young boys. It may not have been so well received by parents as they had to purchase each set of superhero clothes and accessories separately. The first doll on the market was Captain Magic and he came with blue and black uniform along with his trusty ray gun. By 1967 Captain Magic was joined by Action Boy with his own collectable set of uniforms and accessories. No Superhero can be complete without an archenemy so Martell obliged by introducing Dr Evil.
By the end of the sixties there was less interest in superheroes and demand for the toy fell away; in 1968 it was discontinued altogether. The toy became a collector’s item and was only remembered by action figure geeks and those who originally played the game. It looked certain that Captain Action was going to be lost to history, but to the surprise of many people and the delight of others it was reintroduced in 1998.
Thirty years is a long time to be absent from the toy market and Captain Action struggled to find a niche. This time the series was taking over by a company which specialized in retro toys called Playing Mantis. This reintroduction of the action figure only lasted two years and in 2000 it was once again shelved. A lot of the blame for the toy’s failure to thrive has been attributed to the fact that Playing Mantis was not able to get a license to use Superman and Spiderman characters; these two are probably the most well-liked of all superheroes so their absence really hurt the product.
The future is uncertain for Captain Action and 1998 but hopefully it won’t have been his last outing. That would be a shame for such a well-loved character. The licensing rights are currently held by Captain Action Enterprises and there are rumblings of a new toy being released sometime in the future.
 |
 DC Universe Super Heroes Retro Action 8" Captain Cold  US $9.99
|
 MEGO PACO PIRATE 1970's CAPTAIN HOOK ACTION FIGURE FIGHTING FURIES MATCHBOX US $12.00
|
 DC Direct Captain Cold Action Figure MIB US $5.99
|
| Powered by phpBay Pro |
Captain Action: Storyline
Captain Action: Store
Captain Action: The Bad Guys
Captain Action: The Good Guys
Captian Action: Overview