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Stan Weston, Idea Man Stan Weston's company, Leisure Concepts, took the idea of a new 12in articulated action figure to Ideal Toys, who was looking for an answer to GI Joe to remain competitive in the market. Weston proposed Captain Magic, a many-in-one hero, who could adopt the guise of several heroes (all of whom happened to be represented by Leisure Concepts.) The name was changed to Captain Action, hitting the market in 1966. The figure itself had a rather sad and worried expression, a strange shaped head (so the masks of the various heroes could fit over it) and more detailed musculature than GI Joe. The original wave included Cap in his blue and black uniform, with lightning sword, and ray gun, and separate Superman, Batman, Lone Ranger, Phantom, Flash Gordon, Spider-Man, Captain America, Sgt Fury, Steve Canyon and Aquaman costumes (with assorted accessories), the next wave (1967) added Buck Rogers, Green Hornet, and Tonto, with a Blue Lone Ranger variation and collectible flicker rings in each box. Action Boy Captain Action proved popular enough to come back in 1967 with an expanded line, adding a sidekick, Action Boy, and a mortal enemy, the blue skinned, exposed brain, bug-eyed alien Dr. Evil. Also he picked up a vehicle, the Silver Streak, a two foot long amphibian car with missile launchers. Added to the line as well were several sets meant to be used by Captain Action in his Captain Action identity. Captain Action now had a four foot working parachute, a jet mortar, a jet pack, weapons arsenal, and several other secret weapons to add to his Action Cave, which the box for the Streak could convert into. This signaled an attempt by Ideal to build the line and focus on Captain Action as a hero in his own right, rather than just a base figure for other heroes, but served more to confuse the brand. Expansion came to the comics as well. DC Comics put out five issues of Captain Action, by some of their top talent, like Jim Shooter , Gil Kane , and Wally Wood . The line declined in sales into 1968, the year that Ideal Toys shut it down. Only a two and a half year run but Captain Action, Action Boy, and the evil Doctor Evil are among the most fondly remembered and expensive to find action figures of the 1960s. ToyFare magazine listed the Captain Action Spider-Man set Mint in Box as the most valuable action figure at $15,000 and up. It is estimated that only 17-22 exist of Spider-Man in its original box. Throughout the 1970's, Captain Action kept popping up with leftover uniforms and boots on cheap knock-off figures from China (where the original Cap was cast and assembled) and Ideal used the original body molds once again to rush a Star Wars knock-off toy to the market, The Knights of Darkness, in 1977. Captain Action collectors bought the figure (cast in black plastic) and often used the hands to replace the sometimes missing hands of the vintage figures. George Lucas sued Ideal, claiming unfair competition and violation of copyright, but lost. Because the figure was made up of previously released parts, the case was dismissed. Captain Action Returns Captain Action was revived in 1998 by retro toy company Playing Mantis . Captain Action as the Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon (with new figure Ming), Green Hornet, and Kato returned to the shelves as well as Dr Evil. The line met lackluster sales, and a retooling had the costumes issued separately, along with a revived Action Boy (now called 'Kid Action') and the addition of retro long box packaging. It made little difference in the general sales and the line was discontinued. The second coming of Captain Action ended in 2000. |
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