Captain Action: the first and greatest super hero toy!

[Mego Stretch Hulk]

Back in 1966, Ideal Toys released Captain Action to the world and captured the imagination of the youth. Today, this toy is still celebrated by collectors and has become a true cult classic. Let's welcome in the holiday season with a special HERO ENVY write up dedicated to the first ever super hero action figure! But this time, as an early Christmas present, I'll be bringing along some of the biggest names in the Captain Action universe; Michael Eury, Joe Ahearn, Ed Catto and Wes "the maniac" McCue! Let them tell you, in their own words, why Captain Action is the greatest toy ever! Happy Holidays everybody!!



http://hero-envy.blogspot.com/2017/12/captain-action-first-and-greatest-super.html

[YoungestMonsterKid]

Not trying to derail this thread. Captain Action was cool. But it wasn't the first.

Here's the 1942 Superman action figure. Or rather, "doll".

[Gory Glenn]

I had a Captain Action when I was a kid. I had the Superman, Batman and Captain America outfits. I thought the fact that an action figure wore masks to become a character was pretty cool. A very versatile figure. Even as a kid I thought that the Captain's default face was kind of goofy looking though. Thank goodness for the masks.  Below is a link to see him wearing his many costumes.

http://www.toysyouhad.com/Captainaction.htm

[Hepcat]

Back in 1966, Ideal Toys released Captain Action to the world and captured the imagination of the youth. Today, this toy is still celebrated by collectors and has become a true cult classic.

While the Captain Action line of toys is indeed a cult classic with collectors today, it wasn't that huge a commercial success when released:

After just a few years, the Captain Action line declined in sales, in 1968, Ideal Toys discontinued it. Though Captain Action was produced for only two and a half years, the characters and accessories have become amongst the most fondly remembered, and expensive to obtain on the collector's market, action figures of the era.

[Hepcat]

Even as a kid I thought that the Captain's default face was kind of goofy looking though. Thank goodness for the masks.

Evidently Ideal had to make him goofy looking so that the various masks would all fit!

[Mego Stretch Hulk]

Not trying to derail this thread. Captain Action was cool. But it wasn't the first.

Here's the 1942 Superman action figure. Or rather, "doll".

Yup. It was called a doll.

[Hepcat]

Not trying to derail this thread. Captain Action was cool. But it wasn't the first.

Did not a whole raft of Batmania related toys hit store shelves in early 1966 anyway prior to the launch of Captain Action?

[Monsters For Sale]

Yup. It was called a doll.

That was before the American males' feelings of masculinity were threatened by people knowing they played with dollies, just like the little girls.