Debs – Page 23 – Vintage Action Figures

Crazylegs from the G.I. Joe - A Real American Hero line

Crazylegs – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

Whilst many vintage G.I. Joe action figure collectors concentrate on the original 12 inch figures, there are also armies of equally passionate fans of the 3 ¾ inch G.I.Joe figures which first hit the toy market in 1982. The smaller, relaunched figures were issued with all sorts of gadgets and even a back-story involving the never-ending fight between the G.I. Joe Team (the good guys, obviously) and the Cobra Command (the bad guys). Hasbro eventually developed these figures into the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line.

Buck Hunter and the Marx Safari Adventure line

Every now and again I’ll buy an action figure simply because it looks interesting even if I haven’t the faintest idea as to what, precisely, I’m buying! This was the case with this chap – I loved his natty 1960s-style clothes and boots – he looked like some generic spy or military figure, although I simply couldn’t place him. The Italian postal service leaves little to be desired and I’d all but given him up for lost, but after a month he finally turned up in the post from the US the other day.

Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine in Inglourious Basterds by Hot Toys!

If you’re a Brad Pitt fan and action figure collector (or even a Quentin Tarantino fan for that matter) you’re certain to be tempted by this brand new limited edition 12-inch action figure release from Hot Toys featuring the actor as he appeared in Tarantino’s World War II spoof Inglourious Basterds in the role of Lt. Aldo Raine. The 12-inch action figure body has a staggering 34 points of articulation and is also equipped with a plethora of accessories and weapons.

Who you gonna call? Ray Stantz and The Real Ghostbusters!

Until the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst upon the action figure scene and won the hearts of flaky kids everywhere who instantly, en masse and seemingly across the entire planet, dropped what they were playing with and started nagging their parents for one of those four adolescent reptiles, Ghostbusters figures ruled the roost.

The Real Ghostbusters action figures were produced by Kenner under license from Columbia Pictures and were based on the animated television series, which was in turn based on the smash hit 1984 film starring Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd – Ghostbusters.

Elvis Presley at 75!

Elvis Presley’s much maligned but undeniably astute business manager “Colonel” Tom Parker understood better than anybody else very early on in Elvis’ career how to market the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll as a commodity. Elvis memorabilia and gadgets of every type were essentially the brainchild of Parker who never ever missed a chance to make a dime.

Today, on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday and more than thirty years after his premature death at the age of only 42, millions of Elvis Presley fans all over the world are celebrating the anniversary of his birth.

Star Wars variations: I lost my heart to a Star Wars Stormtrooper!

Kenner’s sculpt for the Star Wars Stormtrooper (later renamed Imperial Stormtrooper on the repackaged The Power Of The Force card back) was one of its most accurate action figures. Like many of the vintage Star Wars figures there are, however, minor variations in moldings and even stance – collectors should keen an eye out for varieties that may fly under the radar of less-informed sellers.

Santa Jack from Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’

Christmas is almost upon us so here’s a seasonal look at a classic Christmas-themed action figure – Santa Jack from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, released in NECA’s second wave of 7 inch action figures for the film.

For those of you who haven’t seen the stop motion masterpiece, Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, a creature more skilled at spreading terror during Halloween than joy at Christmas time! This all changes when he accidentally discovers Christmas Town, however, and this figure shows him dressed as Santa in his efforts to embrace Christmas!

Star Wars action figure variations: My, what small eyes you have, Chief Chirpa!

Love them or hate them (or even love-to-hate-them by joining those who have formed a Facebook group dedicated to their eradication) the Ewoks are very much part of the Star Wars trilogy and for the action figure collector provide a few harder to find variations to track down.

Being the characters that so many – even die-hard Star Wars fans – loathe, as well as being figures that are not so instantly recognisable to the uninitiated, means that you can often pick them up for mere cents in the bargain bin at markets where they’ve been simply overlooked, like this Chief Chirpa action figure that I found the other day.