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 … [Read more...]
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. … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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. … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
Toy Story: Disney and McDonald’s Happy Meals
As somebody who has been a vegetarian for the last 23 years I haven't seen the inside of a McDonald's for quite some time, or likewise, collected any Happy Meal toys directly in a McDonald's restaurant; their action figures do seem to pop up regularly on market stalls, however, and that's where I found this Woody the other day. Love them or hate them, the McDonald's Happy Meal action figures have clearly cornered a slice of the collectors' market – earlier this year UK newspaper the Daily Mail … [Read more...]
Hasbro’s William “The Fridge” Perry as G.I. Joe physical training instructor!
As I live in Rome, Italy I couldn't have been more surprised to find this action figure of American pro football player William Perry aka The Refrigerator the other day. He was right at the bottom of a bargain toy bin in a local second-hand store...but I knew I just had to add him to my collection! The figure has clearly seen some heavy play fighting the evil Cobra baddies, so there is some wear to the number 72 blazoned across his Chicago Bears shirt and the G.I. Joe transfer on his belt … [Read more...]