Kenner | Vintage Action Figures

Kenner Super Powers: Hawkman!

Any regular readers of this blog will know that my big collector’s crush of the moment is on the vintage Kenner action figures known as Super Powers. Produced for a mere two years from 1984 until 1986 when the line folded after only three series, these 4-inch action figures starring DC Comics superheroes with built-in power action features, are still hugely sought after by many toy fans. Let this post serve as a warning – buy just one of these figures and you’ll soon find yourself wanting each and every one of them!

Kenner released this impressive Hawkman figure, for example, in its initial 1984 first wave of Super Powers.

Hammerhead: The Eyes Have It!

When Kenner launched its 3 ¾ inch Star Wars movie tie-in action figures in 1977 it soon emerged that kids wanted not only the major players – Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca et al, who appeared in a first wave of 12 carded figures, known ever after as 12 back figures – but that there was also a clear market for practically the entire cast! No matter how few the seconds of screen time, there was a place for every weird and wonderful being that had populated any of the movies in the original trilogy.

Hammerhead here, first appeared alongside those other handsome devils Greedo, Walrus Man and Snaggletooth in the exclusive Sears 4 pack Star Wars Cantina Adventure Set,

Kenner Super Powers: Aquaman!

Ever since I picked up a vintage Kenner Super Powers action figure of The Flash last year my flirtation with this line has grown into a full blown love affair, accompanied by an inkling sensation that I’ll surely give in to weakness and end up collecting every figure in the series!

First released in 1984 and enjoying the briefest of runs until 1986, these 4-inch DC Comics superheroes action figures remain some of the best looking sculpts ever – this version of Arthur Curry aka Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, is a fine example of all that’s great about these figures, with a near perfect Silver Age comic book likeness.

Star Wars Variations: Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard Disguise

Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi in the original Star Wars Trilogy, came away with something which none of the other cast members managed to obtain – a series of action figures that actually looked rather like him! Of all of the Lando figures, this stunner which shows our redeemed hero in his Skiff Guard Disguise, is not only my absolute favourite Lando, but also one of my favourite vintage Kenner Star Wars action figures from the entire line.

Kenner Super Powers: Superman!

Whilst the star of the last post Captain America may have been top dog over at Marvel with the Mattel Secret Wars action figures, DC Comics had their very own leader of the Kenner Super Powers line – none other than The Man of Steel himself, Superman!

It’s a testament to the sheer quality of these Kenner figures, that nearly thirty years later you’ll most likely find that the “super power” action feature of any vintage figure you happen to come across is still working just fine. This Superman may have lost his cape, but he still has his “super action punch” if you squeeze his legs together – Ka-pow!

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Cairo Swordsman

Back in 1982 when Kenner launched its wonderful series of 3 ¾ inch action figures – Adventures of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark – they provided Indy with pretty much all the main villains from the film, allowing kids in bedrooms all over the world to re-enact their favourite scenes. One of those bad guys in particular has acquired almost legendary status, which is remarkable considering he is only actually seen on screen for a matter of seconds! (I’ll assume at this point that anybody reading this post has seen Raiders of the Lost Ark – if you haven’t, stop reading this paragraph – big spoiler alert coming up!)

Princess Leia Organa on Bespin – Star Wars most fashionable!

Almost all vintage Kenner Star Wars figures seem to have slight variations that set the hearts of adult collectors a flutter, but the 1980 Leia Organa is found with three major variations – crew neck, turtle neck or the rare gold neck. Identified as the “Bespin Gown” figure thanks to a spectacular decorated vinyl cape that does an excellent job of representing the cloak that Carrie Fisher wore on Bespin in The Empire Strikes Back, my crew neck version is possibly the easiest to track down, but being the most movie-accurate rendition, is definitely my favourite.

C’mon, let’s save the world…with Ryan Steele from VR Troopers!

Virtual reality may have been all the rage in the early 1990s, but I confess I was just too darn old to have been into the hit live action TV show VR Troopers when it aired from 1994 – 1996, so I didn’t instantly recognise this vintage Ryan Steele action figure when I found him recently – I just assumed, mistakenly, that he was one of the Power Rangers. This is a forgiveable mistake for the uninitiated, though, given that VR Troopers was very much a sister show to the very similar Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, with both coming out of the Saban Entertainment stable.