For the Love of Action Figures

Ever since I can remember I have always loved action figures. From my first Big Jim that Mattel put out in the early 70's, to my Masters of the Universe figures a decade later, action figures were always my favorite toys growing up as a young boy. Back in those early days the action figures were all 12" and had clothes that covered a body that was of a rather typical build. I went through countless Big Jims and GI JOES as I would stage battles between the two. The Big Jims were pretty cool because they had a push button in the back so Big Jim could do a karate chop and break a little plastic board that came with him. He could also karate chop an enemy just as easy as mine did in my many battles with GI JOE. But what was really cool, and unlike other action figures of the time, Big Jim could simulate a bulging muscle in his bicep when you bent his arm. Eventually my action figures would always lose an arm (maybe too much posing his arm with the full muscle), or leg and then I would have to beg my parents for a new figure.

As I got a little older the Super Hero action figures from Mego were extremely popular and became my favorite. Mego was the most dominant leader in action figures in the mid 70's. Mego's success probably could be attributed to the fact that they made action figures from Super Heroes that already had a built- in fan base from the Marvel and DC Comic book lines (having the Super Friends cartoon that came on every Saturday morning at 7:00 am didn't hurt either). Mego also produced action figures from popular TV shows of the time such as Star Trek (one of my personal favorites), and Planet of the Apes. These action figures were a lot smaller (than my Big Jims and GI JOES) in size at 8" which made it easier to stage and pose them in different fighting scenarios. Just like the Big Jims I used to play with, the Mego Super Hero action figures also came with clothes that you could take off. They also came with boots, utility belts, gloves, and phasers; and no matter how hard I tried I would always lose their accessories. I think every kid did. That's probably why you see a lot of those items on E-bay. I loved to collect and play with the Marvel and DC Super Heroes from Batman, Robin, Spiderman, Superman and Hulk, as well as their villain counterparts: Penguin and Joker. Sometimes my action figures from the crew of the Enterprise: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, and of course; a Klingon would battle the Super Heroes. Oh glory days of my youth....how I wished I would have kept all those!! But hey, (as I reassure myself), in that day nobody just collected and saved them--we played with them till their arms came off!!

I have since tried to reconnect with my past and begin collecting all these wonderful action figures from my carefree childhood days. Although I have a special fondness for the action figures of days gone by, I do still enjoy all the new l figures that come out now. Check out some of these from the links below.
(above photo courtesy of Mego Museum)