Super Friends, in The Case of The Radioactive Plastic!

[rodkeith]

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I've recently started re-organizing my collection, in a profound way, and discovered something strange. My Super Friends figures, specifically El Dorado, Samurai, Black Vulcan, Superman, Robin, Bizarro, and Apache Chief, were placed on white plastic expandable shelves. When I moved them, I discovered that somehow their feet had MELTED the plastic shelf itself!

To be clear, their soft plastic boots had somehow liquified the plastic they were standing on, leaving footprints in the shelf. I'm no chemist, but somehow the two plastics in contact had created some kind of reaction. The boots of the figures are fine. But the harder plastic they touched has transformed.

Anyone heard of this or had a similar experience???? I'm agog.

[rodkeith]

Another angle:

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[palitoy]

This stuff happens with Captain Action stuff all the time.

[rodkeith]

Really! Is it like some unstable off-gassing from the soft plastic?

[PNGwynne]

Yeah, it's a reaction with that G-D vinyl they insist on using for their new boots. Also, some members have had these boots react with the bare plastic on figure's feet, like SF WW.

I'd much rather have the hard plastic boots, it's more Megoesque anyway.

[PNGwynne]

This stuff happens with Captain Action stuff all the time.

Very true. It also happens with Mego horses when the vinyl-covered control cord is stored against the controller or horse body.

[rodkeith]

Amazing. I've been using these shelves for DC Direct, Mattel and Marvel Legends figures for years, never had an issue. Makes me wonder what we're breathing in or absorbing on a regular basis

[thunderbolt]

Happened with Famous Covers boots too. Probably the same stuff.

[mego maniac mark]

The same thing happened with mine. I bought a couple cheap shelves in black from target to put on wall and display them. Somehow the lacquer made a blotchy tar thing going on the bottoms of the boots. I was able to clean the boots of and covered the shelf with paper or cardboard so it didn't happen again.

[KOMonger]

I learned this in the 90's with my Takara Combat Joe. I had it standing in one of those foldable Japanese doll cases. Same thing happened.
Basically, just watch out for rubber on plastic or even soft flexible plastic on hard plastic (Captain Action has both these problems). Mattel uses rubber for a lot of their boots so you'll spot a lot of Big Jim figures with melt marks on their shins!

I'm not sure how the plastic shins on FTC figures compare to the shins in the Big Jim line, but if they appear similar I personally would remove those boots if there isn't any cloth already between them.

I also just placed a sheet of paper down for the figure to stand on.

[Earth 2 Chris]

The most recent Captain Action stuff has been sticky from the get-go. My Captain America is almost permanently glued in my wooden display case.

Chris

[dr_cyclops]

Sadly this problem has been around for decades and still manages to be repeated in toys. Soft vinyl and harder plastics do not get along well when having contact for any amount of time. When Batman 66 characters starting coming with soft vinyl shoes and boots, I ordered socks to keep them out of direct contact with the feet and legs. Not a fan of soft vinyl accessories.

[C.H.O.A.M.]

Sadly this problem has been around for decades and still manages to be repeated in toys. Soft vinyl and harder plastics do not get along well when having contact for any amount of time. When Batman 66 characters starting coming with soft vinyl shoes and boots, I ordered socks to keep them out of direct contact with the feet and legs. Not a fan of soft vinyl accessories.

would that include b&r, joker, penguin, batgirl or catwoman?

[PNGwynne]

You know, it's interesting that I've never seen vintage shoes react on the feet of figures like Happy Days, Waltons, & S&H.

But, the arms and legs react on the fashion, Dale Arden, and type 2 female bodies.

I always do my customs with hard boots if at all possible.

[lilbrosj66]

If you bought the SF WW, you may want to change out her boots or there will definitely be leg melt. Mine started melting just weeks after I received her.