One for the Boomers, Captain Action

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In digging around I found this cool homegrown ad for Ideal's Captain Action line and while it's not really the focus here it was kind of cool so I wanted to share. I, being of the Mego Superheroes era don't have any childhood memories of the Captain but his place in action figure history is undeniable.

Ironically, the good Captain is now available in Mego Size through Castaway Toys, he looks great too!

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


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[toys2cool]

man $2.57? sweet deal

[kryptosmaster]

Never had one. 12" GI Joes were my guys before and during Megos. I always wanted one because I saw the ads in old comic books but back then once stuff was out of production it was hard to find unless you lucked out at a yard sale or something.
Doesn't really interest me now. I'd much rather buy an AT GI Joe but I wouldn't turn one down if I saw one for a smoking deal somewhere.
Rich

[palitoy]

I was ten or so when I first saw a Captain Action ad. I remember thinking how I'd like to see one and wondered what he looked like but pretty much gave up hope, I mean where did one find an old toy?

[Earth 2 Chris]

Interesting that they used homespun artwork, considering Ideal sent the same kind of line artwork that Mego later did (it's on display in Michael Eury's excellent CA book).

I first saw CA in the much maligned, but still pretty, Greenberg's Guide to Super Hero Toys. I had no idea such a thing existed before that. I was pretty smitten with them.

Chris

[jwyblejr]

I had no idea about these until the Playing Mantis stuff came out.

[HardyGirl]

The first time I heard about Captain Action was in the Collecting Toys magazine in the 90s. I read the article and saw the pictures and thought, "Man this is cool." I thought that Captain Action should have been marketed in its own right since he and Action Boy were a lot like Batman and Robin (and they even had a cave playset!). I don't like his face mold, however...he doesn't look heroic; he looks more like he's gonna cry. But that was the pre-cursor to the Mego Superheroes. Thanks for paving the way, Cap!

[Drain]

I remember seeing the one page cartoon Captain Action along with the Aurora Monster Models and G.I. Joe ads in the comic books.

[gman]

Holy Toledo!!! Joske's!!! We went to Joske's for Cub/Boy Scout uniforms and our yearly church suits. They went out of business 20 years ago and all their stores became Dillards. Captain Action was the Christmas theme present of '68. My brother and I got one each and all the sets.... I just wish I still had them. All that is left from 40 years ago is a Sgt. Fury camo jumpsuit.

[Eric]

I had several CAs and many uniform sets back in the 60s. I thought (and still do) that it was the coolest toy, with it's super hero changing appeal. I pretty much forgot about him from the 70s to the mid 90s, when I spotted one in a New York City vintage toy store. Talk about forgotten memories coming to the surface!

In the 70s when I was in high school, we made some Super 8 films that were takeoffs of the Six Million Dollar Man. We named one of our villains "Dr. Evil" -- I thought it was so original! Bet Mike Myers thought the same, too.