Name your top five greatest action figures of all time, and why...

[Mongoose1983]

so then by what you're saying, you're saying that today's toys are the best right? because if you go by articulation, clothing , authenticity then nothing touches Hot toys correct? cause nothing in the 70's comes close to that..

Yes, as toy figures the latest scale stuff is incredible. Perhaps the boxes are not as exciting and well presented as the ones from the 70's. Anyway, the new large scale Gene Simmons' figures says it all:

[...]
so in the end it's all about what you grew up with, i loved my rambo's and yes even my chuck norris figures but that's just me

Not that I did not liked them either!

[Boywonder0]

1960's - Captain Action Batman & GI Joe Adventure Team "Talking" Commander (Sorry... we have a tie)
1970's - Kenner Six Million Dollar Man Steve Austin in Red Jogging Suit
1980's - Mego 9.5 inch Robin and Mego 12 inch Non-Magnetic Robin (Another tie here)
By far the jewel crowns in my collection and personal FAVORITE to date...
1990's - Hasbro 9 inch DC Superheroes Silver Age Batman with removable mask
2000's - Hasbro 9 inch DC Superheroes Golden Age HasbroCollectors.com Exclusive Batman & Robin Set
2010's - Hot Toys Keaton Batman & Hot Toys Christopher Reeve Superman

[Random Axe]

I don't really think I can narrow down a list based on eras or decades, but here's my top five.

Mego Superman/Shazam - These were my first Megos and remain my favorites. I think I pretended they were brothers since they were so similar. Plus, watching the reruns of George Reeves and Jackson Bostwick's portrayal really cemented them into my childhood.

Micronauts Force Commander - Really, really dug this guy, all white with a touch of red, very striking. Still looking for a nice, minty one...

Shogun Warriors Dragun - This was the only SW I ever had and carried him around a lot. I don't know how much he qualifies as an action figure, but in my mind he was just a jumbo one.

Gi Joe Action team - I had the blonde with beard guy and played the crap out of him. I had so many cool accessories and weapons. I also loved the Viewmaster series with them. Of course he had kung fu grip.

Gi Joe RAH Firefly - I think this was the first one I had with the swivel arms so he could actually hold a weapon properly. What a cool design with the dark grey camo and mask. I'm pretty sure I turned him into a good guy, though.

[toys2cool]

Actually, if we were discussing what movies or TV characters were more exciting, YES, He-Man, GIJoes and most 80's stuff was awesome! The He-man series were amazing but here's the point: we're talking about toys, and as scale versions of those stars (He-Man, Rambo, Chuck Norris, the A-Team, the Dukes), they were not better in any aspect than anything the industry of the previous decade gave us as toys, as action figures, or even as representations of certain heroes and TV/movies characters. I remember having about a dozen He-Man figures and as a kid I was very disappointed as the bodies couldn't compete with the old megos. And what about Chuck Norris, and Rambo? I mean, they could have made awesome figures of such iconic stars, but all we got was molded plastic guys, painted clothes, and almost zero articulations. If Chuck Norris or Stallone figures were produced in the 70's, by 70's standards they would have been far better in quality and much more "playable". I always thought had I hadn't known the old 70's figures I would have never had any perspective over the toys I was playing with. Again, only exception to this would be the Transformers. They were original, super "playable", and in one word INCREDIBLE!




Are we discussing toys for what they are or for what they represent? We can talk about toy figures as cultural products or representations, or are we discussing these things as commodities?

If we are discussing the action figures as mere memories, then you're completely right. But if we are discussing them addressing their complexities and abilities as a concrete product, specifically a toy figure, then I believe there is room for opinions and comparisons. Some toys have more articulation, some have cloth clothes instead of paint, and so on...

You all have a great Sunday!

so then by what you're saying, you're saying that today's toys are the best right? because if you go by articulation, clothing , authenticity then nothing touches Hot toys correct? cause nothing in the 70's comes close to that..

this thread got off topic really quick..it was suppose to be about picking your favorite figure of each decade...I'm an 80's kid but I had all sorts of toys cause i started collecting from a young age, I had mego's, 60's joes you name it...and I loved them...but I never played with anything more then I did with my 80's , and my He-man..and I played with everything...But all i needed was a wrestling ring and my he-man vs my awa remco's or my gi joes vs my cobras and you could'nt get me off of my bed i even used my Zartan as the Ultimate Warrior

so in the end it's all about what you grew up with, i loved my rambo's and yes even my chuck norris figures but that's just me

[Mongoose1983]

No way, give me 80's toys all day over 70's...you're telling me welcome back carter, the hardy boys, and stuff like that were more fun then He-man and Gi joes? Hells no! were they cool yea, but come on..most were Ken looking dolls or dress up dolls...Give me the action figures you can stick in your pocket and take to school without your mom knowing

and no i'm not talking about WGSH's because megos were still being made in the 80's as well so it doesn't count...and some of my faves too, like Chips and DOH's

you're always going to pick your childhood toys first but to say 80's suck or horrible? come on now

Actually, if we were discussing what movies or TV characters were more exciting, YES, He-Man, GIJoes and most 80's stuff was awesome! The He-man series were amazing but here's the point: we're talking about toys, and as scale versions of those stars (He-Man, Rambo, Chuck Norris, the A-Team, the Dukes), they were not better in any aspect than anything the industry of the previous decade gave us as toys, as action figures, or even as representations of certain heroes and TV/movies characters. I remember having about a dozen He-Man figures and as a kid I was very disappointed as the bodies couldn't compete with the old megos. And what about Chuck Norris, and Rambo? I mean, they could have made awesome figures of such iconic stars, but all we got was molded plastic guys, painted clothes, and almost zero articulations. If Chuck Norris or Stallone figures were produced in the 70's, by 70's standards they would have been far better in quality and much more "playable". I always thought had I hadn't known the old 70's figures I would have never had any perspective over the toys I was playing with. Again, only exception to this would be the Transformers. They were original, super "playable", and in one word INCREDIBLE!

I fit right in the middle of the 70's/80's argument. I am old enough to have enjoyed the 70's toys but young enough to enjoyed some early to mid eighties toys as well. That said the thread is about YOUR favorite. There's is no right or wrong answer here. You could make valid point for either. You could love Megos because of the articulation and clothes. You could love Star Wars because of all the ships/playsets. I think we also sometimes forget how we thought of things as kids not adults. Today we see Mego Captain America and point out all the costume faults. I have a good memory and can tell you for a fact myself and my friends didn't care at that age: It was Cap, he had a shield and that was good enough. I can also tell you being seven years old when Star Wars figures were released the lack of articulation didn't matter. Having representations of the characters was all that mattered. It's been said by others before but it bears repeating: whatever you grew up/had as a kid is going to special to you and have a favored view. Everyone should respect that. Saying a particular period of toys "sucked" is basically disrespecting someone's childhood and it's memories.

Are we discussing toys for what they are or for what they represent? We can talk about toy figures as cultural products or representations, or are we discussing these things as commodities?

If we are discussing the action figures as mere memories, then you're completely right. But if we are discussing them addressing their complexities and abilities as a concrete product, specifically a toy figure, then I believe there is room for opinions and comparisons. Some toys have more articulation, some have cloth clothes instead of paint, and so on...

You all have a great Sunday!

[VintageMike]

I fit right in the middle of the 70's/80's argument. I am old enough to have enjoyed the 70's toys but young enough to enjoyed some early to mid eighties toys as well. That said the thread is about YOUR favorite. There's is no right or wrong answer here. You could make valid point for either. You could love Megos because of the articulation and clothes. You could love Star Wars because of all the ships/playsets. I think we also sometimes forget how we thought of things as kids not adults. Today we see Mego Captain America and point out all the costume faults. I have a good memory and can tell you for a fact myself and my friends didn't care at that age: It was Cap, he had a shield and that was good enough. I can also tell you being seven years old when Star Wars figures were released the lack of articulation didn't matter. Having representations of the characters was all that mattered. It's been said by others before but it bears repeating: whatever you grew up/had as a kid is going to special to you and have a favored view. Everyone should respect that. Saying a particular period of toys "sucked" is basically disrespecting someone's childhood and it's memories.

[toys2cool]

No way, give me 80's toys all day over 70's...you're telling me welcome back carter, the hardy boys, and stuff like that were more fun then He-man and Gi joes? Hells no! were they cool yea, but come on..most were Ken looking dolls or dress up dolls...Give me the action figures you can stick in your pocket and take to school without your mom knowing

and no i'm not talking about WGSH's because megos were still being made in the 80's as well so it doesn't count...and some of my faves too, like Chips and DOH's

you're always going to pick your childhood toys first but to say 80's suck or horrible? come on now

[Mongoose1983]

I suppose you're asking for specific figures and not for lines of figures, so here I go with my favorite five:

1.- Lesney/Matchbox Captain Peg-Leg (1974): the superbly well presented box, the scaleness of the figure itself, the clothes, the action arm, AND that unforgettable hidden map on his peg-leg made of it the most amazing toy figure I have ever seen.
2.- Mego Incredible Hulk 12" (1978): A huge and VERY resistant green figure with an amazing box that truly got my attention back in the day.
3.- Kenner Six Million Dollar Man (1974): Another huge action figure, from what arguably is the most exciting TV series ever.
4.- Mego Spider Man 12" (1977): The skinny version looked much more in tune with the Spider man from the 60's TV cartoon series. It was amazing indeed.
5.- Hasbro Megatron (1984): "The figures that could transform". Says it all for a kid in a world that never before seen such thing. Transformers were awesome in every sense of the word.

Hmmm...

80s-The WORST action figure decade IMO. Sorry folks, but I don't like small, molded plastic guys that didn't pose well, and the clothes were painted on, or the accessories could be eaten up by mom's vacuum. And I just didn't like the new concept for GIJoe, or He-man, Transformers, Star Wars figures (except the big ones), She-Ra...yadda yadda....I'm a 70s kid and proud of it!

Sorry guys, but with the HUGE exception of the Transformers, I will have to agree with HardyGirl. Chuck Norris, He-Man, Rambo, those were awesome characters, but the toys that depicted them were a sad departure to what 70's toys industries developed for action figures. They were, just like HardyGirl said before, molded plastic and didn't pose well. Quite frankly, they were horrible. And the small Bionic Six, Super powers and GIJoe... not a fan of them, nor of the Thundercats. I believe the 90's figures, and much more the ones from 2000 onwards have been more scale and poseable. Therefore much nicer.

[enyawd72]

^Superman's your favorite? I had no idea...

[Hector]

I have to laugh at some of these reactions. I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings or anything. But c'mon guys, this is a Mego forum, and let's face it, Mego was in it's heyday in the 70s. It's only natural that at least some of us are gonna play favorites w/ the decade in which we were kids. I was born in 1966, so I was a 70s kid. By the time the 80s rolled around, the toy market had changed, cartoons had changed, heck almost everything changed. I just wasn't into it. But please don't make me out to be a bad person 'cos the 80s weren't my thing.

(and for the record Spacecaps, I like the Beach Boys better than the Beatles. )

You don't need to apologize, I wasn't into action figures in the 80s either...that was my party decade...who had time for those plastic 80s things, lol.

My list consists of actual age and favorites at the time:

60s...mmm...probably Mr Potato Head or that rubbery Gumby figure...I was too young for the concept of "cool" toys, lol.
70s...definitely Kenner's Six Million Dollar Man...narrowly edging out Mego Superman and Mego Kirk and Spock.
80s...this is a family friendly forum, I plea the fifth, lol.
90s...again, for most of the decade, nothing...no interest in action figures at the time....I was more into R/C cars. But by 1998 or so...something clicked...so I bought some newer Star Wars stuff...nothing specific...things that never became collectible.
00's...OK...finally nostalgia kicked in my late 30s...I discovered my inner childhood again, joined this fine forum...and immediately got hooked with Megos...then it avalanched to an all out Superman action figure love fest, all due to Superman being my favorite comic book superhero since childhood...

[jimsmegos]

70's - Mego Superman - My first Superman Toy and it's play value, look , costume, construction set the standard that I demand in a toy that I hold on to to this day.

80's - 12 inch C3-PO - He was gold and shiny my Dad got him for me as a surprise out of the blue circa 1979.

90's- Star Wars POTF2 line - These badboys (and monkey faced woman) brought toy collecting back to the forefront of my "hobby to do list". Trying to track down the latest releases in the wild was a blast for a buddy of mine.

00's - Diamond Select / EMCE Spock - It brought 'em back

10's - Bif Bang Pow Brock Samson - New body style for this fantastic Character took Re-Mego possibilities to a new level.

[torgospizza]

1990's- Kenner Dark Knight collection Bruce Wayne

Good call! I don't have that exact one, but the Batman Returns version, which is the same figure with different packaging, and I was seriously thinking about listing that. Excellent figure, looks like Keaton, removable mask and armor--it has it all.

This is pretty tough, though. I need to mull this over before making my list. F.ex., for the 1970s, I loved Kenner's Six Million Dollar Man; yet, Pulsar had phenomenal sculpting and was a unique approach, Big Jim had great accessories and action features, but Adventure Team GI Joe was an icon that kind of blazed a trail for all of them. Lots of stuff to consider. For the '60s, although not world-changing, I have a huge fondness for Callisto from the Major Matt Mason line.

[Mikey]

The 80's are a tough one for me because quite honestly I didn't have much interest in any toys back then.

In the mid 80's I dabbled in collecting older stuff but I had no interest in then current stuffm - short of buying my nephews some LJN WWF's and Transformers.

[HardyGirl]

Yep, how could you not love the 70s for action figures? GIJoe, Evel Knievel, Mego, Big Jim, SMDM...it was a great time. (no offense, 80s babies)

I'm stuck in the seventies for my greatest/favorite action figures.My favorite was the Adventure Team GI Joes.They were the first action figures i had followed very closely by Megos.The 80s and 90s,i was too "old" to play with toys.I did have some of the 3" 3/4" Star Wars figures but was very disapointed in them because they were not made like the Megos were and never really got into them.The 2000s,i found my 70s favorites again and more plus many Retro 70s style lines i like.

[starsky]

these are my picks because i spent the most time playing with them.

1 six million dollar man
2. mego wgsh superman
3. big jim pack commander
4. star wars 3.75 inch small head han solo and 12 inch han solo
5. 9 inch gabriel lone ranger and silver
6.super powers green lantern