Here are some pictures of the new 12" figure in his new packaging. As you can see he comes with all of his classic accessories such as his cap, knife and pistol. These don’t look to be a straight re-issue / recreation of the classic. The new face has a much more realistic sensibility.
Source: AFi has learned that the Captain Action team have signed an agreement with Marvel Comics to make Marvel Costumes for their new 1/6th scale Captain Action relaunch! The first wave of Marvel outfits will be: Spiderman, Captain America, Iron Man and Thor!
These new costumes use new manufacturing but still have a very classic design to them and even the packaging is reminiscent of the classic costume sets.
UPDATE May 9, 2012: Review 1 - Round 2 Captain Action 1/6th scale Deluxe Spider-Man Costume Set - Great FUN!
UPDATE May 11, 2012: Review II - Round 2 1/6th scale Captain Action Deluxe Spider-Man Costume Set - Action Poses!
For those not in the know, Captain Action was an action figure, from 1966, equipped with a wardrobe of costumes allowing him to become Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Aquaman, the Phantom, The Lone Ranger (and Tonto), Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Sgt. Fury, Steve Canyon, and the Green Hornet. The line was discontinued in 1968. Though Captain Action was produced for only two and a half years, the characters and accessories have become amongst the most fondly remembered, and expensive to obtain on the collector's market, action figures of the era.
Captain Action was revived in 1998, by retro toy company Playing Mantis. Captain Action as the Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon (with a new figure, Ming the Merciless), Green Hornet, and new to the line Kato returned along with Dr Evil. The line met with lackluster sales, and a retooling had the costumes issued separately, along with a revived Action Boy (now called Kid Action, due to Hasbro owning the rights to the name Action Man) and the addition of retro long box packaging. It made little difference in the general sales and the line was discontinued. The second release of Captain Action ended in 2000.
These were the Playing Mantis re-issued Captain Action and Doctor Evil 12-inch figures. Captain Action came in his original blue and black uniform, hat, belt, boots, lighting sword and ray gun. Dr. Evil, Captain Action's fearsome arch-enemy, was a blue-skinned, bug-eyed alien. Dr. Evil wore sandals, a purple costume and a medallion.
Dr Evil masqueraded as Dr Thorpe by putting on a "human" mask (neglecting his blue-skinned hands which would still be exposed). Check out the giant medallion he wears! He was an invader from space bent on conquering the earth. Hey, these were kids' toys and kids were simpler then. Now they have "Ben 10"!
Batman had Robin, Superman had Jimmy Olsen, and in 1967 (and again in 1999), Captain Action got Action Boy! Action Boy came with accessories such as a beret, a boomerang, and his pet, a black panther named Khem. Khem is the Egyptian word for black! Like Captain Action, this nine-inch tall figure also had the ability to transform himself into different superheroic identities: Aqualad, Robin and Superboy (in the original series released in the late 1960s).
12-inch Captain Action as the Lone Ranger and Tonto. Tonto is the Lone Ranger's faithful Indian companion. "Tonto" is a real Potowatomie Indian name that means "wild one". Unfortunately, in Spanish, "Tonto" it means "idiot" or "stupid". When the Lone Ranger shows were dubbed for Spanish audiences, Tonto is renamed Toro, meaning bull!
John Reid, one of six Texas Rangers, was the sole survivor of an ambush. Reid was nursed back to health by an Indian scout called Tonto, who told him "You only Ranger left. You lone ranger now." With his white hat, black mask and horse called Silver, the Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, set out to clean up the west.
"Kemosabe" is a real word, from the language of the Potowatomie Indians. Kemosabe means "faithful friend" or "trusty scout".
Captain Action as The Green Hornet and his trusty Asian sidekick, Kato. Bruce Lee landed the part of Kato at age 26 and from there on, he became a legend! In Hong Kong, the TV series was called "The Kato show". Interestingly, Britt Reid (Green Hornet) is the Lone Ranger's (John Reid) great-nephew.
Combined accessories of the Captain Action Green Hornet and Kato sets. Green Hornet's TV scanner with phone receiver, pocket watch and gas mask. Kato has his Hornet Sting darts, nunchaku, shuriken, kusari-fundo, shuko hand claw, knuckleduster and micro-radar watch
Captain Action as The Phantom. "The Phantom" comic strip, was published on February 17, 1936 – two full years before Superman's debut. That makes him the first superhero! The Phantom is the first fictional hero to wear the skintight costume that has become a hallmark of comic book superheroes, and the first to wear a mask with no visible pupils, another superhero standard.
Ready to do battle against him is Dr Evil as the evil pirate Kabai Singh! The Gold and burgundy Kabai Singh costume for Dr Evil includes mask and pointed boots. Accessories for Kabai Singh include a pistol, scimitar, pirate scope, and dagger with brass knuckles.
Classic purple Phantom costume for Captain Action comes with mask and boots.
Accessories for the Phantom include his belt with skull buckle and two hip holsters, 2 pistols, a rifle, dagger and brass knuckles. They all have the Phantom's skull insignia on them.
"Reach for the sky!"
Last pair released before the line's demise was Captain Action as Flash Gordon and Dr Evil as Ming the Merciless. Unfortunately, Flash Gordon is basically a Buck Rogers knock-off and looks nothing like his comic character. In the Captain-Action universe, Flash came first, and Buck came later! Ming the Merciless is a total fashion disaster LOL
UPDATE May 9, 2012: Review 1 - Round 2 Captain Action 1/6th scale Deluxe Spider-Man Costume Set - Great FUN!
UPDATE May 11, 2012: Review II - Round 2 1/6th scale Captain Action Deluxe Spider-Man Costume Set - Action Poses!
I have the complete set that Playing Mantis put out over a decade ago. Very nice stuff. Of course the originals are nice but the remakes are cool too.
ReplyDeleteTatz a very nice collection! Lone Ranger & Tonto rulez!
ReplyDeletehey Kal, I really like the Playing Mantis remakes, especially since I cannot afford the originals. Now with Marvel producing Captain Action, I can finally get my hands on 1/6 scale fabric costumed Captain America and Thor :)
ReplyDeletethanks Marcus, these figures are classics of a bygone era CHEERS