History of Action Figures

History of Action Figures

Action figures today remain as popular as they were when they were first introduced in the 1960s, although designs and production techniques have undergone several developments since then.

The term 'action figure' was first used in relation to G.I. Joe figures, with their manufacturer, Hasbro, keen to market them to boys without using the word 'doll'. Initially, the majority of action figures were 11 ½ inches tall, but many manufacturers struggles with costs of this during the 1970s oil supply crisis. To compensate, a smaller action figure toy was developed, which was just 3-3/4 inches high and marketed as 'Microman'.

Microman line was also the first figure to feature interchangeable parts. This began a trend for different varieties of Microman action figure, which lead to the development of different characters and figure images. In 1971, the manufacturer Mego began producing Marvel and DC comic book superhero figures. In the same way that games at sites like party poker are often given a theme which coincides with a recent film release, these models would usually reflect the superheroes which which were popular at the time. However, Mego were unable to gain the license to produce Star Wars figurines, which was subsequently acquired by Kenner, who then overtook Mego in terms of sales.

During the 1980s, a huge range of figures based on popular cartoon series and comics were produced. G.I. Joe figures remained popular, but figures of characters from Masters of the Universe, Thundercats, and the Super Powers Collection also gained prominence. However, towards the end of this decade, buyers began to spot the potential for many action figures to become collectable. Lines such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, for example, but produced in such high quantities to meet demand that they never had the same value as some of the much earlier products. Many classic designs, as well as a number of more modern ones, are still extremely popular with adult collectors today.