Captain Action is one of my favorite toy lines from the 60’s. The idea behind it was brilliant. Buy just one figure and have infinite adventures by dressing him up as your favorite hero. The toy was Ideal Toy Company’s answer to G.I. Joe, and for those of us with more of a taste for Sci Fi than camouflage, Captain Action was the hero of choice.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of playing with a Captain Action, he’s an odd fellow. His head is shaped a bit funny (makes it easier to get the masks on) and his expression suggests he might have stomach upset. That never bothered me though, because his head was always hidden behind a mask. The base figure came with a blue and black uniform, including a nifty hat, a sword and a ray gun. If, like me, the action in Captain Action came from the outfits, you could choose from Superman, Batman, the Lone Ranger, Tonto, The Phantom, Flash Gordon, Captain America, Sergeant Fury, Steve Canyon, Aquaman, Spider-Man, Buck Rogers (MY FAVORITE!,) and the Green Hornet. There were other toys in the line, including a villain, Doctor Evil, a sidekick, Action Boy, and some female companionship in the form of Super Queens Posin’ Dolls.
I have fond memories of Captain Action, so I was thrilled when I ran into him in a dark, dangerous subterranean basement party at San Diego Comic Con. If you’d like to read an interview with Scott Sebring, Live Action Captain Action, head over to BugEyedMonster.com.