Captain Action Toy

The Captain Action Figure was released by the Ideal Toy Corporation in the USA in Spring, 1966. The action figure was thought to have of been produced in direct competition to the widely popular 12″ GI Joe by Hasbro. Instead of having a military feel as seen on other action figures at the time, the Ideal Toy Corporation chose to have their action figure focus more on comic book characters and television heroes.

The Ideal Toy Corporation was a prominent American toy company that played a significant role in the toy industry throughout the 20th century. Founded in 1907 by Morris and Rose Michtom, the creators of the teddy bear, Ideal became a powerhouse in toy manufacturing, producing dolls, board games, and action figures that captivated generations of children. By the mid-20th century, Ideal was at the forefront of the action figure craze, competing with industry giants like Hasbro and Mattel. One of its most notable releases was the Captain Action figure, which debuted in 1966 and became a beloved collectible among fans of superhero and adventure toys.

Captain Action was a unique action figure that set itself apart from other toys of the era. Unlike G.I. Joe, which focused on military themes, Captain Action featured an interchangeable costume system, allowing children to dress the figure as various popular comic book and pulp heroes. These included characters like The Phantom, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and Flash Gordon, among others. This innovative approach provided exceptional play value and made the figure a favorite among young collectors. Despite its creative concept, Captain Action only remained in production for a few years, as sales declined by the late 1960s due to shifting toy trends.

Though Ideal Toy Corporation ceased operations in the early 1980s, its legacy endures through its contributions to toy history. The Captain Action brand has seen periodic revivals, with reissues and new versions released by other companies, keeping the spirit of the original toy alive. Collectors and enthusiasts continue to seek out vintage Captain Action figures, recognizing their historical significance in the world of action figures. Ideal’s influence on the toy industry remains undeniable, as its innovations paved the way for future generations of action figures and collectible toys.

Ideal developed a plan to market a basic figure and then sell fully loaded outfits and accessories individually. This plan worked, with the basic action figure toy of Captain Action selling tremendously well, with the various character outfits following.

The initial outfit line included nine costumes, Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Captain America, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Steve Canyon, The Lone Ranger and Sgt. Fury. A sample of some of these costumes and their accessories can be seen below.

The second line that was released in 1967 added Tonto, Buck Rogers, Spider Man and The Green Hornet. The Lone Ranger costume underwent a color change from red to blue. Also in 1967, a Video-Matic flicker rings were included with each outfit. These figures were sold in window display boxes which are quite rare today. Below we see the original 9 figures released in their new packaging (at the top of the image), followed by the second line of figures (at the bottom of the image).

A second box design and offering was issues by the Ideal Toy Corporation, with Captain Action now coming with a 4 foot parachute. Only seven outfits can now be seen on the box, with Steve Canyon and Captain America not present. An instructional page also came in the box on the correct use of the parachute.

The Captain Action line was officially discontinued in 1969.

The Phantom Costume

The Phantom costume had a good resemblance to what we see on comic book pages, with the Phantom set including the jumpsuit, purple cowl, face mask, belt with holsters, two automatic pistols, rifle with scope, knife, brass knuckles with skull insignia and boots.