The Far-Boys Figures were produced by Far Men S.A in Spain in 1987.
Jose Iniesta was the owner of ‘Far Men S.A’, a 1980’s Spanish toy company located in Beniparrell, a small township just outside Valencia, Spain. Little is known about Far Men S.A, with some information found on a few patent applications dated the 28th of August, 1979 noting that the original inventors were Francisco Bulls Plana and Andrés Cadenas Iparraguirre. The patents explain that the figure sets were fully articulated and designed so that children could take them apart and reassemble to create their own figure, not seen at the time.
The innovative spirit of ‘Far Men’ S.A. manifested in their groundbreaking fully articulated figures, ingeniously designed to be disassembled and reassembled by young hands – a feat unmatched by contemporaries like Playmobil or Airgamboys. The company released four distinct series of figures:
- Aventura en Accion: A pantheon of Adventure Heroes, featuring The Phantom (known locally as ‘Enmascarado’), the 1940s Spanish comic book hero Guerrero del Antifaz, He-Man, and Conan the Barbarian.
- Aventura Fiction: A celebration of Marvel and DC icons.
- Roma: A selection of Roman military figures.
- Monsters Terror: A collection of creature characters.
To complement their ingeniously designed figures, the company produced a very limited number of four distinct cardboard store displays, each measuring 11.75″ x 16.25″ and corresponding to the associated figure series.
The Phantom is found on the ‘Aventura en Accion’ Far-Boys cardboard store display card. It also features Guerrero del Antifaz (a Spanish 1940’s comic book hero), He-Man, Conan the Barbarian, Guerrero del Antifaz, and He-Man. We see an image of the Phantom on the header, plus production information is found at the base of the store display card.
Sold separately in newsagencies and small kiosks the Far-Boys 3.25” figures were blister packed on a 5” x 3” card. Multiple Far-Boys figure lines were produced such as superheroes, monsters, Masters of the Universe, roman soldiers, cowboys and more.
Below we see the Phantom Far-Boys figure under his Spanish name ‘Enmascarado’. The figures head, arms, legs and feet are rotatable, with the legs being able to moved independently. Made of plastic, the figures clothing are a sticker decal.
The figures low distribution was primarily through newsagencies and small kiosks, making these figures a rare find for collectors. The ‘Far-Boys’ figure lines represent an almost forgotten chapter in toy history, standing as a testament to Spanish ingenuity and the enduring appeal of action figures that capture the imagination of children and collectors alike.
A Spanish magazine titled ‘Mundo Masters’ (Issue No. 2), had an insightful interview with Jose Iniesta, the owner of the plastic companies ‘Martival’ and ‘Far Men,’The article delves into the origins of these companies, highlighting their initial foray into manufacturing toy metal guns and the subsequent development of the ‘Far Boys’ toy figure line. This exploration sheds light on Iniesta’s contributions to the toy industry and the evolution of his companies during a dynamic period in Spanish manufacturing.
Thank you Christopher Smith for assisting with images and information.
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