Action figures

Action figures today are vastly different from the traditional ones. In the old days there were only two basic types of action figures . You either got G. I. Joe or you got Action Man. Today of course there are more action figures than you can afford to buy. The market is flooded with figures that are taken from movies, wrestlers, anime shows, cartoons, television, pop-stars. Even Playboy has launched a few Adult Collectibles from their centerfold section. It should be quite obvious that the whole movement has undergone a great revolution since the days of G. I. Joe and Action Man.

For those who remember those days it will be easy to recall how a simple room turned into a mountainous terrain with rivers or deserts. There was always a platoon of German sniper hiding among the cliffs waiting to take out the hero. Adjoining furniture turned into lookout towers, fortresses, and other elements from the battlefield. The carpet on the floor turned into a sea filled with ships and submarines. The world became full of mystery, intrigue, and danger. Always something happening with your behind enemy lines trying to carry out some secret mission in the face of insurmountable difficulty.

Modern life is too busy for such time consuming pleasures that used to be the birthright of every child. However, action figures continue to grow in popularity with no aspect of entertainment being left alone.

Hasbro was the company that first introduced G. I. Joe in 1964. It was actually just a doll for boys but calling it a doll was bad marketing considering the audience was entirely male. So Hasbro decided to call it an "action figure" instead of a doll. The marketing trick worked and G. I. Joe was not a doll soldier but an action figure that every boy wanted. G. I. Joe was vastly successful in America and became an instant hit. Hasbro realized that the whole world was one big market for action figures and they started opening new markets and playing a more global role.

The first G. I. Joe figures were quite basic in their construction though they could still pose. The limbs were held with elastic. The arms, legs, and head could be moved. And you could change the uniform. Of course, like everything else G. I. Joe came with a load of accessories that included arms, vehicles, armory, uniforms, and food.