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Yesterday G. I. Joe today it's Action Man

Action Man is yesterdays G.I. Joe and if your over 40 you surely remember playing with the combat soldier. I guess "us men" needed some type of identification when growing up.

Boys will be boys and they need their toys.

G.I. Joe has been a favorite in the US for a long time. A toy manufacturer in the UK got permission to produce a British equivalent and the Action Man figure was born. He was quite flexible and could be moved into different positions. He was identical in appearance to G.I. Joe, even down to a scar on his cheek. The original concept lasted from 1966 until 1984.

The first figures to be launched were a Soldier, a Sailor with a beard and a Pilot. There were four choices of hair color. In 1970, Action Man was given a British military look so he would have his own identity and not just be a carbon copy of G.I. Joe. From then, the figure, equipment and accessories were along British military lines. Action Man used equipment such as a Scorpion Tank and a Vickers Machine Gun.

Different innovations were brought in over the years. Action Man was given a fuzzy hair do, hands that gripped and eyeballs that moved. He must have been working out because he appeared in 1979 with lots of new muscles. Action Man has only ever had one version of his face, however, as opposed to G.I. Joe who had versions with a European face and a Japanese face.  Four new action figures were put on the market in 1977. There was a superhero called Bullet Man, some sort of ape man called The Intruder, a Commando named Tom Stone who was of African origin and the cyborg Atomic Man.

In the early part of the 1990s, there was an attempt to market Action Man again, as the military figure of old. This military style was abandoned and a new line was introduced instead in 1996. These were adventure and dangerous sports figures of various types and there were Action Men who climbed mountains, explored the wilderness and went ocean diving. Evil enemies were also introduced with a terrorist and a crazy scientist called Dr. X

Many people of a certain age have fond memories of playing with their Action Man. They often can be seen at Toy Fairs along with the old model cars and train sets. There was also a children's' animated TV series and a video game. Some people have mocked Action Man as a doll for boys, but Barbie never drove an army tank or did battle with the feared Dr. X.

I will always have those memories tucked deep inside me forever.

Why?

Because I'm just a little boy who never really wanted to grow up and go to work.

I just wanted to play and I still do now. I'll forever be my G.I. Joe or Action Man.

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