1984
Today I will be looking at the first of a new line which was hard to find and very different from normal action figures.  

One Saturday morning while waiting for the cartoons to start,  I saw a commercial for a new set of toys which looked totally awesome.  In the commercial I saw the Flash run, Aquaman swim, and Superman fly- dude I was so psyched to find these!  The toys on this commercial looked totally like they jumped off the page of the comics or the TV screen of Super Friends.  I wish there was some way to show you this amazingly radical commercial but I have yet to get one of those VCR things. 

Well for about a month now I have been waiting to see the commercial again to make sure it was not a sugar induced dream on a Saturday morning, but no luck.  After searching some stores on the weekends I came up empty handed only to find Skeletor and R2D2 clogging the boys aisle. 

That all changed today, when I walked into this new toy store in Milford called Toys R Us.  As I walked to the boys aisle, past all the He-Man and G.I Joe figures, I saw this new yellow, blue, and red packaging; and to my amazement here they were, Super Powers.  There were rows and rows of them but all they had were Batman, Superman, Robin, Flash, and the Joker.  These figures were so awesome; it was as if I was pulling the figures right out of the comics.  As I know from my experiences with He-man I looked on the back and there were the rest of them.  I like totally checked all the rows but I could not find any more figures.  I went to check out and left with quite a rad haul.  I know I have had good luck at the Child World in the Mall so I stopped on my way home and nothing, but it looked like I might find some another day.  I got home and ripped them open and guess what, they moved.  Now I’m used to the snapping waist of He-man and the kung-fu grip of G.I. Joe, but when I squeezed Batman’s legs his arms moved.  To my amazement they all had (according to the box) action features.  Next to He-man these were small figures but they have amazing paint jobs and great likeness to the characters.  I mean after seeing that movie they called Superman III I did not believe a man could fly anymore, until these figures.  Super Powers renewed my faith and love of the characters.  They each came with a cutout card on the character and a mini comic book. These look like they could be hours of fun and the line up is like totally all the big names of DC comics.  If these are anything like He-Man I think they will easy to find and after a few stops I should have them all.  I wish I got them all at once, but I guess I will just have to check Bradlees and Caldor more often if these are out. At about $5 a figure these are a great buy and well worth it.  I can’t wait to see what else Kenner has in store for us. 

Report number 2
Well I finally wore out the action feature on the Flash.  I guess they are not meant to do what I saw in the commercial.  After a few fin trips to the beach and the tub they are looking a bit ragged, but lucky for me Toys R Us always has Batman and Superman in stock.  One problem I am having is finding Lex Luthor; I saw him once in a Bradlees at the Dock, but so close to Christmas I could not get him. I only hope Santa will bring him. 

Report 3
Well, while I love this line others are starting to catch on like Thundercats, but for Christmas this year I got both the Hall of Justice and Lex, now if I could only find Wonder Woman.  She has got to be the hardest to find, everyone else is everywhere from Child World to McCrory’s.  I think tonight when we go to Toys R Us might be lucky…….

Later that night: Yes, we went to Toys R Us and I found Wonder Woman in an end of the aisle display of about 100 figures, and there was only one Wonder Woman.  I think this has to be the best set of toys I have ever seen, and with all the vehicles, I don’t think any other line can top this one.  Now if they would just make a Cyborg I would be so happy! 

The Review
Super Powers was the big line of the 80’s.  This line is a must have for most collectors, because of its ability to hold up through all these years.  One great thing about this line is the character selection.  The first wave got all the big guns out, the second gave us the world of the New Gods and some b level characters, and the final and hardest to find wave was full of b level characters which most of us love but never thought would get as a toy. 

Articulation
The Articulation on these figures is very simple, just shoulders, neck, hips and knees.  They cannot do any dynamic poses but they can stand on their own, which puts them above most of today’s figures.  Despite their lack of articulation, these are still fun to play with and pose.  Even after 20 years the joints are tight and the action features still work. 

Paint
The paint really stands out on these figures.  They are brightly colored and well done.  They do not suffer from paint bleeds or crazy eyes.  The figures mirror the comics of the time, really making them a marvel to look at.  When these were made we were in the crisis years of the DCU, and the figures really do look like their comic and cartoon counterparts.  The only draw back I have about the paint is that I am not able to find a Flash without some missing paint on the nose.  While in today’s world simple means cheap, back then simple meant well done.  They are also true to their sources: no neon green Batmen or 30 versions of Superman. 

Accessories
Most figures come with something, but if they don’t you have their action features, which  really make these toys fun to play with.  The best thing about the action features is that they are hidden.  Batman punches, Flash runs, and Aquaman swims.  Each action feature makes sense for the character.  If you squeeze Red Tornado’s arms his legs spin like the comics, and the Green Lantern raises his ring hand to battle the bad guys with his power ring.   I think that these features make the figures stand out in collector’s minds.  In today’s toy world there is always a lever or button on the figure which makes posing or play difficult.  The other great part of this is the extra stuff outside of the figures.  We get a Hall of Justice play set, which to this day is the source of reference for the new JLA head quarters.  The Hall has 3 parts to it: the holding area, the surveillance area, and meeting area.  Each has something for one of the heroes and is really fun to play with.  In addition to the hall there is a Batmobile with a ton of action features, a bat copter, a super mobile, Lex’s Solar 7, delta probe, the bolder bomber, Darkseid’s ship and a few more.  All of these are must haves for kids and collectors.  Like the figures, they all have built in, and in some cases, hidden action features.  Each one is something you could see the characters using and is really a great addition to the line. 

The final verdict
This line has stood up as the line which others are measured up to. These are also the basis for the new DC classics line as you can tell from the first 3 waves.  I don’t think it’s because they are the best sculpted or the best articulated.  I think it is because of the character selection, the ability to play with the figures, and that they hold up so well even after years of beatings.  I just took them all out to play with my nephew and he bashed and dropped them like crazy and they did not break.  I don’t think I could say the same for Marvel legends or the JLU.  They also are great because you don’t have to put on a backpack on the figure, or make sure the figure is held right to make him do something. The action features are the arms or legs of the toys, and if you know how kids hold toys – by the legs- you see that the feature works just from holding them.  They are fun and while some may call them simple, I say… What is wrong with simple? 

For more info on the line check out Toy Otter’s site (best on the net), and the recent blog he did on the SP vs. DCUC line. 

Thanks for joining me on a trip down memory lane to look at the toys of the past.  Join me next month for a story and look at the losers of the 80’s robot wars, Go-Bots.