Learning All About Action Figures

Although these figures were introduced as a children’s toy, they have recently become an adult’s collector item. The introduction of these figurines was made in 1964 for the purpose of marketing the G.I. Joe figure that was introduced for boys who were unwilling to play with dolls. Hasbro chose the name action figures for this specific military themed figure, having changeable uniforms for a variety of purposes. Later, in the 1970s, the Star Wars figures were launched which gained immense popularity. Another famous line of figures ran from 1972 to 1986 and included the Big Jim figurines by Mattel. In the 1980s, developing these figures became one of the largest marketing tools for toy companies and popular action figures, based on cartoon series were introduced.

Some of the popular figures included Super Powers Collection, G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe and Thunder cats amongst others. Moreover, variant figures as well as specialized costumes were also launched and the most notorious of the action figures during this period was Batman.  In today’s world, people can now find these figures of athletes, musicians, celebrities, cartoons etc. The adult collector market has also expanded considerably and varying sizes of these figures can be found today all around the globe.

The prototype of the action figures is created with the aid numerous sculpting tools and modeling clay. Plastic resin like the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is used to mold the actual figure and forms the main body because it is a harder form of plastic. For making costume components that include face masks, capes and body suits, nylon and soft plastics are utilized. In order to decorate the figure and add some color, acrylic paints of several colors turn out to be handy. Furthermore, for providing light and sound effects, some figures also boast of miniature electronic components.

First off, a character has to be selected before the design process is initiated. Sketches of the character are done and then the prototype is made with clay. Various tools are then used by the sculptor to make the entire figure which is then baked to allow the clay to harden. The manufacturer has to approve it before it is actually manufactured with plastic. The design can also be revised as per the manufacturer’s wishes.

Action figures boast of a wide array of characteristics to add more interest and a fun aspect for children. Body articulation is a common feature that can be found in majority of the figures.