Action Jackson (toy)

Action Jackson was a line of action figures and accessories manufactured by Mego Corporation in the early 1970s. Mego's first foray into action figures, the line was an initial success but then lost out in sales to Hasbro's G.I. Joe line. Nonetheless, Action Jackson laid the template for Mego's popular later lines of 8-inch action figures based on licensed characters from such franchises as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Star Trek.

This article is about the Mego toy line. For the 1988 film starring Carl Weathers, see Action Jackson (1988 film).
Action Jackson
TypeAction figures
CompanyMego
CountryUnited States
Availability1971–1974

History

Similar in theme to the G.I. Joe line of toys manufactured by Hasbro,[1] and the Captain Action toys by the Ideal Toy Company, Action Jackson came in three varieties: two Caucasian models, one with a beard and one without; and one African-American model with no beard. The toys were marketed with a line of accessories, including battery-powered vehicles such as a wire-controlled Jeep, a rescue helicopter, and a snowmobile.

The line was one of Mego's first attempts at producing action figures with interchangeable bodies. Generic bodies could be mass-produced and different figures created by interposing different heads and costumes on them. Constructed primarily in an 8-inch (200 mm) scale, the figures helped set an industry standard in the 1970s.

Heavily promoted on television commercials and in newspaper advertisements, the Action Jackson line was a big seller on its 1971 launch, but by 1974 had faded in popularity.

References

Sources consulted
  • Bonavita, John (2001). Mego Action Figure Toys, 3rd Edition

Notes
  1. Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 2. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.


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