Captain Action and Dr Evil-Playing Mantis

Doing a little digging I found a box with a few figures I hadn't thought of in a while.

I wasn't aware of Captain Action when I was a kid. Friends had the same figures I did, Joe and Marx.
I found out about Captain Action as an adult collector. When I saw these I picked them up for giggles.
These are the reproductions made by Playing Mantis. Not long afterward I saw the Round 2 versions,
and wished I had waited for a bit, because I really like the head sculpts on those. I didn't pick up any
of the uniform/accessory sets.

This is the extent of my Captain Action collection.



I was thinking the mask for Dr Evil fit the figure when I first got it, but now it's too small to fit on his head.
Anyone know if they shrink over time?

It’s action-tastic to show us Captain Action and Dr Evil-Playing Mantis in a pistol duel against each other.

I think the masks, being sort of a rubber-like material, may shrink over time, depending on temperature or humidity... and age, of course. I have a Playing Mantis Doctor Evil and his mask still fits.

I never had the original Captain Action or Doctor Evil, but I remember looking at the figures and their accessory costume sets in Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck mail order catalogs when I was a very young youngster. The original Captain Action line only lasted two or three years, I believe.

The Playing Mantis re-issues are very close to the original IDEAL Toys figures. I remember as a kid wondering why Captain Action had such a worried expression. I imagine he was supposed to look rugged and tough, but I thought he looked worried or sad.

The Playing Mantis re-issue did not really catch on, sadly, even though several uniform sets were issued along with it, as with the original IDEAL Toys figures. A few years later, Round2 Toys tried again, with updated versions of Captain Action and Doctor Evil. I think the Round2 version was even less successful than the Playing Mantis re-issue.

I always loved Captain Action's serrated-edge sword. The sword, and his sad expression, were what I remembered most from my childhood until I discovered action figure forums and began to research some of the toys from my youth. The laser pistols carried by both Captain Action and Doctor Evil are really cool, too.

There are two different colors of the Playing Mantis Doctor Evil. The standard version, as you have pictured, is a pale blue color. The version that comes with the Ming the Merciless costume set is more of a green color. I use the "Ming" version of Doctor Evil in my photo stories from time to time. I believe forum member Professor Gangrene Fan recently picked up a Ming the Merciless version of the Playing Mantis Doctor Evil. I do not know if the original IDEAL Toys Doctor Evil was made in two colors.

I always find it fun to see Cap and Doctor Evil. Thanks for posting these figs and sharing your story behind them.

I'm glad you liked the post Alexander

My figure and mask has been in a climate controlled environment. Any ideas on maybe how to soften it?

I agree, the facial expression does look kinda sad, or worried. As has been done here, there was a guy that did
youtube videos called Government Issue Joseph, that portrayed CA as a drunkard. Maybe because of his facial expression?

The pistols are cool, the first Joe I found as an adult collector came in a footlocker. There were a couple of Stony
Smith items, and an original CA pistol that is in decent shape, but basically the paint is gone.

I have no idea if the original Dr Evil had two colors. I just recently saw the Playing Mantis repro had two colors.

I'm glad you liked the post Dave. I find that I learn more about Cap with every post about him. And I have enjoyed
seeing Dr Evil in your photo stories.

Great looking figures Daryl, I know I poke fun at mine, but I do really like the figure style. They are very well made, and have great hands . Like you, I never knew of the Captain as a kid, and never picked mine up until being an adult also. Shame about the face mask . If you were to heat it in hot water, would it soften it enough to get onto Dr. Evil's head I wonder? Thanks for sharing the pics. I wonder what other treasures lay waiting to be discovered in the other collection boxes .

I agree with Dal on I wonder what other treasures lay waiting to be discovered in the other collection boxes so Daryl you better get your trench coat on and grab your detective equipment or grab your deerstalker hat and magnifying glass or grab your fedora-style hat and shovel and get digging more into them boxes to see what other loose figures or boxed figures you can find .

Very nice Captain Action and Doctor Evil figures I also started to find these as a adult collector and have picked up some of the Playing Mantis pieces including the Lone Ranger clothing set that was a nice find in the older style red jacket here's a shot of this set displayed on my clear Joe Cheers Ian

Nice figures! The only Captain action I had was a vintage ideal figure in the playing mantis Green Hornet set. Sold it a few years back. The only ideal or playing mantis pieces I have are a few of the jumpsuits which are useful for bulking up clothes, replicating socks and in one case helping a Mike Power stand due to the extra layer to stabilize his loose atomic joints. I’ve also used playing mantis Captain action arms and ideal knight of darkness (their Darth Vader KO) to replace the arms of my Marx buddy Charlie figures. The same guy designed both bodies to be as dissimilar to that of GI Joe.


Heres a few pics of green hornet:




Mike Power in his Captain Action longjohns:



Here’s an old pic of two of my Buddy Charlie’s. The flesh colored hands are playing mantis Captain Action, while the black gloves are knight of darkness.



-Nate

That's a nice looking Green Hornet Nate!

I remember when you first posted the Lone Ranger Ian, he still looks great.

I like the Action Man mug next to him.

TNshooter wrote:

That's a nice looking Green Hornet Nate!

Thanks! I was sad to sell him; but needed space and $$$ for other projects. The one thing about the playing mantis green hornet set is that the hat and face/mask are one piece, as opposed to the vintage ideal one.

-Nate

TNshooter wrote:

I remember when you first posted the Lone Ranger Ian, he still looks great.

I like the Action Man mug next to him.

Cheers Daryl I wasn't sure if I'd already put him up. The Action Man mug I picked up from eBay I think I've also now found the partner to the Lone Ranger Egg cup thats in the picture and now the proud owner of the Tontoegg cup from 1961 made by Keele Street Pottery

Cool figures Daryl!
Maybe if you heat up the mask a bit it might fit???
Enjoying everyones figures and accessories!