An action figure is a poseable character toy figurine made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are usually marketed toward boys and adult collectors. The term was coined by Hasbro in 1964 to market G.I. Joe to boys.
The Mego Corporation is an American toy company that in its original iteration was first founded in 1954. Originally known as a purveyor of dime store toys, in 1971 the company shifted direction and became famous for producing licensed dolls, celebrity dolls, and the Micronauts toy line. For a time in the 1970s, their line of 8-inch-scale action figures with interchangeable bodies became the industry standard.
Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy company founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the Kenner brand produced several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures like the original series of Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Batman as well as die cast models. The company was closed by its corporate parent Hasbro in 2000.
Nerf is a toy brand formed by Parker Brothers and currently owned by Hasbro. Most of the toys are a variety of foam-based weaponry, with other Nerf products including balls for sports such as American football, basketball, and baseball. The most notable of the toys are their dart guns that shoot ammunition made from "Nerf foam". Their primary slogan, first introduced in the 1990s, is "It's Nerf or Nothin'!". Annual revenues under the Nerf brand are approximately US$400 million.
Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the 6-inch (150 mm) scale, with spin-off lines in the 4-inch (100 mm), 8-inch (200 mm), and 12-inch (300 mm) scale.
The Destroyer is a fictional magical character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Usually depicted as an opponent of the Thunder God and hero Thor, it is in fact a suit of Asgardian armor animated by magic. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the present day. It was supported by two animated series as well as a major comic series published by Marvel Comics.
Batman action figures have been produced since the 1940s.
Spider-Man and Friends was a line of action figures and related merchandise featuring the comic book character Spider-Man and other characters appearing in Marvel Comics publications, released by Marvel Entertainment's toy division, Toy Biz, from 2003 to 2006. The line was aimed primarily at preschool-age children, and the character likenesses used were often altered to seem "cuter" and more childlike ; most characters were depicted as wide-eyed and smiling, even supervillains and characters better known for anger or savagery, such as the Incredible Hulk or Wolverine.
Action Man was a line of action figures produced by Hasbro from 1993–2006 and again in 2009.
Marvel Super Hero Squad is an action figure line marketed by Hasbro beginning in 2006. The line features 2-inch (51 mm) scale replicas of comic book heroes from the Marvel Comics universe. Each figure is portrayed in a cartoonish super-deformed style. The line was designed for younger collectors, but has become a hit with fans of all ages despite the "for ages 3 and up" category status. Marketed initially as four two-packs per wave, Super Hero Squad has branched out to include larger multi-packs, vehicles, and mega-packs containing larger characters in scale with the 2-inch (51 mm) line.
Mighty Muggs are a vinyl–plastic collectible toy series made by Hasbro. The toys resemble super deformed versions of characters from the following franchises: Star Wars, Marvel Comics, Indiana Jones, G.I. Joe, and Transformers. There is a line of smaller figures, called Mini Muggs, as well as blank Mighty Muggs for customization. The line was commercially dormant for a few years, but certain retailers received exclusive 'continuation' lines. Comic-Con International 2011 had an exclusive Avengers line.
Marvel Universe is a 33⁄4" action figure line manufactured by Hasbro, featuring characters from the Marvel Comics universe. It first hit stores in early 2009 and features detailed sculpting, multiple points of articulation, and accessories. The line was created by Hasbro Designer Dave Vonner.
Spider-Man is a 33⁄4" action figure line manufactured by Hasbro to be released in early 2010 based on the comic book counterparts of characters within the Spider-Man universe. While sharing the same simple title of past 6" lines, this is considered a brand new series and not a continuation of previous ones. This line of figures has more in common with Hasbro's animated series action figure lines such as Wolverine and the X-Men in that it is geared more toward a younger crowd of collectors and the figures are not always fully articulated. Many of the figures come with gimmicks such as special armor or light-up eyes.
G.I. Joe is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier, Action Sailor, Action Pilot, Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse. The name is derived from the usage of "G.I. Joe" for the generic U.S. soldier, itself derived from the more general term "G.I.". The development of G.I. Joe led to the coining of the term "action figure". G.I. Joe's appeal to children has made it an American icon among toys.
Iron Man: The Armored Avenger is a toy line manufactured by Hasbro, composed mainly of 33⁄4" scale action figures but will also feature a line of 6" figures. This is a continuation of the Iron Man 2 toy line under a different name, due to the company no longer marketing the film. Like the previous line, it will include a mix of movie-based, comic-based, and concept figures.
Toy Biz was an American toy company which later became a subsidiary of Marvel Enterprises/Entertainment. It was best known for producing action figures, stuffed toys, and role-playing games of various licensed brands and characters.
Laufey is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted usually as an enemy of the Asgardian king Odin, father of Thor. He is the King of the Frost Giants, the biological father of Thor's adopted brother and archenemy, Loki. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Journey into Mystery #112, and was based on the goddess of the same name who in Norse mythology was actually the mother of Loki.
Dave Vonner is an American toy designer.