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Friday, June 27, 2008

Super Powers Ad - 1984

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This ran on the back cover of what it seemed like every DC comic in 1984, heralding the arrival of a truly super line of action figures.

I was ecstatic over the Super Powers line when it came out--they were so well done, so cool, that my then-current Star Wars toy obsession took a U-turn back to superheroes.

While all the figures were well done, Kenner's take on Aquaman--with a trident, no less--was one of their best. I thought it then, I still think it now.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That first run was awesome. I bought every figure. I still remember the day I saw the second series, with Dr. Fate and Martian Manhunter...I was visiting my friend in Lawrence, KS and we were at some department store, and I nearly had a heart attack because I had no idea the second wave was coming out. I eventually gave all of these toys to my daughter to play with, but I eventually took the Aquaman figure back. :-)

Anonymous said...

In a way, the Super Powers are the culmination of the pre-Crisis DCU for me. MY version of these characters before the reboot and everyone getting moody or crazy.

And as far as toys go, the sculpts were leaps and bounds over everything else at the time, even Kenner's own Star Wars figures.

Chris

Anonymous said...

Ah Super Powers, what a great toyline. Love that advert and it must be in god knows how many DC comics I own. I'm also lucky enough to own several Super Powers figures including, of course, your hero and mine Aquaman.

Anonymous said...

Bronze Age brothers-

This Silver Age guy thought they were neat - but having been raised on full-sized Joe, Captain Action, and Mego, thought the much better articulation that Hasbro was using on little Joe was the one dropped ball here....

I have a had a few, and gifted several to kids, over the years, though!

Great weekend,
-Craig W.

Plaidstallions said...

As much of a Mego Head as I am, I still think these were a true pinnacle in superhero toys.

Some of the figures made here have never been topped. I love them and for the life me don't know why I don't have any.

Anonymous said...

There is something innately perfect about almost every Super Powers figure. I think you can stand each figure up to the same character in about any line, and say "yep, the SP one is THE definitive figure".

I think the DC Universe Classics is the first line that really has the potential to surpass SP. And aesthetically, they come across as larger Super Powers figures, even in character selection.

Chris

Scurvy said...

I loved these. It's amazing to me how many of them I ended up with over time when even as a child, the only one I really wanted was Aquaman.