Action: Steve MacManus, Action Man

Action Man Steve Macmaunus

Action Man Steve MacManus was paid £10 a time by IPC to perform death defying stunts in response to readers’ requests. Unfortunately, Steve didn’t stay with Action for very long, even though he remained the public face of the comic until its demise in 1977. This means that there weren’t really that many stunts performed.

Although appearances were regular in the early issues, they soon dried up after Steve moved on to 2000AD, with the exception of a single outing that was held back and published at a later date.

Below are the twelve stunts that Action Man undertook, mainly at circuses, with El Hakim.

• In 2016, Rebellion published The Mighty One, a book about Steve’s time at Fleetway and Egmont, which includes material about his rime on Action. You can buy it here on Amazon, read our review here and read Steve’s own memories of dealing with unsolicited submissions to 2000AD here

14th February 1976 – Fire breathing at a circus with El Hakim

14th February 1976 – Fire breathing at a circus with El Hakim
21st February – Grappling with a Boa Constrictor at Chessington Zoo

21st February – Grappling with a Boa Constrictor at Chessington Zoo

28th February – Karate lessonswith the Karate King in Chiswick

28th February – Karate lessonswith the Karate King in Chiswick6th March – Running an Army assault course with the Royal Greenjackets

6th March – Running an Army assault course with the Royal Greenjackets13th March – Firefighter training with the London Fire Brigade, up a 100 foot ladder

Action Man 5: 13th March – Firefighter training with the London Fire Brigade, up a 100 foot ladder20th March – Laying on a bed of nails at a circus with El Hakim

Action Man 6: 20th March – Laying on a bed of nails at a circus with El Hakim27th March – Learning to drive a London Transport double-decker bus on a skid pan

Action Man 7: 27th March – Learning to drive a London Transport double-decker bus on a skid pan10th April – Descending into the London sewerage system

Action Man 8: 10th April – Descending into the London sewerage system

17th April – Stilt walking at a circus with El Hakim

Action Man 9: 17th April – Stilt walking at a circus with El Hakim

1st May – Hot air ballooning at 2,000 feet

Action Man 10: 1st May – Hot air ballooning at 2,000 feet8th May – Riding a motorbike from London to Brighton and back at high speed

Action Man 11: 8th May – Riding a motorbike from London to Brighton and back at high speed14th August – Dry skiing at Alexandra Palace

Action Man 12: 14th August – Dry skiing at Alexandra PalaceAn Action Man Diary 1977, detailing all but the last of the stunts performed in 1976, appeared in the Action Annual 1977.

Action Annual 1977 - Action Man Diary 1

Action Annual 1977 - Action Man Diary 2

Text © Moose Harris 

ACTION™ REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, COPYRIGHT © REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

See this section’s Acknowledgments section for more information