Andrew Sumner of Forbidden Planet TV has a new interview with top comics writer Mark Waid, talking to him about Captain Action – and his involvement in US publisher IDW Publishing’s new collection of the short-lived DC Comic featuring the character, first released back in the 1960s.
The collection goes on sale from 18th May 2022.
For those unaware, Captain Action was a unique action figure concept launched by the Ideal Toy Company in 1966 as a rival to Hasbro’s GI Joe, also known as Palitoy’s Action Man here in the UK.
From the get-go, the good Captain was comic-book-based, the central macguffin being that (rather than dressing him in a variety of military costumes), he could be clothed in a variety of comic book costumes, from DC’s Superman and Batman, to Marvel’s Captain America and Nick Fury, to the Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet.
In 1968, DC Comics launched a licensed comic book created by industry legends Gil Kane, Wallace “Wally” Wood and Jim Shooter. It was short-lived (just five issues) but, says Andrew, “it was a work of brilliance”.
Captain Action Enterprises, headed up by Ed Catto, Joe Ahearn and Michael Polis, have been doing some fine work reviving this unique IP and, after years of lobbying, have now forged a deal with Scott Dunbier and those good, good people at IDW Publishing to reprint Shooter and company’s epic five issues in a handsome hardcover reprint collection.
Here’s Andrew Sumner’s Forbidden Planet TV interview with Mark Waid, one of the most successful DC/Marvel authors of the last 30 years, about what made this series so indelibly brilliant and why Mark just had to write the introduction for this collection.
CA Enterprises are proud to be representing the nostalgic property Captain Action, best known as the beloved collectible toy line of the mid-1960’s produced by the Ideal Toy Company. “To us, Captain Action embodies the Superhero excitement of that era,” they say, “from the live TV shows and Saturday morning cartoons to the Silver Age of comics.”
• Captain Action Official Site
• Captain Action Classic Collection
Writer: Jim Shooter | Artists: Gil Kane, Wally Wood | Cover: Dick Giordano Artist/Cover Artist: Gil Kane
The Captain Action comic, based on the classic action figure, has been out of print for more than 50 years. Written by Jim Shooter and Gil Kane, drawn by Kane and Wally Wood-a legendary roster of talent if there ever was one-and containing the origin of Captain Action and Action Boy and featuring their arch-nemesis, the diabolical Doctor Evil!
All five original issues are collected in this volume and have been meticulously scanned from crisp first generation stats, and painstakingly recolored (using the original comics as guides), beautifully representing a long-lost treasure!
- About the Author
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Licensing, Merchandise, Other Worlds, US Comics
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