After a year or so on the marketplace, Ideal decided to give the stalwart Captain Action a sidekick, and introduced Action Boy, Cap’s beret-wearing partner.
In 1967, Captain Action proved popular enough to expand the line, adding a partner, Action Boy, and an enemy, Dr. Evil, a blue skinned alien with large bug eyes and an exposed brain, wearing a modified Nehru suit and sandals.
A line of female figures was also released called the “Super Queens Posin’ Dolls”, which featured Batgirl, Mera, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman figures. Unlike Captain Action and Action Boy, the Super Queens dolls were each individually based on a singular superheroine (instead of a base “Super Queen” doll with interchangeable outfits).
Also, a vehicle called the “Silver Streak”, a 2-foot-long (0.61 m) amphibian car with missile launchers, was added, large enough for both the Captain and sidekick.
Several sets meant to be used by Captain Action in his Captain Action identity were designed for the character as well: a four foot working parachute, a jet mortar, a jet pack, a weapons arsenal, and several other secret weapons to add to the Action Cave, which the special box for the Streak could convert into.
Both the Captain and Dr. Evil received “secret lairs”, which doubled as carrying cases for the figures, but which are now quite rare.
All of this was an attempt by Ideal to build the “Action” line and focus on Captain Action as a hero in his own right, rather than just a base figure for other heroes.
Action Boy Ideal 1967
