| Superhero action figures first stormed | | | | us to share, to value friendships and |
| the doors of department stores and toy | | | | that good will triumph over evil. |
| stores nearly 35 years ago. Constructed | | | | Perhaps, most importantly, they |
| of various kinds of plastic and clothed | | | | stretched our imaginations and made us |
| in uniforms, costumes and capes G.I. | | | | believe that anything was possible. |
| Joe, Superman, Spiderman, the Lone | | | | These mighty action figures were |
| Ranger and others marched, flew and rode | | | | invincible to everything but time. Time |
| off store shelves and into our lives. | | | | finally did them in. Or did it?For more |
| After short stops under the Christmas | | | | and more people, these action figures |
| tree or at birthday parties, these | | | | are returning to superhero status. The |
| action figures found their way into toy | | | | Star Trek crew along with Power Rangers, |
| boxes and playrooms around the | | | | the Star Wars characters and |
| world.These action figures did their | | | | transformers are popping up in offices, |
| superhero work of incredible feats, | | | | dens and family rooms everywhere. These |
| saving scores of lives and neutralizing | | | | action figures have become |
| villains. They accomplished these heroic | | | | collectibles.The most popular of these |
| deeds on lazy summer afternoons and | | | | action figures include G.I. Joe, Captain |
| rainy Saturday mornings in front of the | | | | Action, the Six Million Dollar Man, the |
| TV set. Too often, they also needed our | | | | Lone Ranger and the Mego line of action |
| help after school when we were supposed | | | | figures. These include characters from |
| to be doing homework.These superheroes | | | | Super Heroes, Planet of the Apes, Star |
| were always our friends and they helped | | | | Trek, Happy Days, CHIPs, Monsters and |
| us through our childhoods. They taught | | | | others. |