He may have faded from our toy shelves in the 1970s but in Europe, Big Jim was kind of a big deal. How big a deal? In this 1984 Mattel Italy catalog, Big Jim has as many pages as Masters of the Universe. By this time, the Big Jim line is firmly set in the future with flashy villains, heroes, giant play sets and transforming vehicles. It is one of the most underrated and attractive action figure lines of our life times.

While Big Jim had become an adventurer, cowboy, spy and pirate in Europe, by the early 80s the line had become entrenched in science fiction themes and they basically took over.

The dolls now had revised head sculpts and gripping hands.

Astros uses the Big Jeff/Tarzan head sculpt, the others are exclusive to the European Jim lines.

It's funny that Karate Gi was never not a part of the Big Jim line.

Some of the left overs from the Spy series of the late 1970s.

Even the basic outfits now had a Science Fiction flair.

Loving deluxe Big Jim here.

I was always an easy mark for scuba suits as a kid, I had every one I ever saw.

This transforming vehicle is pretty fantastic.

That is a heavily retooled Howler above.

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The helicopter seems oddly out of place with the rest of this stuff.

This playset is fantastic, lucky Italian kids!

More Big Jim than you can handle!

 

 

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