Inaction Heroes

Inaction Heroes

I’ve got a real appreciation for these well sculpted Marx figures now but I have to be honest, as a kid I did not enjoy them. Occasionally I’d find a Superhero or a soldier in someone’s toy box and think “who’d want this?”. I guess I was spoiled by Mego at that point, so much articulation.

Now I’ve got some of the Universal Monsters on my desk as I type this, odd how that works..

About The Author

Mantooth
AKA Brian Heiler author of "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" and co-editor of "Toy-Ventures Magazine". Co-Host of the "Pod Stallions" podcast. Host of the Brick Mantooth Youtube channel, painter, designer, writer, mental health advocate, toy collector, Mego, and Mego Knock-Off enthusiast. I have large feet, ADHD and I live in Canada. Talk toys, not others.

14 Comments

  • Ian Sokoliwski on June 16, 2009

    See, if I had gotten these, I'd be so tempted to just take minatures paint to 'em. I'm all defacement-happy like that.

  • plasticfetish on June 16, 2009

    The nice thing about them, was that you could really trash them–light them on fire, bury them in cement, toss 'em off a cliff–and it wasn't a huge loss.

  • Arkonbey on June 16, 2009

    Those are nicely sculpted. The Iron Man breaking chains is nice, if not very play-able.

  • rob! on June 16, 2009

    Why is Spider-Man surrendering?

  • JFStan on June 16, 2009

    I have quite a collection of Marx figs.. The Astronauts are some of my favs. There's also a cowboy being shot, and he actually has an exit wound in his back! They don't make 'em like they used to!!

  • Anonymous on June 16, 2009

    Back in the late 70's early 80's every kid on my block had at least one Marx set (Battleground, Fort Apache, Navarone, Iwo Jima)
    They were some of the coolest soldiers ever produced. Hours of fun and many memories. Unfortunately most of mine got tossed in the trash when I got older. I'd give my left nut for them back.

  • Arkonbey on June 16, 2009

    @Rob! He's not surrendering, he's being a scarrrrry ghoooooost! Oooooooo!

  • John III on June 16, 2009

    Actually that's not Spider-man is it? Hard to tell but I think it's one of the classic monsters. Creature from the Black lagoon or Dracula? He's standing next to Wolfman. Brian? Can you help us?

  • Anonymous on June 16, 2009

    My brother and I used to set these up and blast 'em with dart guns. The favorite target was the cowboy with the bullet wound. I remember that if you hit him just right, he'd do this funny spin.

  • rob! on June 16, 2009

    Its not Spidey? I assumed it was, with the underarm webbing thing going there.

    It's, from L to R, Spidey, Hulk, DD, Cap, Thor, and Iron Man—right?

  • Arkonbey on June 17, 2009

    Definitely Spider-Man.

    check out this detail shot of Iron Man. Now that's some niece molding for the early sixties!

    verification word: Henses. What female chickens use in their glasses, telescopes and cameras

  • John III on June 17, 2009

    Cool, thanks for the closeups. What the heck is Spiderman doing then? The Hokey-Pokey?

  • Monsterforge on June 17, 2009

    Oooooooo… I had some of the astronauts and the superheroes. Such fun memories!

  • narvolicious on June 17, 2009

    Man, those astronauts and cowboys were slightly before my time…but they're way awesome. I didn't start playing with toy soldiers til I was like 6-7 (1977-78) so by that time it was the green army men like in Toy Story. Those Marx soldiers above are way more detailed. Killer!

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