13 Great CAPTAIN ACTION OUTFITS That Never Were

TOYHEM! Anything is possible when you go shopping in your imagination…

Welcome to TOYHEM! For the sixth straight holiday season, we’re bringing you a series of features and columns celebrating the toys of our youth, which often made for the best memories this time of year. Click here to check out the complete index of stories — and have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah and Happy Holidays! — Dan

UPDATED 12/7/24: Dig this fave from the TOYHEM! vaults! It originally ran in 2021 but we’re bringing it back because artist Mark Menendez now has a bunch MORE GREAT CAPTAIN ACTION OUTFITS THAT NEVER WERE. Click here and let justice be done! — Dan

Never underestimate the power and creativity of the superfan. Take artist Mark Menendez, who certainly qualifies as a Captain Action fan supreme.

This holiday season, Mark has been posting online a run of imaginary Captain Action uniform sets that never were — but can live in your imagination thanks to his digital wizardry. His passion reminds me of the inventiveness of Brian Dailey, who a couple years ago designed a series of groovy action figures based on the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon. (Click here to check that out. It’s righteous.)

Anyway, I’ve picked my favorites of the sets Mark has posted, so dig 13 GREAT CAPTAIN ACTION OUTFITS THAT NEVER WERE:

Love the Jerry Robinson styling.

I still can’t believe there wasn’t a Red Skull Mego.

Sha-BOOM!

With two-way wrist-radio, natch.

The greatest criminal mind of our time!

Why didn’t we get one of these? The Shadow knows…

I think this and the Joker set are my faves. What am I saying? I know they are!

Lone Ranger needed a baddie too!

Another comic-strip superstar.

Guy Williams! Alex Toth!

Ocean Master swims against the current.

Just check out the detail on this one.

Even a new Dr. Evil box!

MORE

— The Complete TOYHEM! Index of Features and Columns. Click here.

— MORE Great CAPTAIN ACTION OUTFITS That Never Were. Click here.

Author: Dan Greenfield

Share This Post On

12 Comments

  1. Oh man, these are GORGEOUS. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Guy Williams as Zorro. I love that series, and he’s my favorite Zorro, hands down. The rest are wonderful as well!

    Post a Reply
  2. I’ve been following these, too! Awesome work, Mark and a great write-up, Dan! Of course, I’m partial to that Captain Marvel outfit! And kudos, Mark, for adding Captain Marvel under the SHAZAM! lógó!

    Post a Reply
  3. Absolutely fantastic! The Captain and his Superman outfit were under our tree in 1967.

    Post a Reply
  4. Mark did an incredible job on those!

    Post a Reply
  5. Wow !!! These are freaking awesome!

    Post a Reply
  6. These are incredible. Can you post a link to his other CA outfits? Took the link to his site but I’m finding them there.

    Post a Reply
    • He posts them on FB. There’s no single place to find them, so I put together this piece.

      Post a Reply
  7. Wow, stunning work and brilliant execution

    Post a Reply
  8. Beautiful!

    I could see other pairings, such as Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Sinestro, The Flash and Mirror Master, Thor and Loki, Iron Man and The Mandarin, along with The THUNDER Agents (Dynamo, Lightning, NoMan, and Raven) and their villains (Subterranean Warlord, Andor, and Warp Wizard).

    Post a Reply
  9. Nice! I did a similar list many years ago on Infinite Hollywood. Only one we both have here are Dick Tracy! I’ve posted the link on my name. Check it out.

    Post a Reply
  10. These have to be made to come into exitance. Someone somewhere had to pick up the ball and run with it!

    Post a Reply
  11. These renditions are great. If anyone is interested in actually getting a custom-made box of many of these characters for Captain Action, Action Boy, Dr. Evil or Super-Queens (minus costumes), I’m a graphic artist and I created many of them for a wonderful eBay seller/printer named named Mark who goes under the eBay user name: time-machine. If you look him up on eBay you will find boxes for Ideal’s released characters. HOWEVER, a few years ago I provided him art files to be able to also professionally print out complete 1960’s styled boxes & inserts for: Flash, Kid Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Speedy, Black Canary, Catwoman, Joker, Riddler, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Black Manta ~+~ Bucky, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Black Widow, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Dr. Doom, Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, Marvel Girl, Nick Fury, Red Skull, Loki ~+~ Tarzan, The Shadow, Mandrake, Dick Tracy, Zorro ~+~ Space Ghost, Birdman, Mightor, Young Samson, Dr. Quest, Race Bannon, Jonny Quest, Hadji, Dr. Zin ~+~ Speed Racer, Racer X, Captain Terror ~+~ Star Trek’s Kirk & Spock, James Bond, Man from UNCLE’s Solo & Kuryakin. So contact Mark a/k/a time-machine on eBay and inquire. His printed boxes are of great quality. Tell him you heard it from Ron. : )

    Post a Reply

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: