IDW Sets Date for Classic CAPTAIN ACTION Comics Hardcover Collection

Hang out in the Action Cave with Gil Kane and Wally Wood…

IDW has finally set a publication date for the long-anticipated hardcover collection of DC’s classic Captain Action comics: May 17, 2022.

Dig this description from Penguin Random House, which handles IDW in the book market:

CAPTAIN ACTION: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION
By Gil Kane, Wally Wood and Jim Shooter
Introduction by Mark Waid

A Classic from the Silver Age of Comics, unavailable for more than 50 years with art and stories by three legends! Completely re-mastered with all-new coloring that faithfully mimics the look of the original comics!

Captain Action is back in Action! The world’s first action figure, Captain Action burst onto the scene just as the ‘60s super hero craze was heating up. This volume lovingly celebrates the timeless tales from the Silver Age by top talents like Gil Kane, Wally Wood, and Jim Shooter, re-presented for the first time ever since they were first published nearly half a century ago. Also featuring Action Boy, Khem, the Silver Streak, and the fearsome Doctor Evil. All five of the original issues are here, along with some unexpected treasures!

A few thoughts:

— “Unexpected treasures!” Hmm, I wonder what those will be. Maybe the Ideal mini comic? Ads? Covers from later series? Card game images? I bet Captain Action maven Ed Catto can tell us in the comments!

— “All-new coloring that faithfully mimics the look of the original comics!” This I have to see. I’m really not a fan of using modern techniques to color older comics. But if this replicates the style and palette of the original issues — and presumably cleans them up a bit — I’m down.

— The 144-page hardcover lists for $29.99. By the way, the blurb says the comics were pubbed “nearly half a century ago.” It’s actually more than that. The five-issue series ran in 1968-69.

MORE

— The TOP 13 CAPTAIN ACTION Sets and Collectibles — RANKED, by MICHAEL EURY. Click here.

— A CAPTAIN ACTION Childhood, by JERRY ORDWAY. Click here.

— The Enduring Legacy of CAPTAIN ACTION, by JOE JUSKO. Click here.

Author: Dan Greenfield

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10 Comments

  1. “ “All-new coloring that faithfully mimics the look of the original comics!” This I have to see. I’m really not a fan of using modern techniques to color older comics.”

    100% agree. The original art was designed for a particular coloring process and trying to impose modern coloring techniques on it does it no favors, often rendering it murky and difficult to follow

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    • it’s odd they would tout new coloring, when that cover is obviously shot from the printed comics cover, dots and mis-registration and all.

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  2. I’m down for this! I’ve always wanted to read these comics, but I have never had the opportunity. I guess issue #1 will be included, despite the Superman cameo?

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    • Yup Issue #1 inclusive of the Superman cameo is included!

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  3. Yes the full issue #1 with Superman cameo is included!

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  4. Now when are we getting Jackie Gleason and The Honeymooners, Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope Collections? If IDW,DC and whomever owns the rights to “Captain Action” can get THIS done, what about some of the other stuff?

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  5. I want the dots. I hate modern printing and color. Everything looks too clean.

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  6. The world’s first action figure, you say?
    Um, hardly.

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    • Not the world’s first action figure. That was GIJOE.. However the first Super Hero Action figure! 🙂

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  7. More than half a century ago? Couldn’t be. I remember when it came out, and I’m not that ol– Oh, wait, looks like I am.

    They’re promising faithful coloring that captures the look of the original comics. It’s certainly possible to do it, even using modern techniques. So let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, until we actually see it.

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