Justice is in the cards …
Art by the late, great Murphy Anderson
I’m not going to pretend that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to Captain Action.
But I do know what I’m talking about when I see what he inspires — a special, fervent, almost cultish love.
See, I was born just a bit too late to be a Captain Action kid: I’ve found that a few years can make all the difference between being a CA devotee and a Megohead. I fall into that latter camp by the vagaries of fate and genetics. Were I born when my older sister was, it’d be a completely different story.
Captain Action, to me, has been one of those exotic things you discover after the fact. I first saw him not in toy stores or in advertisements when he came out. Rather, I saw him in ads in back issues of DC Comics.
This year marks Captain Action’s 50th anniversary, and I’m determined to explore his legacy in an almost anthropological way and through the most likely avenue: His modern incarnation.
I’ve written recently about his forthcoming Ultraman costume (click here) and I’ve been reporting on the progress of Kickstarters (click here) and non-traditional merchandise (click here).
This time, it’s the Captain Action cards. Harold Sipe and Meg Stivison have been in the process of putting together a modern version of the ’60s Captain Action card game, which was something kids used to get as Kool-Pops premiums back in the day.
But Sipe not only has the Captain Action Enterprises guys — Ed Catto and Joe Ahearn — along with him, he’s got top-flight comics artists like Paul Gulacy, Jerry Ordway and Steve Lightle too.
Plus, there are contributions from the late Murphy Anderson (whose work graced Captain Action ads and packaging in the ’60s) and one of my favorite comics satirists, Kerry Callen.
Just take a look:
Gulacy
Anderson
“Fans of CA will recognize the design of the cards and packaging as a throwback to the 1967 game,” Sipe explained. “And while the game mechanics have been updated, retro fans will be glad to know that the card deck still supports three different games.”
Kerry Callen’s Lady Action concept art. She’s like Claudine Auger crossed with Ursula Andress.
Sipe says they hope to release the game by midyear. For updates, keep reading 13th Dimension and check out the Captain Action Facebook page …
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