Action Force as a toy range has an interesting history.
If you are reading this, you probably already know most of it, but just to recap, and to explain some of the terminology, here is a brief history lesson.
The original concept behind the range, and indeed the original remit given to Palitoy designer Bob Brechin, was to produce miniature versions of the massively popular Action Man range.
Thus, in the initial stages, 19 figures were produced, mirroring the most popular Action Man toys. These are known amongst collectors as Series 1, or Phase 1, and were released in August 1982
They were a huge success. Palitoy decided to capitalise on their popularity, and began to design a bigger, better, more diverse, Action Force, one that enabled all sorts of imaginitive play, and which would be tied together by a weekly comic, Battle Action Force, which enabled flesh, in the form of stories, to be put on the bones of the toy range.
5 'teams' were put together: 4 'good guys' SAS, Z Force, Q Force, and Space Force, who worked together to defeat the 'bad guys' The Red Shadows, led by the diabolical Baron Ironblood.
Released in April(ish) 1983, they were a massive success. This is known as Series 2, or Phase 2A, amongst collectors.
The decision was made to expand the range, and in Early 1984 Palitoy launched a massive Action Force offensive, completely filling shelves with new products, including all new figures and vehicles, as well as continuing with old ones. This is called the Second Wave of series 2, or Phase 2B.
In Late 1984, Palitoy was bought out, and the toy range as it stood was discontinued in favour of the American GI Joe range, rebranded for British tastes.
So now, there was no Action Force as we knew it, rather a different Action Force battling Cobra as the enemy, no longer the Red Shadows (though Baron Ironblood had tranformed himself into Cobra Commander, and was leading Cobra).
This is Phase 3, and for me it marked the end of an era.
I will, of course, be touching upon Phase 3 and Cobra/AF, but this blog is really aimed at Phases 1 and 2, and the subsequent sub-phases in between.
A much better, and more satisfying history of Action Force can be read here, on the Blood For the Baron website, a hotbed of Action Force obsessives reliving their youth, whilst juggling cars, children, jobs, mortgages, and all that boring stuff.
If you are reading this, you probably already know most of it, but just to recap, and to explain some of the terminology, here is a brief history lesson.
The original concept behind the range, and indeed the original remit given to Palitoy designer Bob Brechin, was to produce miniature versions of the massively popular Action Man range.
Thus, in the initial stages, 19 figures were produced, mirroring the most popular Action Man toys. These are known amongst collectors as Series 1, or Phase 1, and were released in August 1982
They were a huge success. Palitoy decided to capitalise on their popularity, and began to design a bigger, better, more diverse, Action Force, one that enabled all sorts of imaginitive play, and which would be tied together by a weekly comic, Battle Action Force, which enabled flesh, in the form of stories, to be put on the bones of the toy range.
5 'teams' were put together: 4 'good guys' SAS, Z Force, Q Force, and Space Force, who worked together to defeat the 'bad guys' The Red Shadows, led by the diabolical Baron Ironblood.
Released in April(ish) 1983, they were a massive success. This is known as Series 2, or Phase 2A, amongst collectors.
The decision was made to expand the range, and in Early 1984 Palitoy launched a massive Action Force offensive, completely filling shelves with new products, including all new figures and vehicles, as well as continuing with old ones. This is called the Second Wave of series 2, or Phase 2B.
In Late 1984, Palitoy was bought out, and the toy range as it stood was discontinued in favour of the American GI Joe range, rebranded for British tastes.
So now, there was no Action Force as we knew it, rather a different Action Force battling Cobra as the enemy, no longer the Red Shadows (though Baron Ironblood had tranformed himself into Cobra Commander, and was leading Cobra).
This is Phase 3, and for me it marked the end of an era.
I will, of course, be touching upon Phase 3 and Cobra/AF, but this blog is really aimed at Phases 1 and 2, and the subsequent sub-phases in between.
A much better, and more satisfying history of Action Force can be read here, on the Blood For the Baron website, a hotbed of Action Force obsessives reliving their youth, whilst juggling cars, children, jobs, mortgages, and all that boring stuff.
