About Marvel Action Figures

A variety of companies have produced Marvel action figures over the years, all the way back to the 1960s. The most successful of these lines came from the Toy Biz company, which produced hundreds of different action figures from the late 1980s until 2007. That year, Toy Biz rebranded itself Marvel Toys. However, after securing other film licenses, the newly minted Marvel Toys sold its actual Marvel action figures line to rival company Hasbro. As of 2009, Hasbro produces all the Marvel action figures.

Buyout

Toy Biz, relying heavily on its Marvel line of action figures, bought Marvel Entertainment when the comics company was on the verge of bankruptcy--just to continue selling its toys.

Court Case

In a court case in 2003, Toy Biz argued that action figures were not dolls and should have the lower tariff of toys. After examining 60 action figures, the judge agreed Marvel's line were "nonhuman creatures."

Build-A-Figure

In 2005, Marvel action figures began packaging each figure with a piece of a larger figure. This became known as the "Build-A-Figure" concept.

Popular Line

The most successful lines of Marvel action figures have always been and continue to be those associated with Spider-Man and the X-Men.

Chase Figures

Certain characters that were unpopular were produced and shipped in lower quantities, creating higher demand among collectors. These were called "chase" figures because you had to "chase around for them."

Resources

• Marvel Toy Collector News
• Toy Biz History