Its Friday and 3:30 in
the morning and I’m jacked up on
Diet Dr. Pepper and
Twizzlers, suddenly I hear
“when are you coming to bed its 3:30 for Christ sakes” it’s the wife. I fire
back in a minute I’m just shutting down the computer. But I know that’s not
going to happen, no bed tonight not when there is 15 minuets left and I am the
high bidder. The prize a vintage
1960s Captain Action and by the description
he’s almost mint. I refresh the screen 10 minutes left “wow I’m gone get this
one…Yes YEs YES” then suddenly OUT BID $45…. Sh#t! I quickly counter bid $50,
55, 60, 75 ……Sh#t Sh#t Sh#t she’s going to kill me, Dam I can't believe I just
did that ….come on someone out bid me…ANYONE!!. I do one final refresh 42
seconds left... Come on someone bid dam it bid…Refresh…DAM I WON, $75 for a
doll, #!@# I’m a dead man...
Well this is
more or less how I won my first Vintage Captain Action and yes I over paid and
the wife did let me have it, especially when the Captain turned out to be less
than mint and after shipping it cost $85.
When the good Captain finally arrived he smelled like old
socks in fact he was so bad I had to keep him in the garage. At closer
inspection I noticed the figure had some undisclosed modifications like the
initials JBF across his back in red marker, a broken knee, and a black foot. In
addition his left boot looked like the family pooch used it as a chew toy. I
quickly read over the auction description and sure enough it was all listed, how
could I have missed it? I it must have been the Dr. Pepper, I thought to myself
“I’m hosed”.
A strange thing happened despite everything it was a 1960’s
Captain Action and I suddenly felt like I found a long lost friend who was
missing for thirty plus years. At the time I owned a Playing Mantis reproduction
Captain Actions but it just seemed like it was missing something. The Ideal
captain definitely has something, the feel of the boots the color of the skin
and hair; the metal snaps on the suit, and the stern and very serous look on his
face. Lets face it the Playing Mantis Captain is great but you can’t beat the
Ideal version.
I immediately set out on a quest to rescue and restore
this icon of my youth black foot and all. Along the way I picked up some good
tips and some not so good ones as well as a few more Captain Actions. And that
Captain (my favorite) well he’s 100% restored with a new leg and foot, he is the
one depicted on my home page and no he’s not for sale at any price.
The rescuing a friend section of this website is
dedicated to all of our childhood friends that we have recovered from flee
markets, trashcans, garage sales and grandmas basement. It will be a regular
series geared toward the restoration of 1/6th action figures.
