Super Powers Collection

Probably one of the all time coolest action figures line was the Super Powers Collection from Kenner. Winning the license away from Mego Corporation and Mattel with their emphasis on action and art, Kenner devised hidden mechanisms within the figures that would trigger an action when the figures legs or arms were squeezed. This emphasis on each figure's "super power" led to the naming of the line - The Super Powers Collection. Each figure in the first two series were also packaged with a mini-comic featuring that character's adventures.

The first figure my brother and I got was Green Lantern. Looking back at those figures now you can clearly see that they were better sculpted and crafted then others. Three series of figures were released each years from 1984 to 1986. As seen in the pictures, I still own most of them apart from Batman, Flash and Red Tornado, which seem to have been lost somewhere...

After 10 years of chronicling the history of the Super Powers Collection, in 2003 toy historian Jason Geyer's ToyOtter website revealed the never seen designs for the unmade Series Four, Five, and Six, along with vehicles, playsets and a deluxe "Power Plus" figure line. The most famous of these is the Man-Bat figure, of which an actual prototype was created.

I still also own the Hall of Justice, which as quickly become my three years old son favorite playset. I wish that kick ass Tower of Darkness would had been released back in the days.