[Snowflakian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordMudd

Also, 3 3/4 inch did come first. For them to bemoan us when they wouldn't even exist without us.....


CCC.

Actually 12'' came first.
The standard with articulation started with Bild Lilli then mainstreamed later as Barbie. Hasbro took that and made the first GI Joe, then from GI Joe it went to 3.75 with the RAH line in the 80s. Then came 4'' and other varied into 5'' with Toy Biz, Mattel, and Kenner. Which eventually led to the 6'' market of legends in the late 90s.

Kenners first Super powers line for DC was 1984. Mattel's Secret wars was 1984. The first GI Joe: RAH line was 1982. Mego's Pocket Heroes was 1979, Mego's comic action heroes was 1974, Mego's Marvel/DC 8'' figures were 1972. The first GI Joe was 1964. Barbie was 1959. And then Bild Lilli was 1955.

So action figures we know today came from Bild Lilli and Barbie's Ken. They were rebranded into the term "action figure" in 1964 because toy marketers felt that boys wouldn't play with "dolls" even though that's what they were.

The evolution of articulated action figures came from that.

So really, 12'' came first and 8'' was the first superhero figures. Then the smaller. And yes, they are all "dolls," even the figures of today. It's semantics and marketing as to why the term changed.