ACTION MAN
Atomic Man 1977
Period: Flocked Head
Dates: 1977 until c.1979
Cat No: 34060
Atomic Man Description:
"This powerful member of the Action Man Team has signaling eye, Atomic heart pacemaker, Atomic leg and Atomic arm to power his Rotocopter". In 1977 Palitoy released the Hasbro designed 'Atomic Man' key figure. He came in basic black jumpsuit (with diagonal zip) and carried a two piece 4 bladed silver plastic Rotocopter. His body featured transparent leg and arm plastics - revealing the mechanical jointing and pegs (in silver plastics). His right eye lit up if a direct pinpoint of light was shone onto an oval window on the top of his head, as there was a transparent channel linking the two inside. Anyone who grew up during this era would note the superhuman enhancements shared more than a passing similarity with the 13" Steve Austin - the Six Million Dollar Man figure licenced to Kenner in 1975. Not to be outdone Hasbro had released 'Mike Powers - Atomic Man' - swopping the 'bionic' for 'Atomic' and resulting in a new figure concept for Action Man. Palitoy took this figure to the UK and added flock hair, and a push button 'Atomic Heart Pacemaker' on his chest in the 'Pop-o-matic' style game of the same era! It basically would make a clicking noise when depressed. His back carried the patent information of Palitoy / Hasbro. He carries his facial scar to the opposite side to Action Man.
Action Man Atomic Man:
34060:
ATOMIC MAN: Jumpsuit, 2 piece rotocopter blades, Instruction Leaflet (L250), Star Card, Equipment Manual.
Notes:
The Atomic Man figure is elastic strung in the original figure style. The gripping hands suffer from the hardening problem and go dry and crumble. The figure shown has had later gripping hands from a 1981 figure swapped but he retains the original wrist pegs. The jumpsuit is Action Man labeled and has distinctive diagonal zip and silver arm stripes, which sometime discolour closer to gold. The black rectangular badge is the same silver printed 'eagle' design as the German Stormtrooper (but not identical to the the Red Devil's wings badge so want swap over), is poorly affixed and is usually absent. The internals of the right arm are new - featuring a shaft and cog which moved within when he held the 4 bladed rotocopter and it was spun. The signaling eye could be fed by a bright light, down a small oval window in the figures hair and make his eye light up - much in the same way as the headlights on the Corgi Rover 2000 car model which had it's channel in the rear window.
Action Man Atomic Man signaling with his eye
Action Man Atomic Man
Action Man Atomic Man 'signaling eye'
Action Man Atomic Man eye light receptor
Atomic Man with Rotocopter
Atomic Man Rotocopter detail
Action Man Atomic Man figure
Action Man Atomic Man press button 'Atomic Heart Pacemaker'
Action Man Atomic Man 'Atomic Arm'
Action Man Atomic Man Leg detail
Atomic Man Patent information - still quoting the 1964 patent for body construction
Action Man Tom Stone Boxes
Atomic Man 1977 Box artwork (courtesy of Vectis Auctions)
Atomic Man 1977 Box artwork (courtesy of Vectis Auctions)
Atomic Man Trade Box (image courtesy of Vectis Auctions)
Action Man Atomic Man repro badges
