The PopCult Toybox
One of the most rare Captain Action collectible items from the vintage era of 1966-69 was the Captain Action Card Game, which was a mail-in premium, available only to kids who devoured Kool-Pops frozen treats.
The Captain Action card game AND the Kool-Pops package–a holy grail among collectors
Complete sets of this card game go for over a hundred bucks easily–way more than that if they’re in mint condition. The original Kool-Pops packages go for even more and are considered one of the hardest-to-find collectibles of the 1960s superhero boom.
A couple of days ago, Captain Action Enterprises, LLC (CAE), in cooperation with veteran game designers and developers Harold Sipe and Meg Stivison, announced a new card game based on the beloved Captain Action properties. The team will bring Captain Action, Dr. Evil, Lady Action and the entire mythology to gamers and action figure fans in 2016 as part of Captain Action’s 50th Anniversary.
Prototype art for the new card game’s package
The redesigned Captain Action card game will be based in part on the classic send-away card game first introduced in 1967, and will offer fans the thrill of seeing a deck that calls back to the classic deck but with updated mechanics and fun factor.
The design of the box and deck will closely mirror the original pack and have a cool retro visual appeal while keeping the promise of “3-in-1 Play” from the original game.
The Captain Action card game deck includes Action Boy, Lady Action, Dr. Evil and all aspects of the Captain Action mythology. Easy to learn and easy to play, the deck will be a fun party game for 2 – 6 players.
Don’t expect to see these guys from the original game
Of course, the new game won’t have the licensed characters who appeared in the original game. Signing on to include DC, Marvel, King Features Syndicate and other licensors would make the set too expensive to produce. Luckily, there have been some more recent additions to the Captain Action canon that will more than take up the slack.
Prototype card art by Paul Gulacy, showing Lady Action, who was not in the original game
“We are really proud to be working with CAE as part of the Captain’s 50th Anniversary,” says Captain Action card game co-designer Harold Sipe. “As fans of Captain Action and gamers ourselves, we have a unique opportunity not only to honor the first superhero action figure but also create a fun, casual game that can be played by fans or anyone who enjoys a fast-paced party game.”
Prototype card art by Carmine Infantino and Joe Orlando
“We are especially excited for this project as it has the perfect balance of nostalgia and forward-thinking freshness. Harold’s team has done a fantastic job hitting just the right note. And we can’t help but say that this makes the 6-year-old kid in us hungry for Kool-Pops!”, said Ed Catto of Captain Action Enterprises. “With Captain Action’s 50th Anniversary rapidly approaching, the fan base will be looking for both retro and new takes on the Captain.”
Vintage card art that will return in the new game, art by Murphy Anderson
The game will be released in 2016 and will include both classic art from Captain Action packaging plus new artwork from comics and animation greats. Artist line-up announcements, exclusive decks for major comic conventions and release date will be announced in Fall 2015.
We’ll keep you posted on further developments here in PopCult, and you’ll also want to check back in a few weeks for a comprehensive photo/review of all of the year’s new Captain Action products released so far.
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