What Happened to Big Jim? | Your Thumb Still Remembers.

In 1972, Mattel introduced a ten-inch action figure who wasn't a soldier, wasn't a spaceman, and wasn't based on any TV show or movie. His name was Big Jim, and he could do everything — box, ski, wrestle, scuba dive, climb mountains, and race Formula One cars. He came out of the box in orange shorts with a karate chop arm and a bicep that flexed when you pressed it. Everything else, you bought separately. And that was the genius. Big Jim's world was massive. The Sports Camper van. The Rescue Rig with working crane. The Sky Commander helicopter. Olympic sports sets for boxing, skiing, basketball. His crew included Big Jack — one of the first respectful African-American action figures in toy history — along with Big Josh and Big Jeff. By 1975, the line evolved into the P.A.C.K., Professional Agents Crime Killers, with secret agent missions, villains like Dr. Steel and Zorak, and packaging art drawn by Jack Kirby — the legendary comic book artist who created Captain America, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. Star Wars killed him. When Kenner released three-and-three-quarter-inch figures in 1977, the economics were brutal: four Star Wars figures for the price of one Big Jim. The era of the large action figure was over. Mattel pulled Big Jim from American shelves with no announcement, no farewell. But Europe kept him alive. Italian, German, French, and Spanish kids played with Big Jim for another decade. In Latin America he was Kid Acero. And the mold for Big Jim's pet tiger was later repurposed to create Battle Cat — He-Man's legendary mount in Masters of the Universe. Big Jim was the third most popular action figure line ever made, behind only G.I. Joe and Star Wars. He was never reissued. If you still have yours, press the button. It still clicks. #BigJim #Mattel #WhatHappenedTo #BeforeItVanished #VintageToys #1970sToys #ActionFigures #KarateChop #PACK #JackKirby #Nostalgia #BoyhoodMemories #BigJack #BattleCat #MastersOfTheUniverse #StarWars