Captain Action #1

Captain Action #1 (On Sale: August 29, 1968) has a cover by Irv Novick. OK, I have to admit as a kid and the proud owner of a Captain Action doll, I was jazzed when this hit the stands and grabbed me a copy immediately.

"Origin of Captain Action" is by Jim Shooter and Wally Wood. This was my first exposure to the legendary Wally Wood and I loved what I saw. While on an archaeological dig in Spain Professor Clive Arno uncovers evidence that shows the Gods of many ancient cultures were actually the same alien beings. He also finds a box of coins that grant him the powers of the gods. His assistant Krellik tries to steal the coins, but is prevented from doing so. Arno then returns to America with the coins with the intention of becoming a super-hero named Captain Action.

When Arno reveals his plans to his son Carl, the boy shows him a newspaper in which Captain Action is shown as a criminal. Arno realizes that Krellik has taken his idea and corrupted it using the powers granted to him by evil gods.

When Krellik strikes again dressed as Captain Action in an attempt to frame Arno for his crime, Superman is there to stop him. However, the real Captain Action accompanied by Carl, now the costumed Action Boy push Superman out of the way to battle Krellik. While the crook escapes from the first battle, Captain Action tracks down his foe again, but is nearly killed when Krellik finds a cache of weapons left on Earth by the aliens.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.