The Louis Marx & Co toy company was
the "800 hundred pound Gorilla" of the toy world for
many decades. During the fifties, Marx Toys not only pioneered
the use of Hong Kong factories to make toys, but also supplied
over 20% of all the toys in America.
In the late fifties and throughout the sixties
and seventies, Marx made many series of 6" plastic figures.
Although most were generic sets, such as soldiers, cowboys, and
astronauts, a few were made from popular licenses such as Disney
and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Marvel characters were also made for one
brief period in time. In addition to the great Iron Man pictured
here, Marx also made Daredevil, Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America,
and Thor. These figures appeared in colors of green, blue, red,
and orange plastic, although a small quantity of fully painted
sets were sent out through the Marvel fan club.
In my opinion, this is one of the best Iron Man toys we will ever
see. He is in human proportions for a change, all the details
are correct (as near as possible for 1960s technology, anyway),
and he is in the "classic" armor. why, oh, why can't
some toy company release a set of articulated figures modeled
after this set?
