Action Man is more than just a catalogue of features, uniforms and accessories; it is the biography of a hero. It should appeal not only to the new generation of Action Man fans but also to collectors and to those who remember the original, for whom this will be a nostalgic look back at the life and times of a much-loved toy. Action Man burst into the shops in 1966 and has been one of the most popular action toys ever since. In the years that followed he was given a voice, flocked hair, those famous eagle eyes, hands that grip and a jointed body which allows him to sit - even an action hero has to rest every now and then. After a brief period of retirement in the 1980s our hero gave up his pipe, slippers and cocoa to return to the fray - and less than a decade later, second-generation Action Man was named UK Number 1 Boys' Action Figure.