action figures

Dolls that are typically used for play by boys rather than girls, or as collectibles for adult males, characterized by being representations of comic book characters, military people, sports figures, movie or television characters, or other characters who take part in heroic or adventurous activities. The figures are usually male, although they may occasionally be female. They often have unnatural, overdeveloped musculature; they may have movable joints that allow the characters to hold various weapons or strike various poses. The term was coined by Hasbro corporation in 1964 to market a "G.I. Joe" military-themed doll to boys. The legal case "Toy Biz v. United States" determined that for purposes of tariffs, action figures produced by Toy Biz/Marvel Comics were toys, not dolls, because they represent "nonhuman creatures."