The first television show that was ‘appointment TV’ for me was The Six Million Dollar Man.
To this day, it still has the best opening credits sequence, even better than Star Trek.
I was one of the many kids who had a Steve Austin action figure back in the day.
Not my original toys, images found on the internet.
This was the toy I played with practically every day in the mid 1970s.
30 plus years later, I started collecting 12″ GI Joes and other 1/6th scale figures. I even started to track down and buy custom head sculpts for these figures, including a Lee Majors figure that didn’t look that much like Lee Majors. I dressed him in a khaki officer’s outfit so he’d look somewhat like he usually did on the show.
A few years later I picked up a couple of ‘cybernetic’ figures from Cotswold Collectibles. They came with clear limbs, much like the original Mike Power, the Adventure Team’s answer to the Six Million Dollar Man.
A few weeks back, Cotswold’s Facebook page showed off some items that an overseas customizer would be selling at Joelanta, an Atlanta-based GI Joe trade show. Among the items was a track suit that looked a lot like the one the original figure wore. When I commented that I was interested in it, they said that they would try to get some for their online store.
Then my friend John chimed in and said that he was going to Joelanta, and asked if I wanted him to pick one up for me, and I said yes.
John messaged me from the convention, where he was able to find the guy selling the item, and he also managed to get a pair of boots for the suit, since it didn’t come with any. A day or so later he shipped it off to me and I Paypal’d the money to him.
The ‘Joelanta care package’ arrived Friday morning.
Austin Power, Colonel Austin, Bionic Bungo
I suppose he kinda looks like Lee Majors. Or Charles Grodin.
The suit!
Former OSI agent Colonel Steve Austin, now part of my Adventure Team, in charge of Cyber Ops. Also responsible for training the Cyber Operatives.
Again, on the right, not my original, which I tossed out some time in the early 80s. I found this guy on eBay.
The original engine block that came with the vintage figure.
Running…. nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh….
He always jumped or landed in this position on TV…
I’m impressed with the look and styling of the suit.
The Colonel with his trainees.