![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/catalog\/1973\/images\/aj_costumes.JPG\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Action\u00a0Jackson’s 18 primary outfits are to this day somewhat ubiquitous,\u00a0and in a variety of packages.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0first series came in the illustrated boxes, featuring full\u00a0color paintings of the character in action (below, left).\u00a0It is believed that when the line failed the numerous costume\u00a0sets were “dumped” in Canada. The boxes were slapped\u00a0with a sticker advertising them as Outfits for Superheroes.(bottom)<\/p>\n
Presumably,\u00a0the generic AJ box was used when the initial print run of\u00a0illustrated boxes was used up. While illustrated boxes are\u00a0still common, the generic boxes are the ones that tend to\u00a0be found in bulk to this day.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0the UK, AJ was renamed Johnnie Jackson to avoid conflict with\u00a0Action Man. Action Jackson also had a bit of a following in\u00a0Italy as L’Amico Jackson. In France, he was Luc L’Adventure\u00a0(translation it’s “Luke Adventure”, it sounds wonky to anglais)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Mego](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/actionjackson\/images\/firerescuebox1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The early packages featured wonderfully painted images of Action Jackson acting out the adventure being sold.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Mego](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/actionjackson\/images\/redfrogman.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The painted boxes were replaced with a standard stock image that was generic. .<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Mego](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/actionjackson\/images\/superheroesoutfit.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Produced exclusively in Canada by Mego distributor Parkdale Novelty, who by the mid 1970s realised they had an overstock issue with the AJ outfits. Their attempt to lessen the inventory was to tie them into Mego’s more current lines such as Planet of the Apes, Mad Monsters and the World’s Greatest Superheroes. This is not truly a package variation as the existing inventory was merely stickered over with this bilingual header. These sets were marketed in the Canadian Sears and Eaton’s Catalogs.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/megomuseum.com\/megolibrary\/department\/images\/74eat.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Mego](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/actionjackson\/images\/jjsurf.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
In the UK< Mego distributor Cecil Coleman removed the “Action” (most likely to remove confusion between Palitoy’s “Action Man line) and AJ became JJ. Coleman also distributed the first waves of WGSH into the UK.. .<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
![\"Mego](\"http:\/\/www.megomuseum.com\/actionjackson\/images\/lucartic.jpg\")
<\/p>\n