Articulating the Action Figure: Essays on the Toys and Their Messages

Action figures are more than toys or collectibles—they are statements on race, gender, class, body positivity and more. This collection of nine new essays and one interview argues that action figures should be analyzed in the same light as books, movies, television shows and other media. Through an examination of the plastic bodies that fill our shelves and toy boxes, “action figure studies” can inform the next generation of toys.