Dr. X (Action Man)
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The following article is a list of characters who have appeared in various media across the
Action Man Action Man is an action figure launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "movable fighting man", G.I. Joe. Action Man was originally produced and sold in the United Kingdom and Australia by Palitoy Ltd of ...
franchise, including the original Palitoy toyline, the subsequent Hasbro toy line, the Panini Comics series, various video games, and the two Action Man TV shows, from USA in 1995 and from Canada in 2000.


Heroes


Action Man

The eponymous protagonist of the franchise, first introduced as an action figure in 1966 as a British equivalent to
G.I. Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), A ...
. The character soon developed his own identity as an action hero, rather than being specifically a military figure. Although the appearance and backstory of Action Man has varied over time and across different media, the scar on the character's right cheek has remained consistent. In the
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
toy line and the Panini Comics canon, he is depicted as the leader of the heroic '
Action Force Action Force is a brand of European action figures released in the 1980s that was based on the ''Action Man'' toyline. It was also used to introduce ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toys to European markets. Several publishing companies have ...
' team. He is advanced in many forms of martial arts and has a large arsenal of weapons and vehicles. In the 1995 TV series, the character is depicted as a man suffering from
amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or brain diseases,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be temporarily caused by t ...
who leads the Action Force in their fight against the evil Dr. X and his terrorist organisation. He often has brief flashbacks of his past which are triggered by certain events. He later learns that his real name is Matthew Exler, and that he's actually the brother of Dr. X (Dorian Exler). In the 2000 TV series, Action Man was reimagined as extreme sports athlete Alex Mann of 'Team Xtreme'. He has a special ability called an AMP (Advanced Macro Probability) Factor, a result of secret experiments by his former coach Simon Grey. The AMP Factor allows Alex to see every possibility in a situation but in order to use it he has to feel a triggering adrenaline rush. Action Man was released as a
G.I. Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), A ...
figure in 2004 and was a
Toys R Us A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and ...
Night Force set exclusive. The character was originally planned to have a starring role in an early script for '' G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra''. The Action Man character was again rebooted by
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...
in 2016 for a four-issue limited comic book series set within the Hasbro Comic Book Universe. In this series, 'Action Man' is a title held by the lead agent in the secret British intelligence operation, the Action Man Programme, with Agent Ian Noble as the current Action Man. This incarnation of the character was subsequently featured in the "
Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
" and " First Strike" crossover storylines alongside several other Hasbro characters.


Flynt

An Australian member of Action Force introduced in 2004 alongside Red Wolf. A lover of action and
extreme sports Action sports, adventure sports or extreme sports are activities perceived as involving a high degree of risk of injury or death. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and highly specialized gear. Extre ...
, Flynt is typically seen with his dirt rider or snowboard and was often depicted with an arm in a cast due to sporting injuries. Two action figures of Flynt were released and the character was featured regularly in Action Man comics as well as the 2004 film '' Action Man: Robot Atak'' and its sequels. His only video game appearance came in the adaptation of '' Robot Atak'', where he was a playable character.


Red Wolf

A Native American archer and Action Force member introduced in 2004, alongside Flynt. As well as his bow and arrows, he is equipped with a Wavin pipe and
tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Native Americans in the United States, Indian peoples and nations of North America, traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. Etymology The name comes from Powhatan langu ...
. Three action figures were released by
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
, the second of which came with a canoe. In 2005, he was seen with a section of his hair died red, an indicator of the time he successfully wrestled a
bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...
. Red Wolf was a recurring character in Panini's Action Man comic book from his introduction up to the finale of the series and featured in each of the direct-to-DVD Action Man films. He was also a playable character in the video game '' Action Man: Robot Atak''.


Natalie Poole

A member of the Action Force seen in the 1995 TV series. Hasbro released a single, now rare, action figure which had a kicking action. At Joecon 2010, a convention exclusive
Q-Force ''Q-Force'' is an American adult animated comedy television series created by Gabe Liedman for Netflix. In April 2019, Netflix ordered 10 episodes of the series, with Liedman as a showrunner, along with Sean Hayes, Michael Schur, Todd Milline ...
action figure of Natalie Poole was released and came with a 'Silent Attack'
canoe A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...
. Poole is the only female Action Man character for which Hasbro produced any toys. In ''G.I. Joe vs. Cobra JoeCon Special'' #3 (2010) published by
Fun Publications Fun Publications was a publishing company that ran the Transformers Collectors Club and the G.I. Joe Collectors Club under license from Hasbro. Besides releasing comics, Fun Publications released exclusive toys and ran conventions for their clubs ...
, Natalie is shown as a member of the Action Force. In ''Revolutionaries'' #7 (June 2017), part of the Hasbro Comic Book Universe published by
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...
, Natalie is shown as a member of Team Extreme alongside Action Man.


Knuck Williams

Knuck was a military member of the
Action Force Action Force is a brand of European action figures released in the 1980s that was based on the ''Action Man'' toyline. It was also used to introduce ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toys to European markets. Several publishing companies have ...
in the 1995 TV series, always sporting a beret and camo gear. Like Natalie Poole, a single action figure of Knuck Williams was manufactured by Hasbro during the 1990s.


Jacques

A French wheelchair-bound boy and member of
Action Force Action Force is a brand of European action figures released in the 1980s that was based on the ''Action Man'' toyline. It was also used to introduce ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toys to European markets. Several publishing companies have ...
in the 1995 TV series. He was in charge of the team's computer works.


Krunch

Duane Curtis, also known as 'Krunch', was a professional boxer and ally of Action Man. A single limited edition 12" action figure was released by Hasbro in 1996, which included a
title belt A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...
accessory. Also included in the box was a mini Action Man comic book produced by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
, in which Krunch battles Professor Gangrene.


RAID

RAID (Randomly Acquired Intelligent Dog) is the pet dog of Action Man. He first appeared in the 1995 TV series and would later appear sporadically in the Panini Comics series. Several different action figures of Raid were released, the final one in 2003. RAID became the poster-dog for the SPCA after Action Man aggressively chastised him for urinating on his new rug, prompting outrage from the public. The dog who played RAID went on to have success playing Cerberus in the Broadway adaption of "Hercules in New York".


Villains


Dr. X

Dr. X (real name
Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Laszlo Huszar II, or Dorian Exler in the 1995 TV series) is the main antagonist of the franchise, introduced in 1993. He is a psychopathic and misanthropic mastermind bent on world domination and is prepared to reach his goal by any means necessary. He is Action Man's archenemy and it is always up to Action Man and Action Force to stop his evil plans and save the world. Despite his varying appearance over the years, his bionic hand/arm and eye (sometimes covered by an eye patch) remain consistent. He is the leader of the paramilitary terrorist organisation named 'Council of Doom' and has had many villainous teammates, scientists, and right hand men. In the 2000 TV series, Dr. X was depicted as a handicapped scientist who worked with Simon Grey to help humanity in case of a nuclear war. This included creating Action Man's AMP factor. However, Simon left because he thought Dr. X's methods were genocidal. Unabated, Dr. X continued his work on 'neo-humanity', eventually transplanting his mind in to the body of Action Man's sporting rival Brandon Cane in an attempt to obtain immortality. Driven by insanity and believing that the world is no longer worth ruling, he even attempted to throw a meteor onto the planet in order to ensure the planet's destruction. In the 2016 comic series by
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...
, the original Doctor X dies in a confrontation with then-Action Man, Agent Mike Brogan. His corpse is destroyed by traitorous AMP Agent Mercy Gale who adopts his identity to manipulate global conflicts. Gale receives an X-shaped scar after being non-fatally shot by current Action Man, Agent Ian Noble.


Professor Gangrene

Gangrene is another archenemy of Action Man and the former right-hand man of Dr. X. He's known to be a master scientist, who was infected by so many diseases that he became known as ''Gangrene''. Like Dr. X, he has had many different looks, but is easily characterized by his pale green skin and the fact that his left eye is bigger than his right. He was replaced by No-Face as Dr. X's closest associate after failing to defeat Action Man too many times. Gangrene was a recurring antagonist in the Panini comic book series, the 1995 TV series and 2000 TV series, while also featuring in the 2005 film '' Action Man: X-Missions - the Movie'' where he was voiced by
Scott McNeil Scott McNeil is an Australian actor based in Canada, known for his live-action work as well as his roles in animation. His voice roles include Ace the Bat-Hound in '' Krypto the Superdog'', Voltar in '' League of Super Evil'', Jetfire, Backstop ...
. Several different action figures of Gangrene were released, often featuring some kind of unique gimmick.


No-Face

'No-Face' (real name 'Gerrard De Visage') was the right-hand man of Dr. X and acted as a replacement for Professor Gangrene in that role. He grew up in Belgium, before moving to the United States to train as a movie stunt man. His skills in
fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...
and motorsport caught the eye of Dr. X, who then lured Visage into crime with empty promises of glory. The 'No-Face' moniker comes from the hideous state of his skin, the result of a botched robbery where Visage was covered in toxic acid and suffered severe burns and scarring. No-Face is a master of disguises and his face is often covered by bandages or a mask. Following the death of Dr. X, No-Face created the 'X-Robot' army and later resurrected his master, in the hope that his services to Dr. X would one day be rewarded by the restoration of his face. A single action figure was released by Hasbro, but the character was featured prominently in the Panini Comics series from his 2004 introduction onwards and played a prominent role in the film '' Action Man: Robot Atak''.


Anti-Freeze

A member of Dr. X's 'Council of Doom', Anti-Freeze was first introduced as a toy in 2003. His first appearance in the comic was in issue #89 in a strip titled "Anti-Freeze Attacks". He is a man composed of ice, but it is unknown how he came to be in that state. His main weapon is an ice staff. His final appearance was in issue #137 of the comic, in which he was seen swimming away from an X-Shark that had been set free by Action Man.


Tempest

Tempest (real name 'Templeton Storm') is a villain who has the power to control the weather using weather machines, which he began creating at a young age. He also wields twin staffs, which can shoot lightning. He was introduced in the 2000 TV series and subsequently featured in the Panini Comics series. Two varieties of action figure were released.


Asazi

Appearing in the 2000 TV series, Asazi is a member of Dr. X's Council of Doom. She is a notorious assassin whose signature weapon is a
crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an Elasticity (physics), elastic launching device consisting of a Bow and arrow, bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar f ...
. In the series finale, Asazi eventually realises the insanity of Dr. X's plans and helps Team Xtreme.


Toxica

Toxica is the assistant of Professor Gangrene and appeared in ''Action Man: Operation Extreme'', a video game released for the PS1. She appears in a vehicular section of the game controlling a number of henchmen to attack Action Man, before facing him herself.


Plague Locust

A villain featured in the PC game ''Action Man: Raid on Island X'', Plague Locust is an insane robotics specialist, disguised in an insect-like armoured outfit featuring a
gas mask A gas mask is a piece of personal protective equipment used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft ...
and a jetpack with insectoid wings. In the game, Action Man must venture into the jungle to fight Plague Locust and his robotic insects, in an effort to halt his plans to take control of jungle animals and use them for crime.


X-Robots

A robot army created by No-Face in the image of Dr. X. They were introduced in 2004 and served as a replacement for regular henchmen. Action Man was quickly able to discover the weak spot of the robots: a small panel in the centre of each robot's stomach area. They played a central role in the 2004 direct-to-DVD film '' Action Man: Robot Atak'' and its video game adaptation. In 2005, many X-Robots were upgraded by Dr. X to become 'Toxic Robots' which had blades for arms. In the 2009
Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
exclusive range, the X-Robots were redesigned to have faces less akin to that of Dr. X.


Raptors

A race of
dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic Geological period, period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the #Evolutio ...
-like creatures which inhabited the 'Jungle Zone' of Island X. Professor Gangrene later created a race of 'Robo-Raptors' in issue #130 of the Panini Comics series. These were designed to overshadow No-Face's X-Robots in the hope that Gangrene could become Dr. X's right-hand man once again.


The Intruder

The
Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
-esque archenemy of Action Man and his team in the original
Palitoy Palitoy was a British toy company. It manufactured some of the most popular toys in Britain, some original items and others under licence. Its products included Action Man, Action Girl, Action Force, Tiny Tears, Pippa (doll), Pippa, Tressy, Mainli ...
Action Man Action Man is an action figure launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "movable fighting man", G.I. Joe. Action Man was originally produced and sold in the United Kingdom and Australia by Palitoy Ltd of ...
toy franchise. He was introduced in 1976 and sometimes seen with the dragon-like creature Gargon. The action figure featured a '
bear hug The bear hug is a grappling maneuver often seen in sports, such as wrestling. It also exists outside sports, such as street fighting, martial arts personal defense, military hand-to-hand combat, and even affectionate hugging. Bear hugs can be d ...
' mechanism operated by a button on the back of the doll.


Other


Nick Masters

A TV presenter and extreme sports commentator for the TV network 'Mastervision' in the 2000 TV series. He had a public feud with Templeton Storm which led to Storm becoming Tempest. On camera, Masters appears as a well-adjusted, friendly individual, but in reality Masters is an egotistical person who will do anything for screen time no matter the collateral damage or risk to the lives of others. He later went on to work for
Bank of Ireland Bank of Ireland Group plc () is a commercial bank operation in Ireland and one of the traditional Big Four Irish banks. Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history. At ...
as an accountant, solving mysteries such as why the expenses claimed by senior executives were so excessively high.


Professor Moran

A scientist who was kidnapped by No-Face and forced to make a mind control gas for Dr. X during the events of the 2004 Panini Comics story-arc and the 2004 film '' Action Man: Robot Atak''. Action Force ultimately save Moran from Dr. X and free him from captivity.


Brandon Cane

Sporting rival of Alex Mann in the 2000 TV series. He is soon captured by Dr. X, who places his own mind into the younger, more able body of Cane.


See also

* List of hero and minor characters in A.T.O.M.


References

{{Action Force Action figures Playscale figures Hasbro products
Action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
Action Man