1974 Advertising
1974 was a particularly rich year for Big Jim. The range moved beyond its sports roots into jungle adventures, camping, rescue missions and larger vehicles and playsets, with new additions such as Big Jeff and the Muscle Mover.
The ad also explains the Muscle Mover particularly well: Big Jim is attached to the mechanical support, and pulling the trigger animates the figure, allowing him to break boards in the Kung Fu Studio or perform sporting actions. The advertisement appeared in titles from both Marvel and DC, including The Defenders #15 in 1974.
Kung Fu and Sports Action Sweepstakes
Published in U.S. comic books in 1974, this two-page Mattel advertisement turned Big Jim’s new action sets into a puzzle contest. Readers had to complete the missing words in descriptions of the Kung Fu Studio, Pro Sports Gear and Muscle Mover, then mail their answers for a chance to win $100 worth of Big Jim toys — roughly $675 in today’s purchasing power. Entries had to be postmarked by January 31, 1975.
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