If You Thought Aquaman Was Unpopular, This $3,250 Vintage Action Figure Will Prove You Wrong

Superhero teams are usually made up of the mainline members, the rotating cast, and the reserves. Of course, not everyone can be as popular or vital to the team as mainstays like Superman to the Justice League or Iron Man to the Avengers, but the rotating cast is usually chosen depending on the problem at hand. Ant Man is brought in when infiltration is required, while Hawk Girl is called upon for a fist fight in the sky. However, there’s only one person that comes to mind when the Justice League’s adventures take them to the open seas. Despite the fact that he’s the only monarch on the League’s roster, Aquaman has unfortunately become the butt of many jokes over the decades.

While he may not be everyone’s first, second, or even third pick, that hasn’t affected the going price for his vintage action figure. Over on Heritage Auctions, a 1980 Mego Pocket Super Heroes Aquaman figure has racked up a bid price of $3,750. Of course, collectors will know that just because Aquaman isn’t as popular as other heroes, it doesn’t mean his action figure is any less valuable. In fact, this figure is pretty rare, as there are only six graded examples of it in the population report, and this particular one is the best of the lot, getting a high AFA 80+ grade. Another interesting fact adding to its rarity, is that it was only one of four Mego figures that featured the white card back.

Vintage Aquaman Action Figure Racks Up $3,750 In Bids

The figure itself depicts Aquaman in his Bronze Age avatar, touting the orange, green, and black outfit. Unfortunately, this version of the hero caught a lot of strays, with comic book fans making fun of his powers, saying he can’t do much more than talk to fish. Of course, we all know that there is a bit more to him, like super strength, controlling tides, and summoning Lovecraftian sea monsters when the occasion arises. If fact, in an attempt to change the narrative, DC even gave him a makeover, growing out his hair and giving him a harpoon for a hand. Eventually, Jason Momoa was cast to play him in the now defunct DCEU as an added measure. Unfortunately, this didn’t turn the tide too much.

However, none of that comes into consideration when you’re dealing with the collectors market. The fact that this figure was one of the very few released with Mego’s white packaging card back, as well as being the highest among only six graded versions of it makes it a highly coveted item. There’s no doubt that figures of Batman and Superman would have sold way better at the time, but Mego probably didn’t create as many Aquaman figures, hiking up its rarity just a bit more. With two days left for bidding to end, there’s a possibility that this figure could end up going for over $5,000. You may think that Aquaman is a joke of a character, but that final bid price is no joke.