Back in 60’s I was surprised to find in a store the DC Super Heroes They were sold on a card two heroes and two villains. The heroes the Flash and Wonder Woman were painted and made in Portugal. I believe it is only time I have seen figures were made in Portugal and sold here in the states. Over the years I found that Ideal did other DC Heroes: Superman, Aquaman, Batman and Robin. Batman and Robin were also done unpainted with the Joker. With the exception of the Joker, Ideal took some the lamest villains to used such as Mouse Man, Brain Storm, Kaltor and Thunder Bolt. The last one was actual good guy at the time. One other figure that was done was a giant robot that was only in the playsets.
The figures were also used in a several different playsets, which are hard to find. with exception of the Flash, the Ideal super heroes are usually found incomplete. Batman, Robin and Superman are usually missing their capes. Wonder Woman is missing her separate lasso and Aquaman molded in knife is usually broken off.
For figure collectors this is an interesting set to have.
I was a huge Batman fan. I believe it was my 6th birthday, and my aunt made me a silk/nylon Batman cape. I used to run down road to my friends house wearing it singing the Batman song, lol, that is no joke.
I also got the Ideal small painted playset. I really liked Mouseman for some reason. I guess he had the best weapon to use, a giant syringe. I was terrified of needles. Today he is very hard to find with the needle intact. I have looked a long time, I have one, but he has a short needle, and he also has a slight mold flaw where the syringe meets the abdomen.
I believe this mold flaw is pretty common. I haven’t been able to find a better one.
I also own Aquaman, with the knife intact, also very hard to find. I also own the Flash with his emblem perfect. The biggest problem I have seen on the painted figures, is that their emblems are not intact, and perfect. Batman usually is missing his batarang also.
I don’t own all of the set though. They would have gone great with the untouchable set. Batman could have helped Elliot Ness cleanup Gotham.