Book excerpt: What do the Bionic Woman, Captain Action, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have in common? They're action figures--and part of the hot new area of collectibles! COMPREHENSIVE. From the A-Team to the X-Men, Big Jim to the Little Mermaid, Desert Patrol to Waterworld, Marvel Superheroes to Masters of the Universe, The Official Price Guide to Action Figures lists more than 8,000 different figures from hundreds of series--with separate introductions to each series and its significance, history, and collectibility. SPECIAL SECTIONS. An on-target market review, a step-by-step look at how an action figure is created--from conception to sculpting to production, and a history of Kenner (a major manufacturer of action figures for the past twenty years). PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. Helpful tips from the experts on starting, building, and maintaining an action figure collection. WRITTEN BY EXPERTS. Stuart Wells III is the former executive editor of Collectible Toys & Values and Triton: Comics, Cards, and Collectibles, monthly magazines covering all types of action figures. Jim Main is the editor and publisher of Action Figure Collector and Barracks: The G.I. Joe Collectors Magazine. FULLY ILLUSTRATED. The Official Price Guide to Action Figures is packed with more than 600 photographs for easy identification. HOUSE OF COLLECTIBLES. Serving collectors for more than thirty-five years