Like most kids in 90s Malta, I grew up glued to Italian television. Afternoons and weekend mornings were spent watching Italia Uno, where a steady stream of animated series and kids’ shows became part of my daily life. I can still picture myself having breakfast while watching L’Albero Azzurro, laughing at Dinosaurs with my mother, and enjoying The Simpsons with my brother. Then came Mighty Morphin Power Rangers—my first full-blown toy craze—soon followed by Batman: The Animated Series and The New Adventures of Jonny Quest. I still have those toys today, most in their original packaging.

But nothing hit quite like Action Man.

The first time I saw the show, I was instantly hooked: a space station, a stealth jet, a sleek red coupé, a half-cybernetic villain with a handlebar mustache, virtual reality, spy tech, explosions, a trio of comic sidekicks, a live-action intro, and a heartfelt PSA at the end—what more could a kid ask for? It felt like a perfect blend of all the 80s action movies I grew up watching, only cooler.

Then came the moment I’d been waiting for.

For years, I had seen Action Man figures and playsets advertised on Italian TV, but they were nowhere to be found in Malta—until one Saturday morning. My mother and I were on our usual trip to Valletta (Malta’s capital), which always included a stop at a few toy stores. That day, we passed by Kingsway Store, a small but always-busy shop on the corner (sadly now closed). And there, in the window, was a burst of orange and the unmistakable Action Man logo!

I tugged at my mother’s hand, eyes locked on the display. A few weeks later, after my end-of-year school exams, we returned to Kingsway Store, and I finally got my hands on my very first Action Man figure: Sky Diver. I still have it to this day, box and all.

From that moment, Action Man became my main obsession. I started picking up accessory sets from The Viscount, another Valletta toy shop that had already fueled my love for Micro Machines, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, and Star Wars: Power of the Force. But Action Man quickly took center stage.