25 Vintage Superhero Merch from the 70s and 80s That Weren't That Super

John Summers • Contributor

Oct 14, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Back before the MCU took over every movie theater and Funko Pop shelf, superhero merch was... a little weirder. And by weirder, we mean glorious. We're talking about lunchboxes with off-brand art, pajamas that probably violated five licensing agreements, and action figures that melted if you left them in the sun for too long.

This was the golden era of Saturday morning cartoons and corner-store comic books - and whether you were a Marvel kid or a DC loyalist, there was a strange and wonderful piece of merchandise just waiting to end up in your toy chest, your backpack, or your breakfast cereal.

So let's take a time-traveling shopping spree and revisit 25 incredible, cringey, and collectible pieces of superhero merch from the '70s and '80s.