Two years ago, Marvel Studios announced it will bring its 1980s comic book character “Sabra,” a former spy for Israel’s Mossad agency, to the big screen in its upcoming Captain America: Brave New World film. Popular Israeli actress Shira Haas was cast for the role.
Now, it appears the studio caved to the anti-Israel protest movement, turning the character, whose real name in the comics is Ruth Bat-Seraph, into a former Black Widow, a Soviet-Russian spy program. She will also no longer be referred to as Sabra, a vintage slang term for native-born Israelis.
The move dashes any hopes of seeing an Israeli action figure on the shelves of your local toy stores come February 2025, which is when the new Captain America is set to hit theaters.
Israeli Heroes
The good news is that less than two months ago an Israeli company unveiled its unique line of action figures depicting Israel Defense Forces soldiers and members of other domestic security forces.
“At first, we designed stereotypical superheroes, with capes and giant David’s Stars on their chests. But then, we realized our soldiers were the actual superheroes,” Elad Stefansky, who cofounded Giborei Israel (Heroes of Israel) with his brother Yarden, tells ISRAEL21c.
Although there are action figures of IDF soldiers available online, they cost hundreds of dollars, and are mostly intended for collectors.
The Giborei Israel toy soldier line is intended for children, with prices ranging from $35 to $60.
The company currently offers seven different six-inch action figure toys, including a Druze paratrooper, an Ethiopian-Israeli ranger, and two female servicewomen.
Byproduct of October 7
The 46-year-old advertising professional explains that the idea for the venture was born following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Gaza border communities.
He was worried about how the tragic events were eroding his children’s sense of security.
“The attacks created a crisis of trust between the army and the public. As creative people, we began brainstorming right away how to bring that trust back, to once again make soldiers the heroes who protect us,” Stefansky notes.
“Yarden, who’s a huge comic book fan, remembered the story of the American G.I. Joe action figure; it was a byproduct of World War II, and was meant to boost the morale of troops.”
The two began sketching the toy prototypes and drawing up a business plan. In December 2023, they sent the final designs to the manufacturer in China – incidentally, the same one that produces toys for Marvel.
Stefansky would have preferred for the toys to be made in Israel, but unfortunately no domestic toy factories are able to manufacture such intricate designs.
“Maybe one day, we’ll become the first Israeli toy company to manufacture such designs in the country,” he says.
Soldiers in real life
“I didn’t used to want my kids to play with [toy] soldiers, but it has become part of Israeli culture; you can’t ignore it,” explains Stefansky.
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