Overview: The Killer Xodiac

Xodiac!   Man of Saturn, born of Outer Space!   The Outer Space Men had a significant number of repaints, most of which were interesting, and also there was a White Star version.   The only one you don’t see in the above photos is the Galactic Holiday variant - there was a gold accessory version (pictured) and a silver accessory version which I do not have.  I hate that kind of variant, but hey, if you’re sellin’ I’m buyin’.

This is a remake of another figure from 1964, which was a bendable figure like Gumby and Major Matt Mason.  The newer, smaller figures from The Four Horsemen (and the Glyos factory) can pop apart at each joint, allowing you to swap arms, legs, heads, and other pieces to your liking.  It’s fun in practice, great for customizers, but if you’re just a guy with a lot of toys it isn’t terribly useful in the long run.   But if you ever wanted to see what someone looks like with mismatched pants?  It’s handy.  It doesn’t hurt anything.

With 9 distinctive mass-produced versions (plus a weapon variant) Xodiac has more variation going on than pretty much everybody.   At Comic-Con in 2010, he was one of the first four figures with his clear neon orange Alpha Phase release.   I have a hard time picking a favorite, as there are so precious few action figures which include the planet Saturn impaled on a stick for my amusement.

They all more or less share the same name, but the gold one - pictured above carded with the original name - was christened “Goldiac” by the creator, Mel Birnkrant.  He’s notable in that he has a beard that is painted a unique color that does not match his skin.   He’s Xodiac’s pop.  

Also interesting, Xodiac’s weapon received a semi-late change before production in 2010.  The butt of the gun is actually a Glyos peg, whereas the mechanicals for it (seen here with the PMS colors: http://database.glyos.com/2011/08/xodiac-glyaxia-command.html) show it rounded off.

Now if you want my sentimental favorite, that’s Glyaxia Command Xodiac.  The Glyos people were kind enough to give me an early look at it at SDCC 2011, and I was kinda ridiculously giddy to have it.   The figure also sold out almost immediately - not unusual for an Onell Design drop, as they cultivated a fanbase who shows up on time to buy.  Just tell them where to go, they’ll be there.
Anyway - Xodiac got a lady friend, the horrifying Horroscope, in 2013 and 2014.  The head looks more like  triple-eyed Cthulhu, with tremendous breasts and a booty to match - just like you want from the alien space creature of your nightmares, envisioned through the prism of Harvey Kurtzman’s cartooning.   She only got three figures - a clear purple one, a White Star one, and the fully-painted one.  I kind of hope they do more.

Want more Outer Space Men reviews? http://www.16bit.com/fotd/land-outerspacemen.asp

Overview: Astro-Nautilus Thus Far

More Outer Space Men!  I haven’t done an updated complete group shot in a while - maybe I will if we get another Astro-Nautilus - but these shots cover the major bases.  The four-armed creature from a planet associated with a god of the sea, Astro-Nautilus was one of the most memorable figures from the original line-up.   If you saw pictures of the original bendable toys, you didn’t forget this one.

Each tentacle on the 3 3/4-inch scale alien is two pieces, and each leg is three.  The pieces all rotate and allow for mixing and matching.  The designer Mel Birnkrant incorporated a couple of loops on the staff, allowing a tentacle to slither through on the giant 1960s bendy figure as well as the modern action figures pictured above.

Like many figures, many Outer Space Men from the modern incarnation are more popular (and tougher to find now) in their “regular” incarnations, with the lower-run, often 300-piece exclusives slowly declining in price while their painted peers go up. Later waves are particularly pricey now, and from the look of things this week’s new Orbitron Diversus edition might be as low as 100 pieces.  (We don't know, but it sold fast.)

What’s really amazing was the price range on these guys.  Most of them started at $10 - a  bargain!  As time went on, prices went up.  The largely unadorned white one was part of a big boxed set of 8 figures for $115, which makes it a little over $14.   The black suit one was sold first at a gallery show I was at for $125  with an art print and only 4 figures, or about $30 depending on what value you put on the art print.

I took the above photos in numerous places for several reviews over many years, and they’re pretty inconsistent.  However, you’ve now seen every modern era Astro-Nautilus save for the gold staff variant of the red one, which I do not have.  If you like space toys whose designs largely hail prior to the moon landing, these are some you should absolutely look up - along with the Marx Mystery Ship and of course Mattel’s own Major Matt Mason.  After the moon landing, space toys were a tough sell without a major media tie-in.   Thanks for nothing, New Frontier.

Here’s a review of the White Star one: http://www.16bit.com/fotd/130801-white-star-astro-nautilus.asp
Here’s a review of the Cosmic Creators Four Horsemen edition in green: http://www.16bit.com/fotd/130124-osm-4h-cc-astro-nautilus-neonautilus.asp
If you want more reviews, here’s a list:
http://www.16bit.com/fotd/land-outerspacemen.asp

Review: The Outer Space Men SDCC Holiday Edition Astro-Nautilus

Now it's red-- and why not? Ocean life takes on all kinds of colors, so why not space-based sea-creature-people? The Holiday Edition Astro-Nautilus is quite similar to the existing figures, with one exception-- well, two actually. The first is that the figure is now cast in a deep, red, clear color. The second big difference is that his accessory is not clear, but rather, it's vac-metalized like those old Tomy drivers in Starriors or Zoids, or like some of the weapons on the original Transformers line.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Review: The Outer Space Men SDCC Holiday Edition Xodiac

I wanted the silver one, but that's life. The Holiday Edition Xodiac took the same mold you love and may have bought one, two, or even three additional times and casts it in clear, colorless plastic for your enjoyment. Unlike previous clear releases, this time around he has a little Saturn painted on his suit, plus he comes with opaque vac-metalized accessories. Depending on the luck of the draw, you got metallic silver or gold gear, meaning his helmet and blaster are nicely blinged out for a change. While I can take or leave clear colorless figures, with a predilection for "leave," I do think it was worth shelling out for the set just to get the nifty accessories. [ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Review: The Outer Space Men Holiday Edition Inerno

Yes, another review! This time it's Holiday Edition Inferno, today's Figure of the Day at 16bit.com!

We've had him in red, we've had him in yellow, it's only sensible that we now get him in blue. I like this one a lot, so read the review for more!

Review: The Outer Space Men Holiday Edition Metamorpho

Another review! Check out Holiday Edition Metamorpho, today's Figure of the Day at 16bit.com! This time around he's green, and he includes some special vac-metal parts. (These parts come in either silver or gold, depending on the luck of the draw.) It's a pretty good figure, so read the review for more!

Outer Space Men Class of 2010

The first year of the new line is wrapping up (calendar year, that is) and here's a quick pick of the first 16 action figures in the line-- minus a weapon variation or four.

2011 is still up in the air, but the Horsemen have confirmed Mystron and Commander Comet as the next two in production. We hope you've enjoyed our ramblings, and be sure to come back next year for more news as it comes up!

Outer Space Men Holiday Edition Packaged & Loose

The Outer Space Men Holiday figures are arriving, and naturally, we ordered a set. Check 'em out.


As you know, there are gold and silver accessory variants of these figures. Rather than giving you gold or silver, the Four Horsemen mixed these so we got gold versions of Xodiac and Metamorpho with silver versions of Inferno and Astro-Nautilus.

As always for the clear figures, they come in the same bags with stapled header card. So if you picked up the Alpha or Beta Phases, you know what to expect.

If by any chance you have a silver Xodiac to sell, do let us know. And here's a loose shot of the group.

Holiday Edition Outer Space Men Shipping

We just got our shipping notice for our Holiday Edition Outer Space Men. Watch your email boxes, kids! According to the Four Horsemen, delivery is expected for later this week, just before Christmas.

Official Pictures of Outer Space Men Holiday Figures

Previously we were treated to unfinished test shots-- today, the Four Horsemen shared the real deal with the rest of the class with silver and gold accessories. It's like the Burl Ives song, with less rum.



Those are the silver ones. New changes from the prototypes include painted details on Inferno's gun, a little Saturn on Xodiac's chest, and added deco on Metamorpho's weapons. We're crossing our fingers that the samples we bought are silver and not gold because silver is so much more Micronauts-y.

Holiday Edition Outer Space Men Orders Tonight!

From the Four Horsemen press release:

(Or just click here to order them as/if they are available.)

UPDATE: On sale now! The final price is $48.50 shipped in the USA, and yes, they do accept Paypal.

OUTER SPACE MEN: GALACTIC HOLIDAY EDITION!

The elves at Four Horsemen Toy Design Studios (http://www.FourHorsemen.biz) have been working hard to make sure you all have a festive holiday season. The fruits of their labor have shipped and will be arriving at Four Horsemen Studios soon!

The Outer Space Men: Galactic Holiday Edition Will be arriving at Four Horsemen Studio’s warehouse on Wednesday, December 15th and will go up for order at Store Horsemen (http://www.StoreHorsemen.com) tonight, Tuesday night, December 14th at 9:00pm EST.

If you place your order before this Thursday, December 16th at 11:59pm EST, and you’re within the continental US (and the figures haven’t sold out yet), your package will ship out by Monday, December 20th via FedEx Ground (orders shipping to P.O. boxes excluded from FedEx delivery). That means that you’ve got a pretty good chance of your package being delivered in time for Christmas!

Each Galactic Holiday Edition Outer Space Men figure (Astro-Nautilus, Metamorpho, Inferno & Xodiac) comes with their own character specific, randomly packed silver or gold accessories, many of which are vac-metal plated!

As with all preceding special edition Outer Space Men releases, the GHOSM will come poly-bagged with a character specific header card and a backer card featuring all four of the currently released Outer Space Men in their own environments.

Go to the Four Horsemen’s website: Four Horsemen.biz (http://www.FourHorsemen.biz) to get a look at early, in-progress shots of the Galactic Holiday Outer Space Men figures and their awesome vac-plated accessories!

Also, all Outer Space Men figures feature a modular, interchangeable pop & play system that is compatible with Onell Design’s Glyos action figures!

The Outer Space Men: Galactic Holiday Edition figures are a special edition set, so – as with all special edition OSM sets - quantities are extremely limited. Be sure to get to Store Horsemen and order your set as early as possible to make sure that you continue to have a happy holiday season!

For all up-to-the-minute Four Horsemen updates, please friend us on Facebook (FourHorsemen ToyStudio), follow us on Twitter (@4horsemendesign), or just drop by the main Four Horsemen website daily (http://www.FourHorsemen.biz).

Holiday Edition Outer Space Men Coming

In the mind-boggling-but-why-stop-now third series of clear repaints, we're going to get some Holiday Themed Figures. The set of four will have new colors, vac-metal (or silver and/or gold) accessories, plus be for sale early next week-- December 13 at 9:00 PM EST.

Click here to see the figures in their new colors, and this Four Horsemen update has info on accessories. Of note, Xodiac's helmet is now completely opaque.