Review: Four Horsemen Outer Space Men Alpha Phase Cyclops Action Figure

The tallest Glyos-compatible figure yet, Cylcops debuted in the summer of 2012 in this swell blue color. It matches similar Inferno, Alpha 7, Electron+, and Astro-Nautilus figures sold since 2010 and is part of a 3-figure, $50 set. That's a bit of an increase, but well, that's life. New tooling costs money and rising costs in China are going to make a lot of people remember the good old days when companies only charged six bucks for a figure. Towering over the other Outer Space Men, Cyclops also has the most gear with removable armor, a giant helmet, and swappable hands. This time around, the character had open hands or closed fists to carry his twin ray guns. It's an impressive specimen, although one that almost feels like it might collapse under its own weight.
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Review: Four Horsemen Outer Space Men Alpha Phase Orbitron Action Figure

Taller than many of the other figures in this line, Orbitron is only second to the giants Colossus Rex and Cyclops in terms of size so far. This pink pre-paint stands at about 4 1/4-inches high, cast in a translucent pink plastic similar to the "Nonilla" color used for Glyos figures earlier this year. (Minus, of course, the glitter.) The striking figure has crisp sculpting and even a few painted details, with three pale blue dots making up his eyes and chest. A swell star pattern on his stomach pops when lit just right, and the overall look and feel is exquisite for an alien based at least loosely on the Metaluna Mutants of This Island Earth.  
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Store Horsemen Blows Out Most Old and New Outer Space Men for 50% Off

Not two months after some new items shipped out, Store Horsemen has a bunch of newer Outer Space Men figures for half price.  So if you preordered months in advance and waited patiently... well, I guess the tortoise beats the hare yet again.  Good deals, people!

This year's Comic-Con exclusive from San Diego? $25.

The 2.0 sets?  $25.

The 2011 Infinity figures?  $25.

If you've been dragging your feet, at least you'll get to feel super-smart when you get these bargain-priced figures.   Good on you for not being an early adopter!

Review: Four Horsemen Outer Space Men Alpha Phase Gemini Action Figure

With rising costs across the globe, it's hard not to mutter that Gemini cost a little more than previous years' figures. From $40 for 4 to $50 for 3, the largely unpainted figures have changed in size quite a bit and include fewer shared parts than before. Aside from perhaps a couple of plugs and the arms, it seems Gemini is 100% new as are his companions. With more little pieces than ever before, I have no doubt that despite his 3 1/3-inch tall size Gemini looks like he cost a lot to make. Made from about 30 parts, it's clear to me that nobody cut any corners on this one.
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2012 Alpha Phase Outer Space Men Arriving, Pheyden

 As Mel Birnkrant himself might say, "THEY'RE HERE!"  My very own box of 2012 Alpha Phase San Diego Comic-Con 2012 figures showed up on my doorstep Saturday, containing yellow Gemini, a pink (almost Nonilla Pink to you Glyos fans) Orbitron, and the massive blue Cyclops.  It's worth noting both Cyclops and Orbitron are much larger than the usual figures in this line, and the nearly $50 set is made a little less painful when you realize each figure has a high piece count and is nearly 100% new parts.  The Four Horsemen didn't skimp on these, Cyclops even comes in a box!  He's just that big.

I should note, in case some of you were wondering "So where are MY figures?"   I ordered the 2.0 figures and Four Horsemen Cosmic Creators series as well, neither of which have shipped to me, although a few people have reported getting 2.0 sets.  As such, sit tight, things are moving along still.

A big surprise to me was to finally see Cylcops up close, he has removable armor and a little surprise under it.  The head of Pheyden from Onell Design's Glyos line can be seen on his chest, and the real surprise is that this may not be a coincidence.

Mel Birnkrant has the only Outer Space Men page you should read (thank you for reading this one, by the way) and on it he has some interesting annotations on Cyclops which, I assume, you may have read.   Mel says:

"...Meanwhile, Matt [Doughty of Onell Design] called me one day, and we got into a conversation that lasted all afternoon.  We began to discuss the Cosmic Connection and the almost spooky affinity that he feels for the OSM.  And he pointed out something to me that I find rather uncanny!  THE EMBLEM ON CYCLOPS’ CHEST IS “PHEYDEN”!

"So, we agreed that to ask Eric [Treadway of The Four Horsemen] to be aware of that, and subtly bring the image out.  We went back and forth with sketches and discussion and both did drawings.  I soon realized that they were unnecessary!  In the end, I simply copied the photo of the emblem and in 2 minutes on Photoshop added two lines to represent the teeth and two dots to indicate small balls for eyes. Another solution was to just add the teeth lines and let the negative space and the shadow it creates, imply the eyes.  Subtle and more secretive; the more I looked at it, the more I liked it best.  It allows the viewer to see and experience what Matt saw.  The teeth alone are all it needs.  Eric agreed!  To the uninitiated, this will just look like part of the 45 year old design, which, indeed, it is!  But this really establishes a connection with Pheyden, originating somewhere, out there, beyond the Milky Way!"

So there you have it! Another Easter Egg in this great line.  We'll be reviewing the new guys in Figure of the Day on 16bit.com and posting them here as well, so stay tuned as we get to them in the coming weeks!  As always thanks for reading and for your patience on our getting to all the awesome new stuff.

SDCC 2012: Outer Space Men Coverage

Go to 16bit.com's SDCC 2012 Outer Space Men coverage for the full galleries and tidbits, but here's a summary of what you missed in San Diego this past weekend.

Terra Firma (pictured) was on display for the first time in 3D form, giving you a look at how this figure has a lot more going on. Not only are there numerous pleasing bulges, but the deco seems to be amped up quite a bit as well.

Numerous custom figures were on display, but no new characters (or colorways) beyond those previously announced were shown.  As such, there's no sign of the rumored-but-not-a-rumor Pheyden or hints as to other convention exclusives for the year.

Check it out!

UPDATE: Outer Space Men 2012 Alpha Wave Preorders Monday

UPDATE: The preorder page has been posted and it seems that unless I'm misinterpreting this, they may not be as widely available at SDCC as they were previously. "A currently undetermined amount may be put aside to be sold at San Diego Comic Con. Once this series of figures is gone, it's GONE!"  Elsewhere in the copy it says the items will be sold at the show so... order accordingly.

Reportedly at 9:00 EST (the last few preorders have been delayed by one or more hours), the next alien invasion should take place on Monday, May 21!  Click here for full details and note some of the following highlights:

- Set of 3 figures will be $50
- Cyclops has removable armor and helmet, plus optional "open" hands
- Orbitron has a (currently) secret hidden feature to be revealed next week
- Gemini is covered in studs, which are attached by Glyos sockets. This may make for an incredibly customizable figure, provided you can get a lot of tentacles you may be in for a real treat.

So the bad news is they cost a lot more ($50 for 3 as opposed to $40 for 4 in 2010) but such is the breaks in the days of rising labor and materials costs in China. 

Me, I'm gambling to take my chances at SDCC in person. (Worked last year!) Happy hunting, everybody!

First Look: Comic-Con 2012 Alpha Phase Outer Space Men

Check it out!  The San Diego Comic-Con International Exclusive Outer Space Men for 2012 are shown at the Four Horsemen's site!

Orbitron is clear red, as promised, while Cyclops is light blue and Gemini is clear yellow.  They look fantastic, don't they?  I'm excited. Pricing and pre-orders should be up next week.

2012 Outer Space Men Test Shots, Alpha Phase Colors Confirmed

It's that time again! Comic-Con is just around the corner and the Four Horsemen have revealed the Alpha Phase Outer Space Men for 2012! Sort of. They're teasing us with some gorgeous test shots, and confirming that this year we're getting clear red Orbitron, clear yellow Gemini, and clear light blue Cyclops (and, interestingly, not the previously shown Colossus Rex.)  Well, I'm excited!  They say preorders will be soon on these and other new releases.

Four Horsemen OSM News Round-Up: Convention Figures, Reissues

The Four Horsemen's site updated with a ton of new info. Some of which, frankly, is annoying. But here it is.

1. 2010 Figures Getting 2.0 Treatment. So you know those figures you bought in 2010 in like four different colors to support a small line, and then paid $125 for in February in a new paint job? Well, they're getting the "just different enough to make you mad" treatment in time for Comic-Con 2012. They say: "We've gone back in and made some minor tweaks and alterations to the paints that will bring these guys closer to Mel Birnkrant's original vision of the Outer Space Men. The changes will be minor, but sure to be appreciated by true OSM fans." To which I say: that is where you are wrong.

2. 3 Figures for SDCC. Orbitron and Gemini will be made, and Cyclops will be the first "deluxe" figure. Which probably means it'll cost 20% more. (But eh, it's cool, and it has some sweet, sweet gear.) As always, these are the "Alpha Phase" figures and will be sold at the show and online.

3. More Cosmic Creators Series: Four Horsemen Edition Outer Space Men are on the way. Odds are these are the same ones highlighted at the Futuretro exhibition, although no prices were alluded to so it's unknown if these will be priced like normal figures or at a triple markup just yet. As with the last batch, these will be a one-shot deal and signed.

In short: things are moving along nicely, but the honeymoon phase is definitely over.