Review: Outer Space Men Cosmic Radiation Astrodite Action Figure

I love glow figures, but too much of a good thing is possible. Cosmic Radiation Astrodite stayed in her baggie since I got her in 2018! White Star is still bagged, but I opened Astrodite Infinity Edition [FOTD #2,025] immediately. She's good! But the allure of repaints diminishes as time goes on - especially when it's a repaint of a figure you have to look like another figure you have. I'd love to see more variations on this mold, and while glow is exactly the kind of thing I want (and bought) she's just another glowing figure on a shelf of glowing figures. Excellent, but not special. 

[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Review: Outer Space Men Galactic Holiday Darkoneth of the Voidrillion Command Cthulhu Nautilus Action Figure

 You never know how time will change your favorites! This was the last of the four "Galactic Holiday" figures I opened from the 2022 series. Galactic Holiday Darkoneth of the Voidrillion Command Cthulhu Nautilus is a redeco of the somehow still incredibly striking Outer Space Men Cthulhu Nautilus Action Figure [FOTD #2,015] from 2018. The metallic skin, gorgeous clear blue eyes, striking metallic blue costume, and shiny gold trim made it a perfect figure right out of the gate. We weren't subject to Alpha Phase prepaints, it was just blammo - here is a stunningly weird statement of space toy awesomeness, and it was a then-whopping $35, and I still love it. But we later got a green version from Onell Design, a plain white version, green and blue glow versions... and none of them were as impressive as the original, although that green one is a personal favorite. This purple alien one looks like some amazingly weird late-1980s toy (or bronze-age comic nightmare) and the colors drastically change the look and feel of the figure. It's kind of amazing how the Glyos figures, thanks to their ongoing repaints, can highlight different aspects of a toy and make you see a figure you have in a new light.

[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Review: Outer Space Men Galactic Holiday Voidrillia of the Voidrillion Command Luna Eclipse Action Figure

I like this Galactic Holiday Voidrillia of the Voidrillion Command Luna Eclipse because her colors don't match any other human action figures I have in my toybox. She stands out. This 3 3/4-inch scale repaint of a resculpt turned out well, but according to Matt Doughty has some design connections to Queen Kirallius [FOTD #2,186], the figure from early 2020 that you regret missing. As a repaint of the original Luna Eclipse [FOTD #2,371], she has pretty much the same form factor. You can swap arms between bent and straight, she has a backpack, and there's a removable helmet with an opening visor. The figure one-ups the previous releases by adding a pair of blasters from the Cyclops action figure and a wild paint job, but you lose the glow-in-the-dark elements. Win some, lose some.

[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Time to Clean Your Outer Space Men?

 If you're a fan of the 2010-present The Outer Space Men action figures (with Glyos), it might be time to give them a good look.  Mine have mostly been content to sit on a shelf for a few years, and I'd pull out some of the painted or glowing ones to shoot photos - but it turns out, they were quietly molting when I wasn't looking.  If you look at packaged Mystron Infinity Edition figures on eBay, if the photography is recent, you'll notice some telltale glistening on some parts.

If you have 2010 or 2011 clear figures, or the painted Mystron, give them a look.   Mystron's black painted wings, gargoyle gun, and tail have gone sticky for a lot of fans - you can wash them with warm water, soap, and maybe a very soft toothbrush or cloth.   Meanwhile, it seems all of the clear (non-glow) figures from 2010 and 2011 are a little sticky - so your Alpha Phase, Beta Phase, and Galactic Holiday figures of Inferno, Metamorpho, Xodiac, Astro-Nautilus, Mystron, Alpha-7, Electron+, and Commander Comet could use a bit of a hosing down.

Further, any Galactic Holiday figures with vac-metal parts that aren't silver or gold may be discoloring the PVC of the figures.   If there are Glyos pegs or closed fists around a vac-metal red/blue/green/etc. part, check around the hands or sockets.  Alpha-7 and Gemini seem to be fine since there was no tight grip there, but I've definitely noticed some discoloration around the fists of Galactic Holiday Mystron, Cyclops, and others as I start to see who needs to be scrubbed a bit.

The same is true for a lot of Glyos figures from 2010-2011 - check your Pheydens, Sarvoses, Callgrims, and so forth just in case.  Plastics sometimes molt a bit, or off-gas, or shed some sort of oils with time.  It's good to check them regularly to see what, if anything, needs to be wiped down.  I've got an old Kenner Bossk figure that seems to have extruded some of the yellow dye from his suit recently!

Review: Outer Space Men Galactic Holiday Cobaltus of the Voidrillion Command Colossus Rex Action Figure

I have plenty of The Outer Space Men figures. I really didn't need this Galactic Holiday Cobaltus of the Voidrillion Command Colossus Rex but, also, I did. These guys are a lot of fun to mess with thanks to their accessories and how they scale with a lot of my favorite childhood figures... plus they look like they could have and indeed should have been in the background of 1970s space comic books. Mr. Rex was based on a bendy figure from Colorforms from 1969 who was big and green and had a mace. In 2013, the very first pull of the mold came out and the manufacturers added an armor, a big axe, and a shield along with alternate hands. It was a lot of plastic, and the hefty Jovian stands five inches high.

[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Review: Galactic Holiday Voidrillion Command Orbitron Action Figure

I feel kind of silly that I still get really excited for new The Outer Space Men figures. If I'm getting a new head or an all-new paint job, it's difficult for me to be cynical. When the quartet that includes Galactic Holiday Voidrillion Command Orbitron dropped in December I went from "Well I skipped wave 2 and beyond for Bluestar" to "Get my wallet" in about 4 seconds. They're weird magical beings. I shouldn't spend too much time being concerned about this, I'm just going to throw on a Les Baxter record and write about the silly space man.

[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

The Outer Space Men Maximilian Gravity and Jack Asteroid Bluestar Figures On Sale at $15

 The Outer Space Men pulled another rabbit out of their hat with Jack Asteroid and Maximilian Gravity (Zero Gravity) Bluestar blue glow-in-the-dark action figures at $15 each. There are, of course many others.

I've dropped off buying the Bluestars at $25-$30 but I'd buy everything I'd missed so far at $15 a pop.   The four I do have glow for hours when charged by the sun, to the point where it's almost ridiculous.   If you don't have any blue glow figures I almost insist you buy at least one or two.