In our previous Outer Space Men feature, we noted that the coming of Colossus Rex and Gamma-X to the modern collection bookends the figures and concepts from the original 1960s line. The Four Horsemen were able to remain true to the essence and detail of all of the fantastic Mel Birnkrant-created characters, while improving on the original toys in every way. But you did not think that would be the end of the OSM line, did you? It is one thing to recreate what has come before, it is quite another to expand upon a line while remaining true to the essence of the original.
Well, Mr. Birnkrant and the Horsemen have done just that and the two new standard series from the line feature all-new characters never seen before in any previous incarnation of the OSM. We are skipping out of order just a touch to bring you this look at series 7 (we will have series 6 for preview soon, I promise) because, well, there are many new ideas and concepts that get brought to the property with this release. Yes, for the first time ever, the Outer Space Men introduce the representatives from Earth, Captain Jack Asteroid and Terra Firma.
Had the original line of the ’60s seen a second series, all of the planets in our solar system would have seen plastic representation. Well, all of them except for planet Earth. Sure, hollow Earth was earmarked with Mystron, but Earth as we know it was left out of the original plan. While that may seem a bit odd today, you have to remember that this line was really created to be a compatible partner to the successful Mattel Matt Mason line. Since Mason was an astronaut from Earth, the Outer Space Men would serve as allies and spoils to his adventures. Well, since Mason has been left to history, it is time to introduce a new human element and represent Earth along with the other eight (now seven) planets. Plus, the OSM line gets an injection of femininity as well.
The Man and Woman from Earth can now join in the adventures in space and bring an identifiably humanistic touch to play. I am quite pleased and fairly impressed with how seamlessly Mr. Birnkrant and 4H have brought these new characters into the mix, and, had I not known better, I would have thought that they were for sure from the original line as well. We also get some new fiction and storylines with their card back bios, and, as you can easily see, there is no holding back on the tongue-in-cheek playfulness that works well in this property.
Jack Asteroid – yes, Jack AS… teroid (get it?) now pilots the “Starship USA” along with Terra Firma (I know you got that one) from his crew. So, as the names are dashed with some funny-punny business, the whole concept of their voyage into space is told with a touch of political commentary to boot. See, at the time of the adventure, America is in decline (some would make an argument for present day) due to bureaucratic in-fighting in Washington DC (sound familiar?) and progress has become gridlocked. It has gotten so bad that the entire district is now highly polluted with methane gas. For all of you casual chemists or toilet humor aficionados out there, you know that methane is a primary contributor to what makes up, well, this. Yep, that is a well-placed fart joke.
Laugh tracks aside, the story does introduce the concept of “Levity,” which is the opposite of gravity, so Jack and Terra are able to move about in any environment via their “Puranium” powered magnetic back packs. Past that, there is a lot of virgin ground to explore in their adventures, and I am positive that interactions and alliances/rivalries with the other OSM will make for hours of imagination for the young and young at heart. Now, I don’t know if there are more OSM series planned after this, but Jack’s bio mentions other Starship USA crew members, like Luna Eclipse and Zero Gravity, so I would most certainly be interested in seeing them come to fruition, along with the concept of the previously shown Astrodite.
The story continues and the entire expanse of outer space is now set, so let’s look at the figures.
JACK ASTEROID – The Man From Earth
Aboard the “Starship USA,” propelled by great waves of Levity, “JACK ASTEROID,” and his crew “TERRA FIRMA,” “LUNA ECLIPSE,” and “ZERO GRAVITY,” sail forth to probe the farthest reaches of our Galaxy. Their “Anti-Gravity Concentrators” contain a single atom of Puranium, enabling them to Levitate on every World in Outer Space. Endowed with Super Human Powers, they operate outside the Law of Gravity.
Jack is the first human in the line and his design is very much in the vein of the handsome astronaut of the 1960s. His face sculpt is chiseled and he looks stern and intelligent, but his slightly tousled hair give a sense of rebellious playfulness. Even though his timeline in the story is set in modern times, if the wonderment of the age of the space race appeals to you more for a setting, Jack will fit right in. His sculpt is all-new, but his style fits right in with those that have come before him, and, as is the case with all figures in this line, he is built on the Glyos System for interchangeability. His space suit most certainly harkens back to the style of the 1960s, and I really like the orange that was selected for the color of the actual suit. They could have easily gone with a more traditional white, but the warm color really stands out.
His helmet is probably the very best one in the entire line, and, for the first time, it is made up of something beyond a clear plastic dome. It takes its cues from the large NASA helmets and fits like a big fishbowl over the collar of his suit. It splits in two so it can be removed, and the clear panel in front is cast in a smokey purple plastic that can be positioned as opened or closed. He also has his “Anti-Gravity Concentrator” backpack, as described in his bio. Simply put, it looks like a big magnet attached to his back and has “magnetic energy” effects emanating from the poles. Again, this adds to the ’60s aesthetic and I admire the retrofitted thinking with the design.
TERRA FIRMA – The Woman From Earth
As the 21st Century began, America was in decline, struggling beneath the crushing weight of bureaucracy, its air polluted by vast quantities of Methane Gas, emanating from Washington DC. When, suddenly, the Founding Fathers changed everything by discovering the Element “Puranium.” Invisible to the naked eye, which makes it difficult to see, Puranium proved to be a source of boundless Clean Energy by generating “Levity,” the polar opposite of Gravity.
Jack Asteroid’s partner in space travel comes in the curvaceous form of Terra Firma, the Woman from Earth, and the first woman in the line. Yes, I know that there are two females in the 6th series, but the concept of Terra came first, so I am counting her as the trailblazer. While I really like the Jack figure, Terra is most certainly my favorite from this assortment. I think that everything about her is pretty much pitch-perfect in terms of design, and, again, her throwback style really appeals to me. Even with Jack recalling that ’60s feel, Terra does it even better. I am positive her head sculpt has a lot to do with that, and I am not being bullish or at all sexist when I say that female hair styles are oft times easier to assign to a particular time and place.
Terra is a case in point for that. I love her retro do and she certainly has the “Jackie Kennedy Goes to Space” feel to her. The bob is cute and she has an attractive face, so while there weren’t any female astronauts in the 1960s (for shame), Terra follows the pattern of what the model for a female would be. The man were handsome and fit, and Terra matches that. She is built, almost to the point of being on the small side of “Rubenesque.” She is curvy and, um, very well endowed, but the Horsemen were certainly working from the provided source material. Her orange suit matches Jack’s and she share the same helmet and “Anti-Gravity Concentrator.”
She also shares common accessories with Jack and they come in the form of large blaster rays and American flags. The ray guns definitely feel very “Outer Space Men” in style, and they look to be constructed of the space-age and precious metals of gold and silver. The flags are also a great touch, so like the moon walkers before them, Jack and Terra can plant the flag of America wherever their adventures take them.
As I said in the last First Look, I think this latest round of OSM are some of the very best. I really love that we are getting some Earth representation to the line, and that brings an element of depth and characterization that the Outer Space Men have never had. These new concepts fit seamlessly into the pre-established world, and Jack and Terra’s detailing is some of the best in the line. Again, I really hope that there is more to come because the mention of the other crew members is just enough to pique my interest. Regardless, even if you are not an OSM collector, Jack and Terra make for some great astronaut figures on their own.
*Thanks again to the Four Horsemen for sending these figures along for preview. We will have our final OSM First Look for this round up shortly, so stay tuned.
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