Trippy Enlarged 3" MPC Spaceman Clones with "Doll Faces" and Optical Faceplate Helmets: The Other Ultimate Plastic Space Figures??

Click here to open video in a new window, and these are worth a fullscreen viewing.

Like, Dude ...

What in God's name ... ???

With standard sized 50mm marked MPC spacemen, which is the size I was expecting them to be -- Imagine my surprise! I have (apparently) seen this variety before -- only online, mind you -- as part of a Made in Hong Kong set called "Four Supermen Conquer the Moon", and if these be the same the use of the term "Supermen" now makes sense.

All marked Hong Kong inside of a recess on the baseplate bottoms.

All have what appear to be doll faces -- solid moulded faces, not painted on -- underneath a faceplate with a concave obverse producing a totally hallucinogenic optical effect. The heads look too large for the helmets, and the most bizarre aspect is that they are different faces, not just the same face over and over again.

Only complaint: They have very poor balance, as demonstrated both on the video and by Rope and Sextant Guy here, in the process of topping over backwards.

With vintage 5" MPC in yellow and white 6" Marx Apollo for size comparison. So not "oversized" but enlarged, and of an odd proportion which seems more fitting than the 50mm originals.

Side by side with a still unknown enlarged 3" soft vinyl spaceman with painted features using the Hing Fat "Space Astronaut" form, marked China on its base underside. And I sense a connection, in like how both figure types are up-sizes of classic simple plastic spaceman forms which surpass their original models in terms of artfulness, complexity and fun factor. 

All about three inches on the nose.

With still unknown Hing Fat style Geiger Counter Guy.

And they match again. Not just in terms of their equipment or pose but their aesthetic upgrade from the more well-known original forms. Who made these????

They are nearly perfect upsizes with some minor changes to the suit designs, specifically the small rectangular waist pocket on the right side.

And again. Slight alteration to the lines of the rifle: The 50mm figure's rifle is a bit better detailed and has an angle to its trigger guard where the other two are curved. But the lack of a rectangular form over the trigger area looks like how it should have been ... The 50mm figure chosen here is kind of a dodgy grab-bag piece picked at random from marked MPC figs -- Will see if my other 50mm rifle guys all have that solid rectangle & update if any don't.

And again with the pocket variation.

Again. So not perfect 1:1 enlargements but more highly detailed enlargements, and I wonder if possibly by the same hand. Any info welcome in comments below and you don'y need to be signed in.

In contention with that four inch Rex Mars set as the Ultimate Plastic Spacemen, with the Marx set edging out slightly for having detachable helmets. But these rock, any info on what they may be is most welcome.

Trying to be arty for a minute, and that works well enough to be painted.

That works even better.

UPDATE: More video below, trying to show the optical effect of the faceplate lenses. I cannot shut up about these things. And you know, I feel like I've hit a welcome plateau here in the acquisitions department. Was electrified by the image of these bubble-helmet MPC guys when I first saw that "Four Supermen" package, and had to have some. That was in either March or April, and here they are. We're getting somewhere, it feels, and it's time to stop talking about it & made some art. My first project for these pieces will be painting my own version of the backing card that set was issued on (as soon as I can find a picture of it ...). Then enlarge it like a pop art painting. So in the end these figures are art forms, in that good art leads to more art. The crummy stuff just sits there as an end to itself.

Click here to open video in a new window etc.

Female Space Figures by Archer, Glencoe, Ajax, Marx, Tim Mee, Starlux, Genialty, Britains Deetail, HG Toys, Shadowbox, and Unknowns

UPDATE: More has been learned about the Archer gals since composing this. Best suggestion is to use the link at the very end to a discussion forum page where certain insights came to light. But for now, check out the girls.

Lots and lots of girls.

Click here to open video in a new window.

Just watch it while I run to the store. Explains what's going on here, and why.

Start with the obvious and you have to give it up for her: Marx "Bathing Beauty" adjusting her top, believed to be an original (the color is right at least), mid to late 50s. With anonymous Rex Mars female wearing "Tom Corbett: Space Cadet" garb at left and the lovely Carol Carlisle from their "Space Patrol" set at right, both vinyl cast. Though they were also both included in any number of sets bearing the "Rex Mars" label after the licensing rights for those shows expired. Obtained individually as singles, so which set they may have been included with is unknown.

Click Here for a handy guide to the Marx space figures at researcher Eric Johns' Marx Wild West site.

Gemodels or GEM / Culpitt's "A-1 Spacemen", which my eyes perceive as having nicely feminine curves. All came from UK vendors and likely UK manufactured mid 60s to early 80s, but who can say for sure. Anonymous unmarked pieces of plastic don't say much, though the vendors of the copies were up-front about what they had & the person the "originals" came from a reliable often shopped from source who doesn't bother with copies. 

Click Here for a blog post from Hugh Walters' jam-packed Small Scale World which has some details about Gemodels and their Culpitts space figures.

Cake topper copies at left & right, center figure believed to be an original, discerned by the more 3d sculpted base, swirly opaque plastic blend and more thoroughly painted features. Copies distinguished by a waxier translucent plastic, less painted details, and a flat base with minimal terrain sculpting. I believe they are a quarter notch shorter smaller as well but that could just be due to not standing on a lump of moon rock.

And again with the cake topper copy at right. I think they look like Cosmonauts as well as female: Non NASA issue spacesuits = winning.

Left to right: Helmeted Ajax female, Nordic Alien by Shadowbox, sunbathing cake topper by unknown, Space Barbies and Tim Mee Toys "Galaxy Laser Team" gals with their control modules.

Troublemakers from the swim team gossiping over in the corner there.

The preliminary verdict on these two. Click here to open video in a new window. There's more to the story but am leaving it up as a testimony to the learning curve.

Majestic and delightful however you slice it. Archer Plastics "Space People" female with baby, or at least that's who originated the form in or before 1953. Mystery is that in 1991 a modern plastics company named Glencoe Models obtained the original Archer molds and ran a re-issue series whose figures are sometimes difficult to discern from 1950s originals. Particularly, it turns out, the females.

Click Here for a discussion forum page at the hallowed Alphadrome.net with a go-to guide for how to distinguish Archer originals from the Glencoe re-issues. Which one must remember are also now technically "vintage" as well as they were manufactured in 1991. Will do a followup post examining my current stash of Archer designed figures after I learn a bit more about them, and what these two may yet turn out to be.

Artist Jenna North and son Jasper, US quarter for scale.

Archer did not mark their females with the "Pat.Pend." scrawl which is a given method for gauging the age of the male figures, making it almost impossible to date the females without either original packaging or verifiable provenance. Variations in plastics used can give hints and these passed a test comparison with known Glencoe females. Am now quietly holding out hope on both being vintage Archers. 

ISN'T THIS EXCITING?!!!

<3

Lighthouse painting from 2018.

She's a cutie! that's for sure. Pretty sure she is vintage as well.

Other experts may yet render a more decisive (and welcome) verdict. I'm just stoked to have her on the crew, and you know your Space Art Fantasy is looking up when there's women hanging around.

The Tim Mee Toys gal chosen to embody my fictional character known as the lovely Dr. Chandra Lakes, explaining the control module for her Plutonium Energizer invention to an interested Marx 54mm Apollo astronaut from 1978. Since Tim Mee did not mark their Galaxy Laser Team figures and the female with console did not undergo any significant casting changes it is near impossible to date her as well. 

I tried and she never called me back, just kidding, and the best one can say is that she was likely manufactured sometime between 1978 and the late 80s when Tim Mee first ceased production (since resumed!). The above example had her base sheared off by a prior owner so I keep her and the Marx figure in the Major Tom tin can I carry everywhere: Since they are compromised it won't break my heart as much if they get further damaged or lost, though I have become quite protective of the Marx dude as he survived our annual Creek Float floating art event in June. I think they make a stylish couple and their respective ages are right. See you at the wedding in June?

Two HG Toys Princess Ardala figures from their Buck Rogers playset collection, 1979, with what is believed to be a reduced size female civilian figure by French toy soldier company Starlux, age unknown. US Roosevelt dime for scale.

Mm-hmm.

Tim Mee gals in white & green flanking two gorgeous soft vinyl cereal premium figures from France, age unknown but fairly recent, mid 80s or later (?).

Tim Mee gals unmarked, both of the French babes have "Genialty" on their capes.

Yeah they are.  Things are looking up around the Space Garage with them on board. I want more of this series but forgot the French words I was searching them with.

Two unknown painted lead cast figures, both have the same sculpting to their lower bodies so that's a female fish woman at left. No markings, very soft lead casting and likely hobby crafted rather than manufactured.

Still very cool! if on the disturbing side.

And while making the first video I plumb forgot about my coveted Britains space females from their Deetail era's "Stargard" and "Space Force" collections, early to mid 1980s. Above the supremely sexy Alien Raider Pilot in female form, with a Stargard female about ready to take the top of her head off. Though I should make note that the human figure came with the white haired head at left, which looks like a dude.

See, that's a female form, as is the red headed Alien Raider female next to her giving the thumb's up until we find her a replacement pistol. Will do a video update with the Deetail ladies next time we get a new gal on the Space Garage crew deck. Am always looking! and for that matter, if you have a Plasticraft spacewoman to off give us a shout in comments or message. Will make it worth your while.

My archetype for the retrofuturist Space Art fantasy Girl Friday: Crystal Mace, from the 1962-1964 serialized cartoon "Space Angel". Without her the show wouldn't work. Breaks up the all-stag Gung Ho space hero in tights fantasy, and just having a female presence instantly changes audience perception. Though it does go without saying that Crystal was a product of an age accepting of stereotypical gender roles which pandered to Male Gaze priorities. Shameful for sure, but it beats watching cooking shows.

"Expedition to a New Moon", 1962.

Gotta Have Girls

NOW: Visit this page here at the Alphadrome Space Figures forum for a summary of what has come to light about the Archer gals, and my other Archer designed figures as well.

The whole gang. Long short is that only two of them are Glencoe re-issues for sure, neither of which are the females. In fact and to my surprise, decent chance both of the gals are vintage Archers. The message forum threat at Alphadrome walks you through how it got sorted out, and with that I am off to bed.