Ten out of twelve down, with blue Flag Dude and Square Scoop Guy yet to be obtained. If my understanding is correct the Marx Apollo Astronaut debuted in 1970 as patent marked and cast at six inches in white and blue soft plastic. The form was then released in 60mm size in white soft plastic for the Marx "Giant Martian Landing" playset in 1972. The 60mm figures are likewise patent dated on their bases as 1970. The set was re-released in 1977 presumably to cash-in on "Star Wars" toy hype, which Marx followed up on in 1978 with the "Galaxy Command" playset featuring Apollo Astronauts cast again at 60mm in white and optic orange soft plastic. They were last used in the somewhat paltry "Star Station Seven" playset of 1979, and in 1980 Marx went out of business.
The molds for the Apollo figures ended up in Mexico and recasts of them were churned out in both white and gray during the 1990s. These can be distinguished by the lack of dated patent stamp on their bases, leaving just a blank recessed circle. As seen on the video copies also emerged via Hong Kong as hollow Parachute Jumper figures. All originals and copies would have been produced after 1970: The Marx Apollo figures were not released during the 1960s. The somewhat similar looking MPC or Multiple Toymakers 5.5 inch space figures first surfaced in 1962 and are much different looking than the Marx Apollo figures: The MPC figures wear unpressurized flight suits with diver type tanks and other equipment which the owner would strap in place, the Marx Apollo figures were lunar exploration EVA suits with rectangular PLSS life support packs which are part of their molding. MPC spacemen are not logo marked but do have a mold position number on the upper sides of their bases. Marx Apollo Astronauts are very clearly logo stamped on the underside of their bases.
I actually did wake up in a jerky mood one day and took it out on half a dozen vendors I found selling MPC spacemen as Marx. Not proud of having done so and won't repeat the episode, but it did speak for the frustration of knowing that beginner collectors are being fed false information by vendors who haven't just not done their homework, but are deliberately spamming the name Marx on everything, because it's what sells. Knock it off, learn your forms, stick to your guns on pricing and enjoy having Fun In Space with your spacedudes.
The "Space.Trucks" videos, Instagram feed and related blog are for sharing my enthusiasm for vintage, antique & offbeat Space Toys with other grownup collectors and are not made with child-age audiences in mind.
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