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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Cover |
Toy Collector and Price Guide was an 8 1/4" x 8 1/8" magazine with a perfect binding published by Krause Publications, who also published Toy Shop Magazine - the north star of toy collectible information at the time. It featured coated stock, full color covers with a section of color interior pages (for the articles and some ads) with most of the remaining interior printed in black and white "comic book" paper.
The February 1996 issue has an awesome Major Matt Mason feature story titled "Space Toys - The Universe of Major Matt Mason" with several interior pages with text and toys provided for photos by my old friend Ray Kolasa. Transcript below.
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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Pages 6-7 |
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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Page 8 |
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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Page 9 |
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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Page 10 |
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| Toy Collector and Price Guide February 1996 Page 12 |
MAYOR MATT MASON
Mattel's Man in Space was tiny, but mighty. Collectors are now returning
to the glory of the space race-and their childhoods with these figures.
By Ray Kolasa
In 1967, with the race to the moon in full swing, kids across America dreamed of becoming Gemini astronauts. Walking on the moon was no longer a distant fantasy, but a scant two years away.
It was then that Mattel Toys, hoping to cash in on the craze, released what was to become one of their most popular and best remembered toy lines of all time -- Major Matt Mason, Mattel's very own Man in Space.
Though lasting only about four years, from 1967 until its demise in 1970, Major Matt Mason comprised one of the most inventive and memorable toy lines ever. Standing only 6-inches tall, the white-suited Matt Mason was fully poseable with his wire-reinforced rubber body. His spacesuit and helmet were supposedly based on real NASA designs, but even if they weren't exactly accurate, they looked right for the part, mixing realism with plenty of futuristic fantasy. But even better than the figure itself which was joined by Sgt. Storm, Doug Davis, and Jeff Long in the ensuing years (wearing red, yellow, and blue spacesuits respectively) were the amazing accessories and motorized vehicles that supported these figures and increased their play value considerably. Even today, over 25 years later, the distinctive Space Crawler is apt to bring back fond memories to anyone who was a kid in those days.
The first year saw the standard Major Matt Mason figure packaged on a card with Flight Set accessories and on an alternate card that also included a Moon Suit -- a clunky, bell-shaped outfit designed to protect Matt while "moon walking." The Moon Suit used a plastic air pump to control its rubber arms; the same bellows device was also used for later accessories. The Flight Set included a two-piece Space Sled and a Jet Propulsion Pak that allowed Matt to fly on a string. The pak could also be attached to the Space Sled, enabling that device to fly as well.
The previously-mentioned Space Crawler, sold that first year, quickly became the staple of Major Matt Mason transportation sets. Its battery-powered, four-spoked "wheels" could navigate almost any terrain and worked wonder- fully on the moon surface...er, sandbox.
But perhaps the most impressive of all the toys was the Space Station itself, towering over two feet high on orange girders and white honeycombed platforms. With three levels, blue-tinted plastic windows, and a flashing radar beacon, it was highly adaptable and made for hours of fun.
Today's toy makers could learn a lesson from how it was designed. Many Space Stations can still be found in their many packaging variations (it was sold with or without various figures and vehicles), but often the smaller pieces are missing or broken. Loose, the Space Station might be found for as little as $50; boxed sets are much higher depending on the packaging and accessories included.
In 1968, Sgt. Storm was added to the line. He, along with a repackaged Matt, was sold on a blister card with Lunar Trac, a neat looking, but unfortunately non-functional, treaded vehicle. Doug Davis, space scientist/radiologist, and Jeff Long, scientist/rocketry, were released in 1969. Long, an African-American figure, is the toughest human figure to find and is the most expensive at $75 loose. The white-suited Major Matt Mason figure can be readily found for as little as $20 loose, but can go as high as $150 MIB with perfect paint, no broken wires, and a complete helmet and visor. The other two figures fall somewhere in between.
Scarce and Spacey Aliens
There were also several alien figures which joined the Major Matt Mason line -- the most familiar is Callisto. Best known for his green, semi-transparent head, Callisto, released in 1969, came with a purple Space Sensor that attached to his shoulder. It was operated by a bellows that could fire and retract a colored string.
Mattel's 1969 catalog said Callisto's "transparent skull reveals a highly-developed humanoid brain endowed with superior mental powers." We may not know about that, but we do know that the rare, exotic Callisto is valued around $250 mint on card today.
Much harder to find because he was released only in 1970 and distributed only in his own assortment is Scorpio, a slightly larger pink and purple alien who fired "search globes" from a device strapped to his chest (again operated by a bellows). His detachable arm and leg shields are frequently missing, driving up the cost of loose mint figures. A loose Scorpio without shields or accessories might command only $150, but an extremely rare boxed figure might go as high as $1,500 or more.
Perhaps the oddest figure in the line was Captain Lazer, "Matt's friend from outer space," who seems to have been added only to capitalize on the Major Matt Mason name. Towering over Matt and his friends, the captain was the size of a GI Joe and was made of hard plastic instead of the bendable rubber of the other figures. His battery-operated backpack allowed children to light up either his eyes, chest, or the clear plastic attachments to his non removable gun. (Mattel later reused the Captain Lazer mold in 1978 for the large figures in its Battlestar Galactica line.)
A final alien, Or from Orion, was packaged only with the flying Orbitor spacecraft -- released in 1970 only. A tiny crablike creature, Or was designed to sit inside the 12-inch Orbitor, a flying disc that could be launched spinning into the air. Although listed in Mattel's 1970 catalog, some collectors speculate this toy was never produced beyond the prototype stage. To acquire this prime set would cost at least as much as the Scorpio figure, if not more.
Motoring on the Moon
Continuing with the accessory packs, Mattel also released the carded Space Probe, Rocket Launcher, Reconojet, Satellite Launcher, Space Shelter, Space Power Suit, Gamma Ray Guard, and the Supernaut Power-Limbs. The latter four were also released in harder- to-find boxed versions in 1970, and Matt himself was added to a Power Suit and Power Limbs combo known as the Super Power Set. The Moon Suit and Space Travel Pak (formerly known as the Flight Set) were also available without the Major Matt Mason figures. Carded packs usually run between $40-$60 each and are supplemented by colorful photos of Matt in action.
Most distinctive of the additional vehicles -- some of the most inventive ever designed - - was the Space Bubble, a clear plastic globe that could be pulled by the Uni-Tred. The Uni-Tred was a motorized red moon explorer that moved along on a single tank-like tread. With Matt secured in the Bubble's "gyro-seat," the globe would rotate around him as it moved forward, the figure always remaining upright.
Another vehicle was the Astro-Trac, which looks the closest to NASA's real Lunar Rover, basically a lunar dune buggy. It, too, was battery-powered and was noted for its large foam-covered rear wheels. Unfortunately, the soft foam tires tended to disintegrate over the years, so the Astro-Trac is often found with just the rear hubs.
The Astro-Trac was also included with the Space Missile Convoy set that was available only at Sears. Unique to this set, and quite rare, are the three "launch pad" vehicles that were designed to carry such accessories as the Rocket Launcher or Space Probe. Also in this set was a molded vinyl moonscape that is very tough to find.
The Firebolt Space Cannon was scaled to work with either Matt or Captain Lazer at the controls and was often packaged with the oversized Captain. All vehicles were sold either individually or in various combinations, some with figures. Prices for boxed vehicles start around $75-$100. The Lunar Base Command Set, for example, included the Space Station, Space Crawler, Uni-Tred and Bubble, as well as Major Matt Mason and Callisto. This huge set is relatively scarce and might command over $500 MIB.
To help carry the figures and accessories was the vinyl Satellite Locker ($50), which had three compartments, one fronted with clear plastic to view Matt or his friends inside. There was also a Rocket Ship case ($150). A couple figures could be stored in the Talking Command Console, but this piece was much more fun when opened up to reveal two seats, a lighted control panel, and star field. This also was one of Mattel's earliest attempts at a pull-string talking mechanism, so although the console once played 10 exciting space phrases, it's hard to find one that still works.
The Talking Major Matt Mason Flight Pak was better designed and often still works today. Similar to, but larger than, the Jet Propulsion Pak, this orange backpack-like device would play back five different phrases ("Mission accomplished...returning to ship") as the figure glided along its string. Though fairly inexpensive loose ($40), it was sold only with a Major Matt Mason figure, so a boxed version is relatively expensive at $250. The talking backpack was also sold packaged with the XRG-1 Reentry Glider (also available individually). The Glider was large enough to seat Matt in its clear cockpit and light-weight enough to actually fly him through the air like you would a paper airplane. It is a large and most impressive piece and commands about $150.
Rounding out the Major Matt Mason line was the battery-powered Star Seeker, whose "memory guidance system" could allow you to program its path across your kitchen floor and evade a paper cut-out solar system that could be set up around it.
The Major Matt Mason line was supplemented by several other items, including a Big Little Book titled Moon Mission, a coloring book, and several puzzles, all manufactured by Whitman. Mattel supplemented the line its first year with a vinyl wallet and ring binder featuring the space hero and later added the oversized 3-D Space Exploration board game.
By 1970, just as with NASA's real space program, the toy buying public began to lose interest in Mattel's Man in Space, and the Major Matt Mason line came to a premature end. Still, even 25 years later, it remains one of the best-remembered and most ardently-collected toys of the 1960s, capturing the interest of both action figure collectors and of dreamers still hoping for mankind's return to the moon.
Ray Kolasa is a Major Matt Mason fan who also happens to be a "story analyst" in Van Nuys, CA. Part of his collection is featured on our cover and throughout this feature.
Page 9 Inset:
The Return of Major Matt?
Mattel may have given up on Major Matt Mason back in 1970, but not toy designer Joe Ferreira. Ferreira is an avid toy collector and a former Mattel art director.
In his efforts to revive the character several years ago, Ferreira learned Mattel had never officially filed any copyrights or trademarks on Major Matt Mason. Ferreira, now head of his own Pendragon Studios, secured the rights and has been trying to resurrect the space hero.
While production costs have limited the updated Major Matt Mason action figures to only the prototype stage, a new deal is in the works that promises to combine a new toy line with CD- ROM interaction. According to Pendragon Studios Director Corinne King, "the advent of CD-ROM will allow us to introduce an exciting hybrid toy that will cross the barriers of traditional and electronic toys."
Plans include new versions of the original toys and vehicles which will be fully compatible with the 1960s versions.
"Several important advanced in manufacturing and new technologies will allow us to set new standards that will last another quarter century," King said.
Ferreira has already published the first issue of the Men From Earth comic book, chronicling Matt's new adventures, with two more issues pending. The proposed Men From Earth toy line will ultimately link Major Matt Mason and a revamped version of Mattel's old Sea Devils, now called Aqua Marines.
For more information on the new Major Matt Mason line, contact Pendragon Studios at P.O. Box 7000-TOON, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
Pictured above is a sketch of Joe Ferreira's SuperNauts with Major Matt head. The same uniformed bodies, in different paint schemes, will also be made with heads of Sgt. Storm and Jeff Long.
Major Matt Mason - The Once and Future Toy, Copyright and Trademark 1994 Pendragon Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved
John's Notes:
- I believe this is the best of the "classic" toy articles regarding MMM during the 90's. It certainly has the best photos and with MMM on the cover makes it an instant collectible for MMM fans.
- Ray's article is well written but does contain references to Or, which at the time was considered an actual Mattel released item. The prices seem to be accurate based on what I remember back in the mid-90's when I first started collecting MMM. Ray was one of the first MMM group members I ever met that wasn't local (I hung out with him and his wife at San Diego Comic Con in 1998). He was also kind enough to contribute photos of several rare MMM items - see his contributions here.
- Note that some of the accessories are awkwardly placed - Ray provided part of his collection for photography and apparently the photographer or designer "winged it" when positioning the parts.
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