It’s been four months since our first interview with Outer Space Men creator Mel Birnkrant. In that session, we focused on the history of the OSM. Now, with the Alpha Phase in our grubby hands and the Beta and Regular Editions just weeks away, we thought it was time to talk to Mel about the present and future.
IAT: The Alpha Phase figures are already in collector’s hands, the Beta Wave debuted at NYCC this weekend, and the Pre-Orders for the regular editions are live now – tell us, how does it feel to see the Outer Space Men reappear? Mel Birnkrant : How does it feel to see the Outer Space Men reappear? I guess I’d have to say just the opposite of how it felt to see them disappear some forty years ago! Or in a word: Exhilarating! I ask myself repeatedly: Is this a manifestation of Destiny or merely an arbitrary twist of Fate? After all, the Outer Space Men were just one of my many halfhearted attempts to make a living while avoiding both reality and pain. I devoted two years of my life to them, then left them by the roadside and moved on. ![]() When I was a kid of nine or ten, the 1946 movie “Ziegfeld Follies” had a lasting impact on me. In it, the great impresario, Florenz Ziegfeld, from his cloud-lined condo up in Heaven, sees his life reenacted in a series of perfect tiny puppet theatres. From my perch here in “Mouse Heaven”, I sort of feel that way today. Fate, of late, has raised the curtain on a revival of The Outer Space Men and I find myself falling under their spell again; seeing them more clearly now than I ever did back then.
Reflecting back, I wonder: if I had I followed the road down which the OSM were leading, where would I be today? I might have become a Master of the action figure Universe. Instead, the Outer Space Men occupy just one small cloud clad puppet stage, among a multitude of many. How far “Off Broadway” can you get? I know the audience will never swell to “Standing Room Only”. But, nonetheless, to You Cherished Few I say, please take your seats. The Show is just beginning. IAT: Now that you’ve had the Alpha Phase in-hand you’ve seen the Glyos system first hand. So… what do you think? What opportunities do you see or its use in the line and are there any specific colorways you’d like to see? MB: Having the Alpha Phase in-hand was an Experience I was not prepared for. When I finally saw the Alpha Phase figures in person, I was stunned by their size. These are no mere 3 ¾” figures; they are actually a whole new size. I found myself Mesmerized by their pristine delicate detail and precious jewel-like quality, monumental in form and concept, meticulously miniature, and Magical in size. Is anyone else struck by this elusive quality or is my reaction merely evidence of my unfamiliarity with modern-day action figures?
I’ve learned to love the Glyos system, especially as manifested in the OSM. In my opinion, it’s a marriage made in Heaven. And although, I regard the OSM, so far, as Fully Realized by the 4 Horsemen, and consider what they’ve accomplished in the first four figures to be sheer Perfection, I believe they are only beginning to explore the ever expanding Universe of endless possibilities that the Glyos system offers. As the 4 Horsemen travel to the farthest reaches of the Glyos galaxy, I think you’ll find that some Glyosian Surprises will soon be on the way. Colorways? Yes, I do have Colorways choices that I’d love to see someday. Each OSM has an intrinsic Aura, the color that it radiates, just as people do. Some people can see auras more easily than others. Some people’s auras are easier to see. The OSM have obvious auras. Of course, I see them clearly, choices that seem so obvious, that the fact they were not chosen for the Alpha Wave came as a shock to me.
IAT: You’ve recently joined the Fantastic Forum and are interacting more with fans via the internet. What’s that been like? How is that different from when you were starting out in the toy industry? MB: I’d been looking in on ItsAllTrue and several others, including the Fantastic Forum, for quite a while, enjoying anonymity and the joys of invisibility, feeling like a cross between a peeping Tom and God. Every once in a while, I’d come across a question or a misconception, to which I had the answer or correction, and I was momentarily tempted to chime in. God, probably, feels the same. But I also felt that if I entered the discussion, I’d no longer overhear honest opinion. And, above all, I was aware that this the Four Horsemen’s show, not mine. Then circumstances beyond my self-control, brought me to where I swore I’d never go. The 4Horsemen wisely cut off the discussion. I was about to slink away with my tail between my legs when the friendly Forum member’s irresistibly seductive questions, along with a generous act of kindness, lured me back again, for a while anyway. I’ve met amazing people there, friendly, bright, brilliant even, and I’m loving (almost) every minute of it.
Years later, when I created the Outer Space Men, the toy industry still remained an abstract dream to me. For my mysterious unseen mentor, and fantasy father figure, Harry Kislevitz, insulated both himself and me from the nightmare reality of the Toy Industry. Later still, when Fate forced me to intermingle, I never rode a crowded elevator at the Annual Toy Fair without being overwhelmed by feelings of alienation and gratitude that I could work at home.
That is exactly what the 4 Horsemen did – stepped outside the corporate system – and rode their Talent to the stars. This never could have happened in my day. The times have changed dramatically. I first saw this take place in the movies, where once unknown make-up artists like Dick Smith and Stan Winston could, themselves, become Stars and the primary reason why a multitude of fans would flock to see a film. Now it has happened in the World of Toys as well with the 4Horsemen leading the pack and galloping to the fore. I’m enjoying chatting with their adoring fans at the Fantastic Forum, and warming my old bones in the reflected radiance of the 4 Horsemen’s afterglow. |
That last answer has me so excited….SO EXCITED!!
Wow. Great interview. I’d love for the line to be able to expand to all the items Mel is talking about.
Great interview! Reading about all the worlds was a real treat.
I love reading Mel talk.
Great interview!
Great interview!
Those new Outer Space Men worlds and characters sound amazing! It never occurred to me that they were representatives..
Great interview! I’d be down for some more Gamma X based characters. He’s got the best design, I’m waiting to see what the 4H do with it!
Great ideas for the future of the line!! I hope the Four Horsemen read IAT!!
Thanks for the interview!