Galactic Man - Electronic Space Robot/Gun
Cat. No. 60-1065
"Hey, I had that as a kid! I loved Shockwave!"
For many kids in the 1980s, this was Shockwave... or at least an acceptable substitute. Parents had to appreciate the fact that for half the cost of a purple G1 Shockwave Transformer, they could satisfy the wants of their kid for only $14.95. Most kids didn't care that their Shockwave was gray and even adorned their 'Shackwave' with leftover Decepticon stickers.
Radio Shack, under their UK parent company TANDY corp., produced a licensed version of a figure based on the (Astro Magnum) mold lineage. Radio Shack's silent manufacturing partner was Intecs from Korea. Some mistakenly claim this was a KO/knockoff of Shockwave, however, this is an actual licensed figure.
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(V1) Licensed - TANDY version - Galactic Man (click picture to enlarge) |
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(V2) Licensed - Radio Shack version - Galactic Man (click picture to enlarge) |
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(V3) Licensed - TANDY & Radio Shack European tri-language version L'homme de la Galaxie, De man uit de galaxis, Der Mann aus der Galaxis. |
Following the astrological theme of "Astro" Magnum, comes this more affordable outer space defender, "Galactic" Man! The back of his box hypes buyers up by describing how they can:
- create three menacing-looking galactic weapons
- keep your evil enemies from conquering the universe
- lets you battle one-on-one in thrilling space duels
- pulsating light for super galactic action
Wow, such excitement paired with great planetary box art. Sold, sign me up! Vulcan base, Anti-Aircraft gun, Laser gun...how could someone say 'no' to that... impossible!
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(V1) TANDY - Galactic Man (TANDY waist sticker) |
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(V2) Radio Shack - Galactic Man (Radio Shack waist sticker) |
Galactic Man displays a leg stamp of "ToyCo Trademark © 1983". It came with factory applied stickers and no additional loose sticker sheet. The two versions come with different stickers on their waists, either 'Radio Shack' or 'TANDY'.
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Photo Credit: Tallus76 Photography |
He comes with a clear plastic fist, chest window and barrel. Noted above is the "yellowing" of the clear plastic parts on the Radio Shack version. We have a dozen examples of the (V2) Radio Shack Galactic Man and all, even newer out of the box figures show some signs of yellowing tint to the clear plastic. In contrast, the TANDY version along with other Intecs figures like: (Spark Man), Electronic Magnum and N-4-SR, do not display this yellowing and remain clear. This is sometimes helpful as you try to identify loose examples.
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"Made in Korea" battery cover stamp. Small 5 ridge sound switch, two sounds. |
Galactic Man is the only known figure to have 'black' lettering on the sound switch. Every other figure, if it has lettering, comes in 'red'. Galactic Man offers you 'Sound A' or 'Sound B', which are frankly boring names. Other figures named their sounds: Bulcan, Magnum, Thorp or Magnoid.
1984-1986
GALACTIC MAN ADVERTISEMENTS
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Nov 22, 1984 "Holiday Sale" Galactic Man made it just in time for Christmas in 1984 Photo Credit: UCR |
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1985 newspaper ad "Late Santa's Sale" Photo Credit: UCR Tandy Pre-Christmas catalog Sale ends 30 Nov 1985 Feature Galactic Man on the cover |
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Radio Shack 1985 Christmas Sale Catalog Photo Credit: RadioShackCatalogs Note: The feet on Galactic man are erroneously not extended/transformed in robot mode in this picture. Video Credit: TFRaw |
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Radio Shack 1986 Catalog/Advertisement "Toys kids want for Christmas" |
1986 Radio Shack commercial with Galactic Man
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30 November 1986 Radio Shack Toys Photo Credit: UCR |
PACKAGING
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(V2) Radio Shack version Galactic Man box scan |
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(V2) Galactic Man - Complete Version (click picture to enlarge) |
If you are trying to buy a complete Galactic Man, be sure you are getting the following items:
1. Box (bonus if the price sticker is still there)
2. White foam tray
3. Gun Barrel and small baggie
4. Figure and large baggie
5. Original black twist tie
6. Card board cover (gets placed on top of the figure and slid in the box together)
7. Instructions
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Top of boxes along with black & white code* sticker off the bottom of the box. (click to picture to enlarge) |
The box tops don't actually display Galactic Man, rather they are images of a blue & black Astro Magnum prototype figure used on the original Japanese Astro Magnum boxes.
Galactic Man boxes came in at least three color shades. One might try to dismiss the box tops as having faded with sun exposure, however, the color differences are consistent on all sides of the box. Furthermore, upon comparing them side by side, it is clear there are in fact three different color shades.
Box 1: Tandy box (dark blue)
Box 2 & 3: Radio Shack & European (purple blue)
Box 4 & 5: Radio Shack (lighter blue)
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(V1) TANDY figure and box that came together. Matching 8A4 code. |
* What do the 'black & white codes' above mean? We don't yet know for sure. They can be found in 3 places: a sticker on the bottom of the box, printed on the instructions (lower left corner) and inside the figure's battery compartment. Quality control? The codes end in either 4, 5 or 6. Galactic Man was produced during the years 1984, 1985 and 1986.
Perhaps a manufacturing date?
Do you know the answer to the codes? Please let us know.
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Galactic Man 3D art by DiegoSwell |
WHO LOVES VARIANTS? WE DO!
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Back of Galactic Man's instructions. (Click to enlarge) |
Galactic Man was manufactured in Korea. As seen in the Galactic Man instructions above, it was then imported/distributed through five different countries around the world. Those five countries were the: U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Australia & Belgium. Belgium released the (V3) European tri-logo box written in French (L'homme de la galaxie), Dutch (De man uit de galaxis) & German (Der mann aus der galaxis).
As such, there should be five different leg stickers that correspond to each of those countries. For variant collectors, that means 'at least' five Galactic Man sticker variants exist.
1. U.S.A. - Forth Worth, Texas. Note: "Galactica" vs Galactic
2. Canada - Barrie, Ontario
3. Australia - NSW (Photo Credit: Justin Masaru Twitter)
4. U.K. (Photo Credit: HDTF Blog) Tandy* was U.K. based.
5. Belgium
(Note: Some TANDY figures come with the Forth Worth, Texas sticker)
SIDE NOTE:
In 1992 Radio Shack released a new figure and repurposed the name Galactic Man.
This figure was a 9.5" scale Robocop bootleg.
(Click here) to learn more about Galactic Man Robocop.
Box variants. Sticker variants. Code variants. Oh my! Purple G1 Shockwave may have had the TV cartoon spotlight, but Gray 'Shackwave' still has a galactic size place in the hearts of kids and fans from the 1980s!