SPARK MAN - 4 Changeable

SPARK MAN - 4 Changeable
Super Electronic
Space Robot/Gun
Intecs LTD - KOREA
Item No.109

The man, the myth, the legend... SPARK MAN!

In 1983, a Japanese toy company called Toyco would release a magnificent transforming figure to the world named 'Astro Magnum'. Shortly afterwards, Toyco would license the Astro Magnum manufacturing mold/design to a Korean toy company called 'Intecs'. Later in 1983, Intecs released the first of several licensed figures they would produce. Even before Intecs Transformers G1 Shockwave was released, the world would meet... SPARK MAN!

Astro Magnum is the original, the big kahuna or top dog of them all. In the long lineage of licensed and KO figures that came from the original Astro Magnum mold, SPARK MAN is a must have!

 

 Picture above: (v2) Spark Man figures and (v2) box.
Showing 3 of 7 complete SPARK MAN examples used for this post.

Made in Korea

Shockwave box. Photo credit: IamRachet.com

Box back of an AFA graded Transformers G1 Shockwave.
Below the Tech Specs it reads:
"Made and printed in Korea. Manufactured by Intecs, Ltd., Seoul"

VERSIONS
There are three versions of SPARK MAN (v1), (v2) & (v3).
These versions differ in their boxes, stickers, wrist molds and battery covers.

Box Front Differences

(click picture to enlarge)

Currently, of the dozen or so photographed boxed examples of Spark Man that circulate on the internet, this is the only known example of a (v1) box.

Differences between (v1) box on the left & (v2) box on the right:
A. (v1) box no "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker on the box top right corner
B. (v1) figure no "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker on the figure
C. (v1) patent area is completely blank on the front.

Box Back Differences

(click picture to enlarge)

(v1) Does not have USA patents listed yet.
Taiwan patent is 'stamped' on the box only.

(v2) Has four USA patents now.
Taiwan patent is printed on the box now.
"PATENT PENDING" has red letters now.

SPARK MAN's (v2) box reads: Exciting space sounds with pulsating lights.
It also shares:
Patent Pending information
Japan: 58-037528
U.K/Hong Kong: 1016277
Korea: 11123
USA: 583161, 583162, 583163, 583164
Taiwan: 7330259

LICENSED BATTERY COVER IDENTIFICATION

Evolution of the Astro Magnum battery cover molds.
1. 'Made in Japan' stamp. 'Battery Energy Gunborg' sticker. Symmetrical

2. 'Made in Korea' silver sticker. Symmetrical
3. 'Made in Korea' stamp. Symmetrical
4. 'Made in Korea' stamp with deep slots. Asymmetrical
5.'Made in Korea' stamp with shallow slots. Asymmetrical

(v2) SPARK MAN box scan. Instructions are on the back.
(Click to enlarge)

Instructions on the box show you how to change from:
1. SPARK MAN
2. ANTI-AIR-GUN (GUNBORG)
3. VULCAN BASE
4. LASER GUN

 

SPARK MAN's box features photographs of the blue & black Astro Magnum prototype used on Astro Magnum's box, these are not pictures of SPARK MAN.

Foam tray for SPARK MAN (v1) & (v2) are identical

(v2) Spark Man

SPARK MAN did not come with an optional sticker sheet or loose instructions. The instructions were printed on the back of SPARK MAN's box. The only sticker (v2) SPARK MAN had was factory applied and it reads: © 1983 Intecs LTD. This sticker was applied onto the top of his chest and in rare cases it was placed on the front of the clear plastic chest window.

A.  "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker on (v2) figure.
B. Residue from where the "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker used to be on (v2). 

 

Above: Spark Man (v3).
The figure does not have an Intecs chest decal. The wrist has a ridge on it now. The battery cover is asymmetrical and has deep slots now. This figure has evolved in the manufacturing process and is now identical to N-4-SR (v3) and Electronic Magnum (v2).

TF Scraps blog has a great article on (v3) Spark Man
(click here)

Photo Credit: Logicfry

Rare example of the (v2) "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker being placed on the chest window.
Noteworthy is the sale sticker for $23.99.

The exact same (v2) "© 1983 Intecs LTD." sticker on the figure was also placed directly on the outside of the SPARKMAN box in the top corner next to Item NO.109
Intecs LTD does not appear printed on the box.

The SPARK MAN artwork above is unique to only the SPARK MAN box and not lifted from Astro Magnum nor repeated on other subsequent figures.

SPARK MAN often comes with what appears to be a coded price sticker. It reads:
795468  $12.99
*ROBOT PISTLD
915 M37 TY1
The last line on each sticker is some kind of unique code, meaning = unknown currently.
Similar type stickers can be found on (TG-117 Robot Pistol) boxes.

UPDATE: These prices stickers appear to have come from Spencer Gifts, the store found in just about every 1980s mall.

Photo Credit: Brandon Alamo - Rogue Five Toys

SPARK MAN sound switch has two sound options. Unlike Astro Magnum, SPARK MAN does not come with a sound switch sticker identifying those sounds and the space remains blank.The black sound switch has 5 small ridges.

The back of this particular Spark Man box has a Korean quality control sticker applied to it. A similar quality control sticker can be found on the Korean made (Robot-Gun) box.

Photo courtesy: JCShockwave instagram (v2) Spark Man

 Excluding the top flap, SPARK MAN and (Galactic Man) have the same size box and almost identical foam inserts. Also shown (Super Electronic Gun Astro Magnum).

CUSTOM

Here we have a (V1) Spark Man figure that someone previously customized. It includes custom Autobot stickers as well as converting the eye to chrome vs. a red color. Beautiful figure to have as long a collectors realize it is custom vs. an official release.

SPARK MAN is a wonderful figure that is harder and harder to find. Finding a figure with the Intecs sticker still intact is collecting gold! Only second to the actual Astro Magnum figure, SPARK MAN should be on every collectors list! Happy hunting everyone and thank you Intecs of Korea for the collecting fun!

(Astro Magnum Home Page)

Questions of comments, please email us at: astromagnumguide@gmail.com

Thank you!