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| Center: Metal-Man "Radon" figure. Background: Micronauts "Galactic Warrior" and "Space Glider" |
Going back at least as far as 1976, Metal-Man action figures were some of the earliest 3.75" figures on the market. Their die cast metal construction and numerous points of articulation combined with multiple themes such as Space, Military, Robots, Police Men, and Construction Workers made them cool and curious toys! Yet unlike many of the toys of the time, it seems few people remember them.
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| Metal-Man "Radon" figure from Zee Toys |
Although Micronauts aren't as well known as Star Wars, G.I. Joe, or Masters of the Universe toys, I would think that most people who collect action figures from the 70s and early 80s are at least familiar with Micronauts, so it only makes sense that people might think some of the Metal-Man figures fell into that toy line. I don't know if the reason for their relative obscurity was that Metal-Man didn't have enough marketing, or if their packaging images weren't memorable enough, or if it was the lack of tie-in products like comic books, but there's no arguing that the Metal-Man brand just didn't seem to stick in people's minds. This is despite a run of at least four years (I've seen packaging with dates as early as 1976, which is when I believe they were first released, and as late as 1979)! I have seen them in packaging under both the brand "Zee Toys" and also "Zylmex." From what I have read, Zee Toys was the distributor in the USA and Zylmex in the UK and Japan. Obviously neither brand was as big as Mego, Kenner, Hasbro, or Mattel, so maybe there just wasn't enough money behind the Metal-Man name to make it stick.
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| Metal-Man "Radon" action figure |
Although several of the Metal-Man figures have similarities to Micronauts, they usually have enough differences to at least make people wonder if they are Micronauts or some other line. Radon, however, looks so much like a Micronaut, how can he be anything else? The blue Galactic Warrior and blue Space Glider figures in particular were amazingly similar to Radon. All three had metallic heads, blue torsos, silver arms, silver legs, and blue boots. All three had similar points of articulation and were held together with O-rings. Even the color of blue was almost identical! Radon fit in so well with these figures that it's no surprise at all anyone would think they were from the same family of toys. In addition to these similarities, Radon seems to have had the largest production run of any of the Metal-Man figures (this is based 100% on observation and I have no support other than the variety of different packaging for Radon, his presence in catalog ads, and the number of Radon figures I've seen vs. the other Metal-Man characters), so you more likely to see Radon for sale with a pile of other figures than you are to see him in a lot of Metal-Man toys. At least, that's been my experience.
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| Radon working the controls of the Time Chamber for a Time Traveler |
Regardless of his origin, I find that Radon fits in so well, I've made him an honorary Micronaut anyway. I'm sure I'm not alone in this decision. In fact, any of the Metal-Man action figures are welcome to join my Micronauts community. My collection is small, partly because the other Metal-Man figures are less common and partly because of the price, but I would certainly love to add more!
Did you have Radon or other Metal-Man figures as a kid...or do you have them now? If so, did you think Radon was a Micronaut? Tell me below in the comments!
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In the late '70 start of '80s I purchased a metal-Man Radon action figure at my local convenience store. On of my childhood friend have a large collection of Micronauts with almost all the goodies. So it was my one and only one that was similar with my friends toys. Also I had a Tommy Robot like in the pic.A gold one with the red tinted bubble glass head. Someone steal it when I forgot it in my school desk. I found another on Ebay severals years ago. I still have it.
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