MOTD: Planet of the Apes Astronaut

[jwyblejr]

I've just got him recently as an adult. There is just something about the guy.

[megoscott]

He's all kinds of studly. Those sideburns, that hair. Dynamite. I have a vague sense of seeing this figure as a kid, either in person or catalog but nothing concrete.

[miguet]

I just lost an auction last weekend on a MOC one for like 22.00 dollars. Oh well. I need a loose one that can be tortured by the apes.

Oh, I think it was me...sorry. I placed a bid on the astronaut and soldier ape before going to bed and didn't think I would actually win them. I lost the POTA stallion to you.

[toys2cool]

He's pretty cool,i've never had him

[mego73]

As a kid I had no Ape figures and always thought a Taylor was out there somewhere. It wasn't until the Encyclopedia Of Celebrity Dolls that I learned there was a generic astronaut.

Yes, I wanted one, it was a good representation of the lovely deviations of 1970's toys from the lockstep of the license they had (often in order to save money or that they figures it wasn't important to stick to it as a kid. Bottom line, they thought that kids wanted Apes first and an Astronaut only as an afterthought foil for the Apes).

ChrisDVM gave me an Astronaut for free because he loved the repro I did of the Astronaut box and I let it get out I didn't have an Astronaut of my own.

Since then, I have fabric painted his suit back to a bright blue and he looks great in his box.

[cjefferys]

I did not own this guy until I was 34 years old!

I got that beat, I never owned one until I was 38!

I only had a couple Apes figures as a kid, but I never had an Astronaut nor did I know anyone who had one. I was just vaguely aware of his existance, that's it. I like him now though, he's generic, but still a cool looking figure. I just wish mine had a nice vivid blue suit. I guess these outfits tend to have problems with fading, only a bit of the collar on mine is the nice bright blue the whole outfit probably should be.

[apes3978]

I would think if there were some short packed figues, Astro and Zira would be the least packed.

I don't know how it was anywhere else, but there were never any Zira shortages around here... I remember my brother telling me that the neighbor kids bought Zaius and Zira because those were the only two figures the store had.

[Bionic Joe]

I don't know how it was anywhere else, but there were never any Zira shortages around here... I remember my brother telling me that the neighbor kids bought Zaius and Zira because those were the only two figures the store had.

I can second that as i recall DR ZAIUS and Zira being the easiest to find on the shelves or should i say pegs as i never saw them in there boxes, In fact till i came here i thought the apes were like STAR TREK and was only sold carded

[apes3978]

In fact til I came here I thought the apes were like STAR TREK and were only sold carded

The way I found out about the boxed APES figures was in an auction ad in TOYSHOP... If it hadn't been for that ad, I probably wouldn't have known about them until I seen that Bonavita book...

[jwyblejr]

Didn't the Astronaut sneak his way into one of the Dinah-Mite catalogs?

[Action Martin]

I loved the Astronaut. He was a multi-purpose figure for me. I would have him included in adventures with the Apes, Trek, and WGSH. Of the original wave of POTA, he was the last figure that I acquired as a kid. As an adult collector he was the first that I reacquired back in December '07.

[Action Martin]

I did not know that the POTA line was boxed! I thought that they were only carded like Star Trek. Cool!

[Action Martin]

I opened it up and found Astronaut, Zaius and solider ape inside. He sold me the Astronaut for $20, which was high but this was the first time I'd ever seen a human figure anywhere.

I raced home and put the proper holster and gun on him, as the only reference I had was a Warren ad.

What holster and gun?

[palitoy]

What holster and gun?

In an old Famous Monsters Ad, the Astronaut was pictured with a holster and gun.

[Bionic Joe]

I did not know that the POTA line was boxed! I thought that they were only carded like Star Trek. Cool!

That's the only way i ever saw them was carded, I was very surpised when i came here and found out they also came boxed