Review – Galaxy Commanders “Commander Mach”

If the Galaxy Commanders vinyl toys from Skullmark (find at Amazon.com*) look familiar then you’re likely remembering the Tomland Starroid Raiders action figures of the seventies. You see, these new Skullmark vinyl figures are modeled after those old Tomland toys (see toymania.com and Plaid Stallions), with one big difference: These new toys are considerably larger than the Starroid Raiders action figures of the seventies.

Articulation

The product description says the Galaxy Commanders have seven points of articulation, but if you’re at all familiar with designer vinyl toys then you know that “articulation” has a different meaning than what most action figure fans are used to. In this instance, the only articulation that we could call playable are the neck and shoulder swivel joints. The wrists and hips also swivel, but those joints don’t do all that much. In fact, swivel that leg at all at the hip joint and the entire toy topples forward. Fortunately, the Galaxy Commanders aren’t targeted at kids and are instead adult collectibles. The limited articulation is perfectly acceptable since 99% of these toys will live their lives on shelves.

Fantastic Collectibles!

Commander Mach here is my first Skullmark Galaxy Commanders toy, and this looks amazing up close. They really adapted the Starroid Raiders toys to vinyl, and the 9.5-inch height makes the toy far more impressive on the shelf than if the toys had remained the same size as the originals. The sculpt, limited paint apps, and giant sticker on the chest are all perfect and the only problem I have now is deciding on where to display the toy.

Closing Thoughts

I never would have thought of the idea of adapting the old Starroid Raiders to today’s vinyl toy scene, but I can’t deny that the end result is a remarkable blend of nostalgia and the designer market. Commander Mach is a fantastic display piece, and now I’m left wondering if the line is selling well enough that Skullmark will make more in the series. Hell, maybe they’ll also adapt and upsize the old Arco Spacewar toys of the seventies. Wishful thinking, yes, but at least then those old Arco designs would be affordable.