Another happy coincidence, like seeing Julie Newmar on TZ the other night. This time around, it was quite the surprise, as I had been Google Image-ing for Hubble photos. One of the photos that popped up was of The Outer Space Men, linked to a blog by Mike Milo, an animation guy. Mind you, I never knew these guys had a group name, or that they were made by Colorform as assumed villains to Major Matt Mason. I only knew that there was one dude from each planet, and that, if not for seeing one at a convention once, I'd think I had imagined them all. I bought Xodiac from Saturn at a Monaco's on Irving Park Road in Streamwood, because I liked the color scheme and the cool helmet. When I read a book with a chapter about The Flatwoods Monster, something seen after a UFO flew over Braxton County WV back in 1954, I imagined the description given matched 'ol Xodiac. It was not until years later that I saw the original sketch from the newspaper, the UFO occupant looked like a nun with part of a chair stuck to the back of her habit. Xodiac was around for awhile, he could float in our pool, but the rubber/unknown substance it was made of really stunk after being out in the sun. Sadly, he went the way of most of my 60s Cool Stuff, like the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots, my Monster Magnet from Whammo, and those strange demolition derby cars you'd pull a whip through to get them going. Interestingly (or not), I never did own a Matt Mason. I just knew I had Xodiac and never saw any of the others again, I had seen the ones from Neptune and Mercury, the former looking somewhat like a really sun burnt George Harrison....Wayne
