Random minifig of the day: sp003
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random minifigure is sp003 Classic Space - Black with Air Tanks, a Space figure that was first produced during 1984. It can be found in 8 sets.
Our members collectively own a total of 179,096 of them. If you'd like to buy one you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $117.00.
Image and minifig data courtesy of BrickLink.com
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56 comments on this article
Classic Space! Always fun to have a figure as RMotD that I own, but this own is certainly a great minifigure. @Huwbot foreshadowing a W for 10497? Anyways, great figure, especially in Black.
Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?
Blacktron before Blacktron?
I was lucky enough to find one in a collection I bought several years ago. It’s one of my prized possessions.
My man! The most sought after CS fig!
Why? It just is. Do not question the soughting.
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
I had one that was permanently fused to a magnet about a decade ago.
The only color of Classic Spaceman using the original helmets I don't own. I only had blue and yellow ones when I was a kid, but bought 6927 from Bricklink a while back. Now all I have to do is pick up one of these guys and buy 21358, and I'll have every version of Classic Spaceman that's been released in a set!
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
The closest thing I'm aware of is 2856226. I know they haven't released one using the new-mold helmet.
Commander Schwartz!
If I ever got one during my childhood, it would have been from 6702. I can't say for sure if I got that minifig pack (I did get a lot of them, probably because they were a cheap source of minifigs), but it looks familiar.
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
TRU did several minifig box sets with modern recreations of vintage minifigs like this. I know that all five of the Mondrian Spacemen colors got represented during that run. And I know that Black here made an appearance during the TRU Bricktober promotion the year they started gluing minifig legs to the magnet bricks. But that was the last appearance, and the hips are glued to the torso. I'd skipped the box sets (too expensive when I usually only wanted one minifig from each set), so I ended up having to clip the legs to get a loose Modern Black to complete my six Spacemen lineup on my fridge after Green became available. They did release the Benny-style retro helmet in black, I believe through Dreamzzz, but they've never actually released the whole minifig post-TLM2.
Legendary minifigure.
THIS is LEGO.
@TheOtherMike said:
"The only color of Classic Spaceman using the original helmets I don't own. I only had blue and yellow ones when I was a kid, but bought 6927 from Bricklink a while back. Now all I have to do is pick up one of these guys and buy 21358, and I'll have every version of Classic Spaceman that's been released in a set!
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
The closest thing I'm aware of is 2856226. I know they haven't released one using the new-mold helmet."
Given PurpleDave’s comment above, noting how that magnet polybag has the legs glued, I’d say your best bet is Vintage Minifigure Collection Vol. 2, which has a couple versions. The one you want is 5000438, a TRU-exclusive variation of 852535. The latter for some inexplicable reason has the CS emblem printed (too) low on the torso, but the former has it right.
Both of these substitute the motorcycle-style helmet for the classic helmet that had long been out of production by the time the Vintage Minifigure Collections were introduced, but since the “neo-classic”-style helmet was (re)introduced with 70841, it’s become available in a variety of colors, including black. Pick-a-Brick even had it for a while, and I ordered a couple to replace the motorcyclist helmets on my black CS guys from a couple copies of the TRU VMC v2 (I’m now hoping to get some in blue).
PAB no longer has the black helmet at the moment, but some are out there now, as are copies of 5000438. I don’t know exactly how common or rare either is (I saw someone offering that Vintage Minifigure Collection for sale for $99 some years ago, but I don’t know whether anyone bought it for that, or whether that’s a typical asking price, or if not then whether that’s too high or too low). But it is possible to make a new Classic Spaceperson in black, with a “proper” helmet, entirely with genuine LEGO elements made with the last 13 years or so.
I don’t think I ever had a black CS guy. Just Blacktron. I had plenty of red and white guys, and even a couple yellow guys and I think one whole blue guy.
But mine got played with, a lot. They would not have looked good had I held onto them and they not gone to my cousins.
EDIT: check that. I had one black suit. It was in 6882 Walking Astro Grappler. For some reason I thought that guy was blue.
@RogueWhistler
@TheOtherMike
@PurpleDave
@Blondie_Wan
Thanks, everyone!
Where's his SPACESHIP!?
I think I casually bought a custom replica black and grey spaceman torso. Now to find a helmet...
Don't have a single one of these ones ( @TotalMaddness: which would mean, yes, I am weak in 'The Schwartz':))...at least not 'these one'...I have two of the magnets that are...high 90% this guy, except the helmet (which TLG used a modern motor-cycle helmet for it/them).
Captain Kirby!
Or Commander Kazak... Or Commander Schwartz. Depending on you who ask.
Space: The Comic was hilariously great. I was surprised to find out it's still going on!
EDIT:
We had the discussion last time, hope I don't mess it up again:
Lorewise, it was said these are the "Spies". The designers claimed the Christiansens weren't too happy with them including guys in black spacesuits, that's why there were so few sets with them.
In a commercial comic there was a (Classic Space) commander by the name "Captain Kirby" who looked exactly like these guys. He was accompanied by the somewhat mischievous robot Zonu from set 6702.
@Atuin said:
"Captain Kirby!
Or Commander Kazak... Or Commander Schwartz. Depending on you who ask.
Space: The Comic was hilariously great. I was surprised to find out it's still going on!
EDIT:
We had the discussion last time, hope I don't mess it up again:
Lorewise, it was said these are the "Spies". The designers claimed the Christiansens weren't too happy with them including guys in black spacesuits, that's why there were so few sets with them.
In a commercial comic there was a (Classic Space) commander by the name "Captain Kirby" who looked exactly like these guys. He was accompanied by the somewhat mischievous robot Zonu from set 6702."
You mean his name doesn’t end in “-enny”?
@TheOtherMike said:
"The only color of Classic Spaceman using the original helmets I don't own. I only had blue and yellow ones when I was a kid, but bought 6927 from Bricklink a while back. Now all I have to do is pick up one of these guys and buy 21358 , and I'll have every version of Classic Spaceman that's been released in a set!
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
The closest thing I'm aware of is 2856226 . I know they haven't released one using the new-mold helmet."
i have 5000438 TRU exclusive minifigures set from 2012 which had the Black Classic spaceman but with motorbike helmet.
Edit: Forgot to mention I also own 2 of the classic space sets that had this Black spaceman.
@Atuin said:
"The designers claimed the Christiansens weren't too happy with them including guys in black spacesuits, that's why there were so few sets with them."
I had never heard that before. However, consider that Red and White were introduced in 1979, followed very quickly by Yellow. Blue and Black didn't show up until 1984, five years later. Granted, Blue appeared quite a bit more than Black, but still never really made up the ground lost to the first three. And Black was still used in Futuron. And again for Blacktron. And Space Police I. If they really had a problem with black spacesuits, why did that color get used so extensively in early Space themes?
Probably the hardest one to track down on the aftermarket. Wanting to collect all the classic spacemen
@Blondie_Wan said:"PAB no longer has the black helmet at the moment, but some are out there now, as are copies of 5000438. I don’t know exactly how common or rare either is (I saw someone offering that Vintage Minifigure Collection for sale for $99 some years ago, but I don’t know whether anyone bought it for that, or whether that’s a typical asking price, or if not then whether that’s too high or too low). But it is possible to make a new Classic Spaceperson in black, with a “proper” helmet, entirely with genuine LEGO elements made with the last 13 years or so."
Bricklink's data for the last six months:
"Times Sold: 4
Total Qty: 4
Min Price: US $120.00
Avg Price: US $132.81
Qty Avg Price: US $132.81
Max Price: US $156.25"
Huh, reminds me that we haven’t had the big Best Set finale yet. Guess they’re still looking for advocates
Kind of weird these being so hard to find on the aftermarket but according to Brickset, members own 179,096 of them. Makes you wonder with the black version being that how many of the white or red ones they actually produced and sold.
To my surprise, the 8 sets in the database didn't include the one I had! It contained one black CSM, one yellow and their vehicle had a trailer with horizontal racks on the back to hang rocket packs.
May the Schwartz be with you!
@GrosPanda1979 said:
"To my surprise, the 8 sets in the database didn't include the one I had! It contained one black CSM, one yellow and their vehicle had a trailer with horizontal racks on the back to hang rocket packs."
That would probably be 1558. It's in the Brickset database, but not linked to the list of sets containing this guy. Probably because in the set entry he's only shown wearing his accessories. Plus the set entry on Bricklink doesn't contain info about the parts and minifigs included in this set.
It's apparently quite a rare one anyway, only having been available at certain stores in North America.
Incidentally, I just checked, I have five of the nine sets this guy came in, most of them from my childhood. Didn't have 1558 though, of course.
This guy is always the commander in every gameplay. He is a rare breed. Red is the adventureous guy, white with the brains, yellow is the wheelman, blue is the pilot in my universe.
"Here come the men in black..."
Only question is, is he supposed to be Agent J or Agent K? Going by his smile I'd say it's J.
:-)
I'm gonna go with "Svenny".
@Blondie_Wan said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"The only color of Classic Spaceman using the original helmets I don't own. I only had blue and yellow ones when I was a kid, but bought 6927 from Bricklink a while back. Now all I have to do is pick up one of these guys and buy 21358 , and I'll have every version of Classic Spaceman that's been released in a set!
@BabuBrick said:
"Has the black Classic Spaceman shown up in any sets from recent years, or was he last seen in sets from the 80’s?"
The closest thing I'm aware of is 2856226 . I know they haven't released one using the new-mold helmet."
Given PurpleDave’s comment above, noting how that magnet polybag has the legs glued, I’d say your best bet is Vintage Minifigure Collection Vol. 2, which has a couple versions. The one you want is 5000438 , a TRU-exclusive variation of 852535 . The latter for some inexplicable reason has the CS emblem printed (too) low on the torso, but the former has it right.
Both of these substitute the motorcycle-style helmet for the classic helmet that had long been out of production by the time the Vintage Minifigure Collections were introduced, but since the “neo-classic”-style helmet was (re)introduced with 70841 , it’s become available in a variety of colors, including black. Pick-a-Brick even had it for a while, and I ordered a couple to replace the motorcyclist helmets on my black CS guys from a couple copies of the TRU VMC v2 (I’m now hoping to get some in blue).
PAB no longer has the black helmet at the moment, but some are out there now, as are copies of 5000438 . I don’t know exactly how common or rare either is (I saw someone offering that Vintage Minifigure Collection for sale for $99 some years ago, but I don’t know whether anyone bought it for that, or whether that’s a typical asking price, or if not then whether that’s too high or too low). But it is possible to make a new Classic Spaceperson in black, with a “proper” helmet, entirely with genuine LEGO elements made with the last 13 years or so."
I have a black Classic Spaceman in my display collection that I assembled from the Vintage Collection Vol 2 when it was first released and the CS helmet in black that I got from PAB.
@PurpleDave , The re-issued black CS helmet did indeed come in a Dreamzzz set, 71460-1 , but first appeared in the buildable Mickey and Minnie ( 43179-1 ) as their noses. I remember the buzz about that part when the images of the Mickey & Minnie set came to light and religiously monitored PAB until it appeared there :~)
@Maxbricks14 said:"Where's his SPACESHIP!?"
Benny got jealous and stole it.
@AustinPowers said:
" @GrosPanda1979 said:
"To my surprise, the 8 sets in the database didn't include the one I had! It contained one black CSM, one yellow and their vehicle had a trailer with horizontal racks on the back to hang rocket packs."
That would probably be 1558. It's in the Brickset database, but not linked to the list of sets containing this guy. Probably because in the set entry he's only shown wearing his accessories. Plus the set entry on Bricklink doesn't contain info about the parts and minifigs included in this set.
It's apparently quite a rare one anyway, only having been available at certain stores in North America.
Incidentally, I just checked, I have five of the nine sets this guy came in, most of them from my childhood. Didn't have 1558 though, of course. "
Yeah, if you look at the "Minifigs" tab of 1558's database entry, the only ones listed are https://brickset.com/minifigs/sp053b/classic-space-yellow-with-light-gray-jet-pack-and-trans-red-cones and https://brickset.com/minifigs/sp059a/classic-space-black-with-light-gray-jet-pack, both of which were both unique to the set.
The main character of Space the Comic :D
Last year I got 6891 Gamma V Laser Craft, his personal spaceship in the comic. It's a really nice set and I got it for a crazy price.
I actually had the figure already from a flea market years earlier, where a a seller sold random old minifigs. I bought the ones needed to create all five of the originals. The gold is gone on their torsos and their heads are loose. But it was fun to display them together. I had no idea it now goes for prices of thst magnitude! The aftermarket sucks sometimes man.
@AustinPowers said:
" @GrosPanda1979 said:
"To my surprise, the 8 sets in the database didn't include the one I had! It contained one black CSM, one yellow and their vehicle had a trailer with horizontal racks on the back to hang rocket packs."
That would probably be 1558. It's in the Brickset database, but not linked to the list of sets containing this guy. Probably because in the set entry he's only shown wearing his accessories. Plus the set entry on Bricklink doesn't contain info about the parts and minifigs included in this set.
It's apparently quite a rare one anyway, only having been available at certain stores in North America.
Incidentally, I just checked, I have five of the nine sets this guy came in, most of them from my childhood. Didn't have 1558 though, of course. "
I apparently have 4 of this guy, thanks to your sleuthing about 1558, as I also own that set and three of the other sets. These were seemingly only available in very large and expensive space sets, so I can understand why they are so expensive and hard to find.
@Binnekamp said:
"The main character of Space the Comic :D
Last year I got 6891 Gamma V Laser Craft, his personal spaceship in the comic. It's a really nice set and I got it for a crazy price.
I actually had the figure already from a flea market years earlier, where a a seller sold random old minifigs. I bought the ones needed to create all five of the originals. The gold is gone on their torsos and their heads are loose. But it was fun to display them together. I had no idea it now goes for prices of thst magnitude! The aftermarket sucks sometimes man."
I recently bought a lot that has Gamma V with box and instructions. I haven't built it yet, but I only got one black figure, so that must be where it's from. The planet print is still looking good though!
I’d already entered my dark age before blue and black space people were a thing. I’ve since got blue, but a decent quality black space person still eludes me.
@Brickalili said:
"Huh, reminds me that we haven’t had the big Best Set finale yet. Guess they’re still looking for advocates "
I offered, but @Huw was a but vague, so I don’t really know. I haven’t reached out yet, perhaps I should.
Can't believe nobody's compared it to yesterday’s TIE Fighter Pilot yet.
I guess we know who Huwbot will be voting for in the finale...
We're just waiting for the Castle advocate to provide some words, so hopefully we can get the final underway later this week.
@Huw said:
"We're just waiting for the Castle advocate to provide some words, so hopefully we can get the final underway later this week."
"If you like castles better than spaceships, this is the set for you."
I mean, in case your actual advocate can't make it.
@Crux said:
" @Huw said:
"We're just waiting for the Castle advocate to provide some words, so hopefully we can get the final underway later this week."
"If you like castles better than spaceships, this is the set for you."
I mean, in case your actual advocate can't make it."
“It’s not bad, but I’m withdrawing from the race and throwing my endorsement behind the other guy.”
I suppose we shouldn't rule out the possibility that Actual Advocate has chosen to remain silent after one day waking up to find https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=1703pb01 in their bed. Oh no!
In my head canon, this fig is more Kurtz than Schwartz, ever since he went AWOL from the Classic Space Federation and formed the Blacktron syndicate….
@PurpleDave said:
" @Atuin said:
"The designers claimed the Christiansens weren't too happy with them including guys in black spacesuits, that's why there were so few sets with them."
I had never heard that before. However, consider that Red and White were introduced in 1979, followed very quickly by Yellow. Blue and Black didn't show up until 1984, five years later. Granted, Blue appeared quite a bit more than Black, but still never really made up the ground lost to the first three. And Black was still used in Futuron. And again for Blacktron. And Space Police I. If they really had a problem with black spacesuits, why did that color get used so extensively in early Space themes?"
Guess they changed there minds later.
Quote from the Mark Stafford interview with Jens Nygaard Knudsen:
"In fact, there was also a fair bit of controversy about making black
suited spacemen at all, as some at LEGO thought they were too
threatening and Jens had to use the Town police and firemen to
prove that hero figures could indeed wear black!"
@Lemerbrix06 said:
"Probably the hardest one to track down on the aftermarket. Wanting to collect all the classic spacemen"
Not hard... just a bit more expensive. Plenty of used ones on Bricklink. If you're looking for new though, you're right (I wouldn't trust any of the sellers on BL listing it as new).
Ooh, one I have and have had for over 30 years!
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:"Where's his SPACESHIP!?"
Benny got jealous and stole it.
@AustinPowers said:
" @GrosPanda1979 said:
"To my surprise, the 8 sets in the database didn't include the one I had! It contained one black CSM, one yellow and their vehicle had a trailer with horizontal racks on the back to hang rocket packs."
That would probably be 1558. It's in the Brickset database, but not linked to the list of sets containing this guy. Probably because in the set entry he's only shown wearing his accessories. Plus the set entry on Bricklink doesn't contain info about the parts and minifigs included in this set.
It's apparently quite a rare one anyway, only having been available at certain stores in North America.
Incidentally, I just checked, I have five of the nine sets this guy came in, most of them from my childhood. Didn't have 1558 though, of course. "
Yeah, if you look at the "Minifigs" tab of 1558's database entry, the only ones listed are https://brickset.com/minifigs/sp053b/classic-space-yellow-with-light-gray-jet-pack-and-trans-red-cones and https://brickset.com/minifigs/sp059a/classic-space-black-with-light-gray-jet-pack, both of which were both unique to the set."
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but personally I think that if the head, legs, torso, and hair/helmet (if there is one) are the same, it's the same minifigure.
What a beauty !
@RogueWhistler said:"I'm sure this has been discussed before, but personally I think that if the head, legs, torso, and hair/helmet (if there is one) are the same, it's the same minifigure."
Stuff that goes around the neck is the only component is the only part of a minifig that requires another component to be removed before you can take it off though. I'd be fine with excluding things like roller skates, (I'm a little uncertain where I stand on hair accessories and other components attached with pins), but IMHO, if the components you listed are all the same on two minifigs, but they have something different around the neck, they're different minifigs.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @RogueWhistler said:"I'm sure this has been discussed before, but personally I think that if the head, legs, torso, and hair/helmet (if there is one) are the same, it's the same minifigure."
Stuff that goes around the neck is the only component is the only part of a minifig that requires another component to be removed before you can take it off though. I'd be fine with excluding things like roller skates, (I'm a little uncertain where I stand on hair accessories and other components attached with pins), but IMHO, if the components you listed are all the same on two minifigs, but they have something different around the neck, they're different minifigs."
If the minifig shows different accessories in the instructions, it’s a different minifig because, if someone orders the version with ice skates and gets the version with headphones instead, someone is going to hear about it. You want to count them as different or the same in your own collection, nobody has the right to say otherwise. But if it’s referring to catalog listings, it’s a messy ordeal to get changes made, so what’s listed is usually what stands.
All I got, is a rock. :(
Happens I got 4(!!) of them by rescuing my childhood space sets (and wishing for the right sets back then as a 5-9 year old).
@StyleCounselor said:
"All I got, is a rock. :("
Are you still on about the Fel Beast?! j/k
@TheOtherMike said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"All I got, is a rock. :("
Are you still on about the Fel Beast?! j/k"
Well, he's got a gold circle on his chest, but didn't the One Ring have a hole through the center?