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BIONICLE RETURNING 2015


jedi299
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I like the atmosphere they're building. Mask of Creation looks pleasingly ornate and powerful, though it still strays a little too far into post-Mata-Nui 'shove in as many angles and details as you can' mask design for me to be completely happy. The chant in the background of the video clip is definitely evocative of earlier BIONICLE themes and tone.

 

And Greg Farshtey had minimal input on the story. I'm super pumped about that, but then I have an irrational (and very strong) bias against Greg. Like, the fact that he wasn't super involved has literally allowed me to start thinking that the story might actually be interesting as a story. It's bonkers.

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Quisoves Potoo

And Greg Farshtey had minimal input on the story. I'm super pumped about that, but then I have an irrational (and very strong) bias against Greg. Like, the fact that he wasn't super involved has literally allowed me to start thinking that the story might actually be interesting as a story. It's bonkers.

 

How is this any different than the first time round? For the first eight-and-half years, the overarching story was determined by Faber et alia, while more particular details were determined democratically by a story council (of which Greg was a part.) So while Greg had some input into the story, it was only as much as was in agreement with most of the others on the council. So he wasn't, for example, able to make the Matau the Hordika that betrayed his teammates. Had he been in fuller control of the particular elements of the story, Matau would have been the one. The only elements that he was free to create arbitrarily were certain events and bits of world-building in the books, and of course, the story serials.

 

I'm curious, what elements of the story did you find uninteresting?

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How is this any different than the first time round? For the first eight-and-half years, the overarching story was determined by Faber et alia, while more particular details were determined democratically by a story council (of which Greg was a part.) So while Greg had some input into the story, it was only as much as was in agreement with most of the others on the council. So he wasn't, for example, able to make the Matau the Hordika that betrayed his teammates. Had he been in fuller control of the particular elements of the story, Matau would have been the one. The only elements that he was free to create arbitrarily were certain events and bits of world-building in the books, and of course, the story serials.

 

I'm curious, what elements of the story did you find uninteresting?

The key difference, for me, is that Greg wasn't on the story team in 2001/2002. He was given the job to write the comic at the last minute in 2001 when he showed up whoever it was they had writing it originally, and his role grew from there.

 

I try not to put my dislike of anything about BIONICLE post-2003 on Greg, because I realize that he was only a part of it. Even if he wasn't there, I wouldn't be super happy with the direction and aesthetic BIONICLE assumed over time. I guess what I was trying to express in my last post was that I was glad it looked as if Greg wouldn't be writing any of the final story material. His writing style is definitely not to my tastes, for one reason or another, so for me it is encouraging to see that it would appear new people will be in charge of the books/comics/show/whatever media the theme will be conveyed in. That's just a subjective thing, though, I know lots of people will be sad to see Greg's role reduced.

 

As for your second question, I'm just not personally engaged by the type of story that BIONICLE eventually became. It was a little too serious and intense and sci-fi for me. I prefered the freer, less defined, flowery style that was present at first. Again, that's just me, really.

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Quisoves Potoo

 

The key difference, for me, is that Greg wasn't on the story team in 2001/2002. He was given the job to write the comic at the last minute in 2001 when he showed up whoever it was they had writing it originally, and his role grew from there.

 

I try not to put my dislike of anything about BIONICLE post-2003 on Greg, because I realize that he was only a part of it. Even if he wasn't there, I wouldn't be super happy with the direction and aesthetic BIONICLE assumed over time. I guess what I was trying to express in my last post was that I was glad it looked as if Greg wouldn't be writing any of the final story material. His writing style is definitely not to my tastes, for one reason or another, so for me it is encouraging to see that it would appear new people will be in charge of the books/comics/show/whatever media the theme will be conveyed in. That's just a subjective thing, though, I know lots of people will be sad to see Greg's role reduced.

 

As for your second question, I'm just not personally engaged by the type of story that BIONICLE eventually became. It was a little too serious and intense and sci-fi for me. I prefered the freer, less defined, flowery style that was present at first. Again, that's just me, really.

Fair enough. It's just that I hate to see Greg used as a whipping-boy for the Bionicle franchise, though I don't think that's what you were doing.

You know whom I would really like to see brought on board Bionicle's writing team? Robert Shearman. He's renowned both for his prose and his drama, so he could write both books and TV stories (I assume we will be getting these, given that Ninjago and Chima have shows.) His ability to mix levity (such as the Tohunga/Matoran and their lives and antics) with mystery and darker material (such as Makuta and his infections) under the surface might just, I think, be perfect for the nature of the Mata Nui years, which the new Bionicle seems to be emulating. And he'd bring some truly world-class writing to the franchise. His Doctor Who audio drama The Chimes of Midnight, makes a good case for this, I'd say.

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Fair enough. It's just that I hate to see Greg used as a whipping-boy for the Bionicle franchise, though I don't think that's what you were doing.

I didn't intend to, certainly. I have my personal qualms with him but I realize he is just a guy doing his job and I certainly would not want to punish him for fulfilling a niche that isn't to my specific interests.

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ProfessorBrickkeeper

Looks like the Bionicle website is being built up again.

 

http://cache.lego.com/r/www/r/bionicle/-/

Although it is not currently public ally accessible, you can see that the new pirates website is also currently being created. Compare the page which comes up with a randomly named page.

http://cache.lego.com/r/www/r/pirates/-/

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GUYS GUYS GUYS

 

https://community.lego.com/t5/LEGO-General/Chat-with-Greg-Farshtey/m-p/11200841/highlight/true#M252310

 

TL;DR there MIGHT be books "Sometime next year", and they won't be written by Greg.

 

THE HYPE HAS REACHED CRITICAL MASS. OCTOBER 9 CAN'T COME FAST ENOUGH.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jz5N7QBSVM

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they won't be written by Greg.

 

This adds significant inertia to the hype train. For better or for worse Greg's writing was the Bionicle canon; if someone takes over the quality might be better, but it could ruin it.

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Quisoves Potoo
if someone takes over the quality might be better, but it could ruin it.

 

That could be said about anything, to be fair. While I was fond of Greg's writing, I don't mind a different writer as long as he's competent. Greg was good, but he wasn't irreplaceable. However, given that

Bionicle's story is likely to be told primarily through television, and given the quality of writing in LEGO's TV shows thus far, I am a bit worried. Though I hope that the Bionicle ethos will inspire the new writers to rise above the standard bread and circuses for eight year-olds.

 

Now if only LEGO would get someone like Rob Shearman or Neil Gaiman to write. Given the media juggernaut that Bionicle is, you think they could afford and would want a world-class writer.

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TL;DR there MIGHT be books "Sometime next year", and they won't be written by Greg.

Worth note though is that, after this, Greg implied in a later post that they wouldn't have contacted anyone to write the books yet, and that it is entirely within the realm of possibility that he might be selected.

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if someone takes over the quality might be better, but it could ruin it.

 

That could be said about anything, to be fair. While I was fond of Greg's writing, I don't mind a different writer as long as he's competent. Greg was good, but he wasn't irreplaceable. However, given that

Bionicle's story is likely to be told primarily through television, and given the quality of writing in LEGO's TV shows thus far, I am a bit worried. Though I hope that the Bionicle ethos will inspire the new writers to rise above the standard bread and circuses for eight year-olds.

 

Now if only LEGO would get someone like Rob Shearman or Neil Gaiman to write. Given the media juggernaut that Bionicle is, you think they could afford and would want a world-class writer.

 

Neil Gaiman? You really think they would even consider him? Trust me, they would not pick the author of American Gods, where the first scene is of a woman devouring a man through her (can I say that word here? I'm not sure what the policy is) during sex. I agree that Neil Gaiman is a brilliant author, who can be dark and serious (Graveyard Book, at least at the beginning) but also lighthearted and witty (Stardust, Graveyard Book, Anansi Boys).

 

I think Terry Pratchett would be a much better pick. His books are consistently good and absolutely hilarious (his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on "Good Omens" was incredible). He's very clever. Granted, his humor's probably above children, but since we're talking in hypotheticals about a situation which would never happen, why not?

 

I'm not familiar with the other guy, but I assume that TLG doesn't want to connect themselves too much to anything associated with darker, more adult content.

 

Anyway, I haven't liked their TV shows much either. Ninjago, for example, was very formulaic, as that sort of action cartoon tends to be. The jokes are sometimes okay, but everything's too cheesy and weird. It felt a lot like Power Rangers.

 

they won't be written by Greg.

 

This adds significant inertia to the hype train. For better or for worse Greg's writing was the Bionicle canon; if someone takes over the quality might be better, but it could ruin it.

 

Disney taking over Star Wars could have been either the best or worst thing to happen to the theme. Disney has had some very good writing, at times, and their cartoons are timeless. On the other hand, they've created a lot of s***, and they're responsible for furthering negative stereotypes of women and reinforcing bad body image in girls.

 

George Lucas was screwing around with old Star Wars, and fans of the original trilogy almost universally agree that the prequels are awful. Some like him, some didn't.

 

Now that the Star Wars canon, at least post-Jedi, is gone, Disney's choice to acquire Star Wars is now awful, because the expanded universe was way better than the movies themselves. It was a lot more interesting, darker and more serious, and much deeper.

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I think Terry Pratchett

 

 

Rick Riordon, author of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, etc would be a good candidate as well. 

 

Now that is an author who would be great for these purposes - he's witty, but he writes for children and knows how to do it while still making good books.

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I think Terry Pratchett would be a much better pick. His books are consistently good and absolutely hilarious (his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on "Good Omens" was incredible). He's very clever. Granted, his humor's probably above children, but since we're talking in hypotheticals about a situation which would never happen, why not?

 

 

YES. SO MUCH YES.

I love the Bionicle lore, and everything Terry Pratchett writes is on a level of humor bordering on holy... if that happened, my goodness. I think I would never have pocket money again for all the Bionicle books I'd be buying. :P

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Finalized "Toa" pics :D

Fascinating... In the Pohatu kit's background, I notice two planets, which are almost certainly Bara Magna and Bota Magna. Therefore, Spherus Magna has not yet been reformed, confirming our suspicions that Bionicle 2015 is a hard reboot!

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Looking at the better pictures of Gali, I can rest easy in knowing that her mask does indeed resemble her original Kaukau. Also, I'm glad that Skull Kr(a)ata was a placeholder name.

 

 

Also: GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE!!! I got my hands on some catalog images for he LEGO Store thanks to a guy on Reddit (Doing Mata Nui's Work, admiraltyphoon!). If you want, save the images, because who knows how long we'll have them up for.

 

http://imgur.com/a/GYvH9#wYdgW0i

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/bioniclelego/comments/2hsy4k/ha_told_you_guys_i_was_going_to_get_pics_save/ 

 

So some form of combiners are confirmed, Onua's mask is now a little more clear to see, and everything more or less still looks to be in preliminary form, complete with watermarks. I still don't like how the Toa/Masters will be different sizes/prices.

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