Falctron

I can't say for sure whether or not the magazine will end after the next issue. LEGO does appear to be moving on, which is sad because the theme really deserves more of a send off than that. Where have you heard it has been replaced? Issue 25 is scheduled to hit the shelves in the UK in a few days with an Aaron minifigure. I'm certain the magazine is in its last legs, but I'm certain there will be at least one more issue.

I got my hands on the magazine in question. It is indeed reprinted material as well as a previously released micro scale reproduction of Lance's Twin Jouster (called "Lance's Limo" instead of "Lance's Cart" this time). However, the magazine will still continue, with issue #25 at the end of this month with an Aaron minifigure and another tech infection themed comic.

I think that's actually a filler issue, though I don't think it's a minifig, but rather a small bike of some kind (I don't have mine yet, I'll verify when I have my hands on it). Issue 25 isn't due until Mar 28 according to the back of the last issue. Still it's not a good sign that they are squeezing what sound like comic reprint issues in between the "proper" issues.

I personally took the comment to mean that both Space and Castle were going to come back. Why? Because it's a clever comment. It seems to be saying that Castle is not coming back on the surface, but it needlessly kicks Space fans while they're down for no apparent reason. Unless that reason is to make an announcement at some point that Space and Castle are back at the same time to heighten the fanfare. From a marketing standpoint, it's the best way to revive either series in its "classic" form, because then you can market them both together, spending half the assets on each of them compared to marketing them individually. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pirates included. It seems that after the recent losses, LEGO might be ready to take a "Back to Basics" approach, and reviving their classic lines would do that. I will be surprised if we don't see a new Castle theme in 2019. Stepping further out there, my optimistic self wants to believe that LEGO's recent secrecy about their Summer lineup is because they're trying to control a big announcement that we are still unaware of. I deeply want that secret to be the revival of all three dead classic lines, even if it is only one set a piece. Of course, a summer Castle line is probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I think we'll see the revival f both Space and Castle by 2020 at the absolute latest.

I don't think it's an intentional slight. Chima isn't listed either.

Nice! Can't wait to get my hands on it. It makes sense for Fred's hair to be the same as Pola's since they are supposed to be twins, though I might just use Joker's TLBM hair instead on my Fred for more visual variety. Torso is Calculator from TLBM Minifig series one with Jayna from TLBM Minifig series 2 arms. Legs and collar are likewise from Jayna. Head is Moltor obviously, stole the hood from a Rogul, and the cape is from the Goblin King minidoll from the Elves line.

Sorry for my part of derailing the conversation. Back to actual Nexo Knights discussion, I was making a wishlist of parts to create a human Monstrox on Bricklink only to discover I already had most of what I needed. It's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, so I thought I'd share it:

While I am actually surprised because I didn't realize how big of a gap there was between Life on Mars and Mars Mission, it doesn't change the fact that Mars Mission, Space Police, Alien Invasion, and Galaxy Squad all ran parallel to Star Wars, and I am of the opinion that their lack of long-lasting success had little to do with Star Wars existing. I don't place much value in the "only one sci-fi line" theory for Space sets lack of popularity. Were there no Star Wars sets to buy, I don't think kids would have picked up Space Police in any greater number. I think if anything, LEGO should be chasing Star Wars' current popularity by following the same ragtag team in outer space fighting against an oppressive galactic force. It doesn't have to mimic Star Wars exactly, in fact, I would follow their Ninjago formula again with 5 archetypical hero dance. I think it has more to do with an exciting marketing push including a half-decent tv show, than trying to fill the shelves with exactly one kind of space LEGO.

I know people hated this theme, and when it came out, I did too, but ultimately all the winks to the past reminded me that I more or less invented this line when I was 9-years-old (though my version had pirates as well as spacemen and knights). I'll miss the theme. I didn't expect it to go on past this year, but I am mourning the lost summer wave. But either way I get to enjoy the following year, either by Nexo-ising a new Castle line in 2019, or laughing at all the Castle raging when the death of Nexo doesn't hasten the return of a new Castle line.

This information is largely anecdotal, but the at least some of the DC Superhero Girls sets seems to be on sale pretty much everywhere I've gone, including the LEGO Store. Since I haven't spotted any new sets in awhile, I would assume it is ending. To be frank, I have to lay the blame at LEGO's feet here. I've looked at the sets repeatedly WANTING to purchase them, but they were just too lame. The high school itself bring the biggest disappointment. I know I'm not the intended audience, so maybe I'm way off the mark, but I think LEGO blew a lot of potential on that line.

I think it's a lot of different things. Being a dad myself now, I can see kids feeling pressure to stop playing with toys at an earlier and earlier age. There is a lot more competing with kids' attention as well. My kids are perfectly content not even playing video games, but just watching others play them on YouTube. As for myself, it was Pirates, Space Police, and Black Knights that truely started my LEGO fascination (and if I'm being honest, Fabuland several years prior to that). So I'd love to see in-house Space, Castle, and Pirate lines. I just think that if they made money, they would already be on the shelves like City is. I personally don't think that Star Wars is why we don't have a Space line. There were Space lines for years after LEGO started making Star Wars sets. I think a Generic Space line doesn't appeal to kids nowadays. I do think that LEGO could come up with a Space-Based IP that kids would buy, but it needs to appeal to them and have a strong marketing strategy like Bionicle and Ninjago did at launch.

I was planning on using a printed mushroom top 2x2 radar dish for his head. Still working out how to make his sword though.

Oh man, that Scarecrow head would be fantastic for my Mushlord custom.

X It'd be nice to see a Ruina AND a general honestly. The InfectoByters are pretty generic, so I'd rather see something a bit more exciting in a Battle Pack. But I doubt it. I think LEGO feels a bit like they already filled the ranks with "generals" with Cezar, Pola, Fred, and Berserker. Edited to say: I'd love to see human Monstrox in a battle pack.

Sorry for the delay. Here are a few pictures with the aforementioned information: