Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Dorek]

No, they're Cybermen. For that mistake you will be deleted. As many have said before, it's almost certainly trace artwork. This comic is definitely not canon in any form, but possibly retaining some consistency (eg, golden masks).

First off, only a few people have said this kind of thing. Calling something "trace artwork" is incredibly insulting to the artist who very likely put in a lot of time and effort to these drawings, and just because it doesn't fit into some bizarre preconceptions that BIONICLE fans have doesn't make it bad.

Second, being canon or not canon does not, again, automatically disqualify it from being good. We've seen plenty of depictions of the Toa getting their golden masks, some in the favored DumDum style, some not. Canonicity at this point is very likely going to be a lot more fluid than the ironclad stuff of the past, and the line is so much better for it.

This is just another depiction of the story from another artist. You don't have to like it, but it's not a bad thing, and I actually am quite taken with the style, especially the details.

[Kalhiki]

As I've said, I like it. But not for Bionicle. It's cool, but it just doesn't... Feel right, I guess.

Though for some reason I love the humanoid head statue in the Gali comic. Old, broken statues are something I love, and (canon or not) seeing such a human-looking thing in the universe of Bionicle is intriguing, to say the least.

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

Though I am disappointed by the homogeneous appearance of the Toa and Protectors, I adore this artwork's style and the contrast it makes with the simplistic, bright animation used in the online shorts.

The style is far grittier, and the more robotic depictions of the Skull Spiders are an interesting choice. The emptier, more ruinous landscapes are also of interest, and, contrasted with the high-tech Skull Spiders, make Okoto look like some sort of post-apocalyptic setting, in which the only remnants of Old World tech are deadly machines and valuable Kanohi.

Though I suppose my impressions of the setting's appearance are a bit like BIONICLE meets Fallout:NV, it sounds like a fun headcanon to mess around with.

Edited January 13, 2015 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[MakutaOfWar]

Though I am disappointed by the homogeneous appearance of the Toa and Protectors, I adore this artwork's style and the contrast it makes with the simplistic, bright animation used in the online shorts.

The style is far grittier, and the more robotic depictions of the Skull Spiders are an interesting choice. The emptier, more ruinous landscapes are also of interest, and, contrasted with the high-tech Skull Spiders, make Okoto look like some sort of post-apocalyptic setting, in which the only remnants of Old World tech are deadly machines and valuable Kanohi.

Though I suppose my impressions of the setting's appearance are a bit like BIONICLE meets Fallout:NV, it sounds like a fun headcanon to mess around with.

I thought the Protectors masks in the comics looked like Enclave power armor. XD

[dviddy]

Oh. Those look real bad. Wow. Pat Lee style bad.

[Clone 01354 Productions]

The style is far grittier, and the more robotic depictions of the Skull Spiders are an interesting choice. The emptier, more ruinous landscapes are also of interest, and, contrasted with the high-tech Skull Spiders, make Okoto look like some sort of post-apocalyptic setting, in which the only remnants of Old World tech are deadly machines and valuable Kanohi.

Hmm....I actually quite like that. Maybe it's correct; we've barely seen anything of Okoto after the coming of the Skull Spiders, so maybe they did ravage the cities? Also, I find it quite odd that the skull spiders are, like, 100% robotic.....I thought they were 100% organic, actually, like Krana.

Also, does anyone know when The Protectors Fight Back will be available? I really hope that it's a longer episode, and we get to see the full power of the skull spiders!! (Like, do they take control of the victims mind, or rip off their face?)

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

Hmm....I actually quite like that. Maybe it's correct; we've barely seen anything of Okoto after the coming of the Skull Spiders, so maybe they did ravage the cities? Also, I find it quite odd that the skull spiders are, like, 100% robotic.....I thought they were 100% organic, actually, like Krana.

It's likely that these are non-canon absurdities, and not accurate depictions of the beings & creatures they show. However, they are fun to look at and speculate over, even with their glaring flaws.

Edited January 13, 2015 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[Mandate]

First off, only a few people have said this kind of thing.

And your point is what exactly? I did not say "most," I said "many". "Many" can mean both a large number of people, or a majority of people. In this case, relative to the number of regular posters in this thread, quite a few people have said they don't like it. Regardless, what does this have to do with anything?

Calling something "trace artwork" is incredibly insulting to the artist who very likely put in a lot of time and effort to these drawings

You say pot-ah-toe, I say put-ay-toe. You may see it as an insult, I see it as a neutral word used to describe exactly what it is: trace artwork. Does this mean the artist's ability to create a style for a comic has been discredited? Absolutely not. Does it mean it as impressive as if he/she had created the artwork from scratch? Not really, but that's subject to opinion.

Second, being canon or not canon does not, again, automatically disqualify it from being good. We've seen plenty of depictions of the Toa getting their golden masks, some in the favored DumDum style, some not. Canonicity at this point is very likely going to be a lot more fluid than the ironclad stuff of the past, and the line is so much better for it.

I'm sorry, when did I say just because it wasn't canon it wasn't good? Word of advice: Don't make a baseless assumption in an argument. I happen to love the NINJAGO character books done in 2011, even though they are by far no longer canon.

Another word of advice: You don't want a base canon where they continually retcon the base lore/interchange it with elements from alternate dimensions at will. You may think it's better at the moment, but NINJAGO's continual retcons are a glorious example of what you don't want to see happen.

[Hot Shot]

I love how we're taking what the newbie says as fact now.

Wow, that's rude and naive. Being new to this forum doesn't mean I was born yesterday. I was active in the Bionicle fandom from 2001-2005 until I lost interest to Transformers. I was even a Proto Squad member, if anyone remembers that.

I also joined only one month after you, so you're hardly one to talk.

Okay, why is there a HUMAN STATUE IN GALI'S PICTURE?!?

Because the artist googled "ancient statues" and traced the one he liked.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Hot Shot

[Dorek]

And your point is what exactly? I did not say "most," I said "many". "Many" can mean both a large number of people, or a majority of people. In this case, relative to the number of regular posters in this thread, quite a few people have said they don't like it. Regardless, what does this have to do with anything?

A small percentage of the regular posters said it, with others commenting on the possibility without agreeing to the idea. And people disliking it doesn't mean they're agreeing that it's a tracing, it means they don't like the style (which is totally fine).

You say pot-ah-toe, I say put-ay-toe. You may see it as an insult, I see it as a neutral word used to describe exactly what it is: trace artwork. Does this mean the artist's ability to create a style for a comic has been discredited? Absolutely not. Does it mean it as impressive as if he/she had created the artwork from scratch? Not really, but that's subject to opinion.

Assuming that they are traces without any evidence for it was the insulting part. If (giving the benefit of the doubt, which should be done...) this artist created this from scratch, which is what most artists do because that's called working, it's insulting to say he didn't put enough effort into it.

I'm sorry, when did I say just because it wasn't canon it wasn't good? Word of advice: Don't make a baseless assumption in an argument. I happen to love the NINJAGO character books done in 2011, even though they are by far no longer canon.

It was the inclusion OF its canonicity in the first place that led me to assume you were trying to tie the points together (and since the assumption of it being tracings is what I would call "baseless", it's perhaps not so much of a stretch). Whether or not they're canon shouldn't have an impact on how these are perceived at all. But in terms of BIONICLE, it quite often does, which is a shame. I was just pointing out that we have seen these scenes in multiple different iterations, so a new, stylized take on it shouldn't surprise anyone.

Another word of advice: You don't want a base canon where they continually retcon the base lore/interchange it with elements from alternate dimensions at will. You may think it's better at the moment, but NINJAGO's continual retcons are a glorious example of what you don't want to see happen.

I don't follow Ninjago, so I'll admit I won't quite get the reference. But I was more saying that I want a line (in its entirety) that can be free to offer up different impressions without being beholden to this leviathan we call "canon". I want a story; I want a consistent story. But if one artist decides to include some ancient rubble in his depiction, I'm not that enthralled with people insisting (or even assuming) that it has to mean something. It's that kind of holdover from Gen 1 (where if some minor background detail doesn't already mean something, you can MAKE it mean something!) that I don't want to see in the new generation.

[Nekchir]

Wow, that's rude and naive. Being new to this forum doesn't mean I was born yesterday. I was active in the Bionicle fandom from 2001-2005 until I lost interest to Transformers. I was even a Proto Squad member, if anyone remembers that.

I also joined only one month after you, so you're hardly one to talk.

Because the artist googled "ancient statues" and traced the one he liked.

Wow, mad salty. I totally forgot I made that comment this morning, so my bad.

Just move on from it.

[DuckBricks]

This is what they reminded me of...

[Mandate]

Assuming that they are traces without any evidence for it was the insulting part. If (giving the benefit of the doubt, which should be done...) this artist created this from scratch, which is what most artists do because that's called working, it's insulting to say he didn't put enough effort into it.

There's plenty of contextual evidence towards it being trace artwork, or perhaps even an original proof-of-concept design. In fact, almost anything you can think of would support both of these: Lewa's mask, the similarities between other artworks, the less-than-mainstream release of the comic, the massive variations between some of the Toa and their prelim/final set variations, the wildly different art style, the broken human statue, etc... and if this even is the result of a proof-of-concept from the early days when they were choosing the art design, it would make perfect sense if it was trace artwork. But all of this depends on the context in which you look at it.

[Rayskull]

I'm not fond of these...there's no real story here and no world building.

Moving on...

[MakutaOfWar]

Just throwing this out there. Weren't gen 1 Bionicles three quarters(75%) robotic and one quarter organic or something like that? Essentially cyborgs right? This is most likely a reboot so what if this is the very far post-apocalyptic future where basically they're robots but with human organs, I would totally be down with that as long as it stays mythical and tribal.

[dviddy]

There's plenty of contextual evidence towards it being trace artwork, or perhaps even an original proof-of-concept design. In fact, almost anything you can think of would support both of these: Lewa's mask, the similarities between other artworks, the less-than-mainstream release of the comic, the massive variations between some of the Toa and their prelim/final set variations, the wildly different art style, the broken human statue, etc... and if this even is the result of a proof-of-concept from the early days when they were choosing the art design, it would make perfect sense if it was trace artwork. But all of this depends on the context in which you look at it.

I mean:

(Linked to this from someone else, not sure who actually placed them side-by-side, but I didn't do it!)

[Mandate]

I mean:

snip

(Linked to this from someone else, not sure who actually placed them side-by-side, but I didn't do it!)

Yeah... there's even similarities in the armor of all things.

[Logan McOwen]

I mean:

(Linked to this from someone else, not sure who actually placed them side-by-side, but I didn't do it!)

Yeesh, that's shameless.

While I personally like this art style for the lovely retro feel that it has, it's so deviant from the toys that it just doesn't feel like Bionicle - it's more akin to G1 Transformers than anything!

I really adore the first panel from the Pohatu strip though. Just look at that sweet molasses.

Just throwing this out there. Weren't gen 1 Bionicles three quarters(75%) robotic and one quarter organic or something like that? Essentially cyborgs right?

Yes, the Gen1 characters were biomechanical... Hence the "Bio" in "Bionicle" :)

Edited January 13, 2015 by LewiMOC

[CabooseBM]

but why would you trace transformers vs new avengers of all things

[Mandate]

but why would you trace transformers vs new avengers of all things

Because Transformers are robots and more close to BIONICLE's piston style? But I do believe someone mentioned the PoI looking like Cap'n 'Murrica earlier in the thread. And to be honest, I could swear I've seen Cap in the same pose at some point in my life.

[Logan McOwen]

On an unrelated note, I've got Lewa with me on my desk at work B)

[Gatanui]

Yes, the Gen1 characters were biomechanical... Hence the "Bio" in "Bionicle" :)

Actually, it means "biological"...which I always found strange as "biomechanical" made more sense to me, but it does make sense when you consider Faber's original idea behind the story.

[Logan McOwen]

...but it does make sense when you consider Faber's original idea behind the story.

Oh?

[Shakar]

I guess Gatanui is talking about the whole "Mata Nui is like a human body, Toa are his antibodies, Makuta is the disease etc" idea Faber got when he was himself fighting cancer.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Shakar

[MakutaOfWar]

I guess Gatanui is taking about the whole "Mata Nui is like a human body, Toa are his antibodies, Makuta is the disease etc" idea Faber got when he was himself fighting cancer.

Fighting cancer? I didn't know that, I thought Gatanui was referencing doo-heads or cybots(yeah I'm not too bright). That's actually quite awesome/sad though.