LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 14 Rumors and Discussion

[MAB]

That poses an interesting but depressing point. Although I think it's unfair to use the ancient army builders, because fundamentally, they're not the same concepts.

I'd say a zombie cheerleader is a different concept to all the other zombies that have come in the past, and the cheerleaders that have come in the past. I'd put that on par with a Roman soldier following a Spartan. They are different but sort of the same idea - soldier from ancient times in different clothes / armour, zombie in different clothes. The werewolves are totally different too. The CMF one was a regular head with hairpiece, the MF one a molded head. This one appears to be a new molded head in a new colour. So that is similar to the Roman Soldier being followed by the Roman Commander. Very slightly different but essentially the same to someone that doesn't care about it, yet important for those who want that difference.

I'm looking forward to the new werewolf head, it looks like a perfect match for Grandma Visitor / Red Riding Hood, better than the brown one.

I think the complaints are coming, not because the figs are redesigns of previous characters, but because they're the fourth or fifth versions of monster characters we've gotten versions of before. If these were the second versions of the monsters, no complaints. But the CMFs before, Studios, Monster Fighters, and Scooby-Doo have made these seem redundant, no matter how different they look.

How many prospective buyers of these were collecting when Studios was out? How many were even born? I don't see that they are redundant, any more than another police station, another technic truck, another X-wing, another Luke Skywalker, all of which sell well for lego. People buy pocket money toys at halloween, these are likely to sell well. Lego doesn't care too much what has gone before, they care about what will sell now.

I wonder if the same logic holds for other characters. Lego should never do a new Spartan or other Greek warrior, no more Romans (already has a rehash), no more Highlanders or knights (multiple rehashes), no more mythological creatues / gods (multiple counterparts already), no more Asian or African or Pacific warriors, no more female "Amazon" warriors from Greek history... all those concepts have been done. If lego sees the complaints and decides they should act* they won't change this set, it is coming no matter what. But maybe they will not do another themed set. A new ancient warriors CMF series (or pirates or castle or city or whatever takes your fancy)? No chance, the people don't want it.

* I don't believe they will care too much what people say about it. If it sells, it is a success. That is all that matters to them.

Personally, I would like to see many more rehashes (or counterparts) of other Greek warriors, Romans, Vikings, as well as Norman Conquerors and Saxon battlers. I'd like more mythology too. I'd even like a single themed CMF series ... It wouldn't worry me if the CMF series all became themed. Sure, sometimes I'd have to miss an entire theme due to lack of my interest in it rather than skipping probably 50%-75% of the minifigs in each series, but then I do that with other lego anyway. Sometimes I skip entire themes as they hold little interest for me. There are benefits and cons to having themed series. A big benefit for this one is that it is going to be out at the right time of year. Maybe past series haven't sold so well, and lego wants to try out having time sensitive themes like this to boost sales. It seems to work with the poly bags.

[gedren_y]

About rehashes in CMF; you have too consider the character source.

Werewolf: The first CMF figure reused the CMF Elf hair with ears. He is a partial transformation. This new figure uses a fully transformed head (possibly a headgear mask), and given his wardrobe he is the Lumberjack either transformed or in costume. This harkens back to the Studios figure, but with considerable improvement.

Monster: The first is supposed to be the classic movie version of Frankenstein's monster. This new one is supposed to be the Monster Mash parody, which is intended to be a musician in costume.

Witch: The first is likely one of the Macbeth witches. This new one is obviously a Halloween costume.

Mad Scientist: The first is obviously a nod to the villain of the Agents theme. The second is intended to be Jekyll/Hyde, a figure from literature (and many movies and TV shows). This new character is more of a whacky cartoon scientist, and could be a costume with a headgear piece.

The seemingly zombified versions of existing CMFs aren't really the original characters zombified. Compare them carefully and you will see the differences. There is enough printing variation from the original CMF Zombie and the zombie businessman that they could be placed next to one another in a MOC and it would make sense that they are different people zombified.

The rest are new characters to the CMF lineup. I see lots of potentially useful parts.

Edited February 26, 2015 by gedren_y

[8BrickMario]

I'd say a zombie cheerleader is a different concept to all the other zombies that have come in the past, and the cheerleaders that have come in the past. I'd put that on par with a Roman soldier following a Spartan. They are different but sort of the same idea - soldier from ancient times in different clothes / armour, zombie in different clothes. The werewolves are totally different too. The CMF one was a regular head with hairpiece, the MF one a molded head. This one appears to be a new molded head in a new colour. So that is similar to the Roman Soldier being followed by the Roman Commander. Very slightly different but essentially the same to someone that doesn't care about it, yet important for those who want that difference.

I'm looking forward to the new werewolf head, it looks like a perfect match for Grandma Visitor / Red Riding Hood, better than the brown one.

How many prospective buyers of these were collecting when Studios was out? How many were even born? I don't see that they are redundant, any more than another police station, another technic truck, another X-wing, another Luke Skywalker, all of which sell well for lego. People buy pocket money toys at halloween, these are likely to sell well. Lego doesn't care too much what has gone before, they care about what will sell now.

I wonder if the same logic holds for other characters. Lego should never do a new Spartan or other Greek warrior, no more Romans (already has a rehash), no more Highlanders or knights (multiple rehashes), no more mythological creatues / gods (multiple counterparts already), no more Asian or African or Pacific warriors, no more female "Amazon" warriors from Greek history... all those concepts have been done. If lego sees the complaints and decides they should act* they won't change this set, it is coming no matter what. But maybe they will not do another themed set. A new ancient warriors CMF series (or pirates or castle or city or whatever takes your fancy)? No chance, the people don't want it.

* I don't believe they will care too much what people say about it. If it sells, it is a success. That is all that matters to them.

Personally, I would like to see many more rehashes (or counterparts) of other Greek warriors, Romans, Vikings, as well as Norman Conquerors and Saxon battlers. I'd like more mythology too. I'd even like a single themed CMF series ... It wouldn't worry me if the CMF series all became themed. Sure, sometimes I'd have to miss an entire theme due to lack of my interest in it rather than skipping probably 50%-75% of the minifigs in each series, but then I do that with other lego anyway. Sometimes I skip entire themes as they hold little interest for me. There are benefits and cons to having themed series. A big benefit for this one is that it is going to be out at the right time of year. Maybe past series haven't sold so well, and lego wants to try out having time sensitive themes like this to boost sales. It seems to work with the poly bags.

Those weren't my opinions, I was trying (and obviously not solidly enough) to voice the other sides' complaints. I agree that they are that grey area of unique to those who like them and redundant to those who don't. I will gladly take more ancient warriors and monsters, but a previous post compared the two somewhat inaccurately, since the warriors are not all the same character repeated.

[MAB]

Those weren't my opinions, I was trying (and obviously not solidly enough) to voice the other sides' complaints. I agree that they are that grey area of unique to those who like them and redundant to those who don't. I will gladly take more ancient warriors and monsters, but a previous post compared the two somewhat inaccurately, since the warriors are not all the same character repeated.

The warriors are not the same, but then neither are any of the new ones in S14. But if the zombies all count as the same idea / concept, then so should the ancient warriors. The fact that we may have a zombie businessman and a zombie pirate and a cheerleader zombie is no different to having a spartan warrior and a roman warrior and an egyptian warrior. The fact that we get more than one businessman zombie is also no different to getting more than one type of roman soldier. People that like a subject often like variation in that subject. People outside of it will just see yet another rehash, even though it is different.

[8BrickMario]

I guess I see your point...argh. My head is hurting by now. I don't even know what I'm arguing for anymore. Some people like this series, some don't, but no one should try to stop someone from enjoying or force the detractors to like it. I guess that's what I was trying to say back when I understood everything going on here. I guess this is the most divisive series yet, but the arguments are turning into the most confusing, what with generalizations, and complete lack of understanding how x does/does not like them, and how fans and nonfans see groups of similar characters...?

I'm hoping for the factory to leak some more pics to have something more basic to discuss by now.

Edited February 26, 2015 by 8BrickMario

[legofanatic12]

The rest are new characters to the CMF lineup. I see lots of potentially useful parts.

The only new characters in this series are the following below:

Tiger Girl

Man-Eating Plant

Lady Vampire

Skeleton Boy

and possible the remaining five.

[8BrickMario]

And if we're talking about all LEGO figs, the female vampire doesn't count. (pun completely unintentional) But for the CMFs, yes she's new, and I've wanted one for a while, even before the Monster Fighters theme and its vampiress. I do hope we get some all-new monsters like an Igor, Bride of Frankenstein, or Phantom of the Opera. If we have a Jekyll/Hyde character, why not those other monsters? Unfortunately, the "Halloween" theme seems like it's going for classic holiday spooks, so a Phantom seems less likely.

[obsidianheart]

I guess I see your point...argh. My head is hurting by now. I don't even know what I'm arguing for anymore. Some people like this series, some don't, but no one should try to stop someone from enjoying or force the detractors to like it. I guess that's what I was trying to say back when I understood everything going on here. I guess this is the most divisive series yet, but the arguments are turning into the most confusing, what with generalizations, and complete lack of understanding how x does/does not like them, and how fans and nonfans see groups of similar characters...?

I'm hoping for the factory to leak some more pics to have something more basic to discuss by now.

I get what he's saying. I was going to make the same point using the S13 King as an example. We got Burger King, and no one really said, "Oh man, another King? We've been getting those in regular themes (because that's what Studios and Monster Fighters were) for decades."

And I'm not saying anyone has to like this Series! Never did! You're allowed to hate it, I can't (and won't) stop you! You probably like stuff I don't, too! I'm just saying if you don't like it, cool, but don't deride anyone else's like for it, and don't whine endlessly because it doesn't suit your tastes.

That's all I've really asked for in any of the threads I've participated in where that goes on.

[legofanatic12]

And if we're talking about all LEGO figs, the female vampire doesn't count. (pun completely unintentional) But for the CMFs, yes she's new, and I've wanted one for a while, even before the Monster Fighters theme and its vampiress. I do hope we get some all-new monsters like an Igor, Bride of Frankenstein, or Phantom of the Opera. If we have a Jekyll/Hyde character, why not those other monsters? Unfortunately, the "Halloween" theme seems like it's going for classic holiday spooks, so a Phantom seems less likely.

Bride of Frankenstein and Phantom of the Opera are good ideas for the remaining five of 16 minifigures.

How about Marge Simpson's hair from Brick Like Me will be better for Bride of Frankenstein like this picture? Sadly, all the Simpsons minifigures are in moulded new heads rather than standard headpiece with hair like regular minifigures.

Edited February 27, 2015 by legofanatic12

[Robert8]

Why not?

1. The series is themed and alientates fans of other themes or the assorted series.

2. The characters seem unoriginal and retread on characters done too many times before.

3. The designs themselves are too lighthearted or unappealing compared to previous versions.

I would add these are dumbest versions yet, and ttotally untrue to the characters because in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" the Monster wasn't a rocker and Victor Frankenstein was a human being with a normal sized head and normal sized eyes. This is opposite to the stereotypes/archetypes we have got in CMF 1 to 13.

And some like the Zombie Pirate are kind of nonsense since we already can make that minifigure by switching the heads of the S8 Pirate Captain and the S1 Zombie.

The Bride is tricky as she is one of the few classic Universal Monsters that is not yet in some form Public Domain.

She is not. In the original novel (Mary Shelley's), the Monster asks his creator for a female companion, and he, following his dream of conquering death, agrees to create an "Eva" as a companion for the "Adan" he created, just like God did, but he later dropped the idea fearing that the monsters could reproduce and plague the earth.

So, she is not a licensed character. Only her appearance could be somewhat tricky because she is not described on the book (as she was never finished by Frankenstein), just in the Universal Pictures sequel film "The Bride of Frankenstein"

But anyway, all the Monsters LEGO has released have a strong resemblance with the monster of Universal Pictures (with the expection of the S14 one, of course). And the S2 Witch is clearly based on The Wicked Witch of the West, and she is green skinned as she looks in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "The Wizard of Oz", despite her skin being silver in the original novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"

Edited February 27, 2015 by Robert8

[MAB]

I would add these are dumbest versions yet, and ttotally untrue to the characters because in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" the Monster wasn't a rocker and Victor Frankenstein was a human being with a normal sized head and normal sized eyes. This is opposite to the stereotypes/archetypes we have got in CMF 1 to 13.

Why should these be based on Mary's Shelley's story? That type of monster has already been done. This one is more in the style of the Groovie Goolies (

.)

Similarly, we already have a number of crazy scientists, so they have gone more in the director of an even more cartoonish crazy scientist. I have nto seen any claim by Lego that they are meant to be representations of the characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. They don't need to be true to them. They need to appeal to kids.

And some like the Zombie Pirate are kind of nonsense since we already can make that minifigure by switching the heads of the S8 Pirate Captain and the S1 Zombie.

You cannot, because the body would not be zombiefied just the head. Although if you want to use that argument, then it is an argument against any updated soldiers, etc. We already have two roman soliders, if you want more just replace the heads. If you want more spartans, just replace the heads. And so on.

[tafkatb]

I would add these are dumbest versions yet, and ttotally untrue to the characters because in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" the Monster wasn't a rocker and Victor Frankenstein was a human being with a normal sized head and normal sized eyes.

The monster also wasn't lumbering, green-skinned, and subverbal, nor was he ever even referred to as a "monster." You can't exactly argue that the previous versions have been "true to the characters" either. Personally, if I have to choose between two figures that are already complete bastardizations of the character anyway, I'd rather take the one with a guitar.

[8BrickMario]

I would add these are dumbest versions yet, and ttotally untrue to the characters because in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" the Monster wasn't a rocker and Victor Frankenstein was a human being with a normal sized head and normal sized eyes. This is opposite to the stereotypes/archetypes we have got in CMF 1 to 13.

And some like the Zombie Pirate are kind of nonsense since we already can make that minifigure by switching the heads of the S8 Pirate Captain and the S1 Zombie.

Wait, so every mad scientist is automatically supposed to be Victor Frankenstein? Now that's just an assumption. This scientist is clearly based on more cartoonish ones with the visual cue of a huge brain meaning intelligence.

The monster also wasn't lumbering, green-skinned, and subverbal, nor was he ever even referred to as a "monster." You can't exactly argue that the previous versions have been "true to the characters" either. Personally, if I have to choose between two figures that are already complete bastardizations of the character anyway, I'd rather take the one with a guitar.

This is true. In fact, none of our monsters are the way they started.

Witches used to be mystical hermit women with bizarre herbs and medicines that people equated to Satanic magic. Nowadays, they're green-skinned ladies with warts, hooked noses, few teeth, floppy pointed hats, cauldrons, and broomsticks. The Halloween depictions take it further, with the characteristic stripy stockings.

Vampires were originally more like zombies, living dead who were relatively harmless. I could list more, but suffice it to say that the monsters we know now are already far-removed from their origins, so complaining about ruining a Universal monster is justified but a bit silly. Seriously, though, he's the one figure that's challenging my desire to collect all of the monsters in this series.

Edited February 27, 2015 by 8BrickMario

[gedren_y]

Bram Stoker's Dracula was actually closer to Irish vampiric lore than to Romanian. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was steeped in a scientific culture that opposed the prohibition of experimenting on cadavers. Modern depictions of mummies fall far short of the beliefs of the people of Kemet (Egypt is the modern name for only part of the kingdom) of how their bodies would be if their Ka (one of the seven parts of their soul) returned to them. There is a lot more I could go over about accuracy to the history and lore, but popular culture images will win out when it comes to representations in Lego.

[Robert8]

Wait, so every mad scientist is automatically supposed to be Victor Frankenstein? Now that's just an assumption.

Every Crazy Scientist released so far has been released along with a Monster minifigure: Studios, Monsters Fighters, CMF S4 and CMF S14. That's pretty suggestive...

And Victor Frankenstein actually suffers a mental breakdown after the monster kills his wife.

Who else can he be?

[obsidianheart]

Who else can he be?

Herbert West.

[8BrickMario]

Every Crazy Scientist released so far has been released along with a Monster minifigure: Studios, Monsters Fighters, CMF S4 and CMF S14. That's pretty suggestive...

And Victor Frankenstein actually suffers a mental breakdown after the monster kills his wife.

Who else can he be?

I see the reasoning, but not all mad scientists with Karloff monsters are based directly on the character of Victor Frankenstein. It's almost expected for any mad scientist, regardless of medium or character to have a monster resembling or referencing the Universal depiction. This scientist is far more goofy and cartoonish than any other LEGO has made (for me, the real Frankenstein is the MF Scientist), and so is the monster. Who knows, he may not even be responsible for creating the rocker monster. (Humorously, the image results for "mad scientist with monster turned up a picture with the previous LEGO scientists and monsters).

I hate to continue with this, though. It's clear our opinions are vastly different. I completely understand why you don't like these minifigures, and I don't particularly care for a few, either. It's helpful to consider both sides, though, regardless of your position. I won't stop you from thinking anything that you do. You're allowed to hate the series. But please don't voice concern about how some people think this is good, however, because some people do like these. It's going to happen, it'll sell, and then it'll be gone. During its shelf life, we'll have Series 15 to talk about, too! I hope I haven't been rude, and I want to end this opinion war on good terms.

Edited February 28, 2015 by 8BrickMario

[fred67]

Herbert West.

Wondering what percentage of EB readers are scratching their heads and what percentage knows what the heck you're talking about.

FWIW, sci-fi and horror are rife with "mad" scientists, they're not all Victor Frankenstein!

[obsidianheart]

Wondering what percentage of EB readers are scratching their heads and what percentage knows what the heck you're talking about.

FWIW, sci-fi and horror are rife with "mad" scientists, they're not all Victor Frankenstein!

I know most of them who do know the name are picturing Jeffrey Combs, but I was a bit older before I knew the character in that particular iteration.

*EDIT Also, I know I made fun of Studios getting brought up, but I do feel like that Mad Scientist minifig sort of looks like him.

Edited February 28, 2015 by obsidianheart

[Boettner Builds]

I'm loving this series so far, and with the skeleton boy I can finally make Donnie Darko !! :)

[Robert8]

Looking at the Monsters Fighters and Studios sets, it's pretty obvious both Crazy Scientist are based on Victor Frankenstein. The CMF S4 Crazy Scientist is also based on him, according to the Collectible Minifigures Encyclopedia.

I don't know who Herbert West is, but if he has an elongated head and huge eyes, then yes: the CMF S14 Crazy Scientist could be him

[8BrickMario]

I see the Studios scientist as Frankenstein and Jekyll combined, since he has a wolfish Hyde transformation. The MF and CMF scientists both seem like Frankenstein as well, but the cartoonish one seems too wacky and zany to be properly based on Frankenstein. He's just another cartoonish big-brained scientist with really strong goggle lenses.

[gedren_y]

For those who don't know who obsidianheart was referring to: Herbert West: Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft

The new one is likely an amalgam of various cartoon scientists.

[figura]

The scientist kind of reminded me of Professor Norton Nimnul from Chip n' Dale with a little bit of Beaker thrown into the mix.

[Robert8]

e.e I don't really see the resemblance...but maybe it's just me

I've been searching and apparently his physical appearance is not based on any famous or recognizable character