Bionicle 2008 Images and Discussion

[Ikki o' Moopyville]

Teeth I'd assume :P

You guys would stop being so jaded about Lego if you'd stop hoping for masks year after year...it's just never going to happen. Being mad at Lego for it is just pointless by now....

At least we get a lot of masks in sets next year -- so far, every set has one. *sweet*

-Ikk

[Zarkan]

Yeah, far better than 2005 - Only two masks in the entire lineup (excluding the playsets) and they were only in the exclusives! I sure was upset about that. *n*

[InnerRayg]

Personally I dunno if all these masks are a good thing...Lego got the hint in 05 and 06 that classic plastic masks are awesome for sales, but we're getting a huge amount. If each Makuta has a new mask, each Matoran has a new mask, and each Nuva has a new mask shape, plus the undoubtably new Titans...geez, what is the total count by now? Going by unique shape, we have 13 masks in 2001, 6 in 2002, 3 in 2003, 8 in 2004, 1 in 2005, 9(!) in 2006, 6 in 2007, and now 18+ in 2008?? geeze, that's some 64 masks. How do we even keep track anymore? :P

[JINZONINGEN73]

Yeah, things are alot better these days in the mask department. They more resemble the original masks, not the crappy Nuva ones... and that's a DAMN good thing.

It's still unfortunate to be forced into mocing something in a certain color because a certain part ONLY comes in 1 to 2 colors. Just think (those of you old enough to remember) how dreadfully BORING 2001 would've been if the Miru and some of the other kickass masks had only come in 1 to 2 colors.

*shudder*

[Kahgarak]

mocing something in a certain color because a certain part ONLY comes in 1 to 2 colors

I second that... I have always had trouble with this as well.

[Clonie]

It's kinda annoying how they have them in one or two colours. Even more annoying is the fact that Piraka bodies have come in about 7 colours. Grah.

News of the day --

3 Toa Nuva

3 Makuta

6 Matoran

1 Toa Ignika

1 Icarax

1 Mystery Makuta

Yes, our fifteenth set is a Makuta. Icarax and this guy are classed as Phantoka.

So, 15 new masks.

[Tohst]

It's kinda annoying how they have them in one or two colours. Even more annoying is the fact that Piraka bodies have come in about 7 colours. Grah.

And even more annoying is all the weapons that come in one color....so bored with 'protodermis' grey.

-Tohst

[BrotherDog]

I'll second that, Tohst. They could at least pretend their weapon is at least infused with their element. They could mix it up with some Metallic Green, Copper, Pearl Blue, and the varied Golds.

InnerRayg, aren't there 8 masks this year, or aren't you including the Titans?

[Shakar]

It's kinda annoying how they have them in one or two colours. Even more annoying is the fact that Piraka bodies have come in about 7 colours. Grah.

News of the day --

3 Toa Nuva

3 Makuta

6 Matoran

1 Toa Ignika

1 Icarax

1 Mystery Makuta

Yes, our fifteenth set is a Makuta. Icarax and this guy are classed as Phantoka.

So, 15 new masks.

Icarax's mask isn't new, he's wearing the Kraahkan. We don't know if it is a new mould, however.

Shakar

[VBBN]

Ignika on Amazon.de. Link.

Description:The Mask of Life created a body for itself from stray molecules and has become Toa Ignika, the Toa of Life! Now, flying on a powerful skyboard and armed with a Midak Skyblaster and keen sword, he is determined to be a hero.

Price: $19.99

Release Date: New Years Day. (subject to change)

~VBBN~

[InnerRayg]

Icarax's mask isn't new, he's wearing the Kraahkan. We don't know if it is a new mould, however.

Shakar

I will bet you a million dollars it is.

They're considered faces, so I don't count them. They can be used as masks...but then, so can a lot of things.

Edited November 8, 2007 by InnerRayg

[Clonie]

I'm pretty sure they have heads under their faces.

I will also bet a million dollars it's a new shape. :D

[Shakar]

Ignika on Amazon.de. Link.

Description:The Mask of Life created a body for itself from stray molecules and has become Toa Ignika, the Toa of Life! Now, flying on a powerful skyboard and armed with a Midak Skyblaster and keen sword, he is determined to be a hero.

Price: $19.99

Release Date: New Years Day. (subject to change)

~VBBN~

Yes, I was right! The thing about it being a transformed Toa just didn't seem right to me.

Still, I'm doubtful about the set...sure, it includes the Ignika and the surfboard looks pretty cool, but the Toa itself could have been designed better.

On the Icarax thing, I agree.

Shakar

[Zaktan of the Shadows]

He'd better save the world, he's the one who screwed it over. D:

lol

Looks cool.

-ZotS

[Clonie]

He'd better save the world, he's the one who screwed it over. D:

-ZotS

XD True.

[InnerRayg]

I'm pretty sure they have heads under their faces.

I will also bet a million dollars it's a new shape. :D

Well, Piraka did too :P

Anyway....Toa Ignika is weird. Plain and simple. I don't like the board.

[Clonie]

Anyway....Toa Ignika is weird. Plain and simple. I don't like the board.

I know what you mean about the board kinda, but looking closely at it it looks like it has a fair amount of design. But of course there's the fact of it not really fitting in Bionicle. I wouldn't complain about it until we know its backstory, however. The cordak blasters turned out to have a reasonable explanation, right?

[Zaktan of the Shadows]

They did... same with the squid launchers and everything...

I bet the Toa Ignika can't talk!

-ZotS

[Visorak-kal]

Guys, you should all take a look at the talkback topic on BZP for the new comic; there are scans.

I must say; very nice. A very nice way to end it; interesting, surprising, twisting, I really do like it. Plus, it makes one wonder even more about the identity of Toa Ignika.

VK

[Zaktan of the Shadows]

Poor Matoro... I'm really sad...

I really enjoyed the comic. The artwork was lovely, and the story was good. I like the sacrifice...

But it had no tie-ins to 2008!

And the Toa Mahri return to Metru Nui, which is good...

But is Mata-Nui still dead?

-ZotS

Edited November 9, 2007 by Zaktan of the Shadows

[dviddy]

WEAK SAUCE.

"Matoro puts on the MoLi, teleports his fellow Mahri to Metru-Nui, leaving the Barakki behind in the Pit. Matoro dies, and Mata Nui is alive again! Hurray!"

So anticlimactic. No real 'battle' (sure, we get little snippets of a battle, but there's no conclusion, the Mahri are swept away to Metru-Nui), no real suspense, not much of anything.

Plus, I hate the artwork. It's skewed, and it looks like something an elementary schooler drew. I don't understand how this guy gets hired. His artwork is juvenile and malformed.

<<DV>>

Edited November 9, 2007 by Darth Vader

[Dark_Avenger]

The comic would have been one of the best if they didn't compress so much into so few pages these days (not only are they shorter than they used to be, but they pack about twice as much story throughout the year). The book version of this should be excellent, though.

[InnerRayg]

WEAK SAUCE.

"Matoro puts on the MoLi, teleports his fellow Mahri to Metru-Nui, leaving the Barakki behind in the Pit. Matoro dies, and Mata Nui is alive again! Hurray!"

So anticlimactic. No real 'battle' (sure, we get little snippets of a battle, but there's no conclusion, the Mahri are swept away to Metru-Nui), no real suspense, not much of anything.

Plus, I hate the artwork. It's skewed, and it looks like something an elementary schooler drew. I don't understand how this guy gets hired. His artwork is juvenile and malformed.

<<DV>>

He got hired because back when he tried his art was amazing. Look at some of the landscapes in the first issue of his. Look at most of the characters...it is beautiful.

The problem is it's very obvious this guy stopped caring about halfway through the Inika/Mahri saga. So he's just doing what he has to until his contract runs out.

Anyway, what's the point of complaining about not having a battle and then complaining about how childish a story is getting *points to "2001 is best" topic*, because I'm pretty sure story exposition is considered more mature then an old school brawl.

[Visorak-kal]

I, too, preferred the 2006 artwork better than the 2007 artwork.

But I think the story was excellent; this only proves that a good climax does not require a supreme battle, like you see in many adventure sagas. Sure, a supreme battle is cool, but it isn't always necessary. I thought the suspense was very good, I was suspecting that all the Mahri would die, and it makes sense that Matoro would save his teammates. Very well done, story-wise.

The comic would have been one of the best if they didn't compress so much into so few pages these days (not only are they shorter than they used to be, but they pack about twice as much story throughout the year). The book version of this should be excellent, though.

They aren't shorter, Dark_Avenger. They are still twelve pages, the same length. Only the first three issues this year were shorter, since pages were cut to make the mini-movies. I think they seem shorter because there is more story, or maybe because we're spoiled due to the longer books! :-D

I agree, Downfall should be excellent, from what I know.

VK

[dviddy]

Story exposition is fantastic, when it fits the story being told. If the comic focused solely on Matoro's run with the Ignika, then it'd be far more fantastic. As is, ending the Barakki/Mahri story that has been the focus for the year with a simple "and then Matoro teleported them away" is not responsible storytelling. It's a quick and easy out that requires no real exposition or storytelling.

Every storyline deserves a fitting climactic event, and a fitting close. The Barakki/Mahri did not get one in this comic, and it led to a thematically weak story, with a saddening lack of closure.

But I think the story was excellent; this only proves that a good climax does not require a supreme battle, like you see in many adventure sagas

A good climax requires a fitting climax. Whisking the Mahri away does not do that. And the story suffers for it.

Hopefully the book does a better job than this comic, because as an overall 'end' to the story arc, this comic blew.