2013 Galaxy Squad

[TheLazyChicken]

Oh well then, seems I am going to spend the money on city sets and lego movie sets. At least the galaxy squad sets had a second wave.

[CM4Sci]

I received my Late Holiday catalog in the mail today, and inbetween a couple pages there were smaller pages showing the Galaxy Squad sets. They were just in the middle of them.

-Sci

[Boboboum]

So... will 2014 be Sci-Fi-free?

[DraikNova]

As usual. I'm pretty sure the only way LEGO's home brands will make a permanent comeback is if Star Wars' popularity drops. Incidentally, I've been working on some new bug designs for the theme, including a giant horseshoe crab.

[parksroad]

Yeah, unless the new movie flops, I feel that Star Wars may be with us for a while. On the other hand, maybe the constant rate of new films will lead to overexposure, although Star Wars may be immune.

Back on topic, is it odd that the Red Team never got a flagship? Could this mean some kind of exclusive to come?

[Artanis I]

Back on topic, is it odd that the Red Team never got a flagship? Could this mean some kind of exclusive to come?

The red team is supposed to represent speed. If they did do it, it would be a sleek ship or vehicle. I personally doubt it though, as the tendency has been for bigger structures to be modular, which makes them bulky and not very fit for speed.

[mink66]

_{I want to know why the Star Slicer (set 70703) is not acknowledged in the official Galaxy Squad Products portion of the lego.com website. Was there some controversy with this set? Personally, it's my favorite bug with some fairly cool building techniques to achieve the shape of the thorax and abdomen. It's still for sale on shop at home. I don't understand. Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this.}

_{On another note, I was really enjoying the Galaxy Squad "Defeat this Bug" gallery on the lego.com website for the last several months, but alas that is gone now too.}

Edited November 20, 2013 by mink66

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Either way, such a shame that yet another excellent theme fails in the wake of branded competition from in-house. For the second straight year I've found myself scooping up the flagship set of a SciFi theme I initially had no intent on getting into... But the quality of design, parts and figs were just too excellent to pass up on the Galactic Titan. Still on the fence of whether or not it's a better set than the ADU Earth Defence HQ, but for 30% off it was a no-brainer. Wonderful set, wonderful theme.

[Bricknblue]

LEGO has stated that Town/City, Space (Not just Star Wars, and Castle are all core themes to LEGO so they will be around most, if not, every year. If we get Castle and Space sets next year I would bet it's Summer like this year with Castle and because there are too many new movies / sets in the January to May 2014 span.

[Faefrost]

I want to know why the Star Slicer (set 70703) is not acknowledged in the official Galaxy Squad Products portion of the lego.com website. Was there some controversy with this set? Personally, it's my favorite bug with some fairly cool building techniques to achieve the shape of the thorax and abdomen. It's still for sale on shop at home. I don't understand. Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this.[/sub]

_{On another note, I was really enjoying the Galaxy Squad "Defeat this Bug" gallery on the lego.com website for the last several months, but alas that is gone now too.}

_{70703 was a store exclusive for TRU. Such exclusives normally do not show up on the theme story portions of Lego.com (they will show up in the store, just not in the Lego marketing materials.) just like if you go to the Monster Fighters page, The Zombies set does not show up there. It was a Target exclusive.}

_{LEGO has stated that Town/City, Space (Not just Star Wars, and Castle are all core themes to LEGO so they will be around most, if not, every year. If we get Castle and Space sets next year I would bet it's Summer like this year with Castle and because there are too many new movies / sets in the January to May 2014 span.}

_{Town / City is the only one that is always around. Space, Castle, Pirates, Adventurers/Action etc are what they consider "Evergreen" themes. A given one will not appear every year, but typically one or two will appear each year.}

_{A safe bet is the Lego movie sets are sort of sitting in the Action/SciFi slots for Winter.}

[Bricknblue]

City, Space and Castle are core themes. LEGO had designers give interviewers throughout the years to say as such. More so when people asked why we didn't get another line of Pirates a few years back, Pirates is not a core theme. The issue is that LotR and Star Wars sometimes count as Castle and Space, also LEGO can change their minds. However since 2006 it has been planned for a release every year. 07 and 08 were Mars Mission, then 09-10 was Space Police, 11 was Alien Conquest, and 12 was supposed to continue it but it got canceled because of poor sales and limited warehouse space. Same might happen in 14, or they might consider some of the movie sets a Space theme.

Either way I don't think we have to worry about Space disappearing for years on end like in the past.

[Artanis I]

11 was Alien Conquest, and 12 was supposed to continue it but it got canceled because of poor sales and limited warehouse space.

I recall reading that the opportunities for other new themes were a higher priority - ie LOTR/Hobbit, Superheroes, more Ninjago. The sets were designed. We have seen some of them, I think some were adapted into Galaxy Squad.

You are right in that they say "3 core themes" but in reality with Star Wars, original space theme takes a huge backseat. Also, everything is now an action theme except Creator, Technic, some City & Friends.

[mink66]

70703 was a store exclusive for TRU. Such exclusives normally do not show up on the theme story portions of Lego.com (they will show up in the store, just not in the Lego marketing materials.) just like if you go to the Monster Fighters page, The Zombies set does not show up there. It was a Target exclusive.

Makes total sense now Faefrost! Thank you for the explanation and reminding me that 70703 was a TRU exclusive.

[Aanchir]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it was Ninjago not a license– or movie-based theme, which motivated TLG to put Space on temporary hiatus. Note that next year's Ninjago sets are numbered in the same sequence as last year's Galaxy Squad sets, and that the sets are even more heavily science-fiction inspired than the playful anachronism of previous Ninjago waves. Since Ninjago and Legends of Chima were not originally expected to continue running concurrently, it's possible that the LEGO Group had to pull designers and resources away from LEGO Space.

Of course, The LEGO Movie could also be the culprit, especially if it turns out that Benny the "1980-something space guy" will in fact be making an appearance in a Space-inspired set. Or it could be a combination of factors.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Aanchir

[danth]

especially if it turns out that Benny the "1980-something space guy" will in fact be making an appearance in a Space-inspired set. Or it could be a combination of factors.

If this doesn't happen I'm going to punch a baby in the face. Just watch.

[Artanis I]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it was Ninjago not a license– or movie-based theme, which motivated TLG to put Space on temporary hiatus. Note that next year's Ninjago sets are numbered in the same sequence as last year's Galaxy Squad sets, and that the sets are even more heavily science-fiction inspired than the playful anachronism of previous Ninjago waves. Since Ninjago and Legends of Chima were not originally expected to continue running concurrently, it's possible that the LEGO Group had to pull designers and resources away from LEGO Space.

Of course, The LEGO Movie could also be the culprit, especially if it turns out that Benny the "1980-something space guy" will in fact be making an appearance in a Space-inspired set. Or it could be a combination of factors.

I was thinking the same thing this morning when I saw the new Ninjago sets. Although I don't like the look of those sets much. A bit too wacky for me.

If this doesn't happen I'm going to punch a baby in the face. Just watch.

Buy a packet of jelly babies just in case.

[Bricknblue]

I know plenty of babies that deserved to get punched...

Wait this is a LEGO site what is going on?

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

I find myself suddenly obsessed with Galaxy Squad sets, just in time to get them for amazingly great holiday deals. That said... I'm on the fence with the Warp Stinger. Anyone have any pros or cons on the finished build?!

[PenPlays]

I find myself suddenly obsessed with Galaxy Squad sets, just in time to get them for amazingly great holiday deals. That said... I'm on the fence with the Warp Stinger. Anyone have any pros or cons on the finished build?!

A little quick for it's size, but an entertaining build that looks excellent when finished. Lego made the right move making it the front of all of their ads during the first half of the year.

[The_Creator]

It's definitely worth getting. I was skeptical of it at first also but it ended up being a fun build and a surprisingly nice parts pack.

Edited December 6, 2013 by The_Creator

[DraikNova]

The Warp Stinger is excellent, both as a set and as a parts pack.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Just picked up the Bug Obliterator at half price, thereby completing my collection of a theme I was originally uninterested in.

TLG, you could've had a gold mine on your hands here if you supported it if even a fraction of the way you did Chima!! If you pushed the Green Team bed sheet sets or the Solomon Blaze torso zip-up hoodie, this theme could've been an absolute success!

Oh well, Happy Christmas to me!

Edited December 12, 2013 by Mr. Elijah Timms

[mink66]

Just picked up the Bug Obliterator at half price, thereby completing my collection of a theme I was originally uninterested in.

TLG, you could've had a gold mine on your hands here if you supported it if even a fraction of the way you did Chima!! If you pushed the Green Team bed sheet sets or the Solomon Blaze torso zip-up hoodie, this theme could've been an absolute success!

Oh well, Happy Christmas to me!

I totally agree! And I have built several MOC's to help fill in the voids a third or fourth wave would have filled in to "complete" each of the Team colors. But unfortunately the past and current sucess of the Star Wars TLG merchandising will most likely continue to inhibit the sustainability of any TLG space theme to only one or two waves. Plus, I think the timing of the new Lego Movie hindered any future waves for Galaxy Squad. Edited December 13, 2013 by mink66

[Captain Settle]

A little quick for it's size,

I feel pretty bad that I laughed at that. I guess I'm just sick minded...

Has anyone else seen how star slicer and warp stinger are going ridiculously cheap on eBay? Like, one person got star slicer for a tenner. Is there some deal that's going on in a shop in the UK?

[DraikNova]

Maybe we should set up a special GS MOC database? I've got an idea for some extra backstory for the theme, if anyone wants to hear it.