So with the fanbase being ever cheerful about this lines future, I decided to make a thread talking about the lines fate (some of which can be ether positive or negative), its historical ties and decisions it took and it should take.
To truly understand the situation in which Bionicle was and is in , we need to analyse the line closely compared to it.
Most of the fanbase mentioned Transformers as the definitive toyline from which Bionicle should learn a thing or two from.
This three part series done by sfdebris talk about the history of the line we know as Transformers, what made it such a success, what made it fail in some areas, and why is it still relevant to this day.
Most of the trials and tribulations of this line sound very familiar to what Bionicle experienced and what LEGO experienced with the constraction wing of toys: Specifically:
The multiple lines which creatively inspired Bionicle (Technic, Roboriders, and Throwbots/Slizers).
Making new interesting characters to fill in the gap of loosing the old ones (Matoran that later in 2006 became Toa, and to some extent 2009 Glatorians).
Having competitors in the Buildable action figure race (Neo Shifters, bootlegs, and even in a sense Hero Factory is seen as a competitor of Bionicle, even though its relationship and story to that line has a much different approach and goal)
Companies â– â– â– â– â– during the lines existence (from quantity to quality and brand solidification)
And so on…
So the important question I would like to ask you all, what do you think were Bionicles mistakes and successes? Are they similar to what Transformers went through? Do you think it has a chance to exist in decades that follow? What would you change to make that possibility into a reality?
How do you think gen 3 should be handled? And would you agree that something should be done between the generations in order for the line/brand to have a chance to succeed?
DC should buy the rights to make BIONICLE story material since they made the early comics and that is what i think the line needs. It needs to not be owned by a toy company but a story company. If it were like that then they could make sets based on the story not the other way around.
Transformers is still owned by Hasbro after all these years, its just the story part is given rights to other people. Do you think this is better that LEGO gives the story rights to someone else than themselves?
Yah no. That is not how it works. If BIONICLE were picked up by a publishing house, it wouldn’t be DC or Marvel, and I’m pretty sure Image and Dark Horse wouldn’t care. It’d probably be a smaller house if they did sell BIONICLE.
Transformers comics were done by Marvel (even before it was initially released as a toyline and show), so it isnt entirely impossible for major comic book publishers to do it.
Well its been 40 years, of course its more popular. It has multiple generations of fan under it…while Bionicle is still in its second Generation…both lines had less successful second generations due to major character and status-quo changes. In this example, is also the building method as well.
LEGO wouldn’t be selling BIONICLE in the future. They’re selling BIONICLE as it is, which is not their biggest theme. When Marvel is doing stuff like Star Wars, and DC has a semi-reboot to take care of, why would either of them care about a unsuccessful toy line?
All the early transformers comics were done by marvel aka, back when it was just a regular toy line. I’m not saying marvel would still do those im just saying they did it before.
They dont have to care, if Lego wanted to, they could hire either studio to do comics for them and either studio would be doing a commission for Lego if they chose to accept.
But you do need to realise that giving the brand rights to other distributers is a very common thing. LEGO has been doing it constantly (even in Bionicle G1 with the movies, the comic books, games, clothing accessories, shows, and fast food).,and thats when they werent even sure if they line would have succeed or not, or when it didnt even have a following.
Bionicle right now is in that moment Transformers was with its G2, when fans were not pleased with the massive changes and â– â– â– â– â– from old to new. It is still within their capability to bring back Bionicle in future ways in different forms. They just need to change the approach to the line and maintain the respect for the original source will still having that new fresh creative side that attracts new people, and most importantly making the characters and world appealing to people so that they would invest in the brand which would indirectly make people want to buy the brands merchandise.
They did that less and less as the line progressed, and in 2010 we got… a book in Polish and a couple of comics. Keep in mind, G1 wasn’t failing hard, it was just starting to go down in sales. BIONICLE G2, on the other hand, hasn’t had any clothing, games, or movies at all. Why would DC or Marvel pick it up if it’s failing?
Thats because it took the approach of selling new toys/characters first, establishing current characters and world second.
Remember why the Mata are the most memorable Toa Team, its because we had three years worth of character growth, establishment and relevants to make it so. Each other team had less than that, and not to the level of establishment the first team had with the various ways kids were able to learn about them.
Same goes for Mata Nui the island, we just had more time spent there and the world was more fleshed out for us to care more about it. The other places didnt do as much while we moved on to another new place.
@Ultimate_TChalla my reasoning is that DC published some of the old comics for BIONICLE so they have already shown interest in the line or at least during its early stages but you are probably right.
