Subject:
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Re: Has anybody noticed... (Space themes)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Fri, 13 Aug 1999 16:53:55 GMT
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Viewed:
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418 times
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In lugnet.general, David Leese writes:
> ... that for a long time now, Lego no longer keep any particular
> Space theme running for more than a year? I mean that they don't
> introduce more sets into the same Space theme the following year.
> Each year, it seems, has a theme and that's it.
>
> Any thoughts... like when this torture started, and why?
History! My favorite subject!
According to the Fibblesnork LEGO Guide, the order of space themed sets goes
like this:
1978-1990 Classic Space
1987-1993 Futuron
1987-1990 Blacktron I
1989-1991 Space Police I
1990-1992 M:Tron
1991-1995 Blacktron II
1992-1995 Space Police II
1993-1995 Ice Planet 2002
1994-1996 Unitron
1994-1996 Spyrius
1996-present Exploriens
1997-present RoboForce
1997-present U.F.O.
I guess the Insectoids were after the U.F.O.s, although the guide doesn't
include them.
As to WHEN "this torture" started, it looks like it all began with the
introduction of the Blacktron 1 and Futuron variations after about 9 years of
Classic Space.
As to WHY it started, here are my guesses:
I've always thought of the Futuron theme as simply an update of Classic Space.
That's where we started seeing visored helmets and slightly flashier space
suits, although they still had the "rocket around the planet" logo.
Blackton I, which it seems most people consider extremely cool, paved the way
for more variations. With "bad guys", you needed Space Police, and when
the "bad guys" moved on to Blacktron II the Space Police needed to be upgraded
too.
I've always liked the M:Tron guys, but I'm thinking they were a vehicle for a
gimmick, namely, magnets. Ice Planet used magnets too, but they also used a
variation of the "rocket around the planet" logo so there's SOME precedent for
them being related to Classic Space.
Then it looks like LEGO just went hog-wild with the variations. Unitron and
Exploriens may be distant relations to the Classic Space pioneers, with
Spyrius and U.F.O.s being their "bad guys".
I can see why, with the latest space aliens craze, why U.F.O.s and Insectoids
were created. Still, take off their helmets and they're regular bipeds like
everyone else.
As to why they can't settle down on one theme is anyone's guess.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Has anybody noticed... (Space themes)
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| (...) <snip> (...) You came up with the answer yourself: it's a craze over new things. As a kid when classic space came out, I remember looking for any new classic set I didn't have yet. You must remember that generally speaking, the younger someone (...) (25 years ago, 13-Aug-99, to lugnet.general)
| | | Re: Has anybody noticed... (Space themes)
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| (...) Because it's easier to market and inspire buyer excitement for entire new lines than for updates to existing lines. Compare these come-on lines: "Wow! This year, we're going to new places with theme XYZ!" and "Hey! You loved last year's stuff (...) (25 years ago, 13-Aug-99, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Has anybody noticed... (Space themes)
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| ... that for a long time now, Lego no longer keep any particular Space theme running for more than a year? I mean that they don't introduce more sets into the same Space theme the following year. Each year, it seems, has a theme and that's it. 1999 (...) (25 years ago, 12-Aug-99, to lugnet.general)
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