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Subject: 
Re: what makes a legend?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego.direct
Date: 
Sat, 20 Oct 2001 02:32:15 GMT
Viewed: 
657 times
  
In lugnet.lego.direct, Brad Justus writes:
We're having a debate here in the ABS-paved halls of LEGO Direct that I'd
like to throw open to the community.

The topic is: what makes a LEGO Legend a legend? Or, more precisely, if we
cannot bring back a set precisely as it was (or pretty darn close), can it
still qualify as a Legend?

In my June announcement of the LEGO Legends series, I wrote that "LEGO
Legends are reissues of landmark LEGO sets -- perhaps the first set in a
particular playtheme, or a set widely acknowledged as a superlative building
experience, or perhaps simply a much beloved set."

The first three offerings in the series -- the Guarded Inn, Metroliner, and
Club Car not only meet the above criteria, but are as faithful to their
originals as we could possibly make them. Setting aside boneheaded mistakes
like (doh!) putting an Indian horse in a medieval castle set (unless, of
course, you were going for the "Tudor Teepee" look), these three sets vary
only slightly from their honored ancestors -- minor differences, such as
"ventilated" minifig heads instead of the original solid ones are all that
set them apart.

Now we are considering where we go next with this line. We've gone back to
the early 90s with the Metroliner and Club Car, and to 1986 for the Guarded
Inn. Now we'd like to dial the Wayback Machine a bit further back... and
here's where we start to run into "issues."

Without revealing what specific sets we have under consideration (hey, we're
trying to maintain an aura of mystery here!), the dilemma is this: in
general, the farther back we go, the more compromises are necessary in order
to make the set. For example: the old metal-axle wheelsets? Forget it.
They're not coming back; we're stuck with the wheels we've got now.
Baseplates and road plates have changed, too --  on some of the road plates,
we use one fewer stud now (8 instead of 9) between the roads and the edge of
the plate -- which could affect the "look" and arrangement of sets using
those plates (e.g. buildings could be closer together than in the
originals). And the list goes on: unavailability of certain decorated
elements (though we could use stickers); the need to use slightly different
elements to replace an element for which we no longer have the mold; and so
on. You see the problems...

We can bring back almost any set (but before you ask: the Airport Shuttle is
not in the cards -- there's no way to get the motors and track -- and
believe me, I'm as disappointed about this as you are). The thing is, we
can't bring them all back *exactly* as they once were. There are some sets
which are comprised largely of basic elements, with a few rarer bits thrown
in. And there are others which require compromise. And then there are those
which require a whole lot of compromise.

So here's my question for you all: how much compromise can you live with?
Should we just cross any older Town set off the consideration list because
we can't use the metal-axle wheelsets? Are stickers ok? How many changes are
allowed before it's not a Legend anymore? Where do you -- where should we --
draw the line? Is the Legend in the spirit of the overall set or in the details?

Next year, we hope to give you at least one opportunity to vote -- from a
short list of candidates -- for the Legend set you'd like to see us make.
When we post the contenders we'll be specific about any changes we'll have
to make from the original. But it would be incredibly helpful to us now to
know how far we can go with those changes.

We've received great input from the community here, and from many of you
individually, on the direction we're taking with products coming from LEGO
Direct. We need some of that input now. Please help us make next year's
Legends everything you want them to be.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Play Well!

-- Brad

Brad Justus
Senior Vice President, LEGO Direct

Might some consideration also be given to bringing back some accessory sets
to complement the "Legend sets" already released and the others which are to
come?

I am thinking about the highly desired and "Fabled" if not "Legendary"
Cypress Tree twin pack <5192> .  It would also be nice to have additional
figures of similar vintage as the sets.  Perhaps  <6103> to complement the
Guarded Inn, and maybe something like <6032> to complement Train and Town
releases.   Others might have more educated opinions as to what figure sets
are most desired by the community.  I am a bit out of my field in regards to
this type  figure.

If molds of the cypress tree, pitchfork, and pigtail hair for the girl
figure no longer are available, then it would be helpful to know.  It would
help us to move on to something that is a possibility.  [please note, I have
not asked you to rerelease Fabuland figures... even I can be reasonable
sometimes...]


thank you!
take care,
sheree



Message is in Reply To:
  what makes a legend?
 
We're having a debate here in the ABS-paved halls of LEGO Direct that I'd like to throw open to the community. The topic is: what makes a LEGO Legend a legend? Or, more precisely, if we cannot bring back a set precisely as it was (or pretty darn (...) (23 years ago, 19-Oct-01, to lugnet.lego.direct) !! 

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