Does the dollar really affects Lego so much? I thought they worked in euros.

Does the dollar really affects Lego so much? I thought they worked in euros.

The sets go to the US, and people buy them in the US with USD.

Well Stuart did a good job while he was here, but I think it was a good decission. Next years theme seems like it would clash with his style.

It's a reall bummer that we don't get a Jan. comic. So it's a possibillity it will be online?

But I'm very happy that they will be 16 pages.

So the comics are going back to an old '01 style? *goes and compares old and new ones*

Anyway, It's good to know the old style is coming back. I missed it.

Oh, and I'm excited about that new movie too. If I may ask, will it be available as a DVD like the last ones, or through that movies on demand thing I read about in Lego Magazine?

-Gakurak

Plan for the new film is to be on DVD.

And to the other poster's question -- LEGO is based in Denmark, which operates in Danish kroner, not euros. When someone buys a set in the US, the US dollars have to be converted to kroner to get a sense of how much profit the company makes. If the dollar is weak against the kroner, then you are making less kroner per dollar and your profits go down.

Greg

Cool, so that means that prices go up in 09?

Anyway, I hope the artist can pull off the expertise shown by the first one.

TNN

Remember what he said BFN, no issue on January. But, heck, what are we going to do with our two months storyline? We DO need them! Well, at least we'll have 16 pages, in which I hope we can fill those horrible storyline holes.

Has Lego ever considered changing to that new corn oil thing?

What "horrible storyline holes," Night Terror?

Greg

What "horrible storyline holes," Night Terror?

 

Greg

I think he's referring to the increased time between storyline action, with there being no January issue.

Well, I think I used the wrong word, sorry. But, what I meant, is that things are showed with a little more of detail. (I know that 12 pages aren't enough to tell very very well the story, like back in 2001-03, where even extra scenes were given.). But you know, sometimes, there's so many action there, that It's even hard to understand what's going on until the third time you read It.

I think Night Terror meant that 2007 had some time in the first half of the year when there basically was not much storyline going on (also because of Invasion not getting published). I felt in a similar way. After BL6 there was not really new storyline until bioniclestory.com went online.

However since it is online now, that means that we won't have a lack of storyline til the first comic in March. I guess the serials will start earlier.

It's kinda sad to think that the whole oil crisi affects everything, right down to our favorite toy line. I assume since Lego uses quality plastic, that they have to pay a ton more to make things. On one hand, I don't like price increases, because that hits me directly in the pocket book. But then again, I don't want to see Lego drop Bionicle because it can't make a profit... So far, 08 looks really cool set-wise, so I'm sure I'll be buying a good few of the canister sets this year anyway.

New movie sounds great! Something to look forward to in 09.

Whoo. lots of stuff here.

* Due to the fact that it looks like we changing comic artists in 2008, there will be no comic in January. The current plan is for the number of actual comic pages per issue to go up to 16 next year, although I have not heard yet if we are doing a total of five issues, four issues, four issues plus one online, or what. I do know first issue of the year will be in March 2008.

 

The reason for the change is basically Stuart having other projects to focus on and our wanting to get back to more of a 2001-2002 style with the book. I believe they are close to deciding on the new artist, but I have not heard a name yet. Will let you know when I do.

2001-2002 book style? In what way? And I hope this artist is good.

* We WILL be holding the line on prices in 2008, to the best of my knowledge, meaning the "canister" sets will still be at $9.99 as they have been in 2006-2007. This is frankly in the face of mounting and extreme pressures on us and the entire industry to raise prices. The rising cost of oil means the cost to produce plastic is way up (as well as to transport goods) -- plus a weak dollar means that the company does not make as much profit off sales in the US as it did in the past. We are staying where we are in 2008 and hoping that increased volume will make up for this, but I have a feeling you are going to see other toy companies raising prices in the coming months.

I hope this is a good buisness move. Keeping your prices cheeper than your rival's is always a good thing, just as long as you don't need the shout from the roof to get people to notice.

* Script for the new movie is supposed to be coming to me today for review. Once I have seen it and okayed it, it will get passed on to the rest of the team for review and approval.

Looks like things are running smoothly. At least one script writer hasn't demanded higher salaries.

Thanks for always keeping usin the know, Greg.

~CN[

EDIT: Hmm, forgot some coding....

I'm kind of upset about Stuart. I enjoyed his style more than the previous artists, no offense to them.

Oh well.

Alas, Sturat's style gets booted. It was very cool, but I can see why it's changing. It was good for the dark style of the Piraka. Dark seems to be his thing. I would not be disappointed if you kept him though. He was amazing!

But I think that 01 style is the way to go. (I didn't like 04. Maybe too much detail, or something. 01 FTW)

Good to hear about a price fixation, but not to hear about the money problem. (I don't know if you've seen, or anyone else at TLC, an idea of mine, but I think that it might be more practical, if the canisters can no longer be used for storage, to get rid of the plastic lining and use boxes. It'd save money (right?))

Oh, the movie! Updates are always nice. And you have a part in it now!

-CF

*Sigh* too bad about not having a comic in January. This year has barely had books. Thank goodness for Bioniclestory.com.

-Z

Wish there was a January comic, and actual canisters, eight dollars a piece like years ago, but I see a good reason for the price rise now, hope the new artist is good and the script it good.

Shame, I loved Stuart's style. I think it would fit perfectly with 2008's theme, giving the bits of promotional material we've already seen.

-Seran

Whether I like the change of artists will be determined when I see the new one's style. I've never at all like Sayger's; he had his great moments, but for the most part his style seemed so quick and sloppy and resultant in awkward proportions (mostly things being thin and stretched and lacking the bulk the sets had and the characters needed) that I didn't at all enjoy looking at it.

But 16 pages is an enormous improvement. To use most of this year's comics as an example, there was so much going on that major plot points had to be covered in a single page, if they were covered at all. The Mahri almost appeared out of nowhere; the Matoran were shepherded into the caves under Axonn's protection in one page, there was barely a word about Hydraxon's revival...

Well, we didn't have a Jan comic last year, but I hope that it doesn't continue in '09. = / Stuart was awesome when he was here, but I hope the next one is even better.

MB has spoken

Lucky for Lego they're charging such a steep price here in Canada for canister sets. I mean come on 13 CAD, that's like 14 USD!

*grumbles about how the prices are more expensive and how the CAD is now stronger than the USD*