Adventurers - Could They Return?

[Jayk]

 

If you're like me, you were a big fan of Johnny Thunder and his globetrotting cohorts back in the day; he was one of my very first sets, in fact.  Now that Indiana Jones has run his (excellent) course, and with the emergence of a very outdoors-y CITY Police subtheme for next year...might we see Johnny, Dr. Kilroy, Lord Sinister and their chums return at some point in the future?  I'd certainly be pleased if they did.  Thoughts?

[Click]

I remember these guys! I never bought any of the sets myself, but my cousin had a bunch, and we came up with all kinds of adventures! Normally, if Lego brings back a line, everything changes besides the basic theme (see Agents), but I think Johnny Thunder is an iconic enough character that he could come back. He's already made appearances in several Lego games and the Lego Movie, so he definitely isn't forgotten.

[Sumiki]

I'd love to see Johnny Thunder come back. I never got any of the sets but I got into the story (strangely enough) when it was in its final year.

[Nescent]

This is a System theme I might actually get into! The classic Adventures sets seemed believable and realistic (look at the cars, the hot air balloon, and the airplane, to name a few). I hope that if it returns, it keeps that trait, instead of becoming cartooney like most revived themes (think Mars Mission and Power Miners, both great themes, but both less believable than their predecessors).

[Aanchir]

This is a System theme I might actually get into! The classic Adventures sets seemed believable and realistic (look at the cars, the hot air balloon, and the airplane, to name a few). I hope that if it returns, it keeps that trait, instead of becoming cartooney like most revived themes (think Mars Mission and Power Miners, both great themes, but both less believable than their predecessors).

As far as most of the vehicle designs and color schemes were concerned, many Power Miners sets were much more realistic than Rock Raiders sets. Real-world mining vehicles are generally brightly colored for visibility reasons, and do not under any circumstances fly with propellors. Not to mention the set designs were better, with fewer chunky, overspecialized pieces, more creative action features, and much greater building value. Rock Raiders was in some respects like a "junior" version of Power Miners, wrapped up in an exaggeratedly gritty aesthetic.

 

Anyway, we already had a sort of a spiritual successor to Adventurers in the form of Pharaoh's Quest. The characters even had the same weather-themed naming scheme as the Adventurers characters originally had in US publication, back when Pippin Reed was Gail Storm and Dr. Kilroy was Dr. Charles Lightning — something that was unfortunately lost when the LEGO Group standardized the Adventurers theme's character names across all international markets.

 

Next time the LEGO Group is in need of an archaeological adventure theme of that sort, I'd certainly be open to one with either the Pharaoh's Quest characters or the classic Adventurers characters.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Aanchir

[Click]

Wait, Gail Storm of the Adventurers? Perhaps related to Hale Storm of the LU Venture League? Coincidence, I think not!

[Jayk]

 

This is a System theme I might actually get into! The classic Adventures sets seemed believable and realistic (look at the cars, the hot air balloon, and the airplane, to name a few). I hope that if it returns, it keeps that trait, instead of becoming cartooney like most revived themes (think Mars Mission and Power Miners, both great themes, but both less believable than their predecessors).

As far as most of the vehicle designs and color schemes were concerned, many Power Miners sets were much more realistic than Rock Raiders sets. Real-world mining vehicles are generally brightly colored for visibility reasons, and do not under any circumstances fly with propellors.

 

Anyway, we already had a sort of a spiritual successor to Adventurers in the form of Pharaoh's Quest. The characters even had the same weather-themed naming scheme as the Adventurers characters originally had in US publication, back when Pippin Reed was Gail Storm and Dr. Kilroy was Dr. Charles Lightning — something that was unfortunately lost when the LEGO Group standardized the Adventurers theme's character names across all international markets.

 

Next time the LEGO Group is in need of an archaeological adventure theme of that sort, I'd certainly be open to one with either the Pharaoh's Quest characters or the classic Adventurers characters.

 

 

If I recall correctly, the Rock Raiders were actually trapped in an asteroid field or somesuch.

[Nescent]

 This is a System theme I might actually get into! The classic Adventures sets seemed believable and realistic (look at the cars, the hot air balloon, and the airplane, to name a few). I hope that if it returns, it keeps that trait, instead of becoming cartooney like most revived themes (think Mars Mission and Power Miners, both great themes, but both less believable than their predecessors).

As far as most of the vehicle designs and color schemes were concerned, many Power Miners sets were much more realistic than Rock Raiders sets. Real-world mining vehicles are generally brightly colored for visibility reasons, and do not under any circumstances fly with propellors.

If I recall correctly, the Rock Raiders were actually trapped in an asteroid field or somesuch.

 

I guess I don't know much about Rock Raiders. I just thought that some of the Power Miners sets were very unbelievable, like this one, and this one.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

 

 This is a System theme I might actually get into! The classic Adventures sets seemed believable and realistic (look at the cars, the hot air balloon, and the airplane, to name a few). I hope that if it returns, it keeps that trait, instead of becoming cartooney like most revived themes (think Mars Mission and Power Miners, both great themes, but both less believable than their predecessors).

As far as most of the vehicle designs and color schemes were concerned, many Power Miners sets were much more realistic than Rock Raiders sets. Real-world mining vehicles are generally brightly colored for visibility reasons, and do not under any circumstances fly with propellors.

If I recall correctly, the Rock Raiders were actually trapped in an asteroid field or somesuch.

 

I guess I don't know much about Rock Raiders. I just thought that some of the Power Miners sets were very unbelievable, like this one, and this one.

 

 

I dunno, they don't quite resemble specific "real" mining devices, but the claw digger makes mechanical sense, and the mine mech is similar in design to most "loader" suits seen in sci-fi settings. o:

[Mr. Cup of Fail]

It would be unlikely that Adventurers would come back, but if they do, it would most likely be a reboot like with Bionicle.

[Jayk]

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

[Aanchir]

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

If you mean "back on his own adventures", then yeah, that might take a revival or reboot of the theme. If you just mean you want him back as a minifigure, there's a new Johnny Thunder minifigure in one of this year's LEGO Movie sets, in his classic costume but now with a slightly modernized look!

[Ford]

I would love to see this theme return with a new treasure to find. It would be enjoyable to see something with the quality of Orient Expedition sets again.

[Jayk]

 

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

If you mean "back on his own adventures", then yeah, that might take a revival or reboot of the theme. If you just mean you want him back as a minifigure, there's a new Johnny Thunder minifigure in one of this year's LEGO Movie sets, in his classic costume but now with a slightly modernized look!

 

 

WHAT

 

 

 

I still want him back with sets, but this is glorious news.  Johnny's back!

[Aanchir]

 

 

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

If you mean "back on his own adventures", then yeah, that might take a revival or reboot of the theme. If you just mean you want him back as a minifigure, there's a new Johnny Thunder minifigure in one of this year's LEGO Movie sets, in his classic costume but now with a slightly modernized look!

 

 

WHAT

 

I still want him back with sets, but this is glorious news.  Johnny's back!

 

Yep! He's in this set!

[Jayk]

 

 

 

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

If you mean "back on his own adventures", then yeah, that might take a revival or reboot of the theme. If you just mean you want him back as a minifigure, there's a new Johnny Thunder minifigure in one of this year's LEGO Movie sets, in his classic costume but now with a slightly modernized look!

 

 

WHAT

 

I still want him back with sets, but this is glorious news.  Johnny's back!

 

Yep! He's in this set!

 

 

I saw it, and my wallet is now trembling in fear at what I'm thinking of doing...

[danny316p]

As one of our resident old fogies, I still remember when people were angry that Johnny Thunder came in nearly every Adventurers set, looking exactly the same. That said, the newer version of him from the movie is a nice step up - and slightly ironic, since there was nothing stopping LEGO from putting back printing on Johnny Thunder's torso in the first place (1998 was the year that both Adventurers and back printing debuted).

 

I think it's safe to say that if the Adventurers were ever going to be revived, it would have been for the Pharoah's Quest line. Oh, and arguably, Indiana Jones should count as the new Adventurers, since Johnny Thunder did appear in such Studios sets as "Temple of Gloom".

 

Sadly worth noting: Pharoah's Quest underperformed. I know I love the kits, bought most of them when they were new, and also bought multiples when they were clearanced out - but the reason I was able to buy kits by the dozen at 50% off is because people weren't buying them at full price. Somewhat justified in the high price-per-part ratio for the Scorpion Pyramid, but even the less expensive sets were not that popular. Sometimes people just don't have good tastes.

[Boidoh]

 

 

 

The story wasn't that in-depth anyway, so I wouldn't see a problem with that.  I'd just want Johnny Thunder back.

If you mean "back on his own adventures", then yeah, that might take a revival or reboot of the theme. If you just mean you want him back as a minifigure, there's a new Johnny Thunder minifigure in one of this year's LEGO Movie sets, in his classic costume but now with a slightly modernized look!

 

 

WHAT

 

I still want him back with sets, but this is glorious news.  Johnny's back!

 

Yep! He's in this set!

 

Who cares about Johnny. THERE'S LLOYD GARMADON!

[Mr. Cup of Fail]

Who even cares about those two, BATMAN IS UP IN THE HOUSE...

(I go kill my self from saying that now)

[Zeb]

Who even cares about those two, BATMAN IS UP IN THE HOUSE...

(I go kill my self from saying that now)

They're all nothing compared to EMMET, though!!!:P:P

 

But yeah, that set is great. It has Emmet, Batman, Lloyd the Green Ninja, and Johnny Thunder ALL IN THE SAME SET.

[Munty]

This is one of the lines I actually used to collect myself and I still have a few of the old sets (though at my mum's house!!!) I agree though that Pharaoh's Quest is essentially the exact same thing. Also what about Orient Epedition for a less Egyptian, more Eastern theme? I currently have this huge set (which seems to also be a board game!) for sale http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7419-1 Again, this line seems to be just a different spin on the same theme so the liklihood of Johnny Thunder returning in all his glory looks pretty unlikely imo...

[Lyichir]

This is one of the lines I actually used to collect myself and I still have a few of the old sets (though at my mum's house!!!) I agree though that Pharaoh's Quest is essentially the exact same thing. Also what about Orient Epedition for a less Egyptian, more Eastern theme? I currently have this huge set (which seems to also be a board game!) for sale http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7419-1 Again, this line seems to be just a different spin on the same theme so the liklihood of Johnny Thunder returning in all his glory looks pretty unlikely imo...

Technically speaking, Orient Expedition was an Adventurers theme in all but name, featuring most of the classic characters.

 

Personally, I'd rather see further adventures from the Pharaoh's Quest cast... but at this point I reckon we're actually MORE likely to see the Adventurers crew return, since it's been several years since Pharaoh's Quest and Adventurers would make a much better appeal to nostalgia.

[Munty]

Really? I didn't know that. You'd think I might notice really as this topic has prompted me to part-check and list the OE sets I had in my shop. It didn't even occur to me when I checked the figures that they were the same characters! 

[Zeb]

 

This is one of the lines I actually used to collect myself and I still have a few of the old sets (though at my mum's house!!!) I agree though that Pharaoh's Quest is essentially the exact same thing. Also what about Orient Epedition for a less Egyptian, more Eastern theme? I currently have this huge set (which seems to also be a board game!) for sale http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7419-1 Again, this line seems to be just a different spin on the same theme so the liklihood of Johnny Thunder returning in all his glory looks pretty unlikely imo...

Technically speaking, Orient Expedition was an Adventurers theme in all but name, featuring most of the classic characters.

 

Personally, I'd rather see further adventures from the Pharaoh's Quest cast... but at this point I reckon we're actually MORE likely to see the Adventurers crew return, since it's been several years since Pharaoh's Quest and Adventurers would make a much better appeal to nostalgia.

 

What if there was a new Adventurers-style theme with characters from BOTH themes?

[Lyichir]

 

 

This is one of the lines I actually used to collect myself and I still have a few of the old sets (though at my mum's house!!!) I agree though that Pharaoh's Quest is essentially the exact same thing. Also what about Orient Epedition for a less Egyptian, more Eastern theme? I currently have this huge set (which seems to also be a board game!) for sale http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7419-1 Again, this line seems to be just a different spin on the same theme so the liklihood of Johnny Thunder returning in all his glory looks pretty unlikely imo...

Technically speaking, Orient Expedition was an Adventurers theme in all but name, featuring most of the classic characters.

 

Personally, I'd rather see further adventures from the Pharaoh's Quest cast... but at this point I reckon we're actually MORE likely to see the Adventurers crew return, since it's been several years since Pharaoh's Quest and Adventurers would make a much better appeal to nostalgia.

 

What if there was a new Adventurers-style theme with characters from BOTH themes?

 

It'd be awesome... especially if characters like Johnny Thunder were depicted as older. It'd be cool to see Johnny Thunder in a role like Henry Jones Sr. from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

 

As a side note, another theme that called back to the classic Adventurers theme was 2012's Dino theme. One of the lead characters, Josh Thunder, was explicitly confirmed to be a descendant of Johnny Thunder!

[Zeb]

 

 

 

This is one of the lines I actually used to collect myself and I still have a few of the old sets (though at my mum's house!!!) I agree though that Pharaoh's Quest is essentially the exact same thing. Also what about Orient Epedition for a less Egyptian, more Eastern theme? I currently have this huge set (which seems to also be a board game!) for sale http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7419-1 Again, this line seems to be just a different spin on the same theme so the liklihood of Johnny Thunder returning in all his glory looks pretty unlikely imo...

Technically speaking, Orient Expedition was an Adventurers theme in all but name, featuring most of the classic characters.

 

Personally, I'd rather see further adventures from the Pharaoh's Quest cast... but at this point I reckon we're actually MORE likely to see the Adventurers crew return, since it's been several years since Pharaoh's Quest and Adventurers would make a much better appeal to nostalgia.

 

What if there was a new Adventurers-style theme with characters from BOTH themes?

 

It'd be awesome... especially if characters like Johnny Thunder were depicted as older. It'd be cool to see Johnny Thunder in a role like Henry Jones Sr. from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

 

As a side note, another theme that called back to the classic Adventurers theme was 2012's Dino theme. One of the lead characters, Josh Thunder, was explicitly confirmed to be a descendant of Johnny Thunder!

 

Oh yeah, I forgot about that! (Adventurers is now confirmed to take place in the same universe as Dino, which is in the same universe as Alien Conquest, Atlantis, & Pharaoh's Quest)