GregF

The display situation is not something LEGO can affect. To get an end cap or a display like that in a store, the publisher has to be willing to pay for that space and the store has to be willing to give it to them. And it ends up a chicken and egg situation -- the books possibly do not sell as well because of display area, but because they do not sell that well, they aren't going to get that display area either. Same way that if you had a LEGO line that was selling poorly, you wouldn't see TRU or Target give an end cap up for it -- the end caps go to things like Star Wars or LEGO City that are selling really well. At the same time, the books were being shelved in the same way in 2004 and 2005 when they sold like crazy. Book sales are being affected more by a lack of awareness about BIONICLE than anything else. Greg

Night Terror -- The reason to hold back info on summer sets until July is that the sets don't come out until then. So there isn't much point in discussing them when no one can buy them yet. Since the winter sets are appearing places now, I can start discussing them -- like I said, I just want to ration the info, because there are no comics or books until March next year and I don't want you guys bored the whole first quarter of 2008. Greg

Hi guys, As you can imagine, I am getting bombarded with 2008 questions now that the first sets have appeared in Anaheim. I did release a mask name and power this week, and will do more next week. However, I'm not going to just hand out the entire first half 2008 info on December 7th, and leave us with nothing to discuss between now and next July. I am not going to embargo all info on '08, but I am going to portion it out so that it lasts. Okay? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In other news, we had a company meeting yesterday to discuss our year-end results -- while final numbers will not come out until early next year, it looks like we had another fantastic year worldwide, despite the toy market being stagnant as a whole. It's a really remarkable turn-around considering the hole we were in a few years ago. A lot of this has to do with our management team, who have set a really clear direction for the company and been willing to make some tough decisions and dispense with some "sacred cows." And the early read from the market is that our products for next year are some of the strongest we have done in years. BIONICLE had an okay year, but could have been better. We have some challenges we have to face -- getting away from clone sets means the cost of producing the sets has gone up, due to all the new molds, etc., and that cuts into profitability. And, while we are still strong among 9+ year olds, we have work to do introducing BIONICLE to the 6-8 year olds who will keep the franchise going into the future. That is something Scholastic will be helping with, which I will tell you about later on. On the plus side, when kids were asked the top 10 franchises they would like to get a toy from, only three of their 2006 choices were still on the list in 2007, and BIONICLE was one of the three. So now we focus on these critical next three weeks, as we go into the Christmas toy-buying season, and then we get ready to take that momentum into 2008 and make it another great year! Greg

My model for this was essentially the old "Dirty Dozen" movie -- where a bunch of convicts have to go on a mission in WWII, and if they refuse to participate, they hang for their old crimes. So here is how the team was formed ... Brutaka is team leader because he was an OOMN member, and as gets revealed in 2008, is back working with them again. He is also, along with Spiriah, the most powerful of them. Roodaka is participating for a very good reason -- self-interest. If the DH know she was betraying them, the BOM know it too, or soon will, and her life won't be worth a widget. So she has a choice -- join the team and have some measure of protection in numbers, or be left on her own to be hunted down by one side or the other. Vezon -- He is the only Piraka who didn't mutate, and the one whose whereabouts are unaccounted for ... plus he's just really fun to write. Spiriah -- The most logical choice. If the BOM prevails, he's dead. Carapar and Takadox -- Pridak and Kalmah would never agree to serve Brutaka, Mantax and Ehlek just didn't have colorful enough personalities ... Carapar brings some brute strength, and Takadox of course needs to get the heck away from the Barraki. Why choose these six? Because, in the end, the OOMN feels this is a potential suicide mission and they are expendable. Greg

Hey guys, So we have started talking about new serials for next year, as the OOMN goes to war with the Brotherhood. Binkmeister and I are still firming up what they will be, but it looks like one first half of the year one is going to feature a very unusual team on a mission against the BOM. Who are they? Try: Brutaka (team leader) Roodaka Vezon Makuta Spiriah Carapar Takadox I can't WAIT to start writing this one

CF - No, if they were going to be drawn with fingers, etc. it most likely would have been done by Stuart. Before and after Stuart, the mandate is to make the figures look like the sets. Stuart is the only artist whose brief was that he could drift away from the set looks. Jala12 - Unfortunately, no. We were about a week away from releasing the January LEGO Magazine to the printer when the decision got made on who the new artist would be, so there wasn't time. Re: the question on the Nuva blog -- the blog takes you up to the Nuva's visit to Artakha in Bionicle Legends #8. Greg

BFN - Keep in mind that comic artists draw in the style that the book requires. One of the things DC told us when we were making our choices is that all these guys can work in many different styles -- it's really only the top people, the Frank Millers and Jae Lees, who can expect a book to conform to their style, instead of the other way around. The sample he did for us looked like slightly less detailed Carlos D'anda, that strong metallic feeling without the abstract qualities of Stuart's work and with very clear action. Greg

Yes on the pronunciation -- His style varies, but what we are asking for is a more set-realistic style than we asked of Stuart. Far as the web update goes, that is something you need to ask Binkmeister, as he is the web producer. Greg

The last chapters of all three serials are done and with Binkmeister as of tonight. Greg

No, I haven't met or talked with him myself yet -- choice was made based on art samples he and five other artists submitted. And no, he didn't draw the teaser image for the November magazine, he hadn't been chosen yet at that point. Greg

Two pieces of news today: LEGO Systems Inc. and DC Comics have announced that Leigh Gallagher has been named the new artist for the popular BIONICLE comic series, beginning with the March 2008 issue. Gallagher's previous work includes Justice League Unlimited, 2000AD and The Witching. He succeeds Stuart Sayger, whose well-received run on the book lasted from 2006-2007. ALSO -- The last chapters of Dreams of Destruction and the biocast are done and in -- Chapter 9 of the biocast reveals hitherto unknown info on the Ignika, and why it is silver instead of gold in 2008 (yes, there is a better story reason than just "because" ) Greg

What "horrible storyline holes," Night Terror? Greg

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

A few notes: * 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. * 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. * 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. Greg

Female villain will be in summer. (Yes, I won that argument ) As for the designers knowing who they are designing -- yes, because it was decided in late '06 that we would need to bring the Nuva back in 2008. At the same time, they were not told to prioritize making them recognizable to their 2002 forms, because the vast majority of the 2002 fanbase is long gone. Most of the current six million or so fans started in 2004 or 2005, and have no idea what the Nuva used to look like or any sentimental attachment to those forms. Greg

Hewkii Mahri - Your question is answered in the blog entry. Greg

Since I am getting a LOT of questions this week, and since evidently nobody is reading the answers I am giving anyone else , I thought it would be a good idea to just put some FAQ answers here to save me some typing. Here we go: 1) What does Phantoka mean? A: Phantoka is our winter 2008 sub-brand for the Toa Nuva and Makuta sets. It is a Matoran term meaning "spirits of the air." It will not be applied to the summer '08 sets. 2) Are all six small sets in January Av-Matoran? A: Yes. 3) Are more Matoran sets coming out in summer '08? A: Not as individual sets. However, there will be two more Matoran out in summer, packed with other models. 4) Do the Matoran masks have names/powers? A: Not at this point. Since the masks will not be used as powered masks, I have not bothered to assign what powers they would have in Great or Noble form or give them names at this point. 5) Do the Makuta wear masks? A: Yes, and they have different mask powers which will be revealed in 2008. 6) Do the Toa Nuva still have the same mask powers? A: Yes. 7) Are Tahu, Gali, and Onua coming out as sets? A: Yes, in summer '08. 8) Will Icarax be a set? A. Yes, in first half of the year 9) Are there any first half sets we have not seen pics of yet? A: Yes. I will not, at this time, be answering questions about 2008 story, setting, or characters -- it's too early. If I answer them now, it leaves us with nothing to talk about in January. The fact that the set images are out does not mean we are suddenly in the midst of the 2008 story -- we still have 2007 to finish, and much of '08 won't make sense until you know how '07 ends. Greg

There are lots of rumors flying around BZP, and the word "reboot" is being used a lot (often by people who don't know what the word means) ... so I thought I would address them here. -- The plan for 2009 is to take the story in a new direction. That does NOT mean: * Killing all the old characters * Pretending all the old story never happened * Starting over again with the Toa Mata on Mata Nui * Telling a story that has nothing to do with anything that happened before. It DOES mean: * Telling a story that an old fan can appreciate and get something out of, and that a new fan can follow without having to know everything that happened before. * Restoring that sense of "exploring a new place" that we had in 2001. * Trying some new things with sets, story, setting, etc., while still keeping it BIONICLE. So for those people who have been sending me panicky PMs, stop -- outside of what I just listed, NO ONE on BZP knows ANYTHING about 2009. So if you hear someone saying something you do not see on the list above, then it is just speculation on their part and you need to take it as such. (It's great that people want to speculate, but some members take their guesses as fact and get nervous. ) Greg

For those of you who are interested, the qualifying round has begun for the "Master of BIONICLE 2" Contest in the General Discussion forum on BZP. Grand prize is two original Carlos D'Anda art boards from BIONICLE #6, back in 2002! So go check it out -- qualifying round ends Tuesday, 10/16, at 9 AM EST. Greg

To answer a couple of the questions -- 1) The stage we are at right now is called a shooting outline. Basically, it's like a long summary of the movie, shot for shot, but it isn't a script -- the only dialogue that's in it is just for suggestion, it's not actually movie dialogue. Until the shooting outline gets approved, we don't go on to script. Right now, there are changes from LEGO Company that have to be incorporated and also questions from Universal that have to get answered. So the writer is not onto script just yet. 2) My understanding is that the deal with Tinseltown Toons does include other LEGO properties, but I am not involved in any of those projects so have no idea if they have been started or not. I do know there are no plans for an EXO-FORCE movie. Greg

Just this and that today -- 1) Work on the new movie is proceeding apace. Had another conference call between the story team and the movie folks yesterday and another one is scheduled for the movie "core team" (myself, the screenwriter, and the Tinseltown Toons VP) on Friday. Story-wise, this is the best movie we have ever set out to do. 2) Surprise hit for BIONICLE this year is Karzahni, who is a top 20 item at Toys R Us. 3) DC sent me something nice the other day -- original art boards from some of the 2001-2002 comics. And one lucky BZPer is going to get the chance to win a couple! So keep an eye out in the forums for a new contest, coming soon! Greg

Sorry, I don't find it funny. When I have to wake up to PMs from people who are taking it seriously and asking me if that's a legit model, then I have to waste my time looking into it and telling them it's fake. He not only posted it as legitimate, but argued with people who said it wasn't, which I think is carrying a joke too far. Greg

Hi Khote, Your question gives me a chance to go into more detail on how this movie thing is working. Basically, we have a movie "core team," which consists of myself, the screenwriter, the VP of development and the president of Tinseltown Toons. Anything that gets done, script-wise or outline-wise, gets approved by the four of us before it gets passed on to LEGO. (There will probably be something similar when we reach the animation phase, but most likely that will involve the set designer and people from our creative agency more than me, since the visuals are their area of expertise.) Then it goes out to the global head of BIONICLE and the franchise manager and the other story team members, as well as the licensing manager, and they get to have their input. So LEGO is making more of an effort to exert ownership of this project than they have in the past. At this point, there is no script, but the snippets of dialogue I have seen I am happy with. Obviously, a lot more work to do before it's ready to go, but we are hoping to have a final, approved script by the beginning of next year. Greg

It's been brought to my attention that one of the BZP members has posted an image in his blog of what he claims to be a 2008 Matoran that he bought. Just for the record, and to cut down on confusion, let me explain why this pic is a fake: The pic shows a blue Matoran wearing a Mask of Summoning and carrying a squid launcher (which he claims comes with a different kind of projectile). I have a picture in front of me the 2008 blue Matoran -- she is not wearing a Mask of Summoning and none of the '08 Matoran carry launchers. The image is a fake. If the member made an honest mistake, then he is maybe being reckless and should be a bit more careful in future. If he is deliberately lying to BZP membership, then other adjectives can be applied to him. If it turns out to be the latter, I will be blocking him from future PMs, and I have no time for that sort of nonsense. Greg

Some of the summer sets actually went through a major redesign because the feeling among the kids in the focus groups was that they did not look "BIONICLE enough." Greg