GregF

-- I have the dates and times for the appearances in Utah in October, and will send those along to BZP to post. -- Your January issue of LEGO Club Magazine and LEGO BrickMaster Magazine, which will include a new BIONCLE comic, will be coming early. Instead of the usual in-home date of around January 7th, the first ones should be hitting home around December 21st, 2009. -- Just a reminder -- I CANNOT discuss anything related to 2010 at this point. That includes confirming or denying info you are picking up from other sources. So please stop asking me to do so. Greg

It's looking like there will be three events in Salt Lake in October at three different Wal-Marts. Current plan is one Friday night, October, 2nd, and two on Saturday,October 3rd. More on this as I learn more. Greg

The news today is that it looks like there will be at least one more book in 2010. LEGO Company has asked me to write one for the first half of next year. I don't know the word count as yet. As far as I know, it will be published in Europe by AMEET. It will not be published in the US by Scholastic, but we are looking for another publishing partner here. If we don't find one in time, the book will most likely be serialized on the BIONICLE website, so US readers will still get to read it. More on this as it develops. Greg

-- The BIONICLE movie has evidently been completed by Tinseltown Toons and turned over to Universal. Congratulations to Sean Derek, the folks at Tinseltown Toons, and particularly Kristy Scanlan who was so nice to work with there. -- I am in talks about doing an appearance in Salt Lake City, UT in October to help promote the movie. More on this as it develops. And, of course, I will be at Comic-Con again this year. -- Two of the three stories for the Papercutz graphic novel are done, as is the 2009 AMEET BIONICLE guide. Greg

Just a friendly reminder... Those of you familiar with Biosector01 know it is one of the most informative BIONICLE sites out there, with a staff that works tirelessly to get it right. And they make it clear up front that the site is for canon information, not theories, not guesses. They do their best over there to police the site, but they can't be everywhere. And unfortunately, some folks don't pay attention to the "canon" rule. Case in point -- a BZPer put me on to the baterra entry this morning, which stated that the baterra had lived in peace until the Skrall invaded. That is incredibly far from the truth, and nothing has been written to suggest that. It also said the baterra reside in the Black Spikes, which is also not true. One was spotted there, doesn't mean they live there -- in fact, the first reference to them stated that they were following the Skrall, not that they lived in the mountains. It's small stuff, maybe, but it sows confusion, especially when future canon contradicts it. So please, for the sake of the BS01 staff -- if you know A and you know E, don't take a wild guess at B, C, D and post it like it's official. Theories belong on BZP, not over there. Thanks, Greg

A few pieces of news: -- Just completed a new 10-page Hydraxon comic story that will run in BIONICLE Graphic Novel #6, from Papercutz. -- It looks likely that GN #8 will be an all new comic story, set on Bara Magna, as opposed to just collected comics ... more on that as it develops. -- AMEET, the people who made the excellent Makuta's Guide to the Universe, are going to be doing a similar book on Bara Magna, which I will be writing between now and early summer. Greg

I will see what I can find out, TK. Nui Toa -- I don't have an answer for that one. You may want to write AMEET directly at ameet@ameet.com.pl and ask them. Greg

Quick answers: 1) As far as I know, it will be the hardcover edition. 2) I don't know if the activity books will be made available as well 3) It will be in LEGO stores and on LEGOShop ONLY. The reason for this is that LEGO licensees can sell their goods through LEGO outlets anywhere in the world, but the rights to sell in other stores belong to the licensee for that territory. In this case, Scholastic has publishing rights for the US, so AMEET cannot sell BIONICLE books in Barnes and Noble, etc. Greg

I just had it confirmed that the BIONICLE Makuta's Guide to the Universe book I wrote for AMEET will be available in the US, through LEGOShop.com and in LEGO brand retail stores. Greg

... That I will be offline for the next week due to work, so will not be able to get messages here or answer Q's. I will get back to things when I return. Greg

There are no plans to end the serials. I honestly don't know what impact the lack of books will have overall -- we have about 1.5 million people getting the comic every other month, just in the US alone, but only about 30,000 copies of the books were selling, so I am not sure the majority of the fanbase will notice they are gone (sad to say). I would really have liked to have at least one book for 2010, but it is what it is ... that's just the nature of publishing. One year, they want 16 books because they can't keep them in stock, and a few years later, there's just no interest at all. To Jimmybob's point, it is certainly a logical question to ask (and I have asked it myself on a number of issues) -- at the same time, I don't think they saw a big boost in sales in 2005 or 2006. Personally, I think the 2009 movie is going to be a big shock to a lot of people -- I think it is miles better than the other ones and is going to do well enough that it is going to catch a lot of people associated with BIONICLE unprepared. Maybe I am just being optimistic, but that is what I would like to see happen. Greg

Hi guys, A few answers: 1) At present, there are no books planned for 2010 that I know of. That includes BIONICLE Level 3 readers. Originally, Scholastic was toying with the idea of not doing the movie novelization in 2009 and instead doing it in early 2010 as a super-sized book with a bunch of post-movie story in it, but they opted to go for the 2009 route. As for comics, the lack of books won't have an effect, positive or negative, on the number of comics in the year. The comics are paid for by LEGO marketing and their budget for that is what it is, it's not affected by what Scholastic does. 2) My usual MUA team is Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Wolverine, though I switch out the Cap slot now and then if I get bored. This is actually my third time playing it, but I have never gotten all the way through for one reason or another. Right now, I am doing Murderworld, which I think is one of the weaker levels overall.

Well, I just finished what will most likely be the last US BIONICLE book for the foreseeable future -- the movie novelization of BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn, based on my story and Sean Derek's excellent script. It went very quickly -- unlike past movies, there were no big plot holes I had to fill in the book, because Sean did such a thorough job. All I added was a few extra bits to explore what happens after the movie ends and a little more on Tuma to explain his motivations. (I still have two more parts to write for The Crossing, the BIONICLE story I am doing for my good friends at AMEET.) I have started answering q's here again, though I don't know how much I will be online between now and March as I have to go out of town for a week for work and won't have access to a computer (I don't think). It sounds, though, that with the Toyfair news, you guys have plenty to talk about without me Sooooooo ... I am off to have breakfast and then play some Marvel Ultimate Alliance until my wife wakes up Greg

BFN - I didn't write the script, actually -- I did the story for the movie. Sean Derek wrote the script. Greg

AZ Blue - I believe the first chapter book is in stores in June. As for the Makuta Guide, I think -- not sure -- they are doing an English language version for publication in the UK. I have to check on that. I know the book is doing well and they are translating it into some other languages as well. However, it will not be available in the US, AMEET does not have US book rights for BIONICLE, Scholastic does. Greg

Two fun things that happened this week -- 1) AMEET sent me author's copies of the English-language version of the Makuta Guide to the Universe. Hardcover and printed on glossy paper, this blows away every BIONICLE book ever done in terms of the quality of the publication. They did a spectacular job and I am very proud to have my name on this. 2) I got to see about three minutes of finished animation for the 2009 movie yesterday. It was a big action sequence. With all due respect to the folks who made the first three movies, this makes MOL, LOMN, and WOS look they were done by kids with fingerpaint. The animation is crisp, detailed, fluid, the action is fast-paced and exciting (actual explosions and everything ), and everyone at LEGO who has seen it is really excited. And this wasn't even the BIG action from the end of the picture, this was simply an early sequence from the first third of the movie. Greg

A few answers: 1) No, they are not "born" with the implants. 2) I have no idea how they will deal with this in the movie or if they will deal with it in the movie. I have not seen any movie animation. 3) This was a story team decision, based in large part on our wanting to distance BM from old BIONICLE. If we just did "Toa" again without calling them Toa, that would be pretty dull. 4) The whole "ocular implants" thing was an example -- I'm not saying every bone hunter has that or even that most do, it's just an example of something they might have that would be useful. 5) It is always going to be difficult to do organic with Technic pieces. At the same time, if you look at a 2001 Toa set, you can't tell he has organic muscle tissue and organic lungs or anything organic at all, but he does. You just use your imagination. Greg

My guess would be that it varies -- for example, some bone hunters might have ocular implants for better vision. Glatorian might have implants to help their muscle endurance, agility, or even some kind of implanted body armor to protect them in a fight, etc. Greg

Lots of questions on the various inhabitants of the BM universe and whether they are bio-mechanical or not. I held off answering until I could consult with the story team, but now have an answer for you. As you know, MU characters are bio-mechanical. A Toa or Matoran or Dark Hunter, etc. is normally about 85% mechanical and 15% organic (the organic being muscle tissue, lungs, etc.) BM characters are also bio-mechanical -- however, they are more like 85% organic and 15% mechanical (note that helmets and armor do not count as part of the mechanical, since they are just equipment that can be put on or taken off. I am talking actual permanent mechanical parts of the body.) So BM beings are closer to, for example, an organic being who happens to have some mechanical implants, as opposed to a largely mechanical being who happens to have some organic elements. Greg

Virokann -- Good question. New York Comic-Con is not a LEGO event -- we won't have a booth there, so sets won't be on display. I will be with the Papercutz people, who do the graphic novels, promoting their books. Greg

1) No, the shapeshifter are not Great Beings -- Great Beings are not by their nature violent, so would not have attacked Skrall. 2) You can't copyright a title, so titles can be reused over and over. You could do a BIONICLE story called "Gone with the Wind" or "Casablanca" if you wanted to. The only exception is names that ended up becoming franchise names, like Star Wars, and got trademarked by their owners.

1) New York Comic-Con is at the Javits Center in Manhattan 2) No, the MLN character is not appearing in the AMEET story. And so far as I know, AMEET does not have the rights to publish in English-speaking countries, though my info may be out of date there. I know they do not have US rights, because Scholastic does.

-- I have been getting this Q a lot, so let me answer it here -- no, the shapeshifters mentioned in Empire of the Skrall are not Makuta, proto-Makuta, Krahka, or anything else from 2001-2008. Remember that Mata Nui created the Makuta, who then created the Rahi, so neither ever existed on Bara Magna. -- Looks like I will be appearing at New York Comic-Con in Manhattan on Saturday, February 7th, in the afternoon at the Papercutz booth. More details as I get them. -- I am working on a six-part story for AMEET, the people who did the Makuta Guide for Poland last year, which will run through the six activity books they are doing for 2009 BIONICLE. It's called "The Crossing" and deals with a dangerous trek through the Black Spike Mountains and over the Dark Falls made by Gresh, Strakk and two Agori. -- The Tales From the Crypt comic with my story, "Murder M.A.I.D.," comes out this coming Wednesday. Greg

Started work on the first of the 2009 serials today -- it's called "Empire of the Skrall" and it is going to focus on our favorite rock tribe. You'll get a good look at them, moreso than we usually do for our non-hero characters ... Some things that will be answered in just the first chapter are: Is Tuma a Skrall, and if so, what kind? Where did the Skrall come from? Why did they move south to Bara Magna? What are their intentions toward the other villages, and why? I am going to try to sort of put a "human face" on these guys, so they aren't just "nasty for the sake of being nasty." When you see the full picture, you will see how what they do this year will make perfect sense in their eyes, and in a strategic sense as well. Greg

As we start another new year of BIONICLE, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to BZPers for their support of the line, their creativity, and their friendship over the last several years. You are a truly special bunch of fans and you should know that. I have met people on this board that I consider friends; others that I don't know as well, but who strike me as intellectually very sharp and fascinating conversationalists; and a few I wouldn't even want to be in an elevator with But I doubt very many other writers get the opportunity I have to talk with readers like this. It is truly an honor and a privilege to know all of you. Greg