2013 Galaxy Squad

[Hrw-Amen]

I don't mind having named characters but if the whole of the Galaxy Squad is going to just revolve around a few figures that does not feel very epic to me. I imagined the Green one being the leader of the green Regiment and the Orange one being the leader of the Orange Regiment and so on, not just that these are the only figures. It seems a bit lacking in overall scope! Back in the days of Pace Police, Blacktron & M-Tron etc you could have as many as you liked on the force. This seems a little bit like Ninjago but in space. I hope I am wrong about that.

[Algernon]

I don't mind having named characters but if the whole of the Galaxy Squad is going to just revolve around a few figures that does not feel very epic to me. I imagined the Green one being the leader of the green Regiment and the Orange one being the leader of the Orange Regiment and so on, not just that these are the only figures. It seems a bit lacking in overall scope! Back in the days of Pace Police, Blacktron & M-Tron etc you could have as many as you liked on the force. This seems a little bit like Ninjago but in space. I hope I am wrong about that.

I agree. LEGO seems to favor small groups of specific named characters lately. It works for things like NinjaGo or Power Miners, but for an epic intergalactic struggle, I much prefer faceless heroes and villians. Feels much grander (which is what Space has been missing in recent years).

[lightningtiger]

Now how many of us see a pattern eh ?

Kid's sci-fi theme........wild aliens........a small group of heroes in colourful uniforms.......how many TV shows and related toy products am I describing ?

So Lego have decided to join the flock as well, of Ninjago was the start, next Chima.....add this GS.....what else then ?

[Aanchir]

Now how many of us see a pattern eh ?

Kid's sci-fi theme........wild aliens........a small group of heroes in colourful uniforms.......how many TV shows and related toy products am I describing ?

So Lego have decided to join the flock as well, of Ninjago was the start, next Chima.....add this GS.....what else then ?

I don't know what exactly you're trying to suggest. From the looks of things, Chima will be the big multimedia theme for 2013, whereas Galaxy Squad is just another play theme. There have been no announcements of a second new TV series in 2013, although a 30-minute to one-hour TV special is always a possibility.

But in general, yes, a lot of LEGO themes do follow trends in kids'. That's just because TLG is aware of what kind of things kids of a certain age are into, and works as many of those things into their themes as they can. Kids tend to like bright colors. Kids tend to like themes where it's clear who the good guys and bad guys are. And of course kids like sci-fi and fantasy role play. None of these things are particularly new-- in fact, a lot of connections can be drawn between these themes and early-naughts themes like BIONICLE and Alpha Team. Even a number of 90s themes like Extreme Team and Race used the heroes-in-color-coded-uniforms trope. It's just that the recent successes TLG has had with these ideas means they're now even more likely to revisit them in new themes.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Aanchir

[Cwetqo]

If you zoom in a bit, it looks as though the dragonfly in that pic is "shooting" some sort of translucent purple thing at the legs of the minifigure in front of it... perhaps that's the "cocoon prison" from the description?

On pics I saw Squad member use some semi-translucent "nets" to capture aliens. Its done with photoshop, so I thought those are just "special effect" on pictures, but it seems that it might be actual new lego part. Somehow it reminds me of Ghostbusters and their cacthing device.

[lightningtiger]

I'm speaking in of general terms with the GS theme, many were hoping for an army...instead a handful of multi-coloured heroes that seem to fit the stereo-typical kid's sci-fi theme.

Examples....Voltron, G-Force, TMNT, Star Blazers.....again a handful of heroes you see always and rarely anyone else helping them if ever.

Though being Lego, buy a stack of one colour troopers....change the heads, bingo an army to defend against an insect invasion !

[vynsane]

On pics I saw Squad member use some semi-translucent "nets" to capture aliens. Its done with photoshop, so I thought those are just "special effect" on pictures, but it seems that it might be actual new lego part. Somehow it reminds me of Ghostbusters and their cacthing device.

I figured the actual "shooting" was a photoshop special effect simulation , which is why I put the word in quotations - but the purple blob around the figures' legs looks to be an actual physical object.

I'm speaking in of general terms with the GS theme, many were hoping for an army...instead a handful of multi-coloured heroes that seem to fit the stereo-typical kid's sci-fi theme.

Examples....Voltron, G-Force, TMNT, Star Blazers.....again a handful of heroes you see always and rarely anyone else helping them if ever.

Though being Lego, buy a stack of one colour troopers....change the heads, bingo an army to defend against an insect invasion !

I don't really know why many people were expecting an army. Back at the end of September Faefrost and I basically called the "small (color-coded for your convenience) team of heroes" akin to Gatchaman, Power Rangers, or Thunderbirds (or Voltron, as you point out).

[Blacktron]

Someone started to talk about the cusoo Marines project, Starship troopers and the CMF Galaxy patrol and then this whole thing became unstopable. I'm happy Galaxy squad is different than most expected it to be. I prefer real characters over generic troopers with fierce face expressions. It's for kids, it should'nt be to dark.

[adreva11]

No mega armies just single named figures like Ninjag meh hope its not true all well theres always 2014

[Algernon]

On pics I saw Squad member use some semi-translucent "nets" to capture aliens. Its done with photoshop, so I thought those are just "special effect" on pictures, but it seems that it might be actual new lego part. Somehow it reminds me of Ghostbusters and their cacthing device.

This is intruiging. I doubt they would photoshop such a specific feature into the box art unless it had something to do with a play function.

I also appreciate the return to LEGO's no-violence policy.

[Rocketbilly]

No mega armies just single named figures like Ninjag meh hope its not true all well theres always 2014

I doubt the figures will be so sepcific that they won't work in multiples.

If you want to just use a mixture of heads and build an army on the same generic body I imagine that could be possible with at least one of the figures in the line.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Rocketbilly

[Combee]

On pics I saw Squad member use some semi-translucent "nets" to capture aliens. Its done with photoshop, so I thought those are just "special effect" on pictures, but it seems that it might be actual new lego part. Somehow it reminds me of Ghostbusters and their cacthing device.

I wonder if its going to be the same nets that are used in the upcoming Hobbit set:

[Big T]

I'm ok with the small squad based teams. For one thing, it'll like mean more detailed and more specific face-prints. The other thing is, if I want to build myself an army, I can just buy multiples anyway. Besides, the small squad thing gives off a bit of a Mass Effect vibe, which I'll gladly welcome

As for the small picture, it looks interesting, but I can't really tell whether it'll be really good or not. Will wait for HQ pics, which will hopefully show up reeeeaaal soon

[vynsane]

I wonder if its going to be the same nets that are used in the upcoming Hobbit set:

The piece in the small preview pic looks more like a solid purple translucent, possibly rubbery, thing that minifigure's legs fit inside, not a net like that pic. I sort of envision it as the opposite of the "head suckers" from Alien Conquest.

[DraikNova]

I wonder if its going to be the same nets that are used in the upcoming Hobbit set.

Interesting, it seems probable that LEGO would reuse such a part. However, I doubt it would be easy to make a net like that in trans purple, and, as vynsane said, it's more of a blob than a net.

[Algernon]

It's more or less been confirmed that the Insectoids will have a means of capturing the Squaddies, so it makes sense that the Squaddies would also have some kind of prison cell system. I only hope it's not too strongly reflected in the set design, like it was in Space Police 3... imagine how much better the Galactic Enforcer would have been without the prison cells.

[Hrw-Amen]

I don't mind having named squad members at all in fact I welcome that some heroes are named. It is just that I feel they should not be the whole thing in themselves. They can be an elite unit, or the commanders or some other type of special unit but I just would like to see it made clear that they are part of a much larger organisation. Like I said it lacks depth somehow. Yes i can and probably will buy multiples of some and change the heads I am OK with that. I'd just feel happier if the whole of humanity was not dependant on half a dozen named people no matter hoe fantastic they are on their own. Even special ops teams need logistic support and the like.

How about having a character named something like Thomas Thunder Quartermaster, or Simon Spaceheart Storeman! Just to make it clear no matter how fabulous and famous you are, you still reply on the back room people. That in itself would be a good lesson for children to learn and I don't think it is too hard a concept for them to grasp. Afterall how many of these children's parents are superheroes? It is much more likely they are checkout operators and warehouse operatives and office staff. It just grounds the theme in reality. An important lesson indeed.

As for the purple thing, yes it looks to me like an upside down version of the green face hugger from Alien Conquest. Sort of like a foot hugger.

[Draykov]

Just to make it clear no matter how fabulous and famous you are, you still reply on the back room people.

I think that role is to be filled in this case by appropriately colored robots. But, if the minifig designs end up being cool and spacey, I would love to see some nameless background characters included in future sets (if it goes beyond the initial wave).

Edited November 7, 2012 by Draykov

[CM4Sci]

Could it be some sort of 'gel' (not real, but like a frozen gel substance) that has been shot at their legs to they're stuck?

-Sci

[RaincloudDustbin]

Umm...possibly but I don't know if TLG would do something that didn't really look like the idea. Then again, there was the invisibility cloak...

[CM4Sci]

Umm...possibly but I don't know if TLG would do something that didn't really look like the idea. Then again, there was the invisibility cloak...

Not like a piece made of actual gel, but a LEGO piece that looks like a beam from a gun has been shot at their legs so they're stuck.

-Sci

[DraikNova]

Still seems unlikely to me.

[Gryphon Ink]

Even special ops teams need logistic support and the like. How about having a character named something like Thomas Thunder Quartermaster, or Simon Spaceheart Storeman! Just to make it clear no matter how fabulous and famous you are, you still reply on the back room people. That in itself would be a good lesson for children to learn and I don't think it is too hard a concept for them to grasp. Afterall how many of these children's parents are superheroes? It is much more likely they are checkout operators and warehouse operatives and office staff. It just grounds the theme in reality. An important lesson indeed.

I wholeheartedly agree that this would be great, but don't think it's very realistic. People don't want a lot of reality in their fantasy. Kids especially don't want to play checkout operator. They don't even want to play the ordinary grunt who works as part of his squad and just does some solid soldiering - they want to be the Lone Wolf, out on his own or as part of a small elite unit, taking down humanity's enemies all by themselves. It's not realistic. It's wish fulfillment.

In all of fantasy/sci-fi/thriller/superhero history, how many quartermasters and back-room people are actually famous characters in their own right? There's Q, and there's Lucius Fox, and there's Scotty and Geordi. Other than them, I honestly can't think of anyone off the top of my head. In some media, including some Lego themes, you'll have a guy named Doc or Brains who is the inventor of all the team's gadgets, but that guy is always part of the field team, one of the heroes. It's just part of how kids play, and to a large extent how our adult fantasies work.

[Jargo]

The thing that went through my mind when considering this theme wasn't how long lasting it'll be but how cool to get a bunch of evil insectoid aliens. How cool to have a bunch of different coloured spacesuits again. Mars mission, Space police III, Alien conquest, all had a uniformity that while nifty and cohesive looked slightly bland. Galaxy squad seems to have that element you get in Ninjago. Each Ninja has a colour of their own and a set of skills. A child can identify with an individual and role play that. Galaxy squad has taken that on board in a way that far exceeds other space themes. These guys seem like specialists. A crack team of experts. If anything I'd say there's more depth to a small group of individuals than a large force with grunts and nameless cannon fodder. Children are going to invest more in characters they can identify with and have more interaction in group play with this theme than they would with something that resembled classic space.

Children are more fickle now. Attention spans are lower. I think Lego are wise to hit them with one shot themes and quickly move on. I also think that with the rising cost of Lego, a lot of parents won't be wanting their children to get into something that is going to be a huge drain on their wallets. Recently Lego have asked for story writers and theme ideas. A clear sign to me that they're adopting this one shot theme idea as a modus operandi and adapting to modern tastes. Constant change. Fresh ideas. It is the way of the modern world.

[Algernon]

The thing that went through my mind when considering this theme wasn't how long lasting it'll be but how cool to get a bunch of evil insectoid aliens. How cool to have a bunch of different coloured spacesuits again. Mars mission, Space police III, Alien conquest, all had a uniformity that while nifty and cohesive looked slightly bland. Galaxy squad seems to have that element you get in Ninjago. Each Ninja has a colour of their own and a set of skills. A child can identify with an individual and role play that. Galaxy squad has taken that on board in a way that far exceeds other space themes. These guys seem like specialists. A crack team of experts. If anything I'd say there's more depth to a small group of individuals than a large force with grunts and nameless cannon fodder. Children are going to invest more in characters they can identify with and have more interaction in group play with this theme than they would with something that resembled classic space.

Children are more fickle now. Attention spans are lower. I think Lego are wise to hit them with one shot themes and quickly move on. I also think that with the rising cost of Lego, a lot of parents won't be wanting their children to get into something that is going to be a huge drain on their wallets. Recently Lego have asked for story writers and theme ideas. A clear sign to me that they're adopting this one shot theme idea as a modus operandi and adapting to modern tastes. Constant change. Fresh ideas. It is the way of the modern world.

You raise a pretty good point, and I agree on all counts. However, there is still a lot of value created by establishing a brand with many years of products and creating equity. NinjaGo is a good example; although it is being retired this year, it developed a cult following of brand loyalists and many will be sad to see it go. The "specialists" that kids identify with, as you mentioned, are no longer. Some marketting potential is lost there.

That said, you're still correct that the consumer attention span is at a record low and hitting kids rapidly with new ideas seems to be paying off. I think there's probably a balance somewhere.