Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[pavetsukkeli]

..

Edited July 23, 2020 by pavetsukkeli

[Chro]

What the? These look waaay different from the sets. Onua's and Lewa's masks look almost nothing like the real designs, Gali doesn't have her axe and the Protectors' masks are monochromatic. I wonder if the artist got prototypes as reference models instead of the final sets.. However, I have to say I don't mind the art style itself.

My thoughts exactly.

[Aanchir]

The art style for these is cool but I agree that it doesn't capture the uniqueness of the character designs. It feels more like concept art than a finished product (esp. due to inaccuracies in some of the masks). In fact, that's probably exactly what it is — concept art or a style test that the marketing team saw fit to publish. The comics in the instruction manuals might have been the final result of these concepts.

What's strange to me is that in exactly one frame of Pohatu's comic, the Protector mask looks finalized. In the rest of the comics, it looks like a preliminary design.

[Voxovan]

The Polish Bionicle website has finally got the animations in Polish language... and I've never been so disappointed in my entire life. Not because of the voices, voices are cool, but right now, we have 3 different translations of the name "Skull Spider", 3 different translations of Mask of Creation and 2 different pronunciations for "Lewa". It can be really confusing for kids, and it is really confusing for me, because I don't know which translation I should put on Polish Bionicle Wiki \( ._.)/ It looks like my country can't do anything right.

About the comics, well, I don't like them at all. The Toa are not even trying to resemble their toy forms (seriously, what the hell is wrong with Onua?). The art style is nice, but this is the only nice thing about these comics. Meh.

[Nekchir]

The Polish Bionicle website has finally got the animations in Polish language... and I've never been so disappointed in my entire life. Not because of the voices, voices are cool, but right now, we have 3 different translations of the name "Skull Spider", 3 different translations of Mask of Creation and 2 different pronunciations for "Lewa". It can be really confusing for kids, and it is really confusing for me, because I don't know which translation I should put on Polish Bionicle Wiki \( ._.)/ It looks like my country can't do anything right.

About the comics, well, I don't like them at all. The Toa are not even trying to resemble their toy forms (seriously, what the hell is wrong with Onua?). The art style is nice, but this is the only nice thing about these comics. Meh.

r u srs

[Voxovan]

r u srs

Well, I may be exaggerating a little bit, but still, the level of disappointment is really high.

[Mutant Orc]

I like the style, although they don't look much like their sets, the overall aesthetic is pretty cool. Does any one else think of the first Bionicle sets because of seeing them as they're uniform looking..?

[Dorek]

I actually really like the style. Yeah, they could be tweaked to be a bit more individual, but quite frankly the first comic from 2001 very nearly turned me off for the same reason. I wouldn't discount this one example, and I'd love to see more of it in the future.

Also, where did these comics actually come from? The text is English, but there's not much there besides that. Which version of the magazine? (And is that version available online? :U)

[Mandate]

Oh gross, that art style looks like some weird blend between the original BIONICLE's art direction (in the comics) and Exo-Force's own art direction (again, in the comics), minus set accuracy/

"improvement".

[Kingslayer]

The protectors are the same size as the Toa.

[Bbrink1996]

Those comics sure look weird. :p

Also, really interested to see how Skull Warrior and Slicer will turn out considering their color scheme. Also, Mask maker vs. Skull Grinder better come with both Mask of Creation and the golden Protector mask.

And tomorrow will hopefully be the day that I finally can see new Bionicle on shelves again after such a long time. All the Dutch websites have them available right now and tomorrow i'm going to check out the stores. :)

[Dorek]

Those comics sure look weird. :p

Also, really interested to see how Skull Warrior and Slicer will turn out considering their color scheme. Also, Mask maker vs. Skull Grinder better come with both Mask of Creation and the golden Protector mask.

And tomorrow will hopefully be the day that I finally can see new Bionicle on shelves again after such a long time. All the Dutch websites have them available right now and tomorrow i'm going to check out the stores. :)

I have a feeling the golden Protector mask is just wishful thinking, but I'd love to see it too. Only a few more weeks until Toyfair! Then we'll get a good idea of what they look like.

Watcha gonna get as your first sets?

[Aanchir]

I actually really like the style. Yeah, they could be tweaked to be a bit more individual, but quite frankly the first comic from 2001 very nearly turned me off for the same reason. I wouldn't discount this one example, and I'd love to see more of it in the future.

Also, where did these comics actually come from? The text is English, but there's not much there besides that. Which version of the magazine? (And is that version available online? :U)

I believe they're from the UK edition of the LEGO Club Magazine.

[Hot Shot]

The pose Kopaka takes while throwing his spear looks familiar.......hmmmm......oh that's right

It this:

It's the same pose. All that's missing is Skywarp behind him.

Bumping this so more people will see it.

There is no "style". Most of those comics' art are blatantly traces. I'm willing to bet Protector of Ice was traced from some Captain America art, and one of the "drawings" of Pohatu is clearly holding a boomerang like a gun.

[MakutaOfWar]

Other then the way the characters look in those comic pages, which are pretty horrible with Lewa frank the rabbit over there, I quite like the amount of detail put into these. The scenery looks great, the skull spiders look menacing and robotic. I was a bit disappointed with the animations styles this year for the movies and set comics, though not disliking them, so hopefully if we get a dedicated comic series again it will be with detail but greater accuracy to the sets. :P

[Bigger Fish]

I just got and built Gali today. I really like her and her color scheme, pleasantly surprised by the azure blue. Also, Bunny Lewa should totally be a thing.

[Quisoves Pugnat]

Also, Bunny Lewa should totally be a thing.

#TARDUKCONFIRMED2015

[Scarilian]

Few things;

- Pretty much all the inconsistences and errors can be attributed to the early prototypes and their translations including Bunny Lewa, the Toa and Protectors being the same size.

- The Skull Spiders being more robotic can be attributed to avoiding upsetting parents or kids if the comics depicted decapitations of bio-mechanical creatures, hence why the Skull Spiders especially have a much more robotic design.

- The Temple in Lewa's area matches the Mask Maker Jungle Temple concept art

- The Temple in Kopaka's area seems to be similar to the one seen in the Ancient City

- The statue in Gali's area is likely going to be hinted as being a 'great being', or alternatively just something that will be left unexplained

There is no "style". Most of those comics' art are blatantly traces. I'm willing to bet Protector of Ice was traced from some Captain America art, and one of the "drawings" of Pohatu is clearly holding a boomerang like a gun.

Copying the pose is NOT the same as copying the style.

[TheGreatSpirit]

Bumping this so more people will see it.

There is no "style". Most of those comics' art are blatantly traces. I'm willing to bet Protector of Ice was traced from some Captain America art, and one of the "drawings" of Pohatu is clearly holding a boomerang like a gun.

Wow, thats kinda low. The comics themselves seems lazily drawn tbh, and you are probably right in asserting that most of it is traced. Lego, if you are going to have these kind of things done, they have to have effort put into it.

Although tbh, if a lot of it weren't traced and more details (not just set accuracy, actual details instead of generic robots), they would be fine.

Edited January 12, 2015 by TheGreatSpirit

[Nekchir]

Wow, thats kinda low. The comics themselves seems lazily drawn tbh, and you are probably right in asserting that most of it is traced. Lego, if you are going to have these kind of things done, they have to have effort put into it.

Although tbh, if a lot of it weren't traced and more details (not just set accuracy, actual details instead of generic robots), they would be fine.

I love how we're taking what the newbie says as fact now.

Anyways, I think those 'ears' that Lewa has in those comics remind me more of the horns of a Minotaur.

[Dorek]

I love how we're taking what the newbie says as fact now.

Anyways, I think those 'ears' that Lewa has in those comics remind me more of the horns of a Minotaur.

Assuming he's wrong just because he's a newbie is the type of mistake a geriatric old senior like ourselves would make~

I mean, I can see where the argument is coming from, even if I don't subscribe to it myself. I still dig the style. I wonder who the artist is... have there been any more comics with this style in the UK Magazine? (assuming it was that; citation needed)

[ToaDraco]

The art style is cool but the character designs are AWFUL! Heck, Onua is scrawny while Gali is on steroids and not even remotely feminine, Lewa does NOT have horns it his design is terrible, Pohatu is passable but his mask is not even remotely close and he doesn't have the asymmetry, Tahu looks meh and Kopaka is passable. and the Protectors are the same size as the Toa which is really annoying. The only character that looks awesome in every picture is the PoS. I like the idea of the Transformers-esque designs but the execution was pathetic. It's as though the artist(s) only got a split-second look at them or didn't even bother to try. Most likely though, they were under a severe time constraint because there really isn't any other excuse for it. The landscapes look nice aside from the wildly-out-of-place human statue and the skull spiders look quite decent. That being said, I would prefer this to Stuart Sayger's work. Regardless I would love it if we got Bionicle comic books again.

Edited January 13, 2015 by ToaDraco

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Okay, why is there a HUMAN STATUE IN GALI'S PICTURE?!?!

WHAT?! Either this is concept art, or they are on Earth, or--worst of all--the Toa are HUMANS?!?!?!

[Mandate]

Okay, why is there a HUMAN STATUE IN GALI'S PICTURE?!?!

snip

WHAT?! Either this is concept art, or they are on Earth, or--worst of all--the Toa are HUMANS?!?!?!

No, they're Cybermen. For that mistake you will be deleted. As many have said before, it's almost certainly trace artwork. This comic is definitely not canon in any form, but possibly retaining some consistency (eg, golden masks).

[Antrozek]

guys this is just a severe case of artistic freedom/license haha, they mean nothing to the overall story.

the comics are cool. feel very vintage, very outdated, i love them

Edited January 13, 2015 by Antrozek