Upcoming Classic Space Reboot?

[DPrime]

More importantly the original classic space also dovetailed into real world event. Yeah Apollo had wound down save for the brief but spectacular Apollo Soyuz flight. But the heyday of CS also corresponded to the first Shuttle flights and the huge interest they garnered. Real space + rise of SciFi = Classic Space. Today much of the awe has gone out of space flight. Even SciFi is not so much about Space Flight as Space Flight is merely a background trope to get to things like giant robots punching each other.

Well, there is some buzz in the media about an upcoming (one-way... yikes!) mission/colonization of Mars...

Space has been pretty big in Canada over the past year or so, when Chris Hadfield commanded the ISS. :)

[Colossus]

Mars...what a bunch of hooey. Why, back in my day, we were satisfied strapping a rocket on some guy's @ss and having him orbit Earth a few times inside a tin can. And we liked it! We don't have the money, time, or interest to take care of THIS planet; but we do to terraform another planet just to overpopulate it and wring it dry too.

Aaaaaaaand, back to the topic. I'll take anything in CS colors. And printed pieces. No damn degradeable, cheesy stickers, please.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Colossus

[Artanis I]

A lot of sci-fi these days is "in the future, when we've nuked / megametropolised the planet" with space stations orbiting something, or robot police (TLM?!).

[Fritzy]

After seeing the teaser video for the Exo Suit, I'm really hoping this idea of a resurgence comes to fruition!

[brickmaninLA]

After seeing the teaser video for the Exo Suit, I'm really hoping this idea of a resurgence comes to fruition!

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw that LEGO Ideas YouTube post, which led me to this thread. A resurgence would be phenomenal!

[DuckBricks]

This year's Arctic theme reboot would have been so much better if it was Ice Planet instead. I miss those orange visors.

I just bought all the sets and modded them to Ice Planet colors... The beauty of LEGO!

[Faefrost]

One of the things I would absolutely love would be sets with some of the modern space gear, like the AC helmets and the CMF armor etc issued in Classic Space colors and markings.

[DuckBricks]

I had just purchased the LEGO Movie: EVerything is Awesome Edition, and in one of the features entitled "Dream Job," a brief clip was shown of a LEGO designer surveying several "new" Classic Space ships. Although these may be just the prototypes for Benny's ship, the ship in the Benny poster was there, with the trans-yellow windshield (new type). If LEGO is already producing windshields in trans-yellow that have not been released to the public yet, perhaps we can speculate that CS is coming back!

[Faefrost]

I had just purchased the LEGO Movie: EVerything is Awesome Edition, and in one of the features entitled "Dream Job," a brief clip was shown of a LEGO designer surveying several "new" Classic Space ships. Although these may be just the prototypes for Benny's ship, the ship in the Benny poster was there, with the trans-yellow windshield (new type). If LEGO is already producing windshields in trans-yellow that have not been released to the public yet, perhaps we can speculate that CS is coming back!

It's a hopeful sign. But don't read too much into it just yet. I'm pretty sure the designers can request different colors of parts for prototyping and presentation scratch models. I seem to remember that besides the big high volume IM machines they also keep a few smaller units used for things like mold testing prototyping and validation. They can easily do small special orders for design with these. But it is a good sign. Once they have the part, someone will play with it. Figure they have a stock of yellow x wing cannies and blue wedges with CS logo in the warehouse now. Just begging to be used.

[DuckBricks]

It's a hopeful sign. But don't read too much into it just yet. I'm pretty sure the designers can request different colors of parts for prototyping and presentation scratch models. I seem to remember that besides the big high volume IM machines they also keep a few smaller units used for things like mold testing prototyping and validation. They can easily do small special orders for design with these. But it is a good sign. Once they have the part, someone will play with it. Figure they have a stock of yellow x wing cannies and blue wedges with CS logo in the warehouse now. Just begging to be used.

I totally agree. Just one new CS ship (well, and the walker) are not enough! Especially with those printed slopes!

[danth]

I had just purchased the LEGO Movie: EVerything is Awesome Edition, and in one of the features entitled "Dream Job," a brief clip was shown of a LEGO designer surveying several "new" Classic Space ships. Although these may be just the prototypes for Benny's ship, the ship in the Benny poster was there, with the trans-yellow windshield (new type). If LEGO is already producing windshields in trans-yellow that have not been released to the public yet, perhaps we can speculate that CS is coming back!

Oh my god, that is going to fuel some serious fantasizing on my part. Thanks for the info.

[brickmaninLA]

Looks like we'll soon have more info on Exo Suit!

Final tease by Legoloverman (Peter Reid)

[danth]

It's getting harder to believe there won't be some new classic space reboot. Especially with the new green space men.

[Aanchir]

Here's a good question: Would you rather have a classic space reboot theme which would — by nature — be short-term (even classic LEGO space had to be "refreshed" with new color schemes on a regular basis, and eventually replaced with newer Space themes), or would you rather have the LEGO Group continue to release periodic "tributes" like Benny's Spaceship, the Exo-Suit, and the recent promotional set? The latter is what I think is happening now, and honestly I think that might be the best thing for Classic Space in the future. I'd hate to see the modern era become so saturated with Classic Space that it wears out its welcome and largely disappears once again. Not to mention that for us as AFOLs, periodic sets like this one inspire us to fill in the gaps with our own creations.

[SMC]

I would like a space theme that lasted a few years so we could build up a number of sets and figs. classic space would be good but you make a good point that a set every now and then could work but if there was a time for a classic space reboot it is now.

[TheLegoDr]

Here you go! http://www.thebrickfan.com/lego-ideas-exo-suit-21109-officially-revealed/

[MikroMan]

I would like a space theme that lasted a few years so we could build up a number of sets and figs. classic space would be good but you make a good point that a set every now and then could work but if there was a time for a classic space reboot it is now.

I agree, it'd be nice to see a space theme more oriented towards exploration and contact with alien civilizations instead of Galaxy Squad and such.

[Aanchir]

I agree, it'd be nice to see a space theme more oriented towards exploration and contact with alien civilizations instead of Galaxy Squad and such.

As much as it would be cool to have a more exploration-driven space theme for variety's sake, there was never any "contact with alien civilizations" in Classic Space, and the sets were still pretty heavily armed much of the time. The idea that Classic Space was solely characterized by peaceful exploration is a fairly modern invention.

EDIT: Another thing I ought to bring up, though it's not quite related to the current conversation: In this post Nabii decribes the notion of the white figs as astronauts and red figs as cosmonauts as something he heard direct from Jens Nygaard Knudsen, so if anyone was looking for a source for that frequently-mentioned idea, there you have it.

He also explains what the roles were changed to after other colors were introduced, though this somewhat differs from the info from the interview in Brickjournal Volume 2, Issue 6, in which the black figs were said to be warriors, the blues were considered technicians and mechanics, and the red and white were both described as explorers. It's kind of funny to think of intergalactic spies that predate Blacktron, but I guess the Cold War was still at the top of many people's minds around that time so it makes sense that an otherwise good or neutral faction might have still have spies of its own. I'll have to ask him about that to see if this was just his own memory slipping or if he has heard conflicting accounts.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[DPrime]

Here's a good question: Would you rather have a classic space reboot theme which would — by nature — be short-term (even classic LEGO space had to be "refreshed" with new color schemes on a regular basis, and eventually replaced with newer Space themes), or would you rather have the LEGO Group continue to release periodic "tributes" like Benny's Spaceship, the Exo-Suit, and the recent promotional set? The latter is what I think is happening now, and honestly I think that might be the best thing for Classic Space in the future. I'd hate to see the modern era become so saturated with Classic Space that it wears out its welcome and largely disappears once again. Not to mention that for us as AFOLs, periodic sets like this one inspire us to fill in the gaps with our own creations.

I think I'd like to have a couple waves of Classic Space II, myself.

If they need to "refresh" things in a third or fourth wave with white and blue, that'd be okay too! The Galaxy Commander remains my favourite CS set of all time, after all. :)

[1974]

.. there was never any "contact with alien civilizations" in Classic Space ..

No entirely true :

[SMC]

I do think space has lost its way a bit, classic space could give lego what they need

[Colossus]

There's nothing wrong with 5-6 sets of Classic Space to placate us OFOL's (Old Farts of Lego). If the line sells well, churn out a few more sets. I found one of my old CS space base sets complete with the moon crater plates, trans-yellow plates, little monorail, and my Reds and Whites. It's my son's new favourite set, especially since it had a cameo in The Lego Movie. If I recall, an environment set was never included in the Galaxy Squad line. Kinda odd since you'd think spacemen would need a base from which to operate. But hey, necessity is the mother of invention, so it looks like Benny's gotta get to work on moonbase, Moonbase, MOONBASE!

[SMC]

There's nothing wrong with 5-6 sets of Classic Space to placate us OFOL's (Old Farts of Lego). If the line sells well, churn out a few more sets. I found one of my old CS space base sets complete with the moon crater plates, trans-yellow plates, little monorail, and my Reds and Whites. It's my son's new favourite set, especially since it had a cameo in The Lego Movie. If I recall, an environment set was never included in the Galaxy Squad line. Kinda odd since you'd think spacemen would need a base from which to operate. But hey, necessity is the mother of invention, so it looks like Benny's gotta get to work on moonbase, Moonbase, MOONBASE!

OFOL - love it

moonbase, Moonbase, MOONBASE! - LOVE IT, want to see it happen

Edited July 6, 2014 by SMC

[TheGreatSpirit]

Meh, I can see a few classic sets being rereleased, but a full on reboot? I wouldn't count on it (but if a few classics are rereleased, I migght pick one up, even though Im more of a constraction guy :P)

[Ardelon]

Here's a good question: Would you rather have a classic space reboot theme which would — by nature — be short-term (even classic LEGO space had to be "refreshed" with new color schemes on a regular basis, and eventually replaced with newer Space themes), or would you rather have the LEGO Group continue to release periodic "tributes" like Benny's Spaceship, the Exo-Suit, and the recent promotional set? The latter is what I think is happening now, and honestly I think that might be the best thing for Classic Space in the future. I'd hate to see the modern era become so saturated with Classic Space that it wears out its welcome and largely disappears once again. Not to mention that for us as AFOLs, periodic sets like this one inspire us to fill in the gaps with our own creations.

Hmm, if we could rely on the periodic sets being released, maybe like the Winter Village line, then it would be good to space out the purchases, keep the concept fresh, and get new useful parts as they become available. But if these sets are released ad hoc without us knowing more will come, them I would say it's better to get a whole line at once, with all available specialized parts without waiting years for them and getting our hopes up. A LEGO set in the hand is worth two in the bush.