Tohst

I'm hoping 'clonewarized' Obi is how he appeared in the previous cartoons with clone trooper (ep II) armor and a robe over the top. I tried to kitbash one (as my mini-fig customization skills are, ahem, poor) but it doesn't look that great and I would love an official one. I mean, in those cartoons, Obi was one bad muther -shut your mouth- -Tohst

This is incredibly beautiful. The only thing I don't like is what it is carrying as cargo. The tool box/death from above combo in the original holds a deep place in my heart. So, if Lego sold this as a set, would it be $70? $100? more? Because I would buy two quicker than any one of the cheaper MM sets. Yes, even if the clear windscreens were made orange. -Tohst

Will we be able to tell the good Takanuva from the bad Takanuva because the bad one will have facial hair? That is the traditional 'tell' you're dealing with a mirror universe copy. -Tohst

My guesses? Much like the town one, each fig will get some sort of little accessory. Such as: Peasant woman: Stove for one day, wash basin for another Castle Guard: Little weapon stand and, ummm, wow. you're right. This is hard. Umm, a chicken Dwarf: Anvil and little table to eat turkey leg off of Witch: Magic Mirror and potion cauldron Black Skeleton: Catapault and a chicken White Skeleton: Catapault and a chicken Knight: Chicken Catapault! Jester: Box of produce to throw at him when his jokes are bad and....umm, a rack for when his jokes are really bad. -Tohst FACT - Chickens are the best accessory for any occasion

I thought it said 'Mata' -Tohst FACT - The distance of Mars from the Sun ranges from a minimum of 206,000,000 km to a maximum 249,000,000 km.

Considering how many of those I saw sitting around on Clearance, it might have been a better idea to keep that Toa-esque guy in there. I would've bought at least one. To be honest, I don't remember if I ended up buying one on clearance or not. It was that memorable of a set to me. I'm betting these include a toa-esque driver when they come out. I got 3 to 2 odds. -Tohst FACT - The largest toy distributor in the world is McDonald

I think you missed half my point. While I am not a fan of stickers, the first batch of MM, much like many exo-force sets, are designed with the stickers in mind. Thus, they use stickers instead of part detailing to create visual interest. Thus, without stickers and without part detailing, there is little visual interest at all. These sets seem to have visual interest sans stickers. Hopefully, as we move past preliminary stage, they continue to have the parts detailing and design that means we don't have to use stickers. -Tohst FACT - Stickers are the number one cause of death of Moose in Ohio.

Fat Flying Tractors! Can we call all Bionicle Vehicles from now on FFTs? Because I think thats great. And yeah, it sounds like they are using the current Toa looking guys as placeholders. At least I hope. Having someone that looks that much like an existing Toa and yet not that Toa is just asking for confusion. -Tohst. FACT - LOLcats spread diseases....naughty diseases

Simple logic, old chum. It has already been stated that Lego tries to limit the number of molds it is producing at any one time. (Article about Lego's process improvements that helped lead to the revenue turnaround. Please don't make me look for it) It has already been stated that one of the characters the Lego Mini-fig designers wanted to get into the Batman line was Harley Quinn. (On the Legion of Gotham website by a designer) We have new Batman sets coming out and lo and behold, a Jester's hat mold shows up in castle. Ergo Facto Proxy Epoxy, we are getting a Harley Quinn who will use that same Jester's hat mold. I didn't think it was that much of a reach but , yes, I have been wrong before -Tohst FACT - Formula 409 was actually not as good as 407 or 408

I just realized one of the things I liked about how these look will almost certainly change for the final sets. Where are all the stickers? Is it sad that I realized these weren't all stickers when I was looking for them to see what animals each ships had as totems/mascots? I think this group could definately work without stickers on every single white surface. But I bet on the final ones, the DSS is back in force. Tohst FACT - Stickers help cause the fall of the Roman Empire. Oh, and it looks like the big ship uses the stupid new wings from the Town airplanes. That's a bit disappointing.

so, thats pretty much confirmation of Harley Quinn on the Batman side of things then? Allen FACT - Dick Grayson is a better hero than Batman

Wow, 2008 is so much better for MM than 2007. Ships without a skeletal look. the new tank treads so I don't have to buy a technic set to get them (and they are 12.5 times better than the rubber treads) And a glimpse into the Aliens culture. When you become a commander you get arms! Now if they would just move past the orange and white color scheme I'd dance in the streets (again!) -Tohst FACT: The color orange causes chronic halitosis

Interesting. Very Interesting. (Should I say that in my opinion, they are interesting? Nah! Its implied.) I like what looks like a new spikey head piece. I bet that piece on 8942 is Onua's new tool (and again it looks more like the Metru tool than the Mata. But I'll bet a whole dollar thats what it ends up being) I hope neither of the red masks shown in Tahu's but I'm not getting my hope up on that either. As for the vehicle's themselves. I'm hoping they have exisitng Toa in some cases because they are preliminary. Other than that, I must say the vehicles have gotten sooo much better from the days of Takanuva or even Lesovik. Someone is really giving these thoughts so they look like cool vehicles with random bits of protodermis weapons as opposed to just random bits of protodermis weapons like they used to. Would I rather have weapons in various colors. Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes and I will continue to call for that until 1) I die 2) Bionicle dies, or 3) I get weapons in various colors. (4) others on the board cut off my fingers so they don't have to hear it anymore) So, 8699 is the new 'THE' Makuta? Because it really looks like an update of the old set. Even moreso than the New Toa Nuva look ;-) I just can't leave my soap boxes alone, can I? But yeah, interesting as both sets and as a different direction for Bionicle. But if the final sets are as good as the preliminary, I'll be happy. -Tohst FACT - 2/3rds of statistics you hear are made up! Yikes! I thought it was Makuta but with all the white you could be right. -Tohst FACT - Takanuva always gets picked last for kickball.

No, all my writings are FACT! The sky is green! The sun is blue! There are too many cases in 'Deal or No Deal' and Herbie Goes Bananas is the best movie of all time. As I have said, so it shall be! ;-) - Tohst and to actually stay on topic: FACT - the Toa Metru were the best Toa ever FACT - they had too much grey also FACT - The new Toa have no grey FACT - They have too much grey FACT - contradictory facts create alternate universes And I wasn't so happy that the bad guys all have black cores.

That's interesting. I hadn't heard that the Mahri were rushed. Then Again, I miss things. I find the new Toa to have too much grey, myself. Nice designs, but too much grey. -Tohst

Why would that matter? Irvin Kershner directed ESB (and thats one reason why its the best of the 6. Another is George didn't do the screenplay for it.) And just for fun, I looked up Canon on Wookiepedia. Right now the shows are T-Canon, which is different from but in some unknown way related to G-Canon which is the movie Canon and considered the highest level. As some point, Emperor Constantine is going to have to have the Council of Tatooine and determine for all time (until the next council) what is canon and what is not. From that point on, copies of the Gnostic Force Unleashed will be destroyed and forgotten until a copy is found in a cave in Detroit. -Tohst expecting to lose everyone

The problem with Canon is there are levels of Canon. And people's levels differ. Sure, you say that the Clone Wars are mentioned in the film. Well, the end of them are shown in the film so to many, that part of the clone wars and the fact they exist are Canon. The events of the clone wars TV shows, not canon. Or at least a lower level of Canon than what is actually seen in the films. And then there is the point that the films themselves change. What does that do to Canon? Is it Canon that Han shot first or second. oy! Or the fact that it was 'canon' after the original Star Wars that Darth Vader killed Luke's dad. OY OY! I reminded there was a book that was published prior to ESB called 'Splinter of the Mind's Eye'. Supposedly, it was 'canon' or as much as they even worried about Canon back then. And then ESB and RoTJ came out and pretty much wiped it out. Which is good because if I recall there were some cozy scenes between Luke and Leia. So, you're comfortable with saying what happens in the clone wars cartoons is canon. Thats your opinion. Others think that the Clone Wars happened are canon but the events as they are depicted in the cartoon are EU because everything not directly seen in the movie is EU. Personally, I think the original clone wars cartoon was better than the PT movies. But I didn't take them as canon because everything could change. (I mean really, when Anakin was in the rain and with his hair down stopped looking like stylized Hayden Christianson and started looking like stylized Mark Hammel and its the same animation model! That's genius! And Ani's descent from rashness to anger and the dark side was better illustrated than in the movies, too.) But I digress like I always do. Trying to impose one person's idea of Star Wars canon on another is like arguing which is better, Star Wars or Star Trek. Nobody is ever going to win. Tohst - and I laugh like I always do and I cried like I cried for you when balloon man blew up in my face.

I will admit that Johnny Thunder was at first an Henry Jones Jr. clone but then things changed. Maybe it was the dinosaurs? Maybe it was the fact that he was always looking for treasure? But now its easy for me to view the two as something neither one seems to have ever had; friendly competition. Johnny Thunder could even be a bad influence on Indy. Indiana is primarily an archeologist. He is trying to get treasure for his museum. Heck, he spends a lot of his time as a professor. Johnny, now ole Johnny is a treasure hunter. He's in it for the gold. At least, thats what he'll tell you. And if he ends up selling his score to a museum for a steal instead of letting his enemies sell it to 'private collectors' and the black market for a big payday, well, thats because the majority of the fun is in the hunt. Indy sees the lost ark as an incredible biblical artifact and is scared of snakes. Johnny hopes the ark is surrounded by gold and gaurded by giant undead spiders. Both would scoff at the notion that they enjoy the other's company or at times look up to each other. Both would team up at the drop of a fedora-type hat if it means stopping nazis, black marketers, or even just some snob they don't like. And when they go for the same prize, they both get a little bit more crazy but its not like they're trying to kill each other like their enemies often do. And both roll their eyes at the animosity between Pippen and Marion. Pippen thinks its unladylike that Marion can drink Johnny under the table. Marion views Pippen as a sheltered prude who only craves dange until her nails get dirty. It doesn't help the Johnny and Indy always seem to be trying to impress both of them (but only when the other guy is around). Maybe the two women just need to get to know one another better. So, do I think Indy will now star in a lot of kid's Adventures? Yes? But I think he and Johnny are good foils for each other and continued stories as well. And that discounts the story and building possibilities where one of them is the older mentor to the other. -Tohst

Defects recently: Exo-force Dark Panther: The new two-colored pointy piece. One color and missing the pointy end. Rebel Scout Speeder: missing a 1 x 1 plate with clip UCS Millenium Falcon: missing some intstruction pages...that one was frustrating Lime Green socket pieces from Bionicle : Cracking like ice in spring 90% of the instruction manuals last year: Completely bent and torn in the box but the worst defect I ever got: http://peeron.com/inv/sets/8310-1 Seriously, the instructions really bother me. -tohst

I find the risk I am willing to take is approximately two weeks less than the time it takes them to go on clearance. -tohst

Have you heard the one where a Toa of Gravity, THE Makuta, and a Manas all walk into a bar? Seriously though. The Barraki are all over the place on clearance in the US. Do you get that sort of thing in Denmark? Will patience reward you with cheap prices or will patience reward you with not getting the sets you want? -Tohst - who has bought stuff from Magasin Du Nord. Did I spell that right?

T'would be cool all over. I am especially disappointed that they don't use them in sets like 'Town Plan'. Great Retro feel deserves great retro smilies. But if they were to say that our Space Program has comportment rules that include being clean shaven and Mars Mission was to have smileys, I wouldn't scoff at that either. Tohst - old plain faced liken fuddy duddy

I think you're right about the figs but you didn't take it far enough. From this one picture it really looks like Alpha Team part 4. The figs. The Vehicles. Tthe OGEL looking red and black flyer attacking the truck. Now, being an Alpha Team Fan I'm looking forward to the new sets. But this truck (or at least this really hard to make out preliminary picture of the truck) isn't doing anything for me. Tohst - now that they recycled AquaZone last year and Alpha Team again this year, next year its Rock Raiders time! Well, except everyone will be sick of drills and digging things from Mars Mission. Hrmm, Adventuers. Not a chance with Indiana Jones. I got it. Time Cruisers!

You're lucky. the ninja wrap in TMNT by Vanillla Ice is enough to turn your mind to mush. Wait? What? Thats not what you're talking about? Oh, yes, the battle wheel rules! Reminds me of my favorite 'car' in Twisted Metal 2. I like how the designers seem to be having a lot of fun with the 2008 sets. My only regret is there isn't more catapaults. -Tohst

I'm excited about a new Takanuva. But, and this is going to sound funny coming from someone who things that LEGO didn't go far enough in keeping the Nuva similar to their original (Olda) forms, I hope he isn't as visually boring this time around. The gold and white looked nice but he needed either more gold or another offset color. The original had too much white. So, Best Case Scenario: Modern Toa body, mostly white but lots of gold accents. New Mask, new staff. I'd be willing to forsake a lame transport if it meant the body had extra gold greeblies. Worse Case Scenario: Lewa's mask in gold, all white body with gold chest piece and shoulder armor only. Costs $20 because of lame air sled (not unlike Toa Ignika). Either way, a possible version of someone who kinda got the shaft toy-wise last time...and come to think of it, story wise. I mean, he has got to be feeling like the guy that always gets picked last. Hhe just hangs around Metru Nui with Dume. "Can I go play with the other Toa?" "No, shine your light here...no here...I'm trying to read" "I'm a TOA, not an itty bitty book light! Are you sure you're good now?" "For the hundreth time, yes! Now shut up and glow. I'm right at the part where Snape kills..." "Don't spoil it I haven't read it yet! *mutter mutter* now I know he's evil *mutter* -Tohst