MOONBASE CENTRAL

Wednesday, 23 December 2020

Merry Christmas from Electricwave

Merry Christmas From Bob's Toy Box

Woodsy,

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and everyone at Moonbase Central, from my team and I at Bobs Toy Box Studios!!

You brighten our days!

Bob Aucutt

Merry Christmas from Another Paul

Merry Christmas and happy new year, Woodsy. Thanks for all the great stuff you and the rest of the gang have been posting and here's to another year filled with nostalgic memories of food, toys, music and the like!

Paul McCaffrey

WE ARE ON THE RADIO IN 5 MINUTES!

Yes, its another radio Swordcast with Bill and Woodsy!

A Christmas edition of our 'show' is on air in five minutes at 8pm UK time!

There'll be warm Bionicles and frosted Mandalorians and much much more in a selection box of vintage chat and banter.

So tune in online or on the radio now before the turkey needs thawing and enjoy half an hour of something different!

https://www.celticaradio.com/

A BIRTHDAY ROBOT MESSAGE FROM ELECTRICWAVE

Bionically Yours

Most peoples perception of Lego will be either a standard 8 stud brick, or more lately a minifig. Lego today is one of the biggest toy brands ever, but around 2000, it was in dire straits and heading for the back of the toy cupboard. With the revival of Star Wars and Transformers franchises, Lego looked for a new approach to toys and construction and went down the action figure route and shortly after, the Bionicle franchise was born. Popular Mechanics tells the actual story much better than I can, but suffice to say, after getting rid of most of my original Lego, I was suddenly back on board again, with a vengance.

In the late 1990's, I had found an advert from Lego asking for freelance submissions to Lego Dacta, the educational arm of the company and I contacted the company and began to submit some ideas for various new directions. granted, none of my ideas were even close to Bionicle, but what I did provide was very well received, even if it didn't actually land me a desk in Denmark!

Still it did however put me back in touch with the toy in a big way. I bought a huge lot of standard Lego from a friend and started building and shortly after, saw an advert for the new Bionicle line in the Lego magazine. For me it was a wish come true, combining a super adaptable toy with an action figure base.

Collectable 'Infected' Hau Mask

As the line was revealed, it became apparent that besides the off the shelf figures, there was a collectable element to it too, as the figural heads all had removeable masks, which could be bought separately in blind baggies. £1.50 bought three masks with a chance to find a super rare 'Infected' mask, a hand painted version which expanded the storyline behind the figures.

First Generation Bionicle Figure

The series was hugely popular and spawned endless variations and spin offs including merchandise, comics, videos and games. Lego did fall foul of some legal issues, as the mythology behind the series was based on polynesian gods and theology and the original ideology had to be changed slightly.

But up until a few years ago, the line was going strong, with various revamps along the way, but always with the central 'mask' idea, meaning that in order to collect all the possible variations and designs, you would need very deep pockets and a lot of space! Needless to say, I have been collecting them from day one and am still not complete, but content myself with a selection of the more accessible ones and not worrying about the platinum and 4 carat gold versions!

Nestle Cereal Premium

For me, they represent a throwback to the little toys that came with cereal, bright coloured plastic and nicely designed toys, but there is also the mythological element to them as well, as each mask is accorded a special mystical power and some of them even reflect totem animals or primitive art.

Canadian First Nations Masks

So Lego has come a very long way from its origins in small wooden pull along toys, through the first brick based plastic toy into action figures and mainstream cultural icons, but it will always remain a fabulously playable toy and something which I will always enjoy, either on my own or with future generations of grandchildren.

Christmas Swordcast!

Never mind the Great Conjunction, there's too even bigger gas giants coming together at 8 pm UK time today on Celtica Radio! Listen to the birthday boy and his scouse sidekick reminisce on things past, present and future!