Good News! Recently there has been some really good news for Lego pirate enthusiasts. Lego is coming out with new pirate theme sets in the 2009 releases. Some online stores are already stocking these sets. The timing on these releases is set to coincide with, and to celebrate, the 20th anniversary of the 1st Lego pirate sets released way back in 1989. A Brickbeard’s Bounty set and a Lego Soldier’s Fort set are a couple of these new releases. Welcome back mates!
For a lot of people, including adults, who enjoyed the early releases of the pirate themed adventure sets, the pirates and their ships are not just toys. They are more like childhood treasures full of memories. Treasures they have spent many hours with, fantasizing about being right there with Captain Roger and his mate Rummy, sailing the high seas, looking for treasure ships to pillage! These toys are far from being old and worn out and they will most likely become family treasures themselves, handed down from generation to generation. Educational, challenging, entertaining, and long lasting are just a few of the reasons that bring people to love their Lego toy building sets. Yar!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Ahoy mate! Lego pirates on the horizon! Part 1
Lego Pirate sets were first released in 1989. The included in these 1st Lego pirate sets were minifigures that didn’t have a very real looking head and only had 2 painted dots for eyes and a simple drawn smile. There were pirates minifigs that varied from the fro the others and these had drawn beards, hair and painted eye patches. From 1889 thru 1991 Imperial Soldiers with blue coats and a European look were released from to chase down the plundering pirates.
A Lego comic book titled “The Gold Medallion” debuted in 1989 as well. In 1989, one of the characters in a Lego pirate set was Captain Redbeard, also known as Captain Roger, was released and he quickly became Lego’s most popular pirate. He and his first mate, Rummy, could often be found on a ship in the open seas doing what pirates do best. Robbing and pillaging!
In 1992 the Imperial Soldiers were replaced by the Imperial Guards and were on the scene through 1995. During this time period the Lego Pirate sets took on a definite Spanish look and feel. During 1996 and 1997 we saw the Spanish Armada on the scene, patrolling the pirate controlled seas and chasing those plundering ships flying the Jolly Roger.
The last few Lego pirate themed sets were released in 1997. This was a surprise to the many Legos pirate fans. These pirate sets had become one of the Lego company’s best selling products. A few pirate sets have since been re-released and the pirate theme can be found in a few Lego Duplo sets as well.
Arrrgg! I’ve got to go to the post office and run some errands. Check back later for Part 2. I’ve got an important news flash for you!
A Lego comic book titled “The Gold Medallion” debuted in 1989 as well. In 1989, one of the characters in a Lego pirate set was Captain Redbeard, also known as Captain Roger, was released and he quickly became Lego’s most popular pirate. He and his first mate, Rummy, could often be found on a ship in the open seas doing what pirates do best. Robbing and pillaging!
In 1992 the Imperial Soldiers were replaced by the Imperial Guards and were on the scene through 1995. During this time period the Lego Pirate sets took on a definite Spanish look and feel. During 1996 and 1997 we saw the Spanish Armada on the scene, patrolling the pirate controlled seas and chasing those plundering ships flying the Jolly Roger.
The last few Lego pirate themed sets were released in 1997. This was a surprise to the many Legos pirate fans. These pirate sets had become one of the Lego company’s best selling products. A few pirate sets have since been re-released and the pirate theme can be found in a few Lego Duplo sets as well.
Arrrgg! I’ve got to go to the post office and run some errands. Check back later for Part 2. I’ve got an important news flash for you!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tips on Building A Lego Castle You Can Be Proud Of
It really doesn’t matter whether you are a long time Lego castle enthusiasts, or you are simply flexing your fingers with this project for the first time. All we can guarantee you is that castle building using everyone’s favorite Lego bricks is bound to give you hours and hours of enjoyment. Also, no matter what castle architecture model you are using (if you even have one,) there is a lot of room to really exercise your creative spirit. Of course, nothing beats that sense of accomplishment of placing the last Lego brick on a really good model. After one really great piece, you are bound to get hooked. This can either encourage you to do more, or make you want to top of your work with something bigger, grander and more elaborate.
As they say, you are only limited by your imagination; and this is pretty much true with castle building. However, if you take the time to look at the other Lego castle models, particularly those created by like-minded enthusiasts on the Internet, you might notice that some look quite authentic as small scale models. Of course, there are always the whimsical looking ones, or the ones done without actual models. But still, the ones that earn that hard, long look are those that show great attention to detail. Here are some tips on how you can make that castle you can be proud of.
1. Remember that your building model is only as good as the number of bricks you actually have. So unless you are prepared to shell out a lot of dough to complete one castle set-up, you need to really start thinking small. You do not have to make a 6-feet-by-6-feet replica of an old castle to achieve a really great piece, even if you are using large Lego blocks. Start small and build up from there.
2. One way of “cheating” with your architecture is to make the castle as hollow as possible. After all, building inspectors will not get on your case if you don’t make your interiors as delicate as possible. This is actually one of the mistakes that most novice castle builders make – creating a solidly made edifice that use up most, if not all of the bricks and space. Since the Lego bricks can stand on their own, you can maximize the use of the pieces and the available space by hollowing out the interiors.
3. A solid construction is one thing; a realistic looking one is quite another. One of the best ways of presenting an old castle is to make it look like it is either moss-ridden or crumbling on the sides. This gives your piece a more authentic look, and helps break up the monotony of a one-colored building façade. You can either skip a few bricks here and there or change the color of the bricks to give your castle a sort of battle-worn, time-eroded feel. Adding a bit of green colored pieces on the base of the castle (or some other parts of the edifice) can also provide a different dimension to your work. Adding small “windows” can also help break up the monotony, so don’t forget to include these as well. The key here is to use colors that will both complement and contrast with the entire castle facade.
As they say, you are only limited by your imagination; and this is pretty much true with castle building. However, if you take the time to look at the other Lego castle models, particularly those created by like-minded enthusiasts on the Internet, you might notice that some look quite authentic as small scale models. Of course, there are always the whimsical looking ones, or the ones done without actual models. But still, the ones that earn that hard, long look are those that show great attention to detail. Here are some tips on how you can make that castle you can be proud of.
1. Remember that your building model is only as good as the number of bricks you actually have. So unless you are prepared to shell out a lot of dough to complete one castle set-up, you need to really start thinking small. You do not have to make a 6-feet-by-6-feet replica of an old castle to achieve a really great piece, even if you are using large Lego blocks. Start small and build up from there.
2. One way of “cheating” with your architecture is to make the castle as hollow as possible. After all, building inspectors will not get on your case if you don’t make your interiors as delicate as possible. This is actually one of the mistakes that most novice castle builders make – creating a solidly made edifice that use up most, if not all of the bricks and space. Since the Lego bricks can stand on their own, you can maximize the use of the pieces and the available space by hollowing out the interiors.
3. A solid construction is one thing; a realistic looking one is quite another. One of the best ways of presenting an old castle is to make it look like it is either moss-ridden or crumbling on the sides. This gives your piece a more authentic look, and helps break up the monotony of a one-colored building façade. You can either skip a few bricks here and there or change the color of the bricks to give your castle a sort of battle-worn, time-eroded feel. Adding a bit of green colored pieces on the base of the castle (or some other parts of the edifice) can also provide a different dimension to your work. Adding small “windows” can also help break up the monotony, so don’t forget to include these as well. The key here is to use colors that will both complement and contrast with the entire castle facade.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Marriage of Lego and the Batman Franchise
Since its modest beginnings in 1932, the Lego company continues to make adults and children alike happy with new play sets being continuously released in the toy market. Lego toy building sets are popular with many adults for purely nostalgic reasons, while kids simply love playing with the toy sets while unknowingly developing their building skills! The nostalgia angle is a great marketing pitch, but to be able to survive, Lego must do more than to depend on nostalgia. Lego has always been known for the innovations in its products and the system utilized to make these products, but without a solid offering, it could very well remain on the sidelines while other toy companies rise to the top. Lego executives understand this situation and have made aggressive marketing and production campaigns promoting the products and the brand.
Lego has released thousands of themed play sets over the years, including dinosaurs, medieval castles, robots, and train sets, to name a few. While this surly helped Lego capture a larger market share, the company showed great vision and further widened its lead in the building toy market by partnering with companies that own super franchises such as Lego Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Star Wars, and, of course, Batman. These franchises were transformed as Lego toy building sets using toy bricks, blocks, and pieces, much to the delight of both movie enthusiasts and Lego buffs.
One of the most profitable among the successful franchises that have made it to the Lego ranks is Batman. Batman sets are scenes from Marvel comic book’s movies and cartoons. Lego has turned famous Batman scenes and locations, as well as vehicles, into building sets that provide hours of entertainment. Of all the vehicle sets the Batmobile is, of course, the most popular. Other Lego sets are Robin’s Scuba Jet, the Penguin’s submarine and Mr. Freeze’s jeep. What are even cooler are the Batman mini-figures that come with these vehicles. This is but a few of the Lego Batman sets available today.
Batman is a very profitable franchise that really needs no promotion. However, the partnership with Lego was a wise move on the part of both companies as they are able to reap the benefits from each other’s loyal following. A prime example of the effect of this strategic alliance is that Lego collectors and Batman memorabilia collectors can be one and the same. A Batman collector who collects anything Batman is also likely to buy Lego as long as Batman is the theme. It won’t matter what type of play set it is, as long as it’s Batman related. This buying behavior applies to Lego collectors as well. The Batman product and Lego marriage means more than just short-term profits. One has to take into account the long-term aspect of the merger. The more Batman products Lego releases, the higher the probability for increased customers and profits.
Lego Batman sets will always be popular with Lego enthusiasts and collectors alike. It also stands to reason that if a parent is into, either or Batman and Lego, the chances of their kids being into the Lego hobby is likely as well. This continuing cycle is a wining situation for the consumer and the marketplace as well!
Lego has released thousands of themed play sets over the years, including dinosaurs, medieval castles, robots, and train sets, to name a few. While this surly helped Lego capture a larger market share, the company showed great vision and further widened its lead in the building toy market by partnering with companies that own super franchises such as Lego Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Star Wars, and, of course, Batman. These franchises were transformed as Lego toy building sets using toy bricks, blocks, and pieces, much to the delight of both movie enthusiasts and Lego buffs.
One of the most profitable among the successful franchises that have made it to the Lego ranks is Batman. Batman sets are scenes from Marvel comic book’s movies and cartoons. Lego has turned famous Batman scenes and locations, as well as vehicles, into building sets that provide hours of entertainment. Of all the vehicle sets the Batmobile is, of course, the most popular. Other Lego sets are Robin’s Scuba Jet, the Penguin’s submarine and Mr. Freeze’s jeep. What are even cooler are the Batman mini-figures that come with these vehicles. This is but a few of the Lego Batman sets available today.
Batman is a very profitable franchise that really needs no promotion. However, the partnership with Lego was a wise move on the part of both companies as they are able to reap the benefits from each other’s loyal following. A prime example of the effect of this strategic alliance is that Lego collectors and Batman memorabilia collectors can be one and the same. A Batman collector who collects anything Batman is also likely to buy Lego as long as Batman is the theme. It won’t matter what type of play set it is, as long as it’s Batman related. This buying behavior applies to Lego collectors as well. The Batman product and Lego marriage means more than just short-term profits. One has to take into account the long-term aspect of the merger. The more Batman products Lego releases, the higher the probability for increased customers and profits.
Lego Batman sets will always be popular with Lego enthusiasts and collectors alike. It also stands to reason that if a parent is into, either or Batman and Lego, the chances of their kids being into the Lego hobby is likely as well. This continuing cycle is a wining situation for the consumer and the marketplace as well!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Today’s Most Popular Lego Toy Building Sets
Legos are the quintessential toy for any child. It’s hard for any kid nowadays to picture their childhood without Lego being involved, because most kids did grow up with the product and most likely feel some sort of attachment to their brick sets to this day. Whether it’s an original Lego set or custom sets from various series, kids and adults alike have fallen in love with Legos. The product is known for its customizability so who wouldn’t want to build their own castles or structures? With Legos, anyone can tap into their creativity!
Certain Lego toy building sets have stood out from the rest and are considered by many as an important milestone for the company. Lego bricks themselves are extremely popular, yes, but if there’s anything that caused the popularity of Lego toy building bricks to shoot up by a wide margin, it’s the Star Wars Legos sets. The movie trilogy became their very first franchised product way back in 1999 when the Star Wars movies became legendary. People were thrilled at the prospect of being able to build Lego toys that resembled various star ships and other iconic structures in the Star Wars galaxy.
Since then, Lego’s franchised sets have turned into classic American toys for the world’s youth. Today many adults are also fans of the product as well and have created their own custom Legos to share with fellow fanatics. A lot of other toy sets pale in comparison because they don’t have tie-ins with the famous products as Lego does. Thanks to the popularity of Star Wars Legos sets, the company’s popularity has spread and today with many more licensed sets, such as Lego Batman sets, Harry Potter sets, Indiana Jones and even Avatar: The Last Airbender Lego sets.
Star Wars fanatics and Lego fans alike can enjoy the intricate figure Star War’s General Grievous, or Lego Star War’s Darth Vader, or even the themes main good guy, Lego’s Star Wars Luke Skywalker. All Lego figures have been crafted to greatly resemble their movie counterparts, and many characters have their own Lego versions today. For the characters that unfortunately did not get their own Lego versions, many people customize their own figures and sometimes even sell those custom Legos online. This is even further proof that Legos enhance creativity.
Now, anyone can stage their own Jedi wars in the Star Wars galaxy by collecting various Lego sets and even building their own structures. There are hundreds of toy building sets out there that one can purchase for themselves and or for their child. Parents can enjoy spending quality, and valuable, time with their children while building their unique Lego creations. As for Star Wars Legos, they have become so popular that a game series was even launched, dedicated to the Lego characters. To this day, as the franchise continues to flourish via the newly released TV series, Clone Wars, new sets are being produced to keep up with the newer characters and more recent space craft, characters, and structures. New video games dedicated to Legos are also being planned, proving that people of all ages never tire of their Lego toy building sets!
Certain Lego toy building sets have stood out from the rest and are considered by many as an important milestone for the company. Lego bricks themselves are extremely popular, yes, but if there’s anything that caused the popularity of Lego toy building bricks to shoot up by a wide margin, it’s the Star Wars Legos sets. The movie trilogy became their very first franchised product way back in 1999 when the Star Wars movies became legendary. People were thrilled at the prospect of being able to build Lego toys that resembled various star ships and other iconic structures in the Star Wars galaxy.
Since then, Lego’s franchised sets have turned into classic American toys for the world’s youth. Today many adults are also fans of the product as well and have created their own custom Legos to share with fellow fanatics. A lot of other toy sets pale in comparison because they don’t have tie-ins with the famous products as Lego does. Thanks to the popularity of Star Wars Legos sets, the company’s popularity has spread and today with many more licensed sets, such as Lego Batman sets, Harry Potter sets, Indiana Jones and even Avatar: The Last Airbender Lego sets.
Star Wars fanatics and Lego fans alike can enjoy the intricate figure Star War’s General Grievous, or Lego Star War’s Darth Vader, or even the themes main good guy, Lego’s Star Wars Luke Skywalker. All Lego figures have been crafted to greatly resemble their movie counterparts, and many characters have their own Lego versions today. For the characters that unfortunately did not get their own Lego versions, many people customize their own figures and sometimes even sell those custom Legos online. This is even further proof that Legos enhance creativity.
Now, anyone can stage their own Jedi wars in the Star Wars galaxy by collecting various Lego sets and even building their own structures. There are hundreds of toy building sets out there that one can purchase for themselves and or for their child. Parents can enjoy spending quality, and valuable, time with their children while building their unique Lego creations. As for Star Wars Legos, they have become so popular that a game series was even launched, dedicated to the Lego characters. To this day, as the franchise continues to flourish via the newly released TV series, Clone Wars, new sets are being produced to keep up with the newer characters and more recent space craft, characters, and structures. New video games dedicated to Legos are also being planned, proving that people of all ages never tire of their Lego toy building sets!
History of the Lego Company
Lego is the toy building set of choice for children, and the young at heart, worldwide. Lego is a company in Denmark known for its colourful plastic bricks that interlock to build everything from buildings to space ships. To accompany the building bricks, other accessories are sometimes included, such as gears, wheels, and the ever-popular minifigures with interchangeable heads, hands, legs and torso. Everything made using Lego bricks can easily be taken apart and built again and again. Ever since they first debuted in 1940, the Lego Company has grown to become so massive that it now has several theme parks and video games to just name a couple.
With beginnings vastly different from those of other toys, Legos have always been unique. The original concept was born by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a Danish carpenter, who made houses and furniture. It can be said that those were the very inspirations for Lego bricks.
Because of the Great Depression, Christiansen was forced to create miniature products that acted as design aids. Those were the very first Lego bricks that eventually inspired him to go into toy making. He manufactured other toys first, such as wooden piggy banks and yoyos. Eventually, he named his company Lego, an amalgamation of the Danish words leg and godt that meant ‘play well’. When plastic became widely used, He was inspired by the company Kiddicraft to make his own interlocking bricks. He then began building Legos and selling his new products, which would eventually take the world by storm.
The toys building sets have become a worldwide phenomenon. Almost everyone today, including adults, have played with Legos at least once in their lives. Lego building competitions are held annually. There are also many Lego theme parks that showcase life-sized Lego structures. A reason as to why Lego has so much appeal is that practically anything can be made from them, as shown in theme parks that have patented Lego versions of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Chrysler building, two very big, well known structures. The very first big Lego creation was a train station, and the progress from big to giant can be clearly seen today.
In order to further boost the profitability of their product, the company has signed agreements with several popular franchises. The very first franchise to be joined was Star Wars. To this day it is Lego’s most well known and most profitable partner. Lego Star Wars has huge appeal, because fans love building their own Star Wars vehicles and re-enacting scenes using characters such as Star Wars Luke Skywalker and Star Wars Darth Vader. You are even able to include their own Jedi wars and build such famous pieces as the Star Wars destroyer space ship using Lego building bricks. Another popular series of sets with a franchise theme are the Lego Batman sets.
The popularity of these delightful and creative toy sets hasn’t waned in any way. Fans continue to purchase them for themselves and as enjoyable and creative gifts for the children in their life. Watch your child’s eyes light up when they see their first very own Lego building set!
With beginnings vastly different from those of other toys, Legos have always been unique. The original concept was born by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a Danish carpenter, who made houses and furniture. It can be said that those were the very inspirations for Lego bricks.
Because of the Great Depression, Christiansen was forced to create miniature products that acted as design aids. Those were the very first Lego bricks that eventually inspired him to go into toy making. He manufactured other toys first, such as wooden piggy banks and yoyos. Eventually, he named his company Lego, an amalgamation of the Danish words leg and godt that meant ‘play well’. When plastic became widely used, He was inspired by the company Kiddicraft to make his own interlocking bricks. He then began building Legos and selling his new products, which would eventually take the world by storm.
The toys building sets have become a worldwide phenomenon. Almost everyone today, including adults, have played with Legos at least once in their lives. Lego building competitions are held annually. There are also many Lego theme parks that showcase life-sized Lego structures. A reason as to why Lego has so much appeal is that practically anything can be made from them, as shown in theme parks that have patented Lego versions of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Chrysler building, two very big, well known structures. The very first big Lego creation was a train station, and the progress from big to giant can be clearly seen today.
In order to further boost the profitability of their product, the company has signed agreements with several popular franchises. The very first franchise to be joined was Star Wars. To this day it is Lego’s most well known and most profitable partner. Lego Star Wars has huge appeal, because fans love building their own Star Wars vehicles and re-enacting scenes using characters such as Star Wars Luke Skywalker and Star Wars Darth Vader. You are even able to include their own Jedi wars and build such famous pieces as the Star Wars destroyer space ship using Lego building bricks. Another popular series of sets with a franchise theme are the Lego Batman sets.
The popularity of these delightful and creative toy sets hasn’t waned in any way. Fans continue to purchase them for themselves and as enjoyable and creative gifts for the children in their life. Watch your child’s eyes light up when they see their first very own Lego building set!
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