The July [email protected] offers

plasmodium

(Specifically the white classic spaceman freebie)
Does anyone know anything about it's coming to other areas? (particularly UK)
Apologies if this is being discussed already.

tom4086

European July offers at shop.LEGO.com and brand stores:

1-7 July: VIPs will receive a white classic space minifig and robot on orders over €30

1-16 July: Free Chima polybag 30264 Frax with orders over €30

17-31 July: Free Chima polybag 30265 Worriz' bike with orders over €30

18-31 July: 10242 Mini Cooper will be available to VIPs, and 40109 mini Mini Cooper polybag will be thrown in, too.

CapnRex101

Here you go @plasmodium‌ - Hopefully this link works: file:///C:/Users/cpearce/Downloads/103670%20D2C%20Newsletter_Juli-August_EN.pdf

It looks as though we are getting all of the EU offers with a £25 spend, so that is good news.

EDIT: It looks like you need to copy and paste the link into your browser, then it should work :o)

Matthew

^ That's a link to the file on your local machine, so it will work for you if you paste it into a browser but not for anyone else :-) Use the attach a file link to upload it to the forum.

TheOneVeyronian

I've made the same mistake once on Eurobricks, but I've learned how to get the hotlink (for Internet Explorer: right click the download link, select Properties and the hotlink address is there for future reference), what @CapnRex101 was trying to link to was this: http://cache.lego.com/r/stores/-/media/brand retail/stores/news/2014/07 jul/103670 d2c newsletter_juli-august_en.pdf?l.r=-1730492284

And that should work for everybody :-)

CapnRex101

^^ I see, the 'cpearce' bit is the giveaway there :o)

^ Thanks @TheOneVeyronian.

Matthew

^ And the C:/Users/ ... / Downloads :-)

iancam33

You Brits get all the good promos. All we get in the states is Shredder. Bah.

CCC

According to the database he is a cosmonaut rather than an astronaut, so I doubt he will be going to the US any time soon. :-)

lordzarak

Awww. I want that classic space guy here in the US. Though it would have been better to give him a white recolor of Benny's cracked helmet.

Wicksy80

Will these be available at LLW or is it just the shops?

mountebank

hahahaha @CCC (or perhaps that should be CCCP)

The classic spaceman is terrific but I do wish the minifigure was in any colour other than white.

prevere

lordzarak said:

Awww. I want that classic space guy here in the US. Though it would have been better to give him a white recolor of Benny's cracked helmet.

I'm sure they'll do this for the U.S. too. August maybe?

And I'm ecstatic with white. That's the one space guy whom is the toughest to find the moon logo in good condition.

CCC

^^ I assume the name is just the translation from the French on Hoth Bricks. But it would be funny if the real set name is cosmonaut.

plasmodium

Thanks everyone. I saw the front page article, but it didn't seem to say whether it was going to be in the UK or not. (I don't tend to follow these offers, so I don't know how they usually work. I just really like the spaceman)

mathew

Would definitely much rather have this than a Shredder minifig. Lego should re-release all of the classic spacemen in each color as polybags and include either a small vehicle or robot with each.

Pitfall69

Didn't Lego Re Release them as TRU minifigure packs? Also, a Blue Spaceman was released with the white build-it-yourself display case.

binaryeye

CCC said:

But it would be funny if the real set name is cosmonaut.

It would make sense, though, considering a "cosmonaut" was the first human in space.

I think the Chinese-inspired "taikonaut" makes the most sense although it mixes languages:
astronaut: star sailor
cosmonaut: universe sailor
taikonaut: space sailor

mathew

Pitfall69 said:

Didn't Lego Re Release them as TRU minifigure packs? Also, a Blue Spaceman was released with the white build-it-yourself display case.

I think they did the blue spaceman. But they really need to make a new helmet mold that is the same as the original. The motorcycle helmet sans visor just doesn't look right.

mountebank

Zorkonaut: hello sailor

GIR3691

Pitfall69 said:

Didn't Lego Re Release them as TRU minifigure packs? Also, a Blue Spaceman was released with the white build-it-yourself display case.

Yeah, and those are pretty hard to get on their own though. Bricklink sellers seem to mix up the actual CS minifigs and the ones from the re-release packs.

The white one actually came out a few years back as a promo. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?G=2855028

CCC

I don't see them doing a new mold for the helmet, not when you consider the multipurpose one they have now for everyone from racing drivers to knights. And mixels.

mathew

^ Yes, you're probably right. But considering that they do up new molds all the time for CMFs it doesn't seem to me to be that big of a deal.

bluemoose

Store Calendar said:

26th July - Meet Peter Reid the brain behind the LEGO Ideas Exo Suit in the Lego Store Bluewater

Oh, what's this then ... interesting ;-)

legodude

US gets shafted again. I can't stand these Europe only promos. And watch that CS set will be going for a huge markup on Ebay.

Aanchir

mathew said:

^ Yes, you're probably right. But considering that they do up new molds all the time for CMFs it doesn't seem to me to be that big of a deal.

For a freebie promotional set it is. Ever notice that even "exclusive" promotional minifigures don't tend to have new or exclusive molds?

The reasons the CMFs have the budget for so many new molds is that the cost of the mold is divided by the number of units sold. For example, a hundred-thousand-dollar steel mold will only add a dollar to the cost of each set if a hundred thousand sets using that mold are produced and sold. Not only do the CMFs sell in mass volumes, but they are available for sale pretty much everywhere — not just direct from LEGO.

Even the "Team GB" minifigures reused molds from previous CMF series, rather than introducing any new molds of their own, because being widely distributed in a single country isn't enough to satify the sheer number of figures that would have to be sold to pay off a new steel mold.

It's not as silly as how some people expect new molds in event-exclusive figs — figs which, by design, are produced in quantities of 1000 or less — but it's still pretty silly to expect an exclusive new mold here. Maybe if classic spacemen other than Benny make it into sets for the LEGO Movie's sequel, those sets will almost certainly be produced in great enough quantities to justify a new mold for their helmets. But the same can't be said for a LEGO Ideas set like the Exo-Suit, let alone a free promotional item like this.

mathew

^ I was thinking if they were to re-release the spacemen or even better re-introduce a Classic Space line that new molds would be put into production. Like I said, the motorcycle helmet looks wrong on a Classic Space man. Being just a little off for me ruins the design. But yeah, if it's free then I won't complain. Luckily I have a few white, classic space men laying around that I could swap out their helmets. Like someone else said, the gold logo is what typically fades from the classic minifigs.

Aanchir

mathew said:

^ I was thinking if they were to re-release the spacemen or even better re-introduce a Classic Space line that new molds would be put into production. Like I said, the motorcycle helmet looks wrong on a Classic Space man. Being just a little off for me ruins the design. But yeah, if it's free then I won't complain. Luckily I have a few white, classic space men laying around that I could swap out their helmets. Like someone else said, the gold logo is what typically fades from the classic minifigs.

It looks wrong if you are very, very particular about how a classic spaceman is supposed to look. But if the LEGO Group did release a full theme based on Classic Space, then it would certainly be aimed at kids, not adults, so adult nitpicking about what is "authentic" would scarcely matter to the designers. Why introduce a new mold that is designed to look obsolete?

The LEGO Movie sets are an exception, since in their case, the fact that Benny is a tremendously outdated minifigure is an essential part of his character design, and one that even kids are expected to pick up on. As I said, if more 1980s spacemen were to appear in the LEGO Movie sequel as major characters, that might be legitimate reason to create a new, faux-classic space helmet.

mathew

Aanchir said:

mathew said:

^ I was thinking if they were to re-release the spacemen or even better re-introduce a Classic Space line that new molds would be put into production. Like I said, the motorcycle helmet looks wrong on a Classic Space man. Being just a little off for me ruins the design. But yeah, if it's free then I won't complain. Luckily I have a few white, classic space men laying around that I could swap out their helmets. Like someone else said, the gold logo is what typically fades from the classic minifigs.

It looks wrong if you are very, very particular about how a classic spaceman is supposed to look.

Uh yeah, and you should be too. The classic spaceman is probably the most iconic minifig from the first golden age of Lego. It's so iconic that it graced the cover of this book:


The original helmet perfectly frames the classic Lego smiley face. Anyone in this hobby who cares about the art and history of Lego must understand and respect the fine details.

Pitfall69

^As a collector, I don't want Lego to reproduce the Classic Spacemen. They are Classic for a reason and should stay that way.

mathew

You're not understanding. Put simply: If you're going to reproduce something then do it right.

mathew

It's pretty clear that a lot of thought went into designing the Benny minifig. If they used a motorcycle helmet with cracked chin strap it would have been all wrong.

Aanchir

mathew said:

It's pretty clear that a lot of thought went into designing the Benny minifig. If they used a motorcycle helmet with cracked chin strap it would have been all wrong.

Well, yes, because as I said above, if his costume didn't look worn-out and out-of-date then it would not have been accurate to his character. And besides, if you're obligated to introduce a new mold to achieve that crack anyway, you might as well make it accurate.

Shib

^Also he's a licenced theme character

mathew

Aanchir said:

And besides, if you're obligated to introduce a new mold to achieve that crack anyway, you might as well make it accurate.

Obligated? Strange way of putting it. I'm surprised at your absence of care when it comes to classic Lego.

mathew

^ To somewhat correct my accusation: I'm surprised that getting it right for one thing (Benny) and not getting it right for something else (Classic Space remakes) is ok for someone who is a avid AFOL. Yes, it's about money. But please don't be apologetic with the Lego Group which a multi-billion dollar company that could easily afford to do it right every time. Especially when they pride themselves in saying "Only the best is good enough".

Aanchir

mathew said:

Aanchir said:

And besides, if you're obligated to introduce a new mold to achieve that crack anyway, you might as well make it accurate.

Obligated? Strange way of putting it. I'm surprised at your absence of care when it comes to classic Lego.

I say "obligated" because Benny is a specific character and not just an archetype, and the crack is an integral part of his design. No matter which helmet style he used, it would need to have a crack, which means it would need to be a new mold.

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original. Even if a fig resembling a classic space figure appeared in a regular-issue set (like, say, a LEGO Juniors set), I think the current motorcycle helmet would be more or less acceptable, because it is supposed to be a likeness of the classic fig, not the genuine article.

Sometimes you just have to appreciate the intent of a design without demanding flawless accuracy. I feel this way even about the sets and figs of my childhood. A lot of BIONICLE fans feel like a set depicting a classic BIONICLE character like Tahu using current Hero Factory parts would be a travesty, whereas I think it would be a really brilliant and respectful way to pay tribute to a set that was a big part of my childhood. For that matter, you didn't see me complaining about the new Johnny Thunder fig from #70815 being "ruined" by his eye sparkles, back printing, or Reddish Brown hat. It was a loving tribute to a classic character from my childhood anyway.

Shib

^^The difference is that Benny is a character from a licenced theme, TLG have to get them as accurate as they can. I think @Aanchir was right in saying that a child isn't likely to see much difference between the classic space helmet and the motor bike helmet so it's not in TLG's best interest to pour extra money into it for the AFOL market (and while the classic space theme is popular among AFOLs there are many, like myself, who have little interest in it - it wasn't part of my childhood so I don't feel I need more) so its a percentage of a percentage of their market. Particularly for a freebie and one off type set like the eco - suit, if it was a full new range of Classic space stuff it would make sense.

binaryeye

Aanchir said:

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original.

The shape of the original helmet is one of the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure. Considering every other aspect of the promo minifigure is essentially the same, "incredibly slight" seems the polar opposite of the appropriate term. It's the first thing anyone would notice if comparing the promo with a classic version.

"Incredibly slight" would accurately describe the difference in face printing or the size of the red elements in the logo.

mathew

You guys don't have kids. In many ways they are more observant than adults. We will just have to agree to disagree.

Aanchir

binaryeye said:

Aanchir said:

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original.

The shape of the original helmet is one of the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure. Considering every other aspect of the promo minifigure is essentially the same, "incredibly slight" seems the polar opposite of the appropriate term. It's the first thing anyone would notice if comparing the promo with a classic version.

"Incredibly slight" would accurately describe the difference in face printing or the size of the red elements in the logo.

It's the first thing anyone would notice if they were looking for differences. In my opinion, the first thing you'd notice in a side-by-side comparison would be the things that are the same: the monochrome outfit, the logo, and the lack of a visor. Incidentally, these are also what I'd consider the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure.

Shib

mathew said:

You guys don't have kids. In many ways they are more observant than adults. We will just have to agree to disagree.

It's not so much that kids won't notice but that the average child will not care what a classic lego spaceman had. Children of AFOLs might care more than others, but most children will just see a spaceman.

Pitfall69

If it means that much to you, just buy a classic white helmet and put it on the new "classic" white Spaceman.

I don't think it is a matter of TLG not being able to afford the mild, but to keep "classic" Spacemen...we...Classic. When they released Black Falcons Fortress as a Legend; the shield design was different than the Classic Black Falcons crest. I'm sure that was done on purpose.

mathew

Aanchir said:

binaryeye said:

Aanchir said:

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original.

The shape of the original helmet is one of the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure. Considering every other aspect of the promo minifigure is essentially the same, "incredibly slight" seems the polar opposite of the appropriate term. It's the first thing anyone would notice if comparing the promo with a classic version.

"Incredibly slight" would accurately describe the difference in face printing or the size of the red elements in the logo.

It's the first thing anyone would notice if they were looking for differences. In my opinion, the first thing you'd notice in a side-by-side comparison would be the things that are the same: the monochrome outfit, the logo, and the lack of a visor. Incidentally, these are also what I'd consider the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure.

So what you're saying is that most people won't notice or really care. I'd say you were right last year before the movie came out. Since then Benny has become a star in a movie that has grossed almost half billion dollars.

CCC

binaryeye said:

Aanchir said:

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original.

The shape of the original helmet is one of the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure. Considering every other aspect of the promo minifigure is essentially the same, "incredibly slight" seems the polar opposite of the appropriate term. It's the first thing anyone would notice if comparing the promo with a classic version.

"Incredibly slight" would accurately describe the difference in face printing or the size of the red elements in the logo.

Is the placement and size of the logo exactly the same. I doubt they are exactly the same. Similar but not exactly. The helmet looks similar, it is a helmet with a chin strap. On closer looking the shape may be different, so the change is slight.

cheshirecat

My kids won't care what hat he has movie or no movie. They would probably have preferred a blackthorn though.

mathew

cheshirecat said:

My kids won't care what hat he has movie or no movie. They would probably have preferred a blackthorn though.

Blackthorn? You mean Blacktron, I think. I see that I'm not dealing with Lego Space fans.

mathew

CCC said:

binaryeye said:

Aanchir said:

Believe me, I care about classic LEGO. Just not to the extent that I think a free "retro" minifigure is ruined by an incredibly slight and completely unavoidable difference from the original.

The shape of the original helmet is one of the most obvious characteristics of the classic space minifigure. Considering every other aspect of the promo minifigure is essentially the same, "incredibly slight" seems the polar opposite of the appropriate term. It's the first thing anyone would notice if comparing the promo with a classic version.

"Incredibly slight" would accurately describe the difference in face printing or the size of the red elements in the logo.

On closer looking the shape may be different, so the change is slight.

"may be different"? It is different. You guys...sheesh.

scrumper

cheshirecat said:

My kids won't care what hat he has movie or no movie. They would probably have preferred a blackthorn though.

"Which one do you want kids?"

Shib

^approriate with the name scrumper ;-)

Bumblepants

I would pay big $$ for a Dalinar Blackthorn minifig from Way of Kings/Words of Radiance...