Random minifig of the day: twn051

@WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

I’m asking the exact same question.

@WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

That is a great question. I'll put my bet on something aviation related (because of the theme of the set), but beyond that I really have no clue.

It looks like she's trying to hold back a laugh.

@CulturedBreads said:
" @WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

That is a great question. I'll put my bet on something aviation related (because of the theme of the set), but beyond that I really have no clue."

Even when looking at a clearer version of the torso on bricklink I have no idea what the symbols are supposed to be. A kite with a face, a stylised triskelion and a protractor with a compass?

They kind of remind me of the tiles you’d get with some Exploriens or Divers sets with decals designed to look different when viewed through red or blue lenses

@Brickalili said:
" @CulturedBreads said:
" @WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

That is a great question. I'll put my bet on something aviation related (because of the theme of the set), but beyond that I really have no clue."

Even when looking at a clearer version of the torso on bricklink I have no idea what the symbols are supposed to be. A kite with a face, a stylised triskelion and a protractor with a compass?

They kind of remind me of the tiles you’d get with some Exploriens or Divers sets with decals designed to look different when viewed through red or blue lenses "

I have no idea about the "kite with a face," but as mentioned, the triskelion is the 2004 Alpha Team logo, and the "protractor with a compass" looks to be Makuta's Kraahkan from Bionicle, one orientation of which is seen in this image: https://brickset.com/parts/4200789/bion-in-s-makuta-mask, and the other of which is seen in 8593's set image. The image on the shirt looks like the latter image.

@TheOtherMike said:
" @Brickalili said:
" @CulturedBreads said:
" @WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

That is a great question. I'll put my bet on something aviation related (because of the theme of the set), but beyond that I really have no clue."

Even when looking at a clearer version of the torso on bricklink I have no idea what the symbols are supposed to be. A kite with a face, a stylised triskelion and a protractor with a compass?

They kind of remind me of the tiles you’d get with some Exploriens or Divers sets with decals designed to look different when viewed through red or blue lenses "

I have no idea about the "kite with a face," but as mentioned, the triskelion is the 2004 Alpha Team logo, and the "protractor with a compass" looks to be Makuta's Kraahkan from Bionicle, one orientation of which is seen in this image: https://brickset.com/parts/4200789/bion-in-s-makuta-mask, and the other of which is seen in 8593's set image. The image on the shirt looks like the latter image."

It very simply lays out the secrets of the universe. If you add all three symbols together, you get the answer: '42' or 'Jackie Robinson.'

@TheOtherMike said:
"I was going to ask "What triangle?" Then I looked at the figure's torso piece on Bricklink and, now I'm wondering why the images in the squares just flat-out didn't photograph."

They are very faintly visible on the figure's photo, but the lines appear waaaaay thinner than they are in the individual part photo. I'd guess that either this minifigure had a bad print (not unheard of in certain eras of Lego; I've had some 1999-ish era prints where they look a bit smudged or the different colour layers weren't aligned right causing some weird overlaps, although I would have assumed they'd resolved that by 2009. (Then again, considering modern R2-D2 domes, maybe not...!)), or else it's a metalic print that unintentionally can't be seen if the light catches it from the wrong angle.

I had no idea there was a Bionicle reference tucked away in that design though, that's fantastic! :D

-

For myself, I've never quite been a fan of this minifigure face print. It doesn't seem such an issue on this particular minifigure; but still, something about the mouth on that print just has never looked quite right to me, although I can't put a finger on exactly why.

@TheOtherMike said:
"I was going to ask "What triangle?" Then I looked at the figure's torso piece on Bricklink and, now I'm wondering why the images in the squares just flat-out didn't photograph."

Silver print. Like the old Classic Space logos, they're not very durable, but this time the design is a lot more intricate.

"I have no idea about the "kite with a face," but as mentioned, the triskelion is the 2004 Alpha Team logo, and the "protractor with a compass" looks to be Makuta's Kraahkan from Bionicle, one orientation of which is seen in this image: https://brickset.com/parts/4200789/bion-in-s-makuta-mask, and the other of which is seen in 8593's set image. The image on the shirt looks like the latter image."

Remember that pro skateboarder Andy MacDonald was sponsored by Bionicle when the theme launched, so that may explain why they would put a Bionicle symbol in a licensed Gravity Games set.

3536 and 3538 have plastic bibs with numbered stickers that include the same trio of symbols, so I'm guessing TLG must have sponsored the Gravity Games in 2003 if two of those symbols can be positively identified as belonging to LEGO themes. The third is probably tied to the event itself, or another in-house theme that was in production that year.

There are a couple other torsos, found in 3537. The dark-blue one has the same "kite with a face" logo printed twice, but rotated 45º. There's a box that's big enough for three symbols, but only two of them were printed, and they're not aligned with each other or the main box. The medium-blue torso has three symbols that look like a Thunderbird drawn in a traditional SW Native American style above the word "Kickflip".

That plane does not look safe!

Amusingly, the torso reminds me of a shirt I had as a little kid. It was short-sleeved, but it was red and had (I think) 3 square logos/emblems/whatever in the same position, they might've even had white borders. Unfortunately I have no idea what the images were, anymore.

Maybe I should get one of these torsos someday.

@TheOtherMike said:
" @Brickalili said:
" @CulturedBreads said:
" @WolfpackBricks63 said:
"What exactly is the design on that shirt supposed to be?"

That is a great question. I'll put my bet on something aviation related (because of the theme of the set), but beyond that I really have no clue."

Even when looking at a clearer version of the torso on bricklink I have no idea what the symbols are supposed to be. A kite with a face, a stylised triskelion and a protractor with a compass?

They kind of remind me of the tiles you’d get with some Exploriens or Divers sets with decals designed to look different when viewed through red or blue lenses "

I have no idea about the "kite with a face," but as mentioned, the triskelion is the 2004 Alpha Team logo, and the "protractor with a compass" looks to be Makuta's Kraahkan from Bionicle, one orientation of which is seen in this image: https://brickset.com/parts/4200789/bion-in-s-makuta-mask, and the other of which is seen in 8593's set image. The image on the shirt looks like the latter image."

Eh, not really seeing either of those. The Deep Freeze Alpha Team logo is three lightning bolts in a triangle whereas the middle symbol on the torso are more curved hooks, while the Krahkaan is more tusked/horned (depending on which way round you’ve got it) rather than having a defined semicircle like that rightmost symbol

@PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"I was going to ask "What triangle?" Then I looked at the figure's torso piece on Bricklink and, now I'm wondering why the images in the squares just flat-out didn't photograph."

Silver print. Like the old Classic Space logos, they're not very durable, but this time the design is a lot more intricate.

"I have no idea about the "kite with a face," but as mentioned, the triskelion is the 2004 Alpha Team logo, and the "protractor with a compass" looks to be Makuta's Kraahkan from Bionicle, one orientation of which is seen in this image: https://brickset.com/parts/4200789/bion-in-s-makuta-mask, and the other of which is seen in 8593's set image. The image on the shirt looks like the latter image."

Remember that pro skateboarder Andy MacDonald was sponsored by Bionicle when the theme launched, so that may explain why they would put a Bionicle symbol in a licensed Gravity Games set.
"

Judging by the mention of that I'd guess some of these are just silhouettes of skateboarding poses (possibly mirrored or something, which might have "been a thing" in early 2000s). The photos of the promo event in the Lego Club magazine show something similar on MacDonald's skateboard.

Due to the tiny print and possibly high stylization (which was very popular back then, at least in some contexts) they are not easily identifiable as such.

@Atuin said:
"Judging by the mention of that I'd guess some of these are just silhouettes of skateboarding poses (possibly mirrored or something, which might have "been a thing" in early 2000s)."

The triskelion logo definitely isn't mirrored. It might be rotationally symmetrical, but it's not reflectionally symmetrical.

"The photos of the promo event in the Lego Club magazine show something similar on MacDonald's skateboard."

I don't know how long they continued to sponsor him, but if it continued through at least 2003, it's possible they asked him to display that logo on his skateboard.

If it helps at all, the photo of https://brickset.com/minifigs/cty0312 has perhaps the sharpest print of this image out of any figure to use the torso on the Bricklink database, and https://brickset.com/minifigs/hky010 has the largest photo on his page, so maybe one or other of their pictures may allow clearer details to be seen and shed some light on the specifics of the symbols?

If the Bricklink photos are anything to go by though, then yeah, the print definitely turned out clearer on some figures than on others...

There is also a fairly hi-res image of that torso within old LDD's files (it's possible to use that torso) making the logos quite clearly visible.

Seems that undermines my above theory about skating poses, but it's also clearly neither the Alpha Team logo nor a Kanohi.

Nothing there resembles anything I'm aware of in a Lego context, so I still think it's linked more to early 2000's skateboard culture than anything else. Probably more on the generic "getting the vibe" approach than anything in particular to avoid licensing issues, making it reusable.

@Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"That plane does not look safe!"
And the face looks like on a knockoff fig.