Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets out now
Posted by Huw,
Here's a press release for a new book from the publishers of Blocks magazine:
Blocks magazine is launching the latest one-off special, the Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets, in time for Christmas. This nostalgia-soaked bookazine is the perfect gift for anyone who grew up with LEGO Castle, LEGO Space and LEGO Pirates, whether they’re an AFOL or not. It’s absolutely packed with retro content focusing on the beloved LEGO sets that so many fans grew up with.
The Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets is available to pre-order worldwide at blocksmag.com and will start shipping on December 7 – if you order now, it will arrive in time for Christmas!
Blocks has also launched a new poster to go alongside the magazine featuring three iconic minifigures – a Classic Space astronaut, a Lion Knight and Captain Redbeard. It’s just what you need on the wall of your LEGO room.
The Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets is a special edition 132-page bookazine featuring reprinted content from past issues of Blocks magazine. It is not included in a Blocks subscription.
If you grew up with LEGO Space, Castle and Pirates – or if you’re too young and are curious what you missed out on – then the Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets is for you. It includes the story of each theme, spotlights on specific sets from each theme, reviews of the modern sets based on the classic themes and interviews with the professional LEGO designers who create these amazing models.
Niels Milan Pedersen and Bjarne P. Tveskov talk about creating classic models, how the company has changed – and what it was like ‘back in the day’ when there just a dozen LEGO designers. Then Mike Psiaki, Milan Madge, Markus Rollbühler and Stuart Harris reveal how they are taking those vintage LEGO sets and updating them for the modern era.
Blocks is giving away LEGO 10326 Natural History Museum! To be entered into the prize draw and to get Blocks magazine delivered every month – ahead of the shops – visit blocksmag.com and check out the money-saving subscription deals available.
Everyone who subscribes to the regular print edition by January 3 will be in with a chance of winning (existing subscribers will automatically be entered into the prize draw).
46 likes
19 comments on this article
Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover...
Is it a book or a magazine? Some example photos of content would be nice ...
The cover shows parts in poor quality ...
@Huw; is it possible to filter out the articles of the advendt calendars somehow? They are nice and all, but all other articles 'drowns' :(
@jpx said:
" @Huw; is it possible to filter out the articles of the advendt calendars somehow? They are nice and all, but all other articles 'drowns' :( "
My Menu -> Profile -> News category preferences (on the right, at least on desktop)
@MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
First thing I thought as well, and give the him some air tanks (they even could have used the reissued torso from the GE if they didn't have an old one).
@MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
The faded logo adds to the retro vibe. For added Benny style authenticity, the chin part of the spaceman's helmet should also be broken.
@MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
Or maybe a cracked chin strap helmet to finish the true retro look.
It was not just a meme for LEGO Movie Benny, it actually happened a lot with version 1 of classic space helms.
@EvilTwin said:
" @MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
The faded logo adds to the retro vibe. For added Benny style authenticity, the chin part of the spaceman's helmet should also be broken."
Exactly. To me the logo isn't faded enough for a retro book cover.
@TeriXeri said:
" @MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
Or maybe a cracked chin strap helmet to finish the true retro look.
It was not just a meme for LEGO Movie Benny, it actually happened a lot with version 1 of classic space helms."
Funny, this never happened to mine back in the day, even though they were quite heavily played with.
But I agree that they were probably going for a retro look that showed figures in good but actually played with condition.
Love the bite marks on the Spaceman's leg. Those were a hallmark of classic childhood LEGO play in my day.
I'd be right there for one of these for the era of my own childhood. I know the late 90s/early 00s are looked down on a lot in the AFOL world (sometimes for valid reasons, I admit!), but they made my childhood and it'd be great to see them get this kind of love too. Showcase some Adventurers, some Rock Raiders, some Alpha Team, some BIONICLE in this format...
The current book looks very cool even so, and younger!me would still have loved it; nowadays though, my Lego interest is mostly rooted in nostalgia for the themes I grew up with, and the classics were before my time. Still, if it's going to turn up in shops as well as online, I might be tempted if I see it in person!
@sipuss said:
" @jpx said:
" @Huw; is it possible to filter out the articles of the advendt calendars somehow? They are nice and all, but all other articles 'drowns' :( "
My Menu -> Profile -> News category preferences (on the right, at least on desktop)"
Thank you!!
@MisterP said:
"Maybe finding a spaceman with the print of the logo not faded on the cover..."
That was the exact thought that I had when I saw this.
Is the content in this book entirely reprints from Blocks magazine? Because if so then I can give this a miss, since I own every issue of Blocks.
I wish they showed one or two pages as examples of what the overall “bookazine” will entail.
Stress line on the knight's noseguard as well.
@Sabreman64 said:
"Is the content in this book entirely reprints from Blocks magazine? Because if so then I can give this a miss, since I own every issue of Blocks."
I believe that it’s reprints of articles from ‘Blocks’.
If your interest is specifically early era Classic Space, I highly recommend ‘LEGO Space: 1978-1992’ by Tim Johnson (ISBN: 9781506725185).
"I believe that it’s reprints of articles from ‘Blocks’."
Well, yes, I knew that. I was just asking if the content of this retro book consists entirely of Blocks reprints, or if there's any new material. If it's the former then I already have all the book's content as I own every single issue of Blocks.
Of course, if this book goes on sale in newsagents then I could check the book's contents that way.
@Sabreman64 said:
""I believe that it’s reprints of articles from ‘Blocks’."
Well, yes, I knew that. I was just asking if the content of this retro book consists entirely of Blocks reprints, or if there's any new material. If it's the former then I already have all the book's content as I own every single issue of Blocks.
Of course, if this book goes on sale in newsagents then I could check the book's contents that way."
From the blocks website "The Blocks Book of Retro LEGO Sets contains reprinted material from past editions of Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine. There is one all-new feature focusing on the story of LEGO Castle.".
@tsi said:
"Is it a book or a magazine? Some example photos of content would be nice ...
The cover shows parts in poor quality ..."
A "bookazine" is basically a larger issue of the magazine with a collection of related articles from past issues. The binding and size are identical to the magazine. They are sold in the same places as the regular magazine, usually for a couple of months. For example, "Retro Gamer" magazine has a bookazine on Mario games, and another one on arcade games, etc.
Often the publisher will share a preview PDF that includes a table of contents and the first article, but I don't see that for this (yet).