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TLG,

I know that some of my esteemed comrades on CC are not fans (to one degree or another) of the fantasy sets. I for one was exceptionally pleased with them and for the first time in my almost 30 years as a Lego fan purchased all of the sets (though some second hand) in the line. I wasn't too thrilled with the fantasy line with its skeletons until I saw "Skeleton Tower". I was blown away by the dragon! The rider was nicely done as well.

I have always been a fan of dragons and have had all previous dragons TLG has released. My one compaint for years was that it was difficult to make the original green, then black dragons, look as though they were in flight. This was due to their, fixed, "rampant" pose. The best for realistic looks and playability had been, till recently the "Hungarian Horntail". The way the wings were attached and the tail articulation as well as the head were great. Then TLG met the bar and raised it again. Using the same wing design, TLG created a dragon with front limbs (capable of holding a minifig), a poseable neck and tail and a great head. Then TLG released "King's Castle Siege" and I was extatic about the black dragon. Though a little bummed by the same head and painting styling as the red (cost dictates such trends) I was very pleased with the black dragon. Finally in "Toll Warship" the green dragon was released. All of my hopes were met! A different head design, armor, a "good" dragon and of course a great color scheme (as a favorite color and with two of the colleges I am an alum from using green and gold for colors, I was more than a little pleased).

I was a little disappointed with the discontinuation of the Fantasy Era sub-theme however, I know that TLG typically continues a sub-theme in the castle line for two to four years, though "Medeival Marketplace" is an excellent set. I am very pleased with the new Kingdoms sets, especially the "Dragon Knights Battle Pack" and "Prison Tower Rescue" The decals are excellent on all the new minifigs and the design of the tower and the new portcallus are great. I was really excited by the baby dragon with the "Green Wizard". I am hoping, from this and the flying dragon background on the "Kingdoms" home page that you will return the full scale dragons to service. Whether with the same head designs as before or something new I am looking excitedly toward the future when dragons may fly again in the realms of Lego Castle.

I know that some of my esteemed comrades on CC are not fans (to one degree or another) of the fantasy sets.

You are the second person to think this...and I wonder why. The fantasy line was very very very well liked around here. I believe it sold like crazy too. The only sentiment that I could remotely attribute to your thinking people didn't like it, was at the end...some of us were just wanting it to change. Three years of fantasy is long. And a lot of people after the MMV, really like the idea of more civilian sets.

But please, do tell me where you are getting the idea that the fantasy line wasn't well liked.

But back on topic, because this is about dragons...of course dragons are excellent. I happen to like the old ones, but that's a personal choice. I would like to see on in the Kingdoms line. The dragon isn't an element that was limited to the fantasy line, so anything is possible.

The Viking dragons are my personal favourite. Please don't stone me.

As far as bringing dragons into Kingdoms, it seems totally natural considering there's a Dragon faction and it would be pretty cool to see a new variation on the dragons. So yeah I guess I'm in favour as far as that goes.
But... those dragons are pretty big. That might mean a lot of bricks get taken out of the sets with dragons, or that the price would go up. So I'm not liking the sound of that part.

But yeah, dragons are awesome.

I, too, loved the dragons. I have six, I think. I forget the exact number, but I liked 'em!

Josh

Seeing as the current line up has a baby dragon(the wizard impulse set) in it I bet there is a good chance we may see a dragon or two before it's all over. Maybe a dark green one to match the babies in the sets? Personally, I'm not too crazy about all the fantasy elements like troll and skeleton armies but some fantasy elements like dragons, creatures from the deep dark woods or a troll under a bridge fit nicely in any castle theme.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Bring back the dragons.

What I believe was the tipping point for good dragons came with advent of the large ball joints and the clicking rotator joints. It came during the Vikings theme.

The biggest dragon set I ever bought was a Creator set. It was the green version (now discontinued.)

I wish I'd come out of my dark ages in time to get some of the fantasy line dragons (or viking). May have to order one or two sets off of bricklink, maybe even an old dragons since I missed getting one of those as well when I was a kid. I'm very much a fan of dragons - seeing a Kingdoms line dragon would be really nice.

I did pick up the Fiery Legend Creator set and am quite happy with it, though some light modifications are needed to pose it well.

Bluesecrets,
You are correct, I did get the impression that some folks didn't care for the Fantasy line toward the end of its tenure. Mea culpa . Likewise, I will always have a place in my heart, and collection for the original dragons. I still use them as messengers. As for the viking dragons, in my humble opinion, they had some great points, ball joints, various colors of horns, but they were just too blocky for me. Of course, I still got them all and am still trying to figure out how to make a two, or three headed dragon from the dragons in the fantasy line . As I always remind my brother-in-law, "If we didn't have imaginations we would never have dragons, or visa versa".

I would love to see more dragons in more styles and colors.

Metallic colored dragons, two headed dragons, long bodied dragons.or just the ones we have already but more of them!

I'd love to see a more 'realistic' looking dragon like the HP Hungarian Horntail.

This might be jumping the gun just a bit. I'll be the first to admit that the dragons from the fantasy line were cool, but come on, it's only been one year since that line finished. I wouldn't by any means say that we shouldn't expect to see dragons around again, and shortly too, likely as not. The current castle line though, has, to me anyway, spoken of a more "realistic" style of design. Men Vs. Men as opposed to Men Vs. Fantasy creatures. This might, just might, preclude the possiblity of a dragon in this line. That being said, as lines rarely last more than two or three years, it is more than likely we will see dragons in the near future. If five years from now we still haven't seen any dragons, then maybe we should start bugging Lego about them. But for now, with the fantasy line barely over, it's a bit premature, don't you think?

Dan

Robin Hood wrote:This might be jumping the gun just a bit. I'll be the first to admit that the dragons from the fantasy line were cool, but come on, it's only been one year since that line finished. I wouldn't by any means say that we shouldn't expect to see dragons around again, and shortly too, likely as not. The current castle line though, has, to me anyway, spoken of a more "realistic" style of design. Men Vs. Men as opposed to Men Vs. Fantasy creatures. This might, just might, preclude the possiblity of a dragon in this line. That being said, as lines rarely last more than two or three years, it is more than likely we will see dragons in the near future. If five years from now we still haven't seen any dragons, then maybe we should start bugging Lego about them. But for now, with the fantasy line barely over, it's a bit premature, don't you think?

Dan

Not Necessarily, they (LEGO) *ARE* designing about 2 years out, or so the general consensus goes. I'm sure they do adjustments and tweaks in a ongoing basis, but the general broad strokes of a theme are done a ways out. It's likely they are designing the 2012 or 2013 sets at one level or another right now. Besides, what's the harm in a little nudge in what we want to see? it's why forums like this one exist

I'd love to see a more 'realistic' looking dragon like the HP Hungarian Horntail.

Funny, I think the Horntail looks a lot like the more recent dragons. I'm not sure what a " more realistic" dragon is. As far as I know, no actual proof of a dragon existing has happened as of yet. Therefore, I'm not sure how LEGO can provide your request without evidence of real dragons.

Not Necessarily, they (LEGO) *ARE* designing about 2 years out, or so the general consensus goes. I'm sure they do adjustments and tweaks in a ongoing basis, but the general broad strokes of a theme are done a ways out. It's likely they are designing the 2012 or 2013 sets at one level or another right now. Besides, what's the harm in a little nudge in what we want to see? it's why forums like this one exist

Ah but you forget, LEGO has many things designed that we have not seen. Some pieces have been designed and sitting in storage just waiting for the proper time. Of course there is no harm is asking for something you want. But it is responsible to point out that dragons have been plentiful in the castle line and were not restricted to the Fantasy castle line.

The Horntail is probably my favorite too. I think what username mean by 'more realistic' is a less cartoony print and more natural colouring than the fantasy dragons had? At least that's the way I took his meaning because that's something I'd also like to see.

I really liked the fantasy line; it brought me out of a dark ages that started around KK1. Heck, I even kind of liked the skeletons (although I do wish they were less floppy). But the dragons were great. My green wizard rides the green dragon from 7048.