That didn’t take long! Now that Indiana Jones-themed LEGO are in the stores, fan builders are already putting together scenes not included in the first set, like this “Flying Wing” made by “Legohaulic.” The blocks around the plane’s wheels are a nice touch. (Is there a name for those blocks besides “blocks”? It seems like there should be. “Chocks”?)
Relatedly, while I totally understand why LEGO wouldn’t put Nazi livery on sets marketed to kids, it still seems a bit strange that it’s okay for kids to see a movie with swastikas in it, but not play with toys that have swastikas. (This isn’t an official set, of course, but the same thing applies to the official ones.) I really don’t feel strongly about it one way or the other, but I still find it a curious incongruence. Will they take them out of the LEGO Indiana Jones videogame?
Flying Wing [Flickr.com via The Bros. Brick]
Previously: Indiana Jones LEGO Sets Now for Sale [BBG]
As mentioned above, display of the swastika (and other Nazi-stuff, like the famous salute) in Germany and Austria is actually permitted for “scholarly” purposes. For some reason, this includes films like the Indiana Jones series, which clearly do not actually depict real events or have any particular educational value.
Swastikas on anything aimed at children, though, are Right Out. So there are no swastikas allowed in computer games or on models of any kind, be they Lego or quarter-scale R/C Bf 109s.
The ban also applies to realistic depictions of violence, which is why German versions of computer games have things like “robot” enemies that leak black “oil” when damaged, in place of humans with red blood.
@6 strider_mt2k
>and where’s the minifig that gets it from the prop?
Yes! I want a Pat Roach mini fig!
yep, chocks is the correct term. as in the old battle cry, “Chocks Away!”
Chocks away?! That’s awesome!
Starship Modeler is distributing a resin kit of this; it is a bit spendy, tho… http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1151&CFID=432899&CFTOKEN=24415771
Swastikas on toys are potentially not worth the trouble for Lego: swastikas are illegal in Brazil, Germany and Austria (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika#Germany). The swastika has not been edited out of the German version of the movies though, I guess this use counts as ‘reporting about historical events’.
As far as i can remember the LEGO star wars games didn’t have much in the way of symbols in them (even the basic Rebel/Imperial symbols) so they could just omit them saying that there not needed
-and where’s the minifig that gets it from the prop?
What, no blood spatter stickers?
Let them IMAGINE the stupid swastikas.
I think the difference between having a swastika in a videogame to having it on a piece of lego is that within videogames or movies the context of use is clear.–pbp
In some countries (like Germany), its still ILLEGAL for anything to show swastikas.
I’m an R/C pilot and many of the modelers who are in Germany (or go to meets in Germany) have legal troubles recreating ACTUAL HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT for just this reason.
Considering that Lego is made in Denmark just next door, I can see why they keep a low profile on Nazi markings……
if you’re ever in India, you’ll see the same symbol,
“Swasti” means well-being of one and all, “ka” means symbol.
actually was around way before the nazis decided to use it.
If you really want Swastikas for your Lego you could get some Custom Rub down transfers made.
>and where’s the minifig that gets it from the prop?
It’s just the bottom half of any of the other minifigs.
Yeah, I think Lego mostly doesn’t put any logos on their pieces. I would hate it if they did – it cuts down on the re-use potential of the logo’d piece.