LEGO Mania Magazine: A Look Back to Twenty Years Ago! (Part V)

Welcome back to another post where we take a look at the original LEGO Mania Magazine!  We've worked through the first few pages (you can go here to see the last post) and now we up to the user submitted photos.

I have to be honest, I'm not sure how LEGO had user submitted photos for a magazine that wasn't published until this very edition.  In hindsight, that seems a bit fishy (but I'm sure I didn't think anything of it at the time).  I do know I thought it'd be kind of cool to be featured in the magazine (and at one point I had even taken a couple of photos with the idea of submitting them) but to the best of my memory, I never did.

The Manic Madness (as LEGO called it) was a two page spread, almost like a poster which featured models presumably made by fans.


As you can see, LEGO did do a nice job of featuring creations from a variety of age levels (and sets/themes).  When I first received the magazine, I do recall thinking that the "Black Knight Fortress" by Adam was pretty cool.  Unfortunately, looking at the models now I realize that that particular model was basically the least creative out of all the models on the page (not to mention that the catapult and the dragon wagon were both actual LEGO models that I would later own myself)!

No, now I think my favorites are the Moon Outpost #5 (mostly because of the greenhouse) and the Bowling Alley.  I highly question the USS LEGO model at the bottom of the page - there's no way that photo was taken by an 8 year old...look at the staging, the shadows, etc.  Way too professional for any kid to have done.  I also am glad that LEGO got rid of the Technic figures (as seen in the Racer model) - those things are hideous abominations.

Next time we return to the magazine we will take a look at the comic called The Adventures of the LEGO Maniac.  Sure, it's a corny name but it certainly works to sell whatever sets they are trying to peddle for any issue of the magazine (rather than having to have some sort of cohesive plot to tie together each episode)!

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