by Sarah Herman
Captain Redbeard ruled the LEGO seas from 1978 until he was replaced by Captain Brickbeard (who also had a red beard) in 2009. © Jordan Schwartz
Decorative base plates had been seen as part of Space and Town sets (such as the crater-covered plate in set 6970 Beta-1 Command Base) but TLG developed new vacuum base plates with ramps and crevices decorated with painted rock designs for children to build sets on. These Pirate “islands” are seen by some as the first signs of LEGO dumbing down its sets to appeal to the Game Boy generation. Whereas previous generations may have created their own impressive LEGO structures on which to build castles and space stations, soon LEGO was rolling out vacuum base plates across its product line and they became fairly common, in some form or another, in Town, Space, and Castle sets. These base plates weren’t the only new parts designers got to work on for Pirates. “Along the way we added natives, crocodiles, new masks, new headgear, and new great decorations for the pirates theme,” Knudsen recalled. “We also added a suspension bridge and a canoe. A new snake, however, didn’t get the official approval!” The introduction of all these simple yet effective parts as well as LEGO monkeys, parrots, sharks, and material sails added color and interactivity to this appealing new play world.
PIRATE SHIPS
• The first ship the pirates helmed was the Black Seas Barracuda (6285, also known as Dark Shark). This large vessel with its five-sail formation was made up from an impressive 909 pieces, and is still considered one of the best Pirate ships to date. With its skull-and-crossbones flag, red and white sails, and human figurehead brandishing a chalice (presumably filled with rum), this was a ship for Captain Redbeard to be proud of. The ship was so popular it was re-released in 2002 as part of the LEGO Legends series with a few minor changes, the most noticeable of which was the use of nonfiring cannons.
• LEGO fans (and Redbeard) had to wait until 1993 before they could get their hands on another ship for the pirates—and this time they had a choice of two: the smaller Renegade Runner/Seastar (6268) or the sixsail Skull’s Eye Schooner (6286), also known as the Black Skull—a set that eclipsed the Barracuda in size. This time there was no mistaking the pirates—both ships carried black and white sails emblazoned with the skull-and-crossbones design. Armed to the teeth with muskets and a cannon, the Runner may have been small, but was packed with details including a moving rudder, real compass, and four pirates. The Schooner, meanwhile, had a nine-strong crew, manning four cannons (with the capacity for four more), as well as a working winch and rudder.
• In 1996 Captain Redbeard was seen toppling off the back of the Red Beard Runner (6289), the first pirate ship in three years, also known as the Marauder. While the Skull’s Eye Schooner and Black Seas Barracuda had been fairly similar in shape and style, this ship caused some controversy among avid Pirates fans with its more playful design (e.g., fishing net, tattered sails) and mechanical gimmicks. The front mast, featuring the Imperial swords emblem, had a trapdoor underneath it which, when released, lowered the mast to the side revealing the skull-and-crossbones sail and the pirates’ true identity. The ship’s quarterdeck with skull design could also be triggered to fall away if the ship was “attacked”—the cause of Redbeard’s toppling on the box photograph. The ship lacked the realistic detail of its predecessor: There was no anchor and only limited armament. It was rereleased in 2001 alongside the Armada Flagship (6280) from the same year.
• In 1997 only four Pirates sets were released—these would be the last new pirate-themed sets for twelve years, with the exception of DUPLO and 4+ sets. Unfortunately, LEGO didn’t put out a large ship set this year, so fans of Pirates vessels had to settle for the more modest Cross Bone Clipper (6250)—a small craft similar to 1993’s Renegade Runner.
• A new ship was long overdue by 2009 when LEGO unleashed its new Pirates line. With Redbeard hanging up his hook for retirement, the ship Brickbeard’s Bounty (6243) was named after a new red-bearded pirate who looked remarkably similar to Old Red. The ship itself carefully incorporated some of the best elements from previous designs into an exciting new home for the pirates: the red and white sails from Black Seas Barracuda (without the traditional thread rigging); the winch and net from Red Beard Runner; and the return of firing cannons from the early sets. New details included a mermaid figurehead, vinyl pirate flag, a new shark large enough to eat a minifigure, and a large Captain’s cabin with impressive quarterdeck.
The 1989 set Forbidden Island (6270) incorporated many of the new elements introduced for pirates—a shark, parrot, monkey, firing cannon, and the palm tree building system. © StreetFly JZ
The rope bridge element first used in Forbidden Island would later be used in Forestmen, Adventurers, and other Pirate sets. © StreetFly JZ
Of course, pirates wouldn’t be pirates if they didn’t have some soldiers locking them up for stealing treasure, so TLG also released sets that included “good guys” to defend forts and islands from the pesky buccaneers—although it was common for children to be rooting for the pirates. In the 1989–1991 sets Captain Redbeard (or “Captain Roger,” as he was also known) and his cohorts took on the boys in blue— the Imperial Governors, who came armed and ready in sets such as Sabre Island (6265) and the grander El Dorado Fortress (6276). Their ship was the modest Caribbean Clipper (6274), also known as the Seahawk, but occasionally they would sail ashore on a smaller vessel to arrest the pirates (as in Rock Island Refuge (6273).
In 1992 the blue “soldiers” were replaced by the Imperial Guards, who dressed almost identically, but in red. They answered to the Admiral (recognised by his smart red and white uniform, white gloves, and black bicorne with white plume)—and while their red and white striped flag was colored differently from the Governors’, they fought under the same crossed cannons and crown insignia. The U.K. name for the trading post set 6277 was Port Royal—a real seventeenth-century Jamaican port town captured by the British in 1655. The set itself provided a port hub for the guards who were very busy seizing treasure from the pirates on Skull Island (6279), protecting the Imperial Outpost (6263), and manning their weapons at Cannon’s Cove (6266).
New helmets, weapons, and epaulets were designed for these boys in blue. © Jordan Schwartz
IMPERIAL GOVERNORS
• Referred to as “Governors” in the 1990 catalog, this group is often called Imperial Soldiers.
• The soldiers’ colors were blue and white, and their flag had a blue back-ground and a white cross with two cannons crossing underneath a crown (symbolizing the head of the empire the soldiers fight for).
• The lower ranks wore red epaulets and shako hats while their senior officers’ shoulders were dressed in yellow and wore bicorne and tricorne hats with plumes.
• The Caribbean Clipper had a yellow parrot as its figurehead.
• Governor Broadside himself was only available with the ship and the El Dorado Fortress—he could be recognized by the large white plume on his hat, mustache, and different tailoring on his torso.
On the cover of a 1994 LEGO catalog, a minifigure with a painted face and grass skirt catches a ride on a seaplane with a knight, while narrowly escaping attack by a LEGO Space Spyrius robot. In an effort to expand the playability of the Pirates theme, LEGO introduced the “Islanders” sets. These locals provided another enemy (or ally) for the pirates, and added some native flavor to the naval military backdrop. The six Islanders sets did not feature any Imperial Guards but did include adventurous pirates who had ventured from their ships in search of treasures. The Islanders sets were bright and inviting; draped in foliage, vines, and palm trees, they were a series of small alcoves such as King Kahuka’s Throne (6262) and Forbidden Cove (6264). Great attention was paid to small details such as native shields, fire torches, and weapons—the Islanders carried bows and arrows and spears, and locked trespassing pirates up in wooden cages. The largest set was 1994’s Enchanted Island (6278), the base for the Islanders; it included two boats (one of which belonged to the pirates) and a drawb
ridge that could be swung to topple the person crossing it.
The Islanders’ dress code had a Polynesian feel with necklaces made from bones and plants, grass skirts, and animal horns protruding menacingly from their black, top-knotted hair. The male Islanders had their faces painted, and there was also a female Islander available only with Enchanted Island—one of the few female minifigures available with a Pirates set. King Kahuka (the Islanders’ leader) stood out with his large red mask and white plume. Underneath, his face was painted white, red, and blue.
But the LEGO Group was not done with Pirates for the ‘90s and in 1996 a line of new sets welcomed some more regimental colors to the high seas. Flying blue and white striped sails with a red and yellow insignia on their “Armada Flagship” (6280), it’s commonly thought these seafarers belonged to the Spanish fleet—their flag was a crown resting atop an anchor. The Armada was not as grand as previous ships, but had a collapsible mast, and a cannon capable of rotating and moving along a track. This ship was also re-released in 2001 alongside the Red Beard Runner. They didn’t have an outpost or fort to protect, unless you include the seventy-four piece Armada Sentry (6244), but one brave sailor can be seen attempting an attack on the crocodile-infested pirate hideout Shipwreck Island (6296), while another two risked their lives at the Pirates Perilous Pitfall (6281, North America only) with its booby-trapped falling boulder. The Armada sailors themselves dressed in red with blue lines on their torsos. There was a green minifigure with a detailed ruffle and gold medallion, and a captain with a silver neck chain and detachable metallic breastplate. Typically, the Armada men’s faces featured pointed mustaches and inquisitive eyebrows.
El Dorado Fortress was home to the Imperial Governor and his guards and came with a treasure chest, cannon, and prison cell. © StreetFly JZ
Unfortunately, despite the initial success of Pirates, the Armada sets seemed to mark the end of the theme’s life as LEGO designers pressed on with the development of more unusual themes. With the exception of re-released sets in the early 2000s, it wasn’t until 2009 that LEGO Pirates would raise the anchor and take to the seas again.
Action-driven sets, such as this 1991 Coastal Cutter, were introduced to the Town theme in the 1990s. © StreetFly JZ
From 1991, most LEGO sets were marketed as “LEGO System” regardless of their theme, including the new Pirates sets. Back on dry land, certain ranges, such as Space’s Spyrius or Western, were clearly identified by extra branding on the box, but most LEGO Town sub-themes, with the exception of a couple (e.g., Paradisa) were not. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the LEGO Group produced an almost continuous stream of basic Town sets, constantly updating its emergency services, construction, and transportation ranges. These resulted in action-driven sets such as 1989’s Coastal Rescue Base (6387) and 1991’s Fire Rescue (4031) to everyday infrastructure such as service stations, pizza places, and airports. Initially, LEGO catalogs integrated the various arms of Town with photographs incorporating different sets and ranges, but as these ranges grew larger and more distinct, they were often given their own pages to attract fans of that particular sub-theme, such as airport-related sets and those revolving around a harbor. There were sets that focused specifically on getting away from town life, such as Rocky River Retreat (6552) and Amazon Crossing (6490) as well as a small range of Australian Outback sets in 1997.
The Breezeway Café (6376), released in 1990, is a fan favorite from this period. It showed LEGO toys weren’t just about spacemen and warring knights, and that building a cheerful café could be equally entertaining. © Andrew Martin
The LEGO Group also launched the Paradisa line to appeal to girls, and actiondriven sets such as 1993’s Aerial Acrobats (6345) and 1997’s Roadblock Runners (6549) to make Town less about refuse collection and milk trucks (although 6693 and 1581 are great examples of those) and exciting to a generation of children more accustomed to action movies and computer games. Between 1986 and 1995, Town sets received the Light & Sound electric treatment on eight different sets—one tactic LEGO employed to make the toys more interactive and appealing to tech-savvy kids. By 1991 Light & Sound had been renamed Electric System and two sets, including a police patrol vehicle and an airport fire truck, were fitted with the battery packs. These were followed by a coastal patrol boat in 1994 and the F1 Hauler (6484) in 1995—both these vehicles also included small motors, rotating the radar on the boat and moving the crane on the hauler. These were the last Town sets to include the Electric System, although LEGO Trains would continue to keep minifigure towns moving into the new millennium. Here are some of the more significant sub-themes that were produced under the Town name during the 1990s.
While there were many traditional Town sets full of policemen, firemen, and construction workers, this era introduced a number of new occupations to LEGO Town, including this TV crew (6661). © Andrew Martin
Paradisa (1992–1997)
Inspired by the sunny building style of the popular 1990 Breezeway Café (6376) and earlier horse-riding sets including Riding Stable (6379) and Derby Trotter (6355), the LEGO Group released a holiday-themed range of pale pink, green, and white sets featuring lots of horses, palm trees, and female minifigures in an attempt to draw more girls to the brand. With not a policeman or road sweeper in sight, and the first use of pink pieces such as seats, fences, gates, and even cups, this was a big leap for TLG, and the inventiveness of some of the designs is a testament to how much they wanted it to succeed. Popular sets include Poolside Paradise (6416) with its swimming pool and curving stairway and the horsey Rolling Acres Ranch (6419). After five years of sipping cocktails and relaxing in the sun, the range ended, and no LEGO Town set has returned to such “girly” territory since. For more on the Paradisa line and other LEGO products targeting girls, go to page 164.
Poolside Paradise (6416) was one of the first Paradisa sets released in 1992. © StreetFly JZ
With a hint of pink, Paradisa brought pure leisure to LEGO Town, and some wonderful new female minifigures. © StreetFly JZ
Race (1992–2000)
Before car theme LEGO Racers appeared in 2001, the good folk of LEGO Town supported their favorite racing drivers down at the track. With the invention of the LEGO wheel, it was inevitable that designers would build a race car. LEGO racing car designs went back as far as the mid-1970s with a Formula 1 car (392) and various racing car sets throughout the 1980s, some with “Shell” sponsorship. By the 1990s LEGO racing drivers had switched their sponsorship to Octan as can be seen in 1992’s Checkered Flag 500 (6551), one of the first Race sets of this period. The previous year LEGO had released some smaller Race car/minifigure sets including Red Devil Racer (6509), Screaming Patriot (6646) with a stars and stripes design on the back of the car, and Mag Racer (pictured below). More of these small sets were released in 1992 and 1993, which saw the addition of a new F1 racing car (1990) and a set of two dragsters (1992), as well as the Victory Cup Racers set (6539) complete with winners’ podium and racing cart transporter. Other memorable 1990s Race sets included the Hot Rod Club (6561)—the ideal location for these colorful drag racers to get fixed up—and 1995’s F1 Hauler, the only 9 volt Electric System Race set. The LEGO Group took a break from Town Race sets in the late ‘90s, although racing cars continued to feature prominently in the Technic range, and then launched a small collection of sets in 2000, boxed with a new checkered flag “Race” logo. These included a motorized Rocket Dragster (6616) and Grip ’n’ Go Challenge (6713)—a competitive set that saw two cars with pincers tackling each other to score goals with a plastic boulder. These were the last Race sets; as of 2001 Racers was launched—a new theme independent from Town.
Road Racer (6605) was one of a number of small racing car sets released in the 1980s. © David Martin
Before LEGO Racers, the simple race car designs of the 1990s, like Mag Racer (6648), were available as small, affordable sets for car fans. © David Martin
Launch Command (1995)
With only five sets t
o its name Launch Command is a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” range. The centerpiece of the space travel action was front and center of page five of the 1995 catalog—an impressive 562-piece Shuttle Launch Pad (6339) complete with working crane system, detachable fuel tank, and rocket boosters, as well as a scientist minifigure with security clearance tag. The realistic colors and designs were repeated in 1999 with Space Port, but Launch Command did it first and was the only range to have a shuttle transport plane (6544) and an evacuation unit complete with flame-busting hose (6614). Launch Command’s logo—a white circle with red and blue outline and space shuttle image—appeared on astronauts’ space suits, the shuttle, and other vehicles, and was the basis for the Space Port logo a few years later.
