There are many classic minifigures from the early days of LEGO System sets, from themes like Space, Castle, Town and Pirates. Blocks is picking out some of the best classics!
The LEGO minifigure first appeared in 1978 after careful prototyping to ensure the new figures were the absolute best they could be. The first minifigures were simple creatures, with unprinted legs, minimalistic torsos and a single face print shared by every character. The now-iconic smiley face was the only option for minifigures for about a decade — if you exclude the entirely unprinted headpieces of earlier figures.
The first minifigures proved wildly popular and quickly became the most familiar icon of the LEGO System. Over the years, minifigures have grown more and more detailed, with complex printing, wacky accessories and even altered limbs. But the classic charm of those first minifigures still enchants fans to this day. Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, is taking a look at some of these retro minifigures that still capture fans’ hearts, decades after their release.
Captain Redbeard
When LEGO Pirates stormed onto shelves in 1989, it did so under the fearless command of Captain Redbeard in 6285 Black Seas Barracuda. This brave pirate captain has seen everything there is to see upon the waves and has the scars to prove it — the figure comes with a hook and pegleg in place of the standard limbs. The torso print is perfectly complex yet simple, fitting right in with other minifigures of the time. The face print features the Captain’s namesake, a full red beard, as well as more printed hair and an eyepatch. The face hidden underneath the pirate details is still the classic smiley face, showing Redbeard to be a friendly pirate.
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Forestman
LEGO Castle has had many a subtheme over the course of its forty-plus years, and one of its most popular is the Forestmen. These Robin Hood-esque characters live deep in the woods and are well connected with nature, building their hideouts in and around the trees they call home, such as 6054 Forestmen’s Hideout. The original Forestman minifigure is once again on the simpler side, with just a little printing for his shirt and a belt. He also gets a hat with a small feather as well as a backpack, ready to go out on an adventure in the wild.
Chef
To say there have been a lot of LEGO chef minifigures would be a gross understatement. But one of the most charming is the moustached chef from 1994’s fan-favourite 6350 Pizza To Go. This minifigure works hard preparing delicious food for his customers while wearing his button-up chef’s coat and red tie. He completes his look with a wonderful little chef’s hat, a mould still used for chef minifigures to this day. Although the best part of the figure is the face print. It may just be a classic smiley face with a small moustache, but it fits the figure perfectly and is one of the most beloved face prints from the era.
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Black Falcon Knight
Much the same as the Forestmen, the Black Falcons remain one of the most popular factions of LEGO Castle, so much so that they have made a return in recent years. The modern figures stay true to the original Black Falcon design, which features a blue torso and black limbs alongside a black helmet. The Black Falcon crest is printed on each knight’s torso and depicts the faction’s namesake in an artful black and silver pattern. Each of these classic knights boasts the standard smiley face, showing that the Black Falcons aren’t as intimidating as their name might suggest. A number of these knights defend 6074 Black Falcon’s Fortress from 1986 — some come armed with spears while others carry bows and arrows.
Classic Spaceman
Classic Space remains one of the most popular themes from the early days of the minifigure, and a large part of the theme’s popularity stems from the minifigure astronauts that populate the spaceships and far-off worlds. The Classic Spacemen wear monochromatic suits, complete with helmets and air tanks, with the Classic Space emblem printed on the centre of their torso. By the end of Classic Space, the astronauts had worn white, blue, yellow, red and black. But with the theme’s immense popularity, throwback figures have been made in a variety of new colours, including orange, brown and pink. The pictured red variant is one of the pilots of the iconic 497 Galaxy Explorer from 1979.
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Images courtesy of Brickset.com.