Comics

Comics
Collection of comics with variant covers by Toby Dutkiewicz
Media
Type	Book
Years released	2001-2010 2015-2016

The BIONICLE franchise relates much of its story through comics. Several main series came packaged with the LEGO Club Magazine, and smaller promotional comics were distributed in other ways as well. The vast majority of BIONICLE comics were printed and distributed by the DC Comics company, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

BIONICLE (2001-2005)

Starting in June 2001, a three-issue comic series was included in the LEGO Mania Magazine as a promotion for the year's BIONICLE sets. The series ultimately continued into 2005 with a total of 27 issues.

2001

The first three issues of BIONICLE focus on the Toa Mata's adventures on the island of Mata Nui. The issues' covers suggest that they constitute three parts of a complete story. Given that the series ultimately continued beyond 2001, these three comic issues may be taken together as an untitled story arc of the larger BIONICLE series.

1. "The Coming of the Toa"
2. "Deep into Darkness"
3. "Triumph of the Toa"

The Bohrok Saga (2002)

The series continued into 2002 with "The Bohrok Saga", a six-part named story arc featuring the Bohrok.

4. "The Bohrok Awake"
5. "To Trap a Tahnok"
6. "Into The Nest"
7. "What Lurks Below"
8. "The End of the Toa?"
9. "Divided We Fall"

2003

An additional six issues of BIONICLE were released in 2003. While these issues' covers do not indicate any official division into story arcs, they may be naturally divided into two unofficial arcs: issues 10-12 tell the story of the Bohrok-Kal, and issues 13-15 recount the search for the Toa of Light.

10. "Powerless!"
11. "A Matter of Time..."
12. "Absolute Power"
13. "Rise of the Rahkshi!"
14. "At Last -- Takanuva!"
15. "Secrets and Shadows"

Metru Nui (2004-2005)

January 2004 marked the launch of the "Metru Nui" story arc, which focuses on adventures of the Toa Metru and their mutation into Toa Hordika. As with the 2003 issues, these issues' covers do not indicate any further subdivisions into official story arcs. Below, they are divided by release year for clarity.

2004

These issues portray the early adventures of the Toa Metru up to and immediately following the Great Cataclysm.

16. "Toa Metru!"
17. "Disks of Danger"
18. "Seeds of Doom"
19. "Enemies of Metru Nui"
20. "Struggle in the Sky"
21. "Dreams of Darkness"

2005

These issues follow the Toa Metru after the Visorak hordes mutate them into bestial Toa Hordika.

22. "Monsters in the Dark"
23. "Vengeance of the Visorak"
24. "Shadow Play"
25. "Birth of the Rahaga"
26. "Hanging by a Thread"
27. "Fractures"

BIONICLE Ignition (2006-2008)

If a Universe Ends, the first Ignition storyline comic

BIONICLE Ignition launched in January 2006 with issue 0, a special preview of the new series. Stuart Sayger illustrated the first eleven issues, and Leigh Gallagher assumed the role as in 2008. The comics feature the Toa Inika's journey on Voya Nui, the Toa Mahri's adventure in The Pit, and the Toa Nuva's final battle with the Brotherhood of Makuta in Karda Nui.

2006

While the issues released in 2006 are not officially listed as an arc of their own, issues 1-5 detail one cohesive story: the adventures of the Piraka and Toa Inika as they seek out the Mask of Life on Voya Nui. Issue 0 does not contain story content.

0. BIONICLE Ignition 0
1. "If a Universe Ends ..."
2. "Vengeance of Axonn"
3. "Showdown"
4. "A Cold Light Dawns"
5. "In Final Battle"

Sea of Darkness (2007)

The "Sea of Darkness" run takes place in and around Mahri Nui. Because LEGO wanted to release a Barraki poster in January, Issue 6 never received a physical English print. It was made available in other formats and languages, however.

6. BIONICLE Ignition 6
7. "Mask of Life, Mask of Doom"
8. "Sea of Darkness"
9. "Battle in the Deep!"
10. "The Death of Mata Nui"
11. "Death of a Hero"

Battle for Power (2008)

The "Battle for Power" arc illustrates the Toa Nuva's mission in Karda Nui to reawaken the Great Spirit Mata Nui. These issues' covers lack the BIONICLE Ignition name, but they are nonetheless listed here as part of that series because their issue numbering continues from where the "Sea of Darkness" numbering ends.

12. "Realm of Fear"
13. "Swamp of Shadows"
14. "Endgame"
15. "Mata Nui Rising"

In addition, a canonical comic script nicknamed BIONICLE Ignition 12.5, so called because the script takes place between issues 12 and 13, was released on BIONICLE.com.

BIONICLE Glatorian (2009-2010)

BIONICLE Glatorian is the third comic series based on the BIONICLE legend. Greg Farshtey returned as writer, with series newcomer Pop Mhan as illustrator.

2009

These comics' covers do not indicate they are part of an official arc. They relate the struggles of life on Bara Magna and Mata Nui's experiences on that world.

1. "Sands of Bara Magna"
2. "The Fall of Atero"
3. "A Hero Reborn"
4. "Before the Storm"
5. "Valley of Fear"

Journey's End (2010)

"Journey's End" is a two-issue arc that concludes Generation 1 of the BIONICLE story as Mata Nui faces off against Makuta in a climactic battle.

6. "All That Glitters"
7. "Rebirth"

Graphic Novel Exclusives

During BIONICLE Generation 1, publisher Papercutz released a series of graphic novels that anthologize the BIONICLE, BIONICLE Ignition, and BIONICLE Glatorian comic series. Several of these novels also contained exclusive one-off comic issues.

• "Hydraxon's Tale"
• "Fall and Rise of the Skrall"
• "The Exile's Tale"
• "All Our Sins Remembered"

Promotional Comics

Challenge of the Rahi

Smaller promotional comics have been created to fill out the BIONICLE line.

McDonald's Comics

BIONICLE comics were included with some McDonald's meals in 2001 and 2002.

2001

In 2001, a free mini-comic was included as part of a BIONICLE Happy Meal promotion.

1. "Challenge of the Rahi"

Legends (2002)

In 2002, McDonald's released a three-part "Legends" arc of mini-comics as part of its The Bohrok Awake card game promotion. A random issue of the arc appeared in each card pack. These issues spread the story of the Bohrok.

2. "Tale of the Toa"
3. "Secret of the Swarm"
4. "Into the Nest"

Lunchables Comics

Lunchables also had a set of promotional comics. They were slightly shorter than the McDonald's issues and took place during the events of BIONICLE 17, which overlaps with the novel BIONICLE Adventures 2: Trial by Fire.

• Lunchables 1
• Lunchables 2
• Lunchables 3

Set Pack-in Comics

Some promotional comics were included with BIONICLE sets.

• Bohrok Promo Comic
• Toa Nuva Promo Comic
• Bohrok-Kal Promo Comic
• Rahkshi Promo Comic
• BIONICLE: The Beginning
• Box Comics

Magazine Comics

• The Legend of Lewa: A three-part comic depicting the arrival of Toa Lewa on the island of Mata Nui, the beginning of his quest, and his first meeting with Gali.
• Trouble for Tahu: A two-part comic depicting the arrival of Toa Tahu on the island of Mata Nui, his arrival in Ta-Koro, and him saving the village from a lava flow.
• Secrets of Bara Magna!: A two-page comic introducing the 2009 setting and story.
• "Get the Mask": Included in the UK edition of the January–February 2015 LEGO Club Magazine was a comic booklet entitled Get The Mask, which contained six comics depicting each Toa and their Protector recovering the Golden Masks of Power and defeating Skull Spiders.
• "Shadow Ambush!": A one-page comic included in the March-April 2016 issue of the LEGO Club Magazine, depicting Tahu and Ikir fighting a Shadow Trap.

Quest for the Mask

Purchases of the 2015 BIONICLE sets from several French toy retailers came with a promotional comic booklet called "Quest for the Mask" (FR: La quête du masque). The booklet contained black and white illustrations (by the same artist as Get The Mask) of the Toa and Protectors traveling through Okoto and encountering Skull Spiders. It also included colorized versions of the illustrations as sticker inserts that could be removed.

• Gali comic
• Kopaka comic
• Lewa comic
• Onua comic
• Pohatu comic
• Tahu comic

Cancelled Comics

• 2005 Web Comics

See also

• Gallery:Comics
• Magazine Articles § Comic Articles