Media
From its outset in 2001, the BIONICLE storyline has been told through a plethora of Media. Debuting in an Online Game and later appearing in a series of Comics, Books, Movies, and Animations, the BIONICLE franchise has utilized many forms of consumer-oriented media.
Websites
BIONICLE has been promoted with the use of online Websites throughout its run. The main website, Bionicle.com, was launched in 2001 to promote the line. The website would be updated throughout the year with the product launches and cover story material before being rebooted annually for the new releases. Several offshoots and related websites were also released, notably BIONICLEstory.com, a story focused companion website that hosted the web serials and served as a hub for biographies and other related information.
LEGO has also utilized numerous Microsites, occasionally hosted by other companies, when distributing specialized types of media.
Serials
BIONICLE's websites featured extensive written story content, notably including the online story serials. This and other written content supplemented the story featured in comics and books.
Online Games
The websites also featured an extensive library of games. Although many of these were noncanon, a number were semicanon or canon.
Video Games
Many types of video games supplementing the line have been released; one of the first BIONICLE media was the Mata Nui Online Game, a Flash-based web game with puzzle and adventure elements. There have been three major online games, as well as numerous home and handheld console experiences.
For BIONICLE's reboot in 2015, video games came in the form of smartphone apps.
Comics
Comics have appeared as a visual media for BIONICLE starting in 2001, with the first comic written by Greg Farshtey and illustrated by Carlos D'Anda and Randy Elliott. The comics, distributed by DC Comics, they came packaged free with the official bi-monthly LEGO Magazine. The series went through a number of different artists during its tenure, including Stuart Sayger in 2006 and 2007, Leigh Gallagher in 2008, and Pop Mhan in 2009.
The Graphic Novels of the reboot were written by Ryder Windham and illustrated by Caravan Studio.
Movies and Animations
Animations have been used in BIONICLE to promote sets, the storyline, and other BIONICLE-related material. Many animations were created by ADVANCE and Ghost.
BIONICLE's first generation had four direct-to-DVD movies made for it: a trilogy of movies from 2003-2005, created by Miramax and Creative Capers, and a fourth in 2009 by Tinseltown Toons. The second generation featured a 3D television streaming series on Netflix, BIONICLE: The Journey to One.
Books
BIONICLE books made their debut in mid-2003, with a series initially written by Cathy Hapka before being taken over by Greg Farshtey. They were published by Scholastic in the U.S. and Harper Collins Children Books in the U.K. In 2015, a new series debuted, written by Ryder Windham and published by Little, Brown and Company.
Magazines
BIONICLE has featured in LEGO's bi-monthly periodical, the LEGO Magazine (known under various names) with promotional and story information. LEGO has also released other theme-focused magazines - notably the BIONICLE Magazine series in 2016 - in conjunction with other publishers and distributors.
Competitions
LEGO has periodically hosted contests featuring BIONICLE, dating back to the inaugural year. Many of these contests were held directly through LEGO via their magazine, but others have featured promotional partners and television networks for prize distribution.
Card Games
The original BIONICLE Trading Card Game appeared in 2001, followed by one expansion pack as well as three other games.
Board Games
Seven BIONICLE board games were released during the first generation of BIONICLE. The first was released in 2001, the second and third (the latter of which was based on the first movie) in 2003, and one per year through 2007.
CDs
Promotional CDs were inserted in sets for many years, starting with the Toa Mata Mini Promo CD. They contain information about the set, including promotional videos and biographies of the characters.
Music
Over BIONICLE's run, LEGO produced and commissioned lots of music to promote the series. Many of these were used in commercials and promotional material while others were featured in movies, animations, and video games.
Merchandise
In addition to the official BIONICLE sets, LEGO partnered with third party companies to produce additional sets and materials to promote the BIONICLE line.
See also
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