On fanboys and building

In playing with LEGO bricks for the past six months, I've been exposed to a lot of different fanboys (and a few fangirls). It made me wonder if you had to be addicted to comic books or a frequent viewer of Star Wars to play with LEGO, or if it was just some happy accident of geek attraction.

After a while though I figured it out, those other interests were not necessarily related to building with LEGO, except in the specific cases where Star Wars or Indiana Jones fans found themselves picking up plastic bricks after a long hiatus because of specially released sets.

In choosing to embrace LEGO and redefine a children's toy, adult fans have found the confidence to embrace their fanhood in other arenas. At the same time, the creative element of LEGO allows the fan experience to be more interactive, characterized via the Boba Fett suit made of LEGO. And for that, all fanboys should be grateful because when we are around the thing or movie we love, we suddenly turn into babbling incoherent eight-year-olds. I just wish someone had offered me a chance to build with LEGO bricks before I toured the Marshmallow Fluff factory- it would have made it a lot easier to focus.

Photo by zachmoe.