In Episode 7 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Andrew Bulthaupt, owner and administrator of BZPower, one of the longest-running Bionicle fan communities on the internet. Andrew shares how Bionicle’s rich mythology and transmedia storytelling pulled him in at just the right moment in the early 2000s - and how BZPower grew from a merger of early fan sites into a 25-year-old community that predates YouTube, Wikipedia, and modern social media. They discuss how fandom evolved from message boards to today’s content-creator landscape, why Bionicle remains a small but fiercely loyal niche, and how fans—including former Bionicle builders who are now LEGO designers—continue to shape the hobby.

The conversation also dives into Bionicle’s convention roots (especially BrickFair), the evolution of Bionicle MOCs into more organic, sculpture-like builds, and the ways the community still gathers today through the Bionicle LUG.

The episode closes on a heartfelt tribute to Joe Meno (our guest from episode 2), reflecting on his warmth, his passion, and the lasting impact he had on the LEGO community - from Toy Fair memories to the simple joy of catching up at conventions.

📍 Find BZPower & BioniLUG: • bzpower.com • bionilug.com

Until next time… play well.