nWe've talked about the creations of LEGO builder Orion Pax (alias Alex Schranz) before here at ComicsAlliance, highlighting his incredible custom figures and vehicles inspired by G.I. Joe, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Now, he's added yet another beloved '80s property to that list with a set based on M.A.S.K.!



M.A.S.K., a cartoon about a secret government organization that used super-powered helmets called "masks" and cars that transformed into other vehicles to fight an evil organization with the exact same stuff, might not be quite as beloved as those other franchises. But when I was three years old, I can assure you that it was my jam. Schranz's incredible rendition of the Rhino -- complete with mini-figures of Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato! -- doesn't just hit my nostalgia buttons, either -- it's actually a well-made model that even incorporates the action features of the original toy!For those of you who didn't have impeccable taste in syndicated television circa 1985, M.A.S.K. was essentially a mash-up of Transformers and G.I. Joe, with about a dozen extra gimmicks thrown in for good measure.



The show followed the adventures of the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand (maybe the most shameless example of acronym shoehorning in the history of television) in their battle against the Vicious Evil Network Of Mayhem. Apparently acting as both crusaders and raiders, M.A.S.K employed helmets masks that gave them super-powers, but because that's not nearly enough to base a toy line on, they also got vehicles that could transform into... uh... other, slightly different vehicles. Mostly they were car-to-aircraft conversions that were predicated on the idea that gull-wing doors could function as actual wings, but as you can see in the video, there was also a helicopter that turned into an airplane. It might not make sense, but I loved it anyway.

Also, Trakker's son had a robot that looked a lot like R2D2, except that it could turn into a motorcycle, and that is awesome.

Of all the M.A.S.K. toys I begged my parents for when I was a kid, the Rhino was my favorite, as it combined my childhood love of semi-trucks with my life-long love of laser cannons:



And that's the best thing about this LEGO creation: It's not just a magenta semi truck, but it's got the laser cannons! And the battering-ram grill, the detachable secondary vehicle, and the hidden laboratory in the back of the cab, all of which were features on the original toy:



So far, this is Schranz's only M.A.S.K.-related creation, but I hope he goes all out with it and does a few more. I cannot wait to see a LEGO version of the Jackhammer, an SUV that turns into a... slightly different SUV.

For more pictures (and more awesome LEGO creations), check out Orion Pax's photostream!

[Via The Brothers Brick]