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Zack
The LEGO Maniac is an iconic LEGO character used by the LEGO theme in instructions and commercials.
Description[]
In commercials, the character is shown building things and playing with them, accompanied by a song about their LEGO mania (nearly the same in every case, except that they had a few variations for different themes). LEGO originally had their LEGO Maniac named Zach/Zack, but when an imitator made their "sets" under the name of Zaks, LEGO changed the name to Jack to avoid unintentionally advertising for this fake. They changed it back to Zach/Zack later. Zach/Zack has been played by three different people. The last LEGO Maniac commercials aired in 1994, to be replaced with a song that went "LE-GO MA-NI-A! Lego Mania!" that lasted until 1999; the last commercials using it being early Lego Star Wars commercials. In 1990-1994, the LEGO Maniac advertised Blacktron Future Generation, Ice Planet 2002, Nautica, Flight (Town), Pirates and Islanders, among other themes.
During the 1990's, the M-Tron, the Blacktron, and the Blacktron Future Generation sets were advertised by Mac/Mack the Lego Maniac.
In LEGO set instructions for some older themes, the LEGO Maniac (a cartoon individual) is shown "playing" or "adventuring" within the theme/set.
In 2016 a exclusive Minifigure was released.
In Popular Culture[]
- In the Nostalgia Critic episode "Revenge of the Nostalgic Commercials", Zack the Lego Maniac is seen, but the Critic (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) envisions him as having grown up to become an unemployed, emotionally disturbed, 35-year old man who inherited his grandmother's house, which is the only place he can afford. He still uses Legos; albeit for more complex things such as making models of bombs, and takes an interest in events like the Manhattan Project. He makes actual bombs, as evidenced by using them offscreen on old bullies. He is deemed "Zack the Psycho Maniac" by the narrator, who sings a song very similar to that of the original commercials. The singing is interrupted by Zack, who detonates a bomb, having "Obnoxious Singing Narrator" as one of the intended victims on his hit list. The Critic also comments on the Zack and/or Jack name change, but does not mention the Zak knockoffs in detail.
- In the 2009 Stylish Beat Em' Up game MadWorld, for the Wii, the 2nd verse of one of the game's songs "Ain't That Funny" parodies the line "Zack, Zack, he's a Lego maniac" with the line "Jack, Jack, he's a psycho maniac" due to the protagonist Jack Cayman's ability to kill enemies en masse and often in extravagantly violent ways.
- Zack, the Lego maniac is mentioned in the Ozma song, “Maybe in an Alternate Dimension”.