Despite being a year old, or from the “before times” as some members in my LUG call it, Capt. Dad’s first building foray into the land of Neo-Classic Blacktron got noticed by BrickNerd’s Message Intercept Base. I do love a good rover, and it is a great way to kick off Febrovery!

This rover checks those bold Blacktron boxes: sleek, a bit aggressive, and a nice mix of black, yellow and trans red. There’s also a good amount of greebeling and texture but it doesn’t go overboard. I especially like the details in the cockpit and how Capt. Dad calls it very “Vroomable” — just like Swooshable but on the ground! I got the chance to ask him a few questions about his building style, history in the fandom and more.

Michael J: Thanks for chatting with us! Neo-Classic space is definitely your wheelhouse, I can tell by looking through your photostream. What appeals most to you about that style?

Capt. Dad: I grew up with the Classic Space LEGO sets and they’ve always captured my imagination. I was born in 1978 (same as the minifigure!) and my older brother and I kept our collection in a large green blanket with a cinch-up drawstring that my mom sewed, so I still have all of those sets and their instructions. I always try to incorporate the original pieces into my builds.

I also grew up with other themes like Star Wars, He-Man, G.I. Joe, GoBots, M.A.S.K., Transformers, Atari, NES and all the other awesome ‘80s stuff that is now being sold back to me and my kids ad nauseum. I am the exact demographic for all of the nostalgic stuff that’s being marketed out there, and my experience as a kid in suburban Washington, DC looked suspiciously like Stranger Things (minus the telekinetic powers).

MJ: Do you still build with the older sets or have you passed them onto your children?

CD: When my son, who is almost 17 now, started to get into LEGO, I busted out the old sets and we had a blast. My wife encouraged us to submit a photo to a Wired.com competition and we wound up winning! They sent us a ton of sets and then the actual LEGO company contacted me because they wanted to use the same photo. They wound up using it on the inside cover of their French catalog several years ago and as compensation, they also sent us a buttload of sets. So, my kids and I have had our own awesome adventures with LEGO.

MJ: Has your experience with LEGO shifted with adulthood?

CD: My experience with LEGO as an adult caused me to reach out and find communities where people were sharing the love. I was on Peeron.com for instructions and I had an account on MOCPages (RIP), and eventually I started posting on Flickr and being influenced by others who did the NCS style. You can definitely see an evolution of skill in my photostream.

MJ: Do you think your profession has influenced you building style at all?

CD: I work as a video editor and many of the same things that appeal to me about editing also translate to the process of making a build. I initially liked the constraints of working within a theme because it helped focus my imagination. Having some design parameters paradoxically helped me to think creatively. Overall, the Neo-Classic style taps into my own childhood while allowing me to connect with my kids. It’s pretty great and I have no intention of stopping.

MJ: With the Impeder being your first Blacktron, build what inspired you?

CD: We found the yellow canopy from a toy vendor at a Comic-con and then we got the Blacktron Bounty Hunter Collectible Minifigure, and it was just obvious to me that he needed a vehicle that was a little overkill! The Neo-Blacktron theme is menacing and calculated and I really wanted the Impeder to be those things.

But it was also important that there be some utility to the design and that there’d be searchlights and a turbine engine to propel it—with adjustable fins to help with stability, naturally. Ultimately it’s about having fun and this model makes me want to crawl around on my hands and knees and say, “Vroom!" Vroomable is the new Swooshable!

MJ: Is there any part of the build that was particularly rewarding or challenging?

CD: In the same way that building in NCS has rules that are meant to be bent, this build also had to have a balance. I like that it’s bulky and sleek, completely unreal and yet there’s a plausible logic to its design. I had a projectile launcher on top of it at one point but I abandoned that to keep a low profile on the roof. Yet again, creativity driven by constraints! I’ve had that come up a lot in conversation recently!

MJ: Do you have a favorite LEGO piece to use as a greebling?

I hadn’t really ever thought of that before, but I guess I’d say it’s the little saucer dish like the transparent red ones on the rear of the Impeder. They’re so versatile! Landing gear, propulsion, communications, lights, or… a birdbath. You can use it for anything! I love the 2x2 radar dish, at least that’s what I call it. LEGO, Brickset, or BrickLink may have other preferred names!

MJ: One last question just for fun. How do you get promoted from regular Dad to Capt. Dad?

CD: Major Mom’s nepotistic tendencies.

Well there you have it, with more thought-provoking questions than I intended! Capt. Dad also shared a great tip to clean up those scratched windscreens we all love in Classic Space builds. He suggested using Future Floor Finish (used in other hobbies), but I leave it up to our readers to determine if that technique counts as purist or not.

This isn’t the good Captains first visit BrickNerd, so check the last time he got featured. And happy Febrovery, everyone!

Are you building anything for Febrovery? Have your children affected how you build with LEGO? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.