With the recent Launch of the Disney+ streaming service, The Mandalorian series has been well-received and one character in particular has taken the internet by storm; of course, I’m talking about “Baby Yoda.” Images and scenes of the galaxy’s cutest toddler have blown up like a supernova. It was only a matter of time until a LEGO fan built the little guy, and Miro Dudas answered the call with an adorably charming rendition. Better yet, Miro decided to share the secrets of the Force with everyone in the form of free building instructions on Rebrickable!
Yearly Archives: 2019
In your eyes I am complete
Our readers over the age of thirty may already know the secret to winning over the hearts of that special someone. For the rest, this is what to do. Be sure to don a khaki trench coat with the sleeves pushed up to the elbow. Hop into your late 70’s model Chevy Malibu and head over to their place. Once there, hold a boombox similar to this one built by Chungpo Cheng high over your head and with the volume turned up all the way, stand outside their bedroom window and play some Peter Gabriel, but preferably not this one.
The end result should either have the person you most desire running longingly into your waiting arms or it may land you one hell of a restraining order. There really is no “in between” scenario with this stunt. But either way it would be totally worth it.
You might want to have that growth looked at.
There have been enough medical issues in my extended family that I know you have to take an unexpected growth or bump seriously. Early detection is often an important factor in survival, and ignoring things almost never has a good outcome. LEGO builder Djokson brings us a cautionary tale in this vein with The Husk of Minaurogg. I’m sure that Minaurogg was a happy-go-lucky type of person. You can see that reflected in their cheerful helm (skillfully constructed from a minifigure shield, robot arms and elbow bricks.) and well groomed nails. Sadly, all that mirth has come to a sudden halt as Minaurogg has come down with a bad case of…something. A growth of round tiles in transparent purple have boiled up, and a couple of giant pustules look ready to burst. There’s also severe discoloration of the arm with new spiky outgrowths on the shoulder. And that one red eye seems pretty bloodshot.
Ah, maybe it’s just me being alarmist. I’m sure I few days of bed rest is all that’s required to set things right!
Citizen Brick custom minifigs bring the Beastie Boys, Bob Ross, & more for Black Friday 2019 [Review]
Our friends at Citizen Brick have been cooking up a new batch of brand new, pad-printed, custom minifigures for Black Friday this year. They kindly sent us the full assortment to share with everyone ahead of their availability on Friday morning. One of the things we love about Citizen Brick is their cheekily named product names, and this batch is no different, with “Party Rights Enthusiasts,” “Painting Enthusiast,” and many more — all cleverly named but instantly recognizable.
Read our hands-on review of the latest Citizen Brick minifigures
Guns? Check. Rotors? Check. All systems go!
Sometimes the inspiration for a LEGO build comes from the builder’s head, or from some media franchise, or from some particular piece that suggests a creation just by its shape. Sometimes it is all of those, as this build by Andreas Lenander demonstrates. The build was begun by thinking about the rim from the Harley Davidson Fat Boy, which led to thinking about the airships from Avatar, which led to a very cool, very capable-looking heavy gunship. A couple of these bad boys cresting the ridge, launching missiles from the under-wing batteries, spraying lead from the nose mounted gatling gun, would be sure to send the enemy running in fright. It is like a combination of the A-10 Warthog and the AH-64 Apache, and I love it.
Besides the rims, the build uses some of the grenade tips that I associate with newer Batman sets as its missiles, stuck into Technic pins and then stuck into the underside of bricks. It is a simple connection, though slightly “illegal“, but it is a great one to remember when trying to reverse stud direction. The Technic axle connector on the nose looks great, too, with the four notches giving the impression of multiple barrels on the machine gun. It is a bit light on greebling, despite what one might expect from a sci-fi build, but I think it is more appropriate to make it look smooth and professionally engineered, rather than cobbled together. After all, if you want to take down some Na’vi with your military-industrial complex, you have to look sharp and pack a big punch.
Poised and ready for the 2019 National Dog Show
How did the holidays sneak up so fast? Thanksgiving is almost here! While it has already passed for some, the American holiday arrives in less than a week! For many, there is more to this holiday than thankfulness and feasting. People gather from all around to appreciate the world-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as the American National Dog Show. And builder Christian Giomo is ready to take the win (whether he intended to or not). This West England White Terrier is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
The pup is full of expressive character, with eager eyes, open mouth, pink ears, and luxurious brick-build locks of fur. The shaping of the complex face is exceptional. Bonus: the head can twist to the side to give it that delightful head-tilt that makes dog lovers swoon! Speaking of which, if you love dogs, take a look at these former canine champs, as well as a few everyday heroes.
New LEGO Star Wars Mandalorian Battle Pack to hit stores late December [News]
German toy seller JB Spielwaren has released images of the new 75267 Mandalorian Battle Pack, slated to be in stores starting December 26. The set is based off of characters from The Mandalorian series currently airing on Disney+.
75267 Mandalorian Battle Pack | 102 pcs | US $14.99 | CAN $1 | UK 12.99
The new battle pack comes with four unique Mandalorian warriors, a speeder and a small hideout. Resurfacing in this set is the Balutar-class swoop, an updated version of the same speeder that was featured in the 7914 Mandalorian Battle Pack set.
The set follows the announcements of 10 more LEGO Star Wars sets in 2020. Check them out, along with the rest of the 2020 sets, and then get a closer look at the new battle pack below.
- LEGO Star Wars 2020 sets
- LEGO Speed Champions 76896 Nissan GT-R Nismo
- LEGO Speed Champions 75898 Formula E Panasonic Jaguar Racing GEN2 car & Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY
- LEGO Speed Champions 76899 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO & Urus ST-X
- LEGO Speed Champions Ferrari F8 Turbo & 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1
- LEGO Architecture Dubai and Tokyo
- LEGO City 2020 sets Part 1
- LEGO Chinese New Year 2020 sets
- LEGO Creator 2020 sets
- LEGO Hidden Side 2020 sets
- LEGO Ninjago 2020 sets
- LEGO Technic 2020 sets
- LEGO Technic 42109 App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car
- LEGO Trolls World Tour 2020
Click here to see more pictures of the set…
News: The LEGO Group acquires BrickLink from Nexon founder Jay Kim for undisclosed sum – interview with LEGO CMO Julia Goldin
The LEGO group announced today that it is acquiring LEGO marketplace website BrickLink. BrickLink was founded in 2000 by the late LEGO fan Dan Jezek, and was purchased from Dan’s family in 2013 by mobile game company Nexon founder and entrepeneur Jung-Ju “Jay” Kim. Over the past six years, the new owners, via Mr. Kim’s investment company NXMH, have taken the website in a number of new directions, including a “MOC Shop”, Stud.io virtual LEGO design software and the AFOL Designer Program earlier this year.
Although the official press release is fairly light on details, prior to the announcement today, LEGO invited The Brothers Brick to conduct a one-on-one interview with Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing Officer for the LEGO Group. We asked Ms. Goldin about potential conflicts of interest in LEGO now owning a large proportion of the secondary market for its own product, the future of the community-driven BrickLink catalog, and more. Read our in-depth interview in the article below. We’ll also have more analysis and discussion in the coming days.
Read the full interview and press release about LEGO’s acquisition of BrickLink
Build your own LEGO pumpkin napkin rings for Thanksgiving dinner [Instructions]
Last year, my family requested that I build some LEGO napkin rings for Thanksgiving dinner. I eagerly set out experimenting with LEGO turkeys, Pilgrim hats, brick-built pies and more, but those all were too complicated for an already-full dinner table. The design needed to be simple, stable and instantly evoke the Thanksgiving spirit. The idea struck that a simple pumpkin ring would work perfectly for a harvest table.
I experimented with a few options, since the opening had to be big enough for a rolled napkin but strong enough not to split when holding it in place. After trying and failing to get the right shape using a studs-up technique, it became apparent that rotating the whole build on its side was the way to go. TBB’s Chris Malloy provided a final moment of brilliance suggesting the curly whip for the top, and the design was complete. Continue reading
A shockingly cool Bionicle build
I’ve been a fan of LEGO’s Bionicle for a long time. I came out of my dark age just as the theme was launching in the US back in 2001, and they were some of the first sets I bought. When the line came to an end a decade later, LEGO fans kept the theme going strong with tons of unique creations. Anthony Wilson is among those builders, and their latest offering, Valkyrie: Toa of Lightning, is breathtaking. The base figure has a strong color theme in white and purple, with a brick-built mask. Quality building techniques are at play throughout the model, my favorite being the small offsets created in the armor on the thighs. (The unique shaping of headlight bricks allows for the gap.) There is also a lot of great part usage, including tricycle frames in the hips, worm gears on the legs and forearms, and even a zip-line handle in the chest. As impressive as the base figure is, what made me want to write about this model are the lightning effects. A couple of minifigure-accessory magic sparks hint at the awesome discharge happening on the Toa’s right arm. Made up of layers of hero factory armor and weapons, the angular electric effects have an almost liquid quality to them.
The build on the Valkyrie is probably several levels above what LEGO would have released for a kid-friendly set had the line continued. So maybe, just maybe, Bionicle is better off left in the hands of the fans. Oh, who am I kidding. They need to bring this theme back, and soon.
A new take on the most classic Star Wars ship
Remember the scene in The LEGO Movie when Batman says he doesn’t know where to get a hyperdrive, and then he freaks out when the Millennium Falcon suddenly shows up out of nowhere? That’s how I felt when GolPlaysWithLego‘s gorgeous model flew across my screen.
See more photos of this amazing LEGO Millennium Falcon
How good is the LEGO Batman 40433 1989 Batmobile set that comes free with the giant Batmobile? [Review]
A few weeks ago, LEGO revealed the latest Ultimate Collector Series-style Batmobile, 76139 1989 Batmobile, which will be available for the first time on Nov. 29, Black Friday (US $249.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £219.99). Shoppers who brave the crowds between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5 to purchase the giant 3,306-piece version of Tim Burton’s Batmobile will also get a free Gift With Purchase (GWP) set in the form of a smaller, minifigure-scale model of the same iconic car. 40433 1989 Batmobile has 366 pieces and features a similar rotating stand and info placard.
While any free LEGO is good LEGO, gift with purchase sets range from uninspired afterthoughts to enticingly fantastic. So how does the mini 1989 Batmobile stack up? Spoiler alert: it’s very, very good. In fact, the most disappointing thing about it is that it is a gift with purchase, which means you can’t easily get multiples without laying out some serious cash to get multiple copies of the big set.