Yearly Archives: 2020

This tiny spaceship has your back(pack)

The use of minifigure accessories in spaceship builds is nothing new, but LEGO designer Chris Perron takes it to a new meta level by building a snazzy micro-fighter that uses retro Blacktron 2 jetpacks as key elements. The nice part usage doesn’t stop there, though. Check out the droid leg as a tail fin, and the white ingot and classic solar panel in the nose.

Nebula Navigator

If you like this little guy, be sure to check out Chris’ other spotlighted builds. My personal favorite is the giant Aquanauts Shark. What’s yours?

Ho! Ho! Oh no! Santa is stuck!

2020 has been a hard year for everyone, and some of us have put on a few extra quarantine pounds. Ian Hou’s LEGO Santa Claus is no exception, as evidenced by the quarter round bricks shaping his belly. It seems that Jolly ole Saint Nick misjudged how many milk and cookies he’d been eating.

nEO_IMG_Santa! You break my chimney!_01

Now a previously comfortable slide down a chimney is a bit more than a tight squeeze! I think Santa jumped in pretty fast and built up some speed too because of the angle on those hinged bricks tell me chunks of that chimney are flying off pretty quickly. And I think he’s noticed too, the 1×3 arches forming his mouth look like his “Ho! Ho! Ho!” has turned into an “Oh! Ow! Ow!”

Imperial Nebulon cruiser is ready to take the fight to the Rebellion

The Nebulon B medical frigate was certainly one of the most unusually shaped ships in the rebel fleet, but the rebels weren’t the only group to fly this iconic vessel. The Empire had a model as well. In fact, the Nebulon B escort frigate, manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards was originally manufactured for the Empire. This LEGO model by Remco Rohaan measures almost 150 studs in length. If you look closely at the top of the ship, you’ll notice a docked Lambda-class shuttle.

Lego Star Wars Imperial Nebulon MOC

The model features some excellent lighting effects, particularly in the engines, to give the blue engine plumes the perfect glow.

Lego Star Wars Imperial Nebulon MOC

2020 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 23

Happy holidays to all of our fellow LEGO builders! As is tradition, we at The Brothers Brick will be opening our advent calendars as we count down to Christmas. We’ll also be sharing commentary on each one, which will be both insightful and hilarious!

This year we have new Harry Potter, Star Wars, City and Friends advent calendars to open. We will be sharing images of the new calendars every day through Christmas, and hope that you’ll join us! Let’s see what there is to open on Day 23.

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This is the way, and this is the ship.

The latest cool new Star Wars ship to fly right into our hearts is the iconic Razor Crest from the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Here, this model by Boba-1980 has to be the smallest version I’ve seen so far (I know there was a smaller version in this year’s Star Wars advent calendar, but in my opinion, that one is pretty sad) Capturing the right details at this size is no easy task, but the Force is strong with Boba-1980. From the large engines to the extended landing gear, this model has it all. I liked the use of ice skates for the landing gear.

Razor Crest - Mini Display Version

Creature of an enchanted garden

If you find yourself in a magical land, watch where you step. Amongst the alluring, translucent blue flowers hides a curious creature. Exceptional LEGO builder, Patrick Biggs brings this little character to life in a captivating way. An expressive face paired with a dynamic pose and uniquely contrasted foliage demand a second look. You can build a pretty flower or a cute dragon, but telling a story with the two is what makes this build interesting. I’m particularly fond of the parts usage in the head shaping of the dragon, as well as the Bionicle head elements used for the petals.

A Ghost in the Garden

While you’re here, you can check out a few of Patrick’s other builds, as well as more dragons!

LEGO Harry Potter 76382 Hogwarts Moment: Transfiguration Class [Review]

Very often, when we say Harry Potter, we mean books about magic and wizardry, and when we mention books about magic and wizards, of course, we talk about Harry Potter. In today’s popular culture, those two have become synonymous in many contexts. LEGO doesn’t miss the opportunity to turn the phenomena into something both LEGO and Harry Potter fans will love and adore; this way comes the new lineup of Hogwarts Moments — midsized sets designed as buildable books that can be unfolded into Hogwarts classrooms. The first in the series is 76382 Transfiguration Class capturing one of Professor McGonagall’s lectures. The set consists of just 241 pieces and comes with three minifigures. The set will be available in January 2021 for US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £27.99.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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2020 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 22

Happy holidays to all of our fellow LEGO builders! As is tradition, we at The Brothers Brick will be opening our advent calendars as we count down to Christmas. We’ll also be sharing commentary on each one, which will be both insightful and hilarious!

This year we have new Harry Potter, Star Wars, City and Friends advent calendars to open. We will be sharing images of the new calendars every day through Christmas, and hope that you’ll join us! Let’s see what there is to open on Day 22.

Continue reading →

Don’t step into the Shimmer

Bart de Dobbelaer’s latest creation just might be inspired by the movie ‘Annihilation’. In the movie, a team of scientists volunteer to join a research expedition into the Shimmer. The Shimmer is an anomalous iridescent electromagnetic field that appears to be expanding at a rapid pace.

Bart’s creation reminds me of the scene where the team steps through the iridescent electromagnetic field and see the inside of the Shimmer for the first time. They stumble upon all sorts of mutated animal hybrids and a variety of beautiful vegetation. I love the two brown columns on each side of the Shimmer. I have no idea how they are constructed but they look amazing. The contrast between both worlds couldn’t be any bigger. The real world is dark and brown and muddy where the world inside the Shimmer is bright and filled with white and gold alien-like creatures.

the Shimmer

The esteemed astronomer and warlock

When I was a kid, my first introduction to Merlin was in the Disney animated movie, The Sword in the Stone. It has remained one of my favorite movies to this day, though I’ve learned that most depictions of Merlin are quite different. Seeing this LEGO build by Jens Ohrndorf, immediately brings me back to that beloved movie and character. The real triumph, though, is that stellar telescope. Using the palm tree trunk element to create the flared end gives it the perfect look.

Any true fan of the movie will know that the one thing missing is Archimedes, the owl. But don’t worry, Tyler Clites has us covered! And if you can’t get enough, we also have many more articles about owls, wizards, and magic.

Mech Hermit Crab is a Shell Shocker

Less is more when Mitsuru Nikaido takes on a build. The few shades of light and dark grey, or the use of white elements are a minimal approach that yield some very complex projects. Mitsuru’s latest LEGO Mech Hermit Crab Mk2-17 adds to his robot menagerie that still has us stunned by the centipede, a nautilus, and a skeleton fish. The hermit crab, like the other creatures, is what one would have expected in 2020 — an advanced machine built to mirror its natural life form.

LEGO Mech Hermit crab Mk2-17

The movement capabilities of the Mech Hermit Crab Mk2-17 extend the imagination. Its legs bend in and stretch out using an intricate system of joints for its six legs. The grey underbelly highlights the Technic link tread wide, one of Mitsuru’s often-used elements. On its back is the real kicker, a shell that opens and closes to reveal what could be a blast cannon. Hermit crabs can make a home out of LEGO bricks, as long as they can carry it on their back. In this case, this crab is fully equipped for any challenge.

LEGO Mech Hermit crab Mk2-08

2020 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 21

Happy holidays to all of our fellow LEGO builders! As is tradition, we at The Brothers Brick will be opening our advent calendars as we count down to Christmas. We’ll also be sharing commentary on each one, which will be both insightful and hilarious!

This year we have new Harry Potter, Star Wars, City and Friends advent calendars to open. We will be sharing images of the new calendars every day through Christmas, and hope that you’ll join us! Let’s see what there is to open on Day 21.

Continue reading →