Yearly Archives: 2022

LEGO Harry Potter 76403 The Ministry of Magic [Review]

When LEGO announced the summer 2022 sets, two stood out as covering new ground. Here we have the first appearance of the Ministry of Magic, a pivotal setting from the later books (and movies). It’s a large location, and LEGO has chosen to cover a series of vignettes from both the Order of the Phoenix and the Deathly Hallows. Does this approach pay off for the second-biggest Harry Potter set in this wave? 76404 The Ministry of Magic has 990 pieces and comes with nine minifigures, almost all with printing unique to this set and several completely new to LEGO form. It will be available June 19th for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99.

This set is based on a license The LEGO Group has with the Warner Brothers films, not J.K. Rowling directly. The transphobic views expressed by Rowling do not reflect the values of The Brothers Brick or, indeed, those of The LEGO Group. The magical world Rowling created, in which many who felt a bit different could see themselves, meant a great deal to so many people, including those that Rowling now demeans. TBB affirms each individual LEGO fan’s choice to claim a piece of the world for themselves, or to reject it entirely.

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.

Read the full review

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This amazing Optimus Prime isn’t Optimus Prime

No, you read that right. This incredible build by Student Scissors is actually the Transtector of a human known as Ginrai. Transtectors, if you’re not familiar with the term, are non-sentient Transformers controlled by humanoids, and there’s a good reason Ginrai’s Transtector looks an awful lot like Optimus Prime. But all that is beside the point in appreciating this impressive build. If you want to call it Optimus Prime, go ahead. Truth be told, we did end up getting the Ginrai figure imported to the States rebranded as “Powermaster Optimus Prime.”

Anyway, convoluted franchise history aside, this fully transformable semi-truck doesn’t just convert into a robot, it also comes with a trailer that the main cab can combine with to form Super Ginrai. That Student Scissors made the combined form possible with enough articulation to put the original Ginrai toy to shame is an impressive feat. That it was accomplished at such a small scale – a truck mode that’s only four studs wide – is extra incredible.

If transforming LEGO sets are your thing, be sure and check out our review of LEGO’s upcoming official take on the Autobot leader.

One stellar ship on patrol

The latest custom spaceship by Builder Caleb Ricks is a blend between classic shuttles and futuristic spacecraft. Creatively connected pieces build a practically seamless model straight from Caleb’s imagination but clearly inspired by a particular Christopher Nolan film. The USSC Interstellar is a patrol ship charged with keeping watch over various regions of space. This vessel from the United States Space Core scopes the cosmos for activity amongst the plethora of planets, stars, and nebulae that it encounters on its patrols.

Prepare for liftoff

This mech is raring to launch into space

Fully equipped for galactic warfare, comes this awesome creation by Wiseman_Lego. The design is reminiscent of a mech called a Jegan, which is featured in a variety of Mobile Suit Gundam series. This model has a muscular, tough-looking form, thanks to the application of rounded and angled parts. A triangular road sign acts as a centerpiece at the chest with a hint of orange on either side creating contrast against the blue and grey colour scheme.

The machine is able to house a pilot which is impressive considering the mech’s slender shape. On the back and around the legs are a variety of thrusters to allow for fast travel in space. This build is a perfect tribute to classic mecha designs while still being able to have a unique and interesting appearance.

LEGO reveals 21333 Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh as next Ideas set [News]

After announcing it in February of last year as the next fan-designed set from their crowd-sourcing platform Ideas, LEGO is finally taking the wraps off the official set, letting us get our first look at 21333 Starry Night. The original project, depicting Vincent van Gogh’s famous 1889 painting of Saint-Rémy, France, was submitted by Hong Kong-based LEGO fan Truman Cheng (aka legotruman) back in July of 2020 before reaching the 10k votes threshold to be considered by LEGO just a month later. The final set contains 2,316 pieces and includes a framed version of the painting with sculptural elements to mimic the brush strokes, along with a minifigure of van Gogh and a miniature printed version of the painting on an easel. The set also represents a new licensing partnership between LEGO and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which owns the artwork. The set will retail for US $159.99 | CAN $219.99 | UK £169.99 and will be available to LEGO VIP members starting May 25, with a general release on June 1.

Read the full press release and see more pictures below.
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LEGO Ideas 21333: The Starry Night – You’ll Gogh nuts for this one. [Review]

Back in February of 2021, LEGO announced that a brilliant adaptation of Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night by fan creator Truman Cheng (legotruman) would be one of the next LEGO Ideas sets. Now, just over a year later, that set is about to leap into our greedy little hands. LEGO Ideas 21333 The Starry Night will be available May 25th for VIP members (and June 1st for everyone) from the LEGO Shop Online for US $159.99 | CAN $219.99 | UK £149.99. This 2316-piece set features not only a very interesting sculptural approach to the impressionistic masterpiece, but a minifigure of Vincent van Gogh himself. Come along as we stroll this fantastic landscape, and set our sights for the stars.

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.

Click to take a trip into the artist’s studio

Taking a cautious dive into a miniature ocean

Time to explore the watery depths! Paolo Loro takes us for a swim with this superb microscale build. Fitting in nicely with the aquatic theme is a minifigure air tank which forms part of the yellow submarine. The clear angled handles not only do a great job at holding the submarine in place but they also portray a stream of bubbles, trailing behind the vehicle as it descends. However, the submarine needs to be wary of deep sea mines represented by chain flail pieces. These explosives are nestled in with a thick abundance of sea vegetation featuring an assortment of spiked vine pieces and 1×1 flower pieces.

Koala-ty time at home

This quiet, marsupial-filled LEGO scene from Jane Gibbons-Eyre is exactly the vibe I want as I head into a much-needed vacation from work. The posing on her two koalas is fantastic, as are the perfectly-scaled chairs they’re sitting in. In fact, all the items in this tableau feel well-crafted and deliberate. The record player, the plie of books, the plate of food, the lamp – each piece stands on it’s own as an individual creation, and also as one part of a larger scene.

More details in this serene scene below

White Jade Lion Seal of the Realm

The jade seals used throughout China’s history have demanded various levels of respect and contention. This model replica by Builder Joe of Dad’s Bricks pays tribute to such cultural regalia, complete with a stand and ornate case. An exquisite lion carving is built with white bricks atop the plain block that makes up the traditionally square seal. Though Joe doesn’t show us the base, which would hold the impression of the seal, we can still appreciate the black fence pieces used in its stand. More impressive is the wooden case with golden filigree which holds the precious heirloom. Clever studs not on top building techniques allowed Joe to add an almost hidden hinge into the sides of the box, along with all of the decorative elements.

This is a kingly artifact, most commonly denoting the word of the Emperor in the dynasty’s past. Though many have been lost to the ages, possession of such items in the past could tear down an Empire or impress power upon entire regions. This Hong Kong-based builder does well to pay homage to such treasures, adding yet another lovely model to his collection.

LEGO Art 31206: The Rolling Stones – You can’t always get what you want, but this might be what you need [Review]

LEGO is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of The Rolling Stones with a 3D rendition of their classic “Lips and Tongue” logo. LEGO Art 31206 The Rolling Stones is a 1998 piece set that will release in the UK on June 1st, followed by North America on August 1st, and will retail for US $149.99 | CAN $199.99 | UK £129.99. It’s a big departure from the other Rock and Roll Icons we’ve seen in the Art theme…and there are surprises in store for the curious builder. Come along as we take an early look at this unusual entry into the world of wall art!

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.

Click to read the full hands-on review

21st century man

Just on the border of your waking mind, there lies another time, where darkness and light are one. This LEGO computer figure by Sandro Quattrini fits right into 1981 sci-fi. He’s probably got an IQ of 1001. This build is so full of great techniques and part usages and the poses it’s capable of achieving are wonderful! Some of the more interesting techniques used are the handcuffs used to replicate laces on the boots and the dots line bracelet used here as a belt. The star of the show would have to be the amazing zippered jacket using an ice skate as the zipper pull and roller skates for each side. The classic-styled computer head is phenomenal and really provides a ton of character and life to this build.

Check out more facial expressions and poses below!

A knight in shovelling armour

I’m really digging this LEGO model of the protagonist from the video game Shovel Knight by Dylan Mievis. This is a game that’s been buried on my to-play list for a long time, and is a love letter to classic NES platformers. The eponymous Shovel Knight is instantly recognisable in its bright medium azure armour – the LEGO colour is a remarkably close match to the source material! Dylan’s shaping is excellent, using curved pieces where necessary alongside some sharp angles to mimic the cartoonish video-game proportions of the original character. This is particularly evident in the helmet with its enormous horns.

This guy would look great as a static sculpture, but Dylan has gone the extra mile to make Shovel Knight fully poseable. Here he is standing ready with his weapon of choice (a shovel, naturally). When it comes to character, this creation has it in spades!