Posts by Dave Schefcik (TBB News Contributor)

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for October 29, 2017 [News]

In addition to the best LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick also brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the last week of October 2017.

TBB NEWS: This is a week of winners and losers. On the winning side, some amazing Millennium Falcon builds, NASA and New York. In the losing corner? Lego Dimensions.

Announcing winners of The Brothers Brick’s Millennium Falcon LEGO building contest — TBB’s building contest ended with more than 160 entries showing off the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. Who walked away with the top prize, a UCS Millennium Falcon?
Review of LEGO Ideas 21312 Women of NASA — The set includes four minifigures depicting women astronauts, scientists, and engineers from the US space program’s history.
2018 LEGO sets for DC Comics Super Heroes, Creator, City and Technic revealed — There are a couple of interesting sets in particular with 31081 Modular Skate House within the Creator theme and 42074 Racing Yacht from the Technic line-up.
LEGO Dimensions is officially dead — LEGO Dimensions has officially been cancelled by LEGO and Warner Brothers, per the game’s official Twitter feed.
LEGOLAND New York to open in 2020 — Merlin Entertainment will build a third LEGOLAND park in the United States, located in Goshen, New York.
Instructions to build a waste container transporter — This garbage transporter will happily pick up any used and discarded LEGO bricks for disposal.

OTHER LEGO NEWS: Video reigned supreme this week in other LEGO news. Enjoy these clips!

LEGO Mini Chocolate Machine, YouTube — This year for Halloween, JK Brickworks decided to build a Mindstorms chocolate dispenser to surprise trick-or-treaters.
Fan-Made LEGO RICK AND MORTY Short Makes Us Want More, Nerdist — This video was a collaboration by two Redditors who combined their talents to bring the world of Rick and Morty to the world of LEGO style animation.
Unikitty’s Halloween Sneak Peek premieres on Cartoon Network, YouTube — Unikitty is getting her very own TV show and this is the first preview, sans studs.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGOLAND New York to open in 2020 [News]

Merlin Entertainment announced plans today to build a third LEGOLAND park in the United States, located in Goshen, New York. The park will be the ninth LEGOLAND theme park in the world and will only be open seasonally from April 1 to November 1 when it opens for business in 2020.

The park, located an hour and a half’s drive north of New York City, will be situated in the small town of Goshen near the US Military Academy at West Point and is expected to attract between 1.5-2.5 million tourists a year. The facility will also include a themed hotel and aquarium.

LEGO Dimensions is officially dead [News]

LEGO Dimensions has officially been cancelled by LEGO and Warner Brothers, per the game’s official Twitter feed:

Although the writing seemed to be on the wall, we have resisted posting unconfirmed rumors of the game’s demise over the past few months. But today, after two years of content, a parade of characters, and new lines intellectual property for LEGO to play with, Dimensions is officially confirmed to be ending. Wave 9 of expansion packs released last month will be the final packs.

TBB will publish a piece looking at the impact, benefit, and demise of LEGO Dimensions soon, but until then, let’s all raise a glass to the minifigures that could have been but never will. RIP LEGO Dimensions. May we continue to enjoy playing you now that 100% completion is possible as the end is in sight.

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for October 22, 2017 [News]

TBB NEWS: It has been a slow news week, but we still got launched into space and have a few days left to get double VIP points at the LEGO Shop online.

LEGO Ideas 21312 Women of NASA unveiled — The newest LEGO Ideas set is here and it is out of this world! 21312 Women of NASA has four minifigures, three mini-builds, a total of 231 pieces, and will be available November for $24.99.
Creations for Charity 2017 sale starts now — The annual Creations for Charity sale has just started, and from now until the end of November you can buy a custom Lego creation to raise money to provide Lego sets for underprivileged children.
Double VIP points continues for North America — The LEGO Shop online continues to offer Double VIP Points in North America through Oct. 25, with the exclusive “LEGO Iconic VIP Set” free with $125 in purchases.

OTHER LEGO NEWS: This week only had a few other interesting LEGO-related news articles. Here are the best of the rest.

Mantis Hacks’ latest make is a giant 3D printed LEGO Forklift, 3Ders — Matt Denton, a Youtuber known for 3D printing huge LEGO sets, has wowed us once again with his latest project: a giant 3D printed forklift.
The sad, slow death of LEGO Dimensions, EuroGamer — Toys-to-life franchise LEGO Dimensions is likely drawing to a close a year earlier than originally planned.
Police raid toy store over a Lego Ninja costume, USA Today — Police raided a LEGO store in Vienna after receiving a complaint that a Ninja character was violating a ban on wearing face coverings, leading to an argument about whether costumes are included in the ban.

LEGO Ideas 21312 Women of NASA unveiled [News]

Back in February, we shared the news that LEGO Ideas chose Maia Weinstock’s Women of NASA project as one of their newest additions to the LEGO family. Today, LEGO is unveiling 21312 Women of NASA, available November 1. The primarily minifigure set has 231 pieces, and will retail for $24.99 USD.

The model, similar to LEGO Ideas 21110 Research Institute, includes four minifigures based on real-life NASA pioneers: astronomer and educator Nancy Grace Roman; computer scientist and entrepreneur Margaret Hamilton; astronaut, physicist, and entrepreneur Sally Ride; and astronaut, physician, and engineer Mae Jemison.

21312 Women of NASA also includes three mini-builds illustrating three areas of science including programming software for the space program, a model of the Hubble Space Telescope and a mini Space Shuttle Challenger with three removable rocket stages

More photos and info about 21312 Women of NASA after the jump

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for October 15, 2017 [News]

TBB NEWS: This is your last chance to win a UCS Millennium Falcon and to get double VIP points at the LEGO Shop online! Hurry!

Last day to enter the TBB LEGO Millennium Falcon Contest — You have until midnight PT tonight to post your custom LEGO creations featuring the Millennium Falcon for a chance to win the most epic prize pack in history
Review of Chris McVeigh’s My First Computer DOS Edition — Chris McVeigh’s builds are always designed with detail and care, and this computer did not disappoint.
Instruction to build your own TIE Fighter — Thanks to instructions provided by Inthert, you can build his LEGO version of this iconic starfighter and take on the nearest X-wing.
Double VIP points + a cart load of freebies from the LEGO Shop — The LEGO Shop online started its latest Double VIP Points event this week, with a slew of other freebies.

OTHER LEGO NEWS: This week had quite a few other interesting LEGO-related news articles. Here are the best of the rest.

Become a LEGO person with this DIY cardboard costume, CNET — Feeling ambitious this Halloween? Go for brick with this LEGO minifig costume how-to video.
LEGO vs Architecture: BBC film explains how it’s all connected, Arch Daily, — Lego – The Building Blocks of Architecture, explores the history of LEGO and its relationship to architecture, from its origins with carpenter Ole Kirk Kristiansen to modernist ideals.
LEGO model of Florence cathedral to be made, The Florentine — 20,000 LEGO bricks will be used to make the a large-scale model of the Florence Cathedral and the Baptistery.
This guy built a giant Leica camera out of LEGO, PetaPixel — Danish designer Milan Madge recently built himself a gigantic Leica III rangefinder camera out of LEGO blocks.

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for October 1, 2017 [News]

TBB NEWS: LEGO revealed a massive new ~~Batman~~ Joker set, and we have your inside scoop to all things LEGO House related. Plus, you could win tickets to BrickCon!

70922 The Joker Manor from The LEGO Batman Movie officially revealed — The fourth largest set of the year includes a Joker-ized Wayne Manor, new roller coaster elements, a whopping 3,444 pieces with 10 minifigs. The set will be available on Nov. 24 as part of LEGO’s Black Friday promotions and will retail for $269.99 USD.
LEGO House opens its doors to the playing public — LEGO House is the newly built LEGO Experience family attraction in the very center of Billund, Denmark. Tickets for the experience zones cost 199DKK/US$31/£23 each for adults and children (free for accompanied children under 2) and are purchased online in advance.
Exclusive TBB guide to the LEGO House experience — The Brothers Brick flew over to Billund to attend the preview opening to give you a closer look inside the Home of the Brick.
Instructions to build LEGO House Exclusive Pick-A-Model — Two of the exclusive Pick-A-Model sets available at the LEGO Store within LEGO House are mini fish tanks and we have the instruction so you can build your own.
New BrickHeadz from The LEGO Ninjago Movie now available — LEGO has released a pair of BrickHeadz characters, 41487 Lloyd and 41487 Master Wu. Both sets, which will only be available through the end of 2017, retail for $9.99 US and are available already.
Win tickets to the BrickCon 2017 Public Exhibition in Seattle — BrickCon 2017 in Seattle is about a week away, and we are giving away tickets to the public exhibition! Come see the amazing creations that builders from all around the world have brought to BrickCon.

OTHER LEGO NEWS: This week had quite a few other interesting LEGO-related news articles. Here are the best of the rest.

I Created A Lego CV To Stand Out From Other Resumes. Bored Panda — This industrious job candidate used his design and LEGO skills to create a unique resume.
Where It’s Made: Visit a Lego Factory, New York Times — Take a 360 degree tour of the LEGO factory in Billund, Denmark.
Legoland Florida Resort donating 20,000 tickets to Florida kids impacted by Hurricane Irma, Attractions — Legoland Florida Resort will donate 18,000 tickets to the UNICEF Kid Power Schools program and 2,000 tickets to Citrus Center Boys & Girls Clubs.
ISIS-inspired fake LEGO pulled from shelves in Singapore, Daily Mail — The sets, which are not linked to LEGO in any way, featured ISIS flags and AK-47s,
Brick for Brick: How ‘The LEGO Movie’ Franchise Became a Gold Mine of Meta Comedy, MXDWN — In an age where corporate power and consumerism seem to have reached their zenith, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that one of today’s smartest, most culturally self-aware film franchises is based on a wildly popular children’s toy brand.

Win tickets to the BrickCon 2017 Public Exhibition in Seattle [Giveaway]

BrickCon 2017 in Seattle is about a week away, and we are giving away tickets to the public exhibition! Come see the amazing creations that builders from all around the world have brought to BrickCon. (You may even see some of your favorite writers from The Brothers Brick roaming around in our bright green shirts!)

The BrickCon 2017 Public Exhibition is open Saturday Oct, 7 from 10am to 4pm and Sunday, Oct. 8 from 10am to 3pm, located at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.

You can get your tickets online now, but if they sell out you can try to win some from The Brothers Brick! We are giving away three family packs of four tickets each, good for entry on either Saturday or Sunday at any time.

The contest runs from today until 11:59 on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Leave a comment below about what you are most excited about seeing at BrickCon 2017. We’ll randomly select three entries Thursday morning and then notify the winners. Winners will be able to pick up their tickets at the will call window at the BrickCon Exhibition Hall beginning Saturday morning.

(For builders attending the convention, check out these last minute reminders to register your creations and sign up for games before the deadline at the end of the week.)

70922 The Joker Manor from The LEGO Batman Movie officially revealed [News]

Not content to have a certain ninja-themed movie steal the entire spotlight this week, LEGO has revealed 70922 The Joker Manor from The LEGO Batman Movie. Based on several scenes taking place in Wayne Manor both before and after the Joker invades, the set clocks in at a whopping 3,444 pieces (the fourth largest set of the year).

The Joker Manor includes 10 minifigures (including exclusive white disco variants!), a brand new system of elements for a working roller coaster, and a few other new elements such as a curving wall piece to create funhouse mirrors. The set will be available on Nov. 24 as part of LEGO’s Black Friday promotions and will retail for $269.99 USD.

Check out all the photos and details for this upcoming LEGO Batman set after the jump

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for September 24, 2017 [News]

TBB STAR WARS NEWS: Our in-depth review of the UCS Millennium Falcon is here and you could even win one by entering our contest! Plus check out a new LEGO Star Wars book written by TBB editors.

Review of LEGO Star Wars 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon — The new UCS Millennium Falcon includes 7,541 pieces with 10 minifigs, and costs USD 799.99. Read about TBB’s reactions building the largest LEGO set ever made.
Ultimate LEGO Star Wars book from DK now available for preorder, authored by TBB editors Chris Malloy and Andrew Becraft — An up-to-date reference that covers the full range of LEGO Star Wars sets and minifigs from the first sets in 1999 to The Force Awakens and Rogue One, the book is due out on October 3, and is available for preorder now.
WIN A UCS MILLENNIUM FALCON! — TBB is hosting a building contest and giving away a UCS Millennium Falcon as well as FOUR elusive Space Slug sets. Get building! The deadline is Oct. 15th.

Read all of this week’s LEGO news after the jump

Win free tickets to The LEGO Ninjago Movie [Giveaway]

With The LEGO Ninjago Movie opening on Friday, we thought it would be fun to give away some tickets to our dedicated readers. We enjoyed the movie (read our review), and we think you should see it too!

We are giving away 10 codes, each good for two tickets to The LEGO Ninjago Movie on Fandango (worth up to $24 total), provided by Warner Bros. We’ll choose the 10 winners at random from the comments below, so leave us a comment on this post telling us which of LEGO’s other themes, past or present, should be given the full CGI treatment and made into the next LEGO movie and why.

We love our global audience, but unfortunately we’re only able to open this contest to readers in the USA (the codes won’t work outside the States). We will choose winners from eligible entries in one week, submitted before 11:59 PM PST on Sept. 26. Winners will be contacted via email. Good luck!

Don’t miss TBB’s other reviews of the sets from The LEGO Ninjago Movie:

The LEGO Ninjago Movie is a fun, yet familiar, daddy issues story with LEGO at its core [Review]

When I first heard that LEGO was going to produce a movie featuring Ninjago, I was flummoxed. As an adult fan of Lego (AFOL), the entire Ninjago line fell outside my realm of interest when it came to building sets. I hadn’t watched the show, played the games, or even purchased a set outside of 70751 Temple of Airjitzu which I bought on discount one day because I thought it was a brilliant architectural model. Saying that I had any sort of expectation to enjoy a press screening of The LEGO Ninjago Movie this past weekend would be a stretch.

Heading into the second LEGO-themed movie of the year, I couldn’t help but think the movie could use a bit more breathing room on the calendar, coming only seven months after the successful run of The LEGO Batman Movie. This bias seemed confirmed by the sheer amount of marketing I saw for the film, from Ninjago-themed obstacles on American Ninja Warrior to baking a La-Lloyd cake on How to Cake It, all paid opportunities to promote the film. If a movie needs to work this hard to get people to the theater, the movie itself needs all the help it can get, right?

Read our full review of The LEGO Ninjago Movie