About Richard Dryden

Richard Dryden was the inspiration for Will Ferrell’s character in The LEGO Movie. Just kidding, the only thing these two guys have in common is their escape to a brick-built sanctuary. Before Richard immersed himself in writing for TBB in 2020, he spent his free time casually collecting themed sets from LEGO Batman to The Simpsons. His first discovery of LEGO began with 1994's Hot Rod Club set. During Rich’s dark period, he was a staple of New York nightlife’s music scene. DJing at parties was routine. And for a few years, he toured internationally or at random wedding gigs. Connecting with new audiences is a consistent theme for Rich (a.k.a. Treats) whether writing about music, playing at events, or researching creative builds throughout the LEGO community. Some samples of his work can be found on djtreats.com.

Posts by Richard Dryden

Boba Fett’s New Chapter

Depending on your point of view, there is something strange about seeing Boba Fett on a throne. The royalty position is a rare sight for the bounty hunter, who firmly declared that he is a simple man, like his father, Jango Fett. Well, let this image marinate until we learn more about his occupation of Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

Boba Fett - Hail to the King

Robert Maier makes a statement through the build’s title “Hail to the King.” The skiff guard (from 2017’s Desert Skiff Escape set) learns the hard way after encountering Boba Fett and the sharp-shooting assassin, Fennec Shand. Overall, the arched molding around the palace is an impressive display of symmetry. The base of the platform is lined with reddish brown Modified 1 x 1 Rounded with Bar Handle plates. They symbolize the head sculptures on Jabba’s throne. Ahem, we mean Boba Fett’s throne. There’s a new king in town. Check out Robert’s previous build here.

Rest in Bricks MF DOOM

Amusered‘s MF DOOM tribute is the latest creation to pay homage to the fallen rapper/producer. The image of Daniel “METAL FACE DOOM” Dumile’s chrome gladiator mask has been seared in the memories of fans worldwide since 1999. The mask and microphone pictured in amusered’s build are synonymous with DOOM’s persona of the mysterious figure who wielded the mic as his weapon of choice.

MF DOOM LEGO Tribute

DOOM’s boastful lyrics effortlessly extolled his prowess through a rogue’s gallery of alter egos (f.k.a. Zevlove X, King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn). At first glance, the tilted angle of the mask resembled the silhouette of the Millennium Falcon. Amusered intended on making DOOM’s mask look like the Star Wars aircraft, according to his Reddit comment. Call it coincidence or fate, but Han Solo’s MF is the bruised and battered “hunk of junk” that is a crown jewel of starships in the same way DOOM’s mask is a treasured symbol of rap history. The scratches on the angled and sloped grey elements have seen some action from spitting rhymes like dimes. To build the black mic’s grille, amusered used the cylinder hemisphere (30208). The disco ball element caps off the build. And just remember, ALL CAPS when you spell the man’s name. RIP MF DOOM.

This spirit painting is a Ghostbusting nightmare

Keep your eyes on the prize, the prize painting to be exact. It’s alive! Corvus Auriac keeps true to his recurring morbid theme and shows us an angry, green-haired figure being pulled out of the picture frame. The diorama sets the scene of an archaic manor, home to the artwork, hanging on a peeling burgundy wall, next to a statue nightstand. Still, there’s nothing to fear because a trap is set to capture the spirit by none other than the Ghostbusters.

Complete entry of my Ghostbusters LEGO Ideas contest

The eighty hours Corvus spent crafting this build shows in the details and the myriad of different LEGO pieces. The pattern of sausage elements, frog, leaf, and cheese wedges in the ornate gold frame is hypnotic. The figure’s claws are also reminiscent of a previous Corvus Halloween-themed project. Then the three-dimensional perspective between the spirit and the moon in the background appears to be a nod to impressionism. It’s like one work of art within another. Check out more creepy Corvus builds here.

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

Batman busts creativity for charity

Batman movies are synonymous with being blockbusters, but rarely ever a “bust.” Now Tim Lydy makes that uncommon instance all the rage through the reveal of The Batman bust. Tim’s creation displays the cold stone-faced expression of Robert Pattinson, who is the latest actor to portray Batman in the forthcoming film. Since the film’s announcement this year, details around Batman’s cowl and suit have been a hot topic of conversation on social media.

The Batman

The long ears are back after their short stint on the caped crusader in Justice League and Batman vs. Superman. Tim also uses two pairs of elements on each side of the chest’s silhouette. The medium barrel automatic pistol and the black pistol revolver both reflect how firearms shape the new logo in The Batman. Around the base, the placement of the black cat, question mark and umbrella reference the film’s villains: Catwoman, Riddler and Penguin, respectively.

Starting today through November 30, Tim’s The Batman bust is for sale to benefit 2020’s Creations for Charity event. Four copies of the bust will be available for purchase, and all of the sales fund LEGO sets for underprivileged kids this Christmas.

Poultry Pinball

2020 being the first year in a long time without a licensed LEGO video game is a disappointing moment for fans. It is yet another faction of business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to GameRant. While there is still hope for the tentative release of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in 2021, this might be a good time for The LEGO Group to develop pinball game sets. Sure, this screams old school. But TLG already notched success when they captured the nostalgia for Super Mario and the Nintendo Entertainment System. Let’s also not forget the brick-built retro games, plus 2016’s Ideas Maze (21305). Just one look at the Chicken-Pen-Ball machine, made by Eli Willsea, has us stuck on tilt.

Chicken-Pen-Ball

Eli’s fifth creation in the Iron Builder competition used the Track Switch 9V in yellow 19 times. He continues to outdo himself going up against Jonas Kramm, another gifted builder. Eli’s use of the Track Switch 9V balances function and form. They serve as the flippers, the flowers (dandelions?) in front of the barn, the handle on the ball shooter, and even the cabinet’s feet. It’s an egg-citing creation that takes our cheap chicken puns to the next level in this demo video. Check it out.

Metamorphosis Falcon

In the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Millennium Falcon lands on a coast, somewhere on the planet Savareen. The view of the ocean behind the Falcon is a brief, peaceful rest stop for the weary yet indomitable ship. While its stay is temporary in the 2018 film, we now have new vision of the Millennium Falcon as a house. Lmcpicture‘s creation makes the most recognizable parts of the Millennium Falcon livable. The starboard side airlock serves as the entrance, which leads either to a bedroom or a back deck. The blue 1×4 tiles are visual references to the beaming blasts on the original ship’s rear drive units.

Millennium falcon house

Read on to see the interior of this tastefully appointed spaceship

The happiest place on your desk

You can just feel your five senses firing at the same time by looking at Jonas Kramm‘s Micro Scale Fairground Series. The self-professed LEGO obsessive from Germany shrinks down the joy of amusement park rides into mechanical MOCSs that bring the fun indoors. His addition of a concession stand offering french fries, a hot dog, and popsicle also complete the experience. Let’s face it, we could all use a trip to an amusement park after the roller coaster year of 2020. So, for now, we’ll settle for the these three (l to r): Acku’s Adventure Ride, Guitar Top Spin, and Sunshine Ferris Wheel.

03 - Micro Scale Fairground Series

Without a doubt, Jonas’ Barb’s Disappearing was my favorite build from 2019. He consistently takes the parts we love from sets like the tree supports from Stranger Things and uses them to elevate his creations. In the case of his Fairground Series, or even Painting a Peacock each creation is an accurate portrayal of their real life counterparts. Each ride hides the mechanics inside the base. It might as well be a feat of magic in the way it all works through the simple turn of a crank. Each ride’s fluid movement is an upgrade from the similar LEGO Ideas Space Rocket Ride (40335). Watch these amusement rides in motion in the video below.

Wake up, time to hide

The tag-team effort of Brickleas and Si-MOCs produced a scene to give science fiction fans a double take. They created a two-tier MOC of an intergalactic manhunt. Topside, a space police officer is in pursuit of an outlaw, meanwhile below, the suspect lurks through the sewer. The collaboration was a standout submission for this September’s Rogue Bricks contest. Teams of two picked either side of a “space gangster” or “space sheriff” to depict their story.

Intergalactic Hide and Seek

In a strange turn of events, Brickleas and Si-MOCs teamed up at the last minute after their original partners dropped out of the contest because their parts were unfinished. The result worked out with Simon Liu (Si-MOCs) building his version of a Spinner from Blade Runner, and a space police minifigure outfitted in Barbara Gordon‘s ceremonial uniform from The LEGO Batman Movie CMF (Series 1) and the LEGO Star Wars Wedge Antilles helmet. Elias Hübner’s (Brickleas) contribution looks as dark and desolate as any subterranean waterway with an underground tunnel as the escape. Check out a photo of the Si-MOCs’ take on the Spinner below.

Intergalactic Space Police

Headphone masterpiece

Audio accessories made from LEGO sounds like music to my ears. It’s the best of both worlds wrapped up “neatly” thanks to Stefan a.k.a. Bricks by Stfn, a prominent member of Swebrick, Sweden’s RLUG. The original wired earphones are byStfn’s latest entry in the monthly Swebrick challenge. The key element is the flex tube (part 27965), also used to represent ropes in the Creator Pirate Ship and as the lead on the Dewback in the newly released LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina. The contrast of the silver flex tube with gold-colored accents on the round 1×1 bricks make it look as flashy as a pair of trendy earbuds. Now, if we could just find a way to pump up the volume.

[MOC] Everyday Entanglement

Baking outside of the box

Pastries on Netflix’s Nailed It never look as tasty as this LEGO IKEA BYGGLEK cake made by Milan Sekiz. To be fair, the builder has the advantage of using uniformly shaped plastic to craft the frosted layers, instead of fumbling with a piping bag. IKEA Serbia commissioned Milan to build the unique creation before the BYGGLEK’s October release. The two candles are very apropos marking the celebration of LEGO and IKEA’s collaboration.

LEGO IKEA BYGGLEK Cake

Using the BYGGLEK for the actual purpose of storage is still a big part of this creation. The boxes also contain a plate, silverware, and a sample slice of the cake all built from LEGO elements. With stacks of detail, Milan completes the confection with a reference to “the cake is a lie” meme in his Instagram post, made famous by Portal. This sweet taste of ignorance is bliss!

When nature calls, build bricks

Plants are nature’s greatest display. The cathartic feeling of seeing a tiny jungle is alive in Dave Kaleta’s LEGO plant box. Using the new IKEA BYGGLEK, Dave fills the inside of the base with some loose brown bricks, representing the soil. The small garden is made of green studs, slope-shaped bricks, and leaf elements. The real life plants, accompanied in the photo, contrast the plastic counterpart.

LEGO x IKEA Countertop Planter

Dave’s 26x18x12cm BYGGLEK is a picturesque centerpiece mirroring the realism of indoor plants. The installation of a grow light gives some hope that these babies will sprout into trees. We’re just kidding. Notice the three button elements on the front of the BYGGLEK planter. They symbolize various power functions (left to right): bright light, water, and night mode (possibly a dimmer). This smart build puts the theme of sustainability at the forefront as we’ve seen in recent years from The LEGO Group, as they’ve rolled out plant-based elements (40320) in an effort to lower their carbon footprint. We’re digging this!