Builder Heikki M. brings us memories of childhood with this simple but perfect little LEGO bedroom vignette. Sometimes models don’t need to be over complicated to make an impression. The color work and studless modeling are just perfect and give an air of reality at first glance. I love the small pink play kitchen with its little details and the pop of green in the striped rug. The bunk bed looks like it just stepped out of IKEA catalog and probably took longer to build than it seems, just like real thing. The pillowcases and the rumpled sheet are not LEGO but are made from a real life pillow case. Non-LEGO additions can sometimes look disjointed, but here, it blends right in and adds to the realism of the model as a whole. The toys scattered around the room are a terrific final detail, but my favorite is the pink bird, seemingly tossed casually under the bed, just waiting to be picked up and played with.
Posts by Flynn
TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for July 11, 2020
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the second week of July 2020.
We reviewed the next few sets in the Ninjago summer wave and more. Keep reading our Brick Report to get all the details.
TBB NEWS: This week we reviewed two Ninjago sets, learned how to make a forklift, and saw the release of the new Jurassic World sets in the US.
- New LEGO Jurassic World sets for summer 2020 now available in the Americas – Adorable baby dino alert! The new LEGO Jurassic World sets are now available in the US and Canada.
- Build your own plucky little forklift [Instructions] – You can build this fun little forklift by de-marco with video instructions.
- LEGO Ninjago 71717 Journey to the Skull Dungeons [Review] – We take a Journey to the Skull Dungeons and see if this smaller set can keep up with the rest of the wave.
- Ninjago 71719 Zane’s Mino Creature [Review] – We finish up our reviews of the summer 2020 Ninjago line with 71719 Zane’s Mino Creature.
OTHER NEWS: There were quite a few other interesting LEGO news articles from around the web this week. Here are the best of the rest:
- Surprising discovery about Godtfred Kirk Christiansen revealed on his 100th birthday, LEGO LAN – Here is the never-before-told story of the development of the iconic LEGO brick.
- Life-Size Pokémon Made Entirely Out Of LEGO Have Fans In Awe, ScreenRant – One Pokémon fan has built some of the series’ most famous creatures out of LEGO in an impressive – and expensive – display of fandom and talent.
- Magnetic couplings make this LEGO submarine airtight, TNW – The Brick Experiment Channel’s latest build, a submersible made almost entirely from LEGO.
- Huge LEGO Millennium Falcon Constructed in Stop-Motion Video, Nerdist – YouTuber Lego My Legos animated the overwhelming effort required to build the UCS Millennium Falcon only using the Force.
This micro LEGO Dwarven mine has upper, lower and middle earth
Just when I think Letranger Absurde can’t surprise me further, they do! This micro build of a Dwarven Mine is spectacular and just dripping with NPU (nice parts use). There’s so much to look at in this small build, but the two things that catch my eye the most are the graveyard up top and the absolutely genius use of minifigure purses as minecarts down below.
I love the combination of sideways and studs-up building and the limited color palette. The large amount of gray tones really makes the other elements stand out. The building detailing is beautiful and the dark tan ground level draws your attention to the middle of the photo, allowing the viewer to take in the upper and lower parts at the same time. The cluster of sand green trees is a nice addition that adds a little more color. The final touch is the wagon, perfectly realized in only three pieces and drawn by a brown frog posing as a dray horse.
TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for July 4, 2020
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the first week of July 2020.
This week, we got hands-on with the new Technic Lamborghini, looked at the new pop art mosaics line, got a tour of the Crocodile Locomotive and more. Keep reading our Brick Report to get all the details.
TBB NEWS: This week we looked at the announcement of a new pop art mosaics line and had many new sets go on sale from Disney to Marvel, Friends to trains.
- LEGO Art revealed as mosaic sets of The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Star Wars Sith and Iron Man The new LEGO Art product line includes mosaic collections featuring portraits of pop art icons, musicians, and heroes and villains from film.
- LEGO Friends sets with cute animals and National Geographic partnership now available in the Americas – Cute animals alert! The LEGO Friends summer jungle theme is now available in the US and Canada.
- New LEGO Marvel sets now available in the U.S. and Canada including 76165 Iron Man Helmet – LEGO Marvel sets including the golden Iron Man Helmet, Avengers Tower and Helicarrier are now available in the Americas.
- LEGO 10277 Crocodile Locomotive now available for purchase – The LEGO Crocodile Locomotive is rolling into the train station, available now from the LEGO Store online.
- LEGO Disney 43179 Mickey and Minnie Mouse available for pre-order – Mickey and Minnie Mouse in buildable LEGO form are now available, including new pieces, a new color, and even black space helmets as a blast from the past.
TBB REVIEWS: This week we reviewed the new Technic Lamborghini Sian and Ninjago Skull Sorcerer’s Dragon, one a speed demon and the other a dungeon demon!
- Ninjago 71721: Skull Sorcerer’s Dragon [Review] – Wu’s Battle Dragon is tough, but there’s an even bigger dragon in the summer 2020 Ninjago line. Check out our hands-on review of this new massive set.
- The LEGO Technic 42115 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 rolls in: the good, the bad, and the ugly – Lamborghini’s first-ever hybrid is here, and we’re taking a look at the 3,700-piece LEGO Technic model of this bright green Italian speed demon.
MORE TBB NEWS: We also got a tour of a Crocodile and a virtual Pride Parade this week, along with a preview of some upcoming LEGO City sets.
- LEGO 10277 Crocodile Locomotive designer takes us for a ride – LEGO Designer Pierre Normandin gives us a tour of the new Crocodile Locomotive, available now.
- New LEGO City Police summer sets revealed include a runaway speedboat, a driller and lighthouse arrest – We get a first look at three more City Police summer releases that include a lighthouse scene, boat chase and a drill based heist.
- GayFOLs Virtual Pride Parade 2020 – Who doesn’t love an awesome parade?! Our good friends from the online LEGO community GayFOLs have shared this wonderful virtual Pride Parade.
OTHER NEWS: There were quite a few other interesting LEGO news articles from around the web this week. Here are the best of the rest:
- LEGO pulls ads on Facebook over ‘hate speech’, BBC News – LEGO has become the latest big name to join an advertising boycott on social-media platforms.
- Bionicle: How Comics Brought the LEGO Franchise to Life, CBR – The story of Bionicle was told over multiple mediums, but perhaps the most important storytelling platform for the franchise was the comic books.
- From Asia to Africa, ‘Sesame Street’ special tackles coronavirus pandemic, Reuters – “Elmo’s World News” is a collaboration with the LEGO Foundation.
- Two years later, Maryland’s ‘LEGO Turtle’ has recovered from shell fractures, USA Today – A turtle’s long road to recovery, which included a custom LEGO wheelchair, finally came to an end when he was set free in a Baltimore park.
- ‘LEGO Masters’ Host Will Arnett on the Show’s Family-Friendly Appeal, and When to Expect Season 2, Variety – Variety‘s Awards HQ newsletter recently spoke to host Arnett about what made the show special, and what’s hopefully to come.
- Endlessly Looping LEGO Marble Run Is a Soothing Sight, Nerdist – JK Brickworks has created a LEGO marble run and thanks to its use of a little motorized elevator, it is endlessly loopable and endlessly soothing.
GayFOLs Virtual Pride Parade 2020!
Happy Pride Day! This week I shared with you my experience as an LGBTQ+ LEGO fan and later in the week we heard from members of the LGBTQ+ Facebook group, GayFOLs as they shared their experiences. This year, GayFOLs hosted its 2nd Annual Virtual Pride Parade where group members from all over the world can build Pride-themed MOCs and share and they are compiled into a slideshow.
The first one was last year and premiered at BrickWorld Chicago. In the time of COVID, virtual meetups are de rigueur, so in a way GayFOLs was ahead of its time in more ways than one! Enjoy the parade and once again, Happy Pride 2020!
Contributors: Aaron N., Alan V., Angela B., Ben A., Brad B., Cameron W., Carol N., Christopher M., Danni F., Glen C., Jimi C., Joe W., Justin B-J., Lukas E., Mitch M., Oscar S., Phillip B-J. Pixy B., Ryan M., SJ M., Stacy L., Teddy L., Timothy A.
Pride & LEGO: LGBTQ+ LEGO fans in their own words [Feature]
Happy Pride Week! Today we continue our celebration of diversity within our LEGO community by shining a light on some previously unheard voices. In my last article, I spoke of what it’s like being an LGBTQ+ LEGO fan from my perspective. As I mentioned then, I am not the representative of the LGBTQ+ LEGO Community nor do I want to be. What makes us great is that we all bring different experiences to the table. One of the biggest online groups for LGBTQ+ LEGO fans and their allies is undoubtedly GayFOLs. A thriving online community on Facebook, GayFOLs is currently home to over 850 members form all over the world. I asked its founder, Bruce H., to tell us a bit about his experience and how and why GayFOLs came to be. I also reached out to members to hear what their experiences have been like in the hobby. Below are their stories, lightly edited for flow.
Read on to hear the stories of LGBTQ+ LEGO fans in their own words
Pride, visibility and LEGO Masters: My experience as an LGBTQ+ LEGO fan [Feature]
Happy Pride week! While we usually celebrate Pride all month in June, this particular Pride Month has been quite fraught and politically difficult. For the last several weeks, many LGBTQ+ people have postponed their month-long celebrations of Pride to make room for other marginalized voices, namely Black Lives Matter. I think that’s important and I stand by this stance myself. So now it’s time for us to join our voices with the national conversation.
Disclaimer: For this story I am speaking from my own experience as an LGBTQ+ LEGO fan that has risen to a bit of prominence in the LEGO world due to being on LEGO Masters. I don’t claim to speak for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole or even for the whole LGBTQ+ LEGO community. All I know is what I have experienced, heard and observed in my time with this hobby and this is what I share with you now.
Read more about my experience as a LGBTQ LEGO fan
Juggling klowns from outer space!
In space, no one can hear you laugh! Or scream in terror depending on your relationship to clowns. Builder Blake Foster brings some humor to the outer reaches of the universe with this wonderful LEGO juggling clown mech. I’ve just recently begun a fascination with mechs so I’m always excited to see them come up these days. Most mechs are so very intense so it’s always refreshing when they don’t take themselves too seriously. This one balances that seriousness and humor perfectly with its nicely detailed grey skeleton and additional primary color accouterments. I love the rounded fingertips that mimic oversized clown gloves and the little bow tie is a hilarious addition. The 50’s style bubble helmet is the perfect topper, filled to the brim with the curly green clown wig.
But that’s not all! This is just a smaller part of a much larger model.
Angry Video Game Nerd is angry
If you were into video games in the mid-2000’s you will undoubtedly recognize this influential character. Builder Julius von Brunk perfectly captures all the fury and foul-mouthed appeal of the Angry Video Game Nerd in LEGO form. Having been a video game journalist during those heady days, I knew who this was at first glance. This speaks volumes not only about the popularity of the AVG, but the builder’s talent at creating characters. The pose is full of enraged action and the head is cleverly built with loads of expression. I love the inclusion of the Gameboy and Nintendo cartridge that recalls the early days when AVGN was known as the Angry Nintendo Nerd. I also got a chuckle out of the Atari E.T cartridge, a game widely recognized as the worst video game ever made and a frequent subject of the AVGN’s ire.
Like a bird on the wing
Builder Aiden.builds pulls plenty of feathers to create this beautiful LEGO model of a magpie in flight. I must admit to really loving LEGO bird models, especially seeing how builders treat the wings. This magpie has a beautiful wingspan using one of my favorite pieces, Shaft Ø3.2 Wing 9M inserted in a Bad Robot arm and clipped on to a flexi tube (Outercable 160Mm). The result is a lovely organic shape using a variety of thoughtful colors. The body is equally well done using quite a few different Technic fairings and the beak and eye are a perfect finisher.
TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for June 13, 2020
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the second week of June 2020.
We talk race, inclusion and LEGO with artist Ekow Nimako. Keep reading our Brick Report to get all the details.
TBB NEWS AND FEATURES: This week we continued our discussion on race and LEGO, saw the reveal of the first new Mindstorms set in seven years, reviewed three new sets including the Hidden Side Mystery Castle, and two different Brick Portrait sets and more.
- Race, inclusion & LEGO: An interview with Ekow Nimako [Feature] – We recently sat down with artist Ekow Nimako (@ekownimako) to discuss his experience as a Black artist working in LEGO.
- LEGO reveals new Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor, a 5-in-1 robotics and coding set – LEGO Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor has arrived to replace the EV3.
- LEGO’s new adult product strategy: Why LEGO is retiring Creator Expert [Feature] – Genevieve Capa Cruz, Audience Marketing Strategist Director shares a detailed review of the new strategy that LEGO picked up to welcome more adults into the hobby of building with plastic bricks.
- Tour the LEGO House from the comfort of your home with virtual live streaming sessions – The next best thing besides actually being at the LEGO House, is to get there virtually.
- A closer look at the LEGO Marvel Avengers 76165 Iron Man Helmet – LEGO’s Iron Man Helmet is decorated with metallic gold and becomes available on June 21st.
TBB REVIEWS
- LEGO Hidden Side 70437 Mystery Castle [Review] – We’re taking a look at the largest set in the summer wave of Hidden Side LEGO sets, 70437 Mystery Castle — out now in Europe and due out in August in North America.
- LEGO Star Wars Brick Sketches: 40391 First Order Stormtrooper and 40431 BB-8 [Review] – The Brothers Brick got an early look at the new Brick Sketches First Order Stormtrooper and BB-8. Are they worth the $20 price point?
- LEGO 40386 & 40428 Brick Sketches: Batman and The Joker [Review] – The fist wave of Brick Sketches is split between DC and Star Wars. Today we take a close look at the DC side with Batman and the Joker.
OTHER NEWS: There were quite a few other interesting LEGO news articles from around the web this week. Here are the best of the rest:
- ‘Lego Masters’ star and Dallas software engineer Amie Dansby aims to smash STEM stereotypes, Dallas News – Her message to kids: Tech is cool; now go create something.
- The Brick Train Awards have begun, Brick Train Awards – Do you build LEGO trains? Here’s your chance to enter a global contest!
- Lego Ventures: Fortnite is the “first credible metaverse”, GamesIndustry.biz – At the Investment Summit Online, Lego’s VC arm expressed interest in backing the wave of experiences that will follow in Epic’s wake
- THE RISE & FALL OF MOCPAGES, The LEGO car Blog – MOCpages is dead. The largest and most vibrant online Lego community for much of the past decade, the site slowly slipped into a coma over the last few years.
LEGO Hidden Side 70437 Mystery Castle [Review]
Welcome back to the Hidden Side! For our second review of the current wave of sets, we are looking at the largest of the five, 70437 Hidden Side: Mystery Castle! This set contains 1035 pieces and retails for US $99.99 | CAN $139.99 | UK £89.99. It is available now in Europe, and will be released later this summer in the US and Canada, likely on Aug. 1.
Read on to discover all the mysteries inside!