Posts by Jake Forbes (TBB Managing Editor)

You’re going to want to slow down to appreciate these LEGO speeders

No, these aren’t the latest Star Wars UCS models from LEGO. This trio of speeders comes courtesy of Mirko Soppelsa, designer of amazingly detailed replicas of characters and ships from a galaxy far, far away. Mirko created two versions of the 74-Z speeder bike – in brown, as seen in Return of the Jedi, as well as the white version seen in The Mandalorian. The builder also expands his offering of brick-build characters with two pilot options – the classic Scout Trooper or rewired assassin droid IG-11 and pint-sized ward Grogu.

Constructed from between 4280 to 4494 parts depending on the configuration, and stretching 73cm (or 2 feet 5 inches) these amazing speeders deserve a closer look.

Move closer and get alongside this amazing LEGO Speeder Bike MOCs

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Gear up, space cowboy

Alvaro Gunawan calls this sleek LEGO starfighter the Radial Flux, but you could also call it the Daggerfish, a chibi companion to Spike Spiegel’s iconic Swordfish II. It’s a brilliant, compact design that also evokes muscle cars and WWII fighters, effectively strapping the pilot to a powerful engine. I love how the wheel arches hug the windscreen. A circular gear rack lends a striking silhouette and reinforces that, while the Radial Flux is small, it packs a punch!

Versteinert’s LEGO Campervan is packed with cozy comfort and clever LEGO tricks

Every new classic car design from Genman builder Versteinert is a masterclass in NPU (“Nice Parts Usage”), and this 7-stud wide Ford Transit Mk1 Campervan is no exception. Fitting for a vehicle ready for a summer beach picnic, hot dogs, forks, and a sizzling grille feature prominently in the build, but not where you might think. Using rollerskates for door handles is a tried-and-true technique, but I’ve never seen them used like Versteinert does on the grille, where stacks of skates wrapped in a rubber band fit so perfectly you won’t believe it’s not a pre-molded part.

This vacation wagon follows two utilitarian versions of the Transit Mk1 that Versteinert built last year, this repair service truck and a firetruck version.

LEGO 10362 French Café – a slice of Paris [Review]

LEGO’s focus on deep building experiences for adults really took off with the debut of the Modular line in 2007 and Architecture one year later. With LEGO Icons 10362 French Café, the first set in a new Restaurants of the World subtheme, LEGO seems to be splitting the difference between intricate diorama detail and shelf-ready display piece. For whom does this slice of the Belle Epoche toll? Does it toll for thee? Available now for pre-order, and shipping on March 1st, LEGO Icons 10362 French Café retails for $79.99 | CAN $99.99 | UK £69.99 on the LEGO website. You may also be able to find it through third party vendors on Amazon or eBay.

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

Peel back the rest of the review below!

This Week in LEGO Bricks: Brickscalibur crowns a Dragonslayer and FebRovery kicks into gear [Feature]

February is here, which means it’s time for a month of retro space rovers as FebRovery rolls out on planet AFOL. Meanwhile, in the Castle community, Bas van Houwelingen takes the Dragonslayer crown in the Brickscalibur competition. Our friend ABrickDreamer covers these events and other must-see builds, videos, and articles from the LEGO world in the best 15 minutes you’ll spend all week!

Taking down the big baddie, brick by brick

What makes for a great RPG boss fight? There’s the boss, preferably huge. You’ll need a party of heroes, their skills honed on the bones of lesser foes. And of course an epic arena with room to maneuver and priceless artifacts to smash. Dan O’Conner doesn’t disappoint with this Boss Fight Arena in LEGO, a scene packed with masterful technique. First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the SNOT mosaics built from hundreds of cheese slopes and other angular elements. The glowing trans blue pentagram under the caster is amazing! Speaking of caster, the brick-built battle effects are quite effective, from the magic shields to the slice of air from the Gith warrior in the background. The heroes seem to have this battle under control. Of course, a truly memorable boss battle will go through at least three phases, so the worst is likely yet to come.

With a home this beautiful, who needs to pillage?

Michał Zapała excels at LEGO dioramas, whether they take you adventuring in the Himalayas or fleeing raiders in the Fallout. This time Michał takes us back to 9th-century Scandinavia where the shieldmaiden Eivor receives an important guest. It’s the first of a promised series of Viking-themed scenes that will take the character across the North Sea in search of plunder. I love the sod roof tucked right into the land, a typical style of the era. The mix of stately trees perfectly captures the last days of summer before winter roars in (Vikings didn’t have time for extra seasons like fall and spring). But it’s in the human-scale details where Michał’s diorama comes alive. The cloud-shaped plate strung up as a sheep’s skin is brilliant.

Michał also shares close-ups of his Viking-era mystics in all their pagan glory. The trio are an excellent bit of figbashing, repurposing headpieces from D&D, Creator 3-1, and The Lone Ranger. Will these characters make a return in the next Vikings diorama? Hopefully Michał will return with the next installment soon.

Move over, Monkey Kid. This mech brings Black Myth Wukong energy

Perhaps no character in folklore has been reimagined as often as Sun Wukong, the mischievous hero of Journey to the West. LEGO has devoted an entire line to reimagining Monkey’s adventures, complete with mechs and spaceships. Builder Psyro TtunTomato presents a Monkey mech that draws on another take on the legend for inspiration – the hit video game Black Myth Wukong. Of course, Monkey wields his magical cudgel, while the head is decorated with opulent tails like the video game version of the character. The builder fills out the scene with excellent spiky trees and dense overgrowth made of vines, leaves, and the sly hairpiece.

Of course, the purpose of a giant mech is to battle other mechs, and Psyro TtunTomato delivers with classic Monkey foe the Bull Demon King. The builder shows a talent for both armor plating and articulation, as the model strikes a dramatic pose. This fearsome mech is more than a match for Sun Wukong, and looks like it could bust a Hulk as well!

LEGO Art 31215 Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers – And it was all yellow [Review]

The LEGO Art theme promises to give builders a deeper appreciation of great works through the guided creation of their own replica masterpieces. Van Gogh’s Starry Night started as an Ideas project and was soon followed by The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai and DaVinci’s Mona Lisa. For the fourth painting to get the brick treatment, LEGO returns to the Dutch Impressionist Vincent van Gogh with 31215 Sunflowers. Containing 2,615 pieces, it’s the largest LEGO painting in the Art line, and one that the LEGO Company worked closely on with the Van Gogh Museum for maximum authenticity. You can acquire your own copy of this iconic work starting on March 1st for US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £169.99. Is it time to invest in a second Van Gogh for your collection? Let’s have a look!

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 our hands-on review of LEGO Art 31215 Van Gogh Sunflowers

This wickedly good use of parts leaves us green with envy

I don’t know if this thrillifying LEGO scene from Wicked was built in one short day, but considering that Bousker created it on a tight deadline for the Iron Forge contest, it couldn’t have taken much longer. Bousker brings the Emerald City to life in every shade of LEGO green, employing Castle-style techniques in a refreshingly different palette. The starring piece in this build is the flower stem, used here as climbing vines and grass, but also incorporated into the emerald architecture. As much fun as the official Emerald City set is, Bousker’s swankified minifig-scale take has me longing for more Ozian builds.

LEGO Young-hee from Squid Game has her eye on you

Animatronic doll Young-Hee loves games! Especially Red Light, Green Light. The Squid Game icon just finished her encore in season 2 of the hit Netflix series, and now she makes her debut in LEGO courtesy of Finnish builder Jannis Mavrostomos. Jannis is a master at turning complex subjects into adorable brick packages, and his skills are on full display here. Using bananas for the doll’s out-turned hands is especially clever. It’s such a spot-on likeness, I know you want to sing along. Mugunghwa-kkochi pieot-seumniDA!

Ninjago City rises again with newest towering modular: 71837 Ninjago City Workshops [News]

With the release of the Ninjago Movie in 2017, LEGO debuted the first LEGO City modular super-set, with a new expansion following every two years. Today, as the fifth entry in the beloved line, LEGO announces LEGO 71837 Ninjago City Workshops. After the scenic Gardens and bustling Market, fans can now visit an industrious district where mechs are built and danger hides in the form of villain Dorama and his mechanical puppet. While this latest entry contains roughly half the pieces of the previous Markets, at 3,244 parts it’s still likely to be one of the year’s biggest builds – one that packs in play features, innovative techniques, and oodles of Easter eggs. Ninjago City Workshops will be available to all on March 1st, 2025, and can be pre-ordered now for US $249.99 | CAN $329.99 | UK £229.99.

Check out more pictures after the jump!