Posts by Jake Forbes (TBB Managing Editor)

Move over Mario, mini mascot Astro Bot is here to play with LEGO

Nintendo has Mario. SEGA has Sonic. LEGO fans can build with both! Playstation has had its share of platforming mascots over the years, from Crash Bandicoot to Spyro the Dragon, but they didn’t stay exclusive or endure. But now Sony’s throwing its hat into the mascot ring again with Astro Bot, the adorable platforming robot who celebrates all things Playstation. Builder and gamer dad curtydc pays tribute to the bot in LEGO form and the results are pixel-perfect. From TV head to thruster toes, curtydc captures Astro’s adorable energy. My favorite detail and building technique is found in the stand where three frayed cables are created from macaroni tubes filled with brown stems. Simple yet effective, and instantly recognizable to fans of Astro’s games.

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Gentle Giant SHIP swims to a new Horizon

Concept artist Pierre E Fieschi is a SHIP legend, having created dozens of large-scale LEGO space vehicles over nearly 20 years. It’s been a while since we’ve seen new MOCs from Pierre (outside of his work on LEGO video games), so it was a joy to see his return this SHIPtember with a model inspired by the machine designs from the Horizon video games. As a fan of the franchise, I can’t help but look for weak points for Aloy to chip away at. Those power cells look tempting and are brilliantly designed using Technic link treads. The head, cleverly using black tubes to achieve the shape of a baleen whale, seems lacking in firepower. True to its name though, this Gentle Giant is closer to a peaceful Tallneck than a Thunderjaw, so maybe we shouldn’t try to blow this one up.

One bad day in Gotham built in bricks

Batman: The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, is considered by many to be the definitive Joker story with its bleak origin story and striking imagery. LEGO and comics fan Toryman translates the punchline of Jack’s bad day as he goes from Red Hood to Joker. The builder captures Bolland’s colors beautifully, where the red costume and green chemicals pop in against monochrome bricks. The top half of the scene mirrors the comic panels’ changing perspective, but it’s that last panel that looks best in LEGO, with extra depth that lets the brick-built typography fill the space. It’s funny how well it works. So why aren’t you laughing?

See this LEGO serpent breach sea at the beach

BigBrickStan is a new face in the online LEGO community, but already the builder is making waves with splashy builds like this LEGO sea serpent. The Chinese-style dragon uses a lush mix of plant elements as scales. I love the variety of orange wings and claws along the creature’s back, splayed irregularly for a more organic look. An array of points and curls in white make for effective roiling water at the dragon’s base. Most impressive is the head shaping, especially the toothy jaws made of Ninjago bone swords and unicorn horns.

LEGO big cats take Broadway

I’ve seen practical, dramatical, pragmatical, and fanatical cats take the stage. Gumbie cats and railway cats. But until this day I’ve never seen LEGO cats give ’em the old razzle-dazzle. This is actually an encore scene from Caleb Huet assembling a trio of big cats in top hats to command the stage. First built on a whim five years ago, Caleb revisits the concept to show how he’s grown as a builder. The voluminous curtains look great, and the plush chairs look like a cozy place to book a seat. There is an undeniably theatrical flare to the big cat figures standing up, with those outstretched arms making jazz paws. True Jellicles.

Build your own baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng [Instructions]

Pygmy Hippo calf Moo Deng is just two months old and already is the viral star of Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo. She has her own makeup trend, merch, cryptocurrency, and now, thanks to Cornbuilder, her own LEGO fan model. Cornbuilder perfectly captures Moo Deng’s bouncy meatball energy, and thanks to instructions generously shared by the builder, you can too!

Click here for Cornbuilder’s MOO DENG INSTRUCTIONS.

Czech out this Art Nouveau modular of a Prague landmark

Few cities can compete with Prague in architectural beauty, where medieval apothecaries stand alongside gothic towers and modernist marvels. Czech builder poMOCník & dirigent found inspiration in the Prague Municipal Insurance Company building, turning it into a lovely LEGO modular. The building was constructed between 1899-1910 as part of the Art Nouveau and Neo-Baroque movements and features ornate arches, statues, and a colorful mosaic, all of which are captured here in brick. Bionicle and Robo Rider elements in “brick yellow” (better known as tan) are a clever solution for the organic curves of Art Nouveau. I especially like the gold and green used to create the patinaed gate on the ground floor.

Devastatingly good G2 Constructicons merge for the thrill

As an 80s kid ~~brainwashed~~ enriched by cartoons and Toys R Us commercials, of course I went through a Transformers obsession, and there was no toy I craved more than Devastator. The OG Combiner, he was like evil Voltron. LegoGuy31 is also a fan of Megatron’s metal muscle, having created an impressive LEGO Devastator sporting his G2 yellow colors. This scale strikes a perfect balance between detail and play functions without requiring a massive investment in parts.

LegoGuy31’s model can unmerge into the full crew of Scavenger, Scrapper, Longhaul, Hook, Mixmaster, and Bonecrusher. While the Constructicons of my childhood will always be fluorescent green, there’s no denying that they look great in yellow, especially in vehicle form. LegoGuy31 shared a video showing how each part combines to form Devastator.

If you miss Devastator in classic G1 colors, legendary builder Alex Jones has you covered with perhaps the greatest LEGO x Transformers project ever assembled.

The Great Grape Chapel Showcase

Medieval marketplaces are a popular theme with LEGO castle builders, but you’ve never seen one with colors and creative lore like this! Tabaya‘s bustling scene introduces the Fellowship of the Wine, a sacred order dedicated to the fermentation of the sacred grape. The monastery is built from a distinctive mix of flame yellowish orange, medium lilac, sand green, and brick yellow. It’s a color combination I’ve never encountered before but really sings, especially paired with fall foliage. Tabaya’s model is filled with playful architectural choices, influenced, no doubt, by limited parts in the chosen colors. But the builder also celebrates the playful connections possible in LEGO without the constraints of historical accuracy or realism.

Tabaya excels at fantasy minifigs and has created the perfect ensemble to bring the scene to life: The Fellowship of the Grape. I like to think that consuming the magical wine grown by the order turns the hair purple. The six statues, each holding a different sacred object, give the fictional church specificity. This is great world-building.

Fire Breathing Fortress reforged in epic collab from LEGO pros

In their professional capacity as LEGO designers, Chris Perron and Wes Talbott have collaborated on some of the best fantasy sets ever released, including Rivendell and the Red Dragon’s Tale. So what do these friends get up to when they’re off the clock? How about an epic reimaging of a beloved ’90s castle with modern building techniques and design aesthetics? The massive build debuts at the upcoming Skærbæk Fan Weekend event, but for those who can’t make it to rural Denmark, the builders graciously offer a detailed tour of this house of the Dragon Masters.

Click to explore the reforged Fire Breathing Fortress!

He’s just a spoonbill, yes he’s only a spoonbill

Birds and botanicals have become beloved themes in LEGO and James Zhan excels at both with a model of a Black-faced spoonbill wading through lotus flowers. James perfectly captures the endangered bird’s unique shape, accenting the brick-built body with balloon panels and a few Technic panels as plumage. A banana under the eye adds appealing detail. James has been creating lifelike flora and fauna in LEGO for years. We especially liked his pygmy seahorse hiding in coral, walking iris in a brick-shaped planter, and this whimsical hybrid of hedgehog and floral arrangement.

Botanical Cruiser carries Earth’s plastic plants across the cosmos

While back-to-school sales, falling leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes might be the more recognized signs of autumn’s arrival, among LEGO fans, it’s the sudden appearance of massive spaceships in our feeds that we look for. SHIPtember is when builders race to complete a spaceship of at least 100 studs in length, aka a SHIP (Seriously Huge Investment of Parts). Space Kook is no stranger to the tradition, having participated for at least four years, even creating five SHIPs in a single month. This year, Space Kook presents the LSS Kew, a Botanical Cruiser adorned with domes to transport Earth biomes to distant colonies.

Click to explore Space Kook’s impressive cruiser from other angles!