Posts by Kyle Keller (TBB Managing Editor)

BrickCon 2024 is laying the Foundations of another year of fun! Registration is now open. [News]

BrickCon is returning for its 23rd year, as the longest-running fan-run LEGO convention and a newly-formed nonprofit. So it makes sense that this year’s theme is “Foundations,” reflecting its new charitable goals that revolve around STEM education. But also in keeping with that theme, this year’s show will boast a dedicated exhibit for those old sets that continue to inspire us today. The convention returns to the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, WA on September 5th through 8th, with public viewing days on the 7th and 8th. And as always, adult builder and fans can count on plenty of presentations, games, activities, roundtables, shopping opportunities, and of course displaying for the 12,000 LEGO fans that take in the hall full of builds. Registration is now open, so be sure to visit brickcon.org to get signed up ASAP.

More details on BrickCon 2024 below, including hotel information

This little LEGO snowspeeder is more like Rogue 0.2 than Rogue 2

LEGO has invested heavily in Chibi versions of famous Star Wars ships with their Microfighters line. But not satisfied with the current offerings, Batuu Bricks offers their take on the T-47 Snowspeeder from Empire Strikes Back. The proportions are downright adorable, and all the tiled panels provide the perfect shape. But the real star of the show is that cockpit canopy. With an abundance of bars, clips, and two hockey sticks, Batuu provides enough space for a pair of Rebels at the controls. I’m sure they’re ready to take on the whole Empire by themselves!

T-47 Snowspeeder

Finding oneself in LEGO liminality

There’s something a bit off in this LEGO setting devised by Pan Noda. The intentionally-grainy shot of this brick-built mall food court definitely gives a Backrooms vibe. In a space typically characterized by the bustle of shoppers, the smell of fast food, and the occasional offer of a free sample, the stillness that occurs after hours sure can send a shiver down your spine. It’s hard not to wonder what could be hiding behind a pillar or counter. In fact, maybe it’s best to just get out of here… if I still can.

Midnight Food Court

And if you’re up for more spatial and architectural wonders by Pan Noda, be sure to check out the TBB archives.

From the ashes, a LEGO build arises

Built of a bevy of LEGO Bionicle bits, this phoenix by Dan V is quite the fiery triumph! All the trans-orange flames play well in the backlit model, highlighting the fringes of the bird’s wings, as well as sufficiently obscuring the model’s base. In fact, quite a bit of the design here is hidden from view, with so many dark red spiked panels at work hiding the skeleton of the wings and body. There’s certainly a bit of sorrow for the dark figure at the base of the flames, but clearly this mythical beast has got nothing but rebirth on its mind.

Walpurgis

Take a look, it’s in a LEGO book...

When he’s not busy designing LEGO sets like 40505 LEGO Building Systems, Markus Rollbühler finds the time to make creations of a less-official variety. His latest is an entry into this year’s RogueOlympics, a competition where each round’s entry must clock in at 101 bricks or less. And with this limited palette, Markus still tells quite the story, full of forced perspective and hard-to-use fabric pieces. But I think the real victory here is the integration of some of the oldest LEGO trees, circa 1960.

101 Bricks: Storybook Adventures

Watch for the right time to build something new

It’s that time again, LEGO fans! We’ve got yet another exceptional creation by Dicken Liu, and this one is the embodiment of exceptional timing. Well, maybe not exactly in the way you were thinking. This goofy, anthropomorphized alarm clock is an exceptional accessory, with it’s cartoonish arms and legs jutting out from a watch face adorned with a blue boomerang for hands. And while it may not actually tell time, at least the band does clip together to make it the perfect brick-built fashion statement.

Alarm Clock03

New LEGO sets for April 2024 now available for purchase [News]

Don’t be fooled! April 1st means a new wave of LEGO sets hitting store shelves. And while the offerings aren’t as plentiful as those we saw in March, there’s a couple of behemoths that have arrived (for LEGO Insiders only) which are destined to quickly sell-out: LEGO Ideas 21348 Dungeons and Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale and LEGO Batman 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City. Check out the highlights from this latest wave below. But for the best view of everything available, old and new, be sure to visit the LEGO website (LEGO US | LEGO CAN | LEGO UK).

Check out our favorite sets in the April wave below!

LEGO Dungeons & Dragons 6510864 Mimic GWP and Red Dragon’s Tale campaign – The adventure continues!

Tomorrow is a very big day for LEGO and D&D fans, with LEGO Ideas 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale preparing to hit store shelves. But this massive new set also ushers in a few optional items that go along with it. Beginning on April 1st, the Red Dragon’s Tale campaign book will be available in the LEGO Insiders Rewards shop (US | CAN | UK) for 2,700 points. And if you purchase the new LEGO Ideas set between April 1st – 7th from the LEGO website, you’ll be able to pick up the 168-piece LEGO Dungeons & Dragons Mimic Dice Box GWP along with the massive tower (US | CAN | UK). The GWP may also be available from resellers via eBay. I got a chance to look at both before they hit store shelves. Read on to find out if these accessories are worth picking up!

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.

Read on for our full review

LEGO Friends 42602 Space Research Rover: A super-long-distance friendship [Review]

With more and more LEGO themes this year embracing a space subtheme, it’s no surprise that Friends has gotten in on the action as well. We got a quick taste earlier this year of interstellar minidolls with 42605 Mars Space Base and Rocket, and the second course is set to arrive next month with LEGO Friends 42602 Space Research Rover. Clocking in at 514 pieces, the set will hit store shelves on April 1, and retail for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £44.99. But does this encore performance in the subtheme hold up with an old 90’s LEGO Space fan like myself? Read on to find out!

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.

Explore the outer reaches of the Friends theme below!

LEGO Ideas 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale – One-shot wonder or a critical miss? [Review]

This year, we celebrate a very important anniversary in the LEGO community. And no, I’m not referring to the 50th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons, although that’s certainly an epic milestone. Instead, I’m talking about the 25th anniversary of Star Wars LEGO sets. For it was all the way back in 1999 with that star-crossed fusion of intellectual property that some of us first believed we could see our favorite bricks paired with D&D. Well, it’s finally happened with LEGO Ideas 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale. Coming in at 3,745 pieces, this set is based on the contest-winning design by fan Lucas Bolt, and sculpted into the final model by LEGO designers (and huge D&D fans) Mark Stafford and Jordan Scott. The set will release on the LEGO website on April 1st for LEGO Insiders (April 4th for everyone else), and retail for US $359.99 | CAN $469.99 | UK £314.99. But will Red Dragon’s Tale pass the TBB constitution check, or are we headed for saving throws? Read on to find out!

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.

Delve further into the dungeon below!

Some scary-good geometry in LEGO

Over on Instagram, Zachary Steinman has a reputation for creating some phenomenal geometric forms out of LEGO. So much so that LEGO House in Billund, Denmark has even noticed his art and put it on display in their LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery. This skull-shaped cube ditches his usual symmetrical design and instead depicts a bony grimace through some wild texturing. It’s a build that combines an onslaught of 1×2 curved slopes and rounded 1×1 tiles with a stark color difference to make something that feels very Jack Skellington-meets-Minecraft.

Yo ho ho and a LEGO bottle of rocket fuel

Seeking their fortunes across the stars, this renegade band of LEGO rapscallions aren’t just smugglers. They’re full-on space pirates, at least according to builder Librarian-Bot. Inspired by the 1993 set 6268 Renegade Runner, this creation was inspired by the “Space Pirates – Back to the Caribbean Galaxy” competition happening over at Eurobricks. The ship’s sail has been transformed into a large beveled wing, still striped in black and white. A large rocket engine has been added to the schooner’s aft section, and the large cannon mounted below the ship looks devastating!

Renegade Voidrunner

Check out the engines and figs!