Posts by Kyle Keller

Even more ideas from the LEGO insect kingdom

While we’re all itching to get our hands on the LEGO Ideas Insect Collection set, builder James Zhan created his own take on some of the other critters from the phylum Arthropoda. First up, a pair of comically-adorned beetles slug it out in the forest floor’s ring for the title of bug boxing world champion. While the stag beetle (in blue) certainly has that look of determination, the Japanese horned beetle (in red) is certainly no slouch. And judging by the belt it’s rocking, this is far from its first time in the ring. Don’t let the beetles distract you entirely, though. Those adorable pink flowers growing out of a corner of the ring are quite the detail!

In a more true-to-life depiction of insectoids, this quintet of fireflies know how to light up a scene. While still featuring cartoonish “bug” eyes, these insect of the family Lampyridae put transparent neon LEGO elements to good use on their posteriors to signify their glowing potential. And once again, the background is a fantastic bit of flora, featuring three types of fungi growing out of the log that’s the base of this build (one is on the other side of the creation). But then again, we know James can certainly turn out a fantastic plant when he has to.

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LEGO Icons 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments [Review]

With fall quickly approaching for the northern hemisphere, it’s time to start thinking about those holiday LEGO sets. One of the first coming out in the wave for 2023 is 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, featuring a wealth of customizable looks on the basic anthropomorphic cookie pattern. But will these constructible confections lead to some delicious creations, or are they only half-baked? Composed of 190 pieces, 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments will be available in the UK starting on September 1, with the US and Canada having to wait until October 1. The set will retail for US $12.99 | CAN $16.99 | UK £10.99.

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.

Click for the full review!

LEGO 40656 Braille Bricks – an educational tool, expensive gimmick, or something more? [Review]

Before we get going with the article, please know that this isn’t going to be your typical review. In large part, that’s because 40656 Braille Bricks isn’t your typical set. There’s no model to build here, and the parts aren’t intended for imaginative exploration like Classic sets. Instead, this is an educational item, designed for targeted learning rather than invention. Let’s discover together what we can learn from LEGO’s latest offering, hitting store shelves on September 1, 2023. 40656 Braille Bricks will retail for US $89.99 | CAN $119.99 | UK £79.99.

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.

Click for the full review!

Broken LEGO always turns me Inside Out with anger!

The rage I feel for LEGO bricks from the brittle brown era is something I’ve felt time and time again. But thanks to Nikita Filatov and their depiction of Anger of Inside Out-fame, I’ve got a much better idea of what’s going on inside my head. I can almost hear the voice of Lewis Black ranting about ABS integrity and how he should’ve used dark tan instead! Probably not the best time to tell him that LEGO discontinued trans-neon orange….

A LEGO sword bearer on a field of blades

The LEGO blades of grass pale in comparison to the massive claymore wielded by this turquoise-and-white mech by Psyro TtunTomato. I’m pretty sure this build utilizes nearly every two stud-long curved slope, giving the armor plating so many interesting facets. This is contrasted nicely with the sleek flow of the sword’s edges. The turquoise and gold detailing is excellent on the white background, and I love the little hints of trans-light green that bring the palette together. But the thing that makes this creation stand out from your average mech is the exquisite background. That verdant plain full of katana-constructed grass is a genius presentation of a tough-to-use part (when not used as a minifigure weapon).

LEGO Mosaic from A Plague Tale: Innocence exudes hope and happiness in dark times

While I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on the video game A Plague Tale: Innocence, it’s fair to say I know my way around a LEGO brick. So when I say that this mosaic by General 尓àvarre (W. Navarre) is one of the most impressive bits of 2-D brickwork I’ve seen. At this scale, the General must employ clips aplenty. These clips are used adeptly to hold all manner of barred piece, forming an intricate picture of the game’s main characters. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s additional work around the edges of this mosaic to give the 22×30 stud rectangle the look of a aging photograph. It’s a masterful union of color, texture, and technique, capturing a moment of happiness in a dark, bleak setting.

LEGO Insiders program kicks off with a 1,000,000 point treasure hunt [News]

As many of you know from our earlier article, the VIP system is being replaced with LEGO Insiders as of today, August 21st. To kick off the transition to this new comprehensive loyalty program, LEGO is holding a contest through October 2nd with a jackpot of 1,000,000 Insiders points. For those working out the math, that equates to US $9,000 | CAN $12,000 | UK £7,000 in discounts on purchases through LEGO stores and their website. The form of the contest is a treasure hunt, with the prize “buried” amid LEGO parts. Using an AR phone app, piles of System bricks can be scanned in search of a golden brick or other prizes. These can include digital LEGO comic books, bonuses for LEGO games, and other items. But for the grand 1M point prize, six winners will be chosen each week, making for 54 winners over the treasure hunt’s duration. More info is available at www.LEGO.com/Treasure-Hunt. And if you want to skip right to the fine print, that’s available here.

Read up on the treasure hunt below!

A wagonload of LEGO technique

I’m absolutely enamored with this covered wagon LEGO creation by builder SDR. Such a tiny build contains so many interesting techniques. For starters, there’s the seated dress added to the female minifigure, allowing her to sit on the seat of the wagon. Then, there’s the brilliant idea to lace wooden beam-printed tiles through the gap of this difficult-to-use 1×2 with bar piece. The end result is a texture on the side of the wagon perfectly befitting its wood construction. Similarly, the brown brickwork on the underside of the vehicle feels obsessively accurate to the subject matter.

But the best bit of building brilliance is the design of the wagon’s white cover. Utilizing clips on the interior, sections of the cover are held in place, leaving a seamless appearance on the exterior that left me wondering how it was achieved. Thankfully, SDR. included a behind-the-scenes pic.

Will we ever stop exploring LEGO’s Galaxy Explorer?

When it first debuted in 1978, this most infamous LEGO theme was known as Space. But after a while, factions later, we started referring to it as Classic Space. And after the shade of light gray changed and more curves became available, it morphed into Neo-Classic Space. But now, after the Galaxy Explorer set has hit store shelves, I think we’ve hit the start of the Neo-Neo-Classic Space age. That’s certainly what it feels like in Alec Hole‘s stellar (and interstellar) Explorer Mk 4. Bursting with all kinds of sci-fi textures, this blue and gray starship represents yet another point in Space’s evolutionary timeline. The double cockpit, done up in the traditional trans-yellow, is a superb choice. And I quite like all the light gray gear bits worked in throughout the wings.

Check out more of this Classic Space creation below

LEGO debuts its new comprehensive loyalty program: LEGO Insiders [News]

Today, LEGO is announcing a new loyalty program for adults, set for launch in a week on August 21st. LEGO Insiders will not only replace the existing VIP Rewards program, but also merge other LEGO entities like LEGO Ideas and LEGO Life into a single account. This means one username and password to manage, no matter which LEGO service you’re accessing. LEGO has stated their goals as increased ease of access, a lower the barrier to entry into their loyalty program, and benefits that expand beyond those currently offered by the VIP Rewards system. You’ll be able to create a new account using this link, or by scanning designated QR codes at LEGO stores starting on the 21st. Unlike with VIP, where talk of the program was largely contained to the register or their website, expect this new system to be broadly advertised.

Read on for more details

In 90,000 LEGO bricks, MLTC recreates the Newport Workshops

Unofficially, LEGO trains occupy the L-gauge in the model train community. And it’s in this scale that the Melbourne LEGO Train Club presented their recreation of the Newport Railway Workshops. With pictures provided by Alexander (narrow_gauge), this stunning creation just made its debut at the AMRA 2023 Model Railway Show in Melbourne, AU this past weekend. The workshops act to maintain and refurbish trains, as it has for well over a century. And MLTC did quite the job shrinking the campus down to minifigure-scale

Explore more of the Newport Workshops below

A LEGO cottage in candy colors

With some of the most inventive LEGO part usage I’ve seen in a while, Daniel Cloward has assembled quite the bright-colored cottage. His ingenious roof technique utilizes a lattice of rounded tiles held within the clips of this part. Add that to the paintbrushes as door hinges, hot dogs in the round window frame, and minifig headwear as rocks on the front lawn, and the build is bursting at the seams with exquisite part usage. But the cherry on this NPU cake has got to be the inclusion of Clikits in the cobbled walls of the structure.