About Matt Hocker

Matt Hocker has been an avid LEGO fan since the age of 4, when he received a box of his father's 1960s era LEGO bricks. In addition to being a builder at heart, Matt is passionate about LEGO history and has amassed a sizable collection of LEGO ephemera to provide context for the LEGO story. Matt's collection forms what he likes to call the Library of the Brick, and he lives by the slogan "building history one stud at a time." He invites you to ask him any questions you might have about the hobby or the history behind the brick.

Posts by Matt Hocker

This Cute Corgi is the Queen of the Castle

In addition to being the grandmother of Prince William and Harry, Queen Elizabeth II is known for her love of Corgis. She has owned several over the years and, if given the chance, would probably adopt this glorious puppy built by BrickinNick. BrickinNick’s chibi-like design is simply adorable, from the dog’s panting mouth and big eyes to the cape on its back and tilted crown. The small arches also make for nice, little, perky ears. I can almost feel the warm and wet puppy kisses!

The Queen recently lost the last of her famous pack of Corgis, a dog named Willow who starred with Daniel Craig in the 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies. Our condolences to Her Majesty.

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Star Wars Episode MCMLXXXVI: The TECHNIC Figure Strikes Back

Omar Ovalle is a big-time Star Wars fan with a passion for customizing classic Technic figures from a galaxy far, far away. Omar wowed The Brothers Brick readers with his Endor scout trooper back in 2016. Quite a bit of time has passed since then, but he is back at it again with fully articulated versions of Darth Vader, Han Solo and Jango Fett.

See more LEGO Technic Star Wars characters

A 4×4 fit for an adventurer...and a puppy

Johnny Thunder would be proud of this epic ride from iamkritch. Named the Black Crow 4×4 (thanks to its special hood ornament), this off-road vehicle has just about everything you might need in traveling through the desert to an archaeological dig-site. The roof is covered in crates filled with useful tools, and there is even a fold-out awning to beat the heat on sunny summer days.

See more of this off-roader packed with fun details

An Italian classic that isn’t a Ferrari

When it comes to cars, Italy has a well-established pedigree. You may have heard of Fiat and Ferrari, but have you heard of Lancia? If not, let Lukasz Libuszewski educate you with his classy-looking 1922 Lancia Lambda. When it was introduced the Lambda was truly ahead of its time, in part because of its unibody construction and independent front suspension.

Lukasz’s version is a marvel of minifigure-scale engineering, as he has managed to capture elegant curves and angles in such a small model. The stacked wedge plates make for excellent hood louvers (the slotted design that helps ventilate the engine), and the minifig hands make for nice side mirrors. Hop on in and drive away!

Who....Who....Who can make an amazing owl?

Chungpo Cheng, that’s who! You might remember Chungpo’s work from a few weeks ago when we shared his stunning, super-sized Star Wars battle droids. This time, he chose to make big versions of the classic LEGO owl, rat and “cheese slope” elements. In particular, the owl is packed with lots of personality. Those big eyes and upturned eyebrows make Chungpo’s owl look warm and approachable. I almost want to hand-feed the little guy some birdseed!

Chungpo has sculpted an excellent likeness of the original owl piece. He has even photographed the two side-by-side for comparison. Continue reading →

A Miniature Mediterranean Masterpiece

One of the joys of building in microscale is the challenge of doing more with less. In “The Bull Girls,” flickr user Letranger Absurde has proven adept in the art of micro-building. The entire scene has a Mediterranean flair to it. In particular, the microfigure with the red dress reminds me of a Spanish flamenco dancer. You can even find a piece of a flamenco dancer in the thatched-roof building…literally! The curtain over the entrance is actually the dress from the Series 6 collectible minifigures flamenco dancer.

It’s amazing what one specific part can do bring a little LEGO creation to life, and this model is packed full of fun details. The use of the black wizard beard for hair is brilliant, and I’m a big fan of the roller skates & cupcake holders that make up the microfigures’ dresses. The curved tree trunk also adds a lot of character.

My favorite part is the bull, which uses brown frogs for legs, minifig arm for a tail, “gorilla fist” for a head, and white cattle horns that first appeared in the 1994 Pirates Islanders theme. It’s a truly inspired design!