Posts by Norm Harper

This sugary sovereign bears a bitter burden

Life is sweet in the land of Candia, but that’s only because their ruler, King Syze, is determined to keep the forces of sourness at bay. Maxx Davidson has crafted a king as strong in will as he is in flavor. It’s clear that the weight of the world rests on this bubble gum colored visage. Thankfully, the milk chocolate throne brings certain perks with it. The king has a group of advisors who are a bunch of Smarties. And there are Three Musketeers defending the castle at all times. King Syze considers that kind of help to be a real Life Saver.

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A playground that isn’t playing around

I’m the kind of old man with a fondness for the dangerous playgrounds of my childhood. My memories are full of metal slides, creaky see-saws, and rusty merry-go-rounds. I wore the cuts and burns I’d bring home from a day at the park like badges of honor. So, I sneered and judged as the public playgrounds in my area were converted into plastic and netted havens of safety. But Pan Noda may have changed my mind. This modern playground might look safe at first, but that slide empties out into an abyss with a fall that’ll cause you more than a cut on your leg. It’s a terrifying drop, made all the scarier by that moody lighting. And, yes, this is all LEGO. Even that patterned wallpaper, which may well be the last thing some poor young soul sees…

This royal shuffle of the LEGO Mona Lisa ups the ante

Christmas has come and gone, but odds are good you’re still gathered with family this weekend, looking to fill the time before you or your out-of-town guests travel home. And, if your family is anything like mine, that means a lot of card games. What I wouldn’t give to have this latest build from Dicken Liu on-hand to drop on my in-laws during a rousing game of Hearts. Using the LEGO Mona Lisa as a starting point, Dicken has crafted an incredible take on the iconic mirror imaged lady that has gotten me through so many family gatherings. Now, stop staring at your phone. It’s your turn to deal.

Johnny Thunder’s traded in his truck

I think it’s safe to say that we all love a new interpretation of a classic LEGO set. But those efforts are so often given to space or castle themes. Which is why it’s refreshing to see Jack Lockhart come along and give Johnny Thunder a boost with a new take on Mr. Thunder’s ride from set 5998 Pharoah’s Forbidden Ruins. If you remember that set at all, there’s a good chance it’s for the old hot air balloon build. But it also came with a truck that’s much more suited to an adventurer’s needs.

Jack has retained the classic hallmarks of Thunder’s pickup; the wood-paneled bed and the six wheels. But there have been a bunch of modern touches added, like the angled engine block and a windscreen that goes all the way up to the roof. Check out the new model compared to the original, and tell me which one you’d rather trek out into the desert in.

The future promised us flying cars, but this is ridiculous

Let’s be honest, the Lamborghini Lambo V12 Vision Gran Turismo might be too futuristic. The concept car got translated into a Speed Champions set that’s been capturing the imaginations of builders as they conceive of more fantastic roads for it than just a racetrack. We just took a look at a space-bound rebuild of the set that geared the car up for space travel, and now we’ve got another one from Geneva D that looks like it’s coming down hard on an alien planet. But maybe that’s where it belongs. After all, with that angular windscreen and the mix of olive, black, gold and just a hint of azure…frankly, we think it’s time the good folks at Lamborghini just admit that they built a spaceship. And, if you pick up set 76293, you can, too.

Chibi-Tokyo is about to explode as Kaneda gets the LEGO baby treatment

Pop culture is full of memorable vehicular stunts; from the repeating tropes like KITT’s Turbo Boost to Steve McQueen’s classic high-speed chase in Bullitt. But the most beloved of them all has got to be the motorcycle slide from Akira. And Dan Ko shows us you’re never too young to homage a classic, with this infant bike slide built as a part of a Secret Santa project. Which is perfect, because this vignette looks small enough to hang on a tree branch.

Close Encounters of the Holiday Kind

You think it’s hard getting home for the holidays? Try having to traverse the galaxy. After all, it’s Christmas time in space, too. And Santa Claus is busy enough trying to hit all the houses on Earth. Which means it’s up to this dedicated gray alien to deliver presents on their planet. Thankfully, Frost has constructed them a vehicle suitable to the task. We’re assuming Earth reindeer can’t breathe the atmosphere, so a heavy-duty pair of treads and skis will have to do instead. And no need to check the list again, because I’m certain that radar dish is able to detect the naughty/nice levels of the local population.

See more of Frost’s out of this world holiday scenes

The land of llamas looks lovely in LEGO

Join us on a journey to the Andes Mountains, courtesy of Taj: Brick Minstrel. Travel is treacherous when you’re this high up, eye-to-eye with the clouds. A rickety bridge is the only thing connecting this gap between mountain peaks. And both a llama shepherd and a Chasqui messenger have to make it across, going in opposite directions. We’re positive all involved are surefooted enough, but I’m glad I’m not the one responsible for getting those llamas to market. This build pays lovely tribute to a long past time in a place we’d all be stunned to see in person. Just maybe while wearing a safety harness.

Don’t meet me under the missile toad

We all know the rules. During the holidays, if you get caught under the mistletoe, you get kissed. But get caught underneath this polar projectile by Trevor Pearson-Jones, and you might just kiss your butt good-bye. In addition to being a perfectly rendered visual pun, we appreciate the sense of motion instilled in the build. That festive fella really looks like he’s holding on for dear life. But we guess Kermit takes all the really good holiday jobs for amphibians, and this guy’s gotta take what he can get.

Set your sights on this stained-glass sculpture

It must have been divine inspiration. A stained-glass window at church set Mr Youm to considering what the image would look like in 3D, and the resulting build isn’t quite like anything we’ve ever seen before. Copious amounts of black tubing and bars have been shaped into an outline holding a heavnly host of transparent LEGO elements together, creating an angel who looks for all the world like a stained-glass come to live. It’s incredible enough that the silhouette of the angle was achieved, but when you dig in on the details – the natural bend of the fingers, the individual toes – it’s something that can only be called a miracle.

We were dragon our feet on this Vic Viper

We just did a big breakdown on the history of NoVVember, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still some Vic Vipers worthy of our attention to cover. Take this Ninjago themed ship from seb71. The dragon heads used to make the trademark front prongs work in large part thanks to plenty of organic curves in the hull and rear of the craft. And the red wings give the perfect pop of color to the golden spaceship. Another great example of how vast the Vic Viper variety is.

The best desserts have layers

Face it, whether it’s a multi-tiered cake, a slice of tiramisu, or something as simple as an Oreo cookie, nothing makes a sweet treat more craveable than layers of complimentary flavor. And Andreas Leander has a knack for crafting MOCs with a multiple tier element. Putting all that together results in the most delicious looking tiny kingdom we’ve ever seen. Those cookies seem to hover like magic as the delectable chocolate falls stream down from the peppermint castle. Someone get me a spoon and a glass of milk. I’m going in!