Posts by Norm Harper

Enjoy high-stakes dining at the High-Rock Café.

If you’re a weary ocean traveler in need of food and refreshment, the High-Rock Café is to place to go. Stephan Gofers has crafted a cozy seaside eatery and balanced it precariously on a twisted hunk of rock, rising from the sea like something Dr. Seuss has drawn. While this makes for a great ocean view, we imagine the motorized windmill can cause the place to shake a bit on the edge of that crag. But, hey, you’re an experienced sailor. You’ve got your sea legs. And if you drink a little too much and can’t make it back down the rickety steps on your own, the staff will be happy to lower you to your boat in the crane.

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If Bionicle had looked this good, I probably would have bought more of it

Bionicle was a LEGO theme from the early 2000s that mostly escaped my attention. But, if the entire line had been done in the style of Redverse’s Kane-Ra re-imagining, I might have taken a little more notice. In Bionicle lore, the Kane-Ra were buffalo-like biomechanical creatures with two front legs and a single tank-tread in place of any back feet. The biomechanical aspect of the creature is still obvious in the details of Redverse’s update. But the more naturally shaped body and details like four legs with hooves (cleverly made from Technic figure helmet visors) immediately call to mind an organic member of the Bovidae family.

But Redverse hasn’t completely abandoned what made the Rahi unique. The rear legs of this new Kane-Ra can transform into a set of tank treads to speed it across the Mata Nui landscape, just like its predecessor. It’s a marriage of function and style that has me wishing for Bionicle to make an official return.

The river bends towards this little round house

Builder Auctobre has crafted a delightful vignette of a fisherman returning home with his daily catch. The beauty in this build is how everything seems to twist and curve in some way; from the roof of the cottage to the trunk of the neighboring tree, and even the small dock. It’s a combination of techniques that make the scene feel organic and alive.

This awesome Star Wars Millennium Falcon achieves a perfect marriage of size and function.

It might be impossible to do an official count, but I’d bet money that no vehicle from pop culture has been created in LEGO as many times as the Millennium Falcon. LEGO designers and fans alike have revisited Han Solo’s trusty spaceship over and over again in an unending quest to build the perfect rendition of the famous Y-T 1300f Light Freighter. But is perfection even possible? If it is, builder Khaled Youssef may have some as close as anyone with this massive build featuring a fully detailed interior. This new take on the Falcon walks the line between UCS and mainline build in way that should satisfy even the most discriminating fans.

It’s time to take a tour. Click here to board the ship.

A rocking ride for some outer space ore.

As part of a Space Jam collaboration with some fellow builders, jnj_bricks has crafted a transport ship designed to carry aurum from an asteroid to a refinery. And no mined rock has ever traveled in such grand style before. This ship is an elegant blend of sharp edges and rounded corners. And the black and white color scheme, accented by medium azure and yellow, is gorgeous. Which should come as surprise, since it’s a color scheme that’s worked for this same builder before.

In space, no one can hear you order delivery

This motorized intergalactic pizza factory by BetaNotus is making me hungry. It’s cranking out perfect pies in record time, with a team of cybernetic chefs watching over things. These mathematically precise pizzas go from raw, to cooked, to boxed in mere seconds. Then, it’s off to the nearest Pizza Tron kiosk so that beings from all across the universe can grab a quick bite between planets. The detailed, believable factory assembly line is wonderful, but our favorite detail is definitely the brick-built “Pizza Tron” signs up above.

We need to talk about this conversation pit.

Andrew Tate has a way with rendering mid-century style in LEGO form. His latest creation is centered around one of my favorite trends of the era – the conversation pit. A conversation pit was a recessed area in the middle of a room that featured built-in seating, designed to encourage socializing. It provided a sort of indoor “around the campfire” vibe. Once upon a time, it was the ultimate cocktail party setting. And this Paradisa Estates floorplan maximizes that party atmosphere with an open kitchen space nearby. Andrew’s done a brilliant job at capturing the style of the era, from the earthy color palette to textural details like the alternating slopes above the built-in entertainment center. So, pour me a Tom Collins and crank up the Jim Croce, because I’m ready to party.

This new kitchen gadget slices, dices, and is guaranteed to steal every scene he’s in.

In Episode 4 of The Book of Boba Fett, the former bounty hunter encounters trouble in the form of a kitchen droid who hilariously calls back to Revenge of the Sith antagonist General Grievous. Jonas Kramm was so enamored of the adorable droid that he put together a little vignette of General Cleavous in action. The droid’s head comes together brilliantly, thanks in part to some older minifigure body wear. And the details all around the room, from the control panels to the meat hanging from chains, give the scene the unmistakable design of a desert Star Wars locale.

This minifigure-scale First Order AT-M6 is a LEGO Star Wars beast that weighs in at more than 30 pounds

Since before he saw Star Wars: Episode VII – The Last Jedi, Rebel Builder had been wanting to create a First Order AT-M6 walker. The upgraded version of the classic AT-AT from The Empire Strikes Back was revealed to fans before the film’s release. Rebel Builder knew from the moment he saw it what his mission was. Of course, he had to wait to see the movie. And then he had to find as much source material as possible. He spent the next couple of years drawing on behind-the-scenes books, toy models, and theme park reference pics. In August of 2020, he began construction. The final result is a 33.5-inch tall, 31.2-pound model that dwarfs LEGO’s official Ultimate Collector Series 75313 AT-AT.

Click here to take a tour of the AT-M6

LEGO BrickHeadz 40552 Buzz Lightyear & 40553 Woody and Bo Peep [Review]

In 1995, Pixar revolutionized the look of animated feature films with the release of Toy Story. In 2016, LEGO put a whole new spin on buildable figures with the release of the first BrickHeadz. Now, in 2022, these two aesthetic milestones are coming together to give us sets 40552 Buzz Lightyear & 40553 Woody and Bo Peep, These are BrickHeadz numbers 158, 159, and 160, respectively. Both sets will be available on February 1st. Buzz Lightyear is a 114-piece set available for US $9.99 | CAN $12.99 | UK £9.99. Woody and Bo Peep is a 296-piece set that will retail for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99. But how does the BrickHeadz format do at translating these iconic animated characters? Let’s dive into Andy’s toy box and find out.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to continue reading.

An ice cream is just the thing to beat the desert heat

I don’t remember where I learned it, but the way you can remember how to spell “dessert” vs. “desert” is that dessert has more S’s, and you always want more dessert. Well, thanks to Malin Kylinger, one lonely traveler is about to have both. This wonderfully constructed oasis in the sands invites us to enjoy some ice cream and cakes poolside as a respite from weary desert travel. But is it real? Or is it all just a mirage…

Old habits get a new life in brick form.

In the Grammy-winning “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, Will Smith famously sang, “Ciga-cigar right from Cuba-Cuba. I just bite it. It’s for the look, I don’t light it.” And, just like the Fresh Prince, Ted Andes likely knows that a lit cigar can be the source of numerous health issues. So, Ted has constructed a cigar and accessories that provide the old-school Hollywood mogul look without the risk of contracting throat cancer. The realistic wisp of smoke that Ted achieved might make you do a double-take, but rest assured everything in this photo is 100% LEGO. Although, come to think of it, biting a LEGO cigar might not be entirely healthy, either. You could break a tooth.