Posts by Norm Harper

This sci-fi craft leaves me feeling thunderstruck

One of the things I miss most now that I live in California is thunderstorms. Sure, we occasionally get a bit of rain. But it’s rare that that lightning flashes or the windows rattle from the vibrations of a thunderclap. And I always used to find that so soothing. So, if I had a chance to take to the skies in the ThunderGlide by builder Rubblemaker, I might never come down again. This craft channels the atmosphere’s own electrical power through its lightning rod to stay aloft as long as a storm is raging. Which is pretty rock and roll, when you think about it. What’s more, the use of ample pentagonal tiles on the wings and the tubing on either side of the cockpit call to mind the keys and pipes of an organ. Imagine flying through the rain in this bad boy with a little Iron Butterfly playing. Yeah, that’s the life for me…

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

These brick-built bricklayers make building easier than ever.

Tim Goddard has been building fantastic sci-fi LEGO creations for years now at a rate that almost seems inhuman. But now we’ve finally uncovered the secret behind his LEGO output. He’s had robots helping him this whole time! Bot #1 reviews the schematics that Tim’s drawn up, while #4 uses an extra set of extendable limbs to do the heavy lifting. The use of breathing regulators for feet and roller skates as a key component of the heads on these ‘bots is a charming inversion of those pieces normal usage.

A new twist on an old windscreen

I don’t know that I have a favorite LEGO piece of all time, but my top five would have to include the long, faceted windscreen that debuted in 1989’s Space theme offerings. Something about that wedge’s multiple sloped angles inspired so many of my childhood builds. I used it to build cockpits, magical jewels, the jaws of various monsters…but I hadn’t given it much thought in the last decade or two. So I was delighted when I spotted the White Tiger Star Fighter by jnj_bricks. One of my favorite pieces had been given new life.

By twisting two of the windscreens sideways and building over the resulting bottom half, the White Tiger employs the existing slope angles to create a new cockpit shape that blends perfectly with the more modern pieces that make up the majority of the ship. It’s got me wanting to dig through my old bricks to see what inspiration might strike.

Mysterio’s nightmare image is the build of my dreams.

One of the most gratifying parts of watching Spider-Man: Far From Home was how the movie depicted Mysterio’s illusions. I was a huge fan of the villain from the comics. And in the comics, Mysterio is certainly able to fool his enemies, sure. But his illusions so often went beyond just ordinary subterfuge. When a comic artist was allowed to really run wild with Mysterio, Spider-Man could find himself caught in a dreamlike, swirling mass of images. A place where up and down have no meaning and nothing is ever what it seems. That the movie was able to recreate — and justify — that same kind of illusion power was awesome. That’s why I’m so keen on this LEGO-based take on Mysterio’s power by builder Daniel Huang.

The recreation of the scene where — two-year-old spoiler alert — Spider-Man is confronted by a zombie Tony Stark is powerful on its own. The way the graveyard bends as if it’s crumbling around our hero gives the diorama a perfect sense of drama and motion. But to then have the moment watched over by two different Mysterios at varying scales is some top-tier comic illustration awesomeness. The duel use of trans-bright green Hero Factory joints as Mysterio’s energy signature and supports to hold up the giant brick-built villain is especially clever.

“This Captain America mosaic is super, soldier.”

It makes sense that when LEGO launched their new Art theme, they’d start their Marvel offerings off with Iron Man, the hero who gave birth to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At least, he birthed it from a movie release date perspective. But Steven Wayne Howard hasn’t forgotten that the real first Avenger was Captain America. This tribute to Steve Rogers was created by fusing the pieces from Iron Man and Sith mosaics (with a handful of extra 1×1 red plates thrown in). So, it should be no problem to recreate yourself if you have both of those sets on hand. And if you’re looking for a great spot to hang it, I suggest the wall on your left.

This LEGO Ikea showroom might require an allen wrench to recreate.

Iron Builder competitor Brickleas has taken the challenge to the land of Norsemen and ready-to-assemble furniture. This time the seed part has been used to create a chair, some decorative lighting fixtures, and a hood over the stove. But Brickleas didn’t stop at creating a cozy home scene. This build goes the extra mile by zooming out a few feet to reveal that we’re in the showroom of an Ikea. The arrow on the floor guiding shoppers and the black rigging hanging above the fake walls is sure to inspire flashbacks in anyone who has tried to navigate the labyrinthine superstore. “Why do I have to follow these arrows through the whole complex? I’m just trying to buy an affordable shelf for my UCS Batmobile!” Sorry, got a little lost in memories there…

LEGO Transformers get a “toon-up” with Omega Supreme

Way back in the mid-2000s, Hasbro launched a show and corresponding toy line known as “Transformers: Animated.” The title was no doubt a reference to the fact that Michael Bay was working to bring the Transformers franchise to live-action movies for the first time, and the corresponding Animated show was setting itself up to be everything the Bay franchise wasn’t: hand-drawn, on TV, well written, and over too soon. Hasbro managed to produce the majority of the main Animated cast in toy form so that fans of the series could continue to revisit this era of the franchise long after the show was canceled. But there was one major character that escaped our grasp and was never given a proper figure. Thankfully, Alan Yap has come to our rescue by delivering this LEGO rendition of Animated’s Omega Supreme.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Transformer without transforming, and Alan has us covered. Continue reading →

This giant LEGO Death Star docking bay is large enough to hold the UCS Millennium Falcon.

Docking Bay 327. You might not remember the numerical designation, but you’re almost certainly familiar with the location. It’s the bay aboard the Death Star that the Millennium Falcon is tractor beamed into when our heroes are attempting their heroic rescue of Princess Leia, and it’s the location Luke is in when he sees Obi-Wan cut down by Darth Vader. As parking spots go, it’s one of the most important ones in science fiction history. And now it’s been digitally created by Lysander Chau in a scale suitable to house LEGO’s UCS Millennium Falcon (10179) from 2007. The first thing you’ll register is the sheer size of the model, but this thing is as detailed as it is massive.

So slip on your Stormtrooper disguise and click here so we can take a look around.

The release of a balloon string tugs at our heartstrings

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that LEGO isn’t just a medium for spaceships, dinosaurs, and sports cars. Brickleas reminds us that LEGO can be fine art with this Iron Builder submission inspired by Banksy’s Balloon Girl. The seed part for this match-up was the 3 x 5 deltoid panel, and it has been put to excellent use here as both the balloon and the girl’s dress. The use of varying shades of gray adds an extra feeling of depth to the hills, and there’s an excellent sense of motion in the girl’s windswept hair. The result is a powerful build that evokes a wistfulness in the viewer.

These Halloween houses are perfect for spooky season.

When you get right down to it, Halloween is all about the mystery of what lies inside other people’s houses. Sometimes it’s investigating what is causing the strange events connected to that spooky house on the hill. Sometimes it’s just a question of finding out which house on the block is handing out the best candy. Thomas Gion and his partner have built an ode to both situations with these seasonal microscale vignettes.

It’s up to us to go investigate, click here!

“I will not give up my favorite decoration.”

There’s been a sharp increase in the amount of mosaic builds we’ve seen since LEGO debuted their Art series last year. But The Middle Brick has taken the art of LEGO mosaic to a new dimension with The Bounty Hunter, a closeup shot of famed Star Wars fiend Boba Fett.

This piece packs a significant amount of detail, and a subtle 3D effect, into its frame thanks to a unique layered approach. The first layer renders the background in standard tiles, while the second and third layers build up the main subject. The final result may not be as detailed as a man frozen in carbonite, but it’s close.

Three versions of Bag End made from three different LEGO sets.

As a child, one of my favorite things about holding a new LEGO set in hand was turning the box over and looking at all the alternate builds that the set could be reconfigured into. These weren’t official models. There weren’t included instructions for them, like you see in the Creator 3-in-1 sets of today. The pictures were just springboards for your imagination. While the LEGO Group might not market the versatility of their sets in the same way anymore, that doesn’t mean modern sets are any less customizable. And if you need proof of that, legoapprentice has got you covered. He’s built three different versions of Bilbo Baggin’s home, Bag End, made from only the pieces available in three different LEGO sets.

The first version of Bag End is probably closest to the one you’re familiar with. Made from the 21325 Medieval Blacksmith set, this build draws heavily on the medieval roots of Tolkien’s fantasy world. Bilbo looks right at home next to a pair of knights and a blacksmith. And the large chimney up top is no doubt evidence of a kitchen that’s serving up tons of delicious Hobbit meals. Perhaps a pie made from the apples grown on the tree up top.

Click here to see the other alternate versions of Bag End