Posts by Norm Harper

Get up-close and personal with this these Blacktron bruisers

Conventional wisdom would suggest that when you’re engaged in a dog fight in space, you want to keep your distance and let your laser guns do your enemy in. But Steve Marsh isn’t worried about convention. He’s begun a series of Blacktron ships that are built for combat, without using guns. The first is the SnubBuzzard, a brutal-looking battering ram of a ship that busts through its targets with ease.

The second is the Buzzsaw and, well, I probably don’t need to tell you how it attacks. It can be a challenge to bring new life to old concepts, and the idea of weaponless combat ships is an inspired approach. The resulting ships look swooshable and exactly like something I would have eaten up as a child. And, the best part is, when Blacktron reduces a Space Police cruiser to bits, you get to rebuilt it!

Are you a fan of Seve “Rubblemaker” Marsh’s distinctive spaceship designs? We’ll be back in a few days with an in-depth interview with this LEGO Space legend.

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Hawkins, are you ready to rock?

We’re still a few days away from the premiere of Stranger Things season 5, but it seems like the WSQK van is already everywhere. I’ve seen it on t-shirts, in toy aisles, it has an upcoming Transformers Crossover figure…and most impressively it’s the subject of a new build by Alex Jones. While we haven’t seen the mobile radio station in action on TV, yet, there’s already plenty of merch out there to judge by. So, it’s safe to say that Alex has delivered a stunning take. Not only is this model packed with plenty of playset-style features, like opening doors, but Alex recreated the van’s wild paint job almost entirely through bricks. Even the eagle shaped lightning bolts on the side.

Even more impressive? He built it twice, and gave it a dark and dreary redeco for scenes in the Upside Down.

A cozy cabin creation to get you through the cold.

We’re always glad when the heat of the summer gives away to autumn…but it isn’t long before the cold and the rain has us longing for springtime. Thankfully, Carter Witz comes to the rescue with their fantastic knack for natural landscapes. This cozy yellow cabin scene puts in just the right mood and reminds us sunshine will come again. The cabin’s realistic paneling and rough stone walkways are expertly constructed. And we love how Carter can take almost any piece cast in a shade of green and make it look like a natural plant.

Mogwai care is not for the faint of heart

I’m old enough to remember a time when Gremlins was one of the more obscure franchises of the 1980s. But nowadays the film is finally getting its due, with official LEGO releases, an animated series, and a third film announced. So, let’s use this fantastic rendition of Gizmo by Calin as an excuse to review the rules, as it seems you’re more likely than ever to encounter a mogwai. Rule number one, never get them wet. Although, I think Calin might have done that already, as those little buds on the plate look like they might be the trademark fuzzballs that result in more mogwai…

Rule number 2, no bright lights. And I’m not sure how Calin got this great pic without bright light. And, most importantly, never, ever, ever feed them after midnight. Although, if your mogwai’s jaw is made from a pie, I’m not sure how can avoid it. I think Calin better be ready to secure his home against a gremlin attack. Good luck.

Am I wobbling because of the ocean…or the beer?

Daniel Church just took us on a cruise across the ocean of the future. But now it’s time to relax with a nautical adventure that’s a little more my speed. Daniel’s latest build, the Tug Pub, is a floating watering hole that’s full of charm. Oh, to be one of those patrons enjoying a pint in the salty sea air. And the clever use of white pieces laid out on a plain blue backdrop creates one of my favorite LEGO waterscapes I’ve seen in a long time.

“Live fast, die young, and leave behind a LEGO corpse, that’s what I always say.”

It seems like Bender has been capturing the imagination of LEGO builders ever since Futurama debuted at the turn of the century. In addition to being a fan favorite character, something about his monochrome, almost human frame makes him a very appealing challenge. And this rendition of Bender by Nick Jensen has to be one of my favorites. The use of the angled 1L bars really capture the character’s fluid movement.

Don’t forget to take a look back at the past of Futurama builds in our archives.

We’re wowed by this wonderful wizard

There are few builders that can create dynamic characters from LEGO like Trevor Pearson-Jones. The shapes and expressions he creates can feel almost magical. Case in point, this wizard conjuring up a giant, flaming 2×2 LEGO brick.

Coming in close on the wizard, I have to marvel at how few pieces actually make up the fleshy bits of the wizard’s face while still communicating a full character. Of course, those pieces get a boost from the large amount of sculpted facial hair and, surprisingly, some dental work.

And that magic brick uses various transparent plate colors to such awesome effect, I think I’d be afraid to touch it if I saw it in real life, lest I burn my finger.

Set sail on high seas of the future!

Not to be a downer, but conventional wisdom tells us that in the future there will be more ocean to sail than ever before, so why not plan to explore it in style? That’s where this futuristic sailing craft by Daniel Church comes in. The sleek hull, with its well-crafted curves, should cut through the waters with ease. And we figure that sail, stitched together from numerous hexagonal patterns, probably doubles as a solar panel. Perfect for long voyages!

The Scottish Highlands distilled in LEGO

The beauty of the Scottish Highlands has been marvelously captured in this build by 11drgnsMOC. Every sight imaginable, from a cottage covered in snow to a castle atop a sunny green hillside, has been nestled side-by-side in this delightful vignette. There’s even a brick-built bagpipe! We can almost smell the peat in the air.

This rendering was one of several models that the builder submitted to Bricklink Designer Program Series 9. Voting for this round is closed, with the winning entries to be announced on November 19th.

Vancouver library recreated in brick by local LEGO legend Paul Hetherington

Paul Hetherington has a knack for building real-world locations in LEGO, and he’s at it again with this rendition of the West Vancouver Memorial Library, built to celebrate its 75th anniversary. You can tell what a grand place for the community this must be, with the ample greenery and curated outdoor space. Those umbrellas? Hub caps from the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine! But cutaway sections also let us get a good look inside at the library’s main hall and children’s sections. And, if you want an even better look at this 17,850-piece model, you can see it on display inside the actual library.

Paul is a LEGO institution in the Pacific Northwest, whose large-scale architecture and pop culture models have delighted the community for over 20 years. This model is particularly special for the builder as it’s the same library he visited as a child where he discovered the comics that would go on to inspire his LEGO building.

This medieval ballista will make your head roll

When battle calls for a massive medieval missile, your army should definitely have a ballista on hand. And Metro[pcs] has crafted one for all your LEGO castle siege needs. We love the use of gears and paint rollers to craft a machine that looks functional at such a small scale. But mostly we’re head over heals for those helmets as wheels.

We’re ecstatic about this Phantom-X mech

Although it sprang from Marco De Bon’s imagination, this masterfully built mech looks like it taken straight from a yesteryear toy aisle. The mostly black body is perfectly highlighted with bits of red and silver, and the range of posing possibilities outshines a lot of comparable LEGO builds. But Marco has had plenty of practice perfecting these bots. Check out our interview with Marco about his 1o years of building LEGO mecha!