Part of the fun of Halloween for me was always the cheap plastic trinkets; pumpkin buckets, spider rings, and especially the vampire teeth. But Josephine Monterosso has put those dollar store dentures to shame with this set of blood sucking biters. A pair of Dots bracelets make a perfect base for Dracula’s gums, and the resulting creation is perfect for anyone practicing to become a dentist of the undead.
The Iron Builder competition has already taken us on a LEGO tropical vacation. But Duncan Lindbo is upping the ante with a natural beach setting for this hermit crab build that uses 8 of the required red Technic Rotor Blades. But this crab isn’t content with your everyday shell. He’s making his home in a brick-built replica of the Rebel pilot helmet from Star Wars. Makes you wonder what’s on that note in the bottle. Perhaps the plans to a secret weapon the Empire is about to bring online?
Inspired by the houseboats of Amsterdam, Jonas Kramm has crafted a cozy minifigure scale houseboat perfect for living a life on a canal. This watercraft comes packed with all the comforts of home, including a bed, a small kitchen, and a fully equipped bathroom. Feeling cramped inside? Just step out onto the rooftop patio and enjoy the string of party lights as you sip a cocktail on the bench built for two. Need to stock up? Pull into port and use the bicycle to hit the nearest grocer. And don’t worry, a set of solar panels on the roof will keep your home running even when you’re out at sea.
When it comes to life-size prop recreations built from LEGO, Nick Jensen might be the reigning champion. His latest work is the revolver wielded by Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. This is the perfect weapon for going bat hunting, with a movable trigger and a perfectly purple grip. But my favorite part is the “Bang” flag coming out of the barrel. Thanks to a clever sandwiching of a LEGO net between some tiles and plates, the flag can actually wave. As in, wave bye-bye to the Batman…
The world of The Wheel of Time book series is both the ancient past and the far-off future. So, it’s fitting that this build by Vladimir van Hoek from ten years ago (long predating the recent Amazon Prime TV series) is just now getting shared with us in the present. The microscale scene of the Field of Merrilor depicts a high-tech castle and neighboring village, in a world where vehicles are powered by primitive sails and advanced jet propulsion. I love the way foliage peeks out from beneath the vignette framework, and the way the reddish brown grill bricks have been laid on their sides to create the rows in the farmland. This idyllic scene is definitely a place I’d like to visit someday…or perhaps I’ve already been?
Thomas W had planned a different build for his contribution to a fairy tale collaboration but had to shift gears at the last minute. The result is a happy ending worthy of a fairy tale. This vignette, with its impressive tomes and frog-occupied wishing well, sets the imagination racing with all kinds of storybook adventures. But the real work of art is that glass slipper. There’s a limited number of bricks available in the trans-clear color, but Thomas transformed them into something special anyway, as easy as turning a frog into a prince.
As a San Antonian born and bred, I can say with absolute certainty that some Texans would absolutely make their state pride their identity, even in deep space. And Umbra-Manis has brilliantly captured that sense of pride with this SHIPtember digital creation, the RTSS Chiltepin. This ship would be worthy of our attention even without the Texas flags. Look at all the interesting textures, from the use of Artoo legs and hinge-less hinge bricks along the upper portion of the hull to the use of the underside of jumper plates on the cargo containers. And those recessed circular portions along the top are fantastic. But the inclusion of the flags, and the space-based Republic of Texas backstory, does so much storytelling that makes this a next-level creation. It’s easy to imagine a crew mess stocked with Big Red, Blue Bell ice cream, and Whataburger. I wonder how it refuels, though. Are there Buc-ee’s in space?
The word “LEGO” tends to inspire thoughts of the traditional bricks that have been a staple of playtime for generations. But this spindly bubble-bot by Djokson is here to remind us of just how far the LEGO system has come. With nary a traditional brick to be found, this collection of gears and tubes is assembled into a robot that’s teaming with personality while being short on traditional studs.
Sure, the new LEGO Concorde is impressive, but can it combine with four other jets? Alex Jones, aka “Orion Pax,” has been crafting amazing LEGO Transformer builds for years, and his latest creation is one of the most impressive, yet. The high-flying Aerialbots are a group of five Autobots with aircraft alt. modes that keep the skies free of Decepticons. And, when things get really turbulent, the Aerialbots can combine into a massive robot known as Superion. Alex has managed to capture all of that functionality in these amazing models. But, despite the gestalt robot’s massive size, no detail was too small for Alex to overlook. From the wing stripes that are near-perfect matches for the old toy decals, to the display stand with a brick-built Autobot symbol, this is one creation that really soars.
Nowadays, with box office and sales numbers being such a huge part of how media gets reported on, it can be hard to be a fan of something without having to engage in a little bit of business discussion. For example, Marvel’s 2019 blockbuster Captain Marvel took in more than a billion dollars at the box office. But the follow-up movie is titled simply The Marvels and is bringing Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers together with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) for an ensemble adventure. Naturally, movie websites and user forums across the internet are littered with opinion pieces as to whether this shift in the franchise is a smart business move or not. But the truth is, not a one of us knows right now how that decision will play out. And we shouldn’t care. All that should matter is “Do we like the movie?” Similarly, when The Marvels sole LEGO tie-in set was officially revealed, there was plenty of opining as to the business decision to sell the set at a cost of more than 20 cents a brick. (10 cents per brick is the usual average.) So, the question is, “Is the price of the set worth it to us?” We got our hands on an early copy and are here to help you make an informed decision before you buy. 76232 The Hoopty comes with 420 pieces and will be available on October 1st for US $89.99 | CAN $119.99 | UK £84.99
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.
Introducing the DSV Hardshell, the latest in undersea exploration by Slick_Brick. This amazing submersible glides silently through the ocean with flipper-style propulsion and steering, allowing you to roam the reefs without frightening away its aquatic inhabitants. The extra wide windscreen allows for unobstructed views in nearly all directions while keeping you safe from electric jellyfish and any sharks who might be lurking nearby.
There’s a lot of talk on the internet about “superhero fatigue” setting in at the box office. But, if you’re a fan of LEGO and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fatigue you might be feeling is the exhaustion that comes with waiting for your favorite hero to finally be rendered in minifigure form. Thankfully, the latest wave of LEGO Collectible Minifigures is here to save the day with 12 new figures. Like the first series of Marvel CMFs, this line focuses on characters from the numerous TV projects on Disney+; Moon Knight, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Hawkeye, and the upcoming X-Men ’97 animated series just to name a few. But is the combined might of these superheroes strong enough to fight your fatigue? Let’s crack open a box and find out. 71032 Marvel Studios Collectible Minifigures Series 2 will be available on Sept 1st for US $4.99 | CAN $5.99 | UK £3.49
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.
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