This LEGO build by Vohdoff of a laborer ferrying a whimsical feline beast shows that even in a fantasy realm, cats are still royalty. I suspect the cat in question here may draw some of its inspiration from Japanese Kitsune with their many tails. Whatever its origins, though, this creature is gorgeously sculpted from mostly Bionicle elements. Meanwhile, the servant also has an otherworldly visage, and a magnificent gold collar to match the cat’s eyes.
This little LEGO creation by KitKat1414 may sit on a tiny base but it packs a huge amount of skill. KitKat says this fantasy build is based on the ruins of St Andrew’s Cathedral, and the mottled stonework is excellently sculpted to portray the decaying Gothic architecture using a wide variety of grey elements. The green basilisk is wonderfully articulated circling the spire, and the face is a masterwork of brick techniques, of which the best might be the two baby dragons that combine to form the nose.
Following the success of 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), LEGO has unveiled its next nostalgia-laden set in the Icons theme with a throwback to one of the original home gaming consoles: 10306 Atari 2600. The iconic console, released in November of 1982, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The 2,532-piece set includes the console itself and the distinctive joystick controller, along with a cartridge holder and three game cartridges with LEGO-ified artwork, Adventure, Asteroids, and Centipede. The set also includes microscale vignettes for each of the three games, as well as a pop-up minifigure-scale scene built into the console itself. The Atari 2600 will be available US $239.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £209.99 when it’s available starting Aug. 1.
Click to see more pictures of the Atari 2600
The longest-running LEGO fan convention is gearing up for another epic year, with BrickCon returning this fall with a blackjack theme for its 21st year. Held in Seattle, BrickCon hosts a 4-day convention Thur-Sun, Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, for adult builders and fans with games, presentations, display opportunities, prizes, and more. BrickCon is continuing the successful hybrid model it pioneered last year to allow virtual attendees for those who cannot make it to Seattle in person, with special activities for online participants. Registration for the 4-day adult builder convention are $85 in-person, and $25 to attend online, available now on BrickCon.org.
This year BrickCon’s keynote speaker is Angus MacLane, an avid LEGO fan and builder who is best known as the director of movies like Finding Dory and Lightyear. Angus joked recently on twitter that the yellow canopy on Buzz Lightyear’s spaceship was because he wanted more LEGO trans-yellow windscreens, so we can’t wait to hear from him.
Pixar Director Angus MacLane is photographed on March 7, 2022 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
The Brothers Brick is proud to be a sponsor of BrickCon. Read the full press release from BrickCon below.
LEGO’s first space sets with minifigures were released in 1978, and the following year one of the most iconic LEGO space sets hit the market: 497 Galaxy Explorer (or 928 in the European market). In the decades since, this line has come to be called Classic Space, and the Galaxy Explorer, in particular, has gained mythical status. Now as part of the company’s 90th-anniversary celebrations in 2022, LEGO is releasing an homage to the fan-favorite spaceship with an upscaled and detailed rendition, 10497 Galaxy Explorer. The 1,254-piece set can be pre-ordered now for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99 and will be available August 1. Let’s take a closer look and see if this new Galaxy Explorer is worthy of the name.
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.
Today LEGO has taken the wraps off the next large vehicle in the newly rebranded Icons theme (formerly Creator Expert), revealing the 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Based on the iconic 1969 muscle car, the Camaro Z28 will include 1,458 pieces and comes with the option to build as a hard top or convertible. You can also choose to include dark red, white, or light grey racing stripes, or choose between classic and hideaway headlights. It follows 10295 Porsche 911 Turbo & 911 Targa and 10298 Vespa 125 in the Icons vehicle collection. The Camaro will be available starting Aug. 1 for US $169.99 | CAN $209.99 | UK £149.99.
Today LEGO Con 2022 — LEGO’s online fan event targeted at families — brought the reveal of a huge lineup of sets from a variety of themes. We’ve already featured some of the sets, but further highlights include Marvel Infinity Saga’s 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum, a 2,708-piece, modular-style version of Doctor Strange’s mystical hideout as seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The reveals also include the long-rumored acquisition of James Cameron’s Avatar license, which will feature the tall blue aliens as minifigures with extended limbs previously used in the Toy Story sets from 2010. Only a single set has been revealed so far, 75574 Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls, though we expect more to come. LEGO also unveiled a new mosaic set, 31207 Floral Art, which features a variety of flower patterns. Other sets revealed include BrickHeadz and Minecraft. All of the sets are slated for an August 1 release except the Avatar set, which will follow on October 1.
Today LEGO has revealed the next Fairground Collection set, 10303 Loop Coaster. With 3,756 pieces, this gigantic roller coaster includes the feature fans were clamoring for when LEGO released 10261 Roller Coaster in 2018: a full loop. In fact, the set has two of them, with the coaster’s riders lifted to the top of a 36-inch tall (92 cm) elevator tower then plummeting down a precipitous incline before going around two large loops. The set also includes 11 minifigures and can be motorized, though the motor elements are sold separately. It will retail for US $399.99 | CAN $499.99 | UK £344.99 when it’s available starting July 1.
See more images of the Loop Coaster below, and also check out more LEGO News on TBB.
Everyone knows LEGO’s late-90s Adventurers theme was based loosely on Indiana Jones, and this fantastic diorama by norlego drives home the point by doing some character swapping, putting Johnny Thunder and Baron von Baron into the iconic tank scene from The Last Crusade. The build is magnificent, with the massive Hatay Heavy Tank looking straight out of the movie (which, as norlego points out, was a custom design for the film, not a real-world tank). Let’s hope Johnny doesn’t get raked over the treads!
norlego has been revisiting the Adventurers theme and giving it some much-needed love, starting with the splendid Adventurers Camp we featured last year. Check out more of norlego’s builds in TBB’s archives.
Today LEGO is announcing that it will be raising the base MSRP on many of its products for the second half of 2022, rolling out in August and September. LEGO reported its annual operating profits grew by 32 percent in 2021, resulting in the company earning a record nearly $2 billion USD net profit last year. New sets will have the price increase factored in, and about a quarter of existing sets will also be affected. The company has not released details on the specifics of how much we can expect prices to increase, but says that smaller sets may only go up by a few percent, while larger sets will be affected more drastically. LEGO is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, also known as ABS, which is a type of petroleum-based plastic, and LEGO says the recent world events affecting the price of oil have impacted its supply chains. Although LEGO is working toward creating plant-based renewable plastic for its bricks, only a few elements are currently made with the non-petroleum-based product.
Here’s the official press release from LEGO:
The current global economic challenges of increased raw material and operating costs are impacting many businesses.
Putting consumers first is at the heart of what we do as a company, and for some time, we have absorbed these costs to keep pricing stable. However, as these costs have continued to rapidly rise, we have taken the decision to increase the price on some of our sets. This increase will come into effect in August and September.
The increase will differ depending on the set and prices will change on around a quarter of the portfolio. On some sets we will not alter price, on others there will be a single digit increase and on larger, more complex sets the percentage increase will be higher.
We will continue to work to ensure our products offer great value and full recognise how important this is to our fans and everyone who love our products.
LEGO moved away from the venerable Creator Expert theme branding in 2020, transitioning to simple black boxes with set names but no theme branding–which fans have sometimes referred to as 18+ sets due to their age labels which denote their intended adult market. Internally, LEGO continued to use the Creator Expert label for most adult-focused sets, and it still appears as a category on LEGO’s website. Now LEGO has decided to formally retire the Creator Expert theme name and rebrand the category as LEGO Icons. The LEGO Icons theme will encompass Creator Expert sets as well as other adult-focused sets that aren’t part of other existing themes such as Technic. The new branding will be rolled out on LEGO’s website starting June 1, and will appear on packaging starting next year.
Here’s the official press release from LEGO:
From June 1st, 2022, we will be uniting many of our adult focused LEGO® sets under the name LEGO® Icons to help our adult consumers easily to find new, immersive builds or models that link to their interests and passions, particularly when shopping or browsing online. The name LEGO Icons will span all of our sets designed for older builders that are not already part of an existing LEGO theme such as LEGO® Technic, LEGO® Ideas or LEGO® Architecture.
Today LEGO has announced the long-awaited next Technic supercar, 42143 Ferrari Daytona SP3. The fourth in the series after the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the Bugatti Chiron, and the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, the new flagship Technic vehicle features Ferrari’s latest and greatest in classic bright red. At 23 inches (59 cm) long, the Daytona SP3 model comes with an 8-speed gearbox, V12 engine, and opening doors, hood, and engine cover. With 3,778 pieces, the set will retail for US $399.99 | CAN $499.99 | UK £349.9. It will be available exclusively from LEGO starting June 1, with a wider release at other retailers August 1. A coffee-table book detailing the behind-the-scenes development of the set will also be produced in a limited run of 5,000, and will be available separately for €80 (other currencies TBD).
Click to read the full press release and see more images
