Posts by Ryan Kunz

This build brings joy (and other emotions too)

With Inside Out 2 making its mark in theaters, it’s only fitting that a vignette based on that delightful inner world would make it to our front page. This build by mc tung brings all the emotions from the first film to life: Fear, Disgust, Joy, Sadness, and Anger. As befits their onscreen appearances, no two figures are built exactly alike, and even Disgust and Joy, both of whose faces lack detailing, are instantly recognizable thanks to spot-on colors and shaping. And of course let’s not forget the flames bursting from Anger’s head. It’s all enough to bring a smile to your face.

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Start your shift at this awesome alien refinery

Sometimes, the best LEGO builds are the most down-to-earth (or down-to-another planet). Check out this refinery by qian yj. Sure, it’s in outer space, but there’s a mundane familiarity in the way the alien workers are just doing their jobs. I love the cool, industrial grays and whites paired with subtle blue or red highlights. Anyone who’s ever worked the daily grind can relate, no matter what planet you’re from. I don’t know what the aliens are refining, exactly, but I hope they get their lunch break soon.

There will be blood (and relaxation!)

We all need to unwind and blow off some steam sometimes. And if someone’s form of recreation involves bleeding a caged victim to make a nice little wading pool, who am I to judge? Mihał Ch‘s creepy vampire pleasure den imagines such a scenario in LEGO. The scene itself makes my stomach crawl a little, but I can distract myself from the visceral reminder of my own fragile mortality by checking out those cool building techniques. I love the way simple 1×2 bricks are stacked at slight angles to make the columns, and the trans-red antenna stands in for the steady drip-drip-drip of the victim’s blood into a viscous pool below. I hope that poor victim gets out soon, but it doesn’t look good.

A Star Wars palace fit for an evil emperor

The Emperor’s personal residence hasn’t appeared in any of the films (well, unless you count its prior incarnation as the Jedi Temple, according to current canon), but it still looms large in Star Wars lore. A little forced perspective helps it loom even larger in this great LEGO diorama by r_t_zan, where its appearance is inspired by its classic Legends description. The build concentrates its minifig-scale details up front and lets the eye drift toward the rear, where its forbidding spires reach for the stars. Other than a statue, we never see the Emperor himself, and the build is all the better for it—Palpatine’s air of mystery is preserved as we imagine which of those lofty spires might house his evil presence.

Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally, golly, what a build

Robin Hood and Little John are taking a break from runnin’ through the forest as they hide from the schemin’ sheriff and his posse in this charming LEGO build by Isaiah Kepner. The thing that really makes the vignette fun, aside from the brick-built Little John and the sheriff’s minions, is the variety of textures that make the trees and foliage of Sherwood Forest come to life. It’s like one of those I Spy books you may have read as a kid: I spy a rifle, a broomstick, minifig hands, a whip, a halberd, a battle droid arm, and more. Are you able to track them all down?

You’ve seen this awesome dragon once upon a dream

Poor Prince Philip will never be among the most well-developed and nuanced of Disney characters, but there’s no denying his courage. That bravery is on full display in nobu_tary‘s LEGO rendition of Sleeping Beauty’s climactic battle. The evil fairy-turned-dragon Maleficent unleashes a stream of fire, which is perhaps my favorite part of the build—an assortment of rounded bricks capture the green flames billowing from the dragon’s maw.

What awaits you beyond Greenmire Gate?

If there’s one thing we at TBB never get tired of, it’s castles. The LEGO community never fails at using both innovative and tried-and-true techniques to bring castle walls to life, and this build by JakobKaiserMOCs (“Gothic: Twilight – Greenmire Gate”) is no exception. The first thing that drew my eye was the stunning vaulted arch that serves as the entryway, made from curved stacks of 1×1 round bricks set on top of microfigs to suggest carved figures in the stone. Another standout feature is the lovely set of windows along the gallery on the left, with some 1×1 studs providing an effective accent. It’s worth trudging across that dodgy-looking pond (itself worth a good look) just to get a better view.

This awesome Batman is a little far from Gotham City

Batman has always been a bit of a rōnin at heart: a masterless warrior honor-bound to protecting people. So it makes sense that a fusion between Caped Crusader and samurai (and LEGO) would be supremely satisfying. It’s not the first time Batman and feudal Japan have come together (if you haven’t seen the anime Batman Ninja, it’s a odd mash-up), but this build by Dad’s Bricks (Joe) at Japan’s Brickfest is just plain awesome. Every aspect of the Batsuit makes an appearance, from the blades on his arms (now the samurai’s vambraces) to the ears on his cowl (now the helmet crest). I don’t know what the Japanese term is for “whoa,” but now I might have to learn it.

Dragonfly in the sky, I can go twice as high

Let me guess: you watched the recent Dune movies and thought, “Man, those ornithopters were cool-looking and all, but what if they were a little more steampunk? And flown by elves?” Don’t worry, LEGO builder Ted Andes has your back. For Brickworld Chicago 2024, he imagined that elves would build a ‘thopter inspired by their natural surroundings, giving the craft its smooth, organic lines. And where the Dune version definitely had a little dragonfly in it, this little marvel seems to take its cues from the wider insect world: Aside from the dragonfly wings, there’s a bit of grasshopper leg in the fuselage and something a little more wicked in that stinger at the back.

This LEGO Penguin is dastardly, dapper, and delightful

Among Batman’s rogues’ gallery, few villains (or at least few bird-themed ones) are as iconic as the Penguin. Now he finally gets his due in larger-than-life LEGO form by Pasq67. This scaled-up figure recaptures both the proportions of a regular-sized minifig (including Oswald Cobblepot’s shorter legs) and the details. In true Penguin form, he’s dressed to impress and intimidate. His monocle is a bicycle tire, his fur collar (or feathers, depending on the depiction) is accented by leaf elements, and his iconic umbrella is lovingly recreated with sloped bricks and tubes. After all, when you’re headed out to wreak some havoc on Gotham City, only the finest fashion accessories will do.

With this red lobster, you’re on the menu

The xenomorph queen from the Alien franchise has always been one of sci-fi’s most terrifying monsters, but now it might also be one of the tastiest. Joey Klusnick‘s LEGO “Xenolobster Queen” takes everything you love and fear about the titular alien and adds a dash of lemon and garnish. It also makes excellent use of bright red Bionicle parts for the creature’s otherworldly shell. The xenomorph-lobster is a feast for the eyes, but we wouldn’t recommend inviting it to any all-you-can-eat buffets. It might get the wrong idea.

This dimunitive Dune ‘thopter is thoroughly thrilling

With an impressive minifigure complement and plenty of wing-flapping, landing gear-extending action, this year’s 10327 Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter was an early contender for my favorite LEGO set of 2024. Still, for some, its higher-than-average price per element might be as hard to swallow as the Water of Life, so we’re fortunate we have GolPlaysWithLego to create this iconic aircraft at a smaller scale.

One of the biggest challenges in rendering the ornithopter at any scale is making those long, spindly wings. Heck, the official set had to create a whole new piece to solve that problem. In this case (in an inspired choice worthy of the Kwisatz Haderach) the wings are ingeniously made from garage door panels. Here’s a rear view, where you can see the boarding ramp and landing gear recreated with beautiful fidelity. It just goes to show that when it comes to desert power, bigger isn’t always better.