Posts by Theo Spencer

Paleolithic paleontology beneath the LEGO ice

We know what dinosaurs are these days. Big, reptilian-avian creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago, doing cool dinosaur things. But what would early humankind have made of fossils, had they found them a mere 10,000 years ago? This is the question that photomark6 is pondering. It’s a superbly staged photograph! The eye is drawn to the T-Rex fossil around which the scene revolves. But the bright colours of the minifigures make us focus on the real story here. What are they feeling? Wonder about this new discovery? Fear, that it might break out of the ice and devour them? Or cold, from their outfits that don’t look particularly well-suited to the ice and snow? (I know which one I’d be feeling the most!)

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LEGO cyberpunk creation towers above everything – including its creator!

Few collaborative LEGO builds can surely claim to have the reach that the New Hashima project has had. It’s seen offshoots pop up all over the world, and builders are still adding to it almost two years after it started. Blake Foster is the latest to construct another cyberpunk edifice – and quite a sizable one, at that! Blake tells us that Hashimacorp Tower took almost 18 months to complete, including a 20-hour (!) long building session. That’s commitment! And I think it warrants a closer look, don’t you?

Come and take a tour of this terrific tower!

A long time ago, in a savannah far, far away...

After a galaxy-wide sigh of relief, one of the first things that will have crossed the newly-formed New Republic’s mind will have been ‘OK, but what do we do with all this stuff?’. After all, the Empire had a some pretty formidable weapons of war that suddenly needed new purpose. Fortunately, budding entrepreneurs like LEGO builder Dominique Boeynams were on hand to transform them into something better suited for peacetime. Dominique managed to get an AT-AT all the way back to Earth (don’t ask how – I gather he had to promise a lot of freebies), chopped its top off, and now arranges safaris with a Star Wars twist. It’s actually perfect for the job; that heavy armour comes in handy when the lions get hungry, see. They tend to have better luck picking off unruly tourists doing their best Luke Skywalker impression…

Bear witness to history in this brick-built Viking diorama

With the benefit of a few hundred years of hindsight, we can look back and say that the vikings were pretty cool. But if you were a resident in a village on Britain’s eastern shores at the time, you might not agree with that assessment. We can look to James Pegrum‘s LEGO snapshot to see what one of their frequent raids might have looked like. There’s a fabulously-textured chapel or monastery juxtaposing the much newer-looking longboat, while the resident monks are showing a mixture of fear and defiance. The minifigure’s-eye perspective really makes you feel among the action – a witness to history in LEGO form!

LEGO Black Friday exclusive 10335 The Endurance celebrates Ernest Shackleton with 3,000-piece sailing ship and GWP [News]

Earlier this month, National Geographic released a documentary on Disney+ about the discovery of Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship, Endurance. With perfect timing, LEGO is now releasing the polar exploration vessel in a 3,011-piece display kit: 10335 The Endurance. Retailing for US $269.99 | CAN $349.99 | UK £229.99, this ship will set sail from November 29 — just in time for the holiday season. No mention of Endurance can pass without mentioning the incredible feat of human endurance that followed its wrecking; and so LEGO Insiders can also get their hands on an exclusive gift with purchase — 40729 Shackleton’s Lifeboat – free with copies of the Endurance purchased between November 29 and December 2.

Take a look at pictures of the Endurance and lifeboat James Caird below!

Beaker the Muppet – the squeaker of the puppets

Muppets builder extraordinaire Jon-Paul Hansen has made another addition to his LEGO collection of the fuzzy puppets. This time, it’s one of my favourite characters – the appropriately-named lab assistant, Beaker! There’s some great parts use here to capture the squeaky puppet’s features. A couple of aeroplane tail fins sit either side of a dark green windscreen – first introduced in the Botanicals Poinsettia – to make for an excellent labcoat and tie, respectively. As for the fuzzy fire-red hair, that’s superbly recreated with a bunch of red bushes. And speaking of fire – I can practically hear Beaker’s frantic “mi-mi-mi-mi-mi!!”s through the screen!

Ricky Raccoon’s red rocket rat-rod racer

If you think of a hot-rod, there’s a good chance you’d think of a modified old car, perhaps something like the Ford Model A. In LEGO form, there’s one theme that sticks out for styling its cars in a similar 1930s aesthetic: Fabuland. And if you think that theme’s bright colours wouldn’t suit a rapid straight-line rat-rod, here’s captainsmog‘s drag racer to change your mind! It’s a great tribute to the theme, making use of old parts – the windscreen window frame, and Ricky Raccoon, of course – alongside newer ones, like the red bucket headlights. Even the Wacky Racers-esque rocket on the back fits the vibe!

Tricksy LEGO parts use makes for a terrifying treat

With the whiff of Hallowe’en still in the air, we’re still seeing scary LEGO builds cropping up. This one by Ari Hytti wasn’t even built for All Hallows’ Eve (it’s part of an ongoing round of Iron Builder), but it definitely fits the bill! And being an Iron Builder creation, it’s absolutely chocka with Nice Parts Use (NPU). Obviously that includes the seed part – a bright orange Unikitty tail – which you can spot in those fearsome flaming swords. But also noteworthy are the constraction armour hooves and the, ah, singular item of clothing, which I believe is a re-purposed Duplo carpet. But you need to look to the head for the best bit. Much of this Warden’s threatening demeanour comes from that toothy scowl, which is printed on a Bionicle Piraka head. It’s the perfect piece for the job, as the eyeholes double as flared nostrils!

The trees are dead and dried out, wait for something brick-built

It’s funny how a LEGO build can have you thinking of different things. Even moreso when it’s one so clearly based on existing source material, like this chilling collaborative build from First Order LEGO and BrickManStudios. As the logo in the corner suggests, this is a location from the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Trouble is, I’ve never played that game. Instead, I’m reminded of an album by a tech metal band called Sikth, hence this article’s title. You got that reference, right, reader? OK, so pop-culture references are maybe not my forte. But I can still appreciate the craftsmanship in this build! The tentacled tree is the centrepiece, naturally, but the landscaping is great too. It feels suitably overgrown – the perfect counterpoint to the dead, dried out tree.

LEGO tiger burning bright

Although I like both cats and dogs, I’m definitely more of a cat guy. And of all the cats, my favourite has to be the tiger. Now admittedly, keeping a tiger in my one-bedroom apartment is a recipe for disaster, but I’d settle for this stunning LEGO big cat built by DeRa. With its menacing demeanour and the nimble joints that DeRa worked into the build for posability, it looks ready to knock my LEGO collection off the shelves, just like a real feline.

At first glance, the technique used for the stripes is not dissimilar in places to LEGO’s own incredible tiger set. But DeRa has really cranked up the detail and realism with some savagely clever parts and techniques. I spy a spider, croissants, Islander crests, and even whole roast turkeys in that furry face. It may look like an apex predator, but I still want to pet it.

Shaggy, Scooby and all that is spooky

For some, spooky season starts in October. But for others, seeking out the spooks is a round-the-clock endeavour – as there’s usually some nefarious scheme behind them! And for LEGO builder Bousker, it’s the perfect opportunity to immortalise two brave ghost-hunters. Brave? Well, perhaps that’s not the best description… But if you can promise some Scooby-snacks, these two will face down any scare. Even within this small space, there’s evidence of some mysteries at hand: an eerie head on the shelf, a curious lock, and a knight with a mace who will surely come to life at some point. Not to mention all the knick-knacks on the marvelously-built table. The only thing that isn’t a mystery is just how well-put-together this vignette is!

“You’ve got red on you.”

Monty Python may be the first thing you think of when someone says ‘British comedy’, but for sheer pop-culture points, I reckon Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy is not far behind. What makes me say that? Why, Trevor Pearson‘s LEGO Shaun of the Dead bust! This is, of course, the titular Shaun, the everyman appliance salesman turned zombie fighter played by Simon Pegg. Rather than realism, Trevor has gone for more of a caricature here, and it really works well. The hair is great, both the spiky rock-piece top and pointy beard, really emphasising the shape of Shaun’s head. All that’s missing is a bloody cricket bat… Or a red Strawberry Cornetto.

Trevor seems to have ghouls and giggles on his mind this Halloween season, as we also loved his Crypt Keeper tribute.