Category Archives: News

Stay current on the latest news and information about LEGO, from sales & deals to new set announcements. We also cover LEGO events and conventions all over the world.

Elves 2018 sets are revealed with new colours and new parts aplenty [News]

LEGO Elves sets have always been a rich source of beautiful colours and interesting parts for builders who prefer to make their own creations. Five sets due for release in 2018 have been revealed, and there are some great new parts and colours to be found. The largest set, 41194 Noctura’s Tower & the Earth Fox Rescue looks to have a nice supply of Zombie Teal (a colour that is returning in 2018 after being ‘killed off‘ back in 2006). Let’s take a closer look.

41194 Noctura’s Tower & the Earth Fox Rescue

41194 Noctura's Tower & the Earth Fox Rescue

A closer look at the the tower shows a new kite-shaped, transparent part, decorated with Elves elemental icons.

Read more about the new parts and colours spotted in Elves 2018 sets

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Top 10 LEGO Star Wars sets released in 2017 [Reviews]

2017 has been a fantastic year to be a LEGO Star Wars builder and collector. As we celebrate the release of The Last Jedi in theaters today, we’re asking ourselves what the best LEGO Star Wars sets released this year have been. Since several of the sets in our best LEGO sets of 2017 list were Star Wars sets, a couple of these won’t be a surprise. LEGO released dozens of Star Wars sets this year, and although we’ve only reviewed about 10 sets so far, we have built many of the rest. For sets we haven’t reviewed here on TBB yet, we’ll include a brief mini-review. Let’s dig in!

#10: 75160 U-wing Microfighter

The excellent minifig-scale 75155 Rebel U-wing Fighter set included a pilot minifig who wore a standard Rebel pilot helmet. However, the U-wing pilots in Rogue One actually wore unique helmets reminiscent of helicopter pilot helmets. So, for a paltry $9.99, you can buy 75160 U-wing in Microfighters form and pick up the one accessory that should’ve been in 75155. Still, this is a wonderful little set on its own merits, with a fantastic minifig (I believe I’ve already mentioned his headgear…) and a nicely miniaturized U-wing built from a mere 109 pieces.

LEGO Star Wars 2017

#9: 75167 Bounty Hunter Speeder Bike Battle Pack

LEGO is notoriously stingy about doling out unique characters in large sets, while the Battle Packs have mostly been army builders with multiples of tertiary characters (like generic clone troopers or stormtroopers). However, 75167 Bounty Hunter Speeder Bike Battle Pack includes a fully redesigned Bossk, brand new 4-LOM, and a new printed piece for IG-88. Oh, and Dengar, for some reason. Despite my criticism of the inclusion of old Mr. Head Wound, stud-shooters for weapons, and the basic design of the non-canon vehicle, this set really is a fantastic way to get several iconic minifigs plus a handful of azure parts (125 pieces overall) for just $14.99.

75167 Bounty Hunter Speeder Bike

See the rest of our top 10 best LEGO Star Wars sets of 2017

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Ultimate LEGO Star Wars book author event at Bricks & Wheels in Bellevue, WA: Sat, Dec 16 [News]

My co-author and I will be at Bricks & Wheels in Bellevue, WA this Saturday, December 16 to sign copies of our DK book Ultimate LEGO Star Wars. We’ll be there from 2 PM to 6 PM, so swing by with your books (the store will also have copies on hand for sale) to say hi and ask us some questions.

Bricks & Wheels sells both used and new LEGO sets, and they also accept trade-ins. Last year, I traded in my original UCS Falcon and picked up a Midi-scale Falcon in exchange — and I didn’t even know last January that LEGO would be releasing the new 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon. Good deal!

Andrew & Aaron at Bricks & Wheels Bellevue

TBB Editor-in-Chief Andrew Becraft trades in his 10179 UCS Millennium Falcon for a Midi-Scale Falcon.

A bit more about this weekend’s event from Bricks & Wheels:

Come meet the authors of the new DK book Ultimate LEGO Star Wars, Chris Malloy and Andrew Becraft. Chris and Andrew are LEGO builders who are also two of the editors of The Brothers Brick. Bricks & Wheels will have books to purchase, but you can also bring your own copies to have them signed by the authors and ask a LEGO Star Wars question or two!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Achieve serenity with free LEGO building instructions for an “Outlaw Spaceship” from TBB [Instructions]

As a holiday gift to our readers, The Brothers Brick commissioned talented LEGO artist Tyler Clites to design a LEGO model that everybody can build. This custom “Outlaw Spaceship” should make any sci-fi fan’s heart twinkle like a firefly in the depths of space.

Custom LEGO Outlaw Spaceship

Our simple, step-by-step instructions and parts list will help you assemble this unique model unveiled for the first time here. It’s full of LEGO building techniques you won’t generally see in an official LEGO model, so it’s also an opportunity to learn a few tips and tricks. Let us know in the comments if you like these instructions, and we may do them more regularly in the future.

See the step-by-step instructions and parts list for our Outlaw Spaceship

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

2018 seasonal LEGO BrickHeadz revealed: 6 new original characters starting with 40270 Valentine’s Bee [News]

All official LEGO BrickHeadz sets until now have represented characters from movies and comic books, including Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and The LEGO Ninjago Movie. With the unveiling of 70270 Valentine’s Bee, LEGO is highlighting the potential of non-IP BrickHeadz (in other words, BrickHeadz not inspired by a licensed intellectual property like a movie or comic book).

40270 Valentine's Bee BrickHeadz box front

The back of the box also reveals five more LEGO BrickHeadz seasonal characters for 2018. If you prefer to be surprised by seasonal sets, consider this a SPOILER warning. If not, hit the jump and check out the rest.

See all six 2018 seasonal LEGO BrickHeadz characters

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO Star Wars 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina set revealed [News]

Although most of the major LEGO themes for January 2018 have now been fully revealed, there are still a few product lines that continue to see a trickle of new sets throughout December. Today’s LEGO Star Wars news brings us, via the Toys R Us website, official images of the latest incarnation of that “wretched hive of scum and villainy,” 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina. Refreshing my memory with the handy LEGO Star Wars reference book that Chris and I wrote (shameless plug), this is the third version of the cantina, though this version is unique in several ways.

LEGO Star Wars 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina box

The set includes 376 pieces with 4 minifigs (Han Solo and Greedo, of course, along with Wuher the bartender and a Sandtrooper. TRU lists the retail price as $39.99, which may or may not be the actual MSRP given TRU’s penchant to jack up prices when they list products first.

See more photos of LEGO Star Wars 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz 41489 Rey & Kylo Ren Limited Edition Collector’s Pack [Review]

The LEGO Star Wars line is finally getting its own BrickHeadz characters, starting with the NYCC-exclusive 41498 Boba Fett & Han Solo in Carbonite, along with 41485 Finn and 41486 Captain Phasma. While it currently remains a Target exclusive, we recently picked up the double-pack 41489 Rey & Kylo Ren Limited Edition Collector’s Pack, which retails for $19.99 and includes 249 pieces.

41489 Rey & Kylo Ren

Read the full review of LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz 41489 Rey & Kylo Ren Limited Edition Collector’s Pack

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

The LEGO NINJAGO Movie 70656 Garmadon, Garmadon, Garmadon [Review]

The second wave of The LEGO Ninjago Movie tie-in sets were released on the 1st Dec,  and now we are taking a look at of one of the larger sets, 70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON!  Garmadon Shark Mech set was first seen back at SDCC and the movie version featured in the official trailer, safe to say that this set has been eagerly awaited.  garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! has 830 pieces, six minifigures, rated ages 9-14 and is priced at £79.99 / $79.99 / 79.99€ (which equates to 9.6p / 9.6c / 9.6c per piece).

70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! Review

The Box and what’s inside

The front box art has already been revealed and shows Garmadon Shark Mech moving in on its prey of a hot dog stand with a side of innocent civilians.

70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! Review

The rear of the box shows the opposite of Garmadon Shark Mech about to munch on the hotdog stall or its vendor, with the play features detailed at the bottom.  In addition, the size of the final mech model is detailed just in case the model is smaller than expected after seeing The LEGO Ninjago Movie (more on that later).

70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! Review

Read more about 70656 Garmadon, Garmadon, Garmadon

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for December 10, 2017 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the second week of December 2017.

TBB NEWS & REVIEWS: Batman, Star Wars, Marvel… yes this was a good week, plus LEGO wins a major fight in China!



TBB 2017 IN REVIEW POSTS & INSTRUCTIONS: What is the top LEGO set of the year? We have your definitive answer, as well as a few instructions to enhance your Lego city.

Click for more news!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO wins Chinese copyright case against imitators [News]

LEGO has dealt a major blow to counterfeiters in China by winning a court case against two companies that produce imitation LEGO products. This is the first case that LEGO has filed and won in China claiming unfair competition, following a ruling last month proclaiming LEGO to be a well known recognized trademark in the region.

The suit was filed against two Chinese companies including the company Bela Bricks that were producing sets nearly identical to those from LEGO’s Friends line as well as other top-selling products. According to the ruling from the China Shantou Intermediate People’s Court, the two companies must stop copying LEGO’s designs, packaging, and instruction books due to copyright infringement. Continue reading

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO Star Wars 75188 Resistance Bomber from The Last Jedi [Review]

With Star Wars: The Last Jedi in movie theaters in just a few days, we’re focusing again on the LEGO Star Wars sets released ahead of the film’s release. 75188 Resistance Bomber joins a substantial line of LEGO Star Wars sets from The Last Jedi, including 75187 BB-8 and 75204 Sandspeeder we reviewed previously. 75188 Resistance Bomber includes 778 pieces with 5 minifigs and retails for $109.99.

75188 Resistance Bomber

Read our full review of 75188 Resistance Bomber

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

2017 LEGO Advent Calendars: Day 8

Welcome to Day 8 of our LEGO Advent Calendar countdown. Each day, we’ll reveal the three mini-builds from the LEGO City, LEGO Star Wars, and LEGO Friends 2017 advent calendars along with commentary from our team.

AdventCalendarDay08

If you’re opening one (or more) of these advent calendars along with us, we’ve made sure the pictures and commentary on each day’s models will be behind a jump and posted in the evening every day, so we don’t accidentally ruin the surprise. Will Day 8 be great?

Click to reveal today’s LEGO advent calendar builds!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.