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.

LEGO 71018 Collectible Minifigures Series 17 [Review]

With seventeen numbered series in, plus another 7 special series, LEGO Collectible Minifigures are just as popular as they were when they debuted 7 years ago. The wide cast of characters in each series, always sporting a variety of new elements, keeps fans coming over and over again. With such an open-ended theme, LEGO designers are nowhere close to running the well dry on popular and recognizable occupations for minifigures. 71018 Collectible Minifigures Series 17, which will be available beginning May 1, draws from this infinite well to add a host of interesting new characters, ranging from a Dance Instructor to a Gladiator. Aside from the box art revealed at the New York Toy Fair, we only got our first look at this series yesterday, so I was delighted to have my review case show up on my doorstep that same day. Let’s dig in, and see what Series 17 has to offer.

Click to read the full review

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Official images of LEGO Collectible Minifigures Series 17 revealed [News]

We got our first look at the new Series 17 figures at Toy Fair in February, but that was just the box art. Today, we get to see all the new figures displayed individually—well, all but one. LEGO is keeping one figure under close wraps, showing it as just a silhouette.
We’ll be bringing you an early, hands-on review of this series very soon, along with our usual Feel Guide to help you find the figures you want. Let us know in the comments below what character you’re looking forward to most, and if there’s anything special you’d like to see in our review. Click to see the rest of the images

The (building) force is strong with this one: an interview with Amado Canlas Pinlac [Interview]

Our continuing adventures led us to track down and interrogate Amado Canlas Pinlac (aka AC Pin). Amado was born in Angeles City in the Philippines, and works in the Information Technology field with previous employment with overseas airlines. He has called East Brunswick, New Jersey home for the last fifteen years, where he lives with his wife Marleth and their three sons, Milton, Marlowe and Myreon. Amado credits the support of his wife for being where he is today!

TBB: Can you tell us how you got into LEGO?

AC: First and foremost I’ve been a Star Wars fan/geek way before LEGO introduced the SW line, as I collected the Star Wars action figures, vehicles, and sets. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise for those who’ve known me over the years that I love to build Star Wars dioramas. In fact I’ve done Action Figure dioramas and was affiliated with various SW fan sites which featured them before I even started with LEGO. One of the problems/drawbacks that I’ve had to contend with the Action Figure dioramas was there was very little or none of the re-usability factor. Around that time, when I was growing disinterested with Action Figures, LEGO started producing the first SW sets.

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for April 2, 2017 [News]

The Brothers Brick gives you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our Weekly Brick Report for the first week of April 2017.

TBB NEWS & REVIEWS: This week we have news about two things to look forward to and one thing to get your calculator out for.

First look at the LEGO Ideas Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket coming in June – Here is the first look at the Saturn V LEGO Ideas set in all it’s black and white glory.
The LEGO Movie’s Unikitty is getting her own TV show on Cartoon Network – Will Unikitty get her own TV show on Cartoon Network? Only time will tell.
First set from the new Wonder Woman movie revealed – Generally spoiler free, this set reveals big bad guy Ares and the cool new Wonder Woman minifig.
LEGO is a worse investment than gold – Read our investigative report on the true value of LEGO vs. gold, based on super scientific, really really serious facts and stuff.

TBB INTERVIEWS & INSTRUCTIONS: You can build your own scientist or smash a MOC. It is your choice. Click a story below to choose your own adventure.

Instructions to build LEGO Stephen Hawking – TBB’s own Iain Heath shares how he made the famous Stephen Hawking LEGO model which helped launch him into the stratosphere.
A conversation with Canadian Iron Builder, Tim Schwalfenberg – Could you smash one of your beloved LEGO creations? Because Tim does! Find out why.

OTHER NEWS: There was a good amount of LEGO news from other places around the web this week. Here are a few items we noticed and thought you might enjoy.

A working LEGO Red Keep from Game of Thrones‘ Opening, Gizmodo – Claus-Marc Hahn might be a bigger fan the opening credits to Game of Thrones than the show itself!
Flybrix Review: This LEGO drone makes failure fantastically fun, Popular Mechanics – How long can your LEGO drone maintain flight? Popular Mechanics runs the tests.
Sports anchor gets creative and uses Lego bricks to show NCAA highlights, USA Today – What do you do when your news station doesn’t have rights to air March Madness highlights? Recreate them in LEGO, of course!

LEGO reveals 76075 Wonder Woman Warrior Battle [News]

LEGO has revealed the first set for the upcoming Wonder Woman film (in theaters June 2): 76075 Wonder Woman Warrior Battle. The set gives us the first glimpse of Ares, one of Wonder Woman’s antagonists. This set will have 286 pieces, and will be available May 1. The price has not yet been confirmed.

LEGO is a worse investment than gold [News]

Contrary to popular belief, LEGO bricks are not a better investment than gold, based on findings from a new study we’ve conducted. The study analyzed each substance without bias to test the popular notion that the world’s best-selling toy is a better investment plan than stocks, bonds or precious metals.

Gold imitation bricks, available from Amazon.

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First look at the LEGO Ideas Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket coming in June [News]

LEGO announced last summer that the Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket would be among the future projects turned into an official set from the crowdsourcing platform LEGO Ideas, targeting a tentative release date of summer 2017. Today LEGO has released a teaser image of the Saturn V, giving us our first official look at the final model. They’ve also confirmed a June release for the set.

Although LEGO has given no indications yet on piece count or pricing, it’s clear the model will be massive, and significantly larger than the 2003 Saturn V Moon Mission set. Judging by the scale we can see in the photo above, the rocket will likely stand more than two feet tall, with the main rocket stage about 12 studs in diameter.

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The LEGO Movie’s Unikitty is getting her own TV show on Cartoon Network [News]

The LEGO Movie may have a spinoff TV show about Unikitty out sooner than the movie’s sequel, according to a Russian Cartoon Network reel. Following the cancelation of the animated Mixels cartoon, it seems Unikitty is coming to save the day with her adventures in Cloud Cuckoo Land and beyond, featuring a whole new crew of characters. (I can only guess that the one pictured below will be called Unipuppy!)

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for March 27, 2017 [News]

The Brothers Brick gives you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our Weekly Brick Report for the fourth week of March.

TBB NEWS & REVIEWS: Star Wars fans rejoice! This week we learned about the next Star Wars UCS set and took a friend into space.

LEGO unveils new Star Wars UCS Snowspeeder with over 1,700 pieces – This sleek snowspeeder comes with two minifigures and 1,703 pieces, priced at $199.99 USD and will beavailable Star Wars day (May the 4th) in LEGO stores and from the LEGO Shop Online.
Review of The LEGO Batman Movie 70900 The Joker Balloon Escape – With balloons, macaroni and purple tux tails, this small set packs a punch, though if Batman wears the balloon backpack, does that mean the Dark Knight rises?
LEGO Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity – Our fearless Iain Heath took his LEGO model of scientist Stephen Hawking on a special trip to go where no LEGO man has gone before.
Amazon LEGO sales on Star Wars, Nexo Knights, Moana and City – This week’s LEGO deals from Amazon include TIE Fighters, U-Wings, castles, floating rafts and a bulldozer!

TBB INTERVIEWS & INSTRUCTIONS: Take a trip back to the eighties with this cute cassette tape build and learn about a builder of tiny trucks.

Build your own classic mix tape – Hudson Rippetoe captured sweet musical memories with his LEGO version of the cassette tape, which you can build or buy.
Interview with Czech builder of tiny trucks and tools, František Hajdekr – We tracked down a builder known for his small versions of big vehicles and equipment of all kinds.

OTHER NEWS: There was a massive amount of LEGO news from other places around the web this week. Here are a few items we noticed and thought you might enjoy.

Tape lets you stick your bricks wherever you want, Geek.com – Haven’t had a friend forward you this yet? Now is your chance to learn about tape that’s raised $1 million USD so far.
LEGOLAND Japan opens on April 1, CNET – LEGOLAND Japan joins two other parks in the US and one each in Denmark, England, Germany, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates.
Tom Yoo makes the Nike Air VaporMax out of LEGO, Highsnobiety – Artist Tom Yoo builds another sneaker to join his Air Jordan 9, Air Jordan 5, Nike MAG and Yeezy 350 Boost.
Ten things you need to know: LEGO Speed Champions, Top Gear – Craig Callum, design manager at LEGO, shares some secrets behind the Speed Champions sets.
LEGO turned to the internet to save itself from oblivion, Stuff.co.nz – LEGO’s senior innovation director David Gram shares innovation tips he’s learned by working at the company.

Amazon LEGO sales on Star Wars, Nexo Knights, Moana and City [News]

This week’s LEGO deals from Amazon include Star Wars, Nexo Knights, Moana and City. Check out more Sales and Deals!

LEGO Star Wars 75095 UCS Tie Fighter is 13% off, currently listed at $173.99.

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LEGO unveils new Star Wars UCS Snowspeeder with over 1,700 pieces [News]

Today LEGO announced the newest addition to the Ultimate Collector Series, 75144 Snowspeeder. Like traditional UCS sets, this snowspeeder is a large model loaded with details, and can be displayed with a stand and info card. The Snowspeeder has 1,703 pieces and includes 2 minifigures. The set will cost $199.99 USD and will be available beginning on Star Wars day, aka May the 4th, in LEGO stores and from the LEGO Shop Online.

Watch the designer video, read the press release, and see the full gallery of images below.

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The LEGO Batman Movie 70900 The Joker Balloon Escape [Review]

The LEGO Batman Movie has been out for over a month and it’s still going strong in the weekend box office sales race. Last week, for example, it was the fifth highest grossing film of the weekend. Not too shabby for a kids movie featuring LEGO minifigures.

By now, most of you have probably picked up a few of the LEGO Batman Movie sets (or at least eye-balled the back of the boxes in the store). And while we here at the Brothers Brick have already reviewed many sets from this line, there are still a couple of LEGO Batman Movie sets that we haven’t looked at yet. Here’s a look at one of the entry-level sets…

Joker Balloon Escape [70900] retails for $14.99 and contains 124 pieces. At LEGO’s standard price of $0.10 per piece, this small set may be slightly overpriced. However, since it contains two minifigures and some new, useful parts, many Batman fans may choose to overlook that fact.

The main components are the two minifigures, a power plant console, a comically over-complicated bomb, and the Joker’s balloon pack. There’s also a play feature where the two halves of the tank break away from each other, simulating a bomb explosion. (You know, just in case Batman doesn’t make it in time.)

Interestingly, this set can combine with Mr. Freeze Ice Attack [70901] and Scarecrow Special Delivery Vehicle [70910] to form a mega-set: the Gotham power plant featured in the beginning of the movie.

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