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.

MiniMi – A new LEGO minifig app

Minimi

I was invited to try out the new minifig app, MiniMi, while it was still in beta. It is a fun, novelty app and I actually spent quite a bit of time trying different comibinations of figures, making myself, my family members and what-not. My kids absolutely loved it. Overall, it is well made and pretty intuitive to use. It’s an entertaining app, in and of itself. Also it is free to download, which is nice. There are also expansion packs, such as Space and Castle (yay!), which cost 99 cents each.

However, I think this app has the potential to really shine as a customizing tool. How so? Because it has the only minifig face generator of which I am aware (feel free to correct me in the comments if I am wrong). Switching hair, hats, torsos and colors in the app is pretty straightforward but the face generator is something unique. You can choose from a selection of eyes, eyebrows, mouths, facial hair, glasses and so forth to create unique faces that don’t actually exist on official minifigs. Because the app has built in share functions, you can export your fig image…isolate the face…resize and print it on decal or sticker paper.

Currently the number of elements in the app is limited but the expansion “packs” remedy this somewhat and the team is planning more. If they expand the library of facial elements, I think this app could be something really special. I would also like to see a feature added to where the user could resize and/or change the colors of the various facial features but this may come with time.

Download it here.

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.

Iain Heath twerks his way to LEGO Internet infamy

We all know that Iain Heath of The Living Brick is the master of capturing the latest moments in pop-culture history in LEGO. But I would posit that he has gone too far!

Apparently, there was some sort of awards show for motion-picture musicals or something recently. Proving that the event I had never heard of before was indeed supposed to be family-centric, the daughter (age 20) of “Achy Breaky Heart” singer Billy Ray Cyrus danced while the son (age 36) of the dad from Growing Pains sang a popular song. I’m told by multiple people on the Internet that the problem was that these two children of beloved celebrity parents did not act like the pure-hearted children that they should be!

LEGO Miley Cyrus VMA twerk

I have not brought myself to watch any video footage of the atrocity inflicted on the world (on par with the worst things happening elsewhere on the planet), but I’m told that I should find the whole thing distasteful. I’m shocked and saddened that an upstanding member of the LEGO building community would stoop so low. After all, these are children’s toys. Think of the children, Iain! The children!

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.

BrickNerdTV’s Fourth Episode is now live!

Our friend, Tommy Williamson, is doing great things over at BrickNerd, not the least of which are his News and Reviews Videos. Stop reading this and go watch the video…it’s good. Also there is the added bonus [SPOILER ALERT!] of hearing Iain Heath (Ochre_Jelly) recite Ewok poetry.

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.

21103 Back to the Future DeLorean [Video Review]

To complement our previous DeLorean review by Andrew, I’m bringing you a video review of 21103 Back to the Future DeLorean. The set was released in August 2013 and retails at $34.99, with 401 pieces and 2 minifigs.

Here is my summary of the highlights of the set, which are elaborated in the review video below.

Pros:

  • 2 new and popular minifigs
  • Nicer than usual packaging and bound instruction book
  • Includes extra parts for different versions of the DeLorean


Cons:

  • No new/rare parts used in the DeLorean besides the printed tiles
  • DeLorean hood design is not optimal
  • Car seats only 1 minifig

Overall, I would recommend this set more to fans of the movie and collectors than to builders. Even though the set has an above average price to parts ratio, buying this set for parts won’t add much to the diversity of your collection due to the lack of rare and new parts from this set. If you’re into collecting, then this set is a must-buy due to its novelty and popularity.

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 10236 Ewok Village [Review]

The highly anticipated new LEGO Star Wars set, 10236 Ewok Villageicon, was just released in mid-August. It costs $249.99 for 1,990 parts and is the first Star Wars mega set that’s not a spacecraft. It is currently available in Lego stores and Lego Shop at Home for VIP members (free to sign up).

10236_IN_MA.indd

Here is my summary of the highlights of the set, which are elaborated in the review video below. For those interested in the parts content, you can check out the parts review video here.

Pros:

  • Lots of foliage and earth tones such as dark brown parts. This is a great set for landscape builders
  • Plenty of play features add play value on top of looks
  • The 3 main trees are also modular and can be easily switched around.
  • 16 minifigs — exclusives include Princess Leia, Luke, Han Solo, Wicket, Ewok warrior, and Teebo.


Cons:

  • A bit on the pricey side. $200 would be an ideal price.
  • Tube railings are difficult to bend into shape.
  • Instructions hard to read when distinguishing brown from dark brown

If you can afford this set, then there’s no other major reason not to get it. This is a very unique set that’s as good for play as it is for display. The abundant earth tones and the foliage make it suitable for landscape builders, and not many sets have this high ratio of landscape parts. It is unlikely that the price will drop soon, and you’ll be lucky to see it at 10% off in 2013, so I recommend buying it nowicon and start enjoying this wonderful build.

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.

HispaBrick Magazine 017 out now [News]

The 17th issue of HispaBrick Magazine is out. As always, there’s lots of great content that covers both the thematic and international diversity of the Lego fan community, and download is free. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in the latest issue:

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 21103 BttF DeLorean now shipping

The LEGO and Back to the Future DeLorean set (21103) (reviewed here) is now shipping (at least in the US). So if you’re keen on this set and haven’t already noticed you can help us help you and buy it.

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.

BrickFair Virginia 2013 this coming weekend

BrickCon may be the US convention that TBB is most closely affiliated with, but another big one is about to take place the coming weekend: BrickFair Virginia.

Brickfair logo

There are about a thousand builders registered, including a fair few people whose models you’ll have seen featured on this blog. Nannan had a great time there back in 2011 and BrickFair Va 2011 was the first US LEGO convention I attended. I had a blast. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it last year (or to any of the other US LEGO conventions so far), but I am back in Virginia for this year’s event. Dan will also be there. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing the models and to meeting their builders.

The convention takes place at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly Va (near Washington DC) and is open to the public on Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of August from 11am to 4pm. Online ticket sales end today. You can buy tickets at the venue, however, for the same price, but will probably have to wait in line for a while. If you are in the area, it will be a fantastic day out.

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.

Get your Nerd on!

Our friend, Tommy Williamson has started a new blog, The Brick Nerd, as many of you are aware. He has recently began posting videos where he does set reviews, talks about recent LEGO-related news and highlights various creations. In his second episode, he covers San Diego Comic Con, reviews the Cuusoo Delorean and more!

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.

Mixels?

One last bit of news from San Diego Comic-Con. LEGO announced a new property in association with Cartoon Network. The IP seems to be about some Pokemon like creatures, one is electric, one is fire and one is earth. There is no further information as of yet regarding this new IP.

Untitled
Image courtesy of Joe Meno.

However, the most notable aspect of this announcement is the introduction of new elements, in particular, a new system of micro cup and ball joints. The balls seem to be the same scale as previous “tow ball” elements. This new joint system will allow for small scale articulation and give fans the ability to build creatures and characters with a new range of play action. Instead of joints with one direction of bend, these will add twist and rotation into the mix. There is also great potential for creating curves and compound shapes.

LEGO Mixels

UPDATE:   Mixels is a jointly produced property between Cartoon Network and The LEGO Group.  This property will include animated shorts, a digital gaming experience and a collectible toy line.

Mixels are colorful creatures “that can mix and combine with one another in creative and unpredictable storylines.” Low priced mini sets will launch in three waves in 2014.

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 Collectible Minifigures Series 11 characters revealed [News]

In our first non-SDCC news item this week (I think), the Series 11 LEGO Collectible Minifigures are apparently on sale now in Poland, and Herman Napierala has shared a nice scan of the character sheet with Brickset.

LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 11

We won’t know what the official names of the minifigs are until closer to the official street date, but here’s what I’m seeing in this series:

  • Barbarian Warrior
  • Scarecrow
  • Alpen Girl
  • Blacktron Robot
  • Island Warrior
  • Gingerbread Man
  • Christmas Elf
  • Yeti / Abominable Snowman
  • Rock Climber
  • Welder
  • Scientist
  • Blues Brother*
  • Car Hop
  • Grandma
  • British Bobby
  • Lady Robot

*C’mon! Is he anything else?!

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 Hobbit Lake Town Chase unveiled at SDCC, due out Dec 2013 [News]

The final LEGO set that LEGO has unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con is Lake Town Chase from The Hobbit. Due out in December, the set includes 5 minifigs and 334 pieces, and will retail for $49.99.

LEGO Hobbit: Lake Town Chase

Will this set include a minifig Stephen Fry? We don’t have the full product description yet, but I’m hoping one of the minifigs is the Master of Lake Town.

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.