Category Archives: LEGO

You’d probably expect a lot of the posts on a LEGO website like The Brothers Brick to be about LEGO, and you’d be right. If you’re browsing this page, you might want to consider narrowing what you’re looking for by checking out categories like “Space” and “Castle.” We’re sure there’s something here that’ll fascinate and amaze you.

LEGO Collectible Minifigs Series 16 [Review]

LEGO’s new Series 16 of the Collectible Minifigures is at the vanguard of the fall wave of sets ready to release in August. LEGO’s previous series was the Disney Collectible Minifigs, which proved to be insanely popular, but let’s see how this new wave holds up. Each of the 16 figures is unique, and like previous non-licensed series, the minifigs are from themes as disparate as babysitters to pirates. The color for Series 16 is yellow, and the vibrant banana-suit guy seems to be the mascot for this series.

Be sure to check out our Feel Guide to help you find all the figures you want!

Let’s dive in with a look at each of the 16 characters.

Click to read the full review

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Dragon lady

I’ve always considered the silhouette of a mech one of the most important aspect of its design. You can recognize the most famous mech from that alone, and this AL-HDAMCT H’DA created by Lu Sim has one of the best silhouettes I’ve seen:

The dark green and golden color combo is just majestic and suits the design perfectly. The reverse knees, a very unusual configuration for a reFrame, a very oriental “dragony” vibe and that amazing spear complete this fantastic build. For more details check out the post on Lu’s blog.

The unholy craft from beyond

When Cthulhu and his legions come, will they be piloting spacecraft from another dimension? If so, perhaps they’ll look a bit like this tentacled ship by BobDeQuatre. The organic shape is perfectly attuned to warp your mind to insanity until you cry “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!” And once you’re fully assimilated, perhaps you’ll want to create your own using the LEGO Digital Designer file Bob freely provides on his website.

How to make LEGO mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are awfully tasty, aren’t they? Or diced, fried potatoes. Or baked potatoes. Really, potatoes any way I could have them are awfully tasty. That doesn’t seem to be good news for our friend on the cutting board, does it?

TBB staple Barney Main gives us a delightful scene, preparing potatoes for their delicious end. Though I don’t think our appreciation is shared by the subject on the cutting board, if those large eyes and worried face are any indicator.

While you ponder the potato’s fate, check out the other details: the skin peeler, the book, the knife, and the gas stove top. The potato masher is particularly ingenious!

Giant LEGO ISS and Space Shuttle Endeavor

It’s been a while since a Space Shuttle orbiter docked with the International Space Station; Atlantis launched July 8, 2011, over five years ago. Since then, all astronauts have caught a ride on the Soyuz out of Kazakhstan. In a few years, they’ll be flying out of Cape Canaveral, once again, thanks to the Commercial Crew program. Until then, let us all gaze upon the beauty of Lia Chan‘s absolutely stunning brick-built ISS and Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavor.

For a look at the shuttle pre-launch, be sure to check out our post featuring the shuttle, launch pad, and NASA’s Next Giant Leap!

Fluffy and furious: When good pets go bad

God help us all if grandma’s spoiled brat of a poodle ever gets its paws on a miniature-canine sized mech. And we’re definitely doomed if Fluff the kitten gains control of a flame-throwing bipedal hardsuit. This scene of certain terror is brought to us by Galaktek, right before the mouse began using an rocket launcher.

Assaulting LEGO castles with accuracy

While not a functional siege weapon, this minifig-scale trebuchet built by Wookieewarrior looks great. Having built a couple of functional trebuchets for past physics classes, I appreciate the realism of the structural members and the long base that should prevent the machine from tipping forward. If you thought stepping on a LEGO brick is painful, try having LEGO launched at you!

A true puppet monarchy — King Gustav LEGO marionette

Although an imaginative builder has surely created one, I don’t recall having seen a well-built LEGO marionette before. This puppet of King Gustav I by Nicolas Picot is brilliant, with great articulation and a solid reproduction of the king’s dapper uniform, in particular the upside-down curve-topped fences which serve excellent duty as epaulet embroidery. The king’s steely gaze is also particularly well done, and the mustache seems surprisingly accurate for made of only two pieces.

Killing. Machine. Ready. Sir.

Beep. Beep. Target. Acquired. Target. Eliminated.
You can’t outrun the red robot of retribution. This menacing tricycle of doom hails from the mind of BobDeQuatre, and is ready to strike (or shoot) fear into the hearts of anyone who approaches. The integration of huge Technic wheels in a moderately-sized mecha is quite fun, and the Transformers-looking face gives it a soul-piercing glare.

Sebulba’s micro-podracer is anything but bantha poodoo

Cecilie Fritzvold has built a fabulous little version of Sebulba’s podracer. The shrunken chibi styling manages to perfectly capture the look and feel of this classic vehicle — you can almost hear the distinctive roar of the engines as this passes by. The whole model is elevated by the classy presentation — it’s amazing what a simple bit of tan landscaping can do.

Don’t miss the close-up details available in these zoomed-in shots. There’s some nice brickwork on display, although I’m not convinced some of the connections in here are particularly robust! The purple energy binder connection between the two engines looks about as reliable as the “real” energy binders proved during the Boonta Eve Classic.

This LEGO Tardis is definitely bigger on the inside

This LEGO version of the Tardis interior takes its inspiration from Doctor Who Series 9 and was built by Jared over the course of the past year. The Tardis is well known as Doctor Who’s time travel machine and is infamous for being bigger on the inside. Jared’s version is definitely big on details inside with the cylindrical console area front and centre, complete with the orange glow sticks (I’m sure they have an more scientific name).

Jared took an atmospheric second photograph with some great lighting that definitely captures the mood of Doctor Who; slightly eerie, intriguing and a real, ethereal feel.

Taking the devilish dog out

I have no idea what the story is behind d’Qui Brick‘s Lone Druid creation. I don’t even know if that really is a dog, or some kind of sinister skeletal big-cat thing. But it doesn’t matter — this is a burly, beefy, terrifying beast of a model which makes excellent use of a mix of parts: Bionicle, Chima big-figs, and regular System bricks.

The face of the figure is particularly striking and I like the little touches of the hanging chains and skulls. The various spiky bits add an obvious menace, and the whole thing carries an unsettling sense of sinister heft. The only thing that doesn’t work for me is in the photography rather than the building itself — that black background might make for a moody setting, but it makes it difficult to see the details of the model.