It’s only been 25 years since we were introduced to the Adventurers LEGO theme. And we can see how much Johnny Thunder and Sam Sinister have aged since then in this unique creation by Gregory Coquelz. The scale here is fantastic, providing a detailed look into the retired lives of these rivals, something that would be difficult to convey at minifigure-scale. Tiny details like Sam’s monocle and the bent brim of Johnny’s hat are brilliant bits of character creation. And I love the Easter eggs paying homage to past adventures like the Baron’s photo, the Anubis bust, and the T-rex head, each holding a revered spot above the mantle. Even the detail put into the board game makes it instantly recognizable as Monopoly. Good luck keeping that gem of a dessert out of Sam’s clutches, Johnny! I’m sure he cheated anyway.
Category Archives: LEGO
LEGO Dreamzzz 71457 Pegasus Flying Horse [Review]
Great villains need personal transportation, and 71457 Pegasus Flying Horse supplies the Nightmare King with his personal steed in a handsome black with a magenta mane and tail and coral and white highlights. Read on for our review of the set, which contains 482 pieces, 3 minifigures, and a Grimspawn, which can be pre-ordered now and will ship August 1st for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £46.99.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
A marvelous multilevel mausoleum
We here at TBB are no strangers to the architectural LEGO wonders that spill forth from the mind of Pan Noda. And their latest mausoleum tower is certainly no exception. Clad only in white, the structure looks like it was hand-carved out of soapstone instead of brick-built. Details like the exposed 1×1 plate undersides and square sections of plates set in alternating vertical and horizontal configurations have become a signature of Noda’s work. And new concepts, like the stairstep roof pattern capped with a singular bar set in a hollow stud, fit in perfectly. Taken in its entirety, all of the “imperfections” – the tiny nooks and crannies intentionally added to the creation to break up the solid walls – are only heightened by the superb use of lighting in the photo.
Does this LEGO mosaic commemorate the Red Dawn, or portent a new one?
Our favorite annual LEGO castle contest, Summer Joust, is in full swing for 2023. And builder T-86(swe) has made a glorious submission to the silhouette category: the Dandelumian Crest. In an age when LEGO sets are also starting to stretch the 2-D boundaries of the standard mosaic, T-86 provides depth to their creation with a lattice of dark gray plates and tiles fit in-between the background studs. While it may not be a “legal” connection in all cases (legal with a tile and not with a plate, but that’s a discussion for another post), the maze-like grid provides an outstanding backdrop for the sword and twisting plant laid over top. The whole thing definitely gives off some heavy “Gordian Knot” vibes, and I love it!
LEGO Dreamzzz 71459 Stable of Dream Creatures [Review]
We started our look at the new LEGO Dreamzzz theme on the dark side with 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. Today let’s skip nightmares entirely and explore a relaxing place of peace, beauty, and wonder: 71459 Stable of Dream Creatures. There are no Grimspawn, Night Terrors, or other bad dreams here – just giant flowered dream deer, a windmill, and a… a cat cactus? Yeah, a cat cactus. If you’ve watched the first 10 episodes of the TV show… either you spotted something we didn’t, or you’ll recognize the deer, and that’s it. In any case, here’s our review of the set, which contains 681 pieces, 4 minifigures + 2 dreamlings + cat cactus + z-blob, and can be pre-ordered now and will ship August 1st for US $79.99 | CAN $99.99 | UK £74.99.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Just an old car – no retro-futurism here, no sirree...
It’s been a while since we featured a proper old-fashioned LEGO car from Isaac Wilder. He’s been on a bit of a retro-futurism kick lately – which, don’t get us wrong, we’re all here for. That’s fine if you like that sort of thing. But nothing beats the simplicity of a good ol’ 50s sedan. This one would not look out of place in a film noir movie, or a British 60s police flick.
It’s always nice to see a builder play their hits, instead of messing around with this new-old-fangled retro-futurism nonsense. No crazy engines, no flyi- er… Oh. I guess old habits die hard.
Who are we kidding – we love Isaac’s work, retro-futurist or otherwise! See for yourself why he’s a regular feature in our archives.
Honey, I supersized the minifigs
I really like the “maxi-fig” concept that has been doing the rounds lately. It can be as simple as LEGO’s own 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure set, or you can use it as a template to let your creativity run wild. Kristel Whitaker has done just that with this dandy pair of Day-of-the-Dead themed figs. They’re named Catrina and Skellie, and don’t they just look brilliant! I love the repeated use of yellow flowers and dark pink leaves on Catrina’s dress especially. It looks just like the intricate embroidery typical of this style of outfit. Skellie’s, er, skeleton is also nicely done with a mixture of SNOT (studs not on top) and tiled building.
Hopefully this format will blow up in a big way! Speaking of big – why not see what else the talented LEGO community has up-scaled?
TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for July 1, 2023 [News]
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the last week of June, 2023.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS We’ve got lots of news to recap from this last week, including reviews of the first set from the new Dreamzzz theme, and announcements from Architecture, Marvel, and Icons… but if you’re craving even more LEGO news, be sure to read last week’s Brick Report.
- [NEWS] LEGO revs up an American classic with the Icons 10321 Corvette — This classic car joins the star-studded line-up of iconic vehicles.
- [FEATURE] Ace Parts Usage: TBB’s favorite LEGO build techniques of 2023 so far — Here at TBB we are constantly surprised by the creativity of LEGO fans around the world. Check out some of the most impressive part usage from 2023 so far.
- [NEWS] LEGO gives your favorite web-slinger the mosaic treatment in 31209 The Amazing Spider-Man — Superhero fans have another amazing art set to hang on their walls.
- [REVIEW] LEGO Dreamzzz 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship: Can we save Mr. Sharkyjaw? — We review the first set from the latest LEGO theme Dreamzzz
- [NEWS] LEGO unveils the all new 21060 Himeji Castle, the next set in their Architecture line — LEGO announced the latest microscale architecture model, the stunning Himeji castle
- [REVIEW] LEGO Disney 43215 The Enchanted Treehouse — We checked out the Disney set with the most minidolls this year.
- [REVIEW] LEGO Star Wars 75365: Yavin 4 Rebel Base — The rebel base on Yavin 4 finally gets a playset and we bring you all the details.
Star Wars, but make it Blacktron
A spacecraft with black wings and a bubble cockpit? Easy – that can only be a TIE fighter. But hang on, these were also defining features of LEGO’s Blacktron II theme… So what is it? Well, it’s both! Gerard Joosten AKA Elephant-Knight has a bit of a knack for builds within the Blacktron II aesthetic, and he’s turned to the Star Wars universe for his latest creation. The TIE Defender is one of the more outlandish TIE variants, and as a result it fits very nicely into the design language of my personal favourite LEGO space villains. Does this mean Darth Vader gets a neon-green lightsaber…?
LEGO revs up an American classic with the Icons 10321 Corvette [News]
Hot on the trail of the Land Rover Defender comes the LEGO Icons 10321 Corvette. With 1,210 pieces, this set is sure to make any gearhead’s heart go pitter-patter. They’ve replicated the classic styling of the 1961 Corvette nicely in red with a black interior and white highlights. According to details on the back of the box, the model has opening doors, trunk, and hood. Also, either the hardtop can be removed or an alternate convertible version can be built to show off the detailed interior. The LEGO Icons 31321 Corvette will be available from LEGO stores and their website starting on August 1st, and will retail for a price of US $149.99 | CAN $199.99 | UK £129.99.
Ace Parts Usage: TBB’s favorite LEGO build techniques of 2023 so far [Feature]
Over the course of the last six months, we’ve featured literally hundreds of excellent LEGO creations. While all of them are already the best we’ve found, there are a handful that stand out above the rest. Usually these creations feature the coolest techniques and exceptional NPU (Nice Parts Usage), and have us talking about them more than the average build behind the scenes. We’ve seen everything, but occasionally we’re extra impressed by something new and unique. Although we do feature our overall favorite builds (using several criteria) in the running for the TBB Creation of the Year in December, we’ve decided it would be fun to honor some ace parts usage right here, right now. Join us as we count down the best of the first half of 2023!
Some buzz-worthy air travel
I’ve got to say, the latest LEGO build by Mr Youm is pretty fly…or rather, is a pretty fly. All the little black bits are sculpted so precisely to create that insectoid face. Zamor spheres wrapped in red rubber bands, an air tank holding a pair of fangs, and lever handles stuck inside a 1×2 grill plate are just a few of the many excellent examples of novel part usage in this bug. But my favorite touch is the use of gray technic pins to create the texture of its wings. The stacking of those pieces, framed in black tubing and bars, is an off-the-wall solution to a problem normally solved by builders with a specific piece of plastic.