A little over a month ago, I talked about a collaborative LEGO project debuting at BrickCon 2023: a massive modular Dungeons & Dragons dungeon. I was lucky enough to be invited to take part, contributing the 3-wide module with glowing green eyes I talked about in September. But now, having passed the History check, I’m able to give some further details behind this amazing, fantasy-themed project.
Head deeper into the dungeon below!
The world of The Wheel of Time book series is both the ancient past and the far-off future. So, it’s fitting that this build by Vladimir van Hoek from ten years ago (long predating the recent Amazon Prime TV series) is just now getting shared with us in the present. The microscale scene of the Field of Merrilor depicts a high-tech castle and neighboring village, in a world where vehicles are powered by primitive sails and advanced jet propulsion. I love the way foliage peeks out from beneath the vignette framework, and the way the reddish brown grill bricks have been laid on their sides to create the rows in the farmland. This idyllic scene is definitely a place I’d like to visit someday…or perhaps I’ve already been?
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 first two weeks of October 2023.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS Have you missed us since the last Brick Report? We reviewed one of the current GWPs, and met a merry band of animal friends from Nintendo!
With a range of interactive LEGO Super Mario sets and the iconic 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System, it’s been clear for a while that LEGO’s licensing of Nintendo properties has been expanding. However, it wasn’t as clear what other Nintendo properties LEGO might produce sets for. Fans of the Animal Crossing franchise can rejoice, as LEGO recently unveiled five new sets from the popular series, although you’ll have to wait until March 2024 to pick them up. The sets mimic the pixelated style of the video games, and each one features unique minifigures.
We’ve got all the details about the five new LEGO Animal Crossing sets, so read on to learn more while you wait nearly five months for their release. Although the sets seem to be geared toward younger builders, I’m sure adult collectors will be interested in the parts and minifigs as well.
Read all the details about upcoming LEGO Animal Crossing sets
This charming abode by Daniel Barwegen is full of mystery. It’s titled “Onomatopeya”, a facsimile of a word that refers to words that imitate sounds (think “meow” or “atchoo”). But with the windmill and lack of fauna, this build seems to evoke the lack of noises, not noise words. That begs the question of why there isn’t anyone here? The little flying utility vehicle parked outside suggests we’re in the future, and the blue sky and windmill again make me think it’s a utopian rather than dystopian vision. But then again, it’s so overgrown! If someone does live here they’re no gardener… I dunno. In fact, just about the only thing I do know is that the Duplo window fits this place so well I almost didn’t recognize it.
This green and white mech by Red Spacecat has more options than you can shoot a rocket at. Giving me some Solid Snake vibes with those multi-jointed legs, this mech can be outfitted with a variety of weapons to suit any deployment needs. Built to the scale of a fairly uncommon figure from the early days of LEGO System sets. One great part used is the long mast piece more commonly found on ships, but my favorite is the double stack of tank-tread parts used for the massive machine gun rounds.
Here’s another photo showing off some of the other weapon options, and with the leg armor removed, you can see even more of the great details used in this model.
When it comes to Star Wars droids, few are as instantly recognizable as the Imperial Viper probe droid. The multi-eyed, multi-armed profile still gives me chills thinking back to the first time we saw it unfolding above the white landscape of Hoth like a mechanical nightmare. Calin has captured the likeness in LEGO masterfully at such a small scale… using a variety of rounded black parts for the eyes, from a train wheel with a red bar in the center, to a tire, and even a helmet or two. The use of angled droid arms is the perfect choice for those spindly claw-tipped limbs. And a pair of fencing foils make for great antennae.
I love it when a great LEGO collaboration comes together! A group of friends built the Pokémon Ultra Beasts and the end result is pure gold. Take Aidan Hayward’s Celesteela, for example. This is one of the dangerous UBs, (that’s Ultra Beasts) high energy readings can be detected coming from both of its huge arms.
Celesteela brought friends. Lots of them!
Thomas W had planned a different build for his contribution to a fairy tale collaboration but had to shift gears at the last minute. The result is a happy ending worthy of a fairy tale. This vignette, with its impressive tomes and frog-occupied wishing well, sets the imagination racing with all kinds of storybook adventures. But the real work of art is that glass slipper. There’s a limited number of bricks available in the trans-clear color, but Thomas transformed them into something special anyway, as easy as turning a frog into a prince.
Although they call it SHIPtember, the nature of the beast means we often get enormous LEGO spaceships popping up well into October. Building one is one thing, photographing such large creations is a whole challenge unto itself! SweStar has risen to both challenges in admirable fashion. I love the muted colours on this freighter; the sand green and blue coupled with those pops of yellow and orange looks really good. I really love the fact that they’ve expanded the scene beyond just the Seriously Huge Investment in Parts (SHIP) too. The containers, ground crew, and that adorable orange loader all add a charming extra touch.
When a new Iron Builder competition starts up, it’s hard not to feature some of the fantastic creations that come from the parts-usage head-to-head. In this round, both our competitors are trying to best utilize the Technic rotor blade in red. In a strategic move, challenger Duncan Lindbo attempts to cut down his competition with a brilliant chainsaw creation! It’s such a clean model, with excellent lines and a superb use of the seed part. But the log it sits on is equally impressive, all knotted and gnarled on the exterior, yet smooth and ringed where it was recently cleaved. Good luck to Duncan and his challenger Dan Ko as they duke it out!
So the big-scale version of our favorite Star Wars youngster put out by LEGO was pretty darn adorable. But George Panteleon just had to go for bigger and Bambi-er with this Grogu figure that’s cute as all get out! I love the textures on his robes: the studs out fluff around the child’s neck and wrists contrast the sloping folds of the rest of the garment. But those big, entrancing black eyes giving you that mischievous stare. You just know he’s looking to steal that metal ball at the end of one of your flight controls.
