This adorable LEGO vignette of two characters from the animated show Primal, by Dan Ko is a fun scene. Even though it was built with a small number of parts, it is big on charm with some very clever part usage, like the Minifig bowtie used for the dinosaur’s eyebrows, and the claw part used for the feet. But that single clip for the two spindly front legs is perfect.
If it hasn’t been clear from past articles I’ve written on here, I am a humongous fan of micro LEGO builds. I probably build within an 8×8 stud area more often than not anymore. And I am absolutely gaga for these connected micro scenes by Louis of Nutwood. Depicting some of the classic tropes from high seas adventures, this quartet of vignettes shows the vessel, the fortress, the kraken, and the remote island. Each of the scenes lives in its own black box, reminiscent of those from the succulents LEGO set. But those boxes are then linked via waterfalls, connecting the disparate parts into a whole story. While there is some excellent parts usage throughout, some of my favorites are the cannons on the fortress and the texture-filled tree design.
After President Trump’s failed attempt to broker peace on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea resumed ballistic missile tests in 2019. They have done so many since, it has become quite hard to keep track of them all. However, two tests, in September 2021 and in January of this year, stand out because the missiles were launched from a train. Putting missiles on a train makes some sense. If it were to come under attack, North Korea needs to ensure it can still launch its missiles. Mobile launchers make it much harder for an adversary to find and destroy them on the ground. And North Korea has poor roads but a fairly well-developed train network. Finding the launchers becomes a shell game; just about any box car in the country can house an unpleasant surprise.
The train in September consisted of a single Soviet-built M62 diesel locomotive; a very common type in communist countries. This pulled two freight cars. The first was a regular Chinese-built P61 box car. The second was externally similar, but it had an opening roof, extra doors in its side and launchers for two ballistic missiles inside. I admire the skill that goes into building a LEGO train, but the last time I built one was in 2014. And the one before that was in 2009, so it is fair to say that I rarely build trains. But North Korean missiles on a train definitely piqued my interest. I have built number of other missile launchers recently, including a Soviet MAZ-547 transporter erector launcher for an SS-20 ballistic missile and a Cold-War cruise missile launcher. This fits that theme perfectly.
Furthermore, I also happen to write professionally about missiles from North Korea and I write computer models to predict their trajectories. So, the research that went into building this model is directly linked to what I do for a living. Over the years I have found that quite a few people in similar lines of work are actually LEGO builders.
For me and my generation, the iconic Batmobile will always be the 1989 version from the Tim Burton movie. And this minifig-scale LEGO version by Jerry Builds Bricks is a beautiful recreation of Bruce’s vehicle of choice. I’m most impressed by the parts the builder chose not to include. There’s neither a bat wing nor printed piece in sight. Instead, setting this build apart from the numerous Batmobiles of this scale churned out by LEGO since 2006, the vehicle relies entirely on sculpting from curved slopes and angled tiles to achieve all the sleek curves seen in the movies. I especially like the brick-built batwings on the rear of the car, as well as the clever use of the black rubber tubing for the cockpit’s windscreen.
It is always a treat to find a LEGO model that uses a non-traditional “element” such as this spaceship by Robert Heim that features a LEGO brand coffee cup in the shape of the Minifig-sized cup (the model includes 4 of those as well). The landing gear is also quite an interesting look, propping the ship up on a base built around the handle. LEGO products are made to such precise standards that a curved elements fits the shape of the handle perfectly.
Behold the mighty Hermit ship, constructed of LEGO by Thomas Jenkins! What happens with a bunch of little crabs team up with a giant hermit crab with a ship for a home? They all turn to pirating the seas, gathering all the goodies they can in their claws and stowing it away in the ship. They make use of the old ship’s stores to outfit themselves, and they roam the ocean floor looking for their next haul. The build before us here is adorable and colorful, giving a sense of whimsical adventure. Good usage of Bionicle and Hero Factory parts give the hermit crab form. The ship makes use of Technic parts for the bowsprit, and some nice slopes for the curving bits of the keel. The crabs make use of pirate tools, though the one atop the forepeak makes use of some scissors to cut opponents down to size.
The biggest issue with stowing loot in a broken ship? The cargo hold doesn’t exactly hold anything, as seen with the treasure chest being left behind. From this angle we can better see the details of the broken ship. Meanwhile, life in the sea continues as the pirates pass by. Fish swim around the coral and another crab goes about its life instead of joining the buccaneering crew.
This three story LEGO home shows off a modern look and some solar panels in this build from Letranger Absurde. The walled estate sports a lovely tree amongst a garden, some of its leaves even offering shade to the pool. Greenery surrounds the house, showing a love of nature. There are a few balconies running up the side of the building, boasting some patio furniture and nice awnings with slates. The railing of the balconies offer some cool texturing in the form of those grey ingot pieces.
Personally, I like the yellow framed windows with their panes alternating in size. Looking over the whole build, there are many interesting textures going on like the tower’s windows, the frames of the solar panels, and the yellow brick and white stone of the encompassing walls. This is one of those builds you just want to look over every detail.
Whenever one thinks of LEGO Harry Potter creations, there is quite a lot that comes to mind. Diagon Alley, Gringrotts, Grimmauld Place, Pivet Drive, Hogsmeade and of course Hogwarts. All of them are houses and castles. What does not pop to mind immediately is wild chases through traffic and yet it is that which inspired Alex Lam.
We are looking at a scene from ‘The Battle of the seven Potters’. The members of the Order of the Phoenix are trying to transport Harry from one location to the next. Unfortunately they were ambushed by Death Eaters. In the battle Harry and Hagrid fled on a flying motorcycle. In Alex’s creation we can see Hagrid and Harry trying out all sorts of manoeuvres to get away from the Death Eaters chasing them. Alex quite often adds lighting to his creations which always looks mesmerising. Same goes for this lovely build.
BetaNotus has fallen into a familiar trap. When you cover the work of the Adult Fans of LEGO community, there are just certain themes you’re going to see repeated over and over again. Custom Batmobiles, X-Wings, and Back to the Future DeLoreans are as plentiful as can be. And a familiar build that ranks right up with those is the classic quadrupedal mech for fishing expeditions. I can’t tell you how many… Hold on, I’m getting a message. I’m sorry, I’m being told we’ve never seen a build like this before. Word from TBB leadership is this build is delightfully creative and more mechs for unexpected tasks would be welcome. My bad.
The ongoing Pi-rat competition has yielded a lot of interesting pirate ship builds. But Bard Jaskier has gone in another direction and constructed a brick-built buccaneer with a treasure chest full of delicious Swiss. Bard’s mousey marauder is not just adorable, but makes good use of pirate ship pieces, like the crow’s nest barrel halves that make up the legs of his shorts.
Devid VII delivers a devastating desert destroyer with this high-tech hover vehicle. The insectoid shape calls to mind the Dune ornithopters, but the markings suggest this is a future Earth military vehicle, rather than an otherworldly piece of technology. Wherever it originates from, Devid’s done an amazing job with not just the build, but the small vignette that supports it. Thanks to the angle of the ship and the dust cloud it’s kicking up, we can practically hear the hover engines as it speeds past us.
Tim Goddard is known for his marvelous mechs and spectacular spaceships. But it’s important to branch out and flex your creative muscles every so often. That’s why we’re so enamored with this racing rabbit. Tim’s done an amazing job of capturing the animal in motion and creating a sense of speed in this static model.
