It can be argued that the best art is that which invokes an emotional response. This otherworldly LEGO “Arbitrator” by Aidan (AjRed17) certainly does make me feel… Something, but I can’t put my finger on what. Is it the creeps from those spindly arms holding up a balance scale? Is it awe inspired by the clever use of an old gray tyre for the face? Or am I simply hypnotised by the Gungan shield which resembles a solitary eye? I’ll let you be the judge…
Check out this excellent LEGO microscale cove built by Flickr user Pixeljunkie. The heavy use of slopes laid upon their sides provides an organic, rocky backdrop for a tiny beach scene. But it’s not just any beach! This is the hideout of Porco Rosso, the Italian flying ace slash anthropomorphic pig from the Studio Ghibli film of the same name. You can see his iconic red plane, a Savoia S.21, sitting in the water. On the coast are his tent, chair, and radio, where Porco would relax between bouts with the sky pirates of the Adriatic. The shaping of the plane in such few bricks is inspired, and immediately recognizable to someone familiar with the movie. Also of note, the 1×1 plate with tooth used as a dock is some great parts usage at this scale.
The 2022 LEGO Ninjago EVO theme is an interesting one. Not tied directly to the animated series, this wave of sets is designed to capture the interest of the under-represented younger Ninjago demographic with a return to “core” Ninjago concepts. While many of the EVO sets are aimed directly at the 6+ crowd, one larger set earned a 9+ age rating – Ninjago 71765 Ninja Ultra Combo Mech. This 1104 piece set is available now from the LEGO Shop Online for US $89.99 | CAN $119.99 | UK £74.99. Featuring four ninja vehicles that combine into a giant mech, an enemy crawler, and seven minifigures, this entry to the line has a good chance to appeal to a very broad range of LEGO fans. Are you one of them? We picked up a copy to help you make an informed decision!
Click to read the full hands-on review
I wouldn’t advise taking a big bite out of this LEGO cake by Martin Gebert! This was built for a 101-piece challenge, and each of those hundred and one parts are used well. From white frogs and unikitty tails on the frosting to an obscure Scala flowerpot, this cake’s parts usage is pretty sweet! The layers of various chocolate and raspberry jelly filling look delicious and the flowing frosting tops it off wonderfully. And the cherry on top? It’s a dark red minifigure helmet.
Bright green foliage permeates this dynamic scene, cascading down to the produce stands set up in the square below a vibrant, sustainable stack of apartments. Builder Abe Fortier built this slice of life from an Afrofuturistic city that could fit anywhere in the world. Inspired by different elements of African architecture tied in with environmentally friendly urban planning, these apartments have a spark of individuality that lifts them above the greyscale of the typical city scene. Ladders and stairs provide access to the apartments (though I hope there’s an elevator somewhere, otherwise moving in would be a major pain). Couriers and cleaning drones stick to the street while the residents gather for groceries, enjoy the sights of the city from their balcony, or maybe even get some exercise on the rooftops. There is a lot to notice in this build but the most stand-out portion is the brick-built portrait featured on the wall. The sideways building techniques that Abe used to “paint” this picture are no easy feat, yet he managed to make quite the work of art all around.
I’d love to see the rest of this city, or more like it, but hopefully, as time goes on we’ll get to see more real-world examples of the intersection between technology and the African Diaspora. Afrofuturism shouldn’t be treated like “another genre” but as a peek into what our world could one day become with a more equitable and equal society.
The spring equinox has just been and gone, so the days are getting longer and summer is on its way. To get us in the mood, Grant Davis has crafted an idyllic-looking bit of LEGO coastline. The still pictures on their own are already making me long for a bit more sunshine (especially having just been through the Finnish winter!), but these only tell half the story…
See what secret lies in the water…
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 3rd week of March 2022.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS Last week was a big week for mech fans, with reviews of a bunch of new superhero, antihero, and villain mechs including Iron Man, Black Panther, Wolverine, Spider-man, and Green Goblin. The hero trend continued with new brick sketches for Iron Man and Miles Morales. We also covered the announcement of three new Star Wars diorama scenes, a new app-controlled Technic vehicle, and last but certainly not least, we brought you an in-depth review of the famous time-traveling DeLorean from the Back-to-the-Future movies. And if that’s not enough LEGO news, be sure to check out last week’s Brick Report for more.
I just can’t get enough of this LEGO Venator-class Star Destroyer by FlyInSpace! The lines on this build are so clean, it looks like the edges were cut with a hobby knife. At 27 inches long, it’s hard to believe this model is actually a step down in scale from the LEGO Ultimate Collector Series.
See lots more details of this LEGO Star Wars ship
Meet the Epyft, an alien being created by Mattia Careddu. This LEGO creature brings to mind a hummingbird crossed with a butterfly, as its long mouth reaches down to the bright blooming flower, drinking up all the rich nectar. No doubt the sugar is needed for the energy to stay in the air. The flower and the surrounding foliage feature so many cool parts to create something out of this world! Bionicle masks give the translucent green plants and blue flowers cool shapes and textures. Speaking of Bionicle masks, they’re also used for the creature’s sides, but that’s not the coolest bit of parts usage for this build. The creature’s body is a fun use of a torso piece from the Galidor toy line, produced by LEGO in 2002 for the sci-fi kids show by the same name.
Streaking though the sky comes the latest LEGO creation from French builder F@bz! Clean lines and great parts usage are present throughout this flying ship. The angles on the wings use a wonderful old slope brick with studs on the slope. The splash of purple and yellow really pop and the light blueish gray of the engines give great contrast to the deep black of the wings. I particularly like the use of the large rotor blade running down the center of the fuselage.
The one constant about Tony Stark is that he’s always working on upgrades; portable suitcase armor, Hulkbuster add-ons, nanotech. And now it seems he’s helping his friends armor up with a line of Marvel Mechs from LEGO. Miles Morales, Thor, and Cap already got in on the fun, and now Wolverine and Black Panther are joining Tony in a new wave. Does mech armor make the hero as much as clothes make the man? Or are these largely extraneous accessories for what are already Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? Let’s find out with a closer look at 76202 Wolverine Mech Armor (142 pieces, US $9.99 | CAN $13.99 | UK £8.99), 76203 Iron Man Mech Armor (131 pieces, US $9.99 | CAN $13.99 | UK £8.99), and 76204 Black Panther Mech Armor (125 pieces, US $9.99 | CAN $13.99 | UK £8.99), which are scheduled to drop on April 1st.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with early copies of these sets for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Jarvis, give me a link where people can click to read more about this. Attaboy.
Two peers, brothers in spirit, pitched against each other above the flowing, roiling lava of a devastated planet. This climactic battle is full of intense moments between these iconic characters, such as the one captured here in diorama form by TheCreatorr. Moments before Obi-wan defeats Anakin, they balanced atop shielded platforms and hovering droids battling for their fates. The lava swelling below them is brilliantly built with various gradients while black patches of burnt materials rise to the top.
