It’s been more than 10 years since Jarek shared the first version of his LEGO A-wing, a sleek starfighter first seen in Return of the Jedi. It’s always interesting to see how builders approach the same subject matter years apart, with improved building skills as well as access to new LEGO pieces. Jarek says that his updated A-wing has better proportions than the 2008 version, with properly brick-built missile launchers.
See more photos of Jarek’s A-wing along with new variants
Ever wondered how some of the classic magic tricks are done? Teun de Wijs might have some answers for you! This LEGO version of the “floating woman” illusion is a little technical marvel, and when seen from multiple angles, gives an idea of how such a trick might be done.
The first pictures are available online for the new LEGO Batman 76116 Batman™ Batsub and the Underwater Clash set which is expected to be released early in 2019. Featuring 3 minifigures, Batman, Aquaman, and Ocean Master, a shark and a propelling Bat-Submarine shown taking a dive. A new change has the box art has dropped the Superheroes template that we’ve been used to and only shows the Batman insignia and the DC logo.
76116 Batman Batsub and the Underwater Clash
Click to see more images from the Batman set
The Great Wall is often cited as one of the wonders of the medieval world, at its peak stretching more than 5,500 miles across China. In LEGO form, 21041 Great Wall of China represents the oldest structure in the Architecture line and the first to include significant landscaping. It is also the first LEGO Architecture set designed to be modular, creatively constructed to connect multiple copies. The Great Wall includes 552 pieces and retails from LEGO for $49.99 USD. (EDIT: The set is currently on sale at Amazon.com for $39.99, making it easier to buy multiple copies.)
The Great Wall is a departure from the Architecture sets of modern buildings and significant landmarks we have come to know and love, though it feels at home with its dark green and tan styling as well as its black tiled base. While similar in size to the 21006 White House, the Great Wall is hefty and designed to be viewed from all directions. The set was released earlier this year, but with the holidays coming up, we wanted to take a closer look.
Click to take a closer look at the Great Wall LEGO Architecture set
LEGO announces region specific sets for the China and Asia Pacific Markets that’s slated to be released from January 1st, 2019 onwards. At the moment, two sets showing events from the festivities related during the Lunar New Year’s celebration are featured. The two sets are scenes celebrating the family dinner on the Eve of Chinese New Year, and the famous Dragon Dance. According to Niels B. Christiansen, Chief Executive Officer of the LEGO Group, this is the first time LEGO has made sets for a specific country or region.
80101 Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner
Click here to learn more about the new sets!
Builders tackle the LEGO Castle so often, I sometimes wonder if it has been completely exhausted. At times like that, builders such as Jonas Wide prove me wrong. When people move away from the military aspect of castle, they can find an endless well of inspiration beyond just castles and battles.
This glass-blowing workshop scene is as much artful photography as it is a LEGO build. The lighting through the windows and from the kiln is quite immersive, and the build itself is not bad at all. The textures on the walls are just enough and the tiles on the floor use related colours that actually look like variable clay bricks. What I really love is the attention to detail with the minifigs – a little drop of sweat on a minifig’s face is enough to show just how hot the workshop must be.
The LEGO Vault has opened and the previously exclusive 10268 Vestas Wind Turbine is now on sale for Black Friday and beyond. You can read our in depth review of the Wind Turbine set here. The set includes 826 pieces, 3 minifigs, and a dog. The set is on sale from the LEGO Shop for $199.99 USD, $249.99 CAN, and £159.99 UK).
The LEGO Shop’s Black Friday sales and deals are also starting right now (UK sales are already underway) along with the seasonal exclusive 40292 Christmas Gift Box with orders more than $99 USD.
Our friends over at Citizen Brick have cooked up another batch of cool stuff for this year’s Black Friday, along with a new holiday promotion tin.
The Negligent Parents “Abandoned Child / Home Invasion Holiday Fun” set of three minifigs lets you reenact all your favorite scenes from Home Alone.
See all of this year’s Citizen Brick special deals
The M:Tron range of LEGO Space sets released back in 1990 never made any bones about the utilitarian nature of its magnet-laden fleet. It was all about finding innovative ways of lifting and moving its precious equipment cases around the galaxy. Tim Goddard, whose space work has become a regular feature here on TBB, has really run with this idea of transportation. He asks, how do you deploy your beautifully built M:Tron mech to the planet surface? With the M:Tron Pod of course.
Having had a close-up look at this build at Bricktastic earlier this year, I was mightily impressed by the lengths Tim had gone to, to make his Pod hexagonal. Of course it also has a fully functional hatch mechanism. Like so much of his work, it’s a splendidly detailed homage to one the LEGO Group’s most-loved themes.
What makes a LEGO model special often comes down to an inspired design choice. In the case of En Zoo’s Laelariel Hall it’s all about the use of colour. The build is a solid medieval construction utilising many tried and tested stone wall and roof techniques. What lifts it above the average are the exquisite splashes of blue bricks throughout. The main walls are veined with light blue and 1×1 round tiled studs. Layered in sequence, they imbue the building with a sense of magic. Accents of dark blue in the roof echo the marbling elsewhere. It’s a clever choice that transports the scene into its own fantastical realm.
We recently reviewed the new Brickmania F-4C Phantom II fighter kit, but the Brickmania team has also just restocked the massive B-17G WWII Heavy Bomber custom kit, their largest LEGO aircraft kit produced to date. This custom kit of the legendary “Flying Fortress” is built from 3,074 LEGO pieces and includes 10 custom-printed minifigures.
Read our hands-on review of the Brickmania Flying Fortress
Pictures are finally available online for the LEGO Star Wars lineup of sets that are set to be released in the first half of 2019. These include themes from not only the classic trilogy but including the prequels and sequels. Check out the playsets below for now. You can be sure we’ll be reviewing most of these come 2019 to give you our independent view once they hit the shelves in January.
75225 Elite Praetorian Guard Battle Back, 109 Pieces
Click to see the rest of the Star Wars sets
