Category Archives: LEGO

You’d probably expect a lot of the posts on a LEGO website like The Brothers Brick to be about LEGO, and you’d be right. If you’re browsing this page, you might want to consider narrowing what you’re looking for by checking out categories like “Space” and “Castle.” We’re sure there’s something here that’ll fascinate and amaze you.

Careful! Cool colours can conceal conniving crazies...

Do not adjust your set, reader: this LEGO build really is this colour! It’s not the result of a messed up RGB balance, but the work of LEGO Masters alum Jaap Bijl! At first glance, it’s a house full of whimsy: slightly cartoony proportions, those bright colours, and a fantastic technique for the roof. Who would’ve thought to use chicken drumsticks as tiles? Brilliant! But there’s a sinister side here too, as evidenced by the ominous red light emanating from inside. Surely such a colourful abode can’t hide anything nefarious inside, right? It’s probably fine to stay the night. All the same, I’ll let you go in first. No really, after you, please. I’ll be right behind you, promise…

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Life on a LEGO sailboat looks like paradise

Tales of life at sea have long cast a siren spell over many a landlubber and LEGO builder. Real-life heroes like Thor Heyerdahl, Ernest Shackleton, and ~~Steve Zissou~~ Jacques Cousteau captured the imaginations of past generations; with many followers on YouTube, Lauren Landers and her feline first mate Mak are new stars sharing the ups and downs of life on the waves. Builder Kevin Wanner was inspired by Landers’ home, the Soul de La Mar, and recreated it in LEGO. The sailboat is a 1993 Oceania 510, decked out for long-term life at sea.

Kevin proves an able LEGO shipwright, creating impressive curves in dark blue. He first planned to build only the above-water section of the boat, but felt driven to complete the keel as well. The end results, with the full ship “floating” on a then patch of sea over a coral reef, is nothing short of stunning. The sea alone includes 1,900 1×1 tiles with clips to achieve the undulating effect. Kevin calls it a “don’t bump the table” build on account of the entire ship and sea resting on three fragile contact points. I hope he never learned that the hard way!

Kevin’s gallery features many more angles of this exquisite ship. The build is an amazing tribute to the Soul de La Mar that just might have you dreaming of trading in your house or apartment for sailboat of your own.

The magic of the Bio-cup lives on!

We often feature builds that are entered into the many contests the LEGO community holds, among them the Bio-Cup. But have you ever wondered what happens to these builds once the contest is over? Some are presumably dismantled, but Benjamin Anderson‘s wizard has found a new lease of life after contests’ end! The flowiness – for lack of a better word – is what give this magnificent mage so much character. The way his robes, hat and beard are billowing away from his staff suggests he’s cooking up a particularly spicy spell. As Benjamin put it in his caption: “I didn’t ask how big the room is, I said ‘I cast FIREBALL’!” I would stand back, everyone…

LEGO Marvel X-Men 76294 The X-Mansion, is it worth the wait? [REVIEW]

Marvel fans of all ages have had many great LEGO sets come out over the years, both play and display-worthy tributes to many comic book heroes and villains from big-name heroes like the Avengers to street-level characters like Spider-man and Daredevil. Some of these groups have even had large-size display sets like LEGO Marvel Spider-Man 76178 Daily Bugle and Avengers Tower, but one group of heroes has been missing a large set of their own, until now. The X-Men finally get a base of operations in the newly announced X-Mansion set, which includes 10 minifigures and a sentinel. But will this long-anticipated set live up to fan’s expectations? LEGO Marvel X-Men 76294 The X-Mansion comes with 3,093 pieces and will be available on November 1st for US $329.99 | CAN $429.99 | UK £289.99

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.

Read on for a full break-down

Perfect LEGO furniture for the modern minifig

Gone are the days when a set of pre-molded seats and an elevated plate was all that a minifig needed to furnish a LEGO home. Thanks to techniques innovated by builders like Michael Jasper and introduced into official sets with the Modular line, a minifig’s home can be filled with as many build-it-yourself designs as an Ikea showroom. Oshi Builds assembles a cozy set of bedroom furniture with muted colors and compact forms that would look great in a Copenhagen studio. Leaving in a few specific molded parts, like the laptop, guitar, and desk drawer, elevates how elegant the custom builds are. Be careful on that rug, though. It looks a little slippery.

A life of solitude among the LEGO waves

Working on fortified outposts in the sea must have been quite lonely back in the day. Little supply boats would be your only connection to the outside world, and possibly your only human contact, too. What do you mean, that sounds quite nice?! Anyway, we’ve got LEGO builder Bryckland to thank for that particular train of thought. There are loads of great techniques on display in this diorama from days gone by. The palm tree is one of the best I’ve seen, making use of upturned eggshells; and there’s a pair of binoculars masquerading as a doorknob which I really like. The hexagonal tower looks great too, leaving the square LEGO grid to provide some interesting shape. Same goes for that superb little supply boat! I’m not sure I’d want to rely on a rowboat for entertainment, but give me an internet connection and a mini-fridge and I’d take up residence here in a jiffy.

LEGO Marvel 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion revealed [News]

This November LEGO invites you to build the next step in human evolution with LEGO Marvel 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion. Also known as Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, the X-Mansion is one of the most iconic sites in the Marvel universe, featured most recently in the X-Men ’97 animated series. The set features familiar details like the Danger Room, Cerebro, and a buildable Sentinel robot. The X-Mansion includes 10 minigures, with Professor X, Gambit, Iceman, and Bishop, making their LEGO debut. If purchased during the first week of release, Insiders also receive LEGO Marvel Cerebro, a companion display piece. Available November 1 to Insiders and November 4 to all, 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion contains 3093 pieces and retails for US $329.99 | CAN $429.99 | UK £289.99.

To me, my X-Men. Let’s look at the rest that the set has to offer!

Dogpool slobbers her way into our hearts

IYKYK- That’s internet speak for if you know you know. Those of us in the know would know that, in the blockbuster film Deadpool and Wolverine, Dogpool was a complete scene stealer. Which is some feat considering all the muscle flexing, celebrity cameos, and gut-busting humor. Tim Inman replicates her unsettling slobberpuss nicely in LEGO and we’re all drooling with giddiness. While her ridiculous tongue and bugged-out eyes aren’t without their charm, my favorite part is the sparse fuzz on her head made with white LEGO plant stems. The doggo in real life is a Pug/ Chinese Crested mix named Peggy and she’s been voted Britain’s Ugliest Dog- which is a total bummer for whoever Britain’s second-ugliest dog happens to be.

The Charrus is SHIP full of delightful parts

During SHIPtember, when LEGO Space builders race to complete a ship at least 100 studs long within a month, the biggest challenge is finding the time and parts to get it done. But almost as hard is finding a unique hook to make your SHIP stand out. Andre Odyssey‘s OSV Charrus is a slick cargo ship with very few studs that draws on an eclectic range of parts. The ship’s deck is made from road plates, alongside race car spoilers and City ship parts. For cargo, Andre uses Mario mushrooms, lavender barrels from the Friends line, a brilliantly employed Vidyo box full, and a brick-built sand green container. The new “jumbo macaroni” tubes make excellent manipulator arms at this scale. The result is a ship that is both an impressive resupply vessel and a fun celebration of the mix-and-match potential of LEGO themes.

A big model of a small world

Can a build be big and small at the same time? Builder Paul Hetherington has the answer, creating an expansive representation of the Disney parks’ most earworm-generating ride. “It’s A Small World” takes us on a boat tour of memorable locales around the globe. One of the cleverest aspects of the build is the use of minidolls from the LEGO Friends line to serve as the ride’s iconic puppets, setting them apart physically from the standard minifigs taking the tour. Apart from that, the famous landmarks from each country are instantly identifiable: we see features from Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, and France and ending with Greece, India, Japan, China, and Easter Island. It’s a very detailed world, after all!

Fabulous LEGO Cloud Nine Car from an old smoothie

Stewart Lamb Cromar‘s Star Wars x Fabuland mashups have been viral sensations and appeared at LEGO shops and conventions, but his latest creation the Cloud Nine Car, was created for a much smaller audience. The adorable build, made from vintage parts and presented in custom packaging, was a wedding gift for friends. Stewart originally designed the pods using yellow Fabuland boat hulls to match the theme’s iconic red, yellow, and blue color scheme, but ultimately swapped them for red to better match the source material. Whether in smaller sets like the Fabulandspeeder, or on the massive scale of the Tie Bungalow Hanger, Stewart’s builds always deliver smiles.

Should you find yourself in Billund, Stewart’s work can currently be found at LEGO House where his Fabuland paddle steamer recently joined the World Explorers experience.

Sci-fi LEGO train sets a course for Creations for Charity

Some people imagine a future where everyone has their own flying car. I’d much rather live in a world where everyone has access to reliable and affordable flying public transportation! Like a train pulled by LEGO builder Daniel Barwegen‘s Space Train engine. I love how Daniel blends sci-fi repulsors with the look of a modern electric commuter train. The color blocking is sharp, using triangular tiles to create diagonal stripes. A piston rod amongst the thrusters is a fun nod to tradition.

While Daniel’s train deserves celebrating for craft alone, it’s also on its way to the Creations for Charity shop. From October 15 through November 30th, donated models can be purchased with all proceeds going towards providing LEGO bricks to hospitals, shelters, and schools in underserved areas. It’s a great way for fans and collectors to give back and inspire a new generation of builders and creators.