Batman has taken to the skies in various vehicles over the years, including 70916 The Batwing from the LEGO Batman Movie line, but among the most unusual has got to be the Bat, a vehicle so cool-looking they didn’t bother thinking of a cool name to match. Here, builder Lubeee . has replicated Batman’s aircraft of choice from The Dark Knight Rises in all its black-on-black glory: part helicopter, part hovercraft, all silent guardian.
Don’t be fooled! April 1st means a new wave of LEGO sets hitting store shelves. And while the offerings aren’t as plentiful as those we saw in March, there’s a couple of behemoths that have arrived (for LEGO Insiders only) which are destined to quickly sell-out: LEGO Ideas 21348 Dungeons and Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale and LEGO Batman 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City. Check out the highlights from this latest wave below. But for the best view of everything available, old and new, be sure to visit the LEGO website (LEGO US | LEGO CAN | LEGO UK).
What would you get if you combined the LEGO Architecture theme with LEGO DC and threw in a splash of LEGO Art? A massive Gotham City skyline from the 90’s hit television series, Batman: The Animated Series that can either hang on your wall (if you have a stud finder) or display on your shelf. The animated show from Warner Brothers Studio aired from 1992-1995. The visual style was dark and gritty, taking much inspiration from the Art Deco movement with sharp angles for both the architecture and the characters, and a muted and dark color palette. Combined with a stellar original musical score and great storytelling, the show was instantly popular with audiences young and old, and introduced some of the franchise’ most-loved villains like The Joker, voiced by Mark Hamill, and his Psychiatrist/lover/henchwoman Harley Quinn. LEGO Batman 76271 Gotham City comes with 4,210 pieces including 4 minifigures and will be available on April 1st for LEGO Insiders members and on April 4th for everyone else for US $299.99 | CAN $389.99 | UK £259.99
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.
2024 is seeing celebrations for 85 years since Batman was introduced to the world. LEGO, for its part, is choosing to mark the occasion with a set based on Batman: the Animated Series (which, coincidentally, also has 85 episodes). Made up of 4,210 pieces, 76271 Gotham City Skyline depicts a 3D backdrop of Bruce Wayne’s hometown in a similar vein to LEGO’s Art series. Gotham Cty’s art-deco buildings are recreated in the brick alongside references to moments in the 1990s TV show. Four minifigures are also included: villains Harley Quinn and the Joker; some-time antagonist Catwoman; and, naturally, Batman himself. Retailing for US $299.99 | CAN $389.99 | UK £259.99, 76271 Gotham City Skyline will be available from April 1st for LEGO Insiders, with general sale starting from April 4th.
While LEGO Batman will forever be Will Arnett, there’s certainly room for creations that take the caped crusader a bit more seriously. For instance, check out this glorious scene from Batman Begins by Joe (jnj_bricks). Within their temple high in the Tibetan Himalayas, the League of Shadows is about to adopt a new member. But Bruce Wayne manages an escape from Ra’s al Ghul and his minions. Here we see the explosion that kicks off the action-packed scene, frozen in plastic-y time. And it’s a good thing, too, because it allows us plenty of time to admire Joe’s impressive use of Harry Potter wands in the vignette. Employed both in the windows above and the railings below, the pair of wands still attached to their sprue provide an interesting and hard-to-achieve texture in the model.
When it comes to life-size prop recreations built from LEGO, Nick Jensen might be the reigning champion. His latest work is the revolver wielded by Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. This is the perfect weapon for going bat hunting, with a movable trigger and a perfectly purple grip. But my favorite part is the “Bang” flag coming out of the barrel. Thanks to a clever sandwiching of a LEGO net between some tiles and plates, the flag can actually wave. As in, wave bye-bye to the Batman…
If you’ve ever wondered how Bruce Wayne got to be a billionaire, the answer is simple: this is a man who understands branding. Why else have a plane in the exact shape of your own symbol? Branding. It’s simple. It’s perfect. It’s pure Wayne, baby! And it’s coming to toy store shelves soon in the form of LEGO DC 76265 Batwing Batman vs. The Joker. At first glance, this companion piece to the 76224 Batmobile set might seem redundant. Just another Bat-vehicle with the same two characters as minifigures? But the Batwing might be hiding a few surprises in store for you. And I’m not just talking about a giant pair of scissors. (In fact, this set explicitly does not include the giant scissors.) This 357-piece set will be available Aug 1st for US $37.99 | CAN $49.99 | UK £31.99.
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.
Believe it or not, there was a time when movies about superheroes were few and far between. Comics were seen by the general audience as cheap and disposable children’s entertainment. But all that changed in 1989, when Tim Burton’s Batman conquered the world. From clothing to video games to breakfast cereal, it seemed like there was nowhere you could go without getting a bat-logo shoved in your face. And we loved it. Batman would continue to dominate the cultural landscape well into the 1990s, but Michael Keaton would only reprise the character for the follow-up Batman Returns and then never play the character again ever in any movie at all. (No need to fact-check that statement, I’ve done the research.) And, while LEGO recently celebrated Batman Returns with the impressive 76252 Batcave Shadowbox set, the original 1989 film that started it all is getting some more affordable love with two smaller sets featuring Batman’s iconic vehicles. The first of these is 76224 Batmobile: Batman vs. The Joker Chase. This 438-piece set will be available August 1st for US $47.99 | CAN $59.99 | UK £42.99. But is it a set worthy of the cultural juggernaut that spawned it? Let’s get nuts and find out.
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.
If you’ve been eyeballing the new 4,000-piece LEGO Batcave but don’t have a spare $400 to drop on a superhero shadowbox, you could take a cue from Ids de Jong and go small. This awesome microscale recreation riffs on one of LEGO’s official lifestyle images of the Batcave displayed on a mantle, but this tiny version is 100% brick-built, including the background. The whole Batcave is only a handful of pieces but still has an instantly recognizable bat emblem.
LEGO has unveiled 76252 Batcave Shadowbox today, a 3981-piece Batcave-in-a-box loaded with features, light bricks, and a tricked-out Batmobile build. It goes on sale with VIP early access on June 5th and broad availability on June 8th for US $399.99 | CAN $519.99 | UK £344.99.
Here’s the set description from LEGO:
Adult enthusiasts can recreate the iconic Batcave™ from 1992’s Batman Returns™ movie with the LEGO® DC Batman™ Batcave – Shadow Box (76252). This 3,981-piece tableau incorporates movable items, minifigures and a feature-rich Batmobile™ to produce a detailed and dynamic display piece that will captivate all who see it.
Batman drama in a display case
Measuring over 20 in. (51 cm) wide, this Batcave tableau contains an assortment of authentic details, including movable items that can be controlled from the rear. Users can turn the chair, change the computer screen and open and close the tool store and illuminated Batsuit™ vault. For extra realism, a Batmobile with a variety of hands-on features is included along with 7 minifigures: Max Shreck, The Penguin™, Catwoman™, 2 versions of Batman, Alfred Pennyworth™ and Bruce Wayne™. For added convenience, a digital version of the set’s building instructions can be found on the LEGO Builder app.
- A Batman™ tableau – Adult enthusiasts can capture the drama and style of the Batcave™ from 1992’s Batman Returns™ movie with the LEGO® DC Batman Batcave – Shadow Box (76252) active display model
- Authentic details – The scene includes a feature-rich Batmobile™ and 7 minifigures: Max Shreck, The Penguin™, Catwoman™, 2 versions of Batman™, Alfred Pennyworth™ and Bruce Wayne™
- Dynamic action – Movable items can be controlled from the rear: turn the chair, change the computer screen and open and close the tool store and illuminated Batsuit™ vault
- Realistic Batmobile™ – The roof opens for the Batman™ minifigure with the fabric cape to enter. Turning the cog on the side causes 2 hidden shooters to appear. A flame element attaches to the exhaust
- Gift for adults – Experienced model-makers and Super Hero movie enthusiasts will find this rewarding build-and-display project provides pleasure long after the construction work is over
- Collectible curio – Measuring over 11 in. (29 cm) high, 20 in. (51 cm) wide and 5.5 in. (14 cm) deep, this celebration of Batman™ style will add interest to any home or workplace
- Use your mobile device – For added convenience, a digital version of the set’s building instructions can be found on the LEGO Builder app and rotate the model in 3D, save sets, track progress and find inspiration for new builds
- Relax and recharge – The range of LEGO® Sets for Adults provides a rewarding build-and-display experience that lasts long after the construction work has been completed
- Quality guaranteed – LEGO® components meet stringent industry quality standards to ensure they are consistent, compatible and easy to build with
- Safety assured – LEGO® bricks and pieces are dropped, heated, crushed, twisted and analyzed to make sure they satisfy rigorous global safety standards
In the movie Batman Begins, the Batmobile is a prototype military vehicle that never made it into full production. But, had the Tumbler been put into military use, there’d probably be all kinds of variations on it in pop culture, like this Mass Effect 2 inspired version by Slick_Brick. The Tumbler’s trademark wheels and back fins make the vehicle instantly recognizable. But the details like rooftop lights and four minifigure seating give it an identity all its own.
And as a nice bonus detail, the display base has a clever set of tire tracks built into it. And check out that jet booster.
Joel Schumacher’s neon-colored sequels get a lot of flack for being overly stylized, but revisit 1989’s Batman and you might be struck by just how Tim Burton-y it really is. Shannon Sproule has perfectly captured the essence of Gotham’s production design in these microscale buildings. While later filmmakers like Nolan and Reeves opted for a more grounded and realistic Gotham, Burton created a city that was every bit as weird and wonderous as Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, just in darker colors. Harsh angles, elegant curves, giant pipes, vents, and numerous statues are all the rage in this town. And they’re kept safe by a very, very tiny Michael Keaton.
