Tag Archives: Dan Ko

Why sort when you can Groot?

Famed LEGO builder Dan Ko described a phenomenon that most of us know too well. He had a brown chair piece sitting out at his desk collecting dust for quite some time so instead of sorting it into its proper bin, he decided to build Groot with it. Then he figured, what’s Groot without his BFF Rocket? So because of Dan’s-laziness, I guess- we can all admire a quick little built chock full of fun character. Sorting can be a tedious business. You tell yourself you’re going to get to it someday and reach LEGO builder nirvana, which is zero brick unsorted, but then days turn into months and months into years, and, in the case of some of my friends, you have about an Olympic-sized swimming pool worth of unsorted brick. Do you all know anyone who has reached LEGO-sorting nirvana? Because I sure don’t!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

General Ko-nobi! You are a bold one.

Dan Ko has been bold enough to create a bust of everyone’s favourite rheumatic cyborg. Much like Darth Maul, General Grievous is one of those villains that just oozes evil but was perhaps under-used on the big screen. Nevertheless, Dan has perfectly captured the essence of Grievous. The combination of the reptilian eyes with those wedge slopes is so perfect! The lightsabers that he famously collects (General Grievous, that is, not Dan) around the base are also a nice touch. Even villains need a hobby, I suppose. I guess it’s more exciting than collecting stamps.

Pint-sized dinosaur and friend are on the hunt

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.

Rodent problems don’t last long when this beast is around.

This purple pest-catcher by LEGO builder Dan Ko is an excellent example of repurposing pieces for unexpected uses. This wolfen beast’s snout is crafted from a purple minifigure motorcycle, and his tufts of fur are leaves. The result is a ferocious-looking beast that’s happy to keep the city streets free of vermin, who are clever little brick-built creatures themselves.

Motley pirate crew without a parrot

I love a good motley crew, especially when it is made out of LEGO. This can be straight-up minifigures or brick build characters. In this case Dan Ko created a pirate crew. They had a ship, but they wrecked it. Apparently, they left the steering to a mosquito, which to be fair doesn’t sound like a very smart idea. These guys are a fest for the eye and there are quite a few bricks used in smart ways. Let’s take a closer look. We have a mouse, a rat, a hedgehog, and a mosquito and every one of them has a very cute snout.

The hedgehog is sporting a technic ball joint for a nose and wind-up keys for its spikes. This is not your everyday hedgehog. This is a well-groomed hedgehog who permed its spikes. The rat has a microphone nose and shovel legs. I am not sure if the shovel and the cheese slopes are kept in place thanks to gravity or friction, but it is really original. For the mouse, Dan Ko incorporated a lipstick nose, which to me is the most creative. Last but definitely not least is the ski stick nose used on the mosquito. All these guys need now is a new ship and maybe a foul-mouthed parrot.

Happy Bat Day to you

The best part about being friends with us Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) is the custom gifts. To celebrate a friend’s birthday, Dan Ko crafted this tribute to The Dark Knight, and what a gift it is. This stunning statue depicts Batman leaping from a Gotham City gargoyle and into action. The Caped Crusader is perfectly captured here, with an impressively effective cowl construction and a video game controller ingeniously repurposed for his chest emblem. And the gargoyle head itself has so much character that I almost want to see a mad scientist bring it to life. (As if Batman didn’t have enough to worry about…)

This butcher stand brings home the bacon

Dan Ko has packed a lot of detail into this 12×12 vignette of a medieval butcher’s stand. Inverting the tiles in the awning lets the anti-studs add a pop of texture, and the use of a few 1×1 round plates amongst the round tiles on the ground help give a sense of rough and uneven cobblestone. But the most interesting technique is the way the minifigure roller skates are holding the bars in the underside crevices of the 10×2 brick being used as the butcher’s workspace. It’s details like that which can pack a small build with a smorgasbord of visual intrigue.

Joust waiting around in the summer heat

Something that’s great about LEGO and it’s many unique pieces is the wonderful geometry when they come together. Builder Dan Ko demonstrates this beautifully with these four knights waiting for their turn in the joust. Each of these knights have their own distinct armor and look, and it’s all so satisfying to see. The first knight, from left to right, is mostly curves, their neck craning forward. The second knight is tall and lanky, though their big shield more than covers them, something that’ll help in the competition. The third knight has scale armor, providing more than enough protection and maneuverability over their opponents. The fourth and last knight reminds me of a clockwork figure with that gear for their pauldron and the round textured brick of their arm. If you stand with the knights in their gradient line maybe they’ll tell you stories of their grand exploits and adventures.

This video game tribute switches up the way pieces can be linked.

Dan Ko delivers a tribute to the Legend of Zelda franchise with this Iron Builder entry, featuring Link battling an octorok as they both emerge from the controller of a Nintendo Switch. The Iron Builder seed part of the bigfig hands in bright green are put to excellent use as part of Link’s body and trademark hat. And the printed tiles used for the octorok’s eyes are so spot-on, that I’d believe that creature was from an officially licensed set. Dare I dream of such a thing?

Bubbles always bounces back

No matter how many times they get hit, the Powerpuff girls always get back up. But the three girls made from sugar, spice, and a splash of Chemical X are not the only ones. Their arch-nemesis Mojo Jojo also took quite a few hits, and always seemed to turn up. Iron builder Dan Ko knocks another one out of the park with this whimsical scene featuring the youngest and sweetest Powerpuff girl, Bubbles, and her old pal Mojo. The seed part here is the big green fig hand circling Mojo’s eyes, and peeking out on either side of his headband.

A hands-on approach to caterpillars

This huge LEGO caterpillar is constructed with giant minifig hands by builder Dan Ko for an Iron Builder challenge. Dan cleverly uses the bright green hand pieces for the many legs of the towering insect. The caterpillar possesses a wonderful color palette with those pastel pieces at every segment. Red leaves frame the caterpillar’s face, giving it bushy eyebrows and a great beard. The antennae test the air as the caterpillar rears up to intimidate the hunter. Nearby plant life watches the scene indifferently, not really a care in the colorful world. What’s cool about this build is the ingenuity it demonstrates with a part limitation. The giant minifig hands are the parts to work with, and Dan found a creative way of using them. The caterpillar is awesome, and I hope it can be friends with the hunter instead of enemies.

Attack of the corn-fist aliens!

I’m not sure which is funnier; the fact that this LEGO alien seems to be built using like a dozen Hulk fists or his head seems to be made from a corncob. Either way, Dan Ko is at it again with another entry for Iron Builder. This corny alien is chock full of hilarious personality. If you have been following Iron Builder or The Brothers Brick in general this is propably not even the weirdest thing you’ve seen today. That’s what we do; bring you the wild and weird so you don’t have to.

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!

Like this article? Tell all your friends!