Pete Reid has decided to show us the actual process behind the creation of the green classic spacepeople! Okay, not really. When I realized that he had recreated the most common tools and supplies for minifig customization all out of LEGO, I had to laugh. It is really well constructed and very realistic looking. I’m super impressed with the cutting mat and the handles on the knife and paintbrushes.
A German poster of Series 13 Collectible Minifigures has surfaced today. The minifigs will be available starting January 2015.
Whenever TT Games releases a new computer game, people who made significant contributions to the game in question are presented with launch bricks. We had two of these to give away several years ago, but they are normally not available to people outside the company. However, through the help of TT games designer Carl Greatrix, a launch brick from the latest Hobbit Game, with a Bard The Bowman minifigure, has been given to Fairy Bricks, which is a UK charity that donates LEGO sets to hospitals and hospices.
Fairy Bricks is now auctioning this brick via eBay; an extremely rare opportunity to get your hands on this exclusive item. I’m sometimes shocked by the amounts of money that are being paid for LEGO collectables, but with the proceeds going to a good cause in this case, I’ll say start your bidding!
This scene by Moko makes perfect use of a rare transparent ghost shroud for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
An official image of the series 12 collectible minifigs surfaced today, revealing the full lineup for the October 2014 release. The retail price will be $3.99.
EDIT (AB): As always, here’s our best guess at what these figs could be called (pending the official names from LEGO closer to the release):
With the announcement of 10242 Mini Cooper, we missed covering LEGO Idea’s announcement of their next set: 21110 Research Institute, based off of Ellen Kooijman’s Female Minifigure set.
LEGO sent Ellen an advance copy of the set, which she has revealed on her blog. She takes us step by step through the box art, the construction, and includes observations about her profession and the stories the vignettes tell.
I wanted to highlight, too, this fantastic telescope design for the astronomer. I am so excited for this set to come out!
There doesn’t seem to be word yet on pricing or when it will be available, though it appears to be on target for an August release.
One of the things I’ve loved about Citizen Brick from the first time I encountered their custom minifigs is their sense of humor. Joe and his crew at Citizen Brick make things you’ll never be able to buy in a LEGO set. Yes, you can buy usefully realistic military accessories, too, but they won me over back in 2011 with minifigs like “Botany Enthusiast.” Their latest batch of custom minifigs is titled “Dragon Sword Fighter Force,” which itself is hilarious, much like the over-the-top book series and premium cable TV show that clearly inspired these minifigs (obviously Game of Thrones).
I don’t generally quote ad copy, but the product blurb on the back of the three-minifig blister packs proves my point:
Dragons! Knights! Totally inappropriate family relations! Join the adventure as these brave fighters cross swords with some of the most fearsome foes in the realm. Whether defending their kingdom or clamoring for the crown, these minifigs are ready for a battle royale to the death. Horde the complete series of stunning figs before every character you like is killed off. Your honor is at stake!
It’s not just their sense of humor that attracts me to Citizen Brick, it’s the subversiveness of choosing to depict fairly adult subject matter in repurposed LEGO minifigures — “totally inappropriate” pretty much captures most of the Citizen Brick catalog, and “totally inappropriate” has a special place in my heart. (There’s also a strong disclaimer on each Citizen Brick product indicating zero affiliation with, endorsement by, or approval from LEGO.)
Citizen Brick sent me a batch of the “Dragon Sword Fighter Force” minifigs recently, and I wasn’t disappointed. They arrived in three-minifig blister packs with the aforementioned description on the back, plus a 13th bonus minifig of some guy who looks like a fishing boat captain titled “Sir Typesalot” (which you get when you buy all 12 custom minifigs at once).
As amused as I am by Citizen Brick’s subject matter, what keeps me coming back is the quality of their design work. Each custom minifig includes unique printing on nearly every available surface — face/head, torso (both front and back), arms, and legs. Many of the “Dragon Sword Fighter Force” minifigs also come with custom cloth accessories and weapons. The printing is indistinguishable from the printing on official LEGO minifigs, and the designs themselves don’t feel out of place from the world of LEGO (thus the big disclaimer, I suppose).
At $55 for a three-minifig pack or $220 for the full set of 12 (which also includes the George R.R. Martin-esque author minifig), these aren’t inexpensive, and I suspect they’re not the sort of minifigs you’d just fold into your Castle/medieval collection for use in a crowded display at a convention. No, these are serious collectibles for the dedicated A Song of Ice and Fire fan. That said, they are certainly wonderful Castle/medieval minifigs, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing some of the cool parts from these figs on “hero” minifigs quite a lot (I just wouldn’t bury them in an army). Citizen Brick minifigs range from $15 to $25 (these are $16-18 depending on whether you get the three-packs separately or buy the whole set at once), so prices are well within the range of what other vendors are charging for custom minifigs.
Now that so many vendors are producing custom-printed minifig elements at reasonably high quality, the distinguishing factors boil down to subject matter, design, and price rather than just availability and quality. Since price and quality are now somewhat less of a comparative factor, what continues to distinguish Citizen Brick minifigs is their often-humurous subject matter and consistently great design.
Although a bit on the pricey side as a complete set, I can definitely recommend Citizen Brick’s “Dragon Sword Fighter Force” minifigs to every Game of Thrones fan out there, because we certainly won’t be seeing an official LEGO Game of Thrones Collectible Minifigures series anytime soon.
“Dragon Sword Fighter Force” minifigures are available on CitizenBrick.com.
I’m surprised both our Canadian contributors passed this up, but I’ll use my 1/4 Canadian heritage as an excuse to highlight this awesome custom minifigure by Kristi (customBRICKS), based on a friend’s Halloween costume.
Kristi calls him Captain Cold, though I think Captain Canada might be more correct. Either way, he’s pretty awesome.
If you’re curious to see what other comic book characters look like in the style of Lego’s Hulk, then The Brick Creator has just what you’re looking for with their 3″ Hulk-sized “EPICFIG” figures. Shown below are Rhino, Venom, Hulkbuster Armor, Colossus, and Juggernaut. Check out Flickr for more photos on how they’re made and visit their Facebook page for details on how to purchase them.
This 19th of November marks the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The Battle of Gettysburg, which took place several months before, was the bloodiest battle of the American civil war and many of the dead were hastily buried in temporary graves. They were subsequently reburied in what was to become the Gettysburg National Cemetery. The Address was one of several speeches that marked the official consecration of the cemetery.
Gary Brooks (Gary the Procrastinator), who is no stranger to TBB, has expertly recreated the scene of President Lincoln giving the speech. At the time, the reception of the speech was mixed, but it has gained a prominent place in the history and culture of the United States.
Buried in an email from LEGO last Friday was a great picture of the Series 12 Collectible Minifigures that will be released in January 2014. LEGO says, “The collectible series of never-before-seen LEGO Minifigures gets its first Hollywood treatment with an all-star lineup of 16 characters appearing in THE LEGO MOVIE.”
Here’s the official list:
I’m still not sold on the movie, but I’ll take an official Honest Abe and Bill Shakespeare! And I love the sense of humor in figs like “Where are my Pants Guy. I’m not sure what the movie’s writers are on, but hey, funny figs!
