Tag Archives: Qin

Comic book characters bound from the page in bricks [Minifig Monday]

Ever since Spider-Man appeared in minifig form as part of the LEGO Studios line, superheroes have been a staple of the toymaker’s catalog, in official sets and collectible minifig series, with minifig spins on iconic characters even getting their own films and video games. LEGO has released some pretty deep-cut heroes (especially those controversial Comic-Con exclusives), but no amount of official sets can keep up with all the characters that have ever appeared in print. This week we’ll take a look at some creative spins on comic characters from the big two of DC and Marvel and beyond.

Our first character is The Batman Who Laughs, the evil universe jokerfied version of Bruce Wayne, courtesy of piotrbricks. Piotr first shared this a few years back, but it remains one of the sickest superhero designs using all official parts that I’ve ever seen. The cartoony grin of Joker from The LEGO Batman Movie is so eerie coming from the Dark Knight’s cowl,  especially with rubber bands covering the eyes.

Now for something completely different, Polish builder ponuryy pays tribute to stars of bandes dessinées Asterix and Obelisk on their trip to Egypt. Their druid friend Getafix incorporates newer elements for the head, but his vintage legs seem inspired by this take from OG AFOL Michael Jasper.

Read on for more custom comic book minifigs

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Micro Miyazaki: Teto and Porco Rosso in LEGO

While there might not be any official LEGO sets based on Studio Ghibli films (yet?), the fantastical worlds of Hayao Miyazaki continue to inspire builders witch creations big and small. Today we’re presenting a couple of builds on the small side, like something Arriety might build. First up is a tiny Teto, the fox-squirrel from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, built from around 20 elements from mini character maestro Qin. The mix of parts is ingenious, especially a pair of minidoll belt bags for the face and head.

Next up is a tiny flying ace from a builder known for his larger character builds, Eero Okkonen. This pipsqueak Porco Rosso with a tan binocular nose fits nicely into the cockpit of the Savoia S-21. Eero offers a detailed look at the plane and writes about why Porco Rosso is his favorite film over at Cyclopic Bricks.

Savoia S-21

Which Miyazaki film is your favorite? Why not have a look at our Miyazaki archive for inspiration!

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.

Metroid figs trade mini for mighty

The minifig’s chunky and chibi format has made it a beloved icon recognized around the world, but have you ever wondered how your favorite minifig head or accessory might look at more human proportions? Japanese builder Qin has carved out a niche upgrading minifig and minidoll heads onto fully articulated action figure bodies, and the results are outstanding. To commemorate new footage of Metroid Prime 4 coming out of the latest Nintendo Direct, Qin assembled Samus Aran, in both power suit and unmasked versions, and the results are among Qin’s best figures to date.

Samus in Suit

When building at this scale (just 4″ tall), truly every piece needs to pull its weight, adding articulation or character-specific accuracy. For Samus’ suit, the standout section has to be those shoulders, built from orange Stuntz helmets and rare Samurai X visors.

Samus Unmasked

Unmasked Samus trades minifig helmet for a minidoll head, but the clever parts usage continues. For the shoulders and elbow joints, we can see one of Qin’s best tricks for pint-sized articulation – mini-antennae – a technique you can see in some of their other recent character builds. Every one of Qin’s little action figures brings a smile to my face – proof that big talent can come in small packages.

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.