This morning at Comic-Con in San Diego, LEGO unveiled yet another new set, an AT-AP walker from Star Wars (it first appeared in Episode III). The set includes 717 pieces and will retail for $69.99. It’s scheduled for release in March 2014.
Tag Archives: SDCC
SDCC ’13: Noteworthy LEGO happenings
Here’s a quick recap of things seen around the LEGO booth on Preview Night at San Diego Comic-Con 2013 yesterday.
Team Back to the Future member and project contributor of the newly released Back to the Future CUUSOO set, Masashi Togami, was hanging out at the booth with Tim Courtney, LEGO CUUSOO Community Manager.
This lovely, giant-size, brick-built display of the upcoming LEGO Minecraft sets was very popular among the fans.
At 7 PM, they did an unveil of the Minecraft sets at the booth. Executives from Mojang did the honors.
In one corner, you can try out a demo of the upcoming LEGO Marvel Super Hero Game. It’s blast to fly around as Iron Man with repulsor jets or Hulk-out and smash everything in sight. Just for trying out the game, you got a LOKI key chain and a LEGO Marvel Game Poster. Free swag is cool.
And a final note, they are launching the steampunk-themed Master Builder Academy Invention Designer (Level 4) set
[We’ll have more on this closer to release -AB]. The first 100 sold at the booth will receive a signed and numbered artist’s print of the snazzy illustration of LEGO steampunk featured in the ads.
Live from San Diego Comic Con 2013
San Diego Comic Con 2013 started Wednesday night with “preview night”, which is more or less just another day at the con. The LEGO booth is in full CUUSOO and The LEGO Movie mode!
21103 Back to the Future CUUSSOO sets went on sale along with new Star Wars sets and much more!
There are two exclusive sets that are ONLY available at the Convention and only available until they sell out. The LEGO Star Wars Jek-14 MINI Stealth Starfighter and The Hobbit Micro Scale Bag End are both $39.99.
LEGO unveils new LEGO Minecraft sets – The Village & The Nether [News]
In a surprising twist that reveals what can happen in a post-CUUSOO world, LEGO is today unveiling a full LEGO Minecraft theme, beginning with two new sets, The Village and The Nether. Both sets look to be compatible with the original four-section microscale LEGO Minecraft set from the CUUSOO project, and will retail for the same $34.99 price. They’re due out on September 1, 2013.
The Village includes a pig, Villager, and Zombie micromobs.
The Nether features the Obsidian Portal, and includes two Ghasts and a Zombie Pigman micromob.
Here’s the press release from LEGO with all the official details:
THE LEGO GROUP EXPANDS MINECRAFT COLLECTION
– Two additional models based on the popular virtual 3D world make their debut at Comic-Con International and will be on shelves this September-
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO (July 17, 2013) – Delighting LEGO® and Minecraft fans across the globe, The LEGO Group today announced it is extending its relationship with Swedish game developer Mojang to build on the blockbuster success of its first LEGO Minecraft building set to add two new models that will be released September 1, 2013.
LEGO Minecraft provides the opportunity to build, reconfigure and create new Minecraft micro-worlds in a physical LEGO way. The two new 3”x3”x3” models, The Village and The Nether, are on display for the first time at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Fans can also enjoy and take pictures with a large interactive 3D mosaic complete with Micromob character props at the LEGO booth (#2829).
“LEGO Minecraft is a perfect example of how people’s passions can be amplified when digital and physical interests are combined, and there couldn’t be more synergy between the engine that drives the Minecraft gaming experience and the creative fuel of a LEGO building experience,” said Michelle Wilson, senior brand manager for LEGO Systems, Inc. “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Mojang to create new Minecraft characters and environments in LEGO form so that fans can get as creative as they’d like in their physical world as in their digital one.”
“There’s no doubt about the connection between LEGO building and Minecraft – not only the design similarities, but the immense creativity that our fan bases share,” said Lydia Winters, Mojang’s director of fun. “Given how well received the first model was last year, we can’t wait to see what fans think of these new designs.”
LEGO Minecraft New Product Highlights
The Village
With this model, fans can create and customize their own Minecraft village with LEGO bricks. Just like the game, fans can build houses, grow crops and beware the mines in their own micro-world as well as play out their own storylines with Pig, Villager and Zombie constructible Micromob figures.The Nether
Builders can create the Minecraft Obsidian Portal and The Nether to explore the newest biome with this micro-scale LEGO model, complete with Netherrack, gravel, flowing lava and bedrock. This model includes two Ghasts and one Zombie Pigman constructible Micromob figures.The new LEGO Minecraft micro-scale models can be split into four sections and reconfigured for different play experiences. They will be available beginning September 1, 2013 with a suggested retail price of $34.99.
San Diego Comic-Con 2013 LEGO panel previews
If you are one of the lucky ones who managed to get into San Diego Comic-Con and can go, here is a quick list of panels that may pique your LEGO interest!!!
Brick-built SDCC logo by Mariann Asanuma.
- The LEGO Movie will be previewed on Saturday, July 20, 10:45 am – 1:15 pm at Hall H, with the Warner Brothers/Legendary Movies presentation, along with the movies Godzilla, Seventh Son, 300: Rise of an Empire, and Gravity.
- The LEGO Marvel video game is part of the Marvel Video Games panel on Saturday, July 20 from 12:30pm – 1:30 pm at Room 6A.
- BrickJournal’s panel, LEGO as an Art Form, featuring yours truly Brandon Griffith, Joe Meno, Nathan Sawaya, & Tommy Williamson will be on Saturday, July 20 from 5pm – 6pm at Room 23ABC
Nathan will be signing books at TwoMorrows booth #1301 after the panel until the hall closes. Brandon will be there handing out a limited amount of STUDS packs.
- LEGO Legends of Chima will have a presentation on Sunday, July 21 from 10 am to 11am at Room 24ABC.
LEGO Star Wars Rancor Pit revealed at SDCC + Jabba’s Palace out in UK [News]
The LEGO set news from San Diego Comic-Con keeps coming, fast & furious. In addition to Bag End, LEGO has revealed a new LEGO Star Wars set, the Rancor Pit from Return of the Jedi. It looks like it comes with Luke, Rancor Keeper, and Gammorrean Guard minifigs (in addition to the Rancor itself).
FBTB has more pics from the show floor.
And since we haven’t featured an official picture of the Jabba’s Palace playset here yet, take a look (via Brickset).
It’s not out in the US yet, but our readers in the UK can already pick up 9516 Jabba’s Palace from the LEGO Shop for 120 GBP.
First Look at New Hobbit Sets [News]
Revealed just a short while ago at the San Diego Comic Con, this first official look at one of the new Hobbit sets is exciting! While there’s no official description to accompany this photo (yet) for those who weren’t at the SDCC, it’s pretty obvious that it’s not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: [it’s] a Hobbit-hole, and that means comfort, aka, Bag End. And it looks gorgeous. Also, that’s a big hammer.
Win LEGO Super Hero minifigs early here on TBB + official contest deadline Nov 15
LEGO was kind enough to send us a pair of the LEGO Super Hero minifigs distributed exclusively at Comic-Con in San Diego earlier this year, and we’re going to give them away to two TBB readers. One reader gets Superman Batman, and another gets Green Lantern!
To enter this raffle, just leave a comment on this post (tips on registering and commenting). In two weeks, on Monday, November 28, we’ll randomly select two people who left comments before 11:59 PM PST November 27.
Fine print: The raffle is open to TBB readers worldwide 18 years old and older. We’ll add to the fine print as people ask questions, but let’s keep it simple for now.
If you’d like to win all the 2012 LEGO Super Heroes: DC Universe sets, LEGO is also hosting a contest on LEGOSuperheroes.com:
Enter the LEGO Super Heroes Challenge for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a trip to California to tour Warner Bros. Studios, WB Animation, and LEGOLAND California, and the complete 2012 LEGO Super Heroes: DC Universe collection. Plus get your work displayed online for other LEGO Super Heroes fans to admire.
Check out the website for more details.
Comic-Con 2011 Wrap Up: Fine Weather, Comic LEGO and 125K Nerds
Comic-Con was crowded. The biggest pop culture celebration in the world happened in San Diego from July 20 to 24. Over 125,000 crashed my Downtown where I work and eat. Infernal interlopers. Seriously, it was great hectic fun as always. It’s nice to live in the city where there’s an annual shopping, people watching and pop culture extravaganza of epic proportions.
I wasn’t lucky enough to get 4 day passes with preview night or scoop everyone on the biggest LEGO related news from Comic-Con, but others in the LEGO and Comics fan worlds were on it, and we were able to pass it on to you last week: LEGO negotiated DC and Marvel Comics licenses. DC sets are scheduled for set releases in January 2012 and Marvel in summer of 2012.
I went back on Sunday and got some slightly better pictures of prototype minifigures of Wonder Woman (with very invisible plane), Super Man, Hulk, Batman, Cat Woman, Poison Ivy, Thor, Iron Man and Wolverine.
There was also a display with four Hero Factory tie in figures: Green Lantern, Batman (no, I don’t know what’s attached to his back), Iron Man and The Hulk.
Both the minifigs and Hero Factory characters are official, but keep in mind they’re prototypes so they’re likely to be a bit rough and have changes before final release.
Unfortunately, the only LEGO panel this year was a Star Wars panel on Friday morning, which I missed. D’oh!
The other great highlight is running into all kinds of people. People in costumes, friends and even friends in costume. The only LEGO related costume I saw this year was a sexy red number sported by Michael “Bruno” Todd, an excellent human being, cat rescuer and force of nature. He dressed up just like an extremely rare vintage LEGO promotional figure that he somehow managed to snag late last year. Really, he looks just like the doll.
I was also amused by a woman dressed as Poison Ivy standing right next minfig Poison Ivy. My wife also dragged me over the LEGO free build area to see a strong contender for my personal Cutest Hobbit Child Dressed as Yoda Prize. Very prestigious.
Another great highlight of at Comic-Con is all the inspiration for LEGO building. Several weeks ago I searched all over the internet to find good concept art for the Numereji 2421 display at BrickCon and found some good stuff, but nobody quite had what I was looking for. It was a pleasant surprise to run across Robh Ruppel’s book, Aspect Ratio, and the great concept art sketches on his website. Not too militarized, not too idealized. Hit my personal sweet spot.
That’s it. Great weekend of geeky frolicking.
Comic-Con for the LEGO nerd (2010 edition)
Since there’s a lot of crossover between LEGO fans and general geekiness, it seemed like a good idea to mention a few of the LEGO-related attractions at that the Xanadu of Nerddom: Comic-Con International. It’s tonight through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.
If you’ve got tickets, I’ll assume you already know most of the where and when, this is just a quick & dirty guide for all things LEGO.
LEGO: booth #2829. Smack-dab in the middle of the convention floor. On Wednesday evening, the upcoming Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter set will premiere and be on display for the duration of the convention. Licensed theme sets for sale, LEGO electronic games, play tables, and the line for a chance to win the exclusive set (CubeDudes by Angus MacLane). Angus will be available for signings on Fri. from 2-3pm and Sat. from 12-1pm. The new Hero Factory buildable costume characters will premiere on Sunday.
BrickJournal: TwoMorrows Publishing booth #1301. Magazines and compendia for sale, hassle the ever-popular Joe Meno, and see if he’s arranged for another batch of fans to display their creations.
There are also more LEGO oriented panels this year and they’ll be going on every day except Saturday:
- BrickJournal, Thur. 2:30-3:30pm, room 7AB. A discussion for and about the LEGO fan community moderated by BrickJournal editor Joe Meno, featuring awesome builder Brandon Griffith, LEGO: A Love Story author Jonathan Bender, LEGO certified professional Nathan Sawaya, and LEGO community operations boss-man Jim Foulds.
- DK LEGO Star Wars, Fri. 10-11am, room 7AB. DK is releasing a new series of LEGO Star Wars books, and this panel will feature authors Ryder Windham, Daniel Wallace, Gus Lopez and Pablo Hidalgo as well as illustrators Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas. They’ll discuss the making of the books and provide some some sneak peaks. Panel attendees will be entered to win some of the featured books.
- LEGO Universe, Sun. 11:30am-12:30pm, room 5AB. An official LEGO panel to promote LEGO Universe, the new massive multiplayer online game. The panel will include members of the development team including creative director Ryan Seabury, senior director Mark Hansen, media coordinator Chris Brubaker and videographer Ryan Baier in a addition to a few others who haven’t been revealed yet.
- LEGO Hero Factory, Sun. 1:45-2:45pm, room 6DE. Sneak peak of the new Hero Factory line of constructible costumed heroes from LEGO. Designers of the line will be on hand to provide some back story and a preview of the accompanying TV series. I don’t usually check this sort product promo panel out, but I figure because of the controversy surrounding the discontinuation of Bionicle and its replacement by this theme, I should find out what the fuss is about. I’ll be there.
If any surprises turn up while I’m at the convention I’ll do my best to keep you posted.
Comic-Con 2009 wrap up: LEGO themes that never were & exclusive set revealed
Though San Diego’s annual Comic-Con is about the popular arts in general, the presence of the LEGO fan community there has expanded in the last several years. This year, The LEGO Group rented an exhibitor space that was about twice the size of last year’s space and was in the center of all the action. In addition to kid’s play tables, there were two daily raffles oriented toward adult collectors (I don’t know many 8 year olds who would pay $50 for 3 minifigs). My personal highlight at the LEGO booth was that I actually built the Star Wars Dropship/AT-OT and helped with the giant Ultimate Collector Series Millenium Falcon, then got to see them on display in the fancy cases.
Enhanced version of my photo by bluemoose
BrickJournal, the quarterly LEGO fan magazine, had a table that included several adult fan creations and its own fan panel on Friday morning of the convention. One of the highlights of the panel for me was LEGO set designer Mark Stafford sharing some of LEGO’s theme concepts from back in the ’80s and ’90s that were not pursued beyond the development phase, and simply aren’t going to happen as official themes, which is why he was allowed to display them (Above: 1920s-1930s Prohibition theme). As a history person, I envy him the ability to pour through the LEGO archives for hidden gold.
At the SandLUG meeting on Saturday night, Mark said there are additional photos in slides, but nobody can find a projector that works on those slides, so he hasn’t been able to get a good look at them. Which brings me to the other great highlight, which was meeting lots of great people both at the convention and those who made it to the SandLUG meeting, including Megan Rothrock (LEGO set designer), Joe Meno (editor of BrickJournal), Steve Witt (LEGO community relations), and Joel Baker (new model designer at LEGOLAND California).
Josh’s post from late last week already showed some of the great new themes and sets that were displayed at the LEGO booth, but some of you wanted to know what was actually inside the Comic-Con Exclusive, so here’s the pic of the contents still in the packaging:
I would have built it for you and taken pics, but this is the only one I managed to pick up in the raffle and it’s destined for another Brother Brick.
How to LEGO at Comic-Con ’09
Comic-Con, the largest popular arts convention in the world, is coming to San Diego from Wednesday July 22nd until Sunday, July 26th, 2009. Passes have been sold out for several months and finding lodging within 50 miles of San Diego may be nigh-impossible, but for those of you who are able to make it, there are a few LEGO-centric activities worth checking out.
The first is of course the LEGO Store (booth #2829) inside the Convention Center, that carries a multitude of sets and accessories. There will be a reputedly awesome exclusive set (right: teaser courtesy of CaptainRex110) or sets, but currently there are a few too many rumors flying around for me to pass on anything authoritative about it or how it will be made available. The store is open during the whole Con. If you MUST get the exclusive sets, probably a good idea to get there earlier in the day. Some of the large LEGO models at the booth will be constructed by local LEGO fans, who are helping out some of the very busy LEGOLAND builders and designers.
On Thursday, the 23rd, there’s a panel discussion from 1:30 to 2:30 PM in Room 8, featuring representatives of LucasFilm, Dorling Kindersly (DK) Publishing, and Rob Johnson, art director for The LEGO Group. They’ll be discussing the upcoming release of DK’s LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, unveil the book, show some exclusive new minifigs, give out some free stuff, and you may have the chance to enter to win a Star Wars LEGO set or a copy of the visual dictionary once it’s released.
On Friday, the 24th, Joe Meno of BrickJournal, former designer Megan Rothrock (above, her “Tragon,” featured on Timo Beil’s flickr page) as well as builders Bryce McGlone, Brandon Griffith and Mark Stafford will be holding a panel discussion from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in Room 3. The subject is LEGO and BrickJournal, a general discussion of the adult LEGO fan world, and they’ll be displaying some of their original creations.
If you’re coming to Comic-Con I hope you enjoy yourselves, and maybe I’ll even see you around.