This outstanding LEGO Bionicle creature by Max Howell feels like it just came out of a sci-fi thriller. The massive claws, tiny probe-like legs, and a serious case of five-head give me the impression that this “Badnicle” is a Toa’s worst nightmare. The part usage is excellent, especially the inspired choice of chest plate. And I love the tires bulking up its arms. My only question is, does anyone else get a Megamind vibe from that color scheme?
The wealth of characters from the Star Wars universe is almost never-ending and fans of the animated series are sure to recognize this infamous villain. An icon of the Clone Wars series, Cad Bane proved a formidable foe to Obi-wan and Anakin on a multitude of occasions. Respected by fellow bounty hunters and often employed by the Sith, this rough and tough fighter knew his way through the galaxy from the swamps of Nal Hutta to the underbelly of Coruscant. Immortalized here in brick form by Magnus W, this digital build uses some clever parts usage to achieve an uncanny likeness of Bane. Stand-out pieces are the pirate hats on either side of his chest as well as the Minifigure hoods used as his shoulders. Hinged bricks, angled slope tiles, and modified plates make up most of his jacket. The blue Magnus used in Bane’s face perfectly contrasts with the bright red eyes peeking out from the shadow of his iconic broad-rimmed hat. The satisfying color blocking does well mimicking the character’s design.
The rear of the bust holds a few extra details and reveals how the head was modeled. A mix of modified bars, hinges, and inverted plates allowed Magnus to attach Bane’s eyes and hat to the inverted pieces in his neck, jaw, and nose. The hose attached to the angled bars with studs not only works perfectly as his breathing apparatus but also forms the core of the connection between the top and bottom of his head. The bricks laid on their sides for the base are also a satisfying way to mount this fantastic bust.
Though much smaller than the helmet busts the LEGO Group released in the last year or so this model would still make a great addition to any LEGO Star Wars collection.
“Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated” – if you’ve watched the legendary Disney channel cartoon Phineas and Ferb, in your head you probably heard the little jingle that goes along with this quote. Paul brings the lovable and goofy villain from the show – Dr. Doofenshmirtz to life with his LEGO version of the character.
The white lab coat and black turtle neck – the signature look of Dr. Doofenshmirtz is brick-built using various sized tiles, slopes, and bricks by way of the SNOT (studs not on top) technique. The rest of good ol’ Doof is also composed of bricks and other pieces, my favorite parts usage being Paul’s use of the small claw pieces in black as tiny eyebrows and a couple reddish brown tooth shafts to render some spiky tufts of mad scientist hair. Of course I am a fan of the classic 2×2 round tile eye pieces which work perfectly for Doofenshmirtz’s cartoony face. It is always great to see pop culture subjects rendered in LEGO, and Paul did an excellent job with this character build.