They do exist! To be honest, when these were first leaked, I thought it was a really well done April Fool’s joke or something. I didn’t investigate any further as to their veracity, figuring it would reveal itself in some official capacity if the line were real. And I was right! 8909 Team GB LEGO Minifigures goes on starting July 1 2012 at Argos, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Hamleys, WH Smith, John Lewis, Smyths, and Toys R Us stores and will be priced at £1.99 each. There are 9 different figures to choose from. Pictures of the individual minifigures and the official press release are below:

NEWS RELEASE

DATE: THURSDAY 17TH MAY 2012

OFFICIAL TEAM GB LEGO MINIFIGURES LAUNCHED

To celebrate the London 2012 Games, the number one selling toy in the UK market* is back with an exclusive special edition line of Team GB LEGO Minifigures

With less than 71 days to go until the UK’s biggest sporting event of the century, for the first time in history LEGO has launched a special edition range of Team GB Minifigures. The collectible range will only be available in the UK to commemorate this once in a lifetime event for the nation.

The Team GB LEGO Minifigures spark the sporting imagination, so you can stage your very own Games.

At just £1.99 each, the Team GB LEGO Minifigures will be in stores from 1st July 2012 in John Lewis and other good high street retailers.

There are nine exclusive Team GB LEGO Minifigures in the line-up, including:

Brawny Boxer
Punching his way to the top, this lean machine in blue is ready to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee for Team GB!

The Stealth Swimmer
Like a fish in the water, the Stealth Swimmer is ready to torpedo through the water into to pole position.

Relay Runner
Sprinting to reach the winning line, could this give Team GB a relay team victory?

Judo Fighter
Taking down her opponent’s one at a time, this mistress of martial arts knocks down anything in her way to grasp that gold medal.

Tactical Tennis Player
First on the court in his gleaming whites, this tennis ace will knock the white socks off of any competition.

Flexible Gymnast
Balance and co-ordination is the name of the game for this agile Olympic contender.

Wondrous Weightlifter
Powerlifting his personal best, the crowd looks on as this burley guy weighs up his chances of going for gold.

Horseback rider
Riding her way to the last hurdle, this athlete won’t be horsing around when it comes to winning!

Agile Archer
Complete with bow in hand, let’s hope this little fella will be on target on the day!

-Ends-

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2012 The LEGO Group.

Find out more about LEGO Minifigures at minifigures.LEGO.co.uk.

The Team GB LEGO Minifigures will be in available from July 2012 in the following stores: Argos, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Hamleys, WH Smith, John Lewis, Smyths, and Toys R Us.

Did you know?
• *LEGO Minifigures are the top selling toy in the UK (February 2012, NPD)
• The LEGO Minifigure has been around for more than 30 years
• 43% of households in the UK with boys have bought LEGO Minifigures at least once
• If all the LEGO Minifigures in the world got together it would be the most populated country in the world
• Over 4 billion Minifigures have been produced over the last 30 years

Further information on LEGO:

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group ©2012 The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company is still owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family who founded it in 1932.

The LEGO Group is engaged in the development of children’s creativity through playing and learning. Based on the world-famous LEGO® brick, the company today provides toys, experiences and teaching materials for children in more than 130 countries. The LEGO Group has approximately 10,000 employees, and it is the world’s third largest manufacturer of play materials.

LEGO products are sold in more than 130 countries worldwide.

It’s been a long time since the LEGO Star Wars line last saw a sculptural set. It was 2002 when 7194 Yoda was new on store shelves. Yoda, along with 10018 Darth Maul, must’ve not been hits since nothing followed, unless you count 10186 General Grievous. I don’t, since it’s a fundamentally different type of set, more closely related to the Star Wars Technic figures. So, if it’s been so many years since Yoda, was the [non-existent] wait for 10225 R2-D2 worth the it?

Up until rumors of an Ultimate Collector Series R2-D2, I figured there wouldn’t be any more sculptural sets. Depending on your point of view, there isn’t much in Star Wars that lends itself to a LEGO sculpture product, or there is. Technically, if you can think of it, you can sculpt it as many successfully have. Helmets, weapons, people, droids, planets, you get the picture. Whether or not it can be sold to and purchased by the masses is a whole different bantha. I can see a LEGO-sculpted Darth Vader or Boba Fett helmet being a minor hit, but beyond that, what are people willing to buy? What makes R2-D2 interesting and potentially worth owning is: he does stuff.

He isn’t like Yoda whose only two functions are a spinning head and articulated eyes that can be put into creepy positions. R2 has the potential to be a dynamic and interactive sculpture. On-screen he’s shown packed to the brim with gadgets. It’s expected, if not demanded for a LEGO R2 to do the same, to the extent allowable in brick form. People want to play with R2, they want to recreate his on-screen activities. LEGO tried to capture that, but they only went so far.

If you’ve watched the LEGO designer video on YouTube or the LEGO website, then you’ve seen everything this set can do. There are no surprises.

His dome spins and it’s spins quite well. That’s all his dome does. There are no other functions here and that’s disappointing. I would’ve liked to see either his periscope eye or lightsaber launcher. The way his interior is designed with the third leg function makes adding these features difficult, but not impossible. I look forward to seeing modifications of this set from MOCers with more talent than myself. This set begs to be modified, given what’s not here.

Below the dome, there are four opening flaps. Two hide tools, a computer interface arm and a saw blade, and the other two are non-specific. These two, under the dark blue flaps, are supposed to be a “fine manipulator arm” and a “spacecraft linkage and control arm,” according the internet sources. There are no other functions. It’s hard to say whether or not LEGO R2’s designers could have packed a couple more functions in here. I want to say yes, but at what cost?

The interface arm and saw blade are controlled from the back. After you open the front flaps, you twist the Technic axle connectors. It works effectively and the tools hold firmly in place.

The last function is the drop-down third leg. My experience with this third leg has been mixed at best. You lower the lever on R2’s back and pull the leg down. It doesn’t freely drop. I don’t know if this is just an issue with my R2, maybe too much tension in the mechanism, or what. I’ve played around with the gears, but without much success. This possible issue is listed as a “con” at the end of the review, however I’d like to hear about others’ experiences with this mechanism and learn if my incompetence is getting in the way of a smooth-functioning third leg. Yeah, I know exactly where your mind just went.

Maneuvering R2 into his three-wheeled position can be a pain. You must lift his body so his main feet drop about a centimeter, and then pull the legs back. Nearly every time I do this, his “fuel cells,” the white boxes attached to each foot, get caught on the body and do not go back correctly. I don’t think there would be much of an issue if the legs attached to the body with some tension or grip. Their connection point higher up on the body is loose. The legs dangle when you lift up R2 (note: there is no stability issue when R2 is resting on any level surface). It’s not overly frustrating, but once you pick a position for display, you’re going to want to keep it there for a while.

Outside of these few functions, R2’s packed with considerable detail. Most of it looks fantastic with a capital T, despite the blockiness. Other details, not so much. The accuracy of the details may not be everything fans hoped for, but most of the defining features are present. Not all of it is scaled correctly, but it’s close enough to look “right.”

Those details from the “not so much” category include the blue paneling on the dome. The designers opted for four blue panels rather than six. It’s another one of those cases I can only speculate as to the reason for this choice, along with the inclusion of regular blue pieces interspersed in the dark blue. I guess since we weren’t there during the design process, we’re stuck not knowing.

Another detail, one I consider a major aesthetic issue of the set, is the oddity of the main cylinder’s design. Overall, the shape is ok, but if you look at it from head on, you’ll notice it’s too narrow. From two plates beneath the dome to the bottom of the central cylinder one stud of width on either side is missing. My assumption is the designers did this to keep the gap between the legs and the cylinder at a minimum, as they are on the character prop.

Also missing from the set are wheels, or treads. Initially, this irritated me. What good is an R2-D2 who can’t roll around? He’s not. But, this isn’t really R2-D2. It’s a sculpture, a display piece. What good is a display pieces that is liable to roll away? It’s not. At this point, I’m not as irritated as I was before I built this set. I’d take wheels over the boat skids, but I understand why there not included. For those who must have wheels, however, the feet are designed in such a way a crafty builder could add wheels without difficulty. Now, if you’re considering adding Power Functions, then you’ll have a real challenge on your hands (and a challenge I’d like to see someone take up. Go, go, go!).

In fact, I’d say most minor modifications people choose to make can be made without much difficulty. The interior structure and third leg mechanism do present a problem, but depending on what you choose to add, a periscope sensor, a grip arm, wheels, booster jets (sigh), or more blue paneling, they’re all relatively feasible.

Here’s the obligatory UCS plaque. It’s simply constructed, but very effective. And an R2-D2 minifigure. It’s not necessary, but it’s there and I expect all future Star Wars UCS sculptures to include a minifigure. Because, hey, why not?

One last note before the wrap up: two sets I recently reviewed (The Avenger’s Quinjet and the Mines of Moria) included the new brick separator, yet this set did not. I noticed in the two previous sets, the brick separator was included in the parts inventory at the back of the instruction manuals. In 10225, the brick separator is not in the inventory, but it pictured in the instructions as part of “bag 1.” It may have been mistakenly left out, but it’s not clear. If your R2-D2 doesn’t come with an brick separator (it’s inclusion makes total sense in this set), I suggest contacting LEGO Customer Service and requesting one.

Pros:
+Simple, organized build. The box says 16+, but younger kids shouldn’t have a problem putting this set together.
+Packed with recognizable astromech details.
+The tools that are here work well and, again, are recognizable to even the casual fan.
+Excellent display piece. Clear out some shelf space in a prominent location and place R2 front and center.
+At $180 (and 8 cents per part) is a great value for a licensed set.
+Beep boop deet doot.

Cons:
-Dropping the third leg may give some people trouble.
-Transforming from two to three legs can also be a challenge.
-A few major details are left out, such as treads and a periscope.
-Curious color choices (regular blue) scattered amongst the dark blue.

Verdict:
Even with it’s exclusions, 10225 R2-D2 is a strong entry into the UCS sculpture line, and the UCS in general. If you’ve got the space to display this little guy, go for it. It’s nice to have a LEGO Star Wars set that isn’t a starship every once in a while, even if that a while is 10 years. It was worth the wait, if you were waiting.

Buy 10225 R2-D2 at LEGO Shop:

Heads up all you comic fans: we’re now past the halfway point in our latest contest. In case you missed the announcement you can see the full rules right here, then once you’re ready to enter just stop by this thread to submit your model. The deadline is 11:59pm June 2nd (PST) – that’s two weeks away. We’ve already seen some really creative entries but there’s still plenty of time to join in and show us what you can come up with.

In the film, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Moria is portrayed as big place. When the LEGO The Lord of the Rings set names were revealed, “The Mines of Moria” could have meant anything. For a single set there’s so much to choose from. An entire wave of sets could conceivably be based on the place. Naturally, I was intrigued and decided that even if I didn’t collect the entire line, 9473 The Mines of Moria was a set I was going to pick up. Now that time has come to pass and for a set that could have been so much, it’s hard to believe it’s so little.

You wouldn’t know from the size of the size of the box or 776 piece count that 9473 is “little.” 776 seems like a decent amount of pieces for an MSRP of $79.99, right? Well, in any other set, they would be. Here, not quite.

The bulk of the set is made up of two structures. A wall and a doorway. These structures qualify as 1/3 of a room. Barely. I’ll hand it to LEGO, though. What is here is nice and detailed, possibly more detailed than it needs to be. I’d give up some of that detail, brought to you pieces ranging from the popular 1×1 “cheese” slope, to the new 1×2 “brick” brick, for another wall. Or not, I’m conflicted.

Each structure includes a few play features and plenty of interactivity. For the doorway, other than the obvious opening door, the wall next to the door is destructible. I don’t recall if this is movie accurate or not, but the room in the film did get it pretty hard once that cranky cave troll showed up. Anyone wanting to simulate that destruction is going to have a groovy time with this set.

I want to go back to the “detail” of this set for a moment. Each portion contains a good amount of detail, but why go to all that trouble only to cover everything in an insane amount of stickers? There are 34 stickers. I consider none of them critical, except, maybe, the text. But that’s a strong maybe, since that text is unreadable by the vast majority of people who may pick up this set and don’t want to put in the time to do an internet search.

Another concern I have with the amount of small pieces are the literal handful that don’t contribute anything meaningful. Some a scattered on plates as rubble, or on walls as stonework, and that’s fine, but what isn’t fine are the pieces hidden in the walls or deep in some recess. I’ve complained about part padding in the past, the inclusion of pieces that are superfluous, that don’t add to the aesthetics or practical structure of the set, and are easily replaced by a fewer number of alternative pieces. There are several cases of part padding here and I’m wondering why.

There are a few cases where it’s excusable, since a part’s inclusion was efficient from a packaging logistics standpoint, but if you look at the design of the structures, you’ll notice the alternating brick/plate layering. Most of it seemed a poor use of pieces, particularly of plates. During the building process, I felt large portions of the base structure in both the wall and the doorway could have been built with fewer pieces, while maintaining the overall look.

I do appreciate LEGO’s effort to recreate the specific scene in Fellowship, when our heroes get cornered in a room, which I believe is the Chamber of Mazarbul, a more fitting name for the set. The room doesn’t have much to do with mining, but serves as an archive and a tomb. You can tell by the handy stickers with book spines printed on them, and the two books, one of which, yes, has stickers on it.

The stickered book, judging by the design, is supposed to be the Book of Mazarbul. It’s another great detail of the set.

There’s a sliding treasure chest for some reason. I don’t recall it from the film, but it’s another play feature and gives this section of wall something to do, since it feels inadequate stuck between two platforms with cooler play features.

That’s right, more destruction. Tap the Technic liftarm and create your own alternate version of the scene where Pippin gets turned into Hobbit jelly. This play feature, like the destructible doorway, works well. If anything, the pillars lack dramatic collapse. They just sort of fall over.

What doesn’t work is Balin’s Tomb. Aesthetically, the tomb is top notch. It’s the best place for a dead minifigure LEGO has ever produced, with various examples from Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Adventurers, and Monster Fighters coming to mind. However, Balin, or who I’m assuming is supposed to be Balin, is depicted as a full-sized minifigure, not a dwarf.

And that’s fine, since I can’t think of a practical fix for stubby skeleton legs. The real issue with the tomb is its play feature. According to the instructions, it’s supposed to pop open when a tile is pressed when Balin’s inside. That didn’t happen. It’s very anti-climactic. I had to simulate the experience in the review images. Luckily, it’s made of LEGO and fixable in 3.5 seconds. Still, it could’ve worked out of the box. Also, as an aside, it should be interesting to see if LEGO produces a “living” Balin minifigure for The Hobbit sets. How many minifigures have dead versions of themselves? That’s some pretty epic stuff.

Rounding out the structures is the well that served as the trigger for the scene’s conflict. The well contains an appropriate play feature allowing builders to recreate the tense moment. It won’t be tense here, since the skeleton only drops 3 centimeters, but at least the simple mechanism works.

In the film, there are a lot of characters present in the chamber, so it makes perfect sense that LEGO would have to give most of them the axe to reduce costs. I haven’t watched the film in a while, but if I’m recalling it correctly, LEGO’s choices are suitable. Each of these characters, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, and Borormir, did something vaguely memorable in the scene, while the Moria orcs provided plenty of soft, fleshy material to hack away at. The new olive green color is used well to depict the skin-tone of these guys. Like other minifigures with unusual skin color, their hands get left out. Were they wearing gloves in the film? I’d rather have the olive green hands over the included grey if only because I don’t have any and I’ll take any chance I can to get more of this great new color. If the Gamorrean guards from 9516 Jabba’s Palace can have properly colored hands, so can the orcs.

Like most of the minifigures of late, the Moria orcs have double-side head printing. The differences are very subtle to the point of pointlessness. Their armor printing is sweet, though. Shame they’re stuck with generic legs.

I both like and dislike Boromir. He has excellent torso and leg printing, his hair color works, but his face, ugh. It’s the worst of the set and perhaps a contender for worst of the entire theme in terms of character resemblance. Independently, say as a random background character, the facial pattern is fine, but as Boromir, it’s unrecognizable. It’s possible the likeness had to be altered for licensing reasons, but, man, I really wanted a Sean Bean minifigure. One does not simply make a Sean Bean minifigure. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

What do you call Legolas without his quiver? Quiverlas. Ok, that was a bad joke I just made up, but it’s true and completely illogical. Legolas is practically married to his quiver. It’s like if Hawkeye from The Avengers sets… Wait. What’s the deal? Where have all the quivers gone? How’s an archer supposed to be an archer without a quiver? At least Hawkeye has something resembling a quiver printed on his back. That would’ve been acceptable in Legolas’s case, since he has illustrious, golden hair flowing down his back. Other than this unfortunate omission, the only other issue I have with Legolas is his masculinity. He has a bit too much. The cheek lines on his face need to be toned down or removed.

Gimli is the only minifigure not exclusive to this set (currently). Of course, the only other set he appears in is $130. His features are difficult to judge since he’s sporting a massive beard and helmet. I find it funny that he has two facial expressions, neither of which you can see anyway. It’s not useful here, but once you remove Gimli’s head from the context of this set or any of the LotR sets, its usefulness increases.

I can see Pippin being useful outside of the LotR sets as well. His torso printing is my favorite of the set. I imagine its usefulness can and will extend beyond the theme into anything. It’s one of the few really versatile prints. As is his face. While it doesn’t capture the actor nearly as well as the Frodo minifigure, the expressions here work well and remind us of the trouble the character always seems to find himself in.

The cave troll is one big fella. In fact, he’s so big, he has a hard time standing. This figure isn’t as well balanced as past jumbo figures. His arms and hands (and head) stick out just far enough to create an imbalance, so you have to frequently tweak them to find a sweet spot. And don’t expect him to hold his club in very many positions. I’ve only found one that works and as you can tell by the images, that position is “back.”

Pros:
+This set is detailed, more than your average LEGO set.
+Plenty of play features. Each section does something, some better than others.
+Good minifigure selection. Everyone included makes sense in the context of the overall scene.
+Minifigures and cave troll look great despite a few minor flaws.
+A variety of weapons. It’s like an $80 battle pack.

Cons:
-Could there be any more stickers?
-Deceptively small set, especially for $80.
-Feels incomplete, like part of a playset, rather than a complete kit.
-Cave troll can only stand in a few poses without the risk of toppling.

Verdict:
9473 The Mines of Moria captures the particular scene from the Fellowship well, but beyond that, it’s usefulness is limited. It’s a tiny slice of the mines and one that fails to evoke the grandeur of the film’s setpiece. It does contain a portion of the Fellowship you can’t get elsewhere, but time will likely fix that. As much as I don’t want to say it, this is a set you buy for the minifigures with the intention of completing the Fellowship. If that’s your goal, I suggest either waiting for these minifigures to show up in other sets or obtaining them through other means. 9473 is a set for the most ardent fans of LEGO and LotR, completionists who have the money and the space.

Buy 9473 The Mines of Moria at LEGO Shop:

“Orion Pax” doesn’t really know how to slow down and the steady flow of iconic pop culture vehicles and playsets he creates are always a delight. Turning his sights on Star Wars again, he’s accurately created part of what is easily my favourite act from Return of the Jedi by building this phenomenal version of Jabba’s desert skiff. He apparently got the pieces he needed to complete this from the new official 9496 Desert Skiff & 9516 Jabba’s Palace sets. In truth, I completely missed this last week when he posted it and only now saw it when he posted a picture of Jabba’s entourage. With any luck, he’ll decide to build a full dio of Jabba’s throne room complete with a pit dwelling Rancor. What? I can dream.

The wait is over and you can now get all seven Lord of the Rings sets from LEGO Shop@Home. In celebration of this highly anticipated line’s release LEGO will also be giving away this FREE LEGO movie poster of Frodo with ‘the one ring’ on any Lord of the Rings order. The poster offer is valid through May 31st (or while supplies last) in the US & Canada only. That means you can get a FREE Hulk minifigure and a Frodo poster tomorrow with every $50 of LOTR sets. I had planned on exclusively picking up the last sets I needed from the Marvel line tomorrow, but I will now have to reconsider my purchases.

• 9469 Gandalf Arrives
• 9470 Shelob Attacks
• 9471 Uruk-hai Army
• 9476 The Orc Forge
• 9472 Attack on Weathertop
• 9473 The Mines of Moria
• 9474 The Battle of Helm’s Deep

No mark-ups, no searching and great freebies on top of it all. The only downside is you’ll have to spring for shipping, but if you wanted a Hulk you were up for that anyway.

Now that the dust has settled from the May the 4th and Revenge of the 5th promos from earlier this month, LEGO Shop@Home serves up another tantalizing treat in the form of the Hulk minifigure pictured above. This is a special Hulk figure that is not found in any sets. All you have to do is spend $50 and the minfigure will be automagically added to your cart for free, no code required. Offer is valid starting tomorrow from May 16th through the 31st or while supplies last. You can start shopping now, but remember, the promo starts tomorrow!

Here we are in 2012 and we’re finally getting The Lord of the Ring LEGO sets. Can you imagine if these had been timely? We’d have yellow-headed Gandalfs, Aragorns, and Frodos. But they weren’t and we don’t and thanks to the upcoming The Hobbit film (Part 1, no less), LEGO fans and LotR fans can rejoice. We finally have our favorite characters immortalized in high-quality ABS plastic. So, what a better place to begin our not-so-new journey back into Middle Earth than with 9469 Gandalf Arrives, based on one of the earliest scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring, in which Gandalf arrives.

There really isn’t a reason to take pictures of the front and back of the box. I do it for completeness sake. I usually have nothing of substance to say about the box, but in this case, I wanted to share that it was a pain to photograph. This box is glossy.

It’s not much for the MSRP of $12.99. I’m still, and probably will remain, miffed at LEGO’s price hike on the small “base” sets. I have yet to buy a $13 set that I can say gave me my money’s worth. This set is no different. Sort of. There is one significant difference between this set and most—if not all—other $13 sets. No conflict. This is a cart, a horse, and two hero characters. While some people might appreciate its authenticity of the moment, I can’t see too many kids being engaged.

This isn’t a set very many people are going to buy multiples of. Accessory-wise, there’s very, very little. I suppose if you want to stock up on horses, carts, and beards it might be up your alley, but other than that, it’s a one-shot deal.

LEGO has produced a lot of carts over the years. This one manages to be different enough to warrant consideration, yet similar enough that you could easily adapt the cart for other themes, such as Castle/Kingdoms. Overall, it’s a great LEGO cart, maybe not the greatest, but with its detailing and solid frame construction, I’d place it on the “Top Five” list of LEGO carts. Just don’t ask me what the other four are.

A cart is nothing without its horse and this is one spiffy horse. LEGO did an excellent job updating the horse without over-doing it. It matches the other newer animals perfectly. What makes this horse special, however, is its ability to rear up on its hind legs, as you already know. The legs “click” and hold in place. When the horse is back, it’s very well balanced and will stay upright on flat surfaces.

Gandalf the Grey is a magnificent minifigure. It’s a good thing he’s available in the smallest set, because it would be a shame to miss out on him. I’ve seen some debate over the minifigure’s accuracy, that he should feature a bluish hat rather than the dark grey he comes with. Based on watching the film, grey looks suitable and it works for me, but you can decide if it’s true to the character. I can’t wait to see this beard in use on future minifigures. Much like the horse, it’s a wonderful update of a classic piece (that is, if it is an update).

Frodo Baggins’ charm is in his simplicity. It’s amazing that in such few printed lines, LEGO captured Elijah Wood, particularly in the “concerned” expression. There is one glaring omission with the minifigure, however. No hobbit feet. It may not be worth complaining about, but it is a defining aspect of the Shirefolk. I’m sure LEGO could have gotten away with printing a few hairy toes on the stubby legs.

Pros:
+Gandalf. This minifigure nearly makes the set worth it and it’s currently the only way to get the integral character.
+New horse. It’s a worthy upgrade.
+Versatile cart.
+Captures the brief scene exceptionally well.

Cons:
-At $13, it’s a high priced entry level set.
-It’s very basic.

Verdict:
It’s a charming, peaceful set that may turn off some kids who are interested in an action or conflict-oriented experience. It’s as superb rendition of Gandalf’s initial appearance from the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring and each element on its own is great: the cart, the horse, and the minifigures. But, at $13 it’s a sparse set and difficult to justify paying full price for. Hold off and get it on sale or during a buy one get one, but do get it.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, then lucky you, the new LEGO The Lord of the Rings sets are hitting shelves. The good, or neutral, news is they’re priced at MSRP. The bad news is there isn’t a “10% off” coupon this week. As the sets are just beginning to trickle out, your store-to-store experience may vary. The store I visited and snapped the pic above only had three sets: 9469 Gandalf Arrives, 9470 Shelob Attacks, and 9473 The Mines of Moria. Expect reviews for Gandalf Arrives and The Mines of Moria very soon.

It wasn’t until Calin’s (_Tiler) flickr stream was linked to in chat the other day that I finally became aware of his work. The above is his latest Batmobile, the Batrod. And yes, it fits the Batman minifig. He’s got a whole host of other incredible works, including microscale and minifig scale Tumblers. Check out his LEGO Batmobile flickr set for more.

It’s nice to see the LEGO Architecture line doing a bit of a world tour with its most recent run of sets and the latest touches down in Seoul, South Korea with the Sungnyemun (Namdaemun). It’s interesting to see how the pagoda-style gateway was achieved at such a small scale and I have to give credit for the use of studs and other bits to at least attempt to capture the exotic textures of such a beautifully elaborate style.

BILLUND, Denmark – LEGO® Architecture, which uses the LEGO brick to interpret the designs of iconic architecture around the world, has added its first Asian landmark – the Gate of Exalted Ceremonies in Seoul, better known as the Sungnyemun.

Sungnyemun has stood in the heart of South Korean capital since 1398 as one of the most complete examples of Joseon Dynasty architecture. It is listed as the country’s foremost National Treasure.

“Sungnyemun survives as a symbolic marker of a lost place in time,” says the architect and designer of many of the LEGO models Adam Reed Tucker. In capturing the essence of Sungnyemun in LEGO bricks Adam looked at the aesthetics rather than engineering, especially the use of colours, patterns and materials that define the ‘spiritual DNA’ of a culture.

Construction of Sungnyemun started in 1396 and was completed two years later. Further alterations and renovations continued over the next 600 years. In 2008 the wooden structure was completely destroyed by fire and it is expected that the restoration – using traditional hand tools – will be complete at the end of 2012.

The LEGO 21016 Sungnyemun will be launched officially at the Danish Pavilion during the EXPO 2012 exhibition held in Yeosu, South Korea. It will be available for purchase from June 1 in LEGO brand retail stores, LEGOLAND Stores and online at http://shop.lego.com/. The product is designed for ages 12+ and includes a booklet with facts and history about Sungnyemun. Recommended retail price is $34.99 in the US and €34.99 in most European countries.

Every once and a while, there comes a LEGO set I can’t put down. There is something about it that feels right, whether in the way it looks or its substance. I get this feeling that reminds me of that day in May way back in 1999 when I opened my first LEGO Star Wars set, the X-wing. As I built it, I knew it was something special, and once it was complete, I thought I’d never take it apart. It deserved to stay together because those pieces came together into something that worked. 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle is a set that awakens those feelings of nostalgia and memories of a simpler, less cynical time. It’s a set that captures something that’s been missing from so many sets in recent years.

For starters, 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle feels like a much better value right out of the box compared to similarly priced sets of $69.99 (£69.99; CA $89.99; 79,99€). A few examples include 3368 Space Center (494 pieces), 6860 The Batcave (690 pieces), and 7961 Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator (479 pieces). Frankly, each of those three sets feel like rip-offs at $70. It’s gotten to the point I expected to see a half-empty box when I opened it and peered inside. I expected to see air. Instead, what I saw was reasonable. The size of the box made sense. A good first impression.

The good impressions didn’t stop there. Dumping out the contents revealed the plastic and cardboard wrapped instructions and stickers. Thank you, LEGO. I know protected instructions/stickers have appeared in several sets for a while now, but I can’t tell you how many times in the past year I’ve opened a set to find bent or curled stickers. With an increased reliance on stickers, this type of packaging needs to be used much more than it is.

On a side note, not once did I ever hear the sounds “shlkk” or “faazooom” while testing out the Quinjet’s advertised features. They’re more of a “ftick” and “ptunk.”

Poor Loki. The Avenger’s get a sweet, state-of-the-art ride and he’s stuck with a dinky chariot. It’s a little one-sided. What’s worse is this vehicle does nothing for me. It’s boring and forgettable, but I’m giving LEGO a pass. It basically looks like its on-screen counterpart. I guess. I never had an opportunity to get a solid look at it to make the determination.

It’s also awkward to hold and fly around. The click-hinge connection is weak enough that it tends to flop around and in play scenarios, that’s not good. I still give points to LEGO for including it in the set, though. The bad guys in the film were seriously lacking in vehicular matches for the heroes (in terms of translatable to toys, I don’t think those big flying worm dudes would make good a LEGO set), so at the very least, it’s something. And dark tan!

The Quinjet, the real star of the set and arguably the entire LEGO Marvel line, is a mighty craft on its own. The futuristic, pseudo-military craft managed enough screen time and stable shots to actually get a good look at it. It’s sleek, improbable, and most importantly, it translates into toy form with remarkable ease.

The build reminded me of the 9493 X-wing. The Quinjet’s construction is varied, it uses a considerable amount of SNOT-work and it’s insides are colorful. The entire set is sorted into five numbered bags making it an organized and easy to follow process. What makes the build interesting is the wide assortment of parts. Each bag contained a fair share of surprises. I found the experience oddly engaging, looking forward to the next bag, eager to see how it all going to come together. That may sound like a strange thing to say, but after so many rehashes in the Star Wars line (which I primarily collect), it’s refreshing to not have that element of predictability.

If you’ve seen The Avengers, then you may have noticed the Quinjet’s most apparent omission. Rotors. It’s not a big detriment. There just won’t be any vertical take-offs or landings. I’d rather have rotors over the big SHIELD emblems. Well, I’d rather have both.

In all likelihood, rotors would compromise the Quinjet’s sturdiness. As it is, the Quinjet is a rock and has a satisfying weight. This is both good and bad. It’s good because it allows you to swoosh with confidence. It’s bad because it makes this thing a tub, a big flying tub. From one angle, the Quinjet teases you with sleek sophistication. You take it home, put it together with a childlike grin on your face, and then you hold it up before your eyes and realize there’s more to it than the glossy exterior. This thing’s got guts and needs structure to hold those guts.

Some of those guts include the drone launch mechanism. It takes up a lot of space for something that does relatively little. Press the red “button” on top and ptunk, the drone holder drops. It takes a good amount of force to press the button in order to get it to work properly and the result is underwhelming. I had hoped the mechanism would launch the drone like a flick-fire missile, but no, it’s all manual labor from that point on. It is more interesting than throwing the drone in the back, so points for trying.

Was the drone even in the film? I don’t remember it. I’m assuming it was cut during the production process. In the context of the set, I’m not even sure what it’s supposed to do. Fly around and…

Here’s a fun fact about the passenger compartment: Thor can sit in a chair with his cape on. I don’t know why Thor would need to sit in a chair on a plane, but it’s an option. Also, I didn’t try to fit Thor in the seat until long after I took these pictures, so you get to see Iron Man instead. Because that’s thinking ahead.

You’ve probably asked yourself, “Why is there a fire extinguisher? What mysterious purpose does it serve?” Some men want to watch the world burn, the Avengers are here to put that fire out. Wrong. It has no purpose. For one, it’s not a real fire extinguisher. And two, the way the Quinjet is designed, the fire extinguisher is impossible to remove without first removing the closest armrest. You want to pretend there’s a fire aboard the Quinjet? You might as well pretend to abandon ship while you’re at it, which won’t be too difficult with the included Avengers, Iron Man and Thor. Black Widow, on the other hand, is so screwed.

This cockpit is undoubtedly the most complete cockpit I have ever seen in an official LEGO set. It’s not at all accurate to the film, but I don’t care, not when there’s a rather comfortable looking seat (and a sticker representing controls). After so many vehicle-based sets (see: Star Wars) with limited, pathetic, or no seating/control interface whatsoever, this feels like a huge leap forward. All I had to say was, “Finally!” And Black Widow deserves a nifty cockpit, given she has no other purpose in this set other than to sit there.

The remaining interior structure is the cargo hold. It’s spacious enough to carry Loki or additional, sold separately Avengers as long as that Avenger isn’t 6868′s Hulk.

Just be sure whatever you throw back there is secured before heading into battle. The top hatch doesn’t like to stay closed in swooshy conditions. It can get very annoying.

Another thing that doesn’t stay put are the maneuvering foils. The click-hinges hold the angle well enough, but the Technic pin connection needs more friction. The result is wobbly, often uneven wings that the obsessive compulsive (me) will be constantly fixing.

Back to the exterior of the Quinjet, you’ll notice a few details that, while essential to the structure of the model, completely disrupt the flow, mainly in the rear. That’s the price of building semi-realistic (eh) aircraft out of LEGO. It holds together wonderfully, but you pay for it with unappealing aesthetics. At least we didn’t get another Siddeley.

Of course, this is no Siddeley. This set is in a completely different league than the Cars sets, and many other license themes sets, for that matter. From the top down, this set flows, I mean it really flows. I may have complained about certain unappealing aesthetics, but those are easy to overlook when the top of this craft is considered. I can’t remember the last time a set flowed from front to back like this.

The thrusters are the crowning element to this slick achievement. They’re well proportioned, angled, and shaped. I’d go as far to say, they’re my favorite part of the Quinjet.

The heavy use of transparent pieces, blue and red, was initially a concern. Transparent pieces can be extremely tricky to use, especially with liberal abandon. Here, the transparent blue grilles accent and complement both the grays and the dark blue. The pieces add a glossiness that works without calling too much attention.

The transparent red plates, while not entirely inappropriate, lack the subtlety of the blue pieces. They seem more overused despite being fewer in number. This is particularly noticeable on the underside of the craft.

It’s easy to complain about the underside of a LEGO vehicle. They’re typically rough, filled with questionable color choices, and in this case, where the flick-fire missiles are located. Luckily, they can be somewhat concealed. Like the blue grilles on top, the blue pieces down under don’t clash with the overall color scheme of the set, but the red has to go. It’s bad enough it’s so glaring from the bottom, but you can see much of it from the sides as well. This will be unquestionably modified and once it is, this is a set I’ll display for some time. It’s not an iconic vehicle, it’s not even very unique, but it looks good. Better than that, it looks cool.

The minifigures are easily the weak links of 6869. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re bad. It means the main part of the set, the Quinjet, was designed well enough that LEGO didn’t need to add superfluous minifigures to make up for any shortcomings (or add to the pricetag). Let’s start with the weakest of the bunch, the Chitauri foot soldier. It lacks personality and is scrawled with meaningless patterns. Like Loki’s chariot, I don’t blame LEGO. These guys are flick-fire fodder for our heroes and that’s all they’ll ever amount to. Generic and forgettable. Next.

Loki. He’s been on Earth’s bad side ever since he cloned Colonel Jack O’Neill and was caught by SG-1. Oh, wait, wrong universe, sorry (I’m not sorry, I’ve been dying to use this reference for weeks). This Loki, though still pale-skinned, has some impressive attire and of the five minifigures, he’s the most screen-accurate. Except his face. His face doesn’t work at all. He lacks the actor’s sliminess and the delicate subtly of his features not captured by this Lex Luthor repeat. Oh, and I was gravely disappointed to see he lacked a double-sided head. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to show off Loki’s wicked smile which would have been nothing short of beautiful under the Helm of Overcompensation.

Black Widow. Could’ve fooled me. Out of context, this is a fantastic minifigure. The torso and leg design are top notch and are my favorite of the set, but this isn’t a review for out of context. In context, this minifigure is a mess. If LEGO only had concept art to work with, I’d be more lenient, but we know that’s not the case. The character has already appeared on-screen prior to The Avengers. We know what she looks like. The facial expressions don’t suit the character. They may have worked for Catwoman, but here, they’re slightly too expressive. The hair piece fails more obviously. It looks like it’d be more appropriate on Thor. While it’s nice to have a wide selection of LEGO hair, this minifigure demanded dark red hair. It’s one of the character’s defining features and LEGO inexplicably messed it up. I want Black Widow, not generic lady hero.

Thor. What mortal poured butter on this guy’s head? Yeah, this minifigure would’ve looked much better with dark tan hair rather than Paula Dean’s secret stash, but at least this minifigure gets the overall look right and he has a great looking Mjölnir. Though, I’m not entirely sure what Thor’s doing in this set. He only interacted with a Quinjet for about a second and long before the Chitauri showed up. I can think of a handful of other characters who would’ve made more sense, such as Agent Coulson and Hawkeye.

Iron Man. This is the Mark 7 version, which, while in the film, is only seen for a short time. During that time, I don’t recall if Iron Man ever interacted with a Quinjet while wearing it. But, hey, at least LEGO didn’t go Loki on us and include a duplicate Iron Man from 6867 Loki’s Cosmic Cube Escape.

Most people have already made up their minds about this minifigure. Most of them arrived at their conclusions without ever holding these four centimeters of plastic, myself included. I’m still in the camp that a printed head piece would’ve been the better route to take with this character, but this isn’t so bad. I dig the opening faceplate revealing Tony Stark underneath and that function makes it worth it. Looking at the helmet up close, it’s clear it couldn’t be any smaller without compromising the plastic. So, for what it is, it’s ok. It’s better than Batman’s cowl.

Pros:
+A great value. At 9 cents per part, this is a $70 set that actually feels like a $70 set.
+It’s a well-balanced set. Unlike recent Star Wars sets that have placed more emphasis on the minifigures, this set delivers a solid primary model complemented by the minifigures, even if the minifigures aren’t all spectacular.
+It looks cool. It’s as great for displaying as it is playing.
+Excellent cockpit, decent interior. I hope LEGO makes this trend.
+A great part selection for MOCers.
+New brick separator. Because it’s there!

Cons:
-For a set called “Quinjet Aerial Battle,” it’s weak in the “battle” department. Unfortunately, there are limited film-based options to remedy this.
-While the Quinjet is swooshable, there are a few flaps that won’t stay in place without aftermarket modification.
-Flick-fire missiles. It’s a cliché to call them lame by now, but these flick-fire missiles are awkward to launch given their position under the wings. They can be folded up out of the way, so there is a silver lining.
-Black Widow. She just doesn’t look like the character.
-Reused facial patterns. This problem has been prevalent throughout the entire LEGO Super Heroes line. We’re lucky Tony Stark and Thor have facial hair.

Verdict:
This is a remarkable set for being in a licensed theme. It oozes a quality not seen in so many licensed sets, whether they’re from Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. It’s a rare set among the mediocrity. It works beyond its license, while maintaining the characteristics that make it part of the Marvel line. It is by no means an iconic vehicle, but LEGO managed to make it one of the most accurate Avenger’s sets in respect to its on-screen counterpart.

What makes this set truly unique, however, is its value. I frequently end reviews saying to wait until a set is on sale or clearance before picking it up and out of habit, I’m going to again. 6869 is currently the highest priced LEGO Marvel set, so it may be out of many fans’ price ranges. If it is, then yes, wait. This is one of those sets kids save up for doing miscellaneous chores all summer and when they open it and put it together, realize it was worth it. It’s not quite the X-wing from the inaugural wave of Star Wars sets, but it’s exists in the same vein. This set has substance, it has the look, it works, and is a set worth owning.

Buy 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle at LEGO Shop:

Been a bit negligent on posting lately, let a lot of stuff slide by and that probably won’t change anytime soon, but Batman really doesn’t deserve that type of treatment. It’s easy for him to get lost in all the Avengers hype right now, so here’s a bit of a Bat-news roundup.

The LEGO Batman: Visual Dictionary (LEGO DC Universe Super Heroes) book from DK Publishing is now available for pre-order and the exclusive minfig that will come with it has been revealed to be Electro Suit Batman from the upcoming video game. I didn’t think there were enough sets and such to fill a book yet, but based on the images like the one below and the fig, I’m in.

Speaking of the video game, ComicBookMovie.com did a report on some info in the latest issue of Game Informer Magazine with some interesting new details about the upcoming LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes game. I’ve cobbled together the relevant info and included it after the jump and you can pre-order the book or the game from Amazon by clicking the pics above.

Cyborg appears later in the game, along with new abilities. He can shoot lasers from his eyes, and interact with machinery.

Superman’s entire power set will be available. He can fly, he can lift anything, he can shoot lasers and breath cold. If goons start fighting him, they aren’t doing anything. However, he will have his weakness, as kryptonite is involved in the story. He can also destroy golden LEGO bricks using heat vision.

Flash can dash around the city, and breaks things while doing so. He can zoom through a lamp post, leaving it in tiny LEGO bits. “He’s the ultimate stud collector.” joked producer Phil Ring. In combat, Flash moves at super speeds, LEGO body parts are even seen moving at lightning-speeds during combat.

Aquaman can do more in water than any other character. A still reveals that he can shoot water from his hands.

Green Lantern can fly, covered in and leaving behind some green energy. The Green Lanterns longtime enemy and member Sinestro will even make an appearance. It’s unknown wether Hal Jordan is the only Lantern to appear in-game. However, he is the only one found in story mode. Later in the game, green LEGO covers Gotham. Only Hal can build stuff out of these LEGO types. “He usually makes something crazy or ridiculous,” says Ring.

Wonder Woman can fly here, but don’t expect much from her Lasso of Truth. Sure it can tie up enemies, but they aren’t going to go around telling the truth. “We were wondering what to do with the lasso, but it just winded two enemies together. We decided it wouldn’t be able to bend the will of enemies,” says Ring.

Batman and Superman don’t trust each other. Fact. “We explore that stuff, but in ways people haven’t seen before,” says Ring. Batman will indeed make snide remarks to the Man of Steel, but will also get some new suits to swap to. The bomb suit now gives Batman super-strength, along with an endless supply of bombs. Not to mention being able to shoot rockets. He can even smash the ground and send henchmen flying. Bats also gets an upgrade and homage to the famous ‘Arkham’ series with the stealth suit for silent takedowns and an X-ray mode.

I already plunked down my deposit on the game to get my exclusive Lex fig, so at least the book will be a cheap way to get the Batman exclusive… and it’s a way better fig than the new Harry Potter one to be sure.

This tidbit is making the rounds: apparently, someone may or may not have seen a picture on a Lord of the Rings LEGO set box that indicated a Lord of the Rings game is in the works. Is this really news? It would be news if there was no game.

Anyways, in the midst of all the hubbub, a retailer, Shopto, posted a pre-order page (which has since been pulled) for the game pegging its release date for October 10 of this year, which is a few weeks ahead of the Hobbit movie (slated for December 13).

Remember when I said that I wanted to find a new name for our (pretty much dead in the water) comic formerly known as STUDS because the originator of the name wanted to do something else with it? Well here is the tip of that iceberg: STUDS Trading Cards. In a nutshell:

The adult Lego building community is a vital, diverse and interesting world. An alliance of creative individuals, each with their own unique building style, artistic focus and distinct personality. You’ve all seen incredible Lego models in the news and on the Internet – now learn the names and faces of the people responsible for creating the work. STUDS is a trading card set that profiles the men and women who use Lego to build incredible, original sculptures and brings you an close-up view of this fascinating world. Each card has the image of an amazing Lego creation on the front of the card and info about the work and the artist on the back.

This isn’t something we would normally report on but FBTB is on a card!

You can check out the kickstarter video after the jump.

You can pledge any amount, but donate at least $35 and that’ll net you the base set which is a complete set of cards plus the two exclusive KS cards. Check out the full details on the STUDS Trading Cards kickstarter project page.

LEGO wasted no time getting to the point on this one and it really comes as no surprise. Do I like Firefly? Yes! Do I think tbone_tbl’s model looks good? Indeed! Being totally honest though, even I’d probably pass on a Firefly set. Wouldn’t mind a sweet Jayne hat though

Here’s what LEGO had to say:

Congratulations to the Firefly Serenity playset reaching 10,000 supporters! Here’s our decision on fit with the LEGO brand.

First and foremost, huge congratulations to tbone_tbl for reaching 10,000 supporters on LEGO CUUSOO, and toward everyone for all of the support of the Firefly Serenity Playset project!

LEGO CUUSOO gives the opportunity for adult LEGO fans to submit product ideas. You submit some incredible things, and we’re huge fans of all of your work. This is a beautiful model and a skilled rendition of the beloved Serenity from Firefly built with LEGO bricks.

When reviewing projects for production, the LEGO Jury first looks at how the concept fits the LEGO brand. We learned the IP was questionable regarding a brand fit, and since we anticipated this project reaching 10,000 the team got a head start and reviewed the project on these criteria.

LEGO produces toys for children. Therefore all LEGO products, regardless of age target, must be content-appropriate for this core audience. With this in mind we have decided that as cool as the Serenity model is, the Firefly TV show and Serenity film contain content that is not appropriate for our core target audience of children ages 6-11. While we know this news will disappoint those who supported the project, we will not be producing this as a LEGO product.

Opening ourselves to new product suggestions invites popular ideas that don’t always fit our brand. We are grateful for the spirit behind projects like the Firefly Serenity and for the opportunity to be challenged. It keeps us sharp and looking toward the future of the LEGO brick.

I guess we should be thankful that we’ve gotten lines based on two great movies that Joss was involved in and call it a day.
Does leave me wondering about the state of BTTF & Zelda. Just barely though.

LEGO’s latest offering on the lower end of the pricing scale seemed to produce some strong feelings from folks on either side of the fence. From what I’ve personally seen they seem to be selling quite well so perhaps they’re the kind of sets that appeal to the youthful target demographic only. Does the unholy marriage of a Star Wars themed X-Pod with a minifigure thrown in for good measure work and if so, who is it really aimed at?

Personally, I love the concept. I’m a big fan of mini builds and have fond memories of the first bunch of Star Wars minis that came out before the polybag trend nearly a decade ago. This first offering has the advantage of being the only ship in the first three Planet minis that has not previously been produced as suprising as that is, but the disadvantage of being first and thus getting all the generic flack/praise for the line in general that I can throw at it so let’s take a closer look at this new breed of set starting with the packaging. I won’t deny it’s eyecatching, however it’s annoying for being simultaneously needlessly big for the set inside while not managing to actually cover the contents. I’m sure the point of having the planet protrude on either side like it does is to give kids a good look at what they’re getting, but it does nothing to protect the orbs printing while it rattles around on the store shelves. I managed to get mine quickly so there was little to no shelf wear, but this may be the worst packaging job LEGO has ever done.

Inside the box is, well nothing. The ball sits tightly in the middle of the two holes and the only other thing in the box is the small instruction book. I would have liked to see a small cube box just big enough to fit the planet snugly with all its contents tucked safely inside as this would protect the set and definitely make it easier to stuff a case full of these, maximizing space. Unfortunately the “curb appeal” equivalent of shelf facing won out once again, furthering the mindset that where packaging is concerned, size matters.

The real star of these sets is the new planet part itself and I say part because if you haven’t noticed already there’s only one new piece used twice to create the sphere. The printing on this planet is acceptable and the general look of Naboo is captured in LEGO’s usual cartoonish style, but the printing on this one suffers the most from mirrored effect. The fact that this planet is actually coloured sand green makes me wish I could get a hold of a couple before they were printed to use as architectural domes, but that’s not going to happen. The planet also suffers from the two halves being studs out though again I know this stems from the attemp to keep the cost lower for the production of this new theme. I’d still rather see the other half with holes on the outside even if it had to be the same printing which I hope won’t always be the case. One of the main reasons I really liked this concept when it first appeared is I’m hopeful they’ll use this part to make an Earth and give it a really nice printing for some NASA, Earth Day or other promotional set.

Moving on the the minifig, this one is a bit bland overall, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. For one thing this Naboo pilot has only been in one other set which wasn’t widely available and cost $50 if you could get it, so this is a less expensive way to increase your Naboo space force. It’s still a nice figure and the face while generic adds an air of slight disgust/extreme indifference. Also, it’s dark red if you’re into that kind of thing. Which, I am.

On to the actual build, overall this is a nice little version of what is arguably the most iconic ship from TPM. If I was forced to bitch and moan about some tiny details (no need to twist my arm, I’m happy to do it!) I can see a couple of small issues that could be easy to fix.

When you look at the profile you can see that there are a couple of spots where the colouring is needlessly broken up. On the front engines they used this:

When they should have used This:

As it would have made the transition less jarring and been an easy fix, requiring a simple switch out with no addditional parts. Secondly, the tail seems a tad too long to me and if you switch the yellow Technic connector for a 1×1 round brick you could elimininate the grey stripe and give the tail a more even flow. Lastly, the front completely ignores the transition from grey/silver to yellow that is prominent on the wings. I understand that the size of the model makes this difficult, but it wouldn’t be the first time LEGO put a little printing on a tile to add some detail and they seemed to have forgotten that along the way. One small yellow stripe down the edge of the grey tile would really pop and this isn’t a $4 polybag it’s a new $10-12 line they want to be successful, but it’s still easy enough to forgive on such a small model.

The last part of the build is a stand, Finally! This just goes to show how simple it would be to throw 3-4 extra pieces into most of the mini builds letting the builder display the model nicely, right out of the bag. The one really great feature of the stand is the printed tile included to display the set info. Now would one tiny extra printed tile have been so difficult? I don’t think so…

What I Liked:

• The Planet itself is a neat new part I really enjoy.
• The build is a good enough representation of the ship, with a few small areas for improvement.
• A stand! And it has a printed info tile too!
• Price point is right on the mark for what you get.

What I didn’t Like:

• Minifig is a bit bland though at least it could be useful.
• Planet printings repetitive nature makes it look cartoony and hard to match up properly.
• The main builds issues could have been easily glossed over and come across as lazy.
• The packaging just plain ticks me off.

Vedict:

If you like mini sets, buy it. If you like minifigures and appreciate the opportunity to get rare ones cheaply, buy it. The price point is right and the Planet is a nifty part. With the upcoming spend X amount and get ____ free deals, it’s an easy way to bump up your total a few bucks. If none of those things interest you then you’ve already made up your mind and I’m surprised you made it all the way to this point in the review. Final word, it’s the weakest of the first three planets sets and I still like it.

Buy 9674 Naboo Starfighter & Naboo from LEGO Shop@Home:

I’m not sure which ship can really claim the crown of most rehashes, but one just sort of assumes it’s either the Jedi Starfighter or the Jedi Interceptor (Eta-2, something I know thanks to the now deceased Star Wars Galaxies). Yes, I know a few seconds on Brickset could tell me that the JSF has had six (really, six?) and the JSI has only had four-ish (the Yellow Anakin’s Starfighter was released twice), but that’s not really as much fun.

This is the first of the Eta-2 ships we’ve seen since 2007, when the Blue version was released with the Hyperdrive ring. Before that, in 2005, we had the Anakin’s yellow ship (torn apart by buzzer droids at the start of RotS), which was also available in 7283 – Ultimate Space Battle, the only set to feature Obi-Wans version in red. And while I’d love to do a comparison… I never purchased 7283, and the rest of mine are all packed up in the midst of the baby-prep, so we’re handling this one alone.

I’ve got a soft-spot for simple starfighter sets like these, because I think starfighters (OT and PT) are the best sort of “toy” that gets released in the Star Wars line. They’re a simple little ship that’s always a semi-challenging build, and usually look pretty nice sitting on a shelf, or better getting swooshed around. So how does this one stack up to the plethora of JSFs we’ve seen lately, and even the older interceptors?

Honestly? It’s probably the worst of the Interceptors, but even the worst of these is better than most of the Starfighters. You have to ignore a few things that I’ll talk about later, but the worst part of all on this set is the price… $40 US, $50 in Canada, and who knows how much in other locales.

I know we’re beating a dead horse (or at this point, beating the pile of good where the dead horse used to be until we beat it too much), but LEGO Star Wars, and LEGO in general, has seen a lot of its value erode away. I’ve talked about this before in some of my other reviews, but it’s just frustrating dropping $40 (in the US… more in other countries) and opening a box to see a few hundred pieces in a couple of bags.

Like most sets released in the last few years, it’s easy to call this set a glorified battle pack, since we get five figures in this thing. The important thing to realize is that these are actual “movie” figures, and not using the Clone Wars demon faces. So, pretty much everything about these is new or somewhat new. First up, the most obvious one, we get Anakin, since it is his ship.

Technically, he would be “Darth Vader” at this point, but it’s never really made clear what happens to the old name with Sith go all Sith-y. Like a lot of figs as of late, he’s got an alt-face, and it’s interesting print. It’s a good hybrid between the Anakin of old and the more “corrupt” face of the Sith. Though it really sort of begs the question if anyone that turns to the dark side owns a mirror.

It’s interesting looking at the comparison between the old Episode 3 Anakin, this new one, and the Clone Wars version. The newer faces have certainly become more cartoony, and Anakin’s most of all. Apparently, the Dark Side leads us to Clone Wars faces. All kinds of makes sense now, doesn’t it?

Since this is a Jedi ship, we also get an astromech. And since it’s Anakin’s, we get R2-D2. There’s nothing at all wrong with that, I can always use more R2s. Nothing flashy or special about him, it’s the same version that came with the Death Star Playset (and several other sets since then). I like the silver in the old head more, but have to admit the printing on this one is better.

In a lot of ways, this set is a successor to the absolutely terrible Ultimate Lightsaber Duel set that was released back in 2005 with the first wave of Episode 3. While some people may like it, back then, it was considered the worst of the Star Wars line. It had two Light-Up Lightsaber (LULS) figures and a big arena instead of anything closely resembling the scene in the movie. You know, looking at the thing, it’s probably still the worst Star Wars set.

That being said, since this is a spiritual successor to that set, we get Obi-Wan in the set as well, since he was part of the climactic duel. And he’s got an alt face like Anakin (also, his angry face does look kind of Chuck Norris-ish).

While not as pronounced as Anakin, Obi-Wan’s face gets a big upgrade as well. I’m not sure how I feel about these new, detailed faces. I liked them in last years sets, but these seem to be even closer to Clone Wars than the stuff we saw in the Episode I sets.

As a glorified Battle Pack, this set has to include a couple of extra figures that may or may not be related to the set itself. Okay, it is a little, since it includes a brand new Nute Gunray, the guy Anakin went to Mustifar to kill (one of them, anyway). He gets a drastic makeover from the Clone Wars variety, what with the different hair color, hat color and dress. The printing on the dress is somewhat skewed, and it feels just wrong when you look at it.

Last, we get a security battle droid, which is just a battle droid, but in red. I honestly didn’t even remember he was in the set at first, until I looked at the box and Shop@Home and saw it. Nothing special, like so many other battle droids we’ve had lately.

Outside of the ship, we get two of the Mustafar mining robots, which were featured in several gripping scenes of Anakin and Obi Wan glaring at each other. They’re simple, but effective, and set up the battle nice enough. Not to mention some trans clear 2×2 clear round blocks.

As for the ship itself, it’s not all that much different from earlier incarnations, other than the normal procedural updates. Quick glances show a couple of annoying features, like the pylons (or wings, whatever they are) being grey instead of dark green, and worse than that, it has no landing gear. Stickers on both side

Personally, I like the blasters on this one better than other starfighters. Each iteration has improved them, from the bars in the first one to these technic parts and lightsaber weapons we get in newer ones. But the biggest problems is that this version doesn’t have landing gear, so you can only deploy the pylons on the top and bottom when you’re holding it up.

What this version does try to do is address the whole “astromech jumping out of a thin little wing” problem from the movie. The terrible little landing gear stand-ins leave an alcove to drop R2 into. On the other side, you get flick-fires, but here, we get a stool for everyone’s favorite astromech.

The cockpit itself is the same old model, but it’s gotten a technic pin system that is… well, simply, worthless. It’s so flimsy that if you have the cockpit and even look at it even a little funny the cockpit glass comes crashing down. On the back, we’re just treated to a little stud instead of the old dish to cover it, and the engines are just afterthoughts.

The entire thing comes down to the same problem with all of the PT ships… they’re just not all that memorable. This is an interesting little ship, to a point, because of the compact build, but once you put it down, you just forget it. All of the OT ships have something memorable to them; you remember the X-Wing, Y-Wing, B-Wing, and even the A-Wing. You remember the TIE series. These… not so much.

In the end, we’re given an okay ship at a not okay price, with some good figures.

What I liked:

• Decent build
• Good representation of the ship
• Better than the sets it’s the spiritual successor for
• Finally finds a place to put R2 without ditching his body

What i didn’t Like:

• Way to expensive for what you get
• Pylons aren’t the right color
• Lack of landing gear hurts the set
• Faces are starting to look too cartoony

Verdict: Buy it on sale if you like it, it’s not worth it otherwise

Buy 9494 Anakin’s Jedi Interceptor:

Brickset posted this pic and reported on this a couple of days ago and it’s been popping up in our contact feed and the FBTB chatroom, so it’s time to finally pay attention I suppose. I’ll just say that I’m extremely jealous at how cheap and easy it is to get these sets in the UK when The Sun just gives them away with purchase, but I do find it amusing when folks say they just put the papers back on the rack after paying for them. Take that newspaper I know nothing about! The giveaways apparently start on May 19th and run daily through the 27th and includes these great little sets. I haven’t seen any concrete info on where to get them, but they’ve been available from TRU and WH Smith in the past so those are the likely venues.

• 30160 Batman Jetski
• 30161 Mini Batmobile
• 30087 Ninjago Car
• 30150 Racing Car
• 30156 Star Destroyer
• 30018 Police Microlight
• 30010 Fire Chief
• 30086 Ninjago Hidden Sword
• 8028 Mini TIE Fighter

Thanks to the masses for the heads up, if you hear any relative details please share in the comments!

Over this past weekend, LEGO officially unveiled its latest Shop@Home exclusive: 10226 Sopwith Camel. It is a remake of the original model, 3451 Sopwith Camel, and features an entirely new color palette and hopefully stickers that won’t disintegrate over time but at twice the price. Weighing in at 883 pieces, you’ll be paying $99.99 USD for the set versus $49.99 for the old set that had 574 pieces. As part of their summer promotion, LEGO Shop@Home will also have a Mini version of the aircraft, 40049 Mini Sopwith Camel, pictured below. I’d imagine you’d have to buy the bigger one to get the smaller one, but as soon as more details are revealed, I’ll share them here. You can buy 10226 Sopwith Camel starting in June of this year. In addition to the information below LEGO has made a point to mention the following message to the AFOL community:

In addition the Sopwith Camel has many sought-after parts including some metallic parts on the cowling and new 1×1 round tiles. “We’re also introducing the 1×1 brick in dark tan, which was on our top ten list of elements that our fans want and we give you quite a few of them,” adds Jamie

“We have tried to avoid stickers wherever possible and have a brick-built rudder in the characteristic red, white and blue of the original. Also included are dark green 8×16 plates and 1×3 tiles in the same colour.”

You’ll find more photos, the designer video, and the official press release below as well.

10226 Sopwith Camel

Ages 14+. 883 pieces.

US $99.99 CA $129.99 DE 89.99 € UK 79.99 £ DK 799DKK

Relive a classic era of aviation history with the Sopwith Camel biplane!

Recreate your very own piece of aviation history with the historic Sopwith Camel. This detailed replica of one of the most recognizable British single-seat biplanes ever to have graced the skies. Features include a realistic rotating propeller and engine cylinders, hinged tail rudder, realistic tension wires, functioning wing ailerons and tail flaps that can be controlled from the cockpit – just like the real plane! The detail doesn’t stop there; this authentic model has over 880 bricks, including dark green, dark tan and metallic silver elements.

• Features include a rotating propeller and engine cylinders, hinged tail rudder, functioning wing ailerons and tail flaps that can be controlled from the cockpit
• Includes dark green, dark tan and metallic silver elements
• Recreate a piece of aviation history
• Turn the propellers and see the cylinders rotate
• Model measures over 15” (40cm) long and has a wingspan of over 19” (50 cm)

The biplane that took on the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen and his flying circus has been turned into an authentic model with moving parts that captures the Sopwith Camel’s classic looks.

“Getting to design it was a real treat,” says Jamie Berard, Lead Designer for LEGO Exclusives. “We made a Sopwith Camel in 2001, but that was more of a visual model, beautiful to look at but without any functionality.”

Just like the real aeroplane, the joystick in the cockpit can move the ailerons and elevators using string rather than gears or levers. “The string goes up over the wings and can operate the ailerons on both wings at the same time. It was a real challenge to work on,” says Jamie.

The powerful rotary engine that gave the Sopwith Camel its distinct look has also been recreated and features a rotating propeller and rotating engine cylinders.

The model has 883 bricks and includes rare dark green, dark tan and metallic silver elements. It measures over 15” (40cm) long and has a wingspan of over 19” (50 cm).

The scale was carefully chosen to take account of the size of the large, powerful engine that drove the plane and so that the string could function properly with ailerons. “That allowed us to make a bigger wingspan more true to the original aircraft and a wider body that makes it easy to hold as you fly it around.”

Marvel has been building up to this point since Nick Fury made his first appearance at the end of Iron Man in 2008. There have been ups and downs in the outings of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, but for the most part they’ve been strong offerings with any blemishes (I’m looking at you Iron Man 2) being forgivable when you look at the the franchise as a whole. To say I’ve been excited about this movie would be an understatement, but even more than the characters individual films this one has a lot to prove. So does it live up to the hype, the legacy and this long time comic fans expectations? The short answer is…

…Hell Yes!

Without getting too spoiler-y (but be warned there will be spoilers), I can say that the sets released so far are a fairly accurate interpretation of the scenes they were inspired by. I say inspired because most lisenced LEGO sets that are meant to showcase a specific scene are watered down at best. I’d also argue there’s a fair chance that LEGO was only given very loose plot points to use to create these sets and if you look at them in that mindset they actually did a good job. Thev’ve had these in development since last year, so there was still a lot that was probably up in the air and Marvel can be picky about when they’re secretive and when they give it all away.

Half of the time it’s simply a case of missing the mark as to what minifig is in which scene, with a few minor errors obviously there to enhance the playability. To be honest the one that bugs me the most is Loki’s Cosmic Cube Escape, which includes the Mark VI Iron Man but should really include a less recognizable character. Either one unknown to the non-fanboy audience or one it feels like they went out of their way to exclude from the sets, but managed to put in the poster. The Quinjet set looks pretty good compared to it’s onscreen counterpart and the Hulk Helicarrier Breakout set is basically an amalgam of about a half an hour worth of scenes. Though I think the holding cell needs to be… bigger.

Yes there is no “Avenging Cycle” in the movie, but you do see Steve Rogers on a bike and I think this is one of the cases where LEGO had to go with some info taken from the previous films. Cap drives a motorcyle in his movie and in the most recent Avengers cartoon (which many children would be familiar with) and in the comics several times over the years, so it makes sense to spice up the smallest set with some vehicular scriptslaughter. The other funny example of this is Hawkeye’s new bow which is compound like the one seen briefly in Thor, but it’s not Clint’s personal bow and not the one used in this movie. No complaints here! LEGO had a single scene to go from and we got a new part out of it, if you don’t like it then you can sub in one of the hundred old style bows you probably have lying around.

With any luck we’ll get another round of sets based on this movie because there are a number of great scenes that could make fun playsets and at least one other vehicle… monster… thing, that might be an interesting challenge for LEGO to recreate. With the movie grossing nearly 650 million smackers worldwide and $200 Million in North America in it’s first 12 days alone there’s definitely motivation to produce more sets to feed the Marvel/Disney merchandising juggernaut, so fingers crossed.

What I liked:

• The performances were spot on, Samuel L Jackson was actually required to act which is always refreshing from his generic angry badass. Chris Evans portrayed Steve Rogers as a man out of time without being to broody and I was pleasantly surprised at Mark Ruffalo’s nuanced Banner mannerisms.
• The action sequences are very well done and the direction is very tight. They assume you’ve already watched the other five MCU movies so they dive right into the action out of the gate.
• The large ensemble cast is kept very busy with no one character getting left behind without a decent amount of useful screentime that moves the story along and adds threads that can be taken back to their solo movies.
• Plenty of humour, Whedonisms and moments taken from the rich comic backstories of the characters.
• The Hulk looked great most of the time, they did a great job making him look like Ruffalo and his more primate movements were a nice touch. Plus, Hairy!
• Scarlett Johansson

What I didn’t like:

• The story was predictable, partly from the heroic clichés needed to get these characters where they need to be to further the story and partly from the seeding of plot points taken from nearly sixty years of stories. It’s still a really fun movie and any big ensemble action piece is going to suffer story-wise to accomodate that.
• The soundtrack was a letdown. The main theme was engaging, but sounded a lot like the theme to the Justice League cartoon from a few years back. WTH!
• As much as I appreciated all they did to please the comic fans, there’s still so much they left out. Thank Odin for sequels!
• Banner’s second Hulk-out. I believe a Hulk-out should be like a werewolf transformation, bone-breakingly painful.
• They killed a character I really liked and while it was not needless, I will really miss them. (I’m probably the only one though)
• The 3-D was totally unnecessary. Yet another abuse of this overused cash grab.

Final Verdict:

I’m going again and taking my young Son who nearly cried when my Wife and I left to see it without him. Having said that I wouldn’t recommend it for all young children, if the only cartoon violence they’ve seen is Perry the Platypus flipper kicking Dr. Doofenshmirtz into submission it may be a tad intense. Stay all the way through the credits, the scene midway teases the sequel (non comicbook fans will be left in the dark I’ll bet, but I called it as soon as I saw the aliens in the trailer) and the end scene is more of a thank you from Whedon than a plot point, but worth the wait. You know what my recommendation is, but I think you should listen to these guys. You don’t want to make them angry.

Then come back and tell us what you thought.

If you are a fan of the show Firefly and have unrealistic expectations, I have news for you. Tbone_tbl‘s “Firefly Serenity playset” has reached enough votes to enter LEGO’s review process starting in June. While Firefly’s fans can be a vocal bunch, they’re the definition of niche. This is likely to play a major role–along with the fact there is nothing current to tie a Firefly product to–in LEGO’s decision regarding the license. That, and creating a feasible, marketable model.

And are you going to see the Avengers today? I’ve been told that a fair number of them will be given away today at select theaters that are showing the Avengers film. Unfortunately, there is no list of which theaters will be participating in this promotion but you may want to call ahead or maybe you’ll just get lucky. Me? I’ll be lucky if I even get to see it in theaters. Ah… life with a baby…

Yet another licensed property has called on the support of its fan base to reach the 10,000 votes needed for LEGO Cuusoo to consider production in some shape or form. I’ll admit that Mingles has done a nice job with the pictures and given a lot of thought as to how an entire theme could be produced, though a single set not unlike the one he has shown would be more likely and at least give the fans a little taste of Link. The content is no more questionable than The Lord of the Rings, so there should be no problem there. The main hurdles this project may have would be the licensing (Nintendo already has dealings with K’nex) and whether or not the fan base is there to actually make money on another hard to find set. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is still my favourite video game. Ever. So good luck Link! It’s dangerous to go alone! Take these…

A feast for your eyes! I just received these hi-res images of TC-14. I’m sold. With a more realistic looking torso, it adds a conundrum about C-3PO. Should he be re-released with the new print pattern? Or should LEGO leave him alone and finally get around to doing a chrome R2? C’mon LEGO, his nickname is even chrome dome. What does it take to get it done?

TC-14 can be yours for FREE with a LEGO Star Wars purchase of $75 or more today and tomorrow at LEGO Shop@Home and LEGO Brand Retail Stores.