There’s something both unsettling and mesmerizing about this otherworldly LEGO jellyfish by Mitsuru Nakaido. It’s undeniably a machine, with its cool palette of light and dark bluish-gray, yet the tangled stalk of wirelike tentacles (woven from various cable, hose, and rope elements) gives it a smooth, organic feel. Is this creation the housing for some unknowable alien intelligence? Is it a relic of some advanced mysterious ancient civilization beneath the sea? Is it something else entirely? That’s up to you to decide.
Dump trucks are a staple of the LEGO City and Technic lines, but those versions focus on the highway-friendly variety that you might see around construction sites. The Komatsu 930E, modeled here by TsungNing Lee, is not that sort of truck. It’s an ultra-class behemoth, standing 24 feet (7.37m) tall, capable of hauling over 300 tons. That puts this massive model at about 1/2 minifig scale. TsungNing works almost entirely with LEGO system parts, with only a few Technic elements to handle the steering mechanism and axels, and custom stickers to match the real thing. I’m impressed by the use of curves in this bulky beast, both in the inverted slopes of the bed and the precisely bent tubing for the railing. While the model itself isn’t new TsungNing recently shared a thorough gallery of this and other masterfully detailed trucks from his collection.
As a bonus, TsungNing also made a microscale version of the truck:
This Asian-inspired LEGO build is Markus Rollbühler’s entry into round 4 of the 2024 RogueOlympics. The theme for round 4 was ‘Balance’. Initially, the builder intended to present a build focused on yin and yang. However, the 101 element limit, a requirement of the Rogue Olympics, proved too challenging to fully realize his vision. The entry was submitted with just one piece to spare, totaling 100 elements. One of the most notable details of this build is that, upon closer inspection, the flowers remain attached to their plastic sprue and have been affixed to the build using rubber bands commonly found, serving as friction bands, with train wheels. And if you think that’s some great part usage, take a look at Markus’s third-round entry featured on TBB.
When LEGO builders work together, great things happen! Kat (@k._harmon) and Samuel (@darksamishgray) have collaborated to create a stunningly beautiful fairy castle that built out of an old tree stump. Through the crack in the trunk you can see the cozy architecture of the fairy folk. There’s so much detail and great building on display for an observer to dig into. The bluebells (blue flowers) are fastened to their stems by a pair of grass pieces attached through the loop by a twig. The ferns are made from crocodile tails, and I love the little glider made from a variety of LEGO leaves.
Gleeoks are the three-headed dragons who have menaced Link going back to the very first Legend of Zelda game. King Gleeok, introduced in Tears of the Kingdom, is the most fearsome incarnation of the recurring boss to date, and makes for one of the most menacing LEGO dragons we’ve ever seen. Built by Mitch Phillips, the model wasn’t created via Ultrahand, but instead employs a masterful blend of System and Bionicle techniques to achieve the inticate organic design. The three toothy heads first catch the eye, colored to match the elements of Thunder, Flame, and Frost. Then you might be drawn to the spidery wings whose membranes come from the sails of several LOTR Corsair ships. Perhaps my favorite section of the build is King Gleeok’s scaly chest, which, if you look closely, you can see is made from red discs affixed to a net and wrapped around the torso.
It’s such a complicated build with unusual parts that you can’t fully appreciate it from pictures alone. Thankfully, Mitch guides you through the build process on his YouTube channel.
The Q-Branch of MI6 in the James Bond series has a real fondness for outfitting flashy cars with even flashier upgrades. One of the flashiest has been captured here by László Torma in their outstanding LEGO model of the famous Lotus Espirit featured in The Spy Who Loved Me. 007 drives his souped-up sports car off the end of a dock and transforms it into a slick two-seater submarine. László has captured the clean lines of both versions of the Espirit. The slim black stripe across the side of the car is created by using a variety of brackets built on their sides. I want to give a special shout-out to the 2×4 bow above the rear wheel; this part has been around for a while, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it used this smoothly! I’m also sure László was happy by the release in 2003 of the 1×6 slope which used to make the clean lines of the car’s hood. All this fantastic comes together to capture the classic silhouette the Bond’s Espirit in the 8-wide form factor of a Speed Champions style model. Maybe one day we’ll get a Jaws minifigure to go with it!
The official LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer is a great set. But if it’s missing anything, it’s perhaps a fully operational moon-sized superweapon to crash into after its shields fail and some crazy A-wing plows through its command bridge. This fiery diorama by Codyaner fixes that oversight with aplomb. The build captures one of Return of the Jedi‘s most thrilling moments as the mighty Imperial flagship collides with the Death Star’s surface, complete with backlit orange and red flames and a dazzling array of greebles (you know, the little doodads that give the surface its texture) to represent towers, power stations, and whatever else the Empire likes to stick on the surface of their surprisingly fragile planet-killing toys.
You won’t believe his lies your eyes when you see the details that go into this Polaroid SLR 690 from master of life-size LEGO props (and tbb alumn) Nick Jenson. This version of the iconic instant camera is a collapsable point-and-shoot model from the ’90s made famous in Christopher Nolan’s breakout film Memento. Nick is a stickler for accuracy as with all of his impressive 1:1 scaled models. The seed part that makes Nick’s model so accurate without stickers is the Polaroid tile from the film packet on the recent LEGO Ideas’ Polaroid set. Even the nylon strap is sourced from a LEGO-branded bag. To make this a proper tribute to Momento, the camera is paired with appropriately lo-fi photographs to match those in the film. Here the photos are real Polaroids, but the subjects are brick-built facimiles of Teddy and the Discount Inn from the film. At least I think they are… I can’t remember that far back. Thankfully I don’t need a tattoo to remind me when I see an amazing LEGO build like this one.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and there have already been a few LEGO sets announced, like the Podracer diorama and the Droideka. But one of the most iconic characters introduced in that movie, aside from Darth Maul, is the B1 Battle droid. Providing comedic scenes of dialog and utter destruction at the hands of Jedi Qui-gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and young Anakin. The latest Gift with Purchase from the LEGO Star Wars theme is a redesign of the battle droid carrier that helped deliver battle droids in the battle of Naboo, in case you don’t already have too many of these clumsy cannon fodder. LEGO Star Wars 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier will be available from May 1st through May 5th for a minimum purchase of US $160 | CAN $TBD | UK £145 from the Star Wars theme.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
2024 marks an auspicious year for LEGO Star Wars, as it hits its quarter-century. The theme has evolved and changed a lot over the years, but one mainstay has been the Ultimate Collector Series, which launched just a year after the Star Wars theme’s debut. 7191 X-Wing Fighter and 7181 TIE Interceptor were the first sets to be released under this banner in the year 2000. While the former has seen two re-releases, one of which is on shelves at the moment, the latter has not been re-visited at this larger, detailed scale – until now. With 1,931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99(non-Insiders can get it from May 4th). Has it been worth the wait? Read on to find out!
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
LEGO has invested heavily in Chibi versions of famous Star Wars ships with their Microfighters line. But not satisfied with the current offerings, Batuu Bricks offers their take on the T-47 Snowspeeder from Empire Strikes Back. The proportions are downright adorable, and all the tiled panels provide the perfect shape. But the real star of the show is that cockpit canopy. With an abundance of bars, clips, and two hockey sticks, Batuu provides enough space for a pair of Rebels at the controls. I’m sure they’re ready to take on the whole Empire by themselves!
With LEGO Star Wars celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, May the 4th was always likely to be a big day for the theme. Today, LEGO has announced their plans for Star Wars Day, including a livestream event, a host of new sets, and some collectible memorabilia. The headline announcement is 75382 TIE Interceptor, which will be the next entry in the Ultimate Collector Series. With 1.931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99, and will be available from May 4th, with LEGO Insiders getting early access from May 1st.
Also arriving from the 1st of May are three Gifts with Purchase, availability of which will be through to May 5th or until stocks last. The main attraction here is 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier, which has a spend threshold of US $160 | CAN $TBD | UK £145 or more. The celebrations continue with a livestream event on May 4th, a 25-second film festival, and a coffee-table book entitled ‘The Force of Creativity’, pre-orders for which open on May 1st. More information on all that, as well as set photos, can be found below the jump.
