LEGO Ink

mediumsnowman, I truly think your pictures are a lot crisper, in color and clarity, than the ones I got. Great job capturing the content! I liked the process you took of going through the build, those is also not as common of a detail these days. Thanks, for your detail!

First, I'd like to say 'Thanks!' to mediumsnowman for the previous review. This isn't to step on toes. It's to share some of the other specs I found and had placed in an original review. Hope you enjoy! Set: 70901 Mr.FreezeIce Attack Theme: The Batman Movie Piece Count: 201 +ballast Population: 3 Season: Winter 2016 Wallet Request: USD $19.99 THE BOX As local stores are catching up in inventory, 2017 sets are already starting to hit the shelves, and LEGO stores. This recent addition comes in the form of 70901 Mr. Freeze Ice Attack. At 201 Pieces, it's currently the smallest of the available sets. How does it hold up, hoping to set the stage for the upcoming film? Let's find out! First, we have the box art. The front of the box depicts a battle scene in a factory of sorts. The Batman Movie logo is pretty snazzy, and subtly busy, on the upper left. There are three characters included; Batman, Security Guard, and Mr.Freeze. The back of the box contains more action, with Mr.Freeze being placed into his mech, Batman enjoying a Save-the-Day beverage, SG being trapped, and the shooting feature of Mr.Freeze's cold cannon (which falls far from being the coolest thing about this set). The underside of the box contains standard LEGO Legal, but also hints at a new range for LEGO Digital, called LEGO Life. Upon checking the link [LEGO.com/life], you are directed to a whimsical page geared towards [younger] fans. Yes, I'll still download it and probably use it frequently. The LEGO Life App promo is currently exclusive to the UK, but shows a 2017 target release for the U.S. and parts of Northern Europe. More information can be found at LEGO.com/life. On with the contents! I'd love to think my box wasn't an exception. Even though the instructions and [tiny] sticker sheet were loose-in-box, they present themselves as though they were sealed with a backer. The dimensions of the instruction booklet are more book-ish, with the staples being along what we see as the top, so when turned sideways, it holds in your hands like a small book - without the long overflaps of days past. It's also similar to the box size. The 76 pages measure [as we see the image] just shy of 5" Tall and 6 5/8" Long. Held in the same orientation, the box internally measures a shy 5 ½" Tall and 10 1/8" Long. With two bags of parts as padding, there really wasn't much room for movement, and running the spine with the length of the box prevented curl under shifting bags. NEW PARTS Before we move on to parts, allow me to break a barrier. There are a lot of new sets out, and we all want something exciting. Facing the obvious new elements and recolours within the CITY theme, part of me turned and picked up this set because of the Medium Blues, and Mr.Freeze's head. A bigger part of me, was highly intrigued as to the fin shapes seen below the Mech Torso, and above the hips. I just couldn't figure it out. Make it through the jargon and number details, and your patience will be rewarded, I promise. This set is a relative goldmine for new elements and recolours! In BAG 1 you will find a wide assortment. Starting in the lower left, and moving counterclockwise: 2x Yellow Utility Belts – Because you shouldn't rely on just one. 8x Sand Green - BRICK 1X1 W. 1 KNOB [TLG]/Brick, Modified 1 x 1 with Stud on 1 Side [BL]. This is 1 more than 2013's EwokVillage, and 1 less than 2012's Haunted house. You do use all eight, but if you're not concerned about a bad view from the back, you can swap the two behind the computer for a more common color. 3x Red Brick, Round 1 x 1 d. 90 Degree Elbow - No Stud - Type 2 - Axle Hole[BL]. This is the first time we are seeing this element in Red, with hopefully more to follow. The ratio is also higher, per piece, than any other set for any previous color, except the Light Bluish Gray in the Caterham, which gets 5. 2x Iceblocks. We've seen these before, and will get more with the upcoming Frozen sets. Still not a bad part to have, in my opinion. 1x Black Minifig, Weapon Gun, Blaster with Recessed Studs on Sides and Inside Axle Holder [BL]. These were new for 2016, and this is only the 5th set to include one. In Bag 2, the joy continues, in mostly Medium Blue! Starting in the lower left, and moving counterclockwise (Mech Body will be posted last): 2x Translucent Hose, Flexible Ribbed with 8mm Ends, 10L with BlueCenter Pattern [Not Yet Official]. The Element ID is #6173148. Think FLEX HOSE 19M W/3. 18 STICK CO -INJ. [TLG]/Hose, Flexible Ribbed with 8mm Ends, 19L with BlueCenter Pattern [BL]. Again, this version is shorter, at 10L, and has slightly different linkage ends than it's 19L counterpart. Those are noted in a separate picture. I really like the amount of color variation in dual moulded parts, such as these. 1x Medium Blue Respirator and Shoulder pads[?] It holds Design #27148, and Element ID #6177648. It will more than likely be filed with all the others in Minifig, Body Wear, under the primary title of Minifig, Armor Breastplate with Shoulder Pads[BL]. 2x Medium Blue Fists with Hole, Design #27329, Element ID #6171827. While these elements seem familiar to me, I can't track them down for other inventories. They closely resemble Fists #11092 Hand Gorilla Fist[BL], but utilizing a different type of connection. 3x Medium Blue Slope 30 1x1x2/3 4x Medium Blue Corner Tiles. Design #14719. FLAT TILE CORNER 1X2X2 [TLG]/Tile 2 x 2 Corner [BL]. 5x Medium Blue FLAT TILE 1X1, ROUND [TLG]/Tile, Round 1 x 1 [BL]. These were only previously available in 2015's Wicked Witch and Winged Monkey Dimensions Fun Pack. An assortment of Medium Blue Plates. 1x Dark Bluish GrayMECH Body. It holds Design #27168, and Element ID #6166882. ***As an interesting note on this element and others, the Copyright ID indicates finalization in 2015. This is yet another great indicator of the lengthy process, and previous knowledge, the LEGO Designers go through to prepare sets for the public. Whether or not it was designed specifically for this set, this element has had a lot of thought put into it, and was created to meet specifications we aren't even aware of. *** I don't even know where to begin the dimensions of this part, but take a listen to the key details. Ball socket to Ball Socket is 6L. The previously mentioned fin detail at the bottom is the structural support that holds half of a TECHNIC Pin, allowing for a sturdy connection and a 360 degree central hip rotation. The main facade is 7 ½ plates tall. Flush up top, the bottom lends the ½, as indicated by the single bracket. The internal height is 2 Bricks/6 Plates. The top runs flush left to right for a standard 2x4 rectangle, but runs ½ thicker on the front. Similar to what a bracket adds outside of a structure. Using a series of Bricks, Plates, and Brackets, it's possible to support a plate at a height that is level to the top of the Ball Joint. This could come in handy for any design necessitating a concealed joint. A few nonessential details like implied pistons and raised edges certainly add to the mechanical look, and keep it from being plain.There are also two Horizontal clips on the [implied] back. BAG 1 Batman and Security Guard Minifigures . Contents for Factory Setting. Batman has a muscular front torso, and definably printed back. He's also got a Utility Belt! The Security Guard also features a printed front and back. While not excessively detailed, I think the simple line around the collar, and slight sectioning of the leather belt are quite nice little details. Both characters feature dual printed faces. The guard has a stern "I'm Guarding" face, and a "I'm froooooooozen!" face. Both sides have a brilliant moustache printed. Batman features the now popular "I'm Batman!" smirk, and the "I'm fighting" scowl. In a shift away from the newer Batman sets, his cowl has moved back to tall and pointy, as was standard for The LEGO Movie. His cape is the soft, cottony fabric, instead of the more crisp canvas-like material. He gets a neat little Flame Gun [Pea Shooter] to combat the much larger freezing arsenal. The contents of bag one produce a hinged ice-block: A well executed, yet simpler, update to Aquamans entrapment in 76000| Arctic Batman vs. Mr.Freeze: Aquaman on Ice. They also produce a small factory setting: Some valves, the top of a container, a computer workstation, RED/GREEN Lever, and a hinged portion to provide some dimension. Two [of three] stickers are used in this process: One for the computer screen, the other is for a larger pressure gauge. Neither of them is specific to Batman, and would look great in any industrial setting. As a word of caution, the 2x2 Round Tile used for the pressure gauge has the cross pattern in back, NOT the circle. While it's a tight fit for fingers, the best sticker application comes AFTER ensuring the tile is squarely in place, giving bearing on true top/bottom. As many have stated previously, the new elbow tubes work wonders for enhancing industrial settings, and they really give some fresh perspective to this tiny diorama. Curiously, on the back edge of the main wall, you will place a Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Vertical Clip. It serves no direct purpose within this single set, and doesn't stand in the way of any moving components, but it does serve to expand a battle scene from other sets from the movie. For now, it could also be used as the Guard's secret mug storage. BAG 2 Mr. Freeze, Ice Cannon, & Ice Mech Even though I never completely followed the characters, Mr.Freeze has almost always been one of my favorites. Sorry Arnold, not you. The accordion type ridges on his body armor, as well as some facial elements, are reminiscent to the character from Batman the Animated Series. However, I most particularly enjoy the individual monocle style lenses over his eyes, opposed to the goggles or sunken in appearance. His printed torso and legs are also top notch! With multiple colors of Blues, Silvers, White, and details such as hoses, a waist belt, knee pads, and boot patterns on the toes. Once the shoulder pads are in place, and the head properly on, a top-down view will show two rings that form a nice little gap that snugly grabs onto the Trans-Clear dome for his helmet. He comes with a giant freeze cannon, that contains all types of attachments. While Mr.Freeze is able to us the weapon as a standing assistant, it's much better suited to his Mech. THE MECH The Mech Body is complex, in the simple kind of way. Functional may be a better word. There are a massive 17 points of articulation[!!], and 11 of those have 360 capability. (An honest 9 if you don't count the Pin and Ball socket in the wrist, twice. The friction of the socket is greater than that of the pin, so while the hand can completely rotate, the ball joint in the wrist won't achieve any rotational movement, just the pin connection. A spare ball on the hip connection would allow for an 18/12 ratio, should you care to add provisional accoutrements to his rear. https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5798/30979542100_ff04471e95_z.jpg[/img] One thing I started doing with Mixels was to search how well they balanced in odd forms. With all the articulating points, it takes time, but you're not limited to simple poses. The "Monkey Dance" is always a good basis for extensive movement, but you can also get him to kneel. Notice you don't have to have his knee touch [nor will it] to make him balance in this manner. His arms and legs are a little bare, but its certainly nothing that would deter me from picking up the set. Overall, I really enjoyed the building process, and the amount of character that is packed into all the little things. Cost - 5/5 – While it certainly falls into the $0.10/pc category, there is the deception of little elements. There are lots of little elements, but there are excessive new colors, and large elements, to consider. Playability - 5/5 – EVERYTHING MOVES! With the exception of the Guards Pistol, and turning the little flame in Batman's gun, every other part of this set has some sort of moving component. There are numerous ways to change up your play process on this set. For more pictures detailing the set, as well as my other builds, head this way. Thanks for reading!

Thanks everyone! Yes, it has been fun to tinker around on, and is really useful as a parts pack. @ As my local Target has had slim pickings, and Walmart or TRU haven't stocked yet, I can't say for certain. The only other Battle Pack they had available was 70229 | Lion Tribe Pack. Looks like a neat pack, but not necessarily new on parts so I'm not sure how soon I'll pick it up. One thing I forgot to mention are the 2x2 Round Tiles, all of these are printed, No Stickers. For figures, you do get two Lioness characters, one of which is exclusive, the other (Li'Ella) has only been seen , with a different outfit, in 70146 | Flying Phoenix Fire Temple.

Greetings all! Here is a little vignette I created to display the Pale-Man from the film, Pan's Labyrinth. He is a rather awkward fellow, that is only able to see once he has placed his eyes into the palms of his hands. Our heroine, Ofelia, has unwittingly awoken the monster and, in her efforts to escape, has found herself trapped behind her closed 'doorway' [portal]. As our camera angle changes, Pale-Man evaluates his surroundings, and shakily makes his way towards his victim. BOO!! More stills, as well as an overview of the vignette I designed, can be found here. Enjoy!

Well this sure has been a fun few days, taking pictures, buying brick, cranking out reviews of smaller sets. I tell ya, this was not my New Year's 'Resolution', but I wouldn't trade it. Well...maybe for even more LEGO, but wouldn't we all? As a formality: Greetings! I go by LEGO_Ink (or various variations that may or may not include the '_'). While I'm not NEW new, I have only recently found a soft spot for trying to get ahead of the game on reviews. Any custom sets I design can be found here, but you can also jump in queue at any point by clicking the link by the imbedded images. The thing that really motivated me to start sharing my opinion for LEGO sets were the highly functional features that were starting to become more prominent from the LEGO Designers. There are such slight details and modifications, that I feel they really get overlooked in the grand scheme of completing a set but, should they be designed any other way, you'd have a completely different play experience.*** Moving forward, I'd like to_ I'M BATMAN!!!! LEGO Ink, Flickr Well, uh...hi, Batman. What's up? WHAT'S UP? YOU MEAN, BESIDES MY SWEET NEW GRAPPLING HOOK, AN OVER-SUPPRESSED KITTEN, AND MY MASCARA UPGRADE? Yeah, so...haven't gotten there yet. ... MMMMM. SOOOOO...? On it. Set: 70817 Batman(TRADEMARK!) & Super Angry Kitty Attack Theme: The LEGO Movie Piece Count: 115 +ballast Population: We're going to go with 4. Season: Winter 2015 Wallet Request: USD $9.99 Before I get rambling, or interrupted, I have been looking forward to this set as well. If you haven't read my previous review for Double-Decker Couch, we're in for some great characters. Between the two sets we're only missing Wyldstyle, as a primary, and she had enough incarnates from waves 1 & 2 that we all probably have something that will suffice. As for the here and now, the front of the box. What I am now seeing as 'standard' art for the boxes. We appear to be in the same TLM-2 off-stage area as D-D Couch, except tensions have arisen since the last call. If memory from the film serves correctly, we will be down a cast member, or two, by the time things get rolling again. LEGO Ink, Flickr The same little triangle can be found in the lower corner, and my first query comes here, which may be something that is up for debate among fans. Should Micro-Managers be considered as figs? They are not Mini- and thus do not fit that description. However, as some of you are probably going to pull the 'It's Brick-built!' card, I'll see you, and raise you a Uni-Kitty. Any of them. I'm not overtly concerned one way or the other, but I feel that they [M-M's] should count, especially this little one. Thus, my stated Population: 4. The box-art is direct, and what happened in the movie is, probably, most closely translated for this particular set. Carnage, Smirks, and Clumsy Robots. DON'T FORGET SWEET GRAPPLING HOOKS!! Yup, still on it... The back of the box. Even more action, and perfect explanations of details. One such detail, I actually overlooked in my eagerness to make sure I bought the set before it flew off the shelf, is the exploding feature of the Micro-Manager. (Further Down) We also have flick-fire missiles, which apparently work when you push the back of something. Who knew!? LEGO Ink, Flickr Box contents include three small [unnumbered] baggies, one instruction booklet, and one cape. I'd assume it's as near to random decision, as makes no difference, but Vitruvius' cape was included in the bags for D-D Couch, yet Batman's was excluded. It's power 'cannot be contained, in any container!!' TLM_SuperAngry_003 by LEGO Ink, on Flickr As stated in the other reviews, there is a lack of sticker sheet. And while the booklet has a prominent crease in the middle for folding, it's crisper than a minted green. Another stated element is the LEGO Survey. Prominent to me because the characters on the back seem to be reflective of whichever theme the booklet has been assigned. LEGO Ink, Flickr For new and rare elements, There's not a lot aside from the characters, which will be addressed later. What there is, however, sticks out. Element #85861, Plate, Round 1x1 w/ Open Stud. I absolutely love these, and for this set you won't be disappointed, either. We get 2 in Dark Red, only previously seen from the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 and Emmet's Construct-o-Mech. We also get 3 in Black, which marks its debut with this set. [EDIT 1/2/15 - Black also get some serious recognition in 10246 | Detective's Office. Seventeen of them, with potential to swap a dozen out for spares, according to New Elementary.] LEGO Ink, Flickr BUT, GOSH, MAN, WHY ARE THEY HERE? ...Yes, we're at the grappling gun. FINALLY!!! LEGO Ink, Flickr Either I'm out of the loop, or this really is one of the cleanest, most well executed, additions to a previously moulded weapon. Not only does it redefine a purposeful weapon [of the two 'barrels', the top is visually re-purposed into a sighting system while the bottom retains the conceptual propulsion system], but it's appropriately bulky, without being superficial. As a neatly printed element, I thought this could be handy for future use. Knowing more, now, about LEGO and printing processes, parts like this make my engineering self all giddy. There's so much decorative potential! LEGO Ink, Flickr *** Onto the only actual building that needs to take place for this set, we come across the obligatory Micro-Manager. As for the previously overlooked function, this one has flick-fire missiles, as well as an exploding function...all within a 3-Stud span of each other. Not to shabby. The section that really tied my laces, was the way that the function would be locked in. LEGO Ink, Flickr On any other M-M, we would see a fourth 'Inverted 1x2-2x2 Bracket'. Here, however you cap the back side with a standard '1x2-2x2 Bracket'. The Technic underlying brick will function as the pivot point, and once you get all four brackets into place... LEGO Ink, Flickr ...you then place a 4x4 plate over both sides and very surely Lock the mechanism together. LEGO Ink, Flickr One would have to, extensively, surpass the vertical forces required for play to disrupt this function. The addition of the standard bracket is two-fold. After locking the whole thing together, the remaining top studs will act as a minimal connection point for the roof of the M-M. Because of the design, these are now connection points that won't shift during play, leaving a constant surface for reattachment. LEGO Ink, Flickr The Man Upstairs, having a go at the features. LEGO Ink, Flickr And here we have a finished product! Again, the size constraints amaze me for this particular build. The arms/tentacles, for example, have 3 (Three!!) points of articulation for each arm. This includes the rotating 'shoulder' at the base of the M-M, but doesn't include the four pose-able claws. Then, there's the levitation systems that are based on the two rocker panels at the rear. Or the two exploding roof panels. Oh, and the two flick-fire missiles which are intentionally differing sizes, that tuck cleanly above the 'shoulders', and below the exploding roof. While the M-M's have all had differing features, is this the first one that actually blows up? ON TO THE DUDES!!!! But, Uni-Kitty's name begins with 'Princess'. ::SIGHHHHHHHHHH:: YOU, ARE THE WORST. Onto the...the... Onto the Characters. THE BEST! Another Robo Skeleton. A SUPER Angry-Kitty. A Batman(TRADEMARK!) with a black headband. A Batman(SHUSH!), with a black headband? Why yes, I will tell you more. LEGO Ink, Flickr Here, we have a side-by-side of how his expression plays out. The elevated band offers the same principle as previous Bat-figs, it's no-so-secretly his eyes. However, for this rendition we have a black band with two white slits, per side, for eyes. As much as I wonder why this wasn't put into production for the previous TLM Bat-figs, I'm glad they decided to do it. With the cowl, he now looks how Bat-fig has meant to look for quite some time. With that, I do understand that Batman was illustrated with white-outs for his eyes for quite some time. He's also had mascara. Now both families win. The benefit to this new color scheme is that he doesn't look like he just came off the basketball court, or was mis-printed. To me, he actually kind of looks like he's got eyebrows to match his facial expression. The best part is that the unintentional 'eyebrows' don't clash with the respective faces. Instead, they make a slightly altered version to the same head we were just looking at. Exact same head, exact same side, but you add the cowl and he becomes that much goofier/angrier. LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr As far as the ballast goes, I'm always up for goodies. The jewels of this batch include a red Kitty-Horn, and two Open Studs [both of the rarer variety]. LEGO Ink, Flickr HEY, GUY. IT'S GETTIN' LATE. Yes, my closing thoughts. This has been a long schpeel, for such a small set. Hopefully, you didn't tune out too long ago. 4/5 Cost effectiveness - Pretty alright, I'd say. At cost ratios, it's on point. You have to realize it's not substantial, as far as taking up space or bulk parts. You do get four characters, three of which are unique to this set. I, personally, don't mind the Robo Skeleton. He's something I'd eventually want extras of for any diorama invasion, so since he's my first I think I'll take him. 5/5 Play - Yes, the only thing that plays is the M-M. The Grappling Gun doesn't fire, Uni-Kitty doesn't have changing heads, and the Robo Skeleton isn't as agile. The Micro-Manager takes it up a notch, and has more play features in it's body than some $7 sets have in all their entirety. I'm glad I got it, and I'm not even a completest. I, sincerely, hope you all have had a Happy Christmas, and wonderful New Year!

Greetings! As 2015 approaches, I've been very excited to see that the local Target has started to stock up with an early wave of Spring Releases. I feel this is going to be an 'Awesome' year for LEGO to showcase their ingenuity, as well as up and coming talents. The LEGO Movie [TLM] has, no doubt, helped sales for the company, but how has the creativity from a movie that's almost a year old continued to capture our attention? In June of 2014, I was given the honor of participating in the final week of The LEGO Inside Tour. As part of the tour we get to talk with set designers, and Chris [Designer for The LEGO Movie] shed some light on some of the process and concepts. From my own design experience, it was nice to see the organized chaos that was intentional within the TLM realm. From a business perspective, there have been some fine tuned calculations that make future purchases exciting, but also relevant. Here's how: Set: 70818 Double-Decker Couch Theme: The LEGO Movie Piece Count: 197 +ballast Population: 5 Season: Winter 2015 Wallet Request: USD $14.99 From the front of the box, there's a party waiting to happen. While the characters are evident from the set-up, the lower right corner also dedicates a space to clearly showcase, however redundant, the included minifigs. I'm not sure, however, the context of the image. Perhaps the characters are waiting off-set for filming to resume on TLM 2, or they are in a warehouse party. Either way, the proposed components would seem to be better suited for Emmet's Perfect Morning/Battle Pack. LEGO Ink, Flickr The rear of the box incorporates play features. I like the way that subtle features, such as a strip of film, make their way into presentation. Simple, and effective. LEGO Ink, Flickr An open box reveals four element bags, and an instruction booklet. None of them is numbered, and the only loose item is the instruction booklet...no sticker sheet. I'm not opposed to applying sticker sheets, depending on the model, and I've never had the horrifically marred version that earned the DSS title, but a printed element is always preferred. LEGO Ink, Flickr With that, this little guy will obviously come in handy. LEGO Ink, Flickr While Uni-Kitty has neat elemental personalities, there's only two other parts that really stand out from this set as far as 'new and somewhat rare.' Both belong to Vitruvius. V's lower half is actually a Brick 1x2x2 to accommodate the ghost covering, opposed to the standard slope. It has a print on it, but his upper torso is blank. No complaints, however, as he's constantly covered. LEGO Ink, Flickr The ghost covering is also really neat because of it's design. I can't say, for certain, how long LEGO has used the process, but this particular element has been created using a two stage [at least] mould. One of the most prominent examples of this process was the dual textured Six Sided Game Die, but may also be found with this modified 1x2 w/ Angular Extension. Vitruvius' obligatory headband is the initial element, which also forms the connection to his head. The glow-in-the-dark portion is the second stage, which is cleanly moulded above and below the headband, leaving an uninterrupted band. LEGO Ink, Flickr The usual suspects have slight variations to their faces, but nothing substantial to their bodies, minus V's previously stated brick. One feature I keep coming back to, is the gloriously happy face we see presented on President Business. A first for this particular figure. His uni-brow rainbow makes me smile every time! LEGO Ink, Flickr Turning to the back will reveal alternate versions for all printed faces. One thing that you might find useful: Uni-Kitty is provided with an extra face, but no additional facial components. While the suggested swap isn't completely unrealistic, it takes time. As you will see in the additional elements, I'm given an ear, Uni-holder, and Horn. I just find it strange that an additional 1x3 plate [white] and 1x1 slope didn't find their way into the ballast. All of the faces hold a certain amount of concern, except for Benny. He's gone from content, to overjoyed! LEGO Ink, Flickr As an additional component, we get Emmet's car. It's neat, and I believe the first offered, though it's not overtly complex. It's practical, and simple. The perfect reflection of our yet-to-be-discovered hero. The vehicle features the previously stated Radio, two doors, removable roof, and appropriately proportioned boot for Emmet's hardhat. LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr Here's the couch, pre-built. Upon further inspection, it will be built to the exact specifications as the couch from MetalBeard's Sea Cow. Now, this may bother some folks, but it's not so much an issue for me. I probably won't be able to obtain the Sea Cow soon, so this set has, again, retained its value as a nearly perfect battle pack. LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr ::Too many mugs of milk later:: 'Why don’t vikings send e-mails? They prefer to use Norse code!' LEGO Ink, Flickr And the ballast. It's not a bad selection overall, it just seems...different. Again, we're given 3/5 of the elements necessary to avoid a complete swap for Uni-Kitty's head, but that's not an issue to be considered 'unbuyable'. LEGO Ink, Flickr Closing statements: This set brings an interesting mix of thoughts. On the positive side, it's got characters. Five of them. When you're paying $9.99 for a 3-pack of DIY figs from the LEGO Store, $14.99 for 5 specialized characters isn't so bad! Plus you get all the additional pieces, whether you build with them or not. As stated earlier, I'm looking at my budget through the eyes of...well...my current budget. Getting the whole series isn't an option, but this set has made it possible to recreate lots of fun moments from TLM that other sets haven't been able to accomplish. If I'd already purchased Metalbeard's Sea Cow, I may be a little saddened by the repeat Couch build, but probably not. The car, again, isn't extraordinary...but it works really well. No, there weren't enough Uni-parts to make it an ideal trade, but I've got what I need to make something work. There just isn't enough improbability to even consider this as a bad buy. Cost - 5/5 - Even if you just want the figs, you have 150 +/- elements to do something else with. @ the ideal $0.10 price point, you're still in the lead. Playability - 4/5 - There aren't play 'features' in the action sense, but there's movement and potential. 4 new, interchangeable expressions is a big one for me. Freshness - 4/5 - The couch is recycled, and that's a majority of the parts. There are also characters only specific, currently, to this set. Take the very small plunge, and get yours today!

Greetings Everyone! As 2015 is making it's way here, it has been predated in many regions with the early 2015 wave of sets. As new product is eagerly welcomed to transitioning shelves, I continually find myself wanting just about everything...but only getting a 'core' few sets that make the season stand out. Honestly, I'm usually a CITY fan, strolling by all the other well founded (STAR WARS), and well placed (Super Heroes figure display), collections for a good ol' helicopter. Or new Great Vehicle. I never really got into the storyline of Ninjago, or felt that drawn in by an animal realm, even though I love biology and exploring local nature wherever I go. Then, as a participant in the 2014 Inside Tour, I felt a slight slide in my demeanor after speaking with Sam (CHIMA Designer) and _______* (Element Designer). *I'm familiar with how her name was said, but have no idea where to begin spelling it, so I will do her the justice of acknowledging her wisdom over her label). Sam was more than happy to talk about some of the neat tricks they'd used to incorporate a different level of play feature into the models. I started to take notice of theoretical functionality in the Con'14 snapshots that trickled out this past summer, and then started to appreciate these creatures for the sculptured detail and personality that went into their creation. That said, I feel 2015 is going to be a pretty good year, and here's why: Set: 70230 - Ice Bear Tribe Pack Theme: Legends of CHIMA Piece Count: 75 +ballast Population: 3 Season: Winter 2015 Wallet Request: USD $9.99 The front of the box has what I assume to be standard artwork for the ongoing battle. From an illustrators standpoint, it's crisp, directional, and neatly combines two contrary forces, fire and ice. Notice the position at which the bear on our left is holding his weapon, that will come up later. LEGO Ink, Flickr The back of the box, however, deviates a little from standard detail and function, instead hinting at a greater battle by addition of set 70224. It reminds me of the older design of boxes and peripheral booklets, where you were given a larger picture of LEGO City/Space/Ocean and you could pinpoint how your little set made a difference in the way everyone else could live their day, or get eaten. It's minimal art with grand implications, and I like it. LEGO Ink, Flickr The side. LEGO Ink, Flickr The back of the Instructions. I only find this relevant, not because there's not a young child screaming at me but, because from other early 2015 sets I've seen, the image is themed for the set they are boxed with. The LEGO Movie instructions, for example, come with the Green Ninja. LEGO Ink, Flickr The contents yield 2 bags, 1 Instruction booklet, and a banner [The durable plastic commonly used for sailboards, Mater's Glider Wing, etc]. LEGO Ink, Flickr Within the first page of instructions you will find another new trait for 2015 booklets and boxes. This little logo is printed [at least in the US] as an indication of the growing commitment by LEGO to produce the highest quality product, with minimal environmental impact. I have no intention of listing these details for all future reviews, but as LEGO has made the point of taking things up a notch, I feel it should be dually noted. LEGO Ink, Flickr Our three bears, with accompanying brick built weaponry. I took great joy in noticing that each bear has an individually printed: Minifig Head, Mini-mal Head, Torso, and Leg Assembly. After years of finding standardized Fire and Police packs, not to mention generic Minifig selections @ $9.99 for 3 from LEGO Stores,I was pleased to find something that was more than what it was labeled, a parts-pack. This set has already arrived with flair. Take notice in the printing...The three torsos are all obviously the same size, but great illustration has given the illusion of three different sizes, strengths, and personality of bear. This is something that, either I missed or, wasn't present for previous animals. The golden armor gives a feeling of time honored reverence, contrasted to the somewhat varying fur patterns emoting a time honored war. I mean, he's got iced ribs. LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr That gun/bazooka/BFG I spoke of earlier, here it is again. Except this time we're able to see it at the ready. What struck me about thie particular design is that the butt of the gun can be rotated to appropritely fit an altered grip. Whether or not this is the intentional purpose, I feel it adds to the imagined complexity and functionality of the weapon, should it ever become a reality. LEGO Ink, Flickr Now, one of the items we've all been waiting for...the pizza shooter! This element cound have made 7598-1: Pizza Plante Truck Rescue incredibly less complicated, and potentially cheaper. Though I guess you would have lost the top-feed pizza magazine, but I digress. I don't know who is behind the functionality of the new, long missile things, the stud guns, or this tile cannon, but they have made an art of plastic reacting appropriatly to friction. It may be just me. I'm not expecting a childs toy to shoot more than 12 inches. It says, on the box, that children's eyes don't agree with projectiles, so I think that LEGO is somewhat wise to limit their propulsion systems. To adults, its not the firecrcker we would hope to have. To kids, it shoots better than anything I ever had. The other thing that gets me is it's design. It's not some multi-pieced element that went through an assembly to be able to shoot, it's got no moving parts. While I could only guess at the number of mould breaks this thing has, it's a single injection, [highly] modified 1x4 Brick. And the potential uses go far beyond shooting. Looking at it again, if placed sideways, I imagine it to be a beautiful vent system or possibly a window. LEGO Ink, Flickr LEGO Ink, Flickr Upon completion, we have an ice [pizza] cannon, two fortification walls, three warriors, extra ammunition for BOTH firing weapons, and tribal identification. The only other thing they'd need for continued encampment is food. Then again, the one fella does have empty ribs. LEGO Ink, Flickr Ballast - Nothing fancy, but always useful. LEGO Ink, Flickr As a conclusion, I hope you all have enjoyed this overview, as much as I've enjoyed switching themes. I love my CITY, but I saw this box and didn't hesitate for a moment on the decision to buy it. - For a battle pack, this set [as I imagine the others will as well] includes a surprising amount of interest and value. - $$ = 5/5 - $9.99 for three mini-mals, but with the added value of play features, or spare parts. - Play Features = 5/5 - Two friction fire systems and additional weapons. - As this is my first review, I'm not sure what else to judge on, but I am thoroughly enjoying it, and my kids have not hesitated in making sure it's well used.

Thanks! --I had hoped to cover some of those gaps as well. In trying different solutions using 2x4 Wedge, Plates (and the like) I found that the resulting gaps were still intrusive, or the increased thickness of tiles and plates was just a bit more than I felt looked right. --It's mostly been a work endeavor, but there's a slight personal significance as well. I'm currently employed at an interactive children's museum, and was responsible for developing a program where we build a custom LEGO model every month. Similar to what you'd find at a LEGO Store, or Holiday TRU, but I design them specifically for our facility to incorporate local history, points of interest, etc. There's an annual festival where folks from all over the state build replica batteau and spend a week navigating downriver, and the start point is in the calm of the river just down the street from our museum. My parents were participants many years ago and, as a child, I would get to ride along for a day or two. Back to your original question: being surrounded by the event every year, it seemed only natural to encourage our museum guests to engage in the history with a minifig scale model. Our CEO liked the concept so much, I was commissioned to build the larger model as seen. Any of the other sets listed under the LEGO Lynchburg folder of my flickr are part of that same program.

Greetings! This is my first post to the historic forum, as I usually build CITY or Misc, and I just wanted to give something older, and larger, a try. This MOC is a representation of a river batteau (Ba-toe), commonly used on the eastern regions of the colonial United States. Batteaux were used to transport goods, primarily tobacco, along the various river routes from plantations. For this particular project, I chose MINILAND Scale. This scale provided more opportunity for detail, as well as a simple solution to a shallow draft, yet wide, base to start on. There are some very unique techniques I wanted to develop for myself, including successfully building 'Studs-In'. The hogshead barrels are built to the appropriate scale using this technique, and can be completely self contained/sturdy without the rubber band, which is simply aesthetics for the steel banding. As this was only my second attempt at building MINILAND figure(s), completing the batteaumen would effectively grow my ML population four-fold and so each one was designed with his own characteristics. The legs, torso, and head are different for each one. Enjoy, and feel free to check out the rest of the album here! And here's a Minifig Scale MOC I did about a year and a half ago:

Thanks, everyone! I updated the post today to include a video of the turning components in action. Realized that didn't make it into the original cut, but it's also on the Flickr set, which is here.

Thanks for all the feedback! LEGO Guy Bri, the blade does rotate as well as tilt. There's a combined screen shot here. When at the vertical position there's only a 1 plate difference between the two settings, which is still enough clearance for regular travel. If you wanted more, it can be tilted forward even further and positioned a little flatter to make it over larger objects.

This set was originally commissioned by my father-in-law. His father used to drive a grader in his former years, and it was kind of a tribute to him and myself, as well, to get started building. I designed it about three years ago on LDD, and made all the current modifications while tinkering with excess yellow parts. The particular one you see is Version 3.2, as I've made several changes: - the central beam is more structural and it doesn't fold - lateral articulation points behind the blade are stronger and have a greater range of movement - the carriage holding the blade and turntable have been lowered to give a more disengaged feel. The whole body would fit under the 6-Wide category for the most part, although the front beam is 2-Wide and the engine compartment is 4-Wide. The entire Grader is 28 studs long (and true to form) the blade is almost half that length, at 12 studs wide. As a realistic detail, the turntable is positioned in such a way that the blade can be up, and turned to stay within the wheel-base, 9 studs wide. Feel free to check out the rest!

As for this particular truck, it's modeled on the common 6-wide vehicles, and rolls in at a nice 36 studs long. Features include: - Cab & Tiller compartment for two firemen to sit - Extendable ladder, capable of a wide range of heights, including the top roof of the Green Grocer. - Ladder turntable has an undisturbed 360* degree range at most heights. - High output nozzle integrated onto ladder, capable of spraying in various directions. - Storage compartments/areas for air masks, oxygen tanks, utility saw & extra blade, an axe, large pry-bar, large roadside reflectors/hazard lights, and hydrant hoses! - Each side of the rig also has a capped side tank fill valve. ...and more! Hook & Ladder trucks have long been a staple for fire departments all across the world. While working through this design one of the most common design issues that was targeted, and that was deciding how to make the back end serve a 'real' tiller capacity. There have been several good attempts for minifig scale, and even more for larger scale MOCs, but this is the first that I believe successfully addresses what an actual tiller truck and driver are needed for. In our LEGO Town, we have lots of great trucks sent our way from Billund. While there is a certain amount of imagination needed to successfully navigate your town with these trucks, it came as an idea to see if the 'what if' could be taken out. While the back end does not entirely resemble a modern tiller truck/hook & ladder, the design that came out adds a bit of the character and imagination that we've come to know from LEGO. Through some ingenuity and patience the back end rotates counter to the cab and is held steady while completing a successful turn. This is NOT just a swivel end that leaves room for turning, but the mechanism is designed to take the back end around most corners/obstacles you could come across. Especially, say, a 32 X 32 base-plate w/ curve. Now the LEGO Firemen can travel with a little more ease. Also, here's a video of the truck in action, making its way 'round some tight corners. Video!

Thanks! I'm definitely the WALL-E part of the relationship: collecting random things, organizing them, building new things. I had considered making him bigger, but the extra plate threw it off just enough to look weird. WALL-E is pretty squat anyway, so if the skates had yellow in the middle, visually the colors would even out.

I was going through, building some new collectable minifigs, and came across what could be one of the most versatile new elements this year. The roller skate is flat on the back with a lip on the front, allowing for two different aspects of a vehicle to be created. Start playing around with parts similar to this, and we've now opened up a whole new world of tiny. Feel free to check out more uses!