REVIEW: 71021 LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 18

[koalayummies]

1 hour ago, fred67 said:

Wow.  Just.... well... it explains the expressions on their faces, I suppose.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was caught off guard with that. Had to make sure I didn't get a redirect. Yup, still Eurobricks.

[Itaria No Shintaku]

Thanks SO much again for this review. It was perfect to understand what the parts look like. I know have better ideas.
These are the best reviews on minifigures you can find online.
Thanks SO much.

[WhiteFang]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments. I can see most of us are feeling excited with these new Series 18. I had also done some updates with my reviews including scanning high resolution of the CMFs poster (front and back) as well as the minifigure packet (front and back). Those images are already updated on the review. In addition, I have also done a few more images which had already embedded in this review. Hope you like them as well, including taking an overall photo of new parts/molds design in this series. I believe this will serve as a good overview of those new parts and hopefully I had captured it accurately. 

New molds/parts design

Reporting for duty

20 hours ago, Tom Bombadil said:

@WhiteFang thanks for the fun to read review.

I am looking forward to this non-licensed cmf series.  Also glad I am not the only one who noticed the naughty references.  March Harriet should be in the cake photos!  :p

You are indeed naughty indeed to be the first few to notice it. I didn't think of inviting March Harriet into the photo though.  

20 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

I love the race-car guy. He comes complete with the Rocket Racer logo from the popular LEGO Racers video games. 

Thanks Peppy! I didn't know about this reference and it is really cool to see the old LEGO Racers video games being featured in the CMFs. 

20 hours ago, DrasticPlastic said:

The consistent lack of back torso printing continues to annoy me...

It is not a norm for all minifigures in the CMFs to have back printing in all minifigures production. Until, we see a rampart back printing across all themes and for now, we have to live with those that the designers had chosen to include back printing. 

17 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Also, I noticed the picture with all the costumed CMFs is missing the S14 Skeleton Guy and the S17 Rocket Boy

Finally, @WhiteFang could you take a pic of the brick costume but with the short red legs, please? 

I had totally forgotten about Rocket Boy. There are so many of them and likewise for Skeleton Guy as well even though he is semi costume on my listing. Here's the brick costume with short legs, 

You need to see our leader

17 hours ago, sunhuntin said:

Can you please put a photo up with a short leg fig in the car? I am thinking it might work as an old school pedal car. Thanks in advance.

Hope you like it and without the legs, it make a fine micro racers as well. Just that you need a locking plate to secure the bottom. 

Wacky Racers

16 hours ago, Missing Brick said:

Thanks for the great review as always.

I find this series a bit too zany for my liking. I prefer the traditional mix of figs: mostly everyday professions plus a couple of historical figs, sci-fi and maybe one or two comedic fancy-dress figs.  That way you can build up a good library of fig parts for use in your own mocs.  A whole series of very specialised fancy dress figs is a bit too much of one thing.

Same as you are, I prefer traditional mix but this aren't so bad when it is not completely over specialised. I felt there are many great and fun uses for these minifigures and it is not as restrictive as other theme based like the Halloween, for example. 

16 hours ago, Borex said:

Whitefang, would you maybe make a picture of the carnivore plant in the new flowerpot mould? I am not a fan of the flower suit, but i really think the flowerpot could make the carnivore plant even better. 

Done and hope you like it. 

Plants vs Zombies

15 hours ago, Feng-huang0296 said:

Also, could you put up a photo of the cake part from the top? I want to know if bricks could be put in it to make it anormal cake. 

I don't recommend it unless you wish a 1x2 brick inside the cake permanently. I don't dare to try but it can't fit smoothly unless I apply some force onto it which I am very sure it will stuck at the end of it. 

14 hours ago, Hive said:

This is probably the worst CMF series yet. Not a single figure I'd consider.

But great review, as always!

Like Robert8 had mentioned, there are other unpopular series worst than Series 18, *ahem* Simpsons 2... 

13 hours ago, Dragonator said:

Awesome review as always Fangy, thanks for your efforts!!  I love the dragon costume, can't wait to get several.   And that unicorn guy has a very cool shield.

Draggy, you ought to get it to represent the true Dragon Master!  

9 hours ago, fred67 said:

I have to agree.  Having one or two costumed figures is enough for laughs.  We've had enough.  Unless you're making a LEGO Costume Ball, I don't see the point in this series.  I liked when it was one or two sci-fi figures, one or two sports figures, one or two "worker" type figures, one or two historical figures, one or two mythological figures, etc., maybe with a couple of costumes or other "creatures" (Zombie, anyone?).  Releasing CMFs in themed waves makes it easier to just skip, IMO.

I had that thought before, of skipping a whole specialised theme. I agreed that having a few costume characters like one or two in a traditional series will suffice. With these loud mixture of costume characters across all genres (not just City), I thought is quite a nice idea to have them altogether to brainstorm the best possible costume characters in a series. Or probably, I am deprived of traditional CMFs series since Series 17 and it had been one long year to see Series 18 appearing in the market. 

9 hours ago, Actor Builder said:

Is it possible we could get a picture of the horse costume dude riding a horse?

Hope you like it. 

New cowboy in town

7 hours ago, Robert8 said:

They didn't do it because they can't. The arms couldn't be moved due to the width of the 2x3 brick. Place a 2x3 brick over a minifigure torso to see what I'm talking about

Also, with a 2x4 brick costume, the minifigure could barely move the legs

Yes, exactly. 

[Digger of Bricks]

15 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Even worse than Simpsons 2 or Batman Movie 2?

To answer that question myself, I'd slot Series 18 into the "useful for parts dustbin" alongside the Simpsons and other licensed lines, as at least most of their complete CMFs offer something salvagable. If you're into archetypes that complement Classic themes, what really do most these guys have to offer you as a whole? 

44 minutes ago, WhiteFang said:

Reporting for duty

OK, that is kinda funny. 

51 minutes ago, WhiteFang said:

New cowboy in town

Nice! 

[Juxtapoisson]

I'm assuming the reason for all the costumes and party themes is the celebration of the 40th anniversary.

If that's the case I can live with what I feel is a weak set.

I love the cactus and the flower pot, and enjoy the spider.  I like the surprise cake for the wrong reason.  The brick people are a great idea.  

 

Certainly many of the other characters have impressed me with their design and detail.  But I don't expect to get any of the others....maybe the dragon.

I wish the clown were more popular, I certainly don't want it.

And thank you for the review.

[summicron]

Wow the reception for this set is really positive. Wish I'd fancy it but this is the CMF set which has disappointed me most.

There's variety in previous CMFs. At least one or two minifigs from previous CMF sets made my wanted list. Minifigs I've been able to use for my favourite themes. But this costume theme has absolutely nothing for me apart from a few accessories in new mold.

On the plus side, I've got more money saved for the next rumored CMF, Harry Potter.

Last of all, and this really makes me mad. I'm really disgusted with that single policeman in an entire box of CMF! Don't bloody do that in future CMF.

[Hive]

18 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Even worse than Simpsons 2 or Batman Movie 2?

Perhaps tied with both Simpsons series - but even the Batman junk was better than this...

[Borex]

Plants vs zombies lol

thanks @WhiteFang!

now i just know i definitely need one of the flowergirls too! 

Also nice to see all those extra requests in your funny photostyle :-D!

[Good Old Dude]

The best one(for me) is Classic police officer.

[Nantucketdink]

Most fun set ever as costumes are our favorites.  Definitely getting a whole box.  Splurging and opening a whole box with your loved ones is a great experience.

I think the single cop is marketing genius.  More people than ever will bite the bullet to buy a whole box.  They need to do it more.

[1Panda]

22 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Even worse than Simpsons 2 or Batman Movie 2?

There is no series worse then Simpson’s series 2 . 

[Lordofdragonss]

Imo it's good series (I LOVE THE DRAGON GUY)  and all but that price...

[AmperZand]

Like I always say: A CMF series ain't a CMF series until @WhiteFang has reviewed it! Thanks very much Fangy for yet another great review and set of photographs. Really appreciated. 

A few questions if I may:

Is spider boy's torso's back plain black? I don't mean the arachnid part, I mean the human torso.

Are you sure the clown's balloons are ABS? I suspect they're polycarbonate like most trans LEGO parts.

Is the cactus girl's outfit BrickLink green?

And the flower girl's torso BrickLink bright green?

If possible, can you please post a picture of the dragon suit guy with the dragon from Dragon Mountain to which you refer? If you don't have that dragon and want to send me a dragon suit guy, I can take the picture instead! I can't promise to return the dragon suit guy. 

Incidentally, I'm not sure the soft parts will eventually go sticky. None of my LEGO soft parts have gone sticky despite some being over 20 years old. In contrast, some toys I have that are other brands that have been kept in the same conditions as my LEGO have become sticky. The stickiness can be eliminated for a time by smearing the part in isopropyl alcohol or alcohol-based hand sanitiser such as Cuticura. When the stickiness eventually returns, simply repeat.   

 

 

[zoth33]

My oldest son made a brick costume for Halloween a couple of years ago.  I think their are some great figs in this series especially the dragon.  Great review WhiteFang.  

[MAB]

I wonder why they have decided to flip the leaflet around, from portrait to landscape. For anyone that displays these, there is now an inconsistency.

[WhiteFang]

Thanks guys for your thoughts and comments. It is certainly great to know what you felt towards this series, be it positive or negative. You are entitled to your opinion. 

21 hours ago, Juxtapoisson said:

I'm assuming the reason for all the costumes and party themes is the celebration of the 40th anniversary.

That's an interesting assumption and certainly sounds probable. 

19 hours ago, summicron said:

On the plus side, I've got more money saved for the next rumored CMF, Harry Potter.

Last of all, and this really makes me mad. I'm really disgusted with that single policeman in an entire box of CMF! Don't bloody do that in future CMF.

I sincerely hope the upcoming rumour would also live up to our expectations as well. To tied it up, this single Policeman does somehow coincide with the Highway Man fiesta in Series 17 which was exactly a year ago. It could be part of their extended promotional marketing efforts at the expense of the distribution ratio. 

16 hours ago, Nantucketdink said:

I think the single cop is marketing genius.  More people than ever will bite the bullet to buy a whole box.  They need to do it more.

Yes, it will definitely boost box sales! But I don't encourage them to do it more. 

10 hours ago, AmperZand said:

Is spider boy's torso's back plain black? I don't mean the arachnid part, I mean the human torso.

Are you sure the clown's balloons are ABS? I suspect they're polycarbonate like most trans LEGO parts.

Is the cactus girl's outfit BrickLink green?

And the flower girl's torso BrickLink bright green?

If possible, can you please post a picture of the dragon suit guy with the dragon from Dragon Mountain to which you refer? If you don't have that dragon and want to send me a dragon suit guy, I can take the picture instead! I can't promise to return the dragon suit guy. 

Incidentally, I'm not sure the soft parts will eventually go sticky. None of my LEGO soft parts have gone sticky despite some being over 20 years old. In contrast, some toys I have that are other brands that have been kept in the same conditions as my LEGO have become sticky. The stickiness can be eliminated for a time by smearing the part in isopropyl alcohol or alcohol-based hand sanitiser such as Cuticura. When the stickiness eventually returns, simply repeat.   

Thanks AmperZand for sharing. The Spider Boy torso contained back printing which somehow evade me. Cactus Girl is green, while Flower Girl is bright green based on the provided links/resources. My Dragon Mountain is currently MSIB and kept away but I will certainly see to it on how I can bring that photo forward without the need to send you one.  

Come to think of it, I believe the balloon dogs are more like poly-carbonate as you described. It was certainly hard like acrylic? Not the best way to describe what I actually meant on the materials department. Interesting point on the sticky issue and eliminating it. I was not aware of that proposed solution and would certainly like to try it out as well on my other gone-sticky rubbery parts. 

[q_159]

Thank you for the awesome review! It's always a pleasure to read and helps me to decide whether I buy those figures or not.

On 10.3.2018 at 4:17 PM, WhiteFang said:

 

Parts assortment


The parts assortment are outstanding especially with the design of the horse costume and quite similar to the new horse design. Please do note that the horse is made up of slightly soft ABS plastic and it is likely to be sticky due to over course of time, so please do take care of it. You can view more of the details from the all rounded view inclusive of front side and back view. 

 

Is this torso Dark Turquoise [BL] / 107 Bright Bluish Green [Lego] / Teal?

[AmperZand]

41 minutes ago, WhiteFang said:

Thanks AmperZand for sharing. The Spider Boy torso contained back printing which somehow evade me. Cactus Girl is green, while Flower Girl is bright green based on the provided links/resources. My Dragon Mountain is currently MSIB and kept away but I will certainly see to it on how I can bring that photo forward without the need to send you one.  

Thanks very much for your replies, Fangy . What does the spider boy's human torso back printing look like? Can you please post a picture?

[Hobbythom]

The hairdo of the Birhtday Boy is a fine start for a tintin figure.

[WhiteFang]

Thanks guys for your comments! 

2 hours ago, q_159 said:

Is this torso Dark Turquoise [BL] / 107 Bright Bluish Green [Lego] / Teal?

The cowboy is more towards teal colour. I am quite certain of it. 

2 hours ago, AmperZand said:

Thanks very much for your replies, Fangy . What does the spider boy's human torso back printing look like? Can you please post a picture?

Sure thing. Freshly out of oven and image is placed as link in the review under parts assortment in Spider Suit Boy. 

1 hour ago, Hobbythom said:

The hairdo of the Birhtday Boy is a fine start for a tintin figure.

Excellent thought. It could definitely be a suiting hairpiece for Tintin. 

[AmperZand]

4 hours ago, WhiteFang said:

Sure thing. Freshly out of oven and image is placed as link in the review under parts assortment in Spider Suit Boy. 

Thank you, Fangy. You're a star! ⭐

[LegoModularFan]

Very fun review, don’t know who can vote your reviews “little  helpful and useful”! Great to see how much time and effort you put on your reviews, really appreciated! 

This is definitely my favorite series BTW. Love all the accessories coming with the minifigs! My favorite is the Party Clown followed by the Unicorn Knigdom, Classic Police Officer and Cowboy Costume Guy.

[Steampunk Sheriff]

Howdy! Fantastic review as always. Could I trouble you for a group shot of all the western minifigures released so far?

[Robert8]

Thanks for the pic WhiteFang. Looks very useful 

Edited March 14, 2018 by Robert8

[alex54]

Thanks for this detailed review!

This series is not my favourite one, even if there are some nice figs.

I don't find a general cfeeling about those figs, some are in the costume theme, when some other are not really.

By the way, I really like the new mouse, which looks really cute!