Those magazines with Lego included.

[Agent Kallus]

Available across Europe (and beyond?) there are these magazines with little lego builds, be it a small creator polybag, a Jurassic world baby raptor nest, a jetpack with batman or a ninjago minifigure.

I though they merited a discussion of their own!

 

 

And I have a question? Is there somewhere that reliably keeps track of what's available now (and for how long) and what's coming next?

[williejm]

Nice idea! 
I’m in U.K., and often pick up the ones with interesting figures or builds, especially the superheroes. I have to admit my knowledge on what is available when is really shonky … I don’t know if maybe they are announced /trailed better in continental Europe as I seem to see people sharing info from there earliest. 
 

[Johnny1360]

Every time I see those at the bookstore, they usually have been stripped of all LEGO. Rotten thieves.

[MAB]

https://brickset.com/sets/subtheme-Magazine-Gift

Brickset keeps track of the sets / bags.

There is not really much to discuss about the magazines. Most of them are fairly generic comic-type magazines. Some puzzles, a couple of stories, advertising, often a simple game like pairs that you can cut out and that is about it. The better ones as actual magazines are the "Explorer" ones. Each one is based around a theme and encourages kids to build around that theme, with both the Creator polybag they get and bricks from their own collection.

The real reason for buying them (as adults) is usually the "free" set. Especially when they do gifts like Cloud City Luke...

[teljesnegyzet]

In Hungary we have Explorer by publisher Egmont, and Friends, Ninjago, Ninjago Legacy, Batman, City, Star Wars, Avengers, Jurassic World, and Minecraft by publisher Blue Ocean.

Egmont has a nice list of the Explorer issues (in Hungarian): http://egmont.hu/magazinok/Lego-Explorer

Unfortunately, Blue Ocean doesn't seem to have a similar list.

Edited May 24, 2022 by teljesnegyzet

[Agent Kallus]

3 hours ago, MAB said:

https://brickset.com/sets/subtheme-Magazine-Gift

Brickset keeps track of the sets / bags.

There is not really much to discuss about the magazines. Most of them are fairly generic comic-type magazines. Some puzzles, a couple of stories, advertising, often a simple game like pairs that you can cut out and that is about it. The better ones as actual magazines are the "Explorer" ones. Each one is based around a theme and encourages kids to build around that theme, with both the Creator polybag they get and bricks from their own collection.

The real reason for buying them (as adults) is usually the "free" set. Especially when they do gifts like Cloud City Luke...

 

 

Not to be snide but I thought it was obvious that I was talking about the magazine as mostly a vehicle for the included lego.

And whilst brickset does keep track of what it exist, that doesn't really tell you when to find them, which is the important part.

 

 

[TeriXeri]

It varies per country, different countries have different languages and publishers, and even different types of packaging.

I noticed for Netherlands (Meis&Maas Publisher) City got fewer magazines since I believe last year, so instead of getting 12 I think there's only 6 now, so not everything listed on Brickset is guaranteed in each country.

Also release dates of what miniset seem to vary per country as well.

Edited May 24, 2022 by TeriXeri

[Peppermint_M]

Newsstand.co.uk is handy for the UK information, they sell subscriptions globally also. 

As for availability in store in the UK? Most supermarkets, WHSmith's, your local newsagent... The list is endless and the stock depends on the size of the shop. I found the TESCO local to me has all of them, but the little TESCO Express didn't. The only time it truly matters is some shops get an exclusive bonus set so will have two foil bags (or even a foil bag and a polybag!) so it is worth a shop around to see if which of the Big Name supermarkets might have any.

My family shop around for groceries anyway, (and I am the driver) so I visit all the different ones regularly enough. You just might have to weigh up cost/convenience with desire for the sets that are exclusive. 

[MAB]

5 hours ago, Agent Kallus said:

And whilst brickset does keep track of what it exist, that doesn't really tell you when to find them, which is the important part.

 

Read the relevant thread on the brickset forum, all the details about upcoming ones are there. Or pick one off the shelf each month and look at the back. They often say what is coming with the next issue of that theme.

Edited May 24, 2022 by MAB

[Mylenium]

18 hours ago, Agent Kallus said:

And I have a question? Is there somewhere that reliably keeps track of what's available now (and for how long) and what's coming next?

I regularly review the German editions of several magazines on my blog:

https://myleniumsbrickcorner.wordpress.com/category/news/magazines/

It just has become a bit more difficult lately with release dates being shuffled around a lot and not all of the magazines always being available at my local newsstand.

Mylenium

[Toastie]

13 hours ago, Mylenium said:

I regularly review the German editions of several magazines on my blog

Wow!!!

Really impressive - I was not aware of that - that is really nice. Actually, I browse these magazines every time when shopping at (the remaining) real,- stores, book stores, ALDI, Netto - they have them close to the entrance or check-outs. Which is a bit arbitrary.

Very nice! Thanks a lot for doing this!

Best regards,
Thorsten

 

[Peppermint_M]

20 minutes ago, Toastie said:

Which is a bit arbitrary

"Mummy! Mummy, this magazine has free LEGO!" Pester power at its finest. Kids might not browse the newsstand section but will all enter the shop and have to wait at the checkout!

I am certainly guilty of grabbing one on impulse.

[Toastie]

1 minute ago, Peppermint_M said:

I am certainly guilty of grabbing one on impulse.

Oh yes, for sure. Me too

I don't get the next to the entrance shelf position though - good for me - lots of time for browsing - particularly the sedimented samples at the bottom :D

Best,
Thorsten

[Lion King]

Is it called “Lego Life Magazine” now? It seems it’s available in USA.

[MAB]

12 hours ago, Lion King said:

Is it called “Lego Life Magazine” now? It seems it’s available in USA.

No. That is different.  These are comics / magazines aimed at kids and usually based on single themes - they have done Star Wars, City, Friends, Ninjago, Jurassic World, etc. They are all expensive for a comic but come with a 'free' small bagged set (and sometimes a proper polybag) on the cover. Every so often they come with two 'free' bags but the price is higher when that happens.

I don't think I have ever bought one on impulse but have bought them as a way to get minifigs from expensive sets. Cloud City Luke is probably the best example of that.

[Lion King]

7 hours ago, MAB said:

No. That is different.  These are comics / magazines aimed at kids and usually based on single themes - they have done Star Wars, City, Friends, Ninjago, Jurassic World, etc. They are all expensive for a comic but come with a 'free' small bagged set (and sometimes a proper polybag) on the cover. Every so often they come with two 'free' bags but the price is higher when that happens.

I don't think I have ever bought one on impulse but have bought them as a way to get minifigs from expensive sets. Cloud City Luke is probably the best example of that.

Thanks. I can’t believe those magazines with polybags only available in Europe but not somehwere else.