Building Gotham

[Batbrick]

Hello there citizens of EB! Some of you may remember some of my past Bat buildings I've made, such as the Gotham Police Station (heavily modified 2005 set):

Or my Iceberg Lounge:

Of course now with Interactive Apocalypse finished and Interactive Supervillain not set to debut for a bit, I plan on furthering my Gotham project. Right now in fact, I'm hard at work making Wayne Manor.

I'd like you to help me though, since there are still many famous locations to go. What would be a good building or place to create next? Should it be a villain base? Etc.

Here's what I'm thinking so far as general thoughts go:

Poison Ivy's Greenhouse

Mr.Freeze's Laboratory

Arkham Asylum (A rebuilt, better one)

Generic Gotham building

Joker's hideout

I'm sure there are more that I can't remember, but I'd be really happy to listen to any suggestions.

Also what I'd love is some general building tips to go with suggestions. Like neat Lego tricks or pieces that would go well and such. Or perhaps a picture of something already constructed that could be helpful. Anything really would be appreciated, thanks.

Batbrick Away!

[Spyder]

I would love to see a Joker's hideout, TDK style.

If not a jokers hideout, then most definitely Mr. Freezes Laboratory.

[Batbrick]

I would love to see a Joker's hideout, TDK style.

If not a jokers hideout, then most definitely Mr. Freezes Laboratory.

What do you mean TDK style? The only hideout I recall the joker having in that movie is the tanker, which was very plain.

To the Batbrickmobile!

[Natman8000]

What do you mean TDK style? The only hideout I recall the joker having in that movie is the tanker, which was very plain.

To the Batbrickmobile!

Maybe he means the hideout with all the mafia guys (where he sticks a pencil up a guy's nose) that would be a really cool moc.

[Spyder]

What do you mean TDK style?

To the Batbrickmobile!

I mean The Dark Knight style. A hideout that is dirty, grimy, very realistic, not cartoony, something that the Heath Ledger Joker would like. (You can tell I'm a Dark Knight fan, can't you? )

where he sticks a pencil up a guy's nose

*slaps forehead* That makes alot of sense now. I always thought it would be hard to stab through his skull with a pencil. Wow, I'm stupid.

Edited June 22, 2009 by Spyder

[Natman8000]

*slaps forehead* That makes alot of sense now. I always thought it would be hard to stab through his skull with a pencil. Wow, I'm stupid.

Are you serious (why so?)

Hey BatBirck, can you recreate that? I think that could be a scene you put in the moc if you make it.

[Emperor Claudius Rome]

Yeah, a Joker hideout. Maybe you can make a custom Heath Ledger joker Fig

[Oky]

I would love to see a good Mr. Freeze Lab or a B:TAS-style Joker hideout, as in a deserted carnival site or toy factory.

The Freeze Lab could be the oil rig from Sub Zero!

Edited June 22, 2009 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[Spyder]

I would love to see a good Mr. Freeze Lab or a B:TAS-style Joker hideout, as in a deserted carnival site or toy factory.

The Freeze Lab could be the oil rig from Sub Zero!

A toy factory would be very nice.

I have seen Sub Zero many times, and I don't really think that the oily rig is really Mr. Freezy enough. Just my opinion. Maybe you could make his "lair" in an iceberg, or on a snowy mountain?

[Batbrick]

I mean The Dark Knight style. A hideout that is dirty, grimy, very realistic, not cartoony, something that the Heath Ledger Joker would like. (You can tell I'm a Dark Knight fan, can't you? )

Hey BatBirck, can you recreate that? I think that could be a scene you put in the moc if you make it.

Yeah, a Joker hideout. Maybe you can make a custom Heath Ledger joker Fig

Just to clarify guys: I am not making creations based on the movies, no steeped in heavy realism.

I really liked The Dark Knight, but I hate the rampant obsession with grim'n'gritty and realism it has resulted in. The creations I make will be more fantastical.

I would love to see a good Mr. Freeze Lab or a B:TAS-style Joker hideout, as in a deserted carnival site or toy factory.

The Freeze Lab could be the oil rig from Sub Zero!

A toy factory would be very nice.

I have seen Sub Zero many times, and I don't really think that the oily rig is really Mr. Freezy enough. Just my opinion. Maybe you could make his "lair" in an iceberg, or on a snowy mountain?

Thanks guys, I like these ideas, though an oil rig would be too big for me to make.

Batbrick Away!

[Pellaeon]

Batman: The Animated Series did plenty of Joker hideouts over the years, I'm sure you could find pictures online. Candy factories, implausibly large toy stores, stuff like that. A Poison Ivy greenhouse could also be pretty awesome, but you'd need an awful lot of plants. Something like a rural farmhouse-style hideout might be easier... The Animated Series did a few of those, too. You could have her growing those evil pumpkins they made for Scarecrow.

Besides those, I really like the idea of a lab for Mr. Freeze. Other locations might be a sewer for Croc, a seedy bar or nightclub (maybe one for Two-face?), and warehouses and docks... the action always seems to be at the docks.

I mean The Dark Knight style. A hideout that is dirty, grimy, very realistic, not cartoony, something that the Heath Ledger Joker would like. (You can tell I'm a Dark Knight fan, can't you? )

*slaps forehead* That makes alot of sense now. I always thought it would be hard to stab through his skull with a pencil. Wow, I'm stupid.

As a gruesome aside: I'm pretty sure he takes it through the eye. He definitely hits the table face-down.

[The Penguin]

Well there are some really great ideas here, Batbrick! ) But my choice would be some generic gotham buildings. )

It's always hard to create anything in a proper classical Gotham style, so I guess that might really be a challenge. I myself started making some (if you remember), but soon ran out of bricks.... ) So I guess I nice, well-desighned building would be really lovely to see. )

Good day, gentlemen! )

[Righteous Squid]

It makes your head spin trying to work out where to start doesn't it - there are too many essential buildings or locations.

At the moment I'm collecting pieces for several buildings as I intend to make a Gotham street or square.

So far I have constructed a prototype bank and started on Joker's abandoned carnival (some pics to be posted later)

Mr Freeze's lab will be integrated into the street as a cyro-lab (Space Police will be useful there). Poison Ivy's greenhouse at present is planned for the roof of the museum. I anticipate the arrival of two sets of Sentai Tower to start work on my Asian Crime Syndicate restaurant/club.

I also want to include a hotel, police headquarters, Wayne-Tech building, maybe a town hall, even an opera house ... the list goes on

In the distant future I would like to add a monorail.

As far as architectural styling goes I haven't quite worked it out - I want a mix of furturistic and retro with the slight crazy overthetoppness that gives gotham its character. I certainly will be looking to the Burton films for inspiration rather than the Nolan ones - which, for me, lack the character that defines the city of Gotham. At the same time I have my own ideas and as usual will let the pieces guide me. I have no idea how long it will take...

All in all then I think stand alone buildings are great ideas but for me at least to really get a sense of the gothamness of gotham you need to have a street.

However you have to start somewhere so wherever you start I look forward to seeing it.

By the way, loved your iceberg lounge. Do you still have it together and will you integrate it into your Gotham?

[Batbrick]

Batman: The Animated Series did plenty of Joker hideouts over the years, I'm sure you could find pictures online. Candy factories, implausibly large toy stores, stuff like that. A Poison Ivy greenhouse could also be pretty awesome, but you'd need an awful lot of plants. Something like a rural farmhouse-style hideout might be easier... The Animated Series did a few of those, too. You could have her growing those evil pumpkins they made for Scarecrow.

Besides those, I really like the idea of a lab for Mr. Freeze. Other locations might be a sewer for Croc, a seedy bar or nightclub (maybe one for Two-face?), and warehouses and docks... the action always seems to be at the docks.

Thanks mate, great ideas there. I do indeed have an awful amount of plant pieces salvaged form a heap of Indy and Castle sets so a Poison Ivy greenhouse could be cool.

And awesome idea for a sewer for Croc, ingenious! I reckon I'll make a city street, with that going under it or something. And agreed on the docks, that would also be very juicy.

Well there are some really great ideas here, Batbrick! ) But my choice would be some generic gotham buildings. )

It's always hard to create anything in a proper classical Gotham style, so I guess that might really be a challenge. I myself started making some (if you remember), but soon ran out of bricks.... ) So I guess I nice, well-desighned building would be really lovely to see. )

Thanks friend, I think I will hold off a generic building until I have more bricks, so I can make a street, with a couple of generics and one known one like Oracle's watchtower or something.

It makes your head spin trying to work out where to start doesn't it - there are too many essential buildings or locations.

At the moment I'm collecting pieces for several buildings as I intend to make a Gotham street or square.

So far I have constructed a prototype bank and started on Joker's abandoned carnival (some pics to be posted later)

Mr Freeze's lab will be integrated into the street as a cyro-lab (Space Police will be useful there). Poison Ivy's greenhouse at present is planned for the roof of the museum. I anticipate the arrival of two sets of Sentai Tower to start work on my Asian Crime Syndicate restaurant/club.

I also want to include a hotel, police headquarters, Wayne-Tech building, maybe a town hall, even an opera house ... the list goes on

In the distant future I would like to add a monorail.

As far as architectural styling goes I haven't quite worked it out - I want a mix of furturistic and retro with the slight crazy overthetoppness that gives gotham its character. I certainly will be looking to the Burton films for inspiration rather than the Nolan ones - which, for me, lack the character that defines the city of Gotham. At the same time I have my own ideas and as usual will let the pieces guide me. I have no idea how long it will take...

All in all then I think stand alone buildings are great ideas but for me at least to really get a sense of the gothamness of gotham you need to have a street.

However you have to start somewhere so wherever you start I look forward to seeing it.

By the way, loved your iceberg lounge. Do you still have it together and will you integrate it into your Gotham?

Wow! Thanks a heap Righteous Squid! I really want to make a bank, so perhaps that might go on a future street design. A Mr.Freeze lab for me is pretty much essential, and I like your Crime Syndicate idea. Wayne Tech I'll certainly hold off until I have a truckload of bricks though.

I agree with you too, Gotham in Lego needs a good Gotham feel, though I'm glad mine will be different from yours, as I look forward to seeing our comparisons.

As for my Iceberg Lounge, thanks, I still have it together yes and it will certainly feature.

Batbrick Away!