Fritzy

So how come there's no sign of the sets from this next wave like other themes? :S

I should have guessed we were in for a vehicle-heavy wave, but I'm still bummed that there's no sighting of a villain HQ -- or any building-type playset for that matter. That said, these look stellar for an action theme, and the inclusion of Power Bricks will surely add value to the sets that feature them. The smallest set looks pretty meaty, all considered, and balanced in its feature list. Stealth Bike Chase doesn't seem to have a strong composition for a $20 set, and it's the only one of the bunch that doesn't inspire as much enthusiasm. I'd be interested to learn if the mechanisms on the bike are in any way similar to Tremor's set from the first wave. Definitely reminds me of the Space Police line (speaking as an onlooker) -- I wonder if that was the intent. The Diamond Job set is a stand-out with its Technic elements and the interesting play feature (which looks to be the next cut above the Tremor set in its construction). My favourite in the bunch. 4x4 Agent Patrol is an intriguing one: Toxikita returns and gets her own mech, while the agents get a bulky quad that may overshadow Toxikita's weaponry. And then the "ultimate" set from this wave: I'll need to get a better look at the copter, as I'm not thoroughly convinced about it. I will say it may be serving a strategic role in the scheme of things, obviously for the immediate confrontation but also to balance out aerial supremacy (which at this point still belongs to the villains). But on the whole, the wave certainly carries the ambition seen in the first wave, but there's something striking about these iterations. I think it might be that there's a better sense of balance and cohesion now between the two waves.

Elsa's Palace is going to perform exceptionally. I have a feeling it'll be surprisingly affordable for its scope. Also.... Sebastian!

Wow, a Detective Agency? If we're getting it this year, I guarantee it'll be my first modular. :o Can't wait to hear and see more!

Sebastian's appearance really is overdue by this point.

There's a possibility this is the set that will be revealed on Facebook early October (based on the LEGO Store calendar). If so, it may appear is in November as an early access set but with a December launch.

There's also the fact that the interface on the Hurricane Heist mech pays tribute to Metal Gear Solid.

The upcoming NA calendar for October can now be viewed on S@H (check a specific store), and it shows one of two exclusive holiday sets that will accompany purchases of $99 or more. Like the Balloon Cart polybag, it serves as a complement to the Santa's Workshop set releasing early for VIPs in September. The Winter Village Market is also shown on the back of the calendar, so it looks like it may stick around till the end of the year before retiring. Also of note, October 6th is when the next exclusive set will be announced via Facebook. And most probably know already that this is the month for double points, but this just confirms it. (Personally, I'm more curious about what's taking place in November.) Any plans for the month?

Glad to know that the minifigures I care most for will be easier to find, with the exception of the Jester. Hopefully the headpiece will take away some of the difficulty of identifying it. Thanks for the review.

Not necessarily. As an example, US/Canada is only just getting the Spaceman minifigure promo in September, but other regions had it prior and for less. Same was true with the Flashback Shredder. We won't know until the European one shows up. It's safe to say that if it's not available for October, then it'll probably show up in November. And I'll also not be surprised if the threshold is lower elsewhere.

For those bothered by the price, I'm curious if the double-points event in October will make this easier to swallow. Or is the principle of the matter too hard to overlook? Thoughts?

Hahaha. Indeed!

Alrighty. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

Since you have a full picture, I'd be interested in knowing which set places as your least favourite and why (if it's due to design, price, etc).

Logically, it has to be the double-decker couch set.

Well done on the milestone and the many achievements over the years. Glad to learn from this crowd.

Best Buy has the Cargo Plane on sale for $30 off. If you were thinking about picking it up at retail price, this is a great deal: http://www.bestbuy.c...5/10291407.aspx

Although I'm not into this theme, I get a better feeling when I see these than I did with some of the more recent efforts. The layouts for both look aesthetically pleasing and inspire ideas for further customization.

Speaking of polybags, Toys R Us is offering Mikey's Mini Shellraiser next week for free with $30 (min) purchases in TMNT sets.

Nice ideas here. Would definitely like to see this in physical form.

For anyone interested in the TMNT movie sets, Best Buy has Turtle Lair Invasion for $95, well below the CDN MSRP and even a bit less than the US price of $99.

I just learned that a sequel is already being planned for the movie, so I don't think these three movie sets are all we're getting.

I hope so. Thanks for relaying this.

Think that may be true in Canada as well?

Madness! What a score! I had no idea TRU did crazy clearance deals on LEGO. Congrats!