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I’ve taken way too many roads to remember them all. I’ve ventured through the unknown, into the white horizon. Fearlessly, bravely. But once I stepped on this one road I knew so well... I shivered. “To move forward, you need first to face the demons of your past. It cannot be changed, forgotten, tossed in the wind, or buried in the snow. It can only be accepted”. I was not ready to come back. But destiny unraveled, and there I was. Looking for answers in the memories I tried to bury. Høydefür, as I remembered, was once an imposing fortress. A mixture of stone and timber, admired for its fortitude. Big and strong and solid. Thick walls and towers that could reach the skies stood vibrant amidst the white peaks and mountains of the North. ... But that was years ago. It’s funny how time plays its part. For in the distance, hidden in the bleak stillness of nature, a shy and lonely fort stood still. Høydefür, the strongest of the northern castles, remained untouched, unchanged. Just as I remembered. The cold wind tightened on my throat. And every step towards the wooden gates was a tough reminder of the years gone by. But the closer I got, clearer it became. The green boy I thought I killed, lived within me still. Inside the walls, the sound of metal clang and the crackling of wood resounded in my chest. Like a beast, opening its mouth to swallow the prey, the wooden gates yawned open, welcoming me to my own past. Høydefür was no more than a decaying shack. A hollow dump I used to call home. ________ Entry to the GoH 10 Challenge, Category C: Miscellaneous. I hope you all like it. Høydefür is a little story about going back to a familiar place, and finding it just as it was, but still completely different. It's funny how sometimes a little distance can change your whole perspective about a subject. It's not always comfortable to adventure through your own past. But it sure makes us grow. The green boy I thought I killed, lived within me still. Louis of Nutwood.

Back to Svalg Keep To the very end of a treacherous dirt road, west of the Bay of Storms, lay a small fortress called Svalg Keep. The fortress was erected by the Old Men, where the winds were heavy, the temperature was low, and no man had reason to pass by. For behind those doors, nested only chaos and destruction. My stallion trotted through icy roads, as small bits of the fortress appeared between the snow-covered pines. The dim light of the lanterns that kept Svalg Keep alive looked blurred and weak from a distance. The more we approached, more it looked old and forgotten. I have been here before and promised never to return. Never to open the gates of chaos. Never to access the memories I prayed to forget. “But there is such joy in chaos. Stow all the world's evils behind a door and tell men that they must never, ever, open the door. And it will be opened because there is pure joy in destruction.” As I stood by the gates of Svalg Keep, the wind whispered a desperate cry, hustling through the trees and fading in the distance. Iron chains hugged tight to the rusty handles, to ensure what was in, would never come out. I chuckled. Every path would lead me here. Where everything began. For chaos and destruction live in every warrior’s soul. And only amidst chaos, we can find our peace. Built for Guilds of Historica's Anniversary Challenge, Category B: Old but Gold _________ I've built Svalg Keep back in 2019. By the time, I had just started writing my own stories. The castle came alive as I built it the first time -- much more alive in my imagination. And I've always wanted to revisit it. It was also my first build to be featured. That build made me start interacting with you guys and the LEGO community in general. And I believe it was my entry-ticket to the Guilds of Historica. Re-imagining that build was a way to revisit those days I got introduced in the frozen lands of Mitgardia, my proud and heartfelt homeland. That's my way of saying thank you. For years of fun-creative-building-storytelling time. Here is the old (but gold) version: Hope you like it, folks. I've made some considerable adaptations. But luckily you can grasp the resemblance. Let me know what you think. Skol! Louis of Nutwood

Ütoverögat Entry for GOH's Anniversary Challenge: Tower. (As always, a cup of warm beverage should go well with the following read. Enjoy!) High up in the cold mountain peaks of the white north, where the winds hissed and the storms blew, there was one rule that reigned above all: the rule of the stronger. Younglings were thought to embrace the snow, to cherish the blowing wind and to endure with a hollow belly. The ones who took those teachings by heart were most likely to survive the bleak environment of the vast and unexplored Frozen Beyond. Yet even those who grew a thick skin and sustained through nights of famine were subject to perish on the hands of wild beasts, raging diseases or lingering savage tribes. To survive meant to gather and form a family. For as a group, people were stronger, and for the group they fought not only for their own lives, but for the ones they have learned to share their lives with. There was one village, though, that contrasted from the rising communities. Instead of relying on fishing and agriculture, and establishing trade relations with neighboring families, they trusted on a different source of strength that was unknown to most. This village, called Völsung, was establish up in the North, somewhere past the last remaining road. In the center of a gorge, it was surrounded by two ebony cliffs of frozen black stone, where rivers have dried, trees did not grow, and no animal found reason to walk by. It was a dead land, buried under a thick mist and doomed to remain untouched, hidden from gods and men. But fat wooden towers, heavy timbered walls, and massive speared palisades appeared over time, indicating the entrance to an uninviting nest. It raised suspicion amongst the northern clans. After all, how could these people survive in the middle of nowhere, under an unstopping storm, without provisions from any of the known villages and apparently, without ever opening their gates? Everyone had questions, but no one dared speaking aloud. That same year, as all years past, just when the winds turned colder and the frost covered the crops, people were called to prepare for the time of shortage and ensure their comfort during days of blizzard. But that year, winter came in a flash. Faster and stronger. Even those accustomed to a life of clenching teeth felt tricked by the gods, for the blowing winds came without a warning and brought the thickest clouds and a lingering shadow that enforced an unending night over their homes. A darkness that took away their harvests, their sleep, their children. Everything. People cloistered. They hid themselves from the unnatural force they could only assume was cast by the gods and prayed their villages would not be chosen. Still, a small group of men set foot on the road with only their loved ones in mind, and blades in their scabbards to calm their disquiet. But this winter was different. They fought against time and nature to stock for a time of uncertainty. Yet they strove to understand a force that slipped from the grasp of reason. Fiobvr followed, as it was his duty, and prayed in silence in an unsettling farewell. “I’ll always protect you”, whispered the farmer to his family, facing the spreading clouds over the mountaintops. ... Fiobvr walked the lonely streets of the camp he knew so well, under a black mantel that covered the world. Starless skies swallowed his puzzling dreams and filled his chest with frozen air. The distant glow of a dancing fire revealed at least one man amongst all farmers and fishermen was awake. There was no doubt. He knew who it was, and therefore forced himself to think of scenarios in being summoned at this hour, while all others slept, meant a good thing. But no blessing came to mind. The lingering air inside the tent was thick and warm, and Fiobvr thanked the Gods for feeling the tips of his callused fingers once again. Leaning over a hardwood table, the figure of a man made of nothing but muscle, dwelled over a wrinkled map as his hair, clamped in silver rings hung over the world as a pendulum. His eyes turned to the woken farmer, briefly turned into a warrior, and a puff of air fled from his clenched teeth. “Gather your belongings and empty your tent. You will leave at first light,” said the chieftain from behind a thick beard. “You may form a group of men to accompany you, to make sure your travels are safe.” “All of my belongings, Lord?”, Fiobvr said puzzled. “Where should I leave to?” The Chieftain emptied his lungs and his head sunk between his broad shoulders, as his eyes wafted across the map. “A messenger was sent west to report on our families”. He paused, looking for words. “Many villages remain tall and strong. These have opened their gates to the neighboring families in need. Some other villages, though... had to be evacuated”. His finger drifted across the map and landed over a vast forest Fiobvr recognized in a heartbeat. There was a handful of friendly villages, and amongst them, Høydefür, the one village he knew more than any other. Home. His mind was filled by warm thoughts of Nyeda and his sisters, Phili and Teri. Yet, he shivered, conceding the arrival of the sudden winter, and realizing his task up in the cold mountains of the North was far from complete. “For all we know, Høydefür fell.” Are they safe? Fiobvr wanted to ask, but a sudden freeze grabbed his throat, and he could not find his voice. “Roligsfrakk is well provisioned, and I trust your family will find comfort by their heaths. But I reckon your sisters will feel safer in your presence,” said the warlord, his breath frosting in the dim light. His braided hair swung like a bell, from one side of the map to the other. Fiobvr followed. “The last group... they did not go west,” Fiobvr observed. But in truth, he did not need the reply. He was summoned in the middle of the night, not to bring distress. He was asked to leave before dawn, not to raise more speculation, he figured. That meant all he needed to know, and a sudden shudder raised to his collar. The chieftain’s eyes moved across the map up to the north, and stood over a neck, where two ridges met. The gorge. “Everything leads to the same place. The Frozen Beyond.” He grunted. “We can send men to protect the whole land. But until we understand what happens inside those walls... we and our families will live in fear, waiting for a shadow to swallow the sun and bury ourselves in the snow”. His eyes left the map and stared into the night beyond the cloth of his tent, as the candlelight danced in the silence. Rumors. Fiobvr heard all of them. People spoke of sorcery and Seidr magic. Of a blood-thirsty creature brought from the underworld that meandered with the winds. Of a whisper chanting in the storm. Of the return of the undead... Rumors. Nothing but rumors. That was what he kept telling himself. But truth be told, they haunted his sleepless nights. Because beyond the rumors, Fiobvr saw the villages with his own eyes. Dortvaenir, Khardun, Sjenervandt, once prosperous and full of life, were taken by the storm in a sudden, and were now sunken in the snow. Deserted. Taken by the dark shadows of an unknown strength, blowing from the North, and their people were nowhere to be seen. It all happened so fast! He knew the rumors, aye. But those were not the works of rumors. Those were something else. Fiobvr swallowed and struggled to find his voice. The image of empty cobblestone streets filled his mind and twisted his guts. The chieftain’s words echoed in his mind. “Until we understand... our families will live in fear.” “Aye. I’ll leave before dawn.” A distant glow burned the sky behind the cracked contour of the mountains, taking the night as the falling snow covered the footsteps of the Norseman marching into the frozen mist. ... Amidst the white fog and the cutting storm, the shadow of a structure, tall as a mountain, defied the cruel weather. From atop the wooden pillars flapped the green and golden banner of the northern folk, marking the final stretch of the world known to men. Ütoverögat. The last eye. Fiobvr stopped. His feet hiding in the snow, cloak flapping in the wind. Before reaching the arch of stone that divided the two worlds, he looked over his shoulder, beyond the path that brought him thus far. He glared beyond the mountaintops and the grey sky. Gazing deep into the past, he embraced the warmest of his memories, and begged for the spirits to guide his path. From this point on, what remained was the unknown of the Frozen Beyond. “I’ll always protect you,” he whispered once more, hoping to meet his family once again. ... ... Following chapter: Chapter II: Daemon's Throne ________ Louis of Nutwood For Mitgardia! Hope you all like it, and if you had time to read (thank you!), please let me know your thoughts. Skol!

As we all know, vote caused a conflict between Bionicle fans and System fans. The main reason is fact that all of Top 4 series (exept Bionicle) have already some great sets. LEGO Pirates fans have 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay set, LEGO Space fans have 70816 Benny's Spaceship and 21109 Exo-Suit. Fans of Castle series have 21325 Medieval Blacksmith and I'm sure, we'll see some kind of Castle-themed series soon, even without voting. What about LEGO Bionicle fans? After cutting short its story in 2010, and waiting 5 years for proper continuation, LEGO created a reboot that failed in many ways. But gave us great parts to creating MOCs. Unfortunatelly, Bionicle G2 ended in 2017 and since that, it's really hard to get any pieces for normal price. Remnants of LEGO Star Wars buildable figures are expensive cause of license and Bricklink is the only place where we can get CCBS parts now. Bionicle fans are affraid that LEGO will soon destroy moulds from G2, making impossible for us to get bricks like 24189, 24190, 24191 or 20474 that were great for building MOCs. The conflict will increase until LEGO start caring about Bionicle fans. If LEGO doesn't want to give us new sets, it should at least release some jars with CCBS parts in three size variants: Matoran, Toa and Titan, which will contain skeleton parts, shells (not only in standard colors, but sand-green, purple etc. too), weapons, technic joints, technic panels and recolored masks that will allow us to reforge our anger into creativity. Bionicle has great potential to create action figures, giant fantasy creatures and vehicles with lot of technic functions. But it's hard to build MOCs without parts. If there's a LEGO theme like LEGO Classic, we can have LEGO CCBS too. I know, part of system fans doesn't care, but what about you, Bionicle fans? Do you think, there's a chance for CCBS jars or we'll continue to buying sets like Corvette ZR1 just to have parts to create another Rahi? :p

Hey Checkout the update to my Lego Islanders themed anniversary set that is heavily inspired by the enchanted island statue which is now standing in a vibrant jungle environment. Please support this idea if you like it because I really need all the support to stay in the long game of getting 10k support and making this happen. SUPPORT NOW Islanders Spirit Beacon The islanders are a rare sight these days. It has been more than 20 years since the Islanders pointed spear and arrow at pirate and soldier alike. After many years of glorious combat the last of the proud warrior-zealots were defeated. Their strongest leader: shaman king Kahuka still walks the eternal planes. The Islanders enchanted island has been looted and pillaged, the tribes scattered to the winds. A beacon of hope remains deep in the jungle on one of the islands in the archipelago of many waters. A faceless warrior priestess of the old gods is gathering the scattered tribes. The whispers beneath her mask speaks of king Kahuka's return. Broken spears are mend, arrows sharpened, howling of restless spirits in the night. This "spirit beacon" is heavily inspired by the original statue design that came with the Lego Islanders enchanted island set 6278-1 in 1994. It's a scaled up version with many new details that is nice as a nostalgic reminder or as a new playset. The spirit beacon has multiple chunks that can be taken apart easily for different play configurations. The statue has a compartment in the back that can serve as a prison or inner sanctum. A trapdoor leads to a small dungeon compartment were captain cheekbones lurks A treasure chest is hidden behind the different detachable faces of the head. The remaining Islanders have adapted to use stealth instead of numbers, Therefore most of the warriors use the jungle mud and leaves to conceal themselves. Its probably problematic that they still use the same bright painted shields and faces :P The zealots and priestess paint themselves with the classic red paint of the Islanders They are worthy of invoking the spiritual essence that is embedded within the shrine of the beacon. Mini-figs as seen from left to right: Shaman king Kahuka's spirit, special translucent Islanders anniversary fig :) Faceless priestess, current leader, Zealot warrior; melee specialist, Scaled warrior; stealth specialist, Veteran warrior, defense specialist, Young blood warrior, endurance specialist, Man-hunter; path finding and ranged specialist, Captain cheekbones; annoyance specialist, Muddy Monkey, banana specialist. SUPPORT NOW

Graphics & Renders By Gabriele Zannotti (https://www.flickr.com/photos/137478436@N07) 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop’s first appearance in the twenty-first episode of show’s second season on May 9th, 1991 titled Three Men and a Comic Book. This year The Simpsons theme has taken what I assume is a break therefore I found an opportunity to create the next model that would succeed 2015’s 71016 - Kwik-E-Mart. With superheroes and pop culture being a primary aspect of LEGO's relationship with many well-known IP's I found Android's Dungeon to be a worthy fit with the theme. The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr This highly detailed and iconic model of The Simpsons store is packed with rich, colourful details! Walk under the huge Android's Dungeon sign and join Bart, Millhouse and Martin as they browse the shelves filled with comics, collectibles, toys and more – including: Radioactive Man #1, 10182 - Café Corner, Itchy, Scratchy, Poochie figurines, Perky Patty's Princess Shop, Grand Theft Scratchy - Video Game, Malibu Stacy Doll, Star Wars (1977) - VHS, C3PO Bust and many more! This fantastic model includes 6 Minifigures: Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Marge Simpson, Comic Book Guy, Milhouse Van Houten, Martin Prince and Radioactive Man. The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr ________________________________________________ Follow Me On... Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Adeel-Zubair-208739829518301/ Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adeelzubair/ Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/adeel_zubair Deviantart - http://www.adeelaubair.deviantart.com Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/webhead_studios Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/webheadstudios LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adeel-zubair-b969b111b Behance - https://www.behance.net/adeelzubair Feedback and criticism is much appreciated. Adeel

Hello, and welcome back to Toyota Technic showroom. I did this model for a long time, almost 3 years of sketches, prototypes, different version. And now I am ready to stop and say: "enough" After FJ series with a bulky chassis and wobbly steering I want something lighter and more accurate at steering. So I started with a new chassis with Servo motor mounted on front axle. This is not realistic, but steering backlash is almost zero. Remembering the FJ, and its "high" frame with aux M motors inside (winch), i decided to remove any extra fucntions except driving. Hilux's chassis is thin and light comparing to FJ. And one more important thing is that the body is removable now. I can remove one body and use another one. I do not need personal chassis with all that expensive motors for every modification of Hilux (at one of the moments I have 7x FJ's assembled with full electrics at each). This is Toyota Hilux 4 door double cab version, 4-th generation that was produced from 1983 to 1988. Model of this Gen was presented both with solid front axle and independent front suspension. My is early version (83-85) with solid axle. You can see this genertaion Hilux at Top Gear "Kill a Toyota" episode, and Back to the Future movie with single cab and extra cab version. INSTRUCTUON AVAILABLE https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-29256/RM8 LEGO Garage - BrickGarage/toyota-hilux-double-cab-n50-1983-1988/ - control: Smart Brick (Sbrick) - drive: XL motor, 4x4 transmission with axle differentials - steering: Servo motor - solid axles - front suspension 4 link triangulated - rear suspension 3 link - openable doors, bonnet, tailgate - 5-seater saloon - LED front lights - removable pickup bed and cab - wheels: 62-68 mm weight:1020 gr (without power source and RC receiver) Black wheels are painted with spray-paint. Saloon is for 5, but rear bench is foldable, and this is the only place to hide battery block. Transmission is all-time 4x4 with axle differentials - front suspension 4 link triangulated - rear suspension 3 link (including pan-hard rod) - openable doors, bonnet, tailgate Removable pickup bed and cab, I can also remove front bumper, doors and front fenders for larger wheels, for example. And the last, the best presentation for 4x4 Toyota is real adventure. Video was filmed mostly at Crimea, while my Vacation this year. This is kind of LEGO Techic anniversary run INSTRUCTION https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-29256/RM8 LEGO Garage - BrickGarage/toyota-hilux-double-cab-n50-1983-1988/ much more fotos here FLICKR Thanks for watching. Comments, questions, I am ready)

I’ve built this vehicle for the 20 years anniversary of LEGO Rock Raiders. To celebrate the 20 years anniversary, I’ve built this vehicle. This small digger can mine and transport energy crystals and rocks. Pictures: 01_Small_Digger by Mathijs Bongers, on Flickr 02_Small_Digger by Mathijs Bongers, on Flickr 03_Small_Digger by Mathijs Bongers, on Flickr Pictureson Flickr:https://www.flickr.com/photos/mathijslegofan/albums/72157711952886576

First if all I totally forgot to post this model here on the forum, guess better late than never Now to explain a bit about the motives behind this model before I go into specific details. Counter on my youtube channel was nearing 10.000 so I wanted to make something trully special. I was not sure what kind of a model I want to make, a sportscar, offroader, construction machine, so the decision came to MAKE ALL AT ONCE. The model would also incoporate ideas from the last decade of Lego technic product to go along with my 10 years on youtube. Starting with the design, the front end is heavily inspired by 42083 and 41999. Notice the front wheels are from 42056. The first motorized function is adjustable front suspension inspired by 8297: The front end can raise by 3 centiemetrs to allow the model to negotiate rough terrain. Continuing towards the cab, which was inspired by 41999, we can pop up the hood to find a green colored 10 cylinder engine inspred by 42030: Cab doors are inspired by the doors from 42069, which open at the angle. Opening the doors you can find a full interrior with two adjustable seats andworking steering wheel: In the center of the cab there is a gearbox which movel lineary to switch between 3+R gears using a special mechanism. This emchanisem translates the sliding action into usable inputs for the gearbox: Going further back, there is a section holding the battery box and, orange lever and utensils on the left side. I will explain the function of the orange lever later. On the opposite, right side there are 2 M motors powering all the motorized functions. Notice the mysterious red lever which is used for switching motorized functions. Notice the pump used to power the pneumatic functions. There are also two electric switches to reverse the two driving M motors. If we continue towards the back, we can see there is a pair of linear actuators used to manipulate the container. The red lever switches power from one of the M motor between the adjustable front suspension and linear actuators. But not only can the linear actuators tilt the container, but they can also pick up and load the entire thing. To switch between tilting or picking up, the orange lever is used to lock the individual segments of the lifting arm. This function is inspired by 8052. The arm can reach out and pick up the container with ease: If we continue and look at the photo of the back side you may notice a PTO output along with a strange mechanism with rubber bands: Same motor that powers adjustable front suspension, linear actuators also powers the PTO output via 24 tooth clutch gear. Notice that the PTO output uses a CV joint in order to slide the axles into it without friction. The rubber band mechanism is used to hold the rear attachment. This was inspired by 8110 and 42054. Here is a sum up the functions of the model so far: 1. Motorized functions Adjustable font suspension Tilting of the container Picking up and lifting of the container Pneumatic compressor and storage provided by two air tanks powered rear PTO 2. Manual functions: 10 cylinder engine powered via rear wheels through a 3+R gearbox 3+R gearbox Steering controlled by steering wheels inside the cab AND the light on the right side of the roof Openable doors Openable hood Adjutstable seats Independent front suspension Solid live axle assembly in the rear - inspired by 42043 Features: Both front axles are at a positive cats angle, allwing the fat Porsche wheels to self-center Due to the immense weight, each rear solid axle is supported by 4 yellow very hard springs The 3+R gearbox is derived from my diagonal gearbox featured in the Dominator TRS Due to its framed design the gearbox provides a very rigid backbone to the model A 5 tubed exhaust seemed appropriate for the 10 cylinder engine I hope this photo helps you understand all the functions and features a bit better. Each color of the model's chassis represents a different module. Next we will look at the rear attachment built for this model. The attachment is multifunctional, combining linear actuators, pneumatics and 4-way switchbox to actuate all the functions: In total the attachemnt features following functions powered by a PTO via 4-way switchbox: Extension of the control arms via small actuators and a lever mechanism Lowering of the control arms via large actuators - inspried by 42009 Rotation of the arm Spooling up a winch which allows the arm to be used as a crane arm - inspired by 8258 Additionally there are 4 pneumatic function powered by the compressor and air stored in the two pneumatic tanks on the truck itself: Raising of the primary arm joint Raising of the secondary arm joint Tilting of the showel - inspired by 8043 Closure of the blue pneumatic claws - inspired by 8110 Some intersting facts about this attachment module: All of the penumatic functions + rope of the winch pass through the turntable. Rotation of the turntable is limited to some 350 degrees to avoid all those tubes and rope tangling up The structure of the arm with diagonal arms is inspired by crane arms Frictionless 8 tooth gears allow the white 16L axles to slide with ease while powering the two large actuators used for support legs The 4-way switchbox is one of my most complex and sense assemblies and it took me 2 days to design with support of LDD. Winch uses a friction pin to keep the rope from unloading when the winch function is off. The blue claw uses rubber bricks for better grip Combining the main model with the atatchment resluts in a model which weighs around 5 kilograms and is over a meter long! Some facts about the design, and build of the model: The whole model took me over 2 months to design and built, biggest challenging being the gearbox, container arm and rear attachment switchbox. A lot of care was placed into keeping all the functions working reliably with a limited power source (M motor) and safely with no gears skipping or breaking. The model uses around 16 universal and 3 CV joints to transfer the power to the suspension lifting mechanism, PTO, both steering sytsems and drive axles. Each rear axle is capable of supporting the whole model's weight, the weak point are the Power Puller tyres which sag quite a lot, especially on the third axle. Thanks to it's stiff gearbox, this model has one of the stiffest central frames I ever built allowing the model to be easily picked up by diagonal front and rear wheel without excessive flex. Gas canisters and first aid from 42069 are featured on this model The hood ornament is a bunny from a Lego Friends set This is my first model to use the white pneumatic air tanks for it's intended purpose. The model is covered with glow in the dark parts close to its edges, so its visible at night - useful when you are wandering around your building area at night A photo of the mashup's total of 8 glow in the dark bionicle claw/eye pieces: You can see the model in action in the following feature video: Finally I would like to thank you for reading through this massive post and for helping me reach 10.000 subscribers.

REVIEW - HISPABRICK MAGAZINE KIOSK INTRODUCTION Last year I was asked if I wanted to be the Eurobricks person to maintain contact with HispaBrick Magazine. I had never met Lluis or Jetro in person, but of course I was eager to maintain our good relationship with this great magazine. Due to some random events, I got to meet both Lluis and Jetro in Billund last year (2017) during the LEGO Fan Media Days. Turns out they are just as annoy...uhmmm.....friendly as they are online It's nice to meet people with the same, or even more, passion for the LEGO brick as myself or our own Eurobricks members. This month marks the 10th Anniversary of HispaBrick Magazine and they decided to design a commemorative set for this event. Being the contact sometimes pays off, because I was asked if I was interested in reviewing the set. Of course I was excited to see what the set was all about and do a little review. It isn't the most elaborate reviews of all time, but it's written with lots of respect for the team behind HispaBrick Magazine. Before you dive in the review, here's the link to the topic about HispaBrick Magazine 030. SET INFORMATION Set number: 1001 Set name: HispaBrick Magazine Kiosk Number of pieces: 249 THE BOX The box show that it's the 10th Anniversary Set and apparently I am one of the 50 proud owners of this unique set. Unless all the boxes show 38 of 50 The back tells us a bit about the history of the magazine in Spanish and English and it shows us the complete part list of the set. CONTENTS OF THE BOX The box contains: 1x Big bag filled with most of the parts. 1x Disclaimer note 1x Green 16x16 baseplate 1x Green 16x8 baseplate 1x Stickers sheet I wonder how HispaBricks customer service is?! Lucky for me, the set was 100% complete! The sticker sheet contains all the covers of the past magazines! How cool is that?! I do see a lot of familiar MOCs on those covers. I really love the one with that cool life sized Mindstorms Robot made by Jim from Eurobricks. Yeah, that's probably never going to happen SPECIAL PARTS The set contains three very special printed parts: The first HispaBrick Magazine printed, with the alien from the arvo brothers on the cover HispaBrick Minifig Torso HispaBrick 2x2 Tile PART LIST Here's the complete part list of all the bricks used in this set. Which more or less boils down to these parts: THE BUILD You start by building the kiosk booth, which shows a computer screen for the register and a wonderfully designed coffee machine. You can't read a great magazine without a great coffee to go along with it The roof of the kiosk is made by using an interesting building technique. You basically lay the two windows on the top of the building as a roof. They can be easily removed. There's a fresh coffee waiting for you on the counter. How about getting the latest edition of HispaBrick Magazine and reading it on the bench next to the kiosk. The backdoor of the kiosk...."Employees Only"! This lovely set doesn't consist of the kiosk alone. You can also rent a bike. And you don't even need to go to a front desk, it's fully automated. Connecting the bike to the rack is very cleverly done, using the Technic plate with hole to connect to the headlight part of the bike. COMPLETED MODEL Taddaaaa....the completed model. I haven't used the stickers on the two magazines, because I wanted to keep the sheet as new. The photographer is reading the latest edition... ...while the girls is fooling around with her skateboard. Isn't this the cutest set ever. I really like it and it will definitely look good in a bigger LEGO city display. One final shot of the set. CONCLUSION I like to express my special thanks Jetro and Lluis for sending me this set. I absolutely love it and I am very proud own it, and to have contributed to the the 10th Anniversary of HispaBrick Magazine. I wish you guys all the luck in the future and hopefully I will be writing another review in 5 or 10 years. Take care!

Hello, I have for sale (1) Lego Limited Edition 60th Anniversary House set. The set is new sealed although the left circle seal is peeling which is apparently a very common problem with the sets. Please PM me with serious offers if you are interested. I am willing to ship internationally but I have never shipped international before so allow me extra days to fill out forms properly. I am also willing to trade this set for the original 326 Cottage set from 1965, but I would let it with instructions and preferably the box. Thanks, -RailCo

Let me introduce you to my new creation. PLAYING IN SPACE SINCE 1978 by Cristiano Grassi, su Flickr Have you ever wondered how our Spacemen Heroes could travel for almost 40 years through space without getting older or bored to death? Here’s your answer. For forty years our heroes have been playing with LEGO bricks! I was reorganizing some minifigs when I found a spaceman that I used to play with when I was a child, having him live the most amazing adventures. And I started wondering “He’ll be 40 in a little while, what’s his secret?” So, I imagined him, together with all his travelling companions, playing with a LEGO Space base for forty years. Maybe it’s true that playing with LEGO bricks keeps you young. What do you think about it? Do you find it new? Interesting? Creative? I had never seen something like this before and it's one of the reasons I've launched the project on LEGO Ideas. Another one is to see our beloved Classic Space minifig come back, or, why not, maybe even a few themed sets could come back. This project could act as a springboard. If you like, here's the link https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b21ccd00-a013-4509-9614-65cdab72ec82. Let me know what you think about it.

Only one more year to go until the 60th Anniversary of the LEGO Brick! And 2018 is going to be a good year for me as I might be going to LEGOland Billund for the park's 50th Anniversary celebrations! Hoping for some special commemorative sets in the Creator category for instance. What are your predictions?

Today is the 20th anniversary of LEGO's first video game, LEGO Island! I've been built the Island in real life in honor of this anniversary as well as to honor Wes Jenkin's legacy, who sadly passed away last week. Here is an introduction video I did of the Island: I also modeled all the buildings in Stud.io so that you can download and view them in 3D and easily export them into Bricklink wishlists if you want to build your own Island! Here's a sampling of the Information Center. If that piques your interest, you can CLICK HERE to see the rest of the buildings! To download the Stud.io files CLICK HERE!

Folks, believe it or not, our favorite Lego theme turns 40 in 2017! Since 1977, Technic has been the most challenging and interesting models in the Lego lineup, and I think that Lego should celebrate the line's 40th birthday. So, what do you think they should do? Here are my ideas: Either in late 2015, or early 2016, Lego initiates a new competition: Technic 40th Birthday Present! It would be sort of like the challenge with the 9398 crawler that produced the 41999, but different. The rules would be somewhat simple: design a creation with ~2500 parts, based on any Technic set from the past 40 years, and both the votes of the fans and the design team would determine a winner. In addition, there would be a couple of different new colors and new parts options, to introduce some new parts or colors into the Technic lineup. The above would be the best case scenario, but there are other options. For instance, a voting contest that would have a full catalog of all Technic sets, except for some of the more recent ones, and the ones with the most votes would be the ones that get modern remakes, and form the Technic lineup for 2017. Or, the above, but the most popular set would be the flagship of 2017. Or, as a final option, a new part design competition. I'd really like for there to be some sort of competition or fan involvement, but if that were not going to happen, I'd either like to see updated Technic figures or some remakes of interesting sets, like a new, true 8880 successor, or an upgraded version of 8480. What do you guys think?

Dear eager eurobricks readers, After my Luctor adventure (see http://mocpages.com/moc.php/414168), I thought the story was all over and that it would dust away in a corner, yellowing faster than a ripening banana. However, the company that I sold it to asked me if it could open their 35-year business anniversary by driving through a polystyrene wall! They didn't prepare me for the terror that was coming.... Nearly crushed a one-year priceless Lego creation! But what a good use of a vehicle to give it one last appearance before it dusts away in the history books! Enjoy the video! (in Dutch, sorry...) More videos to get you informed about the Luctor: More about the Luctor itself (this video has already sometime ago been posted here) Can you think of a bigger reward for building a Lego MOC?

It is no secret that Marvel is one of the most successful companies right now. From the Avengers to the X-Men and down to even the most obscure characters like Ant-Man, every one of their movies has been a big hit until now. The latest Marvel movie, Fant4stic, was released last month and while I have not seen it yet, I'm sure it's just as great as their other movies. I mean, it has the word "Fantastic" in the title after all! And being the smart business that they are, The Lego Company decided to get in on the hype early and capitalize on this movie's undoubtful success two years in advance by making a set featuring Fant4stic's main villain, Dr. Doom. Now that's what I call forward thinking! But did they do a good job with it or were they being overhasty? Let's find out! Set Number: 76005 Name: Spider-Man: Daily Bugle Showdown Theme: Marvel Super Heroes Subtheme: Ultimate Spider-Man Year of Release: 2013 Pieces: 476 Minifigs: 5 Price: $49.99 USD S@H description: The first thing that comes to mind after reading this description is: Wow, that's a lot of TMs! Anyway, here are some resource links for this set: Brickset Bricklink Rebrickable The Box Since this set is based on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, the box has the usual USM design with the red Marvel Super Heroes background, an illustration of Spidey in the upper right corner, and the USM logo in the lower right. As usual, there is a minifig line up in the lower left, and since this was before the terrible redesign, you can see the full body of the minifigs. I really miss this type of line up. There is quite a lot going on here: Doctor Doom attacking the Daily Bugle in his jet while simultaneously reaching for J. Jonah Jameson below with his jet's claw, Spider-Man (reluctantly) swings in to save him, while Nova fights off the Beetle. It's a pretty cool scene, even though it's not very accurate to the show. In "Beetle Mania", the episode that this set is based on, the Beetle was indeed out to kill JJJ, but it was in order to stop him from exposing his identity, not Spider-Man's (although Spidey was next on JJJ's list). And while he is a recurring villain on the show, Doctor doom had nothing to do with this plot and didn't even appear in the episode aside from a brief cameo. It's awesome that they included him anyway, though, so I'm not gonna complain. Note that the tower is so tall that it wraps around the top of the box. There, you can also see a scale reference with the Spider-Man minifig. On the back of the box, you can see the interior of the Bugle and all of its play features which there are quite a few of since this is a playset. It's all illustrated pretty well, although Lego's choice of sound effects is still a mystery to me. I don't get why they don't go for Spider-Man's signature "Fwip!" instead of "Fazzing!" and I didn't know that a breaking window made the sound "Btoom!" but I digress. Contents Inside the box you will find three instruction booklets (one smaller than the others), a comic book, a fairly large sticker sheet, five numbered bags, and two loose pieces: A white string piece and a gray 16x8 plate. There aren't really any notable pieces and nobody cares about the comic bock (no offense to the artist), so lets get right to the instructions. They are pretty straight forward and easy to follow. Some of the pages have a ghostly image of Spidey, Nova, and Dr. Doom in the top right corner which is fitting since these are all minifigs that appear in this set (which is strangely not something that can be said for many other Super Heroes instructions with this type of artwork). Minifigures As with most Super Heroes sets, most people will get this set mainly for the minifigs, so without further ado, let's talk about them. Spider-Man is the same old bootless one you get in almost every USM set. Not much to say about him. Some might complain that we don't get Spidey's alter ego Peter Parker in this set, but in the USM cartoon, MJ is actually the one who works at the Daily Bugle, not Peter. Curse the creators of this cartoon for ruining our chances of getting a new Peter Parker minifig by trying to mix things up. Next we get J. Jonah Jameson. He appeared in a Spider-Man 2 set before, but this is a complete redesign. He now has a blue suit with a red tie, a unique face print, and that combed-back hair in dark gray. This new hairpiece doesn't suit him at all and the old flat top hair was perfect for him in my opinion, so I don't know why they changed it. The good thing about this change, however, is the fact that this piece is exclusive to this set in that color. Nova on the other hand is spot-on. He comes with a new helmet mold and some nice torso printing. However, he, too, is missing his boots. TLC should have started making dual-colored legs a long time ago. Here are some reference images to compare them to. Okay, so JJJ's hair may not be completely black in the show, but I still think they should have given his minifig a black hairpiece. His suit is also not quite the right color. He rarely appears in person in the show (including the episode this set is based on) and is usually seen on screens around New York, so this is the best picture of him I could find. I guess I should be happy they included a minifig of him at all. In the episode, it was actually Mary Jane who was at the Bugle during Beetle's attack, so it would have made more sense to include her, but we got her in the Spider-copter set one year later, so that's ok. All three of them have back printing. In JJJ's case I'm using that term loosely since it is only comprised of two lines, but it's nice that they went through the trouble of adding them. Both JJJ and Nova come with angry alternate faces. It almost looks like they're trying to out-angry each other. Who do you think looks angrier? Let me know in the comments section below. Now let's talk about the bad guys. Even though he would be better off in a Fantastic Four set, it's great to finally get Victor Van Doom, one of the greatest Marvel villains ever and in comics in general. He comes with a dark green hood which was new and exclusive in that color at the time, and he is the only minifig in this set that has leg printing. Beetle is a regular minifig with wings. The metallic printing on his face and torso is pretty nice, but I wish it would have continued onto his legs as well. The Beetle looks quite accurate to his on-screen counterpart. The only thing that could have improved him is a new helmet mold with pointy eyebrows/antennae. Doctor Doom, however, looks nothing like he does in the movie. I just don't understand how Lego could have messed him up so badly. Maybe they were working off of early concept art or something. Here is a back view of Doom and Beetle. Beetle would be a pretty boring minifig if it wasn't for his wings which are awesome with their holographic texture. They are so mesmerizing, I could look at those things all day. This piece also appeared in trans. light green in the Galaxy Squad sets which came out at the same time. Here they are without their gear. As you can see, they both have back printing as well. And no, Doctor Doom does not come with an alternate facial expression, which is fine since you can't see much of his expressions due to his mask anyway. Here's a look at Dr. Doom and Nova without their headgear. Some say that Doom's face looks too cartoony, but I think it looks fine. Nova is wearing stylish goggles as a way of explaining his white eyes. It's a far better explanation than the Bat-sweatband. They did the same thing with the masked Wolverine later. Here are all the figs with their accessories. JJJ comes with a camera so that he can take "more pictures of Spider-Man!" Beetle comes with one of those overused ADU guns which is a very poor representation of his wrist-mounted blasters. I hate to say it, but even those bulky new stud shooters would have been a better representation of his weapons. Spidey comes with his usual string of webbing and Nova comes with some Iron Man style translucent studs. The weird thing is that they are red while his powers have a blue glow in the show. Doctor Doom sadly doesn't get any accessories, but who needs weapons when you have a jet with a claw and flick-fire missiles. The Build The first bag contains Spider-Man, a brick separator, and the parts to build the ground floor of the DBC building. After a quick and straight-forward build, you get this. The dumpster and street lamp are separate from the building and since the lamp post is not built onto any baseplate and is quite top-heavy, it gets knocked over pretty easily. Maybe it's meant to be that way, but I would have preferred it if you could stick it onto the baseplate of the building on which there is unfortunately not enough space to do so. As you would expect, the second bag has the parts for the first floor of the building. This is also the bag that contains Beetle. After another fairly simple build, you'll find yourself with a two story building with a spiderweb one side and a fire escape on the other. However, you have to apply three stickers during this section of the build which is never fun. Can you guess what's in bag number 3? Yup, the second floor of the building. You don't need superpowers to predict that one. Also, this bag contains Nova and Jameson. The build of this section is a bit repetitive since the second floor is mostly the same as the first and it takes slightly longer to build since you have to build the rooftop as well. Also, in addition to the two window stickers you have to apply ten 2x2 tile stickers! Trying to do this without having any of them being crooked is a real pain in the megablocks. The next bag contains Doctor Doom and the cockpit of his jet. Doom's cape is in the usual square white box and the string for the claw is folded up in a piece of tape. Here's what you get at the end of this section. Looks more like an escape pod than a jet at this point. The final bag is the smallest as it only includes the few parts needed to finish the Doom jet. Once you build the wings and tail, you stick them onto the cockpit via Technic pins and you're done. Spare Parts These are the parts that are left over after the build. There is the brick separator of course, an extra antenna, and the usual little bits and bops. What's really awesome, though, is that they give you an extra pair of Beetle's wings! Considering what a neat piece this is and that this is the only set in which it comes in trans-black make this a very welcome spare that you can use in your customs. The Finished Set Here is the complete set. The DBC building looks quite tall, especially when you count the antenna. Comparing it to a screenshot from the episode, the general look of the building is there, although there are some inaccuracies. Aside from the fact that it is obviously way down-scaled, the screens that show JJJ ranting about Spider-Man should have been hexagonal, not square, and should have wrapped around the building. However, considering how many stickers you would have had to apply if they would have made it accurate, I'm actually glad they kept the screen mercifully small. Much like Doctor Doom himself, the Doom jet didn't actually appear in the Beetle Mania episode. However, it did appear in a later episode titled "Not A Toy" in which Spider-Man plays around with Captain America's shield, accidentally drops it in Doctor Doom's Latvarian embassy and has to try to retrieve it. And yes, that episode was as godawful as it sounds. Here's a screenshot of the jet from that episode. Like with the DBC, they managed to capture the general shape of the vehicle, although it doesn't look quite as good as in the show. The color scheme is too dark and it looks kind of blockier. Let's take a closer look at the jet. There is no real way to reel the claw in unfortunately. However, there is a stud on the back of the jet that you can stick it onto. Needless to say, this is not the ideal way of storing it. I would have much preferred it if they would have attached it onto winch instead. The engines on the wings can be turned, even though they don't turn in the show, and there is a flick-fire missile on each side. Even if it's not much to look at, at least it's a very swooshable vehicle. On top of each wing there is a tile with the emblem of Latvaria. There was no such emplems on the jet in the cartoon, but they are useful pieces that make it clear whose jet it is, so I'm glad they included them. There is nothing inside the cockpit except for a seat and unless you want to ruin Dr. Doom's nice dark green cape, I wouldn't put him inside of it. They could have at least printed a control panel onto that empty 2x2 tile. Play Features Since this is a playset, let's look at all the play features it has to offer. Like all playsets, the building is open in the back so you can play inside. On the ground floor, there is a potted plant and... nothing else. Seriously? Is this all they could come up with for this floor? They could have included a security desk, a lounge, a second plant, or anything else! As it is, it's just a boring empty lobby. The first floor is a bit more interesting. There is a safe, a swiveling chair, and a pin board with various pictures of Spider-Man. There is one tile that reads: "The true identity of Spider-Man" which is supposedly what the villains are after. I wonder how Jameson got this information in the first place. Speaking of Jameson, the second floor is devoted to his office where he can sit and yell at his non-present employees, demanding "more pictures of Spider-Man!" It also has a swiveling chair as well as a desk with a lamp and a computer. There is a Technic beam connecting his desk with the ceiling of the first floor which you can remove in order to take off the upper half of the building, but it's difficult to do, so I don't recommend it. As you may have noticed in the picture above, there are a few red pegs sticking out of the building. These are for triggering the play features. Most of them are on the roof. There is one on what looks like an air conditioning unit. If you place Spider-Man holding is web-string on the jumper plate in front of it and push the peg, Spidey goes bungee-jumping off the building. Wee! There is also one that sticks out of the side of the building which when pulled triggers a trap door. The third red peg on the roof can be used to pop off the DBC sign. Why is it called the DBC, you ask? It stands for Daily Bugle Communications since in this version of Spider-Man, the Daily Bugle is not only a newspaper, but a news TV station as well, one that promotes its own highly biased views. So basically the Fox News of the Marvel universe. I guess if you're an old school Spider-Man fan, you could just leave off the "C" and have it just stand for Daily Bugle. The sign above the main entrance wont be so easily modified however. There is also a peg between the first and second floor which when pushed pops out one of the windows on the first floor. The safe is only attached to a couple of jumper plates and has some jumper plates on top of it as well, so you can easily attach the Doom jet's claw to it and rip it out of the building as seen on the back of the box. There are also some SNOT bricks on the corners of the building that you can attach spiderwebs or Spidey himself onto for some wall-crawling and webslinging action. This is not so much a play feature as it is just a feature, but as I mentioned earlier, there is a fire escape on the left side of the building. This was a neat idea as it helps it feel like a building in New York City, but it is executed very poorly. There is no hole big enough for the minifigs to climb down through, so they would have to climb down the ladders from the outside which makes no sense. No wonder Spider-Man always needs to rescue people from burning buildings. There is one more play feature in the form of the dumpster. You can open the lid, put a minifig inside, and make them jump by hitting a tab in the back. Remember, this is before the introduction of super jumpers, but nevertheless it's a pretty strange place to launch minifigs out of. I guess even Super Heroes like to do some dumpster diving. You don't think this was funny? No? Well, me neither, but that's the type of humor that this show loves to use. Sigh. Anyway, let's get on to the ratings. Ratings Design: 2/5 - The set looks ok. Despite many inaccuracies, the DBC building and the jet somewhat resemble their on-screen counterparts and don't look too bad, but they definitely could be better. Build: 1/5 - A mostly unchallenging and repetitive build with an attrocious amount of stickers. Minifigs: 4/5 - Definitely the strongest point of the set. Some of the figs could be better, but four out of five of them are exclusive to this set. Doctor Doom is easily the best and probably the most desirable one - unless the Fant4stic movie portraits him so badly that nobody will be interested in him, but that's impossible. Playability: 4/5 - As you would expect from a playset, the playability is quite high, although I still feel like there could have been more. Parts: 3/5 - Not many rare parts. If you're looking for parts for building your own skyscraper with tan walls and lots of doors and windows though, this set is for you. Price: 3/5 - At 476 parts for $50, this set is a bit pricey, but it is somewhat justified by all the large window and wall pieces. Overall: 3/5 - This set is mediocre at best. Playsets are always a good choice for Spider-Man sets since they give Spidey something to swing from, but unfortunately they are rarely pulled off well. The jet is blocky, the building is bare-bones, and the price feels too high. The only reason to get this set are the four exclusive minifigs. This set was discontinued early this year, but if you still see it on clearance somewhere, go ahead and get one for the minifigs and parts, or buy multiples and use the parts to build a better DBC building. I hope you enjoyed this review. It is part of the Reviewers Academy's 7th Anniversary. We're not doing a big celebration this year due to other commitments, but look out for more reviews with the 7th Anniversary banner soon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to see Fant4stic. I hope it's as fantastic as it promises to be! (2 hours later) I was wrong! I was horribly, horribly wrong!

Hi all Lego fans from Eurobricks, I'm new in the forum, my name is Alvin and this is my first time posting MOC in EurobricksI I would like to share my MOC, The Centurions from the 80s. It is a cartoon long forgotten but lets bring it back to the 20th Century! If you like it please support at https://ideas.lego.com/projects/67250 , thanks for your time, enjoy! Centurions 30th Anniversary The Centurions The Villains 1) Doc Terror 2) Hacker Thanks for your viewing!Please support at https://ideas.lego.com/projects/67250

Here's my series! Hope you like them! Individual pics: Avalonia Elven Queen She governs her people magically. Even though you would think they would get tired of being ruled by the same person for all time... Elf Traveler He has no obligations, and no responsibilities! He just travels and does incredible CGI stunts! Enlightened Orc She's MAGIC! Lady Knight The women in Avalonia are the only ones with any common sense! This heroine defends her hometown just as well as any man! Mitgardia Norse Spirit This undead spirit is said to have ripped off his famous beard and crated it into a hammer. He wanders the Mitgard for reasons only he knows... Ambassador An ambassador to the Jarl, her main job is to deal with the crazy clans. Ranger He's noble and cozy in his heavy jacket and thick beard! Yeti Warrior Yetis can fight too! And they will! Kaliphlin Captain of the Guard She's always on the lookout for thieves! Sand Orc These orcs are bigger, stronger, and smarter than their mountain orc kin. They're dangerous and crafty, merchants beware! Warrior-for-hire He's scruffy and angry! Desert Plunderer This pirate makes his millions by stealing fair and square! Nocturnus Mountain Man This mountain of a man can be dangerous, but he really just wants hair... He hates be bald! I mean, he has a massive beard, but where's his hair?! Exiled Dwarf This dwarf is angry at whoever exiled him! Rumors have it that no one, not even him, knows who that is though... Cyclops Warrior This muscled up warrior has more power than just brute strength! Look into his magical eye and you'll turn to stone. Or was that Medusa... I don't know, but I wouldn't want to find out! Drow Assassin Watch out for her! This pale killer is always hunting down someone... Better hope it's not you!

I had a lot of fun making these figs, and I'm looking forward to seeing more entries for this great contest. Here's my series of figs for the anniversary contest: Mitgardia Figs: Avalonia Figs: Kaliphlin Figs: Nocturnus Figs: Fig bios Name: Nighstalker Skills: Nocturnus is home to many assassins, and the "Nightstalker" is rumoured to be one of the most deadly. She is extremely skilled with her blades and can almost become invisible when wishing to remain unseen. Name: Avalonian Nobleman Skills: Considered unresistably handsome (at least by himself), this nobleman is always impeccably dressed and ready to lend aid to any damsel in distress. Name: Kaliphlin Lady Skills: Born into one of the rich families of Kaliphlin, this young lady spends most of her time at evening parties or going for walks in her extensive gardens. Name: Clan Leader Skills: Known for his wise advice and skill in battle, the Clan leader is held in the highest respect by his clan. Name: Dwarven Warrior Skills: Strong, determined, and armed with his war hammer and shield, the dwarven warrior is a formidable foe. Name: Royal Guard Skills: The royal guards of Kaliphlin generally guard Kaliphlin lords and their property. They are trustworthy and quite competent with their pole axes. Name: Orc Farmer Skills: Not all orcs are foul, violent creatures: some, like this farmer simply want to take care of themselves and their families. He works hard to raise crops in the swampy environment of Nocturnus. Name: Lady Hunter Skills: Reputed to be one of the best hunters in Avalonia, she knows all the habits of the wildlife of the forest and can track or shoot as well as any man. without breastplate Name: Stalwart Knight Skills: This knight is ready for anything and everything. As a member of the Flight of the Dragons, he's a very skilled horseman as well as foot-soldier. Name: Viking Farmer Skills: A steady worker, this farmer provides food not only for his family but also extra to sell in the nearest city. Name: Black Mage Skills: While his magic is powerful enough to stop most any foe, this mage is also dangerous with his daggers. Name: Traveling Merchant Skills: Able to procure just about anything you want, this merchant always manages to make a tidy profit on his sales. Name: Northern Hunter/Gatherer Skills: The mountainous regions of Mitgardia provide little food for the un-experienced, but this hunter always manages to find some game or plants to provide for her village. Name: Farmer Boy Skills: A cheerful worker, this boy helps his family with the farmwork. Always followed by his faithful pet chicken he can usually be found pitching hay or feeding the livestock. Name: Female Mercenary Skills: A soldier for hire, this capable warrior often guards Kaliphlin caravans. Name: Uruk Chieftain Skills: A fearsome sight, this warrior's brute strength and ferocity make anyone think twice before attacking his band. Thanks for looking, C&C welcome

dj2005, Clone O'Patra, def, Big Cam, WhiteFang VBBN, Pandora, Rufus, LuxorV, JimButcher, Inconspicuous, ZO6, The Penguin Oky, Brickdoctor, Masked Builder, The Cobra, R8, Sisco Dear Eurobricks Community, Since 2008, the Reviewers Academy has strived to help put great LEGO set reviews out to Eurobricks and the AFOL community as a whole. We teach students how to take professional-looking pictures and to write detailed opinions and facts about sets. A combination of in-depth lessons and one-on-one interaction teaches students everything from the basics of reviewing to neat tips and tricks to give reviews that extra flair. We are celebrating the sixth year of the Reviewers Academy. When the Academy first began, there was no telling what future it would hold. What started as an initiative to share knowledge, has since become a highly regarded aspect of our community. It has been a long journey, one that has only been made possible thanks to the students who wish to learn, and the teachers willingness to dedicate the time and knowledge to them. If you are interested in joining the Reviewers Academy, Please visit the official topic for more details. The teachers have prepared 17 reviews in celebration of the Academy's six years: 3818: Bikini Bottom Undersea Party reviewed by Clone OPatra 4766: Graveyard Duel reviewed by Clone OPatra 9476: Orc Forge reviewed by Masked Builder 30168: Gun Mounting System reviewed by WhiteFang 30216: Laketown Guard reviewed by Masked Builder 30255: Crawley reviewed by WhiteFang 31015: Emerald Express reviewed by WhiteFang 70161: Tremor Track Infiltration reviewed by LuxorV 75036: Utapau Troopers reviewed by WhiteFang 76000: Arctic Batman vs Mr Freeze: Aquaman reviewed by WhiteFang 76010: Batman: The Penguin Face Off reviewed by Masked Builder 76012 Batman: The Riddler Chase reviewed by Oky 79012: Mirkwood Elf Army reviewed by JimBee 850888: Castle Knights Accessory Set reviewed by WhiteFang 850889: Castle Dragons Accessory Set reviewed by WhiteFang 2014 SDCC Exclusive: Batman of Zur-En-Arrh reviewed by Oky 2014 SDCC Exclusive: Unikitty reviewed by Oky In addition to this, over the course of this last year the teachers have given 45 early, exclusive reviews of some highly anticipated sets: 10243 Parisian Restaurant by dj2005 71004 LEGO Minifigures:The LEGO Movie Series by WhiteFang 79014 Dol Guldur Battle by Masked Builder 44015 Evo Walker by VBBN 44016 Jaw Beast vs Stormer by VBBN 44017 Stormer Freeze Machine by VBBN 44018 Furno Jet Machine by VBBN 44019 Rocka Stealth Machine by VBBN 44020 Flyer Beast Vs Breez by VBBN 44021 Splitter Beast vs Furno and Evo by VBBN 44022 Evo XL Machine by VBBN 21021 Marina Bay Sands by WhiteFang 70800 Getaway Glider by Clone OPatra 70801 Melting Room by Clone OPatra 70803 Cloud Cuckoo Palace by Clone OPatra 70802 Bad Cop's Pursuit by Clone OPatra 70804 Ice Cream Machine by Clone OPatra 70805 Trash Chomper by Clone OPatra 70806 Castle Cavalry by Clone OPatra 70807 MetalBeard's Duel By Clone OPatra 70808 Super Cycle Chase by Clone OPatra 70809 Lord Business' Evil Lair by Clone OPatra 70811 The Flying Flusher by Clone OPatra 70812 Creative Ambush by Clone OPatra 70813 Rescue Reinforcements by Clone OPatra The LEGO Movie Press Kit by Masked Builder 71005 LEGO Minifigures: The LEGO Simpsons Series by WhiteFang 70816 Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! by Rufus 21108 Ghostbusters by WhiteFang 70206 CHI Laval by VBBN 70207 CHI Cragger by VBBN 70208 CHI Panthar by VBBN 70209 CHI Mungus by VBBN 70210 CHI Vardy by VBBN 70211 CHI Fluminox by VBBN 70212 CHI Sir Fangar by VBBN 44023 Rocka Crawler by VBBN 44024 Tunneler Beast vs Surge by VBBN 44025 Bulk Drill Machine by VBBN 44026 Crystal Beast vs Bulk by VBBN 44027 Breez Flea Machine by VBBN 44028 Surge & Rocka Combat Machine by VBBN 44029 Queen Beast vs. Furno, Evo & Stormer by VBBN 21020 Trevi Fountain by Masked Builder 21009 Exo-Suit by Masked Builder Sincerely, The Reviewers Academy Teachers

A few days late, but still ... I guess BEAVeR asked for a cake, so here's a group shot of most of the participants - that have an interesting avatar, that is. Can anyone get all the names? (click the image for HD :) version) List of characters from top left to bottom right: *Disclaimer: I either used the player's avatar from the player index, any latest MOC or whatever I saw fit. Everyone got fleshyfied, so sorry to haters, but the shot is superior by far this way. Someone did not have the time to make his hair (don't have the piece) and some clothing also got a bit updated. If anyone has any privacy issues, PM me and I'll blur them out. P.S.: This does not need to be judged :P Edit: List of characters added.

dj2005, Clone O'Patra, def, Big Cam, WhiteFang VBBN, Pandora, Rufus, LuxorV, JimButcher, Inconspicuous, ZO6, The Penguin Oky, Brickdoctor, Masked Builder, The Cobra, R8, Sisco Dear Eurobricks Community, Since 2008, the Reviewers Academy has striven to help put good LEGO set reviews out to Eurobricks and the AFOL community as a whole. We teach students how to take professional-looking pictures and to write detailed opinions and facts about sets. In-depth lessons and one-on-one interaction teaches students everything from the basics of reviewing to neat tips and tricks to give reviews that extra flair. Today represents the fifth year of the Reviewers Academy. When the Academy first began, five years was a milestone to reach, and today we have achieved that. It has been a long journey, one that has only been made possible thanks to the students who wish to learn, and the teachers willingness to dedicate the time and knowledge to them. This year we saw 4 students complete the first portion of the Academy and achieve the bronze-level (Brickington, TrumpetKing, Boomchil, The Penguin), 2 silver-level students (Boomchil, The Penguin), and we welcomed a new teacher (ThePenguin). These students are accompanied by those already working toward producing quality reviews in the Academy, and welcomed by 59 new students who joined us since last year. If you are interested in joining the Reviewers Academy, Please visit the official topic for more details. The teachers have prepared 4 reviews in celebration of the Academy's 5 years: 6036: Skeleton Surprise by dj2005 850425: Business Card Holder by LuxorV 850839: Pirate minifigure pack by WhiteFang 79103: Turtle Lair Attack by Oky In addition to this, over the course of this last year the teachers have given 20 early, exclusive reviews of some highly anticipated sets: 10233: Horizon Express by mostlytechnic 10937: Batman: Arkham Asylum Breakout by Clone O'Patra 21017: Imperial Hotel by Masked Builder 41015: Dolphin Cruiser by Oky 41005: Heartlake High by Pandora 41999: 4X4 Crawler Exclusive Edition by Masked Builder 70706: Crater Creeper by Pandora 21050: Create Your Own Architecture by JimButcher 21018: United Nations Headquarters by Clone O'Patra 21103: Back To The Future Time Machine by Rufus 70003: Eris Eagle Interceptor reviewed by WhiteFang 70004: Wakz' Pack Tracker reviewed by I Scream Clone 70100: Ring of Fire reviewed by WhiteFang 70102: CHI Waterfall reviewed by I Scream Clone 71001: LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 10 reviewed by WhiteFang 10240: Red Five X-Wing Starfighter reviewed by Rufus 70708: Hive Crawler reviewed by LuxorV 70709: Galactic Titan reviewed by WhiteFang 21015: Leaning Tower of Pisa reviewed by Rufus 71002: LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 11 reviewed by WhiteFang Sincerely, The Reviewers Academy Teachers

Title of Set: 6036 Skeleton Surprise Theme: Castle/Royal Knights Year Released: 1995 Piece Count: 74 Minifigures: 2 Original Price: $8 (USD), Unknown (EUR), Unknown (GBP) Current Prices: BrickLink Price Guide Further Information: Brickset, Lugnet, Peeron, Photobucket Album Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a vigilant knight who dedicated his later life toward the pursuit of finding the elusive golden chalice, which, according to myth, bestowed immortality on whoever drank from it. As the years ticked by, and the days grew ever-colder, the knight fought through many obstacles in his path and, in a dank and dark crypt, he finally found the one thing that could make all of his hardships and sacrifices worthwhile - the golden chalice. He marveled in its beauty for a moment before he quickly filled the chalice to its brim with water from his canteen, spilling some water here and there due to his excitement and anticipation. Once full, he drank as much as he could bear whilst he thought about how many good deeds he could accomplish with his new lifespan; however, unbeknownst to the knight, the myth left out a crucial piece of information... that the chalice does indeed grant eternal life but also binds the drinker to guard the chalice forever... Author's Notes: The year 1995 can be seen as the end of the first golden era concerning the Castle theme, as gone were the old fashioned Lion Knights, Black Falcons, Wolfpack, and the ever-beloved Forestmen . That certainly does not mean that all sets were bad during this time (and this is highly subjective anyway) as treasures such as 6036 Skeleton Surprise were occasionally released and are still a joy to own today. And, like most older LEGO sets, three alternate builds are showcased on the box that actually look quite good. You can take a gander at two of the alternative builds here. The build on the right is my favorite of the three. P.S. I know that I stated I would no longer do reviews on vintage sets during my 6956 Stellar Recon Voyager review, but I couldn't help myself. Instructions: Cover: The cover page features the set with the Royal Knight scared by a cute little skeleton. The background maintains the Castle feel of the sets released in the 80s and early 90s by using rolling hills with a rising / setting sun. Random Page: The instructions are an actual booklet and not a pamphlet. Included are 15 steps on 16 pages. The contrast and point of view are both good, making the build easy and enjoyable. Minifigures: Royal Knight: Here is the Royal Knight, who is presumably stationed at the guard tower / crypt to keep a lookout or to take the golden goblet. He is equipped with a brown spear, a Royal Knights shield, and a beautiful and luxurious beard that is paired with some manly stubble. As can be seen, his emblem suffers from the all-too-well-known issue of the white print not being fully opaque, causing it to look pink when applied on a red background. Skeleton: The skeleton is nothing new, even back then, and features the old-styled mold that has ball jointed arms which have a full range of motion but lack tension, causing the arms to strongly obey the law of gravity. I had a lot of fun playing with these skeletons when I was a kid and I enjoy them more than the newer skeletons, despite their shortfalls. Accessories: A yellow goblet (sadly, no pearl gold color existed at this time), brown spear, dark gray lance, and Royal Knights shield make up the accessories. Definitely not much but I find it adequate for a small set. Still, it leaves me wanting a treasure chest filled with a few lovely gold pieces. One can never have enough gold pieces. Pieces of Note: Included in this set are four black wall pieces, one of which has a cobblestone print. These pieces are great for building castles and other similar structures. The Rest of the Pieces: This set largely consists of black and light gray pieces, and even though only a little over 70 pieces are included, most of them are versatile and excellent for adding to existing sets or for creating MOCs. A good example of quality over quantity. Partway Through Building: This is approximately the halfway point in the build, but, as can be seen, the structure is already taking form. The golden goblet is tucked away deep in the crypt. This is slightly further along the build process and shows where and how the skeleton hangs. Look at those arms droop! Completed: Front: How peaceful... Front with Skeleton Hanging Down: Oh my god! A skeleton! The Royal Knight is so manly that he doesn't even care. The skeleton swings downward when the lance is pulled out to a certain point. The skeleton can then be swung back up into position using the technic rod that is attached to the gray cone to the left. I find it easier to just lift him back up using my finger since the cone doesn't have the best grip on the technic rod. Left Side: A nice little yard is on the left side of the set. A good place for a little creative building. As you may have already noticed, TLG supplied a 4 x 6 plate for the roof, which doesn't cover the whole area. This leaves gaps that are both unsightly and unconventional. A 6 x 6 plate solves this issue. I'm guessing that TLG used a 4 x 6 so that the plate is easier to remove. Right Side: The right side has enough room for some flowers, minifigures, and even small brick-built trees. Back: Yes, this set actually has a fully enclosed back. Quite shocking, I know. It makes the set feel complete, satisfying and kind of like a mini-castle. Alternate Build: Sweet, sweet revenge, Mr. Skeleton... It isn't an exact copy of what the TLG designer built, but it is close enough! There is a good amount of scale with this alternate build and it reminds me a bit of 6265 Sabre Island. With a couple extra pieces to fill in the second floor, I probably like it more than the chosen build. Reviewer's Score: Playability: 9.2/10 – Swinging skeleton, knight, goblet full of delicious immortality - what more could one ask for in an $8 set? Well, maybe another knight, horse, extra weapons, or a treasure chest with gold pieces. Design: 9.4/10 – The biggest flaws, in my opinion, are the 4 x 6 plate for the roof that leaves unsightly gaps and the skeleton's arms hanging down while he is hanging, which kind of ruins the surprise. Some flower plants would've been a nice addition to offset the blank space on the two sides, and maybe some front doors like seen in 6034 Black Monarch's Ghost. While I'm at it, a ladder to the roof would've been welcomed as well. Otherwise, this is a beautiful set with worthwhile alternate builds. Price: 8/10 – At $8 MSRP, it was fairly priced as it includes some wonderful pieces; however, I wouldn't say no to having another minifigure and/or some more goodies included in the set. Fortunately, the set can be found pretty cheaply nowadays on BrickLink and elsewhere. Total: 26.6/30 – A very satisfying, self-contained set that is comparable to sets 6034 and 1888, and makes a nice gift to those who are just getting into Castle or to long-timers.

The teachers have prepared 4 reviews in celebration of the Academy's 5 years: 6036: Skeleton Surprise by dj2005 850425: Business Card Holder by LuxorV 850839: Pirate minifigure pack by WhiteFang 79103: Turtle Lair Attack by Oky In addition to this, over the course of this last year the teachers have given 20 early, exclusive reviews of some highly anticipated sets: 10233: Horizon Express by mostlytechnic 10937: Batman: Arkham Asylum Breakout by Clone O'Patra 21017: Imperial Hotel by Masked Builder 41015: Dolphin Cruiser by Oky 41005: Heartlake High by Pandora 41999: 4X4 Crawler Exclusive Edition by Masked Builder 70706: Crater Creeper by Pandora 21050: Create Your Own Architecture by JimButcher 21018: United Nations Headquarters by Clone O'Patra 21103: Back To The Future Time Machine by Rufus 70003: Eris Eagle Interceptor reviewed by WhiteFang 70004: Wakz' Pack Tracker reviewed by I Scream Clone 70100: Ring of Fire reviewed by WhiteFang 70102: CHI Waterfall reviewed by I Scream Clone 71001: LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 10 reviewed by WhiteFang 10240: Red Five X-Wing Starfighter reviewed by Rufus 70708: Hive Crawler reviewed by LuxorV 70709: Galactic Titan reviewed by WhiteFang 21015: Leaning Tower of Pisa reviewed by Rufus 71002: LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 11 reviewed by WhiteFang Read here to view more information in this discussion topic for the Reviewers Academy Fifth Anniversary Celebration. Sincerely, The Reviewers Academy Teachers