Artifex

Wow! Awesome project! I love it! Keep up the good work -- and the photo share! :thumbup:

Thanks a lot for the review! This is one of my all-time favorite sets. I have it in display with another Forestmen's Hideout and the Camouflaged Outpost. It looks just great. Everybody loves my "forest" Unfortunately, there's no room for the River Fortress I'm still on the hunt for a complete and not too expensive Forestmen Crossing, though. That's a hard one to come by

This topic is a very interesting read. Every time this sort of thread (keep X in the box or open the box and play/display X) shows up in a forum, we usually have those who are in favor of openning the box and those against it. The arguments supporting both views are both very sound in my opinion. I was one of the first people to answer this thread, and I said that "if you have the money, by duos of each set -- one to keep in the box, another one to open up and play/display". So on to my point. I love Lego and I also love GIJoe. I open all Lego sets I buy. I only by multiples when I think more of the same set is good for a display or MOC, but I can only buy the multiples of the least expensive ones. As for GIJoe, I usually have two of each figure. One to open and move, touch, make dioramas with and take pictures, another one to keep in the box and display. I don't ever intend to sell any of my GIJoe or any of my Lego sets. But the reason I keep one "copy" of my GIJoe in the box is because just looking at it gives me that Christmas feeling. So I have one Figure to "do stuff with" and another one to display in the box like a permanent, continuous Christmas. Both things give me pleasure. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way about their MIB items. I do. But it pains me to keep something in the box and never be able to touch it. So either I get a second one or if I can (usually due to prices), I open them up and enjoy them.

Gratz to you all! :thumbup: You boys and girls make us proud! :thumbup:

Hi there! Can anyone please post some pics of older Castle/Kingdoms minifigs side-by-side with the new LotR ones? I still haven't got any LotR sets and it will be a month before I get one... But I'm curious to know how they interact -- if mixing torsos, helmets and legs looks nice or not. I know mixing skin colored figs with yellow ones doesn't work, but I'm curious about the general mix-and-match of all the rest. Thanks in advance!

Wow, fantastic review! I think this is one of the best LotR sets so far -- and the only reason it's not the top one in my list is because we have The Battle of Helm's Deep. It's good to see Lego giving us so many mnifigs in one same set! This is definitely the army building set for LotR fans! Thanks for posting pics of the LotR figs near older figs.

I love everything about your vehicle! Great design, great colors, great everything! :thumbup:

If you CAN'T afford doubles of each set, then go for what legotrader said. If you CAN afford doubles, then go buy some more Lego! :thumbup:

Thanks a lot, guys! Appreciated! Your answers were very enlightening! :thumbup: I'll think on what to do next -- what train/sets to get or not to get -- and know you that you helped me a lot with the decision, whatever it turns out to be! Thank you! :thumbup:

Thanks a lot for this review1! Great review for a great set! :thumbup: This is a must for every Lego City! :thumbup:

Great review, thanks a lot! I agree that this is one of the best sets of 2012! It's not only colorful and looks pretty, but it's also relevant and right -- I think every city today is (or should be) going green, with recycling cotainers, trucks and stuff like that.

Great! Awesome! Amazing! Question: where did you get those flat, one-stud, round plates?

Hi there! Although I was willing to, I didn't buy any of the 2010 train sets (too many real life changes going on at the same time, but I managed to leave my Lego Dark Ages anyway). I haven't bought the Maersk Train from last year too, and I'm not sure I'll be able to get it at this point. Anyway, how long does it take for new train sets to be released? The non-exclusives, I mean. Should I try and buy whichever -- or my favorite -- train set as soon as I can or should I wait a bit to see what's coming this fall or maybe next year? I'm sorry if this sounds like a dumb question. Although I really like the train sets and read all the reviews, I'm not very keen about the theme, news about it and new set releases. P.S.: On the side -- the 7937 Train Station is in my 2012 to buy list even though I may not be getting any train sets. Is this a good buy or should I wait for the new station too? Yes, I know how strange this sounds, but I think the station looks cool in any Lego city EDIT: Thanks for moving my post to this thread. Sorry!

Thanks a lot for the great review. This theme is really growing on me. The designs are great and they make me believe Lego designers are taking a step further, trying and testing designs that are not as common on "regular" Lego sets. I'm not very fond of the all the pink -- although I do get it why it is there --, the designs and parts use are just great. This set is not just up to the old 6379 Riding Stable -- I think it has topped it! And I LOVE the 6379!

Thanks a lot for this review! This is one of the sets that I'm lookikng forward too this year! (which is one of the best years to be into Lego!!!) The minifigs look awesome and they are the main reason I'm getting this set. I hope the palace look just as good, but if it's up to the preview and expo pics I'll be just as glad. Thumbs up for this set!!!

I know it's a little bit early to be asking things like this, but... What will be the next big think after The Lord of the Rings line is over? Don't get ne wrong: although I was sceptical when LotR was announced and for a while after the first preview pics, now that the sets are out and so are the in-hand pics and reviews, I'm amazed at how cool the line looks. And of course I wish it does well sales-wise and last a long time. I think LotR will hold strong for many years -- there are three movies to cover and the upcoming two The Hobbit movies. So set-wise, that's A LOT of The Lord of the Ring Lego for the next few years. But then what? What will come next? Star Wars sort of became THE sci-fi Lego line. But we had other "original" (non-licenced) sci-fi themes. So I bet we'll see a couple of non-LotR, maybe even a "new wave" of Kingdoms/Castle sets at some point during LotR run (which I guess will last for at least 4-5 years). But then I have to ask this again: What will come after The Lord of the Rings Kingdoms/Castle/Fantasy-wise? I, for one, would love for a Kingdoms II because I really loved Kingoms and that was the line that brought me out of my Dark Age. But in as much as my heart says that, my mind points to a different thing altogether: a non-fantasy, non-that medieval line. Yes, I'm betting on something along the lines of Europa. Europa was a non-produced line that took place in the 18th century Europe. It got something of Castle, Pirates and Western (or better yet, very early-Western). It was also the times of Dracula, Frankenstein and other cool Gothic stuff -- and (why not?) some colonial sets. A new Europa line could very well be anachronistic, gathering sets from all across the ages (up to the 18th century, maybe with steampunk tech too). But that's only my two cents on life after The Lord of the Rings. I think Europa would be a nice Lego theme after LotR. What do you think? Any thoughts on what will come next? EDIT: Links to Lego Europa. * Brikipedia. * Pic here. * On Eurobricks.

I haven't seen any pics like that, but I'd love to check them out... Please add some links next time you mention something cool so we can see it too! ;)

Thanks, guys! So no word on battlepacks yet?

Sorry, but I couldn't find an answer to the this question using the forum's tools. So, do we have confirmation from Lego -- or from someone at the Embassy -- that there will be battlepacks for The Lord of the Rings? If so, then when? Christmas maybe? On the side: when will the LotR sets be released in the UK?

Thanks for the replies, guys!

I was watching the BrickQueen's Lego Round Table and something got me wondering: The pronunciation of the name "Ninjago". I always thought it was something like "NIN-jah Go" (like the noun "Ninja" + the verb "(to) go"). Which one is right? English is my second language, so sorry for my asking... EDIT: link for the BrickQueen's YouTube channel -- http://www.youtube.com/user/BrickQueen?feature=watch and the Round Table video I mentioned --

What a surprise! But it sounds like a nice battle-pack to my ears. =D

I was just playing the latest update of The Lord of the Rings Online. It brings a new region, south of Lothlorien, which means close to Rohan. And there's this Rohirric settlement full of houses and horses and riders and flags... And then I check EB and there are these great high quality, high definition pics form the coming LOTR Lego sets and you can imagine -- I'm all sold for the Rohirric sets. They are just great! This video here shows a lot of the settlement I'm talking about -- Stangard. Check it out! Focus on the architecture, banners and overall landscape --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS6P_L1pLeE

Just watched Ghost Rider 2. The single worst movie I have ever watched. I'm lucky I'm not blind now. It's so bad in so many instances that I don't even know where to begin. So I'll say this at once: STAY AWAY FROM GHOST RIDER 2!!! Risk your sanity at your own risk -- you have been warned!

RIP Ralph -- you did a huge deed for everybody's imagination. Your job is done -- very well done. :thumbup: