jonwil

Here in Brisbane the local LEGO stores have mostly had good stock levels of everything in 2020 (even in-demand things like the Cantina and Batwing have actually been available and didn't get instantly snagged up). Buying from an actual store (if you are able to do that) is probably the best way to ensure you snag a copy rather than chancing an online purchase.

Is it just me or does "The Keepers Village" feel a lot like the old Islanders sets only with the evil dialed up to 11? (at least I can only assume they are evil because 3 different Ninja appear to be attacking them)

The HP polybag was made using existing in-production parts so they only had to produce the polybag itself and the instructions. Across Series 21 they have a number of expensive new molds (including the hermit crab, airplane costume, singer headdress, violin, beekeeper headgear, ladybug shell and others), a VERY large number of new printed elements and a whole bunch of recolored elements. Its not surprising CMFs have a higher cost of production (and hence a higher price for the same amount of LEGO) than something like a promotional polybag.

I wonder if something like the Aquarium or that retro bowling alley are candidates for a second shot?

If what we get is Space Jam figs, forget it. If we get classic Looney Tunes figs, I am all over that.

Build-a-fig station still closed at my local LEGO Certified Store (Dreamworld, Australia) although I picked up the xmas 3-pack the other day because of all the neat rare/exclusive parts its got. Probably going to visit a different LEGO Certified Store today (run by a different bunch of people) and will report on whats going on there (someone spotted a store in Melbourne that's running the build-a-fig bin and its owned by the same mob as the store I am visiting today)

I actually LOVE the food costumes (and have been collecting all of them). The animal costumes can be good as well although I am not a fan of the pug or ladybug (I want more of things like the gorilla suit or the giraffe suit...)

The local LEGO store (which I was at yesterday) was full of stock of Ideas sets. Piano. Barracuda Bay. Sesame Street. ISS. Treehouse. Central Perk. Dinosaur Fossils. I think even Steamboat Willie and Flintstones (not sure on those last ones).

Its entirely possible Winnie the Pooh is next (both are from the same batch so should be the next 2 in line but we don't know which one is first)

Is the crowbar a new color or is it just black but really shiny?

Which set is that? All I see in the one set I can find is a lion, what I think is a warthog and an Ostrich. No giraffes or hippos there...

I would LOVE a hippo for sure. And a Giraffe.

Excluding the stuff in the new CMF, the new dog (with assistance harness), the new frog in the flower set, new dinosaurs in JW and anything in the Friends line, are there any other animals (new molds or recolors) known for 2021 so far? (looking to see if there is anything that might fit in my zoo and pink frogs, dinosaurs, Friends animals, dogs, crabs and bugs don't fit with what I am doing) 2020 gave us a few nice animals including the lioness in the Safari Truck and the new color of owl in that one fire set, wondering if there is anything good like that for 2021...

WOW. Just WOW. As a HUGE fan of police stations I want one and I may even pay RRP for it...

The fact is, kids like toys that involve things that shoot (such as the canons on the fire helicopter, the stud shooter in the fire hazard truck and the canon-on-wheels in the fire truck set). So LEGO will make toys that involve things that shoot.

I am still waiting for some of the more interesting parts from recent sets to show up as "for sale" before I jump on another order (although its entirely possible these parts may never become available to buy such as the police sweater from the City Advent Calendar, the nose from the tram in the Main Square set, the new helicopter control panel from the Main Square set or the dark red/dark green/cool yellow doors from the Diagon Alley set) I did notice that some of the new parts from the Ecto are showing up as for sale including the windscreen, steering wheel, 1x3 caution stripes tile and 2 x 2 slope with black vertical stripes. The titanium metallic head from the Mos Eisley set is also available for sale. The other reason I am holding off on an order is the risk that it will show up while I am away on xmas holidays and I will miss the package (even more of a problem since B&P orders aren't tracked)

If you look at the buses LEGO have done in the City line, their doors are on the left as viewed from the front of the vehicle. So that would fit with the vehicles being from a country where they drive on the right.

Anyone know what color that sports car is? Looks like Medium Azure to me but I can't be sure.

For a bendy bus they would probably replicate the rubber bendy part in the same way they have replicated the similar bendy bits on passenger trains (i.e. not actually having a rubber bendy bit at all).

I see zero reason why LEGO can't do more 18+ d2c type sets in the Marvel universe. Marvel has the helicarrier and that UCS Hulkbuster (and now Iron Man's Helmet) and that's basically it. DC has various Arkham sets, the Joker Mansion from TLBM, that retro Batcave, various Batmobiles and now a Batwing. If they did an 18+ d2c set in the MCU that was actually a location (in the way of the Batcave or Arkham or Joker Mansion sets DC has gotten) and they did it properly I would definitely want one. Even Star Wars gets things like the Cantina as well as all the ships.

No results here in Australia for the orange spaceman :(

The LEGO store in Robina QLD has the new xmas figures (including a white sack and a printed xmas gift 2 x 2 tile and some sort of sweater) in a 3-pack pre-made if anyone here in QLD wants them (I suspect the other LEGO Certified Stores in Australia will be doing the same thing since they are mostly run by the same mob)

If you look at the vehicles that have been released to date in the Creator Expert line (VW Bus, VW Beetle, Mini, Ferrari F-40, London Bus, DB5, Mustang, Harley, Fiat 500) they are a LOT more well known among people who aren't hardcore car/race fans (or at least recognized as a car even if people don't know exactly what they are looking at) than an Auto Union Type C (Heck, I know a lot about cars and even I don't really know what an Auto Union Type C is other than that its some sort of old race car made by a company who later became part of Audi and I certainly have zero interest in owning a LEGO model of one). I think quite a few of the cars that got to 10k and got rejected (Corvette, E-Type Jag, Jeep Wrangler in particular) are far more well known than the Auto Union Type C (or the Caterham for that matter)

The fact that they already have a relationship with Audi and VAG makes it less likely that it will get approved IMO. Look at all the real-world-car ideas that made it to 10k and got rejected (the only one they approved was the Caterham) If anything, something like the E-Type Jag they rejected previously would have been a much bigger seller (quite a few lists of the "most beautiful cars in the world" put the E-Type at #1 for example)

I dont think the stuff like the black dog has been available in Australia at all :(