x105Black

This looks great! I really like the variation in wood, the detail in the stone on the structure, and all of the plants. The rocks it is built on also look really nice, as does the tree with the vine, and the mossy details leading up to the roof. I would also love to see the interior. Nice work!

LEGO will make plenty of money selling Christmas presents this year, as with every year. And with the products they release at New Years, they will still make plenty of money. Some will put off a Christmas git for a week to get a new set, or get a LEGO gift card for Christmas to use in the New Year. Some will just get the New Years releases later. Some will buy the New Year sets they have been reading about on EuroBricks and elsewhere on January 1st, even if they spent a lot of money on LEGO for Christmas. LEGO does and likely will stick to that January 1st release date. At other times of the year, they have put things out a bit early, but I've never seen the LEGO Stores in my area put things out early at New Years. Now Target, Toys R Us, and other retailers might be a different story. I think it's a smart tactic because right after they got people to buy a bunch of LEGO as Christmas gifts, they release a bunch of new LEGO to make people come back and spend more quickly. As far as Nexo Knights is concerned, I'm certain to buy at least 1 set on January 1st, as I'll be there at the LEGO store to buy up new CMFs and possibly more.

The only good I can see coming from this is that it can show LEGO that there is a market for certain things, and hopefully inspire them to create their own version. I doubt this happens, at least not often, but if it did it would be an advantage.

I am fairly certain that LEGO as a company will continue beyond my lifetime. To answer selfishly, that's all that matters to me. Hopefully I will still be enjoying their products and pricing during that time.

There is no way for me to know. I know I had a lot of mixed bricks that were given to my brother and I, but that was easily over 30 years ago. My first set could have been anything available at the time. My guess is it was an early 80's City or Space set. I remember having those bricks more than I remember getting those sets. The earliest sets I can remember getting were Castle sets from the 1984 incarnation.

I've noticed the trend as well. One thing that bothered me was the latest wave of Pirates sets. I was a fan of the original Pirates sets, and since I just emerged from my dark age, it was exciting to see that they were doing Pirates again. What irked me was that the sets are so much smaller. They may be using more bricks, but the overall size of the sets when built has gone down. I know that a new set at a similar size to an old set would be more expensive, but it would be impressive, especially with the modern bricks and techniques they use today. Price per piece is a nice guideline to go by, but I find it doesn't always work for the same reasons mentioned above (minifigures, scarcity of a piece, etc). I sometimes think that LEGO as a commercial entity is taking advantage of their fans and milking them for as much as they can get. This practice may have negative repercussions for them in the future, as other companies improve and get more attractive licenses and people tire of the rising prices of LEGO.

birthmark

reveal

I haven't read the Potter books, but I keep getting them recommended to me. 1984 is a fantastic book. It's a little dry in the middle, but it is easily one of my favorites.

Well I was naturally assuming it would be a knight minifigure, and they all have big armor...

depths

I'll have to look at it and decide. I'd really prefer to have them articulate, so I'll definitely have to research it. Thanks for the informed opinion!

That's a slight to Phantasy Star! It's a great series with a very unique art style, and I don't think this really comes close. They all have big armor.

This has come up before, and it's been said that it is indeed a Death Star, as in the Original Trilogy.

lasers

from

them

Brick-built dragons or creatures cannot compare to molded. That Bahamut dragon above is nice, though. I really like Smaug. I was considering getting the black dragon from King's Castle Siege in 2007, as I prefer black to dark red, and I prefer dragons to wyverns. The comparisons here may have changed my mind towards having Smaug, though. I've already got the set, unopened. I was planning on selling Smaug from it, but I don't think I will anymore. I may end up trying to mod it with a couple of dark red arms, however. If anyone has done this, please point me in that direction.

slimy

I guess it could be Vigo in demonic form. Maybe it's a terror dog? Either way, no substitute for a Vigo minifigure.

No way! I'd like to change my pants from time to time.

Sometimes

I have to admit, that's a nice looking dragon. It's definitely one of the top brick-built dragon designs I've seen.

hats

I would imagine she comes with some sort of accessory. That picture really isn't much to go on when determining that. I think the cape is only grey on the inside as an artistic rendition of shadow.