RODDY

Hello, what do we have here? I’m swooning man.

As the professional resident Lockhart enthusiast, even though I enjoyed the two we got so far, the new hairpiece recolored would definitely be more accurate. The bigger crime imo was not including a cape with the Orange Gold variant of Lockhart.

For me personally it goes 1) Displayable: Simply put does the set look good on a shelf and to the eye in general 2) Minifig Quality: Minifigs are weighted about equal to the set imo. A meh set can become a buy with good minifigs, a pretty set with not great minifigs can put a damper on it. 3) Accuracy: I’m not a huge stickler on accuracy. The Lego medium will never 100% capture reality and that’s fine and there’s a charm to that. As long as it looks decently close and looks good, I’m not gonna complain. For example the Lupin in the Collector Hogwarts Express is not at all screen accurate BUT it looks amazing and it’s a nice variant so I’ll take it. 4) Modularity: This one is slowly rising up on my list. With less space in my house I’m now focusing on sets that can be paired together on the same shelf and have a cohesive theme. 5) Play features: At the end of the day Lego is a toy and it should be great for play as well. Do I personally play with my sets? Not really but it’s a nice bonus that can add some points. For example the moon in the Shrieking Shack is ultra cool imo. Cool bonus if it’s well integrated in a set but not essential at all. 6) Interesting parts: Not a Moc builder, I’m really a Lego purist at heart. I do kinda get hyped when I see an older piece that’s like 20 years old get used in a new and creative way. Part usage is neat but again not essential.

I’m not an advent calendar guy, the only one I got was the Yule Ball one for the twins and Cho Chang. But this with these new variants, I’m totally going to pick it up. They look so good and finally getting Aberforth is dope too.

I mean exabrickslegogo reposted it too so I think there’s some validity to it. But yeah this is just another set I can save money on which is fine by me.

I’m 100% fine with Lego releasing more big sets. Personally I’ve never been the collecting type (HP from 2018-2020 being the exception), I just buy the sets that I personally want and can afford. So if they want to get their toes wet and start resurrecting more defunct themes like Indiana Jones and LOTR, power to them and to those who can afford it. Just because I can’t afford everything doesn’t mean I should be holding anyone back who can. I’ll just buy what I can, I really don’t need everything. The only real problem for me is going to be this year with the overlap of Indiana Jones and HP. But I’m not too worried because I have $300 in store credit (thank you Hogwarts Express 5x VIP Points) so I’ll basically be getting the Indiana Jones wave for free so just my usual year, buy every system scale HP set except Hogwarts and the Fall Star Wars D2C. And after this year with Gringott’s, Second Task, and Durmstrang Ship, I feel like my HP collection would be complete and I’ll just focus on Indiana Jones.

I think it’s real but someone tried taking a panorama type shot and kinda botched it. But I’m really liking what I see here.

I really want to like these, but the only one I really do love is the Citroen/Fighter chase. Time to bricklink some pigeons to uhmmm… maim. The Temple of Doom feels very cartoony for a bloody sacrifice, the statue especially, I much prefer the grounded look of the old one. The one thing this one does better though is the track layout going around instead of straight, doesn’t take up as much space. Very glad to be getting the Maharaja too. The Escape of Lost Tomb kinda feels barren but finally getting Sallah, I can forgive it. Fingers crossed for an epic Temple Escape and better photos. So far not the best impression.

Personally feel like a Hogwarts Grounds set would focus on more Forbidden Forest type stuff and there’s only two memorable scenes left. Imo it’s either going to be a Hagrid’s Hut remake this type focusing on Philosophers Stone and the first year detention. OR it could be focused on the Deathly Hallows and basically be a remake of the 2011 set, maybe with a Boathouse or Bridge.

Whomping Willow and Astronomy Tower

Durmstang Ship confirmed? Be still my beating heart

Hmmm good point I wonder then if there is a system scale Sail Barge to precede the 2024 one in this upcoming wave, just like the AT-AT

UCS JABBA’S SAIL BARGE LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I think this is a rough model as not only the fins are missing but it’s at 6,500 pieces as well, so this feels like a placeholder. And I got money it’s coming out this year, no way they don’t have the Barge come out on the 40th Anniversary. I’m SOOO excited, the barge is my favorite Star Wars vehicle and it’s about time it gets the royal treatment it so rightfully deserves.

Crystal Skull had the right inspiration and ideas, just the execution was not that great imo. Easily the worst of the four but it’s not the dumpster fire some people make it out to be. Only set I would consider buying from the film would be an Arnie’s Diner with the car and motorcycle chase with a statue of Marcus Brody. I just don’t think the locations of the film aren’t the greatest to lend themselves to cool Lego sets.

Would love a full blown interior as well especially the kitchen area would be nice alongside a bunch of aliens to fill the barge. My biggest hope is that they fix the nose of the Barge and not make it so slanted and make it a bit more round like the 2006 one. The 2006 Barge is probably in my top five favorite Lego sets I just love the design so much, so a full blown $500 UCS Sail Barge with all the bells and whistles could be my new favorite.

I just found out about it watching Brick Clicker’s latest video.

I love that Han Solo carbonite is going back to being brick built. The original carbonite piece has to be one of my all time favorite Lego pieces. Accurate? Not quite but god am I being blinded by nostalgia. Hopefully the Rebo means UCS Sail Barge, though my wallet would beg for mercy after all these leaks over the last week.

Mini figs are Indiana Jones, Hovito, Belloq and Satipo according to Promobricks

My hope for Indy is that it doesn’t become evergreen but it stays around for a couple more years after this initial wave, that we can get most of the key scenes and vehicles made available.

If they are going the Star Wars route then the smaller D2C would be released first in this case the Knight Bus, probably with the rest of the wave on June 1st. Then Gringotts would release in September.

I think the only two sets that I’m 100% buying is the buildable Dobby and Gringotts. It’s confirmed that it’s compatible with DA so I’m very curious how they pull off the underground track portion. Bet it comes with the dragon and Leaky Cauldron for that price tag which would be perfect. Still think that the $130 is the Lovegood home, feels like the same price range as Grimmauld and Burrow sets. The $90 set I’m putting money on it being the bridge that Neville collapses.

I feel like with such a big piece count, I think it’s going to be another item like Sword of Gryffindor or a buildable creature. I’m putting my money on a Buildable Dobby with you called it, socks and Tom’s Riddle Diary.

1) Gringotts 2) First Year Detention with new fang and unicorn mold 3) Inferi Cave 4) Durmstrang Ship 5) Lovegood Home (With a similar feature as the Temple of Airjitzu where you can reenact the Tale of the Three Brothers) Bonus: MORE LOCKHART VARIANTS NEED GOLD AND BLUE AND GREEN AND RED LOCKHARTS!!!! And Narcissa of course. But yeah I think these are the five sets that I see myself buying before I hang it up for HP. Don’t have anymore room for more Hogwarts add ons so I stopped buying those and every other major location has been pretty much done and I’m not buying remakes or items.

1) Diagon Alley 2) 12 Grimmauld Place 3) Rise of Voldemort 4) Astronomy Tower 5) Attack on The Burrow 6) The Shrieking Shack 7) Clock Tower 8) Great Hall 9) Hogwarts Express 2018 (have the big boi but haven’t built him yet so he’s unranked) 10) Expecto Patronum 11) Beauxbaton’s Carriage 12) Umbridge’s Forbidden Forest Encounter 13) Hagrid’s Hut 14) Knight Bus 15) Advent Calendar 2019 Wow this was a hard list to make, it just shows how phenomenal the Harry Potter reboot has been. I could probably tell you my least favorite sets like Sirius Black’s Escape or Fluffy Encounter, but ranking these was quite the task. Here’s to 2023 being another banger year!

Second Task: I love and I mean love the new Krum, it’s such a huge improvement. And finally getting Grindylows is absolutely fantastic. The builds are both okay, nothing jaw dropping but I do love the stackability of the two portions. My one main gripe is I feel this set doesn’t feel like a $45 set but who really cares I’m still buying it anyways. Room of Requirements: This one is a huge surprise for me, was not expecting this to be as good as it is. The diadem, DH Harry and Hermoine, Helena, this set is jam packed. Love the play feature that the door disappears and reappears as you please. And the snake is a great build as well. Nice to see the pixies and phonograph as well. Way better than last years extensions and the $50 feels justified.