Mirandir

Oh, I'm so with you on the first two. If we were to get new Panel 10x10x12 corner in Trans-yellow I would be jumping of happiness for a month. ;) The third one seems to have been around during my dark ages so I have no relation to it.

I can actually confirm that. Atleast to some extent. I just checked it, yes I have five bags (including both nurse and skaterboy BTW ;) ), and each bag has two barcodes. The smaller barcode differ on all five bags. BTW the skaterboy is relativley easy to find anyway. The skateboard i a pretty distinct item that can be felt by fingering on the bag.

The Series 1 will be released in the summer (june for Sweden). Series 2 will be available at late summer/fall (august for Sweden) They will be available at any store that sells LEGO that decides to take them in (Both series 1 and series 2 are in the retailer catalogue). If I've understood things correctly each display case will hold 60 bags.

Yeah It's pretty Ironic that it's sometimes cheaper to order a set from the US than it is to buy it locally. And that is even after adding customs fees and VAT. It seems to me like that, at least here in Sweden, LEGO prefer to not change prices on sets already released. Instead they adapt to raising oil prices and declining currency value through prices on new sets instead.

Since he has an almost complete LEGO Star Wars collection on display in his shop, which makes it very popular with both kids and adults, I guess it could be called a buisness investment. ;)

This color list from Peeron is perfect for "translation" of the color names. It lists the colors name from Peeron, Bricklink and TLC. And after a quick check I didn't find that many new colors. Just Dark Nougat, which I guess will be "dark Flesh" in Bricklink-ish as "Nougat" is LEGO's name for the fleshie skin color.

Love it and blogged it. Since I grew up and still lives quite near the main line ("Stambanan") in nothern of Sweden I've seen that engine pass by countless times. So for me this is a real classic. To bad they've seem to have been demoted to "just" be shunter locomotives around here theese days. Haven't seen one pass by here for years now.

Hey don't complain. The Swedish price on this is set is actually $70 USD!! (according to xe.com) We'll actually get it way cheaper by ordering it from the US even if customs slaps a 25% VAT on it... And that is just plain ridiculous! I like the set though. But I'm just not gonna buy it. If I feel like building it I'll rather order the pieces of bricklink...

Black seas barracuda. It's what kicked me into my dark age(!). I can still remember the dissapointment in realizing that the hull of that huge pirate ship was just 5 pieces....

Actually I count to as many as at least 7 minifigs in the set. I didn't notice those fashion dummies before. And there is two of thoose in the window on one side. In the window on the other side there's just a big reflection so there could teoretically be as many as 9 minifigs in the set. And at least one of the fashion dummies are wearing a dress. It's a bit faint as it's seen through a window but it looks like the white dress from castle/pirates. But that may change as it's just a prelim picture that I've seen. Also I think the two upper floors doesn't need heaps of details. I think that would just make the building look cluttered. And besides that saves bricks for the interior. And comparing the piece count with CC I'm pretty convinced that 10211 Grand Emporium comes with an interior. And I just realized that I think the building comes with no less than 22 of that new "Prince of Persia arch" in white...

Yeah. And I'm hoping for a house thats like the creator houses but actually in minifig scale. I've always felt that the creator houses weren't really made to go along with minifigs but to be displayed on shelf or something. No, I won't post any pictures on 10211 Grand Emporium as that would be a sure way to stop the early preview pictures from dropping into my mailbox as soon as there is a rumor about new sets.

I think you are thinking of 5891 Apple Tree House.

At least here in sweden they use the impulse sets to do just that. They're always released some time before the rest of the theme launches. E.g. the space police III impulses came out in june and the rest didn't arrive in stores until august. For Atlantis the impulses were released 21 december and the rest comes out in 13 january. Besides, this is just the first 16 figs. There will be at least 16 more figs that we know nothing about right now. They may very well include tie-ins to Atlantis and/or World Racers and even Pirates. We'll just have to wait and see what goodies that wave will bring.

I didn't ask for any since I know I won't be getting any. Instead I've asked for, and hope I'll get, some storage. Which I'm in desperate need of right now. :(

Regarding the full figure/mixed parts debate my source tells me that it is full figures and not mixed parts. And I think that would make more sense than mixed parts. And as has been stated that advertimesnt doesn't contain any mentions or even hints of it containing mixed parts rather than full figures. Intresting though that it looks kind of like it's boxes rater than bags.

Yeah, LEGO Spongebob is history. And I think the decision was made as early as last year. Before the last sets came out. Pretty much it's because of poor sales. Which I got confirmed by a store owner I talked to the other day. I got the impression that they wouldn't have taken in any more Spongebob even if the line had continued.

The microfigs from the games range are a single piece. So unfortunatly they don't offer that many mocing possibilities. :(

Well my source was pretty specific about it being minifigs. If this would turn out to be just a series of badges with minifigs printed on them for 25 SEK (2.5 USD/EUR) I predict that it'll be a massive fail. Because that would just be ridicously expensive. Sure the pictures we've seen are said to be on colector badges but I think it's likely that it's the same 16 figs as will be in this series.

Not sure wheter all the figs comes with accessories or not. And yes there will be a small poster in each bag showing all the minifigs of that specific series.

It's the same collectible minifigs as has been discussed here.

From what I've read so far about the new castle-theme it seems like their actually cutting most of the fantasy elements out. E.g. it's said to be two human factions rather than humans vs. trolls, skeletons and such.

I think the problem here is getting the LOTR/Hobbit licence to co-exist with the castle/kingdom theme. After all the only difference will pretty much come down to the skincolor of the minifigs... Another problem I see with LOTR is that for most places, like helms deep or those towers etc, to be really recognizeble from the movies they need to be either microscale or freaking huge. A problem with "The Hobbit" is that it doesn't feel anywhere near as iconic as LOTR is.

Hi and welcome. You seem to have done your homework alright. But I'll rty and answer your questions: 1.) The lifespan of a set range from 1 - 3 years. Most of the sets that goes out of production has been with us for the past two years. Pirates and some indy sets are cut short. The reason for the early ending of pirates theme are suspected by many to be clearing the path for a possible Pirates of the Caribbean license in 2011. 2.) Ebay can be a way to build stock cheap. But you never really know what you're getting. It may be some kids laid of lego thats all "chewed up" or you can get lucky to get some old, long gone, pieces in mint condition. If you have specific pieces that you're looking for then bricklink is pretty much the only place to go. 3.) Christmas is just around the corner so sales are all over the place. I know that castle is getting a total overhaul next year and changing direction. It's even being renamed to "Kingdoms" if I'm not mistaken. Not sure when this latest version is coming out and the old is canceled. So I'm not if the old ones are getting restocked or not.

Can't tell you more than it's a very reliable source. And I haven't heard anything about set 10197. It's existance wasn't even known when I was told the end-dates of a few exklusive sets.

Funny, this reminds me a lot of a suggestion I made in the embassy a year ago. Anyhow, this is going to dig a deep hole in my wallet. There are 16 minifigs coming out in june. But they'll only be available for about two months because in august they'll be replaced by a second wave with 16 new minifigs. So from what I've been hearing it's a total of 32 new minifigs coming out this way. And it's not going to be any minifig available in a theme. So the reason why theese minifigs are going to be so expensive is the uniqueness and short production.