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Hopefully some cardboard in with the instructions and stickers then

I don't know the sales figures but my kids love the cars theme. They have this and the other classic Mater and Mcqueen sets. Its a pity that Mater isnt in one of his "disguises" in this set but I suppose the Ivan Mater set is out in January or so. A good point that there are only two versions of Mater around Manners. Great review of a reasonably priced set.

I see you are in the UK, like myself. Unfortunately for us I cant't see any of the new lines reaching us before christmas George Lucas above anyone else in the world had the foresight to retain all the rights to merchandising to his intellectual property with very little fiscal dilution. I know techniques have changed and improved but a look at the quality of Star Wars sets is a lot higher than when they first came out.. Less pieces maybe, but better. Harry Potter lego I feel never got the care and attention it needed. Its hard to replicate the imagery from the films and especially the books but in my opinion its never been qute properly realised. JK Rowling like many others signed a deal with Warner Brothers that rewarded her well but her input was definitely more in consultation than approval. I have worked in sportswear merchandising and in that line of work you are right sometimes the image /license/brand is leased and little is done to monitor its usage. Marvel and DC(and in the bigger picture WB and Disney) would be wary, like many large corporations these days of taking your intellectual property for granted. Image is all and if you are trying to sell a toy, get people into the cinema or whatever. Marketing needs to be tight and a slow drip of superheroes line before christmas would be terrible. We aren't dealing with a high end electrical product like an iphone 4s or PS4/XBOX720 but you still need to make it highly desirable to as many people as humanly possible. I whole heartedly apologise for an overly wordy response I do want these sets asap btw...........

I agree that there probably wouldnt be an orange one. The yellow one could be almost camouflaged though lol The yellow spaceman never looked naked...did he? I think younger kids would appreciate different colour ninjas, you only have to look at any kids cartoon series He-man, Thundercats through power rangers,pokemon. Its all about selling merchandise and this whole theme is cynically or not geared towards the younger kids: spinning tops,collectable cards,bright coloured heroes, mutant esque bad guys, cartoons,video game. Ninjago does have a "collect em all" feel to it, it appeals to the actual kids and the inner kid in us all. Plus the fact all four ninjas have had quite an image change for the coming year, so I wouldn't be surprised to see different colours arriving. As for pig monsters, Teenage mutant ninja turtles and angry birds did that already, havent they? lol

Very random. Just passed through Glasgow central WH Smiths and they had a stash of lego polybags up where they have the collectable minifigures,card games etc. They had a lot of the ninjago polybags from the first wave of Sun promotion this year: Skeleton chopper, Glider and Dragon fight. Interestingly they had small boxes too( about 5 of each) of 8072 an atlantis set and 7305 a pharoahs quest . Buy one get one free, £2.99 each. I left the pharoahs quest one, got the atlantis box plus the three atlantis 30040,30041 and 30042. Im guessing these were from an old paper promotion?

I'd agree from the point of view of lego, but if the Superheroes sets were released now they'd be competing with all the new lego lines, the big existing ones (Alien Conquest etc)plus a good chance Star Wars 2012, the existing Cars and Pirates lines. You need to stagger your unique Intellectual property licences or you'll flood the market and that helps no one. Not in a market where there really is little money. I can't see behemoths like Time Warner or Disney having minimal input either. How much input does George Lucas have in the Star Wars line?

The sandtroopers are exceptionally detailed, which for such a small set suggests that could find themselves in another set again shortly(ish). New Mos Eisley cantina or suchlike. Apologies for looking too far ahead

March from a marketing point of view would make a lot of sense. Its a new line and all the new Dino/Ninjago/city lines etc will be out in late 2011/Jan. If I were DC/Marvel I would want my product to sit out from the other lines. In saying that if there is to be a Batman film tie in wave that would be Summer so you'd want them out around the time Pirates of The Caribbean came out this year and you'd want to sell the first wave a bit before that. Be great to see reviews on here before christmas for the first wave DC sets but I just can't see the benefit to Lego or DC with so much of their own product out there already for christmas

It would be interesting and an excellent market ploy to introduce ninjas from far off lands or whatever. The yellow one would be great for me on a personal level, remind me of the 1980s yellow spaceman, though there would be more print on these figures

Sent an e-mail to my friend in Boston and asked if he would go a scouting mission for me. Be great to surprise the kids with the new sets for christmas especially as these will never reach UK stores before January. Will these be likely only to be released at Toys'R'US or will other toy stores have them yet? In the US I mean

Thats a great price for that set. My kids have one, but it has the potential to be so much more with all the droids you get etc and make the vehicle carry more droids

Certainly has its similarities..... But its like so many successful kids franchises, bright vivid colourful heroes, obvious underworldly bad guys and over the top weapon laden vehicles. Throw in magic, the spinners and collectable cards. Not much lego have left out.

Out of interest, what does such a set cost in the US? I got it in the UK Sun promotion and it was excellent for a freebie with a 30p paper. Hate not having a lego store near me as the polybag sets are brilliant, especially as you don't get the impulse sets that were around when I was young.

Ah well, enough is enough. Handbag is withdrawn. Apologies all round Back on topic, I think the ninjago vehicles are arguaby better than what the superheroes are getting(apart from the Batmobile in the Two face set). The cycle that Kai is getting just made me think of the superheroes line as the one catwoman is getting seems so mundane by comparison. I love how larger than life Ninjago is. The copter from this new wave along with the similar ones from Alien Conquest and Dino 2012 are awesome. My kids wills be getting them like it or not

Good retort, my apologies to anyone offended by my text talk Ill stop it. You're swearing is better you're right. And I think you'll find WTF comes under text talk too, practice what you preach.

That kids cld take the vehicles from the new sets and improv vechiles for the new superhero line that is coming. And abbreviated or not, dont swear at me in an online forum!

No help to those in the US but I was in Hamleys Glasgow yesterday and swimming with the three sets you mentioned. Not to say they are not discontinued. Was worth going in though for the marked down atlantis stuff that will act as great stocking fillers. As well as knights showdown and a Prison set(Cant remember no) Brilliant Knight in it though.

Dont't know much about this theme, but the pics look great and a bit more to them than say the Pharoahs Quest sets earlier this year. In terms of vechiles and sheer playability. Think my kids will enjoy a couple of the smaller sets see if they enjoy it.

Picked up the basic McQueen and Mater sets for my kids. Made a rod for my own back as now they want all the little matchbox type sets bcoming early next year lol

Between Coles Buggy and Kais cycle, Batman and Robin minifigs from another line will have modded vechiles to ride

Just bought my kids the Earth Defence HQ for xmas and the Helicopter, Defender and Flying Saucer sets. Amazing prices online and great variety in this theme. I hope it returns next summer.

I dont know if anyone would agree but who would like the Harry Potter Lego brand to get a makeover?. The most obvious one being Harry, his face print and hair piece. Listening to my two boys this afternoon watching The Half Blood Prince(They are 6). They would like to see Harry in much more varied torsos/clothes and the same for Hermione and Ron etc. Accepting that this is a kids toy and nds to retain a "lego" look, who would like to see a greater variety in the minifigs, their placement in sets and the tone of the later films being reflected in the sets?

Are their high res shots of anything yet? Apart from the batcave, compared to the other lines this is definitely much more under wraps and kudos to lego employees and affiliates for managing it.

I think there will be promotional polybags. May be the place to "give away" some of the lesser known lights in each universe. I cant see a Batman fig coming in a polybag tho. Hoping that the Sun or whoever are ready for another lego giveaway Feb/March and a superhero bag or two will be part of the promotion. The three ninjago bags already revealed would be great too if anyone is listening.......

Surprising they've never done a Cedric one and the only yule ball related set they've done is the Harry figure free with the DK book(I think...)so hence no Cho. I dont know if Harry Potter line is on a hiatus but I think it'll be back, the whole brand is too big just too fizle out. The studio tour opens next year, the attraction in the US opens, Pottermore and at some point JK ill release the encyclopedia she alaways spoke about. Lego will bring it back when WB feels the time is right, bit like Batman and co.