Cutty

The Samurai mech, the small snake bike with the black ninja and the four headed dragon set, although that last one might be a little out of my price range. Oh! And the "NRG"-form spinner sets, just for the novelty and, who knows, maybe those figures, strangely coloured and patterned as they are, will become handy later on for representing generic "energy" or elemental beings... apart from that? Well, nothing really. Be well! Cutty

Licensed sets are just a price/parts ratio to me. Should I find a particular set contains parts I want and it is available at a reasonable price whatever picture is on the box becomes instantly irrelevant. Most times licensed sets thus are beyond my price range. On the other hand TLC's in-house themes do strike my fancy, be it nostalgia or whatever. So a Monster Fighters theme is ever more appealing to me in terms of aesthetics than, say, is a LOTR set even if that might be soundly designed. The licensed competitor will always draw the short straw... This is why I majorly facepalmed upon hearing that SW license will run another decade and thus tap resources more generic themes would profit from. I concede to you: There are some nice exclusive elements in some licensed themes, that's almost a given seeing how much effort TLC is pouring into some of their designs lately. But then again, often they will be exlusive to big and overpriced sets. And that's were my ratio always gives me pause, thinking: "Is that really necessary?" Thus I have already missed out on many fantastic minifigure parts from the SW line (Especially those lady-jedi in black robes, reminiscent of a nun and the one with the strange tattoo in her face) and POTC (Blackbeard! Meant to get his beard for my dark dwarves' leader...). So in short: No! There's no fandom tainting my preferences and buying decisions. More like the complete opposite, as I will gravitate to TLC's own designs all the more... p.s.: The only licensed set that I MIGHT be getting just for what it is, would be the current Jedi starfighter with Obi-Wan and the whining Lord-No-to-be... but that would be it, really! Be well all! Cutty

That Meduseld! Outstanding craftsmanship here and very akin to TLC's official style. In fact that set looks completely feasible and store-shelf-ready as you presented it. That idea of combining several little modules and scenes into one bigger building is fantastic and earlier playsets would have benefitted from that (*cough* the bulky strip that is Cloud City *cough*). Not entirely sold on Treebeard. While the hobbitsezzz look good, TB's face needs a little more character to it. I couldn't make out his eyes at first! That little marshes set is nice! A good selection of parts and a believable TLC style play feature. Although perhaps you should have it the other way round: Not a mechanism for a dead guy to pop up, but one to make Frodo plunge into the "water" and fall onto the dead guy (who'd menacingly stretch out his bony hands for him, muharhar!). Perhaps replacing the skeleton with an actual dead elf, perhaps one with a double printed head (eyes closed / white eyes staring), would strengthen the appeal of that set. The overall style should be kept! Be well! Cutty

Hmm, Grogall? But what is it? Just a lunchbox or some sort of container for the minifigures or possibly BOTH? Just looks like a random red box with a CMF S7 print to me... and thus not very exciting. Nice demo of your pic-providing-power though! ;-)) Be well! Cutty (who already owns a Lego lunchbox...)

I admit to have developed the tactile identification method to a point where I usually reach a 100% quota of correctly identified CMFs. And for a fresh display the whole affair takes now only 20 to 35 minutes. Series 7 is very benevolent for quick scanning, as many desirable figures do come with some bulky accessories (space marine armour, aztec helmet, merman tail, she-viking dress and braided helmet...), so those are even less time consuming to go through. Many people watching me are either appalled of my accuracy or in dire disbelief of whether I actually fake it. On the moral aspect of tactile identification: No quarrels with me here. Everyone with access to the figs is allowed to use his or her senses to their utmost extent as long as the merchandise remains intact (packaging and contents!). Hell, most of the times the boxes look better once I'm done than before! Whoever wants to gamble, fine, be that way. Others want to know what they carry home for their limited funds. Stripping boxes of their "rares" is completely natural to me and apparently many others in my vicinity as I've come across completely raided shops frequently. Give and take, live and let live. To MrLegoNinja: Thanks for finally bringing me to awareness in terms of my ill illusions and misconceptions towards my Lego! I know now what I did wrong all those years of semi-serious and non play activities with it. All the misspend years, shame on me! But where do I go from here? Donate all of it to charity? Furnace it in the winter for heat? Throw it in the street?! I'm completely puzzled.... Well no! Fr@KK that Shice! You MrLegoNinja did just cross a line. You telling ME what I have to do with MY stuff?! Preposterous and absurd! What's next? You telling me how to use my kitchen? Or my clothing? Or my genitalia? For the love of peace and all that's good in this world, please refrain from ever trying to tell others their supposed wrongs, that are nothing but your prejudices based on limited perception of what something can and can not be. And Lego can be anything you want. Even in quantities. And no, army builders are not socially impaired adults craving 15 min. of internet fame by anonymous peers. Most times they are HIGHLY social individuals with a hint of childish glee towards toys and an intrinsic affinity for collecting. Hence, pretty normal people... ...those however, taking their rants into the open without having a sane point to begin with... what would be your assessment on those? And I do mean this question serious. At this point I want to encourage any and all CMF collectors to go about their business as they see fit, as long as the above mention limitation is being observed. And from there, it's all good! Be well collecting you all! Cutty

This will be great news to me once TLC and Nintendo announce they sorted out their legal stuff. But then it will be me chanting: "Let it be based on Wind Waker! Phantom Ganon! Let it be based on Wind Waker! Phantom Ganon! Let it be based on Wind Waker! Phantom Ganon! ...." over and over again mantra-sytle. ;-) But hey, it'll be Zelda! So, I guess, everything will be okay in the end! ;-) Be well! Cutty

Oh! Good to hear some of the goodness is available already! Still no incentive to go on a rabid shopping-spree in Oberhausen for those (well, not after I got to plunder a leftover CMF series 4 box in a neighbouring town today ^^). Still got to stick to my priorities, which is: discounted Kingdoms, Atlantis and Alien Conquest sets. But still good to hear about the new stuff popping up early! Be well! Cutty

Yes, that's the right train of thought in the matter, but take one more step: before TLC ever gets those molds produced they will clearly have a schedule prepared laying out what themes the new items will be used in and for how long. My guess is that even before those CMF classic horror characters appeared, a fetal Monster Fighters theme was already alive and kicking in TLC's test tubes... with an appetite for those CMF pieces hardwired into its existence ;) Or in other words: If it wasn't for a subsequent theme to use those CMF items later on in mind, there would never be those items in the first place. Just look how the spaceman's retro-raygun found its way into the fading Alien Conquest line. Or the new highlander/black knight-longswords will be prominent in the upcoming LOTR sets. I quess there's still some mileage for some of those elusive collectable-only pieces to be had in future regular themes.

Most excellent! It really captures the original in miniature form. As I read "building time: 4 years" at first it appeared somewhat exaggerated, but upon closer look it became clearer as to why it took so long. You must have gone really all the extra miles to incorporate that level of detail into such a small scale model. Those headlight piece windows and all the surrounding wall work must have been a pain in the proverbial behind to get everything to work and align correctly, wasn't it? But what struck me most was your meticulous attention to the colours, which really do the original all the justice it deserves. Really A-grade material yo got there! Alles Gute und danke für's Zeigen! ;-) Cutty

Congratulations! Wow, first Minecraft now Shaun of the Dead! Although TLC's statement "does not guarantee production", most likely because the genre and plot of the movie are a very unorthodox premise for a Lego product, I'd like to point my finger at one thing that could make it work: Monster Fighters! There are going to be zombies in there, so just tone down the gore factor in the Winchester scene appropriately and we're all prepped and ready for some serious Cuusoo-goodness! ;-) It'd be a damn shame should this come to waste needlessly. And please don't forget that zombies have already arrived in contemporary childrens' bedrooms and Lego is not so very innocent in that regard; see the CMF Series 1's zombie for reference! Be well all! Cutty

Best thing is that there's a new horse in cheapest set which features many other cool parts as well. Can anyone spell "duplicates" for me? ;) No really! Those HD pics are a nice frosting on our pastries and solidify the to-be impact those LOTR sets will have. The Moria and Weathertop sets so need to be bought in quantities... on discount of course! (Although... that didn't work out with POTC as well, so maybe no Ringwraiths for me...) Be well! Cutty

Wow! Both the floor and wall textures are very clever! And the arch made of 1x1 round plates is so copy-able ^^ Also: Yes,Zombie-guardsmen! Very nice and so effective! None shall enter, indeed! Be well! Cutty

Excellent decal-job! Simple, effective and very Lego-ish in design! Even without the TS-fig to go alongside this, someone who saw the movie would recognise the Mk.V briefcase. Be well and thanks for sharing! Cutty

Spot on and so adorable! At first there was some confusion with the title as I did only ever read it in german, where it was translated to "Little Sophie and the Giant". But as soon as I saw your model there was that warm tingle in my heart and I knew what it was about! (I loved the book as a child! Need to reread it some time!) I quite like how you achieved the sandals! Simple but very effective! And the face modeling is very striking. Although with that 1x1 round plate between the slope and the plate underneath, it has some resemblance to some sinister squinting... Yet I can't think of a way to achieve those small eyes in that scale and still keep your head design intact. Minor grain of salt which doesn't distract from the overall achievement. Also it's good to see those Friends minidolls incorporated in so many MOCs as of late! Seems the controversy did grant them a good and glorious entrance ;-) Thank you for sharing! Be well! Cutty

I dig all the mythological "Immortals"-inspired stuff. The Ares-helmet is exceptionally good! Thankfully those movie props were outlandish and unhistorical enough to pass for generic fantastical designs. I'd like to get me some of your fine helmets and armour pieces, but unfortunately your reseller for the Netherlands and Germany is hopelessly understocked concerning both selection of elements and colours, at least given what I'd want! :-( On another note, and I believe it doesn't quite belong here but nevertheless, I'd suggest you look into the upcoming "John Carter" film's props for inspiration. The heliumite and zodangan armours and the tharkian/warhoonian harnesses and weapons might be quite your speed. ;-) Be well and keep up the admirable work! Cutty (as of yet without BW products...)

Well you could say that for any of the Cuusoo-voted sets so far. The two japanese predecessors to this clearly fill more of an esoteric niche demand than MC ever could. Frankly I'd never even heard of the real life inspirations for both, if it wasn't for Cuusoo. Please try to keep in mind, that most likely this is only the first step in experimenting with user generated input on a larger scale. On a more further note: There still exist personal preferences on the buyer's part. And this exclusive set clearly holds much more "must have" in it, than most other previous exclusive sets combined. Same as most others would definitely find their preferences catered to in different sets, like the new town hall exclusive for instance, that, to me, is only a glorified bulk parts opportunity. Same as other people have already stated they'd perceive this MC set as. ^^ Clearly this is a dish in and of itself. You don't like the taste? Feel free to eat elsewhere. There's plenty of choices, and MANY chose this ^^ Be well! Cutty

Excellent accomplishment in downgrading a modern set. And the cultural transition from persia to a supposed european middle-age era went without much hassle, I reckon ;) All opposable thumbs up! Be well! Cutty

Well, as it was pretty much a given this would never see release as a minifigure scale line of sets, this is pretty much the best it will ever get otherwise. Which is fantastic! This will be the first ever set that I will get just for displaying purposes (and a second one to expand on the original perhaps ;) ). Although I'd have liked my earlier boardgame idea a little bit more ^^ Be well all! Cutty

Goodness! I dig those mining sets a lot! Although I'm not into City per se, my Castle dwarves just need those new mining hats! Seriously I'm having trouble distributing my limited funds as it is, but this will break all plans... Yes! New mining hats! Be well all! Cutty

I saw the pictures of that Fabuland-tank. I pondered to analyse and criticise the composition, the flavour of the MOC and point out the accomplishment in building... but then I decided the only sane contribution to this thread, in honour of the work done, would be: "Whoa, dude! Awesome!" (/jk) No really, I like what is going on here, although I find warfare and the corresponding machinery of any kind to be repellent at least. Maybe it's those anthropomorphic farm-critters riding that lime life-taker melting my heart, I don't know. All I know is that EB needs more batshit-insane theme crossovers like this. ^^ Keep up the fantastic building! Cutty

While I welcome Minecraft becoming a Lego-license to no end, after some thinking there's that tiny tingle in the back of my head signifiying: "This really isn't that much of a backdrop for good playsets!" And then it really hit me: TLC's design process is as of yet unspecified! What if they pull a huge stunt on all of us* and releases a type of cooperative boardgame with a strong emphasis on resource collection and building with said resources. This would strike two birds with the same stone, as both the original game's premise would be kept and you'd have a goal where in the game there's really none other than whatever you see fit. That way you'd even avoid stability issues in building and the obvious "bucket of bricks"-approach a sandbox concept would naturally lend itself to. Think of it: Harry Potter had his "Games" tie-in and Star Wars is soon to follow with that "Battle of Hoth" game, so licensed material isn't out of the question for a boardgame. Heck, MC could even be made into a series of games analogous to TLC's in-house Heroica-line: Some overworld themed games, set in different "biomes" (different environments: mountains, plains, forests, even jungles in the latest update ^^), a "Nether" expansion (flaming underworld/hell) and of course: "The End" featuring the games' boss, an enormous black dragon (the "Enderdragon") Yeah, I'd like that! *"us" being the combined numbers of both AFOLs/TFOLs and MC'ers Be well! Cutty

A very effective build! The scorpion + fang combo for representation of respiratory organs and the tail is exceptionally clever! I like how this is more in proportion to a regular minifig compared to more elaborate brick built approaches that would usually sport some more bulk. Only the "stiffness" of the legs puts this a little off, as it takes away much from the original creature's organic flavour. Yet I couldn't think of any other part fitting the assembly that would convey a more organic look, I give you that. But all in all the pros outweigh the cons by far! Thank you for sharing! Be well! Cutty

Nice views on that official minifigs! The hunters and that new werewolf are the cream of the crop, hands down! But please, for the love of Mary Shelley's ghost, stop calling that monster "Frankenstein"! If anything at all, its proper nomenclature would be "Dr. Frankenstein's creature" or if you prefer "monster" but not "Frankenstein"! That was its creator's name and didn't ever pass onto the creature, EVER! And do not try do defend your misnomers with "pop-culture", as it will always remain plain wrong. Do that fantastic work of gothic-literature a solid and employ the proper names, please! You have it in your hands to shape your own perception of things; do not find excuses in the past errors of others, or simply put: Just because the names are terrible messed up in the general populace's mind, noone stops you to remedy the damage done! Be well! Cutty p.s.: do not try to start an argument with me here, I KNOW I'm right in what I say and pop-culture is wrong. Any contadictory statements are thus by default trollage of the highest order! And please try to understand this is not me patronising or lecturing anyone, but just a neutral corrective statement where it's direly due! If you still do not trust my words, google up yourself the original text. It should be available somewhere as it's become public domain by now.

Most of the Kingdoms line came and is now going without me investing too much into it. Which is a shame, given the second batch's (sp.?) civilian sets (blacksmith and windmill village) were awesome! I do not have any hopes of picking up any further stuff even though retailers are or have been phasing these out... money shortage for no win :-(( ! Also I regret not getting some Harry Potter sets, although only the 'figs and the new owls were and still are of any interest to me. Be well! Cutty

Whoa, dudes and dudettes! It's happening! *sheds tear* I really loved the initial idea and almost shouted in joy once Mojang took up the concept on Cuusoo and ran with it. Also I really appreciate the ongoing support for this project here on EB! This is not to be taken for granted. Over on german 1000Steine.de for instance the whole concept was chastised, belittled and in the end easily rejected as a superfluous affront against any form of creative approach in the Lego medium, as it was feared the whole concept of a "blocky by default"-world would take away from a richer building experience... But the folks over there ARE very, well, how to best put this... conservative in perception. I hope there's a Creeper, an Enderman and a diamond pickaxe somewhere in this. If so, colour me happy ^^ Be well all! Cutty