salty tbone

I am definitely a purist, but I certainly appreciate the skill of all MOCs and the attraction to high-quality "after-market" parts. And I have bought other brands (I don't mix them), most recently being the new Halo sets, to see how they compare with Lego.

Bravo, nicely done!

I think you're inferring some insult. I read it as them saying your kids will never know the simple joy of basic bricks. Personally, I think it's overstated and you could have written the same thing in the mid-80s with specialized castle pieces and later pirate boat pieces.

So don't. Problem solved. Seriously, though, I understand the points and they make sense. My take is that if Lego were gung-ho serious about online sales, they could obviously undercut retailers (no middle-man, after all), but that's not their desire I think. Maybe there are toy manufacturers that do offer their product for cheaper than what you pay in stores, but I'd imagine they're rare. Buying stuff direct from Hasbro certainly doesn't come cheaper, e.g. And it's a shame some people haven't had good luck with Lego's packing. I've never had a problem with crushed boxes, and Lego S@H doesn't at least as good a job as Amazon for me. Still, I'm so cheap, I rarely buy things MSRP. If I do, I try to buy it from a Lego store just because I figure they make more money off me that way. Massage the hand that feeds you, or some such.

That car has 400,001 miles on it.

After the Ninja line flamed out far too soon, I don't hold my breath hoping any line lasts more than a couple years (well, except for Star Wars. That's just a license to print money. ). I'd like to see Indy continue, but who knows.

I was at a new Target that will be having its grand opening this weekend, and they had many of the new sets plus several 7679 Republic Fighter Tanks, which caught me by surprise. No other Targets around me have any new sets. I've heard a tip that Lego stores will be getting some by August. I wonder if they'll last long, but it's a second chance for those who missed it last year.

I've seen them at a Kmart. They put them in an aisle display far from the toys, so go figure.

Impressive scene! The zombie with the briefcase made me chuckle.

You mean Alpha Team? I understand what you're saying, though. This military vs. "non-violence" debate seems to be never-ending and circular. But let's face it, the day Lego produced the first actual minifig weapon for a castle set, it's been going down a slippery slope. I don't how other kids played with their knights, but mine certainly were not going to faires or sitting around a table discussing the pros and cons of a monarch government.

Thank you for taking the time to post these great scans. They bring back some wonderful memories. That reminds me when I was a kid, I only had one envelope tile, but an entire post office built to handle that one letter.

If you haven't already gotten it already, I recommend the 10188 Death Star. You'll have LOTS of fun building that set without sorting. Seriously, though, I understand the hunt is part of the fun, but I have resulted to sorting some of the bigger, more chaotic sets (Medieval Market and Death Star). Otherwise, I just empty the bags and shuffle, and maybe set aside tires or other big pieces so that they don't get in the way.

I, too, feel a new energy to go hunting. I haven't had much recent luck finding Lego at resale shops, but this has encouraged me to keep trying. I'm pretty picky about my bricks, too, but the cleaning tips (and hopefully cheap prices) will help me get over that, as well.

You could probably compile a good list of really bad baseplates/add-ons that don't really fit with Lego, such as this "cave" I got with a Fright Nights set. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=4110165

I have to disagree with this. It's nice to feel nostalgic, but taking a look at MOC's posted here proves there's no limit on creativity just because there's more specialized pieces.

What a wonderfully detailed review! I really enjoy your humor and insight. I didn't get your Stepford criticism of the minifigs (after all, the classic smiley could be deemed the ultimate Stepford), but reading further I began to understand your disappointment. The repetitive torsos seem ... eh? I doubt this set will ever be in my budget, but this review makes me feel like I practically saw it firsthand. Thank you.

I agree. I love baseball, but if sports with a wider global appeal weren't overly successful (as far as I could tell), I don't think baseball would be viable. After all, there's a reason the Olympics dropped it as a medal sport.

Wow. Is this true? And I agree that Lego likely will never make a military theme. It's just too grim. But I think the past few years has seen a real wealth of torsos and weapons to build your own.

I've gotten dogs several times. Not sure what I'm going to do with 30+ dogs but I couldn't resist. A good tip is to ask if they have any different pieces in the back. Many times they'll have more pieces than bins, so they won't be out on the sales floor yet.

I would be surprised if the Green Grocer ended before Cafe Corner since CC is older. Noticed that in the most recent S@H catalog, the Town Plan was the only major set not in there (at least that I could tell). Harbinger of doom? Back when Lego had the Legends sets 5 or so years ago, I learned the hard way not to put off buying a set I really wanted. I still regret not getting the re-release of Main Street and Black Falcon's Fortress (two of my favorite sets from my childhood). I kept saying "maybe next month" until, poof, they were gone.

Me too, but hair is much more common (and varied) now than in the 80s. I probably had 100+ minifigs as a kid but only had three "wigs" -- one "Bill" and two "Marys" for those familiar with the 6000 Idea Book. One thing I've always wondered, do Europeans even wear baseball caps? I haven't been to Europe in eight years, but I remember being told that one way to stick out like a sore thumb there is to walk around in a baseball cap and shorts. I always think the caps must seem out-of-place for non-U.S. AFOLs.

The crowd is hilarious. What happened to the players' arms? They're all on the sidelines.

This is one of the few Ice Planet sets I own. At the time, I really liked the skis and chain saw. Looking back, I guess Lego's vision in 1993 of what 2002 would be like never quite panned out.

In the US at least, the Market Street is gone from the Web site and the closest Lego store says they won't be getting any more. Not sure how it works, but Lego must find a few cases of recently discontinued sets sometimes. For example, some of the first Indiana Jones sets recently returned to S@H only to be discounted and sold out again in a matter of days.

Congratulations! Very impressive work, without even factoring the ticking clock. That sounds like a much tougher job interview than anything I've faced. My building "skills" would definitely crumble under that pressure. The look on your face while you're building is pure intensity. Awesome. You (and all the winners) are an inspiration for those of us looking to land a dream job. Thanks!