LegoBrickSteve

I agree now...but man, when I was a kid, there was nothing hotter then when they would reveal a new baseplate. They made awful cool ones. I've recently gone back and ordered a bunch off eBay. Some really unique stuff out there.

They really don't use/utilize/offer baseplates for large size kits like they used to.

I wasn't mocking anything. I have been collecting castle Lego since 1986. I am the proud owner of at least two (in some cases, and many as 5-6) of every castle or castle-related set made from then until present. I'm talking Vikings, dwarfs, witches...all the crazy variations and permutations over the years. They're the best. I sad in the beginning, I didn't know a lot about Ring Lords, so my knowledge of characters and spellings is limited. Sorry. I just miss Kingdoms already. This reminds me of when my kid was born and it killed his mother. Of course I loved him because he was my boy, but I also always kind of hated him in the back of mind too because it was because of him that my wife (kingdoms) was gone. He had her eyes though.

First they call me the troll. Then they mock me because I am rich, charming, and handsome. You just can't win around this forum. I was just expressing my love for classic themes (especially Castle) and the notion that despite how cool a new licensed theme may be, I always hate to see a well loved and classic series have to be retired to make room for it.

Let me tell you...as the proud owner of 4 triceratops already, they are something else. Lego has really outdone themselves with these new Dinos. They are beautifully colored and detailed, and the arms, legs and jaws are wonderfully articulated. Traditionally, I hate flying dinosaurs...they are kind of dumb and weak. But since I keep buying Tower Takedowns, I keep getting more and more of them...even they have grown on me! I really recommend this theme to anyone on the fence about it. They are super fun builds.

Seriously. He's just a normal looking guy that sometimes has the face of Eric Bana, sometimes has the face of a Ed Norton, and sometimes has the face and body of Mark Ruffalo. Pretty much use any minifigure and make him your own Banner! Then, recast another minifigure in the role of Banner. Keep doing it all day!

Admittedly a huge classic Castle theme guy, I must say that the most recent King's Castle was rather uninspired. Other then adding the red, it really wasn't anything new or spectacular...just another castle. I am hoping that after I add a pair of Joust kits to flank/frame it, it will liven the place up. That is why I am so curious about the backside/inside of some of these new Lord Rings sets. I hope they do some neat stuff with the interiors too.

Have any additional images surfaced? I am deadly curious to see how some of these sets look from the inside; particularly Horn Deep and Urkel hai.

This is absolutely true. I will give most, if not all, of these sets a shot and buy them. I am rich, charming and handsome, so why not live a little and sample them all? The Horns Deep set actually looks like a really cool castle. I wonder what it looks like on the inside? Any pictures of that floating around?

Then make "Gorndolf Arrives" into something epic, like him "arriving" at Frodo's little mole hole that he lives in. That would be a better set than cart-pulled-by-horse.

The last time I attended FACTS I was dressed in a costume! I was said when Lou Ferrigno canceled at the last minute last year.

I can't believe my good fortune! Just sold a Bane/Robin two-for-one on eBay for $66!

I will concede the point that this set does make sought after minis accessible to kids or folks on a budget. As an adult fan of Lego now, I can get selfish. I have much more income to spend on bricks today then I ever did as a boy, so I want the moon and stars.

That's a loaded question. I am the consumer. Of course I would include much more than Lego might. I want the bricks, kid. Again...on the whole, I was not bashing or putting down the wave. But as a lifelong castle collector (since 86) they just seem to be following a familiar path with the licensed theme now. They aren't bad. I never said they were. I just saw Gwerndorf's cart and it reminded me of so many other mini-cart kits that always seemed like sloppy seconds or an excuse to lazily squeeze out another set within a theme's current wave. But, not to dodge your question, my $10 kit would be that Gollum dude. In his cave/swamp. Almost like and 8x8 MOC...fish, and foliage and water elements and different color dots. Interesting pieces that equaled up to a neat little cave for a singular, unique little mini. And if you are going to call me a troll, call me a Troll 2. Because I am that kind of a troll. Nilbog.

Where is the BIG brontosaurus? My little Lego Flintstone needs me a rib to munch on and stuff! They need to make another facility...a lab...or research wing or something. And since they seem to be taking nods straight from Jurassic Park, I would also like to see a "visitor's center". Possibly one even under Dino attack? Here's my horn. Honk it.

I am not a troll. Not one of pure blood, at any rate. In fact, I was more than fair...not bashing or knocking the theme (even though it is indirectly responsible for the temporary suspension of my lifelong favorite theme). I was simply stating that based on the vast potential a property like Lord of the Rings has, these sets were underwhelming by comparison. Gandorf's cart was just a quick example. If you are given the entire Tolkien Sandbox as your creative playground, old man in a horsecart meeting youngish manboy shouldn't be your fledgling (halfling) offering. Remember when those trees walked and talked in a Ring movie and rock n roller from LOST would ride on the shoulder?

Yeah. Kind of a waste of a theme here. I'm no big Lord of the Rings fan, so I may not get the names and stuff right...but just imagine how cool a really slick set based on that Elf-World place. All water and glass and dudes in headbands. Instead...we get..."Gandolf Arrives".

I agree. I know people are fired up because they are Lord of the Rings fans, which is understandable, but the sets...at least from available photos, so far...really seem sub-standard for a theme that has the potential of this one. I mean, come on..."Gandolf Arrives"? That's just a horse-cart, but it will move because you get a Gandolf and Frodo mini at a low price point...not because it isn't any cooler or different than a thousand castle carts before it.

Not to get off topic, but if you look back at the original run of Avengers comics from the 1960's, Cap first joins the team in issue 4. The rest of the team finds him, thaw him out, and invite him to join and ultimately lead the Avengers. In those early issues, Loki was the central antagonist. He used his powers to confuse the Hulk into turning on his friends (mainly Thor) and was not opposed to using his magic on Steve Rogers, often "conjuring" images of Bucky and The Red Skull to mess with Cap's head. That is why I suggest, that even if he isn't a villain in the film, an "appearance" of sorts could still be possible. The toys seem to suggest Hawkeye falls victim to Loki's influence, historically the Hulk has, and a fragile, defrosted Rogers makes a perfect target for mental manipulation. We know Marvel loves to shoehorn as many characters into a singular property as possible...all their principal actors are signed to whopping, multi-picture deals...some screen time for Skull is an absolute possibility regardless of what filmmakers have confirmed or denied. That is why I think it is entirely plausible that a Skull mini could be included with this set.

Cap VS. Random Alien just doesn't seem as cool as Cap VS. Skull... Especially with Joss Whedon stating that the film would be told from the perspective of Captain America, I've got to believe he will be a central character to the film, hence deserving of a significant set.

Hoot-hoot! Just sold on of my Riddlers for $120 on eBay!

I see what you're saying, but wouldn't it just make better sense to give a set 1 good guy and 1 bad guy instead of a pair of heroes? What's the piece count on this bad bay? Is it a larger set, or just like Cap, his bike, and another dude (like the Batman/Catwoman) gimmick.

Just that the announced Captain America set is said to come with a minifigure who's identity cannot be revealed at this time because it would supposedly give away a major spoiler for the movie.

I don't think they'd do anything like that. They are not going to to create competition from within by releasing similar style sets that are non-Lord of the Rings kits; not after ponying up for the licensing like that.

re you referring to Lord of the Rings as the "sequel" to castle?