gylman

Starwars - you probably can't bring yourself to tear it apart because it too so tediously long to build that big ship out of so many bricks. I am glad to see that TLC can still build somethign with basic bricks (mostly). That being said, I find the set quite unattractive. Of course fire nation ships are supposed to be unattractive, but still.... As a parts pack it is superb, and as usual - I find myself wishing that it had old grays, not bleys. Oh well. I ended up breaking down and buying this set, against my better judgement because of the inflated cost in Canada, and my kids got lots more play out of it than out of the Air Temple with all the specialized pieces. I was quite keen on the Avatar sets when I first saw the pics this year, but ultimately, although each had merits, neither really was as good as I had hoped. Here's hoping next years, Avatar sets, if any, are a bit better than this years. Thanks for the nice review Graynar!

OMG. THat explains it. Stuypid me. I knew there was a Lego vault, but I didn't think that was it. I couldn't imagine who would have such a collection. But I am stunned that the Lego Company keeps them stored in such an amateurish manner. If these are damaged.... I am afraid to think about it even. Frankly, people should not be allowed to touch these.

I believe that some of what went into this is inspired on this classic MOC, which I've linked before as one of the list top ten MOCs of all time I tried to come up with at one point. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=79287 Can you imagine what it would take to build that one? Just to pay for the skates that line the roofs, let alone all the pastel parts.

Hey Panda. Greets from Canada. Enjoy your time here. Gyl

Wow! I don't get something, though. Is this YOUR collection? Or someone elses. I am stunned by the quantity and quality of these sets. Are ANY for sale??

B-RV-13D Not mine of course. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1977164 Enjoy

its a keychain man...snap out of it!! X-D That's why I am a "Keychain Madman". Click my sig and plumb the depths of the insanity.

Dacta is Lego's educational division. The target audience typically is schools, which can afford to buy overpriced sets. Well, at least more than real people can. They are particularly active with Mindstorms and Technic Control technology, but also had Town sets, Egypt... Can't buy direct from Lego except in US sometimes, usually have to buy from an educational supply store. Since we are pointing out sets forgotten, I have to say that this actually was a very good hospital set, better in my opinion than most of the ones in the poll http://guide.lugnet.com/set/9180. My kids played with it for 2 years. The picture does not do it justice. And the more modern one is not bad looking either. http://guide.lugnet.com/set/9232

The 8868 air had very little "air". Today's modern packages are definitely too big, and the pieces rattle around in there making it sound like you are buying something cheap. I would endose a move to smaller packages. They should also put the instructions in slightly stiff cardboard holders so they don't get damaged. That would still be environmentally OK I suppose. At the risk of not being "environmentally sound", I think the bazillions of tons of hardy Lego bricks that are made by TLC annually are much more of an environmental issue than the packaging. Its hard to get too worked up about a couple of thin sheets of plastic. In the end, it's about cost. But I think The Lego Company has room for a "high end" product in a small fraction of its biggest and best sets.

Erm... no. No chance. None in hell.

I picked up quite a few at Bricks and Blocks in Canada (which is basically a franchised Lego store) . I think in general Lego stores would be your most likely spot. However, they are not around any more. eBay routinely has these for 3-6$ each.

Well, that's the point. For me ten bucks of Lego is not a significant amount. What the heck - it's a couple of Tiny Turbos or Xpods. You open them and in hours to days they are in "the bin". But a big beautiful box like this - it's good for sorting the set, good for storing the set, and if you want to sell or give it to some one, it's so much better than a barf bag full of bricks. I am not suggesting the TLC use this design for all their boxes. I think, though, that sets that cost 100$ US and up should. Wouldn't it be better to have the Arkham Asylum with one of those clear molded plastic covers that shows all the villains, Batman, Robin in the front. Of course, if it's just a parts pack... then this box woudl be a waste. But I use Lego equally for building and for collecting/displaying. Whatever. I know it's not going back to the old days. It's just that I saw that horrible box 8285 came with, and I happened to be looking at my beautiful 8868 box, and I was struck by how lousy the new box was, so I had to vent.

It seems that TLC is giving trains a bit more attention this year, with this and the Xmas set (which I will definitely be buying, having seen some BS pictures). I know the 9V fans are not happy about the new trains, but as someone who has never had the interest in trains, it does not seem to me that they are totally neglecting the AFOLs and the whole train concept.

My kids, who are girls, don't "swoosh" things around when they play with Lego. They build rooms, beds, couches, kitchens, play areas, and other places for their little characters to live. They really have never had any use for any of the town/city sets with buildings, because they rooms in those buildings are not usable. They build flat one-level open roofed structures which you can poke your clumsy hands easily into without destroying the whole thing. They end up looking very much like the dacta set, except that the colour don't match and wierd pieces are stuck all over the place. :-) Maybe other kids play different with these lego buildings, but I've never seen it.

9364 is so hard to get, typically going for 150-200$. Clearly its the best of the bunch if you want a HOSPITAL, but it's not fair to compare it to the others. When my kids built a play hospital, they built one like 9364 out of spare parts because it has actual rooms where patients can stay, have operations, get tested, etc etc. I.E. it plays like a hosiptal. If you want a building, figs, and cars that play as a hospital, then 6380 is the best. Lego has not done a good job with hospitals. I guess kids somehow prefer fire stations and police stations.... I wonder why :-)

So, I saw Dunamis

That duplo castle is better than anything released for system Lego in the last decade.

I disagree regarding the toolbox. This is a good seller, and routinely has Lego stuff before almost anyone else does (he had all the new keychains before almost anyone on eBay). Time will tell. EDIT: thanks Natelite

Creative marketing by the Lego people. http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=EL715&cn=158&d=21&t=7 Not sure if a brick is the best way to make handle. 8-| Seems kinda painful. This is a new product. Cute, but probably not practical for serious Legoholics: http://cgi.ebay.com/Lego-Toolbox-A-Must-Ha...bayphotohosting

8421 was a bonanza for those: 18 of the 16x1 and 7 of the rare 14x1 http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/8421-1 It was one of the reasons I preferred that set of this one. Technic bricks just have a more solid look than technic beams.

Thank you for all this work Dunamis. First class review. My impression from all I read was that given the cost and the hype ("the hardest build ever!") this set is something of a disappointment. The build is good, not great compared to the classics it seems, but the end product is not great looking and does not do all that much. It's big, but not clever in the way of Airtech or even 8455. Even 8421 looks to have been a better model - certainly it looks better on the shelf, and has better parts. Argh, and the stickers. With major body work I suppose it could be made to look good, better wheelwells, more solid body (I hate fairings!), but I can't see myself going to the trouble. Oh well. I have one, and it will likely stay on the shelf a while longer. The news about poor quality axles is disturbing, but I guess they eventually "wear in". If they are softer than before, like Jinzo suggests, THAT'S A PROBLEM!

... and there ;-) I've seen them quite often now, but they're always funny again :-D DOH! Sorry.

http://www.maj.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=104004 Haven't seen them before....hiding there.

At least they are not cornering the world's market on Dior Homme black waxed luster jeans!

Here's another example. Another 6080 going on sale wiht good condition box and plastic inserts, etc. The current top bidder is North American (he lost out on the mint one last week, and is clearly settling for the lesser one). But......... a bidder with zero feedback..... registered on ebay yesterday..... from South Korea..... is lurking in the bidders. How much you wanna bet this SK new ebayer will win the auction, at any cost! http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...em=160020493014 Incidentally, there is another SK buyer, the one with -1 feedback, who bid and then apparently did not pay for a way of Dior Homme black waxed luster jeans W30. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D Clearly, there's something going on with South Korea and Lego castles...... a Lego mystery of sorts! Are there any SK Eurobricks members who could enlighten us?