Faefrost

I just finished putting together, or rather attempting to put together my first MB set. My wife and I both play World of Warcraft. She saw the Lich King and Sindragosa set dirt cheap on clearance at Target and grabbed it for me. Now to start off I am not in any way a brand snob. I love Lego, but I can appreciate and admire other products. I have always been a little jealous of some of the cool MB parts that I always wished Lego would make. Like the double studded tiles. Well now I fully understand WHY Lego does not make these parts. They apparently do not work. I'm really trying to not be overly critical about this MB set. I realize it isn't Lego. I accept that it is a different sort of minifig etc. I get all of that. No problem. But I did not expect the degree of poor quality toy that these things are. Bricks that don't clutch together, or need to be forced. These hideously made swirled color bricks that fail any sort of color consistancy and just look like crp. And then we come to the showpiece of the set. The undead dragon. It looks great, but almost everything about it is truly awful. Because of the underlying flaws of those double stud parts, and the lack of any sort of reinforcing design the build not merely falls apart, it is almost spring loaded to explode. I can accept that the head is the wrong proportion from the subject being modeled. Or that the joints connect and move oddly forcing the wings to weird angles. I can even accept that some things may be prone to fall apart in moderate to heavy play. What I don't care for is when the model dissembles itself with no human contact within five minutes of being put together and set on the table. The only way to make this thing playable or even mildly swooshable is with glue or maybe a good sized nail.

Lies! I would never ever ever hide my purchases from my Wife. Just because she fails to notice what I smuggle into the house in the rare moments when she isn't here to watch me (or have the closet in my office so barricaded with boxes of work that she can never go in there) is no reason to assume that I would ever "hide" anything from her.

There is a version of the Bell that is shorter with a smaller cargo area, but I think Modulex Guy is correct and it is probably closest to the Eurocopter.

agreed. If you can still find it on clearance, it's one of the better sets that crosses over well into other themes. It works really well with Castle stuff or LotR, etc.Well worth the price. The usefulness of the figs is a bit mixed. Although the Mermaids are great and you get scrum and phillip You probably have more Zombie Gunners and Jack Sparrows than you know what to do with at this point.

technically a replacement part for something missing from a set is typically free, while you are supposed to pay for special ordering stuff that you need for projects etc. In actual practice it seems to be if it is small, you have the set and it is in a small number, they will typically just send it to you no questions asked as a legitimate replacement for damaged or missing parts. Whereas if you tell them you want a Jabba the Hutt or Cave Troll they may raise a few eyebrows and quote you a pice sort of thing.

Sets based on movies and movie franchises sell almost an order of magnitude better in the periods surrounding the release of the movies. In effect the license pays for itself in the time periods adjacent to a new movie. For the off peak periods a decision may be made that the shelf space would be better used with something else occupying it, and to wait on the licensed stuff until the next movie surge. Star Wars is the main exception to this, and we will see what happens with LotR when the movies fall off their current 12 month release schedule. PotC with no secondary literary fan base is probably the most solidly locked into the movie releases. The Licensor doesn't care if the PotC sets are off shelves for a bit. They and Lego are focused on LR to fill that space in the meantime.

Greater than you might think. While Mace's Eta Intercepter did not appear in the movie, Lucas and ILM did work out the coloring and markings for his and several others. The main SW archives have concept art of the ship. And the drawings and paintings appear in the bonus materials on the SW blu rays.

There are a few useable fleshies outside of SW. A couple of reasonably generic ones that might flex. The PotC Cook figs head might work for Owen Lars. The King George's Officer might be ok for General Madine. For Tarkin maybe a Lex Luther head? For Mon Mothma the Wonder Woman head? Biggs, maybe the Comissioner Gordon one? It has a bushy mustache and the glasses look a little like goggles? (Ok I'm reaching with Biggs).

We've absolutely seen a huge surge in a lot of subtle things in the past year or so that have taken Lego's improvements since 2007-2009 to a new level. Just a few worth noting. - Labor of love sets such as Helm's Deep or the Unexpected Gathering. Just from all the subtle details and neat intricate builds you know that the design team was creating their personal masterpieces. They loved these subjects and poured themselves into them, and it shows in the product. - some evolving built in play concepts, especially over in this years city line. Firefighters have things on fire. Cops have crime scenes and crimes in progress. There is a balanced and more refined play element than we have ever seen before. Each set tells its story wonderfully and wordlessly. They are not simply vehicle sets. They each have a task. Wonderful stuff. - some of the subjects have become a pop culture pipe dream for many of us. Show of hands, how many would have expected we would be getting Star Wars, and Marvel and DC and TMNT and LotR all in one year? Breathtaking. - and unexpectedly to all of this, the LR stuff might be the crowning glory of the year. It looks like they spread that labor of love throughout an entire wave.

Goo Gone is normally pretty safe in clear plastics. Just test it on an old tetchy piece before tying it on anything you care about.

No idea what the character or trooper is supposed to be, but kinda neat. Really nice printing on the Stormtrooper helmet. Maybe something transitional between the TCW army of war and the imperial army of occupation? ( here's a great piece on the subject that spawns from Spencer Ackerman's wonderful Battle of Hoth analysis, and spreads out to looking at some of the underlying failures in Imperial doctrine that led from the combat hardened yet somewhat individualistic Clones of TCW era to the homogenized and barely able to shoot look alike Stormtroopers of the Imperial era. Clone and Stormtrooper Army builders will love it. ) http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/criticalintel/10201-Hoth-The-Failure-of-Imperial-Military-Doctrine

So what might we see from that mixed period between TCW fading and the new movies. I'm hoping for a few oddball things. Coran Horn X-Wing. Yeah I know Lego will often steer clear of EU stuff. But this one might be a gimme. Standard or mildly refined X Wing in green and white. It would give them an excuse to do another X Wing. Bossk's Hounds Tooth. We have long heard about this ship. We finally saw it in TCW. It looks like a good easy to Legofy subject, and would give a chance to do a nice bounty hunter theme set. Mos Eisley. It's been years since we have seen real TOS Tatooine love. Cantina with band would be a treat. A nice big play set to put all the aliens in. Or at least some Mos Eisley street scenes. New minifig scale B Wing. Once again been years. The long begged for cloud city. And a pod car. Nuffield said. TOR D5 Mantis so we have a Sith/Imperial ship (Fury) a Jedi ship (Defender) and a more grey area scum and villainy sort (Bounty Hunter) Dash Rendars Outrider. Another of those classic EU mixed media ships that has slipped into the common vernacular (plus doesn't it appear for a second in TPM?)

Pro's for the Simpsons; It's iconic and well known Tons of possible sets, vehicles and scenes, its like a demented version of City Tons of distinct well known characters that adapt well to minifig form Con's It's a very old property, hat hasn't really driven children's play in 15 years. Adult interest high, kids? Maybe not so much. And even then I think a lot of the adults would prefer Futurama. Forget Smithers is gay, that's. non issue. The problem becomes some other iconic settings and themes that Lego has traditionally eschewed. Moe's Tavern (granted we did get a tavern in PotC) or how about the church and the Reverend and Flanders, etc? How does the Simpsons play internationally? While I think some Simpsons sets would be cool to have, I can't quite picture them back in the toy aisles to the degree that the worlds largest toy company is pushing them?

You are missing the point. Marketing does not necessarily go by what is written on the box. They are apportioning shelf space based on target audiences and play roles. While TMNT is not considered a Marvel or DC "Superhero" set, it is playing in the same general area. Close enough that it may very easily be allotted shelf space in at least an informal pool with the comic book themes. The number of TMNT sets on the shelf will be calculated against and have an impact on the number of DC and Marvel sets. Just as much of what we consider the "Action" themes will share a pool of shelf space. While 6 and 6 sets for DC and Marvel feels low to us, If you consider TMNT as part of the more over reaching play theme (which the marketing people will) it comes out as 18-20 sets putting little costumed crime fighters from cartoons in kids hands, which is on par with a moderate year for Star Wars sets.

That looks wonderful

So you want to take a good stable company, that has worked out a highly successful marketing strategy of varying the rarity or availability of certain of thei character representations, in order to function as a sales driver (and please note, it is the upswing in sales that drives all of the set and quality improvements we are talking about here. In this respect more sales = very good for fans). And you want it to tear itself apart, savage its developmental process, and offer the highest margin element of its product, the character Minifigs, the things that drive the theme sales, for pennies on the dollar as parts, in bulk? Wow! You do realize that everything you ask for would quickly and efficiently kill off the company that you love, right?

I think we are missing some crucial elements to how Lego calculates the number of sets for given themes. We look at the Superhero type sets as 6 and 6 Marvel and DC. We forget that TLG may view the total "Superhero" type licensed lines as 6 + 6 + 6, as TMNT is technically a similar comic type superhero property. At 18 sets total it is not too far removed from a theme like SW. (And let's not forget SW has been Legos profit point for a decade. I assume if Superhero's hits that point by Avengers 2 we will see more.)

I think we will see TCW sets in late 2013 and early 2014. Maybe even a nice big set at the end. TCW isn't quite like some of the EU stuff like the video game ships. At 5 seasons worth of shows having aired there is roughly 10x more TCW footage out there than the entirety of the OT and the PT. And chances are it will last a good while as reruns as animated shows are want to do. Especially with a new movie looming. So TCW will probably not simply vanish from Lego's repertoire. At least not unless Disney wishes it to. I think next year will swing to be more OT focused, but we will still see a good mix. Maybe even a few more obscure or odd sets like the TOR stuff? I still can't wait to see what the Jedi Defender looks like.

I think part if it involves Episode VII. In order to hit its release date it has to be pretty far along in development by now. But it poses a problem for things like TCW. Given its prequel driven nature, with every new episode of TCW the chance increases that it will be something that contradicts or causes a conflict with Ep VII and whatever it's story may be. Chances are those making the movie want he decks cleared so they don't have to write around a moving target. Established on screen continuity will be frozen for a bit so they can hit the ground running with the movie production. This is why hey are specifying that they are "winding down" TCW, not simply canceling or ending it. It's an interesting turn of phrase, no? The putting the Detours program on hold is another matter altogether. That's just a matter of some asking if that is really the direction that they want the brand to be going.

I always thought sets like this give a nice assortment of imperial types http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=9492-1 or this one http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8084-1 (which I think has one of your actual imperial troopers). I understand your frustrations, but I don't think it is quite as bad as it seems. Part of the problem is the modern fans and kids like the collecting minigame. They like the vast field of named unique characters. These tend to drive set sales moreso then the generic army builder faces less figs. Yes there is a market and niche for army building, but it isn't a huge retail draw, at least not among the kiddies. But even then part of it is also observer error. There are plenty of hemes that do have a nice assortment of army build type generic foes. Lone Ranger has the Cavalry set and a good mix of generic bad guys. While Chima seems focused in the gotta collect em all mindset, its counterpart Ninjago has both the stone army guys and the lower tier snake guys. The TMNT sets have a Foot Footsoldier in almost every set. I don't think anyone would accuse the LotR line of being stingy with the Uruk Hai? (Although granted most fans would like a broader range of Moria and Mordor orcs.) So the actual results will vary a lot line by line theme by theme. And seems more to revolve around both the there's story and it's specifically designed marketing approach. ( ie Chima's design goals are very different than say LotR's)

Spidey in the Avengers is sort of like Wolverine in the Avengers. It's a fairly modern thing and never really meshes with the traditional mental image of the team. Which is kind of a shame because some writers did manage to get some really good interactions out of it. Of course Spidey is also technically also a member of the FF. for a traditionally team less loner hero he sure does seem to get a lot of membership cards. Unfortunately Disney doesn't really have a reputation for doing those type of team ups or cross studio deals. Certainly not in mainline franchises that they plan on incorporating into their theme park empire. Isn't part of the reason that the Indiana Jones franchise is effectively dead with Lucas's sale to Disney, that IJ is shared in some way with Paramount?

Just speculating, but given that it more then doubled its numbers in a matter of days, they may have noticed something irregular in the voting? or is there anything in their songs or lyrics that TLG might feel is a bit too adult?

Grand Emporium will be the next to be retired (after Fire Brigade) and is a truly great looking building with lots of interesting architecture. It would be my first choice for that reason. But there are no bad Modulars.

Doing a trans clear arm is not that different from doing a trans clear head, which we have had for years. They can probably do any of the main extremity parts in clear with no issues. (Head, arms, legs). The problems arise when they attempt to join polycarbonate (clear) plastics to themselves at the joints. The other problem is the PCB plastic does not handle the stresses of the current torso design well, and is prone to develop cracking at stress points, such as under the arms. To top it off the hands and hips could not be done in a clear PCB plastic. They would be too brittle and would break after moderate use.

Much like the Corsairs ship, Theoden as a core character at Orthanc will depend heavily on whether you have watched the extended version of RotK. In the extended he has a nice bit of back and forth with Saruman. Granted I can't seem to wrap my brain around us getting any Minifigs with this set save a Saruman to place on the UCS nameplate, similar to the mini R2d2. But that's just my mental picture of the set. I'm having trouble seeing it as a play set. I hope I am wrong and this is simply a failure of said imagination on my part. (Although if they were going to do a massive Death Star sized play set, I kinda wish it had been Mina's Tirith.)