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Faefrost

Eurobricks Grand Dukes
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Everything posted by Faefrost

  1. Faefrost
    Actually for most waves Ninjago has been very clever in putting some diferentiation in the henchmen and minions. There is a perception of ranking. The Snake waves show it best where each snake clan had the Leader with snake legs. The 2nd with Leader head but human legs. The upper minion with the clan style head and normal legs and the low man clan type head with short legs. You see a similar pattern in the Stone Army. And to lesser degrees in most other waves. The only ones that went full generic bad guys were this last waves Red Visors group. For Monkey Kid they gave each Bull a name. Some minor difference, be it horn color or arm color would have greatly helped.
  2. Faefrost
    The Jackie Chan Jet Li movie is cool, but didn't hit real big, and is barely a Journey to the west adaption. More an influence. The Thomas Gibson miniseries was pretty neat for actually exploring the original story and myths. But I suspect you and I might be two of the few that remember it, or even watched it. Didn't it air on SyFy and Hallmark channels? The two Stephen Chow Chinese language movies (2014 and 2017) did get some attention on Netflix. But I'm not sure the sets western target audience would watched them much. It always amazes me just how little exposure the western world has to Journey to the west and the Monkey King? I still can't figure out the price points of these sets. The Piggsy's Truck one is actually pretty good. But the Dragon Horse Bike feels like a $20 Ninjago Bike set And the Monkey Kid Jet set feels like a leftover $30 Chima set. Do we know is this intentionally a Lego Store exclusive, or is it just that because of all the lockdowns and disruptions? Feels like the same stuff they use for the CMF's to me. I don't see anything that points to a potential issue yet.
  3. Faefrost
    Agreed. I found it to be almost seizure inducing. No character development. Not even any explanation for any of the a Hero characters. Like why Does Mei show up like some sort of Superhero? The show is pure short attention span randomness blended with seizure inducing animation. I also picked up a few sets. My views are mixed. The builds seem decent. The minifigs get split right down the middle. The main cast such as Monkey Kid and his friends are some of Lego’s all time best minifigs. But every set undercuts that by piling in an equal number of identical Bull Minions. They compound this by giving each a specific name, even though there is no way to tell them apart. It just rubs salt in the wound. The line itself has some problems. The biggest being there is no reasonable entry point. The cheapest set is $35 US. There re no impulse sets. No small sets to hook the kids. For an 8 set theme, where you want the kids to collect the named characters, there are three sets well over $100 USD. Heck all three are above $120. With two at or over $150. Lego is normally much better at hitting a well balanced and scaled series of price points than this. It’s a nice theme with some really cool figs and a few fun sets. But It’s missing some desperately needed hooks and approachable pricing. The story elements need more polish. For most Western consumers the sum total of their exposure to Journey to the West begins and ends with Dragonball Z. Unless they are over age 50, and might remember the Great Alakazam movie when some tv stations would run it late on Christmas Day. Actually delving into the story and mythology instead of going with complete random visual hash in the videos might have made for more compelling characters, that you want to play with. But that’s just my opinion. With all that said the Monkey Kid minifig is currently competing with The a Hidden Side’s Wave 2 Jack with new hair and hood pieces as my favorites so far this year.
  4. Faefrost
    A lot of other "Blind Bag" lines solved the "squeezing and feeling" problem by putting a folded cardboard insert in the packet. So the parts are between the Cardboard and can't be really felt through the bag. Heck they could just print the little checklist/instructions on heavier cardstock and use that.
  5. Faefrost
    Be warned, the Misandrist Pop Culture Grifter and all around outrage pimp, Anita Sarkeesian, having finally worn out her welcome over in the Videogame world is back trying to stir up sh@t with Lego. I would advise do not engage Sarkeesian directly, it's how her grift works. Just politely let Lego know that you are dedicated customers of their City Police and Fire lines. That you are a supporter of the Police and Emergency Services, and that you would view any decision to end those product lines to be anti-consumer, and one that would cost them your business.
  6. Faefrost
    I get that. Although the logo is a little obscure even by Lego fan standards. It’s still a cool little nod. But honestly the printing on the torso is lousy and looks awful. The white and red printing is translucent over green plastic.
  7. Faefrost
    On a slightly more positive spin than most of the doom and gloom of the last few pages. I picked up a few at Target while traveling (I'm one of those Unicorns that just takes random bags, no squeezing, just to see what I get). I got the Karate Guy (he's okay, and I have a spot for him. The Kid with Pinatta who is amazing, the Rocket Girl, Great shirt and hair, The 80's Keytar player (interesting and I have a use for him) The Drone Pilot (dullest of the series. Nothing interesting in torso, head or anything) The Raven Knight (decent, but others have been better. Great Torso for Castle) The Pirate Queen (Great Figure) The Green Brick dude (pointless) and my Favorite the Red Sentai Hero. I had not realized that Lego Red here is a really nice homage to the original Super Sentai Team he's based on Sun Vulcan Red. Not the later and more modern Power Rangers.
  8. Faefrost
    My other thought on the new Haunted House is it would make a fantastic starting point for a Modular Church for your city.
  9. Faefrost
    It looks amazing, but it has some display challenges. In case anyone missed it, it's taller than the D2C Ninjago City. Which means my display options for it will be very limited unless I get out the hammer and saw.
  10. Faefrost
    I love it! I assume it starts with 3 or 4 of the basic sets?
  11. Faefrost
    Damit! I was hoping for the Winter Village Fruitcake Factory. A gloomy and poisonous place populated by Zombie slaves and Goblins. Ruled under the iron booted heels of Santas Elves. You know a traditional Christmas setting.
  12. Faefrost
    Gorgeous!
  13. Faefrost
    Some of the wave 1 sets are seeing a discount. Mainly the smaller and mid sized sets. I got the Stunt Truck, Cemetery, School Bus and Train for 20% off in Target over the past few weeks. The School and the Wave 2 sets are still MSRP.
  14. Faefrost
    There are a few other pics out there. But the sparcity may mean its a retail exclusive. Probably Target. The one thing we know from other pics is the big blue thing on the back comes off and forms a mecha. Sort of like that one Galaxy Squad Green set.
  15. Faefrost
    Spongebob might be moving culturally into that same sort of territory as The Simpson's. Where it might have some appeal as a larger D2C style set for an older audience. It's become a multi-generational touch stone in its own weird way. So maybe. Ruined House, Ancient Rome, Waterfall are really excellent MOC's that have no good chance as a Product offering. Iron Giant is seeing a recent resurgence in interest. It may be the anniversary? Not sure why but even Walmart has a nice 14" Iron Giant Toy with Electronics out right now. (Looks good standing alongside the Playmates Voltron's.) So maybe? There may be a market there? How well did Voltron sell. They may use that as an indicator. The Globe is a strong contender for production. Possibly the Fishing Boat and the Castle that would seem a good companion piece to the Pirates of Baracuda Bay set.
  16. Faefrost
    Oh no, I’m not saying anybody stole ideas from anyone else. I’m just reflecting more on the concurrent Zeitgeist. I find it interesting that Lego is thinking in the same direction as the new Ghostbusters team. Not to mention Stranger Things, etc. I actually think there might be a greater chance that Ghostbusters Afterlife kills off Hidden Side in much the same way PotC impacted Classic Pirates. What are the odds that Lego doesn’t license Ghostbusters?
  17. Faefrost
    So I just watched the Ghostbusters Afterlife trailer. Hmmm? Does anyone else notice some marked similarities with Hidden Side?
  18. Faefrost
    I like this one. It's pretty much what we have been asking for for years. Another Pet Shop type building. Yeah the Bookstore is not as cluttered as the Pet Shop in details. But we forget how sparse the PS's town home is in details. They cheated by making it be under renovations. As usual most of Lego Social Media is going "I HATE IT!!! HOW DARE THEY!!! WORST THING EVER!" And by this time it will be a classic building on par with the PR (which they did exactly the same thing regarding). AFOL's in the Lego community are nothing if not predictable.
  19. Faefrost
    We can hope. It would be nice to get another split building like the Pet Shop. Plus that would make sense. I keep picturing this as a small cluttered Old English Bookstore. Something Like Azeriphale's shop in Good Omens. With some other shop or townhouse next store.
  20. Faefrost
    A day which will live in infamy? So a Japanese Restaurant then? (sorry sorry I'll see myself out)
  21. Faefrost
    What we consider "Modular" offerings can vary abit based on the observers tastes. They have been made across several line names. The most notable Creator Expert. Market Square was a Factory set, was it not? A fan design just using Modular rules? Ninjago City and Ninjago City Docks both use the basic Modular rules and footprints. So some consider them part of it. The Haunted House while a D2C and a Doll House style design, does blend well with the Modulars as it shares footprint and scale. The old Fishing Store similarly works well with Modulars. As does the Avengers Dr Strange set. Pair 2 of those together and you have Stranges house a Pizza Parlor and Peter Parkers run down appartment. If you really want to get creative the Ninjago Air Temple set makes a nice inside corner if adjacent to your Ninjago City or Docks. And the Ninjago Monestary also workds well. Just my 2c. Things that you think would work, but don't are the two Simpsons buildings. The scale is just way off.
  22. Faefrost
    A few of the sets will age well and be sought after aftermarket going forward. The School, the Shrimp Shack, the Lighthouse seem good candidates. Maybe the School Bus. Most of the others not so much. Does anybody remember those special tablet game pieces that came with Ultra Agents?
  23. Faefrost
    Honestly the flying spinny helicopters look like a much better gimmick than the new net cannons, the new squeeze bulb firefighting gimmick and the parachutes. (Ok the Parachutes are kinda fun although the minifigs are too light to work well with them.)
  24. Faefrost
    A Soda Shop was an evolution of a "Counter Dining" establishment. Back in the day you couldn't just buy a bottle of Coke Cola. You would go to a Soda shop and the Soda Jerk would mix you up a glass. Think of it as a sort of pub for non alcoholic things and ice cream. Often they were part of Pharmacy's. (In fact the Modular Pharmacy plans in the book The Lego Neighborhood build a nice Pharmacy/Soda shop.), Most of the old Soda Shops evolved into either Ice Cream shops or Hamburger joints. You would probably know one if you saw one. There is a seen in one in Back to the Future/Back to the Future 2. Oddly the Corner Garage and the Fire Brigade are 2 of the most American style buildings in the entire line.
  25. Faefrost
    The only place I have seen the Mega Futurama characters recently was at 5 Below. So that license may have faded.
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