HawkLord

The current Lego Castle chess set is $49.99 with 32 minifigures. Even if Lego had to mark-up a SW version due to the license, I still can't see it going over $125 (maybe more if they really went all out on the board). No where near Death Star price levels. Stormtroopers themselves go for around $5 a piece on Ebay, so if you could get eight of them as Pawns, that's a third of the box right there; so it would still be a deal. Add in the Original Trilogy major characters as Rooks, Knights, etc and you'd walk away with a pretty economic set. I think if Lego went this route, they would need something to really make it shine. SW Chess sets are already out there made by other companies, so Lego would have to include something strong, like an exclusive figure. Otherwise, I just don't see it.

I would wonder how much of a market there would be for a SW Chess Set. From a collector standpoint, sure, the minifigures would be great to have, however would people ever really use it for chess? I have to assume that if Lego ever thought of going with a chess set, they'd be asking themselves the same question. I just don't think there'd be that much of a market for a SW Lego chess set. Additionally, would it hurt Lego's chances at marketing certain figures in larger sets? Would people be more interested in skipping certain sets with major characters to just go the chess set route? For example, right now, the only way to get a Vader or Han is thru the Falcon - both characters would easily work in a chess, but then Lego might be competing with itself. Lastly, SW is so large a franchise I think it might be hard to narrow down just one version of a chess set. Do they go Prequel, Original, or Clone Wars? Or do they combine all three?

Star Trek: I think there's a few vehicles/ships of varying sizes that could work. Not many environments or play-sets necessarily. An UCS Enterprise would be amazing though. James Bond / or generic "Spy" line: Bond has alot to draw from in terms of characters and unique vehicles that could have a number of action features and gimmicks. One could also combine this with a Men In Black type line, as well. Ghostbuster: Lots of figures, lots of ghosts, the Ghostbuster station and car. This line would probably have alot of City elements that could be re-used and sets could be based around ghost inhabiting certain houses and locations. TMNT: I don't know how they'd make a Turtle, but there's a wealth of material to draw from - including City and Space. My only request is that it should be based on comic Turtles and avoid the upcoming Bay movie.

I just placed an order on the Lego website and the Hulk figure and LOTR poster appeared.

Personally, I'm fine with the re-use of faces. I think with the limited style and design of Legos, there's only so many options available. Gandalf will look like Dumbledore and Santa Claus, because there's really only so many ways they can make a "beard elderly man with hat" in the Lego style. I think the same is true with just the faces, as well. Realistically, how many different lines or accents can they put on a face to make it look that different? Back in the early 90s, when I collected Legos (and was alot younger), my Aunt gave me the Knight's Stronghold set, which featured a fort/castle section and prison. The box pictures showed the different angles of the set and in one scene there were the two guards leading the prisoner into the cell. My Aunt pointed out how silly it looked that the prisoner was smiling while being walked into the cell by armed guards. I might sound like some old-timer here, but I think that helps show just how far along Lego has come with faces.

I've heard July/August, but I'm no expert.

I'm actually debating getting some LOTR sets for Hulk or waiting on the LOTR sets to see if they ever come out with a LOTR promo figure. Sure, I could use the Hulk, but I'm not all that satisfied with the leg printing. And then there's that LOTR poster - decisions, decisions.

These look spot-on. Not really a DC guy, but I can appreciate the major characters.

Great review and nice pics. The stickers are a let-down, but not a deal-breaker, for me. It's such an iconic scene from the movies that I'll have to get it. I remember first seeing part of the Moria Battle on TV years back - some news show had it as an exclusive and it was one of the first scenes that we were able to see before the movie's release.

I don't think they've been sighted at Target or Walmart stores yet, though I could be wrong. I've only heard Fred Meyers and TRU have them in store. Lego stores should be getting them in this week.

I think it was a pretty fine review and the pics were good. I was alittle hestitant on this set, but now I think I'm all in. The banner piece and the detail of the figures more than make-up for any problems with the set, for me.

As mentioned, Poggle the Lesser is a good choice. There's also Poggle's lieutanent Sun Fac, who was shot down in his starfighter by Clone Commandos when he tried to escape during the Battle of Geonosis.

This scene and the other creatures you built are going to look pretty amazing together. Makes me wish Lego would put out a large set just like this.

You know these days alot of the mid-high end Star Wars statues can go up to this price or more, so I can see the merit of this set. Plus, it obviously does more than a statue could even if solely for the aspect that as a Lego set the building possibilities are endless.

The breathers on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, plus the amazing Amidala seal the deal for me on the Sub set - I'll buy it at MSRP. The Skiff set is worth it for the Boba and Sarlacc alone. The other sets, I'll probably wait for a sale on.

Those are very well done and I really like the bird, too.

I think you're right about Gandalf looking alittle off. The character always had a larger nose (pointy in some drawings) and big, bushy eyebrows. Here since so much of the face is covered by the beard and the flat nature of Lego faces, it seems some of the character gets lost. I also agree that Gandalf is such a big name character in fiction, that he warrants his own special staff. I wonder if Lego might be holding out a better staff for a Balrog Confrontation set.

That's a great review. Can't say that I'd be too interested in standing in line for hours for it. Or paying too much, either. I guess it if somehow fit in better with other sets, I might go for it.

I think 1 out of 20 not stocked isn't that bad. There's things to consider like when the store stocks, how often they move product, and if someone just bought the whole box to feeling thru at home and will be returning the extras at some point. I'm sure they'll come in eventually. I've already started to notice a saturation at this point - the stores here only have some of the less desirable figures left.

Very good review. Thank you for posting it. It's encouraging to see all those printed pieces, especially the unique facial hair design on Eomer. The balista is as much an army-builder piece as the Uruks, I think. Overall, I'll be getting a few of this set.

Lego probably only got the license to reproduce elements from the movies, so I think they could get away with making things like Farmer Maggot's house, since Farmer Maggot was referenced in the movie. I don't think they could or would make a generic house; more than likely they'd just make Bag End.

I was lucky enough to hit a store when they just put out six boxes of S7. While feeling thru all of them, I wasn't actively looking for the Aztec, but it did seem like a figure I didn't find all that often.

Initially, I was going to pass on this set because I thought The Hagrid's Hut spider was a good enough proxy, but now I think I have to get Shelob, as well. The bonus rings are nice and whereas Sam and Frodo will continually be in future sets, the price and the spider are good enough to get.