MAB

It also doesn't seem to stop them copying designs, just the artwork, logos etc.

It is a bit of a dilemma for them, as it may have backfired somewhat. The various court decisions have shown that other brands cannot use LEGO's pictures, similar logos, similar packaging, brand names such as Ninjago, etc. But it hasn't shown that other manufacturers cannot copy their sets. So now more manufacturers might get in on it, if they know that they can make reproduction sets (probably with minor changes where some newer brick designs are protected) without action against them.

Thanks. Pictures like that add quite a lot to reviews without actually having to say anything! It does seem a bit cheap that LEGO didn't add the existing crow to the hat.

Smart move. These are not the type of sets that hold their value if re-released in a more modern format.

For a while now lepin have been doing knock-offs without using the official LEGO artwork, but continuing to use their numbers and names and fan pictures from the internet. You only need to look on aliexpress and see photos of real LEGO sets that have been taken from the internet to sell the knock-offs. And this doesn't infringe the ruling, since they are not using LEGO's copyright artwork. So while LEGO won, they haven't really won.

It makes it appear like they design the parts individually rather than as a figure.

Have you removed the collar of Boggart Snape? It would be nice to see the parts or if the detail is still there when the collar is removed. It looks odd to me that the body of the cat is 3D while the head is flat. Hopefully it can be displayed without the fur collar to correct this. Also shame about the double head here, as it shows from the rear. The hat looks very similar to that of the CMF scarecrow but I cannot tell if there is a hole in it. Is there? If there is, then getting a vulture on the top is very simple. Photos of the parts in reviews can be very helpful for addressing things like this where they are not talked about.

That is assuming the Minas Tirith and Bag End feature in the new series. It is still unclear what is even going to be in the new series, whether it will be the same story covered in the movies or other materials prior to the start of the movies. There have been rumours that this series will concentrate on young Aragorn. Quite a lot happens to Aragorn beforehand - losing his father, growing up in Rivendell (as Estel), finding out about his true identity, his relationship with Arwen, leaving Rivendell, fighting for Rohan and Gondor (as Thorongil), his capture of Gollum, etc.

I think you are wrong that the Austin Carlson sketch shows the Lizard Man / Godzilla minifigure from Series 5. This suggests that they had designed the other series 18 figures shown, which include a number of future parts such as the tutu skirt that don't appear for some years, prior to 2011 and then sat on those designs for 7 years before they made it into the CMF series. More likely is that this is a preliminary sketch of a minifigure that later became or was replaced by the dragon in S18. Similar with the identification of the penguin, I imagine this was meant to be an idea for a new bird for S18 that was decided against as they had already done the chicken and, quite recently, the penguin.

The "pigeon" looks like the chicken just with short legs. So I wonder if these are Series 18 sketches, or if they predate the original chicken - they may have had the party idea for the 40th anniversary for a few years. Although there is the ballerina skirt which didn't debut until S15. If they are S18, I'm glad they changed the dragon from the original lizard style. Note also the leg print on the horse (way too small). Also the "pigeon" could have been any bird, just by changing the print. Make it brown with a dab of orange on the front, it is a robin.

Recently discovered? These were released by LEGO and published on brickset (probably other sites too). https://brickset.com/article/38202/minifigure-design-sketches

So you want LEGO to re-release them and put the prices up compared to CMF? Otherwise, LEGO wouldn't get that money, since they would (1) lose buyers that already have them and (2) only get RRP for the S1 and S2 figures, unless they put their prices up. So if S1 and S2 re-releases take the place of other CMF series, they get the same price but sell less than if they did something new. There are some interesting images for the 40th anniversary on brickset. Especially these for Series 13. It looks like LEGO was originally going to do a boy scout figure but replaced it with the sheriff.

Plus, is it big enough for a CMF series. It seems CMF have to sell to a whole range of people, not just fans of the franchise, to be successful.

While longer term collectors might want this, it would almost certainly lead to failure of the range if it happened. It is already 5 years since the last sets and what they did before was before. What they would need to do now / in future is to appeal to current buyers. If they were to do LOTR based on the movies again (as opposed to whatever the amazon series will focus on) then it is highly likely that the first sets would contain The Fellowship characters, since without them there is little interest for new buyers. Why would buyers buy into sets containing Eowyn and the Witch King if there were no sets containing the popular characters?

Anything with slave Leia is unlikely again.

It won't be out until 2020 / 2021 and so I doubt LEGO would do anything before then. Plus it won't be LOTR but pre-LOTR so characters are likely to be a bit different - I've seen reports it might be based on adventures of young Aragorn, for example. The reply from LEGO is fairly standard.

A seller on bricklink has these two 48x48 mosaics. They are only available in Singapore, like the similar Iron Man one from earlier in the year.

If they were going to do series 1 and 2 again, why stop there? Why not series 3 and 4 and 5 ... These are all old series now and new collectors would also want those too. I don't mind them redoing characters so long as they do something a little different. So similar prints with new colours or accessories. It gives more variety while keeping the old ones special. When I look at series 1: Caveman - already redone with a similar minfiigure. Cheerleader - already three of them, plus redone in the calendar. Clown - already a few variants. Cowboy - redone as sheriff, a child on a horse, plus similar in TLM. Diver - boring, but also loads in Atlantis, etc. Demolition dummy - seemed to be panned at the time, but still unique. Forest Man - still fairly unique, although some overlap with Rogue. Magician - not liked at the time, probably still the case. Ninja - not needed, we have Ninjago. Nurse - plenty of similar figures in City hospitals, but sought after due to rarity. Robot - similar ones redone a few times. Skater - redone a few times in different variants, plus exactly in the calendar. Spaceman - variants redone a few times. Wrestler - variants redone. Tribal Hunter - variants redone. Zombie - variants redone. So for me, Series 1 has already been redone a number of times (just not exactly) except for Forest Man.

Why not just wait and find out. It will be similar there to other places. It is going to depend on availability in different locations and until that is known anyone stating a price is just guessing based on too many variables.

They don't do them as freebies, but they sometimes get the sets and sell them. Even if it was for sale in the certified store, it doesn't mean it will be for sale in regular Lego brand stores and might still be a promo in the real stores.

S1 CMF were popular. But S2 less so. I think part of it was down to repeat characters in S2 (esp Homer, Marge, Lisa and definitely Maggie, at least Bart was in a very different costume whereas the others were just in other regular clothes) and also the obvious conclusion that LEGO were not going to do the theme justice by leaving out important characters and including lesser ones in the S2.

I wasn't comparing the detail, I was comparing a set that can be displayed (and look good) from one side only with one that can be viewed at any angle. I am using minifigure scale in the common sense of minifigures fit in it and it is designed to be played with using minifigures. Very few lego sets, be they modulars, cars, trains, etc are minifigure scale. It isn't very accurate if the buildings are missing walls.

Hasn't everyone done the same "I wonder which motor is the strongest" head-to-head test at some stage? I'm another member of that club.

Not for a long time though, and even then it was one of Castle / Pirates / Kingdoms and one City, and for only three years. Then 2011 along came SW plus City, then 2012 Friends plus SW plus City. I don't think there is the market for four different LEGO advent calendars and they are now three well established calendars from the top selling ranges. Knocking out the in-house City and Friends for another licensed one would be controversial and I cannot see them removing SW. I would quite like them to rotate the themes a bit, but it is going to take something dramatic to make that happen. Maybe HP is big enough but I doubt it. It is also important that HP has a (big) CMF series out too.

I'm not going to buy it as I don't really like it for what it costs but if I did I'd only display it to view it from the front as that is the only angle it looks good from. The official one looks good from the front, but that is it. However, to see what I mean, compare it to this wonderful microscale MOC: Take a look at the number of photos of it taken at different angles (it is a flickr link, so you can see them by clicking on the photo or the link is here https://www.flickr.com/photos/159890103@N04/sets/72157693182433694). You can "fly" around it and you get an excellent view of the location from where ever you are. That is what the official one lacks, and why I feel that it doesn't perform well as a displayable microscale architecture style set. I think that is a valid criticism of the set. I'm not really sure of LEGO's thinking on the market for it either. They seem to be aiming it at people that like the architecture but also wanting to appeal to those that want play features, even though those people are catered for with the minifigure scale sets. Maybe there isn't the market for an architecture only set and they hope that including interiors and play features will increase demand. I am sure it will attract some, but it will also put off some. It may seem that it appeals to both camps, but to me it ends up appealing to neither. I actually prefer the minifigure scale Great Hall (which I have ordered) as I think that does a better job of being a combined play / display set, especially if other buildings get released in future.