MAB

There is the problem with the flex track that if you go for maximum curvature and maximum speed, then you can often get your train to fall off. But that is down to physics rather than an inherent problem with the set. It is also slightly noisier than regular track.

I think you have to be a bit careful the way you describe the sellers of exclusive minifigs. You say many people can or will ever be able to go to SDCC, for example. Why is that? Anyone can apply for tickets, travel there, stay in a hotel, go to the convention, etc. Nothing is stopping anyone that wants to. Except money and time. Bearing that in mind, calling people that do decide to pay a lot of money to attend conventions leeches, scalpers, pure greedy profit seekers is not necessarily correct. They are selling something that often people are willing to pay a high price for as a way of recouping some of the cost of attending the convention. How would you describe a lego fan that gets an exclusive but decides to sell for $500 as they know what they can buy with that $500 instead of having one exclusive minifig? Are they still a scalper? If you could buy something in a local theme park to you for say $20, but there is an entry fee of $100 to the park, then how much would you sell it for? $20 as that is what it cost? $120 as you are recouping the cost of entry to the park, even though you got to enjoy the park for the day too? And what changes if you know that I am willing to pay $200 for it?

My point was, I doubt we will see a large / decent non-licensed castle set or range if they are going to reboot the non-licensed pirates. I expect they will either give castle another rest, or keep it highly <insert that tiresome argument> if there is going to be a pirates set / theme aimed at older kids / afols. Pirates and castle, although different themes, appeal to a similar set of kids and there will be a large number that would want both. Personally, I don't think that the current non-licensed castle range overlaps with LOTR (or Hobbit), and that non-licensed pirates are probably closer to non-licensed castle than castle is to LOTR. The current castle sets are very child oriented sets, in comparison to LOTR. Especially when you consider this year's offering of 10676 is a juniors set. In fact, they were producing 70404 and 70403 (both older kids / possibly afol oriented sets) in 2013, and Joust in 2012, during waves 1 and 2 of LOTR. So they had more afol oriented sets coexisting with LOTR.

Another difference is that Bard has already appeared in a set. Normally the exclusives have not appeared in any form. So this is not necessarily an exclusive like all others before. Superman was a NYCC exclusive, but soon turned up in a regular set whereas Batman and Green Lantern didn't. Which suggests that there is no fixed rule. Plus there is nothing to stop them releasing the torso and legs but with a different head print, and still calling that minifig exclusive. Or have a safety stud for the head in a set vs solid stud for the exclusive, like they did with the chibi landspeeder Luke.

The problem with Castle is that their new (rehashed) thing next year is going to be the return of the ship. There was that teaser image in the yellow box. Plus Castle has been running this year, with some pretty lacklustre sets, mainly aimed at the more junior end of the market. I would have preferred that Gimli was left out of the Council of Elrond set rather than the Corsair ship. It does make sense him being in the Corsair ship set, at least as much as Aragorn and Legolas, and some people won't have bought every set (although why they'd just buy the ship is beyond me). In the Elrond set, he could have been replaced by one of the unnamed elves or even a statue for Rivendell. And Samwise Gamgee. And Shelob herself. I think Shelob Attacks is a great little set. Three main characters and a larger brickbuilt character that is also an important part of the story.

That's fairly similar to what I hope to use it for. Backed this morning. Good luck.

Homer as a devil Homer as an angel Teenage Homer Underpants Homer Mumu Homer Safety Salamander Mr Plow Homer Santa Homer Stone Cutter Homer Isotopes Mascot Be Sharps Homer Radiation Man PinPals Homer Astronaut Homer USA tourist Homer Sanitation Commissioner Homer

They weren't all male. You just assumed they were as they weren't wearing lipstick or had large breasts and / or curved hips.

Next factory set.

Duplo IS Lego. Calling the larger Megablok parts Duplo is just as bad as calling the smaller parts Lego. :-)

I doubt it. The theme is done for now. They will probably do another Dino theme in the future, but would they really want a very similar product on the shelves at the same time as Kreo?

Most themes aren't aimed at a neutral market though. And in many themes it is not always easy to identify who the leader is. Who is the leader in Galaxy Squad for example? Friends doesn't have a hierarchy as all the girls are equal in the sense that there is not one dominant girl. This is a good marketing decision, as different girls are likely to favour different mini-dolls based on their looks. My daughter has a couple of minidolls that she has amended to look like her, and names her as such.

Just look through the CMF line .. S5 fitness instructor leads her class S5 zoo keeper is in charge of animals S6 Surgeon is more important than any doctors S6 Lady Liberty is Libertas, goddess of freedom S7 punk girl leads her band (probably S2 singer is the same) S10 Medusa didn't answer to anyone S11 Scientist is a professor, so leader of a research team. There are a number of others that could either be team players or leaders - roller derby girl, intergalactic girl, etc. And obviously above all S10 bee girl is the "Queen Bee".

Nope, but the parts list is mainly greys, black, red, white and green with a touch of yellow.

Just a heads up really. Following on from 4000010 Lego House in Billund, they will be doing 4000011 Nyiregyhaza Factory in Hungary. Meant to be out 2014. And 4000012 will be the inside tour set for 2014.

I know for sure the torso exists and it comes with tan hands as I own three of them, got through a reliable source. It is exactly the same print as the one in the video. The new legs in the video look good too, but I haven't seen those yet. As for the set, that is still speculation but he will be coming in something.

We'll be getting a new Palpatine in the microfighters range. I presume with a micro imperial shuttle. This is the torso - note the tan hands... I am hoping for a new tan head to go with it.

Even dead minifigs still count. This may also be appropriate for your Italian roots ...

I don't believe they are meant to be available any more. I tried 4-6 weeks ago, in Sheffield and Manchester and got the reply that the head office had said that PAB was not to be sold that way any more.

They look great. Are the faces from the duplo engine, with their bottoms cut off? If so, how do you attach them?

Series 4 artist / painter had one. And it is in the new Parisian Restaurant too.

If anyone in the UK missed out on the lego games BATMAN 50003 and LOTR 50011, someone on ebay and amazon has them at under retail - in large numbers too. £20 instead of £80 or whatever they are going for on BL. They also have their own website netpricedirect.co.uk They are the company that was behind the recent lego deals on groupon, so have history of getting large stocks of sets that have apparently disappeared from everywhere else.

I have a couple of the Crusader Nero Leone Pack, and think they are really good quality - all the parts. Similarly the Templar Knight set is also very good. I'm not a fan of the fake superheroes minifigs. Those Thor minifigs look awful.

Back printing on the legs is a little strange. Has the print gone inside the leg pieces?

I read a lot here, although comment little. I don't mind adverts as they are. What you could also do is have a simple amazon button on the front page, with an affiliate link to an amazon lego search or just amazon home page (if possible to the right country page for each user). Or if not, a link to the US, UK, DE etc amazon sites. If I was going to buy something at amazon, I wouldn't mind coming here first, and clicking the link each time I am going to buy there anyway, especially if it helps keep the site running.