M'Kyuun

This is gonna be an expensive summer! That MTT is extraordinary... finally a double decker droid rack, and the shape and detailing are incredible for a system set. The original left much to be desired, esp if one has a Star Wars design book for comparison. I pulled my original out a couple weeks ago, and the thing was essentially a large, oddly shaped empty box. The entire aft section separates and hinges open into a sort of...command station? The new design is a remarkable improvement and does its inspiration justice. I like the Naboo Fighter, and I think this does justice to the design; the first model from 1999 was...lacking. I'm more excited about the Vulture Droid...I've been hoping for a well articulated version. As someone else mentioned, I hope the head is attached to linkage to affect transformation. I'm a fan of just about anything transformable, so the VD was an unexpected surprise the first time I watched Ep I, and again in Ep III. IMHO, it was a neat and underused concept in the first prequel...they would have added some menace had they been shown stalking towards the Gungan army in Ep I. But, I digress. As for the JSF w/ Hyperdrive, I'm pretty pleased about the dark blue pieces, and Kit Fisto. I'm always happy to see the SW minifig pantheon expand. I think Lego did a fine job on the fighter, although I wish they had designed a proper storage method for the lightsaber. Ah well, that's the great thing about Lego...if you don't like it, rebuild it. The ring is decent. It would be nice to see a pic of the starfighter docked. I think, like most things, fans will like it better once it's in their hands. Overall, I think TLC is putting much more thought, attention to detail, and creativity into their designs, be they their own or licensed, as evidenced by the pics of their '07 lineup. More than ever, I love this hobby, but really lament the dent it makes in my bank account. :-D

I finally got my ILC yesterday and enjoyed the build. Personally, I'm with XWingYoda: the set's not perfect, but I'm glad for something new, and i like the set for what it is, for it's features, and for the new weapons. I like the design; it matches it's inspiration well enough for a ship that had little screen time. My only gripe is with the ubiquitous spring loaded cannons taking up 1/3 of the crew compartment. I would have liked 6 seats, 2 rows of 3 each facing away from the ship's spine with 2 additional stormtroopers to fill them. IMHO, this sort of craft doesn't require heavy armament. That, and I grow weary of TLC's desire to put one of those blasted cannons on everything. The inclusion of a classic space metal detector would have been a nice nod to the famous scene: "Look sir, droids!"

Hi Dino Bot. Nice to have a neighbor...ironically we're on a european forum. But anyway, WA seems to receive new Lego stuff slowly. Attempting to call Toys-R-Us again...line's been busy last two tries. Line's STILL busy. Must be all the E-bay bandits checking in to judge how big a truck they're going to need to cart away every new Star Wars set back to their lair so they can gouge the hapless masses for 2-300 percent over MSRP. I honestly don't understand why anyone would purchase a new domestically released item on E-bay without first checking online retailers, or the manufacturer's site, who generally sell said items with only a slight markup and S&H charges. Personally, I'll wait and pout.

I'm still waiting to even see any of the '07 sets on shelves here in Spokane, Washington. Usually I preorder the sets through SAH, only to see them gracing shelves at Toys-R-Us the very same week. So, this year I decided to exercise a little jedi-style patience. To my insurmountable sadness, I fear I probably won't see them now until the end of Dec, beginning of Jan. :-( I've also checked the department stores in the area, to no avail. Sometimes, patience is a virtue best locked up in a titanium vault, coated in concrete 2 meters thick, and deposited in the very deepest fissure of the Marianas Trench.

Jinzo, your penchant for finding interesting scientific articles is commendable. Allow me to clarify what I meant when I said they looked as far ahead as possible. Consider that the early Americans came from a gentleman's society, where even war was fought in a gentlemanly, albeit foolish, manner, i.e. lining up in opposing orderly formations while taking shots at each other. They disdained the Native Americans' way of fighting because they used stealth, camoflauge, hit-and-run tactics, etc, which are considered tantamount to successful military operations today. This was barbaric in their minds. Their society had much stricter dos and don'ts, proper behaviorisms. Too, rigid observation of the Church's interpretation of Biblical texts was much more highly esteemed. Death was generally the penalty for any perceived heresy. Because they were so steeped in these ideals, I think it would have been difficult for them to forsee a world where abortion, homosexual marriage, or even "time out" for unruly urchins would have found social acceptance. Of course, men murdered each other and committed all sorts of despicable and criminal acts upon one another in those times as well; they were neither naive nor strangers to evil. Humans excel at inhumanity; how it manifests as man progresses technologically becomes the issue. History tells us that nothing inspires man's creativity so prodigiously as war and greed. As for the oil issue, I believe Iraq posed a realistic threat to the security of America and its allies. By its nature, intelligence and national security measures are secretive, and I believe much of what we knew of Iraqi operations is still protected information, due either to the sensitive nature of the material or to the collection means. Oil was a secondary, but no less important, goal of our occupation because we are a greedy, wasteful country that consumes oil and oil based products on an unprecedented scale. Too, I believe the majority of Americans are ignorant concerning how our governmental, economic, and military organizations operate, and are highly susceptible to gullibility when bombarded by the media's biased and limited views. Oil companies raised prices not because there was a deficit, but because they could, effectively utilizing government and media to great effect, relying on the fear and anxiety raised by a seemingly endless war as justification. I think it none too coincidental that Haliburton received a large part of the contracts to conduct operations in Iraq, given that our Secretary of Defense was the previous CEO. Perhaps I'm just cynical.

Possession of arms is a provision of the Constitution first and foremost. The gun also plays an important role in American history and tradition. It has become a big business for these reasons, much like the car industry, or even ....the toy industry. :-) In a business-minded world, anything which appeals to a mass market will become a mass marketed commodity. This is true anywhere.

Concerning the topic of American gun laws, consider the country's origins. The "Founding Fathers" were in large part prior British citizens who, out of disdain for the strict regulations afforded them by the British government, decided to create a new country with leaner laws and greater freedoms. I'd imagine they undertook this task with something akin to trepidation, given their resources. Winning a war with Britain, achieving acknowledgment of independence from the Crown, gaining acceptance of a new non-monarchial government, and endowing the citizenry with the freedoms they felt they'd been previously denied in their homelands was no small undertaking, since most American settlers still felt patriotic to their own countries. Given the odds, I'm amazed that the Revolutionary War ever happened, let alone succeeded. Although they were thoughtful, learned men, I somehow doubt the Founders could have in any way predicted the problems we face today, given the societal changes over the past 200+ years. Nor can I believe that the Constitution was a rapidly conceived document; rather, I imagine much squabbling, ill-feelings, and sleepless nights went into the thing. When they set pen to paper, I believe they looked as far ahead as possible, and thus created a malleable governing document that could change with the generations to come. However, I don't think they could have forseen the moral decline that underlies the problems in my country. If everyone was an honest, law-abiding citizen, the possession of weapons for defense and recreation would be perfectly acceptable to even the abstainers. Discipline and punishment, on the whole, have waned in America, much to its degradation. As we become more permissive as a society, both in terms of our laws and attitudes, is it unreasonable to expect crime, despite its means and motivations, to escalate? My thoughts. And concerning Iraq, I hope our war, and the subsequent disruption of Saddam's regime, will give the Iraqi people some small respite from the oppression, fear, and abuse he maintained in his country while in power. As for their oil, it is an age-old adage: to the victor go the spoils. I don't personally condone it, but I have to concede that America's possession of said resource strengthens us economically in the future.

Quote I've used Bricklink a few times, but only for little things, never whole sets. Always had a positive experience I've bought alot of Lego(many parts and a set) from at least 8 different stores and I've had good experiences overall. One thing to keep in mind when using Bricklink is that the online stores are usually a side-business for people holding down regular day jobs as well; sometimes seller response is delayed. I always give them the benefit of the doubt before I start emailing them, and even then I email with courtesy. One seller had a family emergency; when he sent me my invoice, he also explained his circumstances. Overall, I consider it an awesome resource. Hope this helps.

To be honest, I don't actually know how either Avatar or the show I like, IGPX, rate here in the States, as I'm never around kids and have none of my own. I'm all the kid we need, or so says my loving spousal unit. The show I was referencing to be a good inspiration for Lego was IGPX due to its myriad mecha designs. Having seen Avatar only once, I could find naught to be made into a Lego model, unless TLG makes the sailing ships seen occasionally. More ships of yore may appeal to some if done well, but ,given the obscurity of the source material to most AFOLs, will most likely be overshadowed by the infinitely more popular Vikings.

I voted SW. I collect a little of everything, but primarily Star Wars, as it appeals most to me. Second on my list would probably be KK, but I prefer the old gray armor and weapons from classic castle to the new polychromatic figures. However, Vladek's Dark Fortress was well done, IMHO. Not as nice as the stony look of the classic sets, but still quite nice in terms of size and dark styling. I have the large Viking ship set and found it interesting more for display than anything else...just too limited , although the semi-auto cannon was....fun, and so very historically accurate, I might add. ;) City was...city, although I love the direction they're taking making trucks and such more to scale with the figs. Dino sets were so-so.....a nice attempt at creating a pseudo-military line. HP didn't offer many sets this year, but I feel they made up for quantity with quality. My wife collects them, and I've always been impressed. The Graveyard Duel was brilliant! However, my inner geek wins me over, as I have found the majority of the SW sets appealing either for the model, the parts in the model, or both. I think this theme above all the others pushes the Lego designers to innovate....I'm sure they look at some of the ships and wonder how they'll make this or that and have it come off passable. Are they perfect? Of course not, but they convey the spirit and enough asthetics to bring the experience to life for me.....I think, young or old, that's all we can ask for in a toy.

Avatar is fair; it has an interesting premise, but not really to my taste. Actually, I'm surprised TLG didn't acquire the license to IGPX(Immortal Gran Prix), which, again, is an American-Japanese production. It has an alright story featuring several teams which race their mechas around a 60 mile long track. The mecha designs are sleek and interesting, and there are enough of them to keep the Lego designers busy for awhile. Although I generally disdain the majority of Japanese-American shows targeted at kids, this one has a little promise, and I've found myself oddly enjoying it. I've watched enough anime that I've come to expect a certain amount of quirkiness and over-exuberant expressions from the characters. While still present, they're toned down compared to most other shows of the genre. From the first show, however, I found myself thinking that the designs would look quite nice modeled in Lego.

Finally!!! :oD This is akin to something I've been hoping TLG would attempt, and these sets have merit. I think these will do better in the American and Asian markets, as both are inundated with a number of historically well-selling robot toys. One need look no further than the "Transformers" brand..over 20 years of success as well as Bandai's ubiquitous "Gundam" line. Being a Yank interloper on a European forum, I'm afforded a very interesting view of what the European AFOL wants from the Lego Company, and I see most tastes tending toward historical and train themes. However, having grown up with Transformers as a primary influence, I'm pleased to see TLG making a leap like this, both in terms of creativity and spirit. Too, I'm hoping the parts pallette will grow with new and interesting pieces. And, my disclaimer: any offense is purely coincidental and unintended. Now, flame at will! |-D

If anyone is curious how their Lego Sandcrawler compares to the movie version, here's a link to some good pics of a well done model: http://www.starshipbuilder.com/ubb/Forum11...TML/000016.html I'm always interested to see how close the Lego designers' versions are next to their real-life/movie counterparts. I'm just odd like that. Enjoy the pics. On a side note, this set had a great deal of fan input on the road to production( check out www.bricksonthebrain), and one point of contention was the large forward doorway on either side of the 'crawler; the fans in question didn't like the look of it. However, I noticed in the model pics that there is indeed a small door in the "real" sandcrawler. Let's just say the Lego version, big as it is, lacks somewhat in the scale dept. Still, great set overall....Love the little tread marks it leaves on my little padded card table!!! :P

Great review and pics, Bloody Jay. I was pretty curious about the interior, though it seems quite plain aside from the center removable module. Overall, I think it's a good effort on LC's part, though I echo the sentiments of a few others when I say the mottled color scheme seems a bit much. However, i'm glad they made it large enough to accommodate the double treaded quad-truck design of the original. (created from pics of the space shuttle transport and matte paintings, and models) Should be receiving mine next week...can't wait! Also, kinda surprised the designers went with stickers rather than just putting trans-yellow or trans-black pieces in for windows...would've looked better IMHO, and been more functional. Additionally, i'm also surprised they didn't use ratcheting hinge plates for the ramp. Not complaining..simply wondering aloud. ;)