blueandwhite

With the exception of City and Star Wars, nothing seems to last with LEGO these days. I still think that the four staples of LEGO; City, Space, Castle & Pirates should remain a constant but I expect that this Pirate line will last for three years and then silently disappear. It looks like that's exactly what is happening with the Fantasy line, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen with Pirates as well. It would be nice if a collector-oriented ship was a send off like the market village seems to be for Castle.

I don't really see any connection. So far we only have rampant speculation that Castle is finished. On the other side of the coin we have a small contingent of fans who want a Roman theme. While either thing may happen, I don't see the possible end of the fantasy line as being an indicator that we might get Romans.

Definitely ! As much as people like requesting specific "me only" products or lines, something like a basic set caters to a range of builders across themes.

Honestly; as a Castle fan I'm a bit jealous. Our Tic-tac-toe set wasn't nearly as diverse as this wonder. With ours we got 10x mounted knights (5 skelie knights; 5 crownie knights). I would have loved some variety. This is a fantastic little assortment of figs. Who knows; maybe you guys will see a chess set in your future.

In LEGO's defence, the Pirate line was discontinued in 1997, some six years before Pirates of the Caribbean hit theatres.

After considerable thought, I started to wonder why LEGO doesn't produce a basic brick set in more muted colours. We've certainly had our share of sets in vibrant hues like this: What about producing a similar set (or series of sets) in tans, greys, and the sand or dark colour varriants. These colours are hugely popular amongst AFOLs. I've wondered if there was a cost issue (do these colours cost more to manufacture) or whether LEGO is concerned that the production of these colours will reduce demand for sets elsewhere. I certainly would be willing to back a basic block set that included tans/browns/greys/sand or dark colours. I imagine I'm not the only one.

...so taxes are higher in Canada . My response wasn't intended to be political. It was simply a response to brickmaster's questions. I didn't mention anything about hospital wait times or sub-standard health care. The income tax rates in Canada are what they are.

Um, isn't this SlyOwl's MOC (or perhaps I'm missing out on some inside joke)? That being said, it's a lovely castle. I really like the texture of the grey log bricks you've used. By far my favourite bit is the boiling water. As per the norm, your landscaping is lovely and the spears & fence protecting the edges of the castle are very appropriate. The use of the zebra-striped decorated tile for water is genius. One minor thing; the doors on the front of the castle seem a bit off. I'm not an expert on these sorts of things but I believe that most castles had doors that opened inwards behind the portculis so that they could be properly braced. Nevertheless, it's a fantastic little MOC. Great work!

1. That of course depends on your income tax bracket. That being said, Canadians pay extremely high taxes (when compared to the US). We pay tax federally and provincially. Federal Tax rates are as follows: 15% on the first $40,726 of taxable income, + 22% on the next $40,726 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $40,726 and $81,452), + 26% on the next $44,812 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $81,452 and $126,264), + 29% of taxable income over $126,264. Additionally, each province has provincial income tax. i.e. Ontario .05% on the first $36,848 of taxable income, + 9.15% on the next $36,850, + 11.16% on the amount over $73,698 or British Columbia 5.06% on the first $35,716 of taxable income, + 7.7% on the next $35,717, + 10.5% on the next $10,581, + 12.29% on the next $17,574, + 14.7% on the amount over $99,588 etc. In short, we pay alot of tax. Don't forget licencing fees on vehicles, sales tax (provincial and federal), and property taxes. When all is said and done, we probably pay about 50-70% of our income on taxes if you ignore any income tax loopholes for small business. 2. Healthcare is free (when one pays the aforementioned taxes, you would hope it would be). 3. Like any place, housing is what it is. Cities like Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto will put you in the poor house (literally). You can expect to shell out $500,000+ (a decent condo or small house in Toronto for example). Conversely, if you live in a more rural area prices reflect that difference. Pricing in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is a bit cheaper and smaller cities are again cheaper than that. 4. Honestly, every government has it's drawbacks. Canadian government is far bigger (per capita) than the government of a lot of nations and it isn't exactly a well-oiled machine. That being said; we've got decent healthcare and education systems. The taxes are killer though. Honestly Canada is a wonderful country, but as with any nation it has a few warts and blemishes. Many people are caught off guard by the cost of living here simply because taxation eats so heavily into one's income. (I hope this post isn't considered too political).

This is an amazing find, but this photo just makes me sad. RIP Billy.

Star Wars really can't be compared to other franchises like Indy or PoP. It simply isn't the same. Star Wars is a phenomenon unlike any other. There are hundreds of thousands of fans who will by anything with the Star Wars label, no matter how obscure it is. Look at all of the Clone Wars and EU stuff that people purchase. It doesn't matter how unknown the character is; Star Wars sells like hotcakes. The Indy theme has touched upon most of the major locales and characters of the franchise. Sure, there are a few scenes that have been overlooked (the Tank from the Last Crusade for example), but the franchise is clearly nearing it's climax from a LEGO POV. As a franchise, Indy doesn't have the same obsessive following that Star Wars does. I expect another year from Indy (hopefully we'll get a Sallah minifig), but after that what is left? If you like Indy, you've probably got 6+ of him in minifig form. Do people really want obscure offshoot characters from Indy novels or videogames? I'm guessing that it's unlikely. I still do think that both lines can co-exist. I just don't think that either one will live on into 2011.

I'm totally with you on that one. You're diving down the highway at 120+ KPH and you think to yourself: "You know I could just spin the wheel wildy to the left and pull the handbrake". Then you grab the wheel as tightly as a 90-year old grandmother and say to yourself: "WHAT WAS I THINKING!" This also happens at train platforms and appartment building balconies. I can't say I could ever do any of those things, but thinking it is possible scares me.

It's a shame that a thread started out wishing condolances to one of the most notable American voices of the 20th century ends up being a joke about the Family Guy. R.I.P Walter.

It's for the best for you . The thing is, for a lot of us who are castle fans first-and-foremost, a year without castle is almost like a year without LEGO. Other lines may prove to be adequate parts-packs or a nice diversion but they don't really carry the same weight us. I get the feeling that alot of people who are asking for Castle to go off and die are secretly hoping for another theme more in tune with their personal interests like a Roman or Greek theme. For me these themes are fine, but they serve as little more than a distraction. For many AFOLs there comes a time when you decide which theme you're going to dedicate yourself to. You focus your efforts in a single direction. If LEGO kills your theme (again), you don't suddenly jump ship for the next best thing.

I think I need to clarify. I appreciate that purchasing from S@H is more expensive to the consumer; not to LEGO. It's not a question of being hosed on shipping or anything else. You're still paying MSRP. You simply agree to pay for the shipping of your own product instead of leaving it to a large retailer. I'm not espousing some expertese on LEGO's pricing. I just don't think it's unreasonable to expect prices to be higher when you shop online from LEGO. Retailers are always going to have an edge because as you said, they provide LEGO with high volume sales and a level of exposure that simply isn't possible through online sales. The S@H model is an alternative to good old-fashioned retail shopping, but I still don't think it was intended to compete directly with LEGO's conventional distributors.

Um, I'm 32 with a law degree.

Unfortunately, most of us have simply come to expect that the Castle line will die off every few years. Even though there is a pretty large AFOL contingent behind the Castle theme, most people seem to expect the line will die after the 2nd or 3rd year. It's a shame we will likely never see an enduring castle theme like in the 80s & 90s where Castle managed to survive for 12 years uninterrupted. As some posts in this thread and the PoP thread suggest, we even have people who hope that the Castle line goes on hiatus for a few years. LEGO Castle is a theme that seems to die as soon as it gets any momentum. Most of us expect that the Fantasy line is cooked just from past experiences. LEGO's comments at Brickworld regarding the possibility of Elves aren't inspiring either. Personally I'd like to see one Castle theme seemlessly move to another (very much like in the 80s/90s). It seems like such a waste to build momentum and consumer support for the genre only to kill it every few years. On the positive side; when the Fantasy line dies my wallet will be a bit thicker .

LEGO can't simply undercut other retailers. I can't imagine that either Wal Mart or Toys R Us would continue to distribute LEGO if they were being undersold by the manufacturer? It's not the retail pricing that makes S@H expensive; it's the shipping. Smaller companies don't have to concern themselves with this simply because they have no outside distributors. Now I'm not terribly informed when it comes to large toy companies, but do other companies like Hasbro or Mattel offer free shipping or wholesale pricing to their online customers? I'm not sure, but my guess is that S@H isn't looking to compete or eat into the sales of local markets.

I don't really see the Prince of Persia line 'competing' with either Indiana Jones or Castle. LEGO may choose to discontinue Castle for a few years (again), but the line just isn't that similar. The setting is just too different. Castle fans may buy PoP, just as many bought the Viking theme, but I don't really think that there's alot of overlap. The same is true with Indy. People purchased the Indy theme for Indy (and company). The pulp novel feel to Indy is more akin to the Adventures line than to a Persian theme.

That's exactly how I view these figures. Heck; with all the licences we've got it would make for a great Macy's Day Parade. Balloons, floats, marching bands and Toy Story figs down main street. The creepy look of the figs only makes them more appropriate given how creepy alot of the balloons and floats are at a lot of parades.

The reason it's more expensive is because... it's more expensive. Honestly, large retailers can move goods in mass making it far less expensive for them to distribute to their stores/warehouses than it is for LEGO to ship it directly to each individual consumer. Sending 100,000 sets to Wal-Mart's distribution centers is alot more cost-effective than shipping 100,000 sets to individual consumers. Large retailers can also distribute costs across other merchandise to produce 'loss leaders' meaning more deals on alot of sets. When you shop at S@H, it's about convenience; not price. Honestly, set hunting can be tedious and depending on how far you're willing to drive, a bit pricy too. With S@H you know what you're going to get, and when you're going to get it. No mess no fuss.

Two-sided heads are amazing! That being said, I actually think they are better on more generic faces as opposed to character-specific heads so I didn't vote in your poll. I would love to see a few of the two-sided castle heads from other themes like castle in flesh tones instead. A few new expressions would also be nice.

Honestly, the line is predominantly a minifig line for most people. The sets are pretty much throwaway afterthoughts. I figure the line is pretty much dead simply because people only want new fantasy figs; not new sets. A new castle or a new dungeon won't appeal to fans. The difference with this line and earlier castle lines was that with earlier lines, buyers were fans of the castle theme itself. They actually wanted fortresses towers and other medieval structures. With the fantasy theme, the structures are basically a dumping ground for figs. In that sense, people who were waiting for elves are probably done with the theme even if it does continue another year. I suspect that LEGO may feel this way as well. In all likelihood Castle will go on hiatus for a few years again. On the plus side; I'll save a few $$$.

WOW! Those Prince of Persia figures really are incredible. The new molds are wonderful. I'll definitely be picking up a few of these guys. The Toy Story figs are actually pretty good. They manage to fit within the LEGO tradition while being surprisingly accurate to the film. I'm glad we didn't just get standard minifigs here as I think the licence is pretty signficant and a minifig simply painted to look like the characters would feel decidedly underwhelming. I'm really getting antsy for the rest of next year's stuff!

Back in the day the old Yellow Castle was stuffed with extra goodies. Extra visors were the norm. In my copy I received an extra grey and white visor. Unfortunately, I have long since lost one of the whites and a black one! Apparently LEGO didn't realize that I didn't need an extra grey visor but I sure could have used an extra black one!