XimenaPaulina

Kick-megablocks - my personal 'best', most enoyable and most realistic superhero movie I've seen. (Yep, better than the Marvel ones and the Nolan Batman trilogy. ) Super-stoked for Kick-megablocks 2 this year! Sucker Punch - movie's weird as hell, and despite the mostly negative criticism of its radical outside-the-box approach of story-telling, I quite enjoyed it on top of the surrealistic action scenes.

Fire-themed sets have been a staple of the LEGO Town and CITY themes (along with the Police subtheme), recurring in a few years interval in the past several years with updated versions of the Fire set ‘regulars’ (i.e. Fire Station, Fire Trucks, etc.). 2013 marks another year where we get a new line-up of Fire-themed sets. So how do these new sets look like? How do they compare with previous releases from the past years? Let’s take a closer look as I review three sets from this 2013 line-up in this Triple Review Special. In the final installment of this three-part review, I'll be reviewing the 60002 Fire Truck. Usually fire trucks have always been part of fire station sets (like this years' 60004, 2010's 7208, and 2007's 7945), but this year there is a stand-alone Fire Truck set, whose design I must admit really piqued my interest. Normally fire trucks don't interest me much, but there's something about this particular fire truck design that made me want to purchase it (and this is actually the primary reason for this Triple Review Special ). Name: Fire Truck Number: 60002 Theme: CITY | Subtheme: Fire Year: 2013 Pieces: 209 Minifigs: 2 Price: $19.99 | £14.99 Links: Brickset | Bricklink | Peeron (not yet inventoried) | LEGO Shop@Home The Box The whole set is lively presented in the boxart, with the full-blown image of the fire truck prominently displayed while our two fire-fighting heroes are getting ready for action! In fact, the fire-fighter in the left corner is already suited-up and ready to extinguishing any fire with his handy yellow fire extinguisher! And look at those water splashes – quite a nice touch I must say! The city outline background, standard blue LEGO CITY template, and set details complete the front of the box. “Hey!”, says the cartoonish Fire Fighter, who I assume is trying to get our attention to look at the various features of the set, which are nicely organized in separate panels. We are also reminded of the easy modular style of building for this set, as well as the other Fire-themed sets of this line-up. Is it just me, but I can’t help but find this image on top of the box ‘playfully naughty’. “Wet surprise coming up!”, I’m imagining this running in Mr. Bearded Fireman’s thought as he has about to unleash a splashy prank to his fellow worker. The Contents Surprised to see loose parts once again conveniently excluded from the rest of the bagged pieces… not! Two numbered bags of precious LEGO, an instruction booklet, a sticker sheet, and the two loose fire hose reel pieces are what we get from this set. The Instruction Booklet The single instruction booklet came in relatively pristine condition without any folds or creases (unlike those of 60000 and 60001). I like the fact that the cover art image is different from the boxart, something most Licensed sets don't follow. Sticker Sheet The stickers in this set are quite minimal and IMO adequately serve its purpose in giving the truck the proper details. They're of the same transparent waterslide decal material like most stickers in sets nowadays. The LEGO parts Bag #1 Contents: A mixture of bleys, black, and the standard red+white motif of the Fire subtheme. The two yellow plates are in-line with TLG’s habit of including odd-colored pieces in sets. Nothing to really to be excited about the piece selection in this bag. Bag #2 Contents: The same colors can be found in the assortment of pieces in the second bag. The contents in this bag are less but bigger (vehicle roofs, windwhield, ladders, etc.)... Pieces of Interest: Speaking of ladders, the ladder piece with side supports is a new element introduced this year and can only be found in two other Fire-themed sets. I have mixed feelings about this new ladder piece: for one it's always nice to get new pieces like this, but on the other hand I see it as a large specialized part that is borderline <insert that tiresome argument>. The 6x6 round plate looks like a ‘common’ piece, but surprisingly it is also a new element, with only four sets having this piece. Two new pieces for a small set – not bad. The Minifigures Meet our ever reliable fire-fighting duo operating Fire Engine 60002: Frank “the Prank” Fireman and Fred the Fire-Fighter (corny fictional names made up for the purposes of this review ). Frank "the Prank" the Fireman Frank is the designated fire engine operator/fire truck driver who has been in the service for 15 years. He sports a brown mustache and generally has light-hearted disposition. He wears a black overall, an orange safety vest with light-green reflectorized strip. He never leaves the station without his two-way radio strapped on his torso. And why Frank “the Prank”? Just look at his "water splash prank" attempt above. Fred the Fire-fighter Fred is one of the top fire-fighters in the service. He’s strong, brave, and dedicated to his vocation, the scratches in his face is a testament of a hard day’s work of rescue service. He wears a black overall with light green and silver reflectorized strips. A safety carabiner for dangerous high-level rescue and gas tank gauge dial is always attached in his outfit. Overall, I am quite satisfied with both of these minifigures. The fact that they have different fire-fighting outfit (torso) is a plus, and the level of detailing is quite impressive if you take a closer look at the print details (luminiscent green strips, silver reflectorized strips, pants pockets, even stitches!) The Build The 54-step modular build is divided into two main parts: Bag #1 Build At the halfway point of the build, the fire truck's chassis, driver/passenger area, and equipment storage compartment in the middle are constructed from the first bag of pieces. The build is fairly straightforward and is easily done in 28 steps. Bag #2 Build The second bag contents make up the fire truck's roof, windshield, wheels, and ladder set-up, completing the whole set as pictured above. Quite a solid-looking set I must say. Let's take a closer look at the 'star of the set', the Fire Truck... Different Views of the Fire Truck Front Quarter View This is considered as the "main view" as it features almost all of the primary features of the fire truck at one glance. The set number is also emblazoned atthe front side as FIRE 60002, cleverly assuming the designated truck number of real-life fire trucks Side View This is probably my most favorite view of the truck, as it effectively shows the length of the truck - 20 studs long to be exact - resembling the long dimensions of real fire trucks. Right Rear Quarter View The fire hose reel is located in the right rear corner and is prominently seen in this view. The stickered dial gauges give also a nice touch of realism. Left Rear Quarter View The left side is a bit 'less busy' than the other side and though not as 'sexy' as the right it still offers the same features (storage compartment entry, water inlet, equipment attachments) minus the fire hose reel. Front and Rear Views Front: Somehow the large windscreen makes the truck look more like a bus than a fire truck when viewed up front. While this windwhield piece ain't that bad, I still prefer the old 2x2x4 angled windshields used in previous fire trucks (or for most truck for that matter). Also, the set number is once again displayed as a license plate number together with the letters "JC", which is most likely the set designer's initials. Back: The back really gives an impression of a workhorse fire truck - with the white-red warning stripes, fire-fighting tools, and ladder entry. And please, do not laught at my "impeccable sticker-positioning expertise". Set Features Passenger Area and Exterior Handle Bars Left: The truck comfortably seats the two minifigures inside, with the driver in front (obviously), while the fire-fighter can sit on the passenger seat at the back. Right: Alternatively, the fire-fighter can ride the truck outside using the external handle bars (four of them, two on each side). This is one of my most favorite details in this truck, since I've seen real firemen do this kind of fire truck riding which is more 'macho' and 'adrenaline pumping' (yeah, leave the sissies sitting inside the truck ). Water Inlet-Hydrant Connection Located at both bottom corners at the back are water inlet which allows attachment of a water tube to transfer water from the hydrant to the fire truck's water hose (and thereby justifying the presence of the fire hydrant in this set). IIRC, this is the fire time this particular feature is included in LEGO fire trucks (pls. correct me if I'm wrong) [EDIT: 6593 Blaze Battler was the first fire vehicle to have this water inlet feature. Thanks to Marv for the info.] Equipment Storage Compartment and Fire Hose Reel Left: A compartment in the middle of the truck allows for storage of the fire-fighting gear (helmet, oxygen mask) and the 'water-splash' add-on for the water hose, using the yellow crate. the compartment is conveniently accessible on both sides. Right: After suiting-up with his fire-fighting gear, Fred is ready to extinguish some fire with the dedicated water hose! An observation though, it takes some efforto to completely roll out the water hose (string) as the reel is quite tight to rotate. Fire-Fighting Equipment The set gives us a generous amount of essential fire fighting equipment: fire helmet gear with oxygen tank, electric hand saw, ax, wrench (for opening hydrants), communicatin radio (which seems to be redundant with the two-way radio printed on the fireman's torso), and a fire extinguisher. It seems everything is covered except for one minor add-on I would've wanted - a simple flash light. Extendable Ladder The ladder has five angles of elevation by virtue of the pre-set angles of the click hinges. The sturdiness of the click hinge angles, though, make up for this limitation. Of course, the ladder is extendable, with a maximum height of 7-and-a-half superheores standard minifigs ~ 37 bricks high. For any modular city set-up, this fire truck can adequately attend to any multi-level fire-fighting needs of your modular buildings. The ladder can also be rotated on either direction afforded by the turntable mechanism. However, I found it surprising that it cannot be rotated a full 360-degrees as there are two door rail pieces acting as stop mechanisms. Though after second thought this set-up does make sense as real life fire trucks always situate in front or at the side of the fire area, and never with their backs facing the area with fire. Comparison with Real-life Fire Trucks I've scoured through hundreds of fire truck images on the internetz trying to find the closest real life fire truck resembling this 60002 Fire Truck model, and this is the closest match I've seen: "Ladder Truck 13" from Air Force Fire Protection, MacDill AFB Florida - from the four-wheels, ladder type, storage compartments, and just the overall length, size, and look. Though I understand the designer most probably didn't base the 60002 Fire Trucks' design on a single reference model but rather got inspiration from various real-life fire truck models. Comparison with previous LEGO Fire Trucks Over the years, TLG has released various fire trucks/fire engines mostly as part of fire station sets (7208, 7945, 60004), but there has been also stand-alone Fire Truck sets like 7239 (with a life boat set-up attachment) and this year's 60002 Fire Truck. Below is the comparison image of these fire trucks (though in my hast forgot the fire truck from 60004 Fire Station ). From Left to Right: 7945 - 7239 - 7208 - 60002 (LXF Sources: BrickWild - 7945, roamingstudio - 7239, Costy - 7208) I think for the most part I like the overall design of 60002 better than the previous fire truck models. For me, this year's version closely resembles the general look of real-life fire trucks on top of the essential fire-fighting features.The other previous models have their own positives (7239 & 7945's ground stabilizers and safety box), but this year's model has the 'most complete' fire-fighting features compared to the other previous fire trucks. Though this is not to say that 60002 is perfect, I actually have a couple of constructive criticisms about it: The windscreen, like I previously mentioned, could have been better with the standard truck windshields; and I wish the truck could have been longer, probably 3-4 studs longer to accomodate another pair of wheels at the back which will give it a monster fire truck look. The good thing though is that these perceived minor shortcomings of this model are easily addressed through simple modifications (that's the beauty of LEGO afterall ), so it's not really a huge issue at all. Comparison with other LEGO CITY Trucks Here is a comparison of the 60002 Fire Truck with other recent CITY trucks: (LXF Sources: PsyKater - 60016, 60018, Sjuip - 4434, Costy - 4432) My initial concern that this fire truck 'could've been longer' seems to be justified in this comparison pic - as it is clearly shorter than most of the other CITY trucks - which is a bit disappointing since I consider fire trucks (like the reference image above) as 'monster workhorses'. Here is another view comparing the lengths of the trucks: (LXF Sources: PsyKater - 60016, 60018, Sjuip - 4434, Costy - 4432) Rating the Set: Design – 9/10 Except for a few missed minor personal preferences, the design is very well thought-of and executed and this fire truck is probably the 'most complete' (functionality) and 'best-looking' (aesthetics) fire truck LEGO has ever released. Build – 7/10 There really was no overwhelmingly clever technique nor a new building style to be admired in this set. Everything was just the standard straightforward building process we've all been accustomed to. Parts – 8/10 The two new pieces are always welcome, but the rest are relatively common. The reds will definitely be useful in MOCs for other themes. Minifigures – 8/10 Gotta give credit to the surprisngly good detailing of the figs, even for a non-Licensed theme such as CITY (just goes to show the consistency of high quality of minifigs across all LEGO themes ). Also loved the fact that both figs have distinctly different roles (outfit) and personalities (facial differences). Playability – 9/10 Compared to trucks of similar price point (Dump Truck, Ambulance, Garbage Truck, Cement Truck), this has more playability features that would keep a young'n busy playing for hours imagining himself as a fire-fighter. Price – 9/10 The price is consistent with the other truck set releases of years past, so the price is not an issue. (Actually I got this at even lower price than the SRP here in Singapore ) Overall: 83% TRIPLE REVIEW CONCLUSION: We've come to the end of our Triple Review Special, and after reviewing three sets of this year's new Fire sets, I feel that TLG did quite a good job at reinventing the CITY Fire product line, giving us fresh takes of the Fire set regulars that are significant improvements over previous releases. IMO, it was a good idea for them to release three small sets featuring three different Fire-themed vehicles that would work as stand-alones or as a combined group, like this batch I got! For a decent price of $39, you'd be able to assemble a 'Fire Squad' or a 'Fire Task Force' having a fire truck, a fire car, and a fire motorcycle ready for action, ably manned by a competent group of firefighters with their unique capabilities and strengths. What more could you ask for? Thank you very much for taking the time to read and take a look at this series of reviews. 'til next time! You could also look at my previous reviews if you haven't seen it yet. 60000 - Fire Motorcycle Review 60001 - Fire Chief Car Review

Fire-themed sets have been a staple of the LEGO Town and CITY themes (along with the Police subtheme), recurring in a few years interval in the past several years with updated versions of the Fire set ‘regulars’ (i.e. Fire Station, Fire Trucks, etc.). 2013 marks another year where we get a new line-up of Fire-themed sets. So how do these new sets look like? How do they compare with previous releases from the past years? Let’s take a closer look as I review three sets from this 2013 line-up in this Triple Review Special. Up next for review is the 60002 Fire Chief Car. Normally, minifigs with relatively high positions in the service, like the Fire Chief of a Fire Department or a Police Chief of a Police Department, are exclusive to large sets such as Fire Stations or Police Stations. But this year, no other than the Fire Chief himself is included in the second smallest set in the 2013 CITY Fire product line - along with his personal Fire Chief Car! Now how exciting is that? Name: Fire Chief Car Number: 60001 Theme: CITY | Subtheme: Fire Year: 2013 Pieces: 80 Minifigs: 2 Price: $11.99 Links: Brickset | Bricklink | Peeron (not yet inventoried) | LEGO Shop@Home The Box Even if the car is clearly the 'star of the set' and is even prominently placed in front of the boxart for maximum exposure, I can't help but enjoy the sight of the Head of the Fire Department helping a poor lady get his attention-craving pussy cat from the tree using a fish... Whew, can you just count the weird things I said in that sentence? Weird but True Story (with Barney Stinson impersonation). The laugh trip continues at the back of the box, since it seems the boxart designers really had a hard time putting the 'interesting features' of this set at the back that it had to resort to a three-panel silent comics, showcasing how the 'Knight in Shining Gold Helmet' 1) arrived, 2) saved the Damsel in Distress's poor kitty, and 3) had to leave Milady as duty calls and destiny will tell if they shall meet another day... Enough of the making fun of the boxart alright. Mr. Fire Chief is featured in the 1:1 minifig panel, and looks like his dashing debonaire looks not only works for the ladies but for felines as well... (sorry can't help it! ). The Contents (Yes, thank heavens no more boxart to joke about!) We get three un-numbered bags of LEGO, an instruction booklet, sticker sheet, and the car chassis as the loose piece. For a set with such a small piece count, it's head-scratching why the parts had to be bagged separately. Seriously, less plastic usage/consumption = more environment-friendly right? The Instruction Booklet The instruction booklet came in folded condition, but not really an issue for me. Same boxart-instruction cover art = nothing new. Sample Page I'm trying to remember if the blue background with white streaks is new or is it just been a while since I puschased some CITY sets? Anyways, the instructions are legibly printed, color differentiation is easy and the overal progress of the build was easy to follow. Sticker Sheet The sticker sheet contains five decorative decals for the Fire Chief Car. The LEGO parts Quite a colorful selection parts - all the primary LEGO colors (red, blue, yellow, green, white, black, grey, brown) are interestingly represented among the parts of this set. Pieces of Interest: There are three interesting pieces in this 80-piece selection: (1) Quad Curved Wedge roof piece which was only introduced last year and the red variant being exclusive to this set; (2) "Wedge 3 x 4 x 2/3 Cutout" which can only be found in two sets; with this set being the only regular set where it can be found (the other is the 2012 Luke Skywalker's Chibi-Landspeeder ComiCon giveaway) (3) Metallic Gold fireman's helmet which is exclusive to only three sets (previously found only in the Fire Brigade modular building). The Minifigures Technically, there are only two minifigures in this set, but I decided to include Ms. Pussy Cat Pants since she's an integral part of the presentation of this set's storyline. Fire Chief The Fire Chief wears the new 2013 Fire outfit, which seems to be the common get-up as the Fire Motorcyclist from 60000 also wears the same. Judging by his expression, Mr. Fire Chief seems to be an approachable good-natured person, something you rarely see in persons of high positions (TRUTH!). But the main star of this minifig is none other than the shinin' shimmerin' metallic gold fireman's helmet. Note that the Fire Chief appears in another set, in the larger 60004 Fire Station, in his office attire - which, honestly, is a better-looking variant of the Fire Chief (hence, the reason it's exclusive to that big set ). Ms. Cat-lover While the parts of this minifig aren't something new, it is always a welcome addition when female civilians are included in regular sets. Honestly, I simply love the overall look of this female minifig - from the the blonde hair to the medium blue torso, even the pairing with plain white legs - it all works for me, even if she's just a 'supporting minifig' in this set. Pussy Cat As one great dragon said, "Animals are people too!". Hence Ms. Pussy Cat is part of the cast. Meow! Purr.... The cat is just the usual standard white faceless printless feline we're all familiar with. The Build For all intents and purposes, excluding the minifigs and the highly-creative 3-part tree, all the build is focused on the Fire Chief Car. In about 23 elementary steps you'll be finished building the vehicle. Let's take a closer look at the finished product: Gotta admit the car has some nice sleek overall look made possible by the effective combination of curved and sloped parts. The only questionable part is the uneven finish of the hood. I assume the designers were trying to replicate the slightly elevated portions of the hoods of modern cars, though it doesn't translate to LEGO well. It's actually not that bad, just noticeable - but still passable. This is probably the closest real-life Fire Chief car I've seen in the web, a Dodge Chysler Fire Chief car, that is similar to the 60001 model. Though the 60001 Fire Chief car clearly isn't patterned from a Chrysler, it still resembles the overall smooth finish, and even the two-level white body strips seem to be identical. Different Views of the Fire Car One minor detail I like about this car is the use of the hinge plate finger as the side mirrors - not a new technique but still gets a star on my book. The side view is also my favorite as it shows the overall sleekness of the car. The set number is also stickered at the sides and acts as the Car Unit Number. For some reason the car loses its sleekness and suddenly looks stubby when viewed quarterly at the back. Despite the car's sleekness when viewed at other angles, such trait is absolutely absent in the front and back views, as the car looks like painfully squarish (but not blocky). Interestingly, the set number is also inlcuded in the license plate together with the set designer's initials "CL". Set Features Left: The stickered control panel located in front of the steering wheel - with gauges, buttons and a two-way radio prints - is a pretty neat detail that I did not expect but was pleasant surprise. Right: A small storage rack is located at the back of the driver's seat, where a fire extinguisher and radio can be stored. Left: The quad curved wedge roof allows for the Fire Chief to wear his precious golden helmet even when inside the car. Right: One gripe I have about this car (or for almost any vehicle that don't have this), is the lack of functional doors! Poor Fire Chief have to squeeze his way through the windows just to get inside! Ok we're back to where we started, poking fun once again at the pussy cat-saving scenario "playability feature" of this set. Surely, even a kid would get tired saving the woman's cat over and over again. But then again let's not kid ourselves, the main play feature of this set is the car, so everything else is just icing on the cake so to speak. One last thing, I shall recite a short poem in honor of the award-winning design of the majestic tree: I think I shall never see A thing as oversimpified as this tree A tree with trunk as straight as Big Ben And as smooth as bald old men. The Completed Set Rating the Set: Design – 8/10 The car is nice but would've been better with doors (-1). The tree is also hilariously oversimplified (-1). 8/10 is a decent overall score for the design of this set. Build – 6/10 If not for the car this would have been a Perfect 10 if I judged the intricacies of the complexity of the tree's building techniques. Parts – 9/10 Three relatively new and uncommon parts in a small set notches a high score on my grading system. Minifigures – 9/10 Loved the Fire Chief's golden helmet, while the female civilian minifig is even more lovable. Playability – 6/10 The set designer probably struggled mightily justifying saving a cat as a playability feature. At least there's always the car to rely on as the main play feature of the set. Price – 7/10 A $0.15/piece ratio is less than ideal, but I guess having two minifgures kinda justifies the price. Overall: 75% Thanks for taking the time to read this review! Next up is the final part of this Three-Part Review Series, the 60002 - Fire Truck Review. You could also look at the previous 60000 - Fire Motorcycle Review if you haven't seen it yet. 60000 - Fire Motorcycle Review 60002 - Fire Truck Review

Fire-themed sets have been a staple of the LEGO Town and CITY themes (along with the Police subtheme), recurring in a few years interval in the past several years with updated versions of the Fire set ‘regulars’ (i.e. Fire Station, Fire Trucks, etc.). 2013 marks another year where we get a new line-up of Fire-themed sets. So how do these new sets look like? How do they compare with previous releases from the past years? Let’s take a closer look as I review three sets from this 2013 line-up in this Triple Review Special. Let's start things rolling with the review of the smallest of the 2013 CITY Fire product line-up, the impulse set 60000 - Fire Motorcycle. If my recollection of things are correct, I believe this is the first motorcycle unit dedicated for a CITY Fire Department. Also curiously, this set comes one the heel of last year's CITY Forest Fire's own impulse set, 4427 - Fire ATV. Name: Fire Motorcycle Number: 60000 Theme: CITY | Subtheme: Fire Year: 2013 Pieces: 40 Minifigs: 1 Price: $6.99 | £4.99 Links: Brickset | Bricklink | Peeron (not yet inventoried) | LEGO Shop@Home The Box The front boxart shows our good ol' fire-fighter-on-a-'cycle doing one of the simplest of fire-fighting jobs - extinguishing a mini dumpster curiously catching fire for some reason. The box maybe small but it does present all the elements of the set rather well, maximizing the limited space and blending well with the usual boxart regulars (logos, set details). This might also be the only instance in a 'boxart photoshoot' that a motorcyclist is not riding his motorcycle (try to look at other sets with motorcycles ) - your daily dose of useless but interesting facts. It might just be me, it's been a while since I've bought one of these impulse sets, but I think this is the first time I've seen a box without any images at the back! Yep, all multi-lingual warning phrases that no body cares to read about. As usual, the top of the box shows the 1:1 minifig panel, along with an image of the self-combusing dumpster. It's also interesting to note that the box, despite its small size, is quite stubby that its thickness matches that of the larger 60002 Fire Truck box and even 'stubbier' than the 60001 Fire Chief Car box. (no comparison images unfortunately ). The Contents Even for the smallest of sets, the roll-call of contents seems to be consistent with its larger set brethren: bagged LEGO (2 small ones of them in this set) + instruction booklet + sticker sheet + the ever-constant loose piece (motorcycle body). The Instruction Booklet The instruction booklet, bearing the same cover art as the box, came understandably folded (to fit in the small box). Sticker Sheet A small sticker sheet with four decal applications for the set (3 for the motorcycle and 1 for the dumpster). The LEGO parts One would normally expect a predominantly red parts selection for a Fire-themed set, but surprisingly not in this set. The motorcycle body is the lone red piece, while the green parts for the dumpster interestingly takes the cake for most number of same-colored pieces. The Minifigure Fire Motorcyclist The lone minifig that comes in this set is the Fire Motorcyclist, sporting the new outfit design for the 2013 Firemen - black overalls, orange safety vest with light green luminous strip, and some silver reflectorized strips on the pants. The print detailing, though not overly exciting, is still commendable - the two way radio, safety vest and pants pockets, as well as the back printing with the fire logo - are all quite nicely done. One minor gripe I have is the lack of printing in the helmet, which could have made the look of the Fire Motorcyclist far more interesting. Oh and before I forget, Mr. Fire Motorcyclist seems to be the kin of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with his patented "People's Eyebrow". The Build How would you know that a build is simple? Well, the build of this set is so simple that I did not even use the instructions to build it - I just looked at the box cover and Voila! Whole set is done! Am I amazing or what? The 'main build', of course is the Fire Motorcycle, the design of which is nothing but the same old motorcycle using this familiar set-up. I have to say, even if this motorcycle set-up is as old as fiery dooms of hell, the design never gets old on me - it's still one of the sleekest designs TLG has ever done for a vehicle (thanks largely to that <insert that tiresome argument> motorcycle body). The set number is stickered at both sides of the bike and a small fire logo in front. A couple more quarter views of the bike from the rear. One more thing, I can't help but cringe at the sight of the fire extinguisher being attached to the bike that way - very unsafe and unrealistic really. Well kids won't care but I thought it wouldn't have hurt if they put a 1x1 clip plate on there! Here is a comparison pic of the 60000 model with a real-life Fire Motorcycle (can't get more any realistic comparison than that. ). I believe this comes from the Hong Kong Fire Department, which describes their Fire Motorcycle as "a special fire appliance developed by Firexpress ApS in Denmark. It is built on a BMW R1100RT official motorcycle." Other Set Features The other element of this set aside from the motorcycle is the mini-dumpster ('mini' since it's not as huge as other dumpster units). I like the color green and basic shape and all, but I'll get nitpicky here and complain that the cover protrudes over the dumpster. Here is a visual guide on how to create your own "Burning Dumpster". Yay! Exciting, isn't it? Step 1: Find a dumpster with a protruding cover. Non-protruding covers are not applicable (sorry). Step 2: Open the protruding cover. Step 3: Light two differently-sized wood for different fire effects. Wait until the flames are alarmingly huge. Step 4: Immediately throw both burning wood into the dumpster. Remember to keep the wood in an upright position. Keep the cover open for proper oxygen replenishment of the fire. Step 5: Leave the scene immediately, and make sure no one saw you burn the dumpster, or else, be ready to be charged with Irresponsible Arson. (DISCLAIMER: Kids, don't try this at home. This section is only for trying-hard-to-be-funny purposes of this review ) Looks like our Mr. Fire Motorcyclist is having the time of his life with his job... The completed set: Rating the Set: Design – 7/10 While I've always liked this particular motorcycle design, there really is nothing particularly new about this set to be excited about. And how irresponsibly the fire extinguisher is attached on the bike garners negative points. The only bright side is this set gives us the first Fire Motorcycle in the history of Fire-themed sets (kindly correct me if I'm wrong on this). Build – 5/10 If one needs no instructions to build this then its proof enough of the over-simplicity of the build. Parts – 7/10 The two fire pieces are useful, the greens probably, but the rest are very very common. Minifigure – 8/10 The new fire outfit design is quite nice, with some commendable printing details. I also love the unusual "eyebrow raisin' " expression of the minifig. Only downside is the aforementioned lack of helmet printing. Playability – 7/10 For a kid, the cool-looking motorcycle itself presents countless hours of playing, never mind the burning dumpster thingy. Price – 5/10 It's cheap relative to other sets, but against other previous impulse sets? No need to look further, last year's 50-piece Fire ATV set is $1 cheaper than this 40-piece set. Go figure. (Yeah I know the motorcycle body is a one huge piece and probably costs more, but still... it would've been nice if the price had been retained at $6) Overall: 65% Thanks for taking the time to read this review! You could follow the next installment of this Triple Review Special with the 60001 - Fire Chief Car Review. As a final takeaway, which between these two Fire-themed sets do you prefer? Vote for your favorite in the poll above.

I'm quite happy the sets didn't turn out to be overwhelmingly exciting - which I always see as a "good" point since I don't have to spend much on every new theme the pops out like this one. The sets are pretty decent, though the two sets that appeal to me the most and would probably end up getting are the Stage Coach and the Cavalry Builder sets - the two have the two main protagonists (Lone Ranger and Tonto), a damsel in distress (with that lovely new hair-hat mold), the baddies, and the new horses in the three main colors (white, black, brown). Plus, I like the design of the stage coach despite the slightly larger size than it should be.

As a huge BTTF fan I'm very excited with this development and would certainly be counting the days for the release of this BTTF set! I'm pretty sure the DeLorean would get a redesign as the submitted model employs illegal techniques not suitable for the stability requirements of official LEGO sets. Can't wait also to see the McFly and Doc Brown figs! As far as the other ideas that failed to pass the final review, I think it is still a very proud accomplishment for the respective creators to reach the final stage of the CUUSOO process and that should still be a source of pride knowing that the FOL community really supported their ideas (especially for the Modular Western Town which didn't have the "backing" of supporters of the parent license like BTTF, Shaun of the Dead, Eve Online, and Legend of Zelda).

Very interesting AC, it's always nice to see you getting out of your comfort zone (massive dioramas) and trying on a new challenge with SW vehicles. I loved your previous Naboo VV, and I'll be looking forward for the completion of this one.

Nice mouth movement effects! And LOL at Ivy's tranny voice - really cracked me up. Good luck in the contest.

I wish this was a real movie.

Praiter Yed - 1 Point Oky - 1 Point Artanis - 1 Point

LeBron fan since his SVSM HS days, so naturally I rooted for his Cavs teams before and now the defending champion Miami Heat. With Mr. Potato Head gone and Nash's old coach Mike D. at the helm now, we might just see a revival of Nash's free-wheelin' but effective style of play (though I still think his age would be a major hindrance, especially in a league now dominated by athleticism).

^Thanks for the clarification CM!

Well, you already know I've always been a fan of your comic-drawing skills, and it's great to see your artworks once more and just perfect for the Super Heroes month. And it makes me chuckle that you always get your signature "Cat" in yourdrawings (Supercat FTW! ) Great job once again my friend, keep 'em coming! Very deserving!

I'd just like to clarify/confirm two things: Since it's not stated that only "official LEGO minifigures and parts are permitted" I assume custom minifigs are allowed right? If so, is there any limitation to the customization? Purist only? Non-purist allowed? (I think is particularly important for comic covers with characters that haven't been released in LEGO, otherwise we will be limited wih only the official super heroes released so far.) I understand that only the posted/deeplinked photos in the topic are the only ones eligible for judging, but are we aIlowed to provide a link to a flickr/Brickshelf folder with the Photoshop-edited comic cover? (like the rule in MCW contests).

Death Note - Best. Anime. Ever. (Shame on me for taking this too long to watch this anime masterpiece) --- And on the lighter side, I'm actually enjoying my daily dose of Adventure Time!

"Waaah!!! I kissed a frog and expected a Princess but instead I got Shrek!"

Quoted for truth. What we have seen so far after the announcement: ..and my humble piece of advice: Seriously, I really don't get the early "fears" and "concerns" I've read. Have people acquired Nostradamic abilities or have travelled in a DeLorean or TARDIS and have seen the catastrophic future of the Star Wars franchise under the helm of Disney? I still say give Disney a chance. Save your criticisms when there is already something concrete to actually criticize A.K.A. the movies Episode 7, 8, 9...

Why would Disney do that? Disney = business entity, LEGO Star Wars = merchandise $$$

I welcome this development, and will properly reserve judgement until there is a "concrete product a.k.a. movie(s)" to actually judge. It just amuses (and surprises) me that some fans are quite quick to draw the trigger in shooting down Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilms. I personally think this is the perfect opportunity to inject new life to the franchise, it's the proverbial "breath of fresh air" that will finally pave the way for the next trilogy, which will hopefully revive the movies after the lackluster PT. This will also ensure that our beloved LEGO Star Wars will still continue throughout the next decade or so and will give the younger and new generations to come to learn about the SW universe. The first 2 trilogies had movies that were released every 3 years so it's just right up the "2-3 years" alley isn't it? A movie every 2 years is something SW fans aren't used to, so I think it would be better if they stick with the "a movie every 3 years" formula. Disney will probably make the next trilogy first and then assess the public's reception of the movies if it's still worth continuing making SW movies or not. Was there ever a contest to this "fact"? Did anyone challenge the supremacy of the Original Trilogy in the SW movie lore? It's a well-accepted viewpoint among all SW fans (including the younger PT and CW fans) that the Original Trilogy is the best there was, the best there is, and the best that there will always be. Whatever the turnout of the new movies will be, it won't change that "universal fact", so OT fans need not get "threatened" by the new direction the SW franchise is heading to.

I'm not a gamer, but I've been following this 5-part movie series over in YouTube, and I could really aprreciate how well it's done for a movie project that isn't as high-budgeted as true commercial films.

How fast EB is now after moving to the new server: [/url]Thanks for all the hardwork of the EB Admin & Staff for continuously improving our beloved forum.

I'm not much of a football fan before coming from basketball-crazed Philippines, but after living for more than a year and a half already in football-lovin' Singapore, I have been exposed to the sport and to my pleasant surprise I found it exciting and the passionate fans had a lot to do with it. I really find it amusing that people gather in eating centers (and in my place, at McDonald's), to watch in unison the football matches. I'll never forget last season's EPIC last game day of the EPL where ManU and ManCity where gunning for the championship in separate matches - and we all know what happened now - with the Blues coming from an improbable come-from-behind victory over lowly QPR in extra time to win their first league title. The fan's reactions were very entertaining to watch - with ManU's supporters cheering early, knowing victory is a few minutes away - until the miraculous comeback happened - the changes in the fan's reactions were priceless! (ManCity fans/ManU haters suddenly came out of the grave and celebrated amidst the silenced ManU crowd) Right now, I can't say I'm as hardcore as a fan like most of you here, I'm just a casual fan who regularly checks the standings to see how things are going in different leagues. And which team do I follow? I root for ManU in the Premiere League and Real Madrid in La Liga. I thought Hair Style and Looks were the main criteria.

I was never a fan of too much leg printing, but that B-Wing Pilot in the Planet Series 4 has won me over! Looks like I'll get the Endor, Hoth, and Kamino ones.

Things I like about the 2013 sets: the inclusion of civilian minifigs (females!) in the Fire Chief Car and Flatbed Truck sets and that dalmatian in the Fire Station. The best set in this line-up for me is the Museum Break-in, primarily because it's the first time(?) a museum has been featured in a set - it's always welcome to see new ideas like this. The same can be said for the Fire Helicopter - the first time I've seen that 'base model' used, though I liked the Chinook Forest Helicopter of this year a bit better. One thing I'm kinda disappointed about is the truck in the High Speed Chase set, I would've preferred to see the LEGO CIty Undercover version of the SWAT truck - it looks better IMO and the minifig (with the new hair piece) would've been sweet!

That turtle. Reminds me of Squirt from Finding Nemo. I love the idea of these Pet animals series - they may be "Polly Pocket-like" but I do find them cute and what's important is they're (compatible with) LEGO. As for the regular sets, what appeals to me the most are the Karate and Magician ones. The rest, however, I feel have the same 'old feel and look' of previous Friends sets that is becoming unexciting (at least for me; the Pet Salon looks eerily similar in design to City Park Cafe!). I hope to see sets with new and fresh concepts and design like the Karate and Magician sets and Pet animals series packs.