February 2016 | The Brick Show

This Might Be the Coolest Rolling LEGO BB-8 That We Have Ever Seen

Hey LEGO! Care to come up with your own rolling LEGO BB-8 set?

There have been plenty of fan-built LEGO BB-8s all over the internet, but none like what Mark Smiley created and contributed at LEGO Ideas. So, what set it apart from the rest? This custom rolling LEGO BB-8 actually rolls while keeping its head afloat! Mark goes on to show that his rendition of the skittish but loyal astromech droid is made of 100% authentic LEGO parts. Needless to say, this might be the coolest custom LEGO Star Wars LEGO BB-8 that we will see rolling around. Watch its demo video below.

How to Make Your Own Custom Rolling LEGO BB-8

Mark’s BB-8 received a great deal of thumbs-up from fellow LEGO Idea supporters, running at 2398 votes as of this writing. The interesting part is that it gained almost 2,000 votes since last Friday when Gizmodo featured Mark’s ingenious creation. As you may notice, the design of Mark’s BB-8 is reminiscent of that of Sphero’s BB-8 robotic toy.

Check Out the Inner Workings of this Custom Rolling LEGO BB-8

Unlike, Sphero’s absolutely cool and sophisticated version, the build of Mark’s BB-8 is surprisingly simple. Using magnets that are bolstered up from a central axle and stabilized by LEGO weights, BB-8’s manages to keep afloat while his main body is rolling.

It lacks any electric motor that allows independent motion, however, it comes with a desert-themed docking station that allows BB-8 to roll using hand-cranked wheels while it remains stationary. As expected, there is no standard LEGO piece for BB-8’s spherical body giving Mark experimenting on certain parts as the only option.

After countless trials and errors, Mark found the perfect spherical candidate: the desert planet from the Sebulba Podracer and Tatooine set (9675). Mark said, “It took a lot of experimenting…I think I ordered one of every dome and ball-shaped piece LEGO has ever made off of Bricklink just so I could try every option.” After a quick paint job, the desert planet of Tatooine now houses the mechanisms for this adorable rolling astromech.

9675 1 — The LEGO Star Wars Sebulba Podracer and Tatooine (9675) set was the basis for the spherical body of this LEGO Ideas Rolling BB-8 product idea.

Here is Mark’s commentary on his BB-8 design.

This unique BB-8 was designed with the primary goal of being able to move with his head staying up on top. The entire model was made using 100% Genuine Lego parts. His shells were of course carefully painted (and if this model is approved and created by Lego, the parts would come printed as so many Lego parts are).

Inside you’ll find Lego weights suspended from the central axle that bolster up two Lego magnets. Those magnets are held up close to the top of the ball and attract the two magnets built into the head of this custom rolling LEGO BB-8. The head uses a cockpit dome (painted), hinge parts, and the smallest Lego wheels to skate on top of the body. The body’s shell started out as Tatooine from the Lego Star Wars Planet series. The total part count is around 180 pieces.

This Rolling LEGO BB-8 is super fun to fidget with, and roll about, and satisfies a midpoint between static model and full-on electric RC. It would make a great addition to any Lego or Star Wars Fan’s collection!

We hope to see more support for Mark’s custom rolling LEGO BB-8 (I certainly voted for it) as LEGO gave him an extra 182 days as a way of giving a thumbs-up for the project. Perhaps future builds will incorporate NXT programming. The design potential is limitless. Just visit his LEGO Ideas page and click Support if you like to see this coolest LEGO BB-8 roll out in LEGO store shelves later on.

First Look Disney Collectible Minifigures, Image!

It’s late so we will dissect this more tomorrow. It, your first image of the Disney collectible minifigs. Thoughts?

MOC Spotlight! — Star Wars Battlefront : Battle On Sullust

I’d like to welcome all of you to a new segment over here on the blog — MOC Spotlight! Now, some of you may be wondering what differentiates this from the regular articles that highlight and discuss MOCs (such as Albert’s recent article on this Fortress Of Solitude build). Well, in short, what makes this new segment slightly different is that we will actually ask questions to the original builders of the MOC, asking about a variety of factors such as building techniques and advice for first-time builders. It should be a lot of fun!

So, to kick off this weekly segment, I managed to get in contact with Markus1984 over on Eurobricks, who has made this amazing Sullust MOC based off of the recent Star Wars : Battlefront game.

[]

I thought this MOC deserved the Spotlight due to the huge amount of detail, terrain-building and in-game accuracy achieved on a MOC that is actually not much bigger than a 32×32 baseplate.

The rebels are made up of humans and Rodians, some of which has the Jump Pack Star Card equipped. One has found the Smart Rocket Pick-up, and all use a mix of weapons to represent such in-game rifles as the E-11, Pulse Cannon and the RT-97C. The Imperials are also game accurate, with the pauldrons distinguishing them as Sullustan-specific troops, along with 2 Scouts and even one lucky player who has found the Hero pick-up…they seem to have chosen Boba Fett!

The terrain is also spot-on, with the lava river, turbolaser, bunker and raised platform all being found in-game.

So, how about we ask Markus some questions?

1. What inspired you to make this MOC?

I have been in love with Star Wars since I was a child, so I have built many MOCs based off of the movies and games over the last few years. I was waiting for so long for the new Battlefront because I missed the first one when it came out a while ago. And, best of all, I have new in-game material to build MOCs off of! Also, Sullust is a great in-game map so I had to make it!

2. How long did this MOC take to build?

It didn’t take me too long; about 2 weeks with some breaks here and there.

3. How many pieces would you say were used in this MOC?

I can’t say exactly how many, but I think it’s approximately 8,000 parts. The round 1×1 plates alone are 1,000 pieces, and with all the small plates and slopes I think 8,000 sounds about right.

4. Were there any features of the MOC that you wanted to include but couldn’t because of issues like money and piece availability?

Not really. From the parts I had used in older Star Wars and Castle builds I have enough pieces left over from previous MOCs, and money is no big problem. This picture is a year old but here you can see my building room — I have no shortage of pieces!

5. Any advice for first-time builders?

I can only refer to how I started building 6 years ago when I started collecting LEGO again. You’ll need to watch as many videos highlighting MOCs and building techniques as you can! Make some test builds and then make a little plan about the size of the MOC and the parts you need for it. Its better if you build smaller MOCs that are highly detailed instead of large, basic ones. The MOC will look better, and you’ll have some empty baseplates leftover to store extra minifigures!

6. What is your all-time favourite MOC made by someone else?

Sorry, I couldn’t call it. I think there so many amazing MOCs and fantastic builders with such a variety of different categories that it is too difficult to say which one is the best.

7. What MOCs can we expect in the future?

Hold up, Spoiler alert! Maybe a small little MOC for the Imperium der Steine RPG called “Neun Reiche”, and also a section of the Hoth Echo Base in minifigure scale.

8. What LEGO sites do you tend to use and what can people expect to find you using? (Flickr, Twitter, Eurobricks etc)

My favourite pages are the German LEGO site Imperium der Steine, Flickr and EuroBricks — keep in mind I don’t really like posting in English — It’s not my first, or preferred, language 🙂

So, there we have it! I want to thank Markus for his fantastic co-operation and his amazing building skills. If you want to see more of his great work, such as his other Battlefront themed MOC, The Battle of Hoth:

Then look up Markus1984 on Eurboricks, or you can find him on those sites listed above.

Tune it next week for more MOC Spotlights!

DK LEGO Star Wars: Chronicles of the Force With Exclusive Minifigure Officially Revealed

Several months, ago prior to the theatrical release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Amazon announced the release of a new DK Publishing book that will help any young Padawan learner explore the bricktastic Star Wars galaxy. Just recently, the movie’s website officially announced the full-details of the newest Dorling Kindersley book about the galaxy far, far away retold in a fun and entertaining way that only LEGO can deliver.

Here’s the full description as quoted from Starwars.com, as well the great reveal on the exclusive Star Wars The Force Awakens minifigure.

Looking to learn the ways of the brick side of the Force? DK Publishing is your master now.

StarWars.com is excited to reveal LEGO Star Wars: Chronicles of the Force, an in-depth, photo-filled companion to LEGO Star Wars, coming in June from DK. Written by veteran Star Wars authors Adam Bray and Cole Horton, the new tome spans the entire saga, featuring detailed information on the latest sets and minifigures of the LEGO Star Wars galaxy — and comes with an exclusive minifigure of its own. Meet “Unkar’s Brute,” one of the junk trader and thugs employed by Unkar Plutt from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, available only with LEGO Star Wars: Chronicles of the Force.

[]

Based on the above photo, the ‘Unkar’s Thug’ minifigure comes with a sand, brown color combination staying true to the harsh desolate environment of the planet Jakku. The minifig’s torso also closely resembles the old, tattered shirt of Unkar’s desert minion. While the head is a little far off from the actual character, it will be better if a helmet is added as seen from the movie. Overall, the minifigure is great and its exclusivity gives it a more “take me” appeal.

DK also has something for all LEGO Star Wars trivia lovers out there. Starting May, DK will release its Ultimate Factivity Collection: LEGO Star Wars. Designed for all Star Wars sages and Jedi in-training, it will test your knowledge across the Star Wars galaxy through cool activities, games, and puzzles jam packed together with a set of more than 500 collectible stickers. Here’s the official cover of DK’s LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Factivity Collection.

[]

DK’s LEGO Star Wars: Chronicles of the Force will be available in hardcover by June 7, and can be preordered through Amazon. The Ultimate Factivity Collection: LEGO Star Wars activity book will be available in paperback by May 3, and can also be preordered via Amazon.

LEGO Movie Producers Shares Some Teasers About “The LEGO Movie Sequel”

Back in 2014, most people didn’t expect that much from a movie that was animated and rendered entirely using LEGO bricks dismissing it as another cartoonish, ran-off-the-mill production. However, for a film grossing at $468 million worldwide, the film is not easy to dismiss as another ho-hum script with no appeal on pop culture. In fact, even as I am writing this and for some weird reason, ‘Everything is Awesome’ keeps on playing inside my head.

Now that we are in the know of another sequel which is, as you might have guess is aptly entitled as ‘The LEGO Movie Sequel’, Warner Bros. Pictures predictably builds on the success of the first groundbreaking movie. All slated to hit the screens for the next two years, we are already informed of other spin-offs such as ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ and ‘Ninjago’ currently in the works before we see again the (mis)adventures of Emmet and his gang of master builders.

[]

We have very little information with regards to the plot and storyline of ‘The LEGO Movie Sequel’, except for the fact that writers Chris Lord and Phil Miller has already completed its first draft. However, through a recent interview with producer Roy Lee, he shared some hints on what could be potentially exciting on the next instalment from the LEGO franchise. Being careful not to divulge too much of the story’s content, Lee shared his excitement and admiration for Batman’s Gotham City and how it is rendered within the LEGO Movie landscape. Lee says, “Seeing where Batman lives in full LEGO, the audience will love seeing Gotham City fully rendered in LEGO. It’s currently being animated right now because it’s the next movie coming out. Batman will have the same character choices as he had in The LEGO Movie.”

[]

Talking about Ninjago, Lee commented, “Anyone who knows the series on Cartoon Network will be blown away by the look and feel and huge scope of how we’ve expanded the universe of Ninjago. It’s like seeing The LEGO Movie in a ninja universe.”

So, what can audiences and fans expect from the next LEGO Movie sequel in 2018? Well, Lee was particularly coy in giving out details except for the confirmation that they completed their cast of voice actors already and that every one’s role is already set into place. The first movie was filled with plenty of cameos from other LEGO franchises, and such mash up of unique and famous characters should also be expected in the sequel. Lee added, “The first movie we got a lot of cameos, and it’s not that hard to get them to say yes, especially when they already have deals with LEGO. Having Star Wars, you would think would be almost the hardest thing to get, and if we got Star Wars, there are other things that would be a lot easier.” We remember very well how Hans Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando Carlrissian made their appearance in the first movie – only to be gobbled up by a nasty space creature.

[]

For now, the best thing to do is to keep our horses together and wait until the new LEGO movies hit theaters – plus the cool themed sets that will pave the way for them. The LEGO Batman Movie premieres in U.S. theaters on February 10, 2017, followed by Ninjago on September 22, 2017, The LEGO Movie Sequel on May 18th, 2018, and Billion Brick Race on May 24th, 2019.

Is This the LEGO Buccaneer Batman Minifigure?

There has been some buzz going around certain LEGO fan forums since last October hinting on the possibility that the exclusive minifigure to be offered by Dorling Kindersley (DK) on its upcoming book title, LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes Character Encyclopedia will be the much rumored ‘Buccaneer Batman’. Though just2good, the guy responsible for dropping the bombshell did not mention any details nor the source of his info, he seems to be utterly convinced about it.

Now with the recent digital HD release of another direct-to-video LEGO movie, “LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash”, there might be some grain of truth on what just2good was so adamant about. For those who have ordered a digital copy of this latest LEGO movie last February 9, they might notice something of an Easter egg on one of the scenes. This is when the DC heroes travelled back in time where Batman was found wearing the ‘right’ costume for the job. Here are some snapshots that TheBrickFan.com and French-based website, Brickheroes.com just shared with us. You may want to turn on your browser’s translator if you want to read the rest of the page.

[]

Again, it is wise not to jump to any conclusions at this time and we simply have to take things with a grain of salt. Recent developments may lead us to conclude that this will be the next Batman minifig, but truth be told it is all but speculations at this point. So for now, we just have to wait until we get our hands on DK’s latest LEGO book. Here’s a draft on how the book’s cover might look like, and a brief introduction on what to expect of DK’s LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes Character Encyclopedia:

[]

“LEGO® DC Comics™ Character Encyclopedia is a comprehensive visual guide to the full range of LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes minifigures, including Batman, Superman, and their friends and foes.

“Learn little-known facts and figures about all the characters from the LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes universe including Green Lantern, the Joker, and Wonder Woman. Find out details on the various sets and where each minifigure appears, as well as their special weapons, cool gadgets, and amazing vehicles.

“Featuring an exclusive minifigure, LEGO DC Comics Character Encyclopedia is the must-have guide to the LEGO DC Comics minifigures.”

The LEGO DC Comics Character Encyclopedia is now available for pre-order at Amazon retailing at $14.24, due for release on April 5, 2016. LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash is now available for download on digital HD format, while DVD and Blu-Ray versions will be available next week, March 1, 2016.

So are you convinced that this is the next Batman minifig? Hit the comments button below and let us know what you think.

LEGO CLEARANCE SALES AND DEALS ARE NOW UP!

Looks like LEGO is making room for their new sets to be offered next month by having another wave of Sales and Deals through its Online Shop. Dubbed as its ‘Winter Sale’, LEGO will be offering several older sets due for retirement and some new ones as well. Of course the catch: it is a limited time offer or until supplies last. As of my latest check, for example, the LEGO Creator Sets on sale are currently out of stock and will be replenished by March 10 or after 30 days upon ordering online. This is a great opportunity to catch those sets that you’re eyeing on for a long time before you find them on eBay or Amazon at such outrageous prices. Not only that, some of these deals come together with great FREE promotional items such as the Nexo Knights Intro Pack (5004388) and Robin’s Mini Fortrex (30372).

Here’s our pick of the best deals that LEGO’s clearance sale has to offer. You can check the rest of their best deals here.

LEGO CITY SETS ON SALE:

Heavy-Haul Train (60098);
Swamp Police Station (60069);
Hovercraft Arrest (60071);
Deep Sea Operation Base (60096)

LEGO DIMENSIONS ON SALE:

Lego Dimensions Wicked Witch Fun Pack (71221)
Lego Dimensions Laval Fun Pack (71222)
Lego Dimensions Benny Fun Pack (71214)
Lego Dimensions Legolas Fun Pack (71219)
Lego Dimensions Jay Fun Pack (71215)
Lego Dimensions Wonder Woman Fun Pack (71209)
NEW Lego Dimensions Sensei Wu Fun Pack (71234)
NEW Lego Dimensions Doc Brown Fun Pack (71230)

OTHER LEGO SETS ON SALE WORTHY OF ATTENTION:

Lego Duplo The Joker Challenge (10544)
Lego Duplo Deluxe Train Set (10508)
Lego Ideas Big Bang Theory (21302)

Be sure to check their website frequently for updates since these LEGO clearance sales easily come and go. So what do you think? Will you pick any of these? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

WATCH: “LEGO SCOOBY-DOO!: HAUNTED HOLLYWOOD” EXCLUSIVE TRAILER

Our jumpy, but lovable Great Dane is back once again for a new adventure rendered in bricks and minifigures. We last saw Scooby and the gang in their LEGO form in the Cartoon Network’s TV Special, ‘LEGO Scooby-Doo: Knight Time Terror.’ Now they’re back in an all-new LEGO and Warner Bros. Animation original direct-to-DVD/Blu-Ray movie LEGO^® Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood. Thistime, Scooby and the Mystery Inc.’s motley crew of Fred, Daphne, Velma, and of course Shaggy heads out to the entertainment capital of the world where they take a tour of the legendary Brickton Studios, a historic Hollywood movie studio. Read the rest of the movie’s synopsis below, courtesy of Kidzworld.com:

While visiting the lot, the gang is surprised to find the once powerful film studio has fallen onto hard times. Neglected and in disrepair, Brickton, which has lost its luster, now faces threats of closure and an impending sale to greedy developers who want to tear it down.

To top it off, the Mystery Inc. gang discovers that the studio’s backlot is haunted by the ghost of Boris Karnak, a famous, old-time movie actor who has been making ghostly appearances in the roles he once made famous – including the Headless Horseman, the Mummy and the Zombie.

The ghostly sightings have frightened away the cast and crew of Brickton’s latest film production, which was the studio’s final effort in trying to save the company from going under. Now with production halted on the movie which was supposed to rescue Brickton from its demise, it looks as though the famous backlot is destined to fall into the hands of the developers after all. Will it be a wrap for Brickton or will Scooby and the gang find a way to help the studio achieve box-office success? It’s a “bricktacular” adventure no Scooby-Doo! fan will want to miss!

Here is the exclusive trailer from LEGO’s latest Scooby-Doo film:
//www.springboardplatform.com/js/overlay //cms.springboardplatform.com/embed_iframe/20/video/1606945/ki049/kidzworld.com/10/1/

As the promotional poster suggests, this LEGO DVD release will come with an exclusive limited edition, Scooby-Doo minifigure so it’s a sure fire sweet deal. LEGO Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood will be available in DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital HD on May 3, 2016.

This 18,000-Piece Custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude Commands Your Absolute Attention

All of us need some time off every now and then, and even superheroes, no matter how indestructible and invulnerable they are, still need some little R and R. If Batman has his Bat Cave (aka Wayne Manor), and the Avengers their Avengers Mansion, where does an alien from Krypton hang out? Well, behold this massive, 18,000-piece custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude!

Building the Awe-Inspiring Custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude

This was the challenge posed by Jessica Farrell via her Deviantart Gallery through her faithful recreation of the “Fortress of Solitude” from the original 1978 film, Superman. Created by a shard from the planet Krypton and hidden in the remote Arctic, the Fortress of Solitude is Superman’s home-away-from-home, where he receives instruction from his father, Jor-El.

Jessica’s brick creation focuses largely on the natural icy exterior that envelopes the enigmatic pyramid-like crystal structure. Her excellent sense of topography, scaling, and her clever use of proper lighting commands absolute attention.

Similar to what she did with her other work, Her Majesty’s Theater, where she focused primarily on developing its exquisitely detailed interior, the Fortress of Solitude gives more emphasis on the exterior details of the cave-like structure.

Close Up Images of the Custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude

This mini-version (yeah, sure) of the Kryptonian’s vacation home required a total of 18,864 pieces and 160 hours to build – or roughly a month if Jessica worked on it full-time. No wonder that only a person with such fortitude as Jessica’s can accomplish this seemingly superhero-like feat.

This awesome custom LEGO Fortress of Solitude is a fitting testament to how a bit of reflection and privacy can benefit all of us, superheroes or normal guys as we are.

We hope to see this build get its much-deserved attention, together with the rest of Jessica’s work. Don’t forget to visit the rest of her gallery here.

This LEGO Clockwork Heart is Undeniably Impressive

Valentine’s Day may all be over but this piece of steam-punk-inspired LEGO MOC (My Own Creation) has been making rounds all over social media – not because the Love Bug still bites people, but because of the sheer ingenuity of its design. LEGO Builder par excellence Jason Allemann of JK Brickworks came up with the design and reveals that building his LEGO Clockwork Heart is easier than we might think.

Jason has always been a prolific LEGO builder and designer and has posted several of his MOCs via his YouTube channel. Other than the Clockwork Heart, Jason is known for his LEGO Piano Player Kinetic Sculpture and his amusingly ‘undefeatable’ Ultimate LEGO Machine (LuuMa EV3) which already racked up more than 7M views. Just recently, his Ideas-based LEGO Maze (21305) caught the attention of LEGO execs and that of the general public and is now slated to be the next LEGO Ideas with set to be released anytime soon.

Jason is even kind enough to share a video to explain the mechanisms of the LEGO Clockwork Heart, an LDD (Lego Digital Designer) file, and building instructions to recreate your own Clockwork Heart. The build is versatile enough to be either manually operated or powered by an optional Power Functions M-Motor Block. You can even further customize it by adding more gears to specific places. Jason leaves that for the viewer to experiment upon. Check out his video below and you may download the building instructions here.