Albert Balanza, Author at The Brick Show

Return to the Upside Down With This Custom LEGO Stranger Things Demogorgon

If you recall back in July of last year, LEGO launched a building contest to celebrate the release of its Netflix tie-in set the LEGO Stranger Things The Upside Down (75810). Entries were submitted then, and of course, what roster of winners will be there without the titular and monstrous custom LEGO Stranger Things Demogorgon. Thanks to Build Better Bricks, we now have an opportunity to build a brick version of this monstrous creature from the depths of the other world.

Designed by Aaron Newman from LEGO Masters US, this custom LEGO Stranger Things Demogorgon comes in 350 pieces and features a moveable head and mouth and plenty of points of articulation allowing for a more dynamic, and fluid movement. Though this model is not exactly the same as that of the runner-up winner from the contest that I mentioned earlier, I prefer the more detailed features of this creation by Aaron.

If you want to relive those edge-of-your-seat moments in Stranger Things using LEGO bricks, I guess now is the best time to do so especially most of us are staying at home. You may head over to Build Better Bricks to purchase the building instructions for this custom LEGO Stranger Things Demogorgon. Your purchase will include a 135-page building guide in rich, PDF format, a parts list, and a Stud.io file for easy importing of the parts needed via Bricklink.

Additionally, you may want to take advantage of B3’s storewide sale where you can get 1 free building instructions for every 2 instructions purchased. You may want to pair-up your custom LEGO Demogorgon, say with a mean-looking custom LEGO Werewolf, or a brick-built Frankenstein to complete your monster trio.

So what will you be building today? Stay safe and keep on building!

LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (75292) Box Art Hints On A Video Game Secret Code

After the welcomed arrival of the LEGO Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers (75280) building set a few days ago, LEGO has thrown in another reveal that might interest you as well. To be precise, it’s not an entirely new reveal such as a new LEGO Star Wars set, but more of how probably things might look like in the near future. If you recall, we were given a glimpse of the LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (75292) last February, with official images of this set following later on. And this time around, LEGO Shop@Home was updated once more with additional images of this set showing its respective box art.

The LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest comes in at 1,023 pieces and will retail for $129.99 once it is available on September 1st. Aside from the very first LEGO Star Wars set that will offer an official minifig version of The Child (aka Baby Yoda), it looks like this set will also be instrumental in unlocking a virtual version of this vehicle in the upcoming LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga video game.

Though WB Games made it clear that this video game will include all nine films in the Star Wars franchise, it is mum on whether or not it will include materials coming from several spin-off series such as The Clone Wars or even the latest The Mandalorian series. But this piece of info from the LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest box art shows that this roughneck of a ship will also be available in the LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga video game.

I cannot say for sure if this will mark a new trend of integration among LEGO Star Wars sets and related video games later on. It’s also unclear if a digital brick version of the Razor Crest will be made available in the Skywalker Saga video game as a single playable vehicle, or will it be a part of a larger The Mandalorian DLC later on. With so much material that Disney is throwing into its Star Wars franchise lately including an Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off, it will be exciting to see what content will future DLCs roll out for this next big LEGO video game.

In the meantime, be sure to check with LEGO Shop@Home if you wish to pre-order the LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (75292) ahead of its September 1st release. And while you’re at it, you may also want to add to your cart and pre-order the LEGO BrickHeadz Star Wars The Mandalorian and the Child (75317) slated to be released on August 1.

#LetsBuildTogether is LEGO’s Way of Helping Out During the COVID-19 Crisis

Allow me to say this outright: these are very anxious times. Even as I type this from my home due to an enforced community quarantine imposed by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19, my mind is still racing with thoughts about the future. My kids are also starting to feel the agitation of being forced to stay at home now that we are entering the fourth week of this quarantine period. As a LEGO fan, one of the lifesavers that we have at home is our collection of LEGO sets that somehow offers a creative break to the mundane cycle of everyday waiting. I’m glad that there are guys like Tyler (from LEGO Masters US and one of the master builders behind Build Better Bricks) who took time to come up with a series of videos such as Quarantine Creations. These fun, how-to videos help children and adults alike to cope through this crisis using LEGO bricks. I guess everyone affected by this pandemic has an understanding of how important it is to develop ways of coping through these troubled times. The LEGO Group also understands this and has launched its #LetsBuildTogether campaign to help us all go through these hard times.

In response, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation have launched two specific initiatives to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 among families across the globe. The first is a donation of 50 million USD to support the continuous learning of children even during this time of emergency, and second is its #LetsBuildTogether initiative. The latter aims to somehow alleviate some of the strain and stress brought about of being confined at home while keeping children actively engaged and creative. It’s also a way of staying connected with each other through social media by encouraging builders to share their creation online and adding #LetsBuildTogether. LEGO even came up with a webpage that offers some brick-building activities that families can do at confines of their homes.

Here are #LetsBuildTogether activities that families can try at home, courtesy of LEGO.

Some of the LEGO inspired building activities that you can try at home are these Daily Building Challenges which include building a trophy, a magical unicorn, a penguin, something spooky, a sheep, and a pirate ship. You can even come up with your own tablet and phone stand, a maze, or even a nightstand lamp. You can’t simply run out of ideas playing with LEGO bricks.

#LetsBuildTogether is LEGO’s way of giving back to the LEGO community during these difficult times, and I’m personally glad that LEGO is helping out. For more info about this program, you may read The LEGO Group’s official press release right here.

We just have to keep on building and hope that everything will always turn out to be awesome. Stay safe everyone!

LEGOLAND Exclusive Sets Goes On Sale

With the recent COVID-19 outbreak confining almost everyone indoors and limiting our movement outside, LEGOLAND saw it fit to offer some of its previously exclusive sets online for the benefit of all LEGO fans. Traditionally, these LEGOLAND exclusive sets are only available for park visitors who opt to bring home the magic of their LEGOLAND experience. Bu this time around, collectors may now have the chance of getting their own limited-edition sets while these theme parks are on temporary closure until April 15.

This is also a way for LEGOLAND to somehow recoup some of their expenses now that they are virtually inoperative. Some of these LEGOLAND exclusive sets, particularly the LEGOLAND Park (40346) are also on a discount so you may want to check this out as well.

And similar to LEGO Shop@Home‘s current promotional, single-receipt purchases at LEGOLAND online retail worth $50 or more will entitle you to a free LEGO Easter Egg (40371). If you wish to avail of these LEGOLAND exclusive sets, just read on and click on the following links below.

LEGOLAND Park (40346)

1,336 pieces | $64.99

Extend the ultimate LEGOLAND experience at home. Features 10 minifigures, including 2 LEGOLAND Park employees, more than 1300 elements and various fun attractions and play scenarios.

LEGOLAND Driving School (40347)

209 pieces | $19.99

The LEGOLAND Driving School is a visitor favorite and now that fun can keep going at home. The set comes with 4 minifigures and accessories including traffic cones, stop signs, traffic lights and even a gas station.

LEGOLAND Fire Academy (40393)

221 pieces | $19.99

Capture the moment of the cool LEGOLAND Fire Academy ride. Includes 3 minifigures, a fire truck, action play elements, park map and stickers.

LEGOLAND Train (40166)

210 pieces | $19.99

The iconic LEGOLAND Train set includes 4 minifigures: the train operator, mom, dad and child and accessories including shovel, broom, ladders and stickers.

LEGOLAND Micro Castle (40306)

220 pieces | $19.99

Featuring Ollie, the LEGOLAND dragon, this set includes 1 minifigure and accessories including a camera and cool grey LEGO “castle” bricks.

Surprise! LEGO unveils the LEGO Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers (75280)

LEGO is lately in the habit of giving out welcomed surprises. After the unexpected reveal of the LEGO Super Mario theme, we now have another one to the delight of LEGO Star Wars fans. LEGO Shop@Home has been recently updated to include a long-overdue LEGO Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers (75280) building set, straight from the Clone Wars era.

As pointed out by StarWars.com, this latest offering pays tribute to that elite unit during the Clone Wars that LEGO fans of the series have long clamored for. There is no other info mentioned by LEGO over its online shopping portal, save for the fact that it comes at 285 pieces and will retail for $29.99 once it is officially available on August 1. The set also includes:

The AT-RT Walker, with a new color scheme, posable legs, a stud shooter, attachment points for a blaster and electrobinoculars element
The BARC Speeder, featuring two stud shooters
Four LEGO minifigures: Three 501^st Clone Troopers and a 501^st Jet Trooper, plus two Battle Droid LEGO action figures.

I hope to see additional images of this set, including box art images, for the next few weeks or once the initial wave of new LEGO sets for the 2nd half of the year is gradually revealed. In the meantime, be sure to add this set to your LEGO wishlist by visiting LEGO Shop@Home.

Is this the beginning of more LEGO Star Wars reveals later on? What do you think of the LEGO Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers (75280)? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Keep Little Builders Busy With These Brick Show Quarantine Creations

By now, a large portion of the planet has already felt the brunt of COVID-19. With local governments enforcing a strict quarantine or lockdown at homes to contain this pandemic, I guess it’s just a matter of time before boredom creeps in. It also doesn’t help to know that LEGO brand stores will be closed for the next two weeks or so. But no matter where you and your family are during these challenging times, the good news is, there are many ways to keep the young ones busy, and perhaps even the grown-ups as well. With just a few LEGO pieces and a generous amount of creativity, we can all have fun at home as we weather out this quarantine period. This is what Tyler and the gang have in mind in this newest TBS series entitled Quarantine Creations. Check out our initial episode below.

You might have seen Tyler already in LEGO Masters US, and this time around he will be giving us a walkthrough on how to build flying vehicles starting with a fleet of miniature helicopters. Just be sure to have those LEGO bricks around and check your collection. In fact, the parts that he used to create these minibuilds are relatively common, so I guess finding the necessary parts will not be that difficult. These building projects are also easy to follow that even our young, budding LEGO masters will enjoy creating it.

Here are some of the LEGO pieces that Tyler used for today’s episode of Quarantine Creations. Do you think you can find these in your LEGO collection?

Similar to his previous videos, Tyler makes it easy for kids and adult fans of LEGO to understand the LEGO magic (aka building techniques) behind these Quarantine Creations. I find it useful as an AFOL whenever he injects some lessons about the building techniques that he used behind each brick creation. You may even find this handy for other similar projects that you might be working on.

As I mentioned, this week will be about things that fly – helicopters, proper planes, jets, and even hot air balloons and airships – so be sure to stick around. Just follow our official Facebook page, or you may also subscribe to The Brick Show Shop’s YouTube channel for daily updates.

Do you have anything else in mind that you want to be featured in Quarantine Creations? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111) Set Images Released

A while ago, I mentioned about the upcoming LEGO Technic set that takes inspiration from the high-octane film franchise, Fast & Furious. We had a glimpse of this set thanks to an official LEGO brand store flyer from China. And knowing that the official release date of the set is slated for April 27, we can also expect more info to come in as we go through the week. However, it seems that 3rd-party LEGO retailers are also eager to share the news. Thanks to Brickshop, we now have a closer look at the LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111).

Coming in at 1,077 pieces, this latest brick collaboration between LEGO and Universal Pictures brings to life one of the most iconic muscle cars featured in the Fast & Furious films. The LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger is a tribute to the vehicle of choice of Vin Diesel’s Dominic Torreto. The set is based on the 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, modified to include an oversized V8 engine block for that extra horsepower. Additionally, Brickshop also included what seems to be the set’s official LEGO description published in Dutch. Here’s a rough Google translation in case you need to know.

LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111)

1,077 pieces | 99.99 Euros

Give fans of Fast & Furious the ultimate thrill with this LEGO® Technic™ Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111) building set for kids and adults. Based on the iconic 1970s Dodge Charger R/T, it’s packed with authentic details. The opening hood reveals a model version of the iconic V8 engine. Other cool features include moving pistons, wishbone suspension, steering system and air blower. There are even nitro bottles in the trunk to bring Dom’s daring high-speed chases to life. Just like the real thing! Fans aged 10 and up will love building their very own replica model of Dominic Toretto’s famous car. After building the Dodge Charger, the fun ramps up as fans role-play classic scenes from The Fast and The Furious movie, bringing the adrenaline-fuelled world of street racing to life. Awesome building toy for creative play The LEGO Technic universe offers advanced building toys for LEGO fans who are ready for their next building challenge.

Inspire kids to recreate their favorite scenes from the Fast & Furious movies with this amazing LEGO® Technic™ Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111), an awesome replica model of the classic muscle car.
With 1,077 pieces, this cool building set provides a fun challenge for kids who love toy model cars. Inspired by the original 1970s Dodge Charger R/T, this faithful replica is packed with realistic details.
Authentic features let kids recreate the thrill of driving the real car, with moving pistons, suspension, steering system and air blower. After playing, kids can show off the model in the famous wheelstand position.
Looking for a cool holiday gift for kids aged 10+? This is a great choice. Kids can build the model version of Dom’s car then explore its cool features as they recreate Fast & Furious movie scenes.
Measuring 15” (39cm) long, 6” (16cm) wide and 4” (11cm) high, this model car is just the right size for role-playing high-speed adventures. Leave it in the wheelstand position for an eye-catching display piece.

The LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger (42111) is slated to be available in LEGO stores and via LEGO Shop@Home on April 27, with a retail price of 99.99 Euro or $99.99. Special thanks to Brickfinder for the heads-up.

WATCH: LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay Designer Video

Ahoy maties! LEGO has just released a pretty neat designer video for the LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322). Listen to LEGO design captains Sam “Shipwreck” Johnson and Austin “Flint Fish” Carlson as they give landlubbers an inside tour of their outstanding creation. Watch this.

Originally submitted by LEGO fan designer Pablo Sanchez, the LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay is an endearing throwback to our early LEGO childhood days where we brave the unchartered seas together with Captain Redbeard and his merry minifigure crew.

This set comes in at 2,545 pieces and will exclusively retail for $199.99 via LEGO Shop@Home beginning April 1st. Read on for more info, and you may click the link below if you wish to add this brick beauty to your LEGO wishlist.

LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322)

2,545 pieces | $199.99

Rekindle nostalgic memories of childhood LEGO® construction projects with this LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322) shipwreck island model for display and play. Enjoy some calm, quality time alone building – or share the fun with others. Discover the captain’s cabin, food store, kitchen, bedrooms, supply dock, farm, toilet, jail cell, tavern, and hidden treasure, plus lots of fun accessories, 8 pirate minifigures, assorted animal figures, and 2 skeleton figures to inspire action-packed stories. This set includes an island that can be split in half and rearranged. The shipwreck can also be dismantled and reassembled to make a ship inspired by the Black Seas Barracuda pirate ship LEGO model from 1989.

Build and play with or display this LEGO® Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322) shipwreck island model. The island can also be split in half and rearranged, revealing buried pirate treasure.
The set has 8 minifigures including Captain Redbeard, Lady Anchor, Robin Loot and twins Port and Starboard for pirate role-play action, plus a shark, pig, 2 parrots, 3 crabs, 2 frogs, and 2 skeleton figures.
Rooms including a captain’s cabin, kitchen, tavern, bedroom and jail cell are filled with accessories. The shipwreck also rebuilds into a ship inspired by the 1989 LEGO® model, Captain Redbeard’s Black Seas Barracuda.
This 2,545-piece pirate building set makes a great birthday or holiday gift for pirate and LEGO® enthusiasts. It will give you a stress-relieving break from the daily grind – and hours of refreshing, creative fun.
This cool pirate shipwreck island model measures over 23” (59cm) high, 25” (64cm) wide and 12” (32cm) deep. It’s sure to make a big impression whether displayed at home or as an office desk toy.

A Glimpse at the new LEGO Technic Dodge Charger (42111)

When news came out that LEGO will be working on a new LEGO Technic set to commemorate the long-running Fast & Furious franchise, there have been well-grounded speculations that this new set might be based on a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS from the first film. However, this turns out to be false now that we have our first look at the upcoming LEGO Technic Dodge Charger (42111).

lego store calendar china — A flyer from a LEGO Store in China gives us a glimpse of the upcoming LEGO Technic Dodge Charger (42111).

The said image above, courtesy of Leganerd, was taken from a LEGO Store flyer in China. The said store calendar specifically states that the new LEGO Technic Dodge Charge (42111) will be available beginning April 27, consistent with The LEGO Group’s official press release, while LEGO shopping portal Pricevortex lists the set for 99.99 Euros.

On a personal level, I prefer this choice for a LEGO Technic Dodge Charger over the Mitsubishi Eclipse, being a fan of classic muscle cars. If you recall, this Dodge Charger was the vehicle of choice for Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto throughout the Fast & Furious franchise. It is based on a modified 1970 Dodge Charger R/T with its signature engine block prominently sticking out of its hood. There have been several modifications of this muscle car throughout the film series, but I think this particular LEGO Technic set pays homage to the vehicle that Dom first used in the original film back in 2001.

fast furious dodge charger — The original 1970 Dodge Charger used in the first The Fast & The Furious film in 2001.

There are no further details regarding the LEGO Technic Dodge Charger (42111) as of the moment save for its release date and expected retail price. And given that it will retail for 99.99 Euros, we can somehow assume that it will be on the same scale as that of the LEGO Technic Rally Car (42077), slightly smaller to that of the LEGO Creator Expert Ford Mustang (10265). As a side note, this is not the first time that LEGO will be offering a brick-built Dodge Charger. In fact, it will be nice to see this upcoming LEGO Technic set alongside last year’s LEGO Speed Champions 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T (75893).

75893 alt2 — LEGO’s first model of the classic Dodge Charger in this **LEGO Speed Champions 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T (75893) set**.

Since the release date is set for April 27, and LEGO has been actively marketing this in the Asian region, then we can expect some official news or press release from LEGO anytime soon. Thanks again to Leganerd for the heads up, with additional info from Promobricks.

April 2020 LEGO Store Calendar Now Available

Allow me to begin by saying that next month’s LEGO Brand Store Calendar is noticeably underwhelming – and for a very good reason. Considering the global pandemic caused by the notorious COVID-19, all LEGO brand stores are effectively closed until the first half of April. However, that does not deter LEGO from making our Spring Break a bit more fun, even at home. You may still want to check out the April 2020 LEGO Store Calendar and what freebies are in store together with your next LEGO purchase. You may download a PDF copy, or view the gallery below.

As you may notice, the April 2020 LEGO Store Calendar is pretty much bare, with LEGO only giving emphasis on the freebies that it will offer via LEGO Shop@Home. In fact, two of these have been offered already since last week, with one promotional item to expect during the first half of April. I am still optimistic though that the LEGO store closures that we are experiencing will not last long beyond April, and I hope that normal store operations, and our lives in general, will soon be back on track.

At the most, we can be excited about the upcoming LEGO Ideas Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322) which will be most likely released via LEGO’s online shopping portal. Anyways, here are some of the LEGO freebies in store for us next month via LEGO Shop@Home or LEGO catalog phone orders.

Free Exclusive LEGO Easter Egg (40371)

For single-receipt purchases of any LEGO products worth $50 or more from March 23 to April 13 will entitle you to a free LEGO Easter Egg (40371). This gift-with-purchase set comes in at 239 pieces and features a chick mini build inside a decorative brick-built egg casing.

Free LEGO Easter Bunny (30550)

Similar to the LEGO Easter Egg, the LEGO Easter Bunny (30550) will also be offered during the same time period of March 23-April 13 but on a lower qualifying purchase. For every single-receipt LEGO purchase (online or via phone) worth $30 and more will allow you to bring home this hopping mini build as well. It somehow comes close to what LEGO stores offer with their Monthly Mini Builds (MMB).

Free LEGO Trolls Poppy’s Carriage (30555)

This final freebie for the month of April features a polybag promotional for the LEGO Trolls World Tour theme. For every single-receipt purchase of any LEGO Trolls set worth $35 and above will qualify you for a free LEGO Trolls Poppy’s Carriage (30555) polybag. Though the LEGO Trolls sets have been out since January, it is still nice that LEGO managed to throw in an incentive for LEGO fans who will opt to buy these new sets. Though some parts of the world manage to show the movie, the US is yet to schedule a film release tentatively slated for April 10.

As I mentioned earlier, all LEGO brand stores are closed until April 12 which practically suspends all in-store activities such as Make and Take events, minifigure swaps, and other socially engaging activities. Its a drag really, but it’s for the best of all in the long run.

Keep safe brick fans and keep on building!