LEGO News Archives | Page 311 of 413

A Look At the 2018 LEGO Wall Calendar Vouchers.

It has been customary for LEGO to release its yearly wall calendar and most fans look forward to them not just for their aesthetic appeal as a keepsake, but also for the vouchers that go along with them. Though 2017’s LEGO Wall Calendar was released around this period of time last year as announced in the December 2016 LEGO Store Calendar, it’s quite puzzling that LEGO has not made any official announcement until now on its availability in the US. However, LEGO fans in Europe were on to an early treat when LEGO Brands Stores in the region finally released their 2018 LEGO Wall Calendar as an in-store gift with purchase, with a price point of 20 Euros.

Thanks to Promobricks who managed to get a copy of their own, we now have an idea on how next year’s LEGO Wall Calendar may look like. Now for the record, I’m not sure if this is already available in the US since I haven’t heard of any reports that this calendar has been released and distributed to fans and store visitors. Any tip from our readers will surely be appreciated. Unlike that from last year, Europe’s 2018 LEGO Wall Calendar has a more regional vibe into it, with the LEGO London Store’s very own Lester minifigure being part of the cover, featuring a creative gang of minifig artists.

Same as last year’s wall calendar, its most attractive part will be the collection of nice, little vouchers that go with them for every month of the year. Again, the vouchers and their respective redemption dates may be specific only to LEGO Brand Stores in the European region, and may all be entirely different than that in the US, so this is something that we will keep our radar on.

Voucher #1 – January 1 to December 31, 2018

Happy Birthday! Bring this voucher to a LEGO Store during the week of your birthday and get your present.

Voucher #2 – February 7 to 14, 2018

Treat your loved ones to a LEGO Valentine’s Day Flower when you buy any LEGO building set.

Voucher #3 – March 23 to 31, 2018

Free Easter Gift with any purchase of over 20 Euros (roughly $20).

Voucher #4 – April 12 to 22, 2018

Free 100 VIP bonus points with any purchase over 30 Euros.

Voucher #5 – May 17 to 21, 2018

Free LEGO Star Wars Rebel A-Wing Pilot (5004408) with any Star Wars purchase over 35 Euros.

Voucher #6 – June 11 to 17, 2018

Celebrate Father’s Day! Come to a LEGO Store with this voucher to receive your free gift.

Voucher #7 – July 25 to 30, 2018

Celebrate Friendship Day! Come to a LEGO Store with your friend and you’ll both receive a free gift.

Voucher #8 – August 1 to 31, 2018

Come and collect your LEGO Passport and get an exclusive special stamp.

Voucher #9 – September 27 to October 1, 2018

Mystery Voucher! Visit shop.LEGO.com/calendar to discover your surprise!

Voucher #10 – October 29 to November 3, 2018

Visit a LEGO Store for a Halloween Special Building experience and walk away with a FREE gift!

Voucher #11 – December 1 to 9, 2018

Secret Prize Draw!

LEGO Batman Movie Collectible Minifigures Series 2 (71020) Official Display and Blind Bag Images.

We already saw the entire range of 20 minifigures included in The LEGO Batman Movie CMF Series 2 (71020) a couple of days ago, and this time, we now have a closer look at its box art and display, including the official image of its blind bag. It looks like we still have the same number sets available similar to the first series. Having the entire box up front will guarantee 3 complete sets of all 20 minifigures, so you still have 2 sets to spare and to share.

I have to say that seeing the official blind bag image somehow gives me a change of heart. I previously deplored the design and color scheme of TLBM’s Series 2 blind bag based on some that were spotted in the wild – but looking at the official image below, it seems that the packaging is not really that bad after all.

Though it is in stark contrast with the predominantly yellow color scheme seen from the 1st Series’ blind bag design, Series 2 still has that fun and playful feel. Here’s the rest of the TLBM minifigure characters included in this current series in case you missed them.

1) Friends are Family Harley Quinn; 2) Friends are Family Alfred; 3) Clock King; 4) Professor Hugo Strange; 5) Mermaid Batman; 6) Swimming Pool Batman; 7) Tropical Joker; 8) Vacation Robin; 9) Vacation Batgirl; 10) Vacation Alfred; 11) Soccer Mom Batgirl; 12) Killer Moth; 13) Wonder Twin (Jayna); 14) Wonder Twin (Zan); 15) Apache Chief; 16) Jor-El; 17) General Zod; 18) Doctor Phosphorus; 19) Black Canary; 20) Black Vulcan.

Thanks to Zusammengebaut for the tip.

LEGO Creator London Bus (40220) Promotional Now Live at shop.LEGO.com!

The LEGO December Store Calendar is packed with several freebies and promotional items that you definitely don’t want to miss, especially that LEGO is bringing back one of it’s highly sought after gift with purchase set from last year.

In case you missed it, here’s your chance to bag the LEGO Creator Mini London Bus (40220) once again, and it’s now up and available as a freebie over at shop.LEGO.com. From December 8 until 17, every minimum single receipt purchase of any LEGO products worth $75 and above, entitles you to a free Mini London Bus (40220). Comparatively speaking, LEGO opted to retain the same price point for the Mini London Bus which is at $75.

The said promotional is now live at shop.LEGO.com, together with the LEGO Ninjago Wu Keychain (5004915) if you will place your next LEGO purchase during the next few hours.

LEGO Creator London Bus (40220)

Take a ride in this LEGO® model of a classic London Bus!

Build this retro bus with turning wheels plus transparent window and light elements. Apply the number plate, route number, destination and advertising banner stickers. With authentic details, this delightful vintage bus makes a perfect gift for fans of LEGO® Creator modular building sets and London.

This buildable LEGO® brick London Bus features authentic details, turning wheels, transparent window and light elements and stickers for the number plate, route number, destination name and advertising banners inspired by LEGO Creator models 21013 Big Ben and 10232 Palace Cinema (not included).
This set includes over 115 pieces and offers an age-appropriate building experience for ages 7 and over.
Measures over 2” (6cm) high, 4” (11cm) long and 1” (3cm) wide.

Days 5-8 of LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar (75184).

So, we got a look at the goodies that were revealed in the first four days of the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184) last Monday, and I’ve hit upon the idea of combining day posts into four-day digests like how I caught up with the set’s “opening weekend.”

To wit, I’m now going to do a once-over of the LEGO mini-models and minifigures that were revealed from Day 5 to 8, that is, Tuesday to Friday. Of this batch I’d say that the reveals are mostly okay. There are two minifigures and one vehicle so it’s not boring:

Day 5: Resistance Officer – Remember the guy manning the Day 4 Blaster Cannon in our previous Advent Calendar article? Here’s the guy with his blaster pistol. His identity’s up in the air – probably not Poe Dameron – so he could be a generic Resistance guy to bulk up the heroes’ ranks.

Day 6: First Order Troop Transport – They first appeared in The Force Awakens, carrying Stormtroopers in Jakku where we first meet Rey, BB-8 and Finn. It’s a basic version of the full LEGO set 75103 from 2015.

Day 7: First Order Stormtrooper – The grunts of the First Order remnants of the Empire are a sterling example of old made new, with different enough armor details to stand out. The face under the helmet is recycled from Clone Troopers of the Prequel Trilogy/Clone Wars period however.

Day 8: Weapons Rack – It’s… a crate to store weapons in, with prominent slots holding a big blaster and a wrench aside from the empty storage. That’s it, nothing more. You could take it apart to add to custom creations if you want. To be continued.

LEGO Employee Christmas Gift 2017 Revealed

If I will come up with my own list of the Top Ten Coolest Jobs in the world, then being a LEGO Store Employee will surely sit in the top 3 spots on my list – the second and first being a LEGO Master Designer, and LEGO Senior Designer respectively. Having the coolest job in the world also follows that you are entitled to some of the best company perks and gifts that may be offered, and those working under the umbrella of The LEGO Group surely know the perks.

It has been customary with LEGO to share the Yuletide cheers among its employees during the holidays by giving a uniquely designed LEGO set that each LEGO Brand Store employee is fortunate enough to receive. Last year, we saw the LEGO Store Employee Gift 50 Years on Track (4002016) as the perfect holiday gift for those who are privileged to work inside the premises of the LEGO Store. The 50 Years on Track (4002016) set, coming in at 1,141 pieces, represents some of the best-loved LEGO train sets that the company designed in the span of 50 years. It was an absolute microscale masterpiece that only LEGO employees are very fortunate to have.

This 2017, it seems that LEGO is still keeping the tradition of sharing its blessings in the form of an uber-exclusive set that LEGO Store employees can expect. Similar to last year’s 50 Years on Track, the first images of this year’s LEGO employee gift have been spotted over at eBay. Listings for the LEGO Store Employee Gift Nutcracker (4002017) have been quite numerous recently on the secondary market, with some selling for as much as $300. Coming in at 732 pieces, this year’s LEGO employee gift seems to borrow some design ideas from the recent LEGO holiday promotional set bearing the same name – Nutcracker (40254). Here are some images of set 4002017 posted over at eBay and Instagram.

The LEGO Store Employee Gift Nutcracker (4002017) sits as the next holiday gift that LEGO has offered to its ever-reliable store employees since 2010. However, I have to say that it could be the least appealing as well. By far the best gift that LEGO designers came up with was last year’s 50 Years on Track set which also happens to be the largest employee gift set made up of more than 1,000 LEGO pieces. I also couldn’t help but notice that the box art and design could have been improved further to make it more aesthetically appealing. I am not really sure if I’ll bring myself to like that coffin-looking box for our little tin soldier.

Of course, I may be wrong in all of these since I am just giving my initial impression based on how the box art looks like rather than seeing the actual build. I just hope that we can have some kind, LEGO Store employees that will share how this gift looks like when it is finally built.

Thanks to Bouwsteentjes for sharing the above images.

LEGO to Offer the Iconic LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina (75205) All Over Again in 2018.

We can thank the first Star Wars film for introducing us to the spaceport of Mos Eisley on the planet of Tatooine. That location – and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s description of it – would respectively define and name the narrative trope known as the “wretched hive” (of scum and villainy).

And yes, Mos Eisley is such a memorable place in the greater Star Wars story (for all that it was only relevant one time in one film of the entire saga), that it has been replicated by merchandise and toys over the years. LEGO has also done its share in immortalizing Mos Eisley.

Word is that in 2018, LEGO will be rolling out a new play set depicting yet another take on Mos Eisley and its most memorable setting of the Cantina, the set being numbered 75205 as later on confirmed by Brickset. The ~~last~~ first LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley set that came out was back in 2003 with set 4501, a year after the release of Episode II – Attack of the Clones. It was later followed by 2014’s iteration of the Cantina with set 75052, with 615 pieces to boot. Here’s a shot of these previous sets:

Details on the differences among these versions of the LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina sets are few, but one alteration given is that the 2018 set will swap out Luke Skywalker’s familiar landspeeder with the mushroom-shaped Ubrikkian 9000, a background vehicle from the original film. If the name sounds alien (which it is), then take a look at this screen grab from The New Hope.

The LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley (75205) will retain three minifigures from its previous sets: A Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Greedo the bounty hunter (whom Han originally shot first and not in self-defense). The fourth and new minifigure will be the Cantina’s barkeep Wuher.

It’ll be great looking forward to playing out that scene with “crispa” Greedo all over again when the new LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley (75205) set comes out next year. Thanks to Rebelscum and Hothbricks for the tip.

Renault Sport’s 40th Anniversary Event To Feature Life-Sized LEGO Model, Workshop and Several Rare Sets.

LEGO has been partnering with real-life brands for so many decades that it has become old hat. Speaking of old hats, Renault Sport has been in the racing scene for four decades now, ever since Groupe Renault established it back in 1976 by combining their sports-car and competition departments at Gordini and Alpine.

Renault Sport has overseen their parent company’s official motor racing participation, especially in Formula One, for 40 years. In commemoration of this milestone, just one decade short of a golden anniversary, Renault has contracted the services of a LEGO Certified Professional who is a trusted partner of The LEGO Group.

The result is three sets of Renault Sport race car models made entirely of LEGO bricks. Note however that, outside of being designed by a LEGO-Certified Pro, these are not official LEGO sets with appropriate numbering. Still, they’re made out of bricks that are as LEGO as they can be.

Renault Sport Formula One Team RS17

828 pieces; only 100 sets made available.

Renault Sport Formula One Team RS17

110 pieces; only 1000 sets made available.

Renault RS2027 Vision

Concept vehicle model for Renault’s 50^th anniversary, 375 pieces, only FORTY sets made available to retail for €375 each.

All these rare sets will only be available for collectors at the Altelier Renault event in Paris on Saturday, December 9. The said event will also showcase a life-sized RS17 model made out of 300,000 (official) LEGO bricks.

In addition, there will be a LEGO workshop where attendees can assemble their own custom micro-scale version of said RS17 model. You can find out more from this preview video (in French).

LEGO Star Wars Promotional Darth Vader Pod (5005376) Cancelled.

If you recall, we mentioned a particular LEGO Star Wars promotional that is supposed to launch this December, as mentioned in the LEGO December Store Calendar. Most fans of the LEGO Star Wars theme (including myself) were looking forward for the Darth Vader Pod (5005376) that is supposed to launch starting December 15 and until January 14, 2018. This is expected to be the 5th promotional pod offered by LEGO, that will be made available for a minimum receipt purchase of $60 of any LEGO Star Wars sets.

However, most of us was a bit wondering when the LEGO January Store Calendar came out with no mention of the same abovementioned promotional, especially considering that it is supposed to be running until the first half of January 2018. There were speculations that the collectible Star Wars pod was eventually cancelled, and as it turned out, The LEGO Group (TLG) has finally put the issue to the rest by giving out a press statement on the matter. According to TLG, the pod itself did not conform to its strict, quality standards and must eventually cancel the release of the LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader pod. Here’s the official word from the company:

Star Wars Pod No. 5005376

We have to inform that as part of our internal quality screening process, we have found that the Star Wars Metalized Pod 5005376 does not meet our strict standards. As you know, we take the quality and safety of our products extremely seriously, and so out of an abundance of caution we have decided not to launch the Star Wars Pod.

We are committed to continuing support for our Star Wars promotion, and will offer consumers 10% off across all LEGO® Star Wars products from 18th – 24th December 2017, excluding the Millennium Falcon product (75192).

They did not mention in detail what is the particular source of concern, but I assume it probably has something to do with the suitability and safety of the materials used in making the pod. I am particularly interested in how LEGO worded the name of the pod, giving emphasis on the pod’s ‘metalized’ feature. Does it have something to do with the metallic coating or color used on the pod, we don’t know for sure.

However, LEGO reassures fans that even though the Darth Vader promotional pod is discontinued, the 10% discount on all LEGO Star Wars sets (except for the still elusive UCS Millenium Falcon 75192) will still push through from December 18 to 24, so hope you’ll find solace in that.

LEGO Explains Changed Looks LEGO Friends Girls in New 2018 Sets.

For collectors of the young girl-oriented LEGO Friends series that have seen our major 2018 set image reveal recently, some may have observed a few changes to the minidolls accompanying the sets in question. These minidolls, larger and more detailed than the standard LEGO minifigures, and depicting unique LEGO-original characters, have been noted by analytical eyes to be a bit… off from the usual depiction of the main LEGO Friends characters: Andrea, Emma, Mia, Olivia and Stephanie of Heartlake City.

Then:

Now: (look at the girls on the upper-right of the box)

As it turns out, the altered looks for Andrea and her close circle was an intentional move on the part of the main LEGO Friends design team all the way from LEGO HQ in Billund, Denmark. They even released an official statement to give a detailed explanation for the changes.

LEGO officially released a statement regarding the new looks of the LEGO Friends characters, as reported by The Brick Fan. The changed appearances are LEGO’s take on the evolution of the Friends line, its associated characters, and even the play sets that represent the world they live in. While their personalities are the same, the passing of time has evolved the way they looked.

And it’s not like they came up with the alterations on their own; LEGO also took into consideration KFOLs (or Kid Fan of LEGO) of the LEGO Friends theme for their ideas and feedback. This is all to make the Friends universe a bit more like the real world that the children who play with the sets live in.

Truth be told, this design philosophy isn’t unique to LEGO Friends. Other LEGO themes have taken that idea to heart as well. LEGO City Pickup and Caravan (60182) set, for example, has a 3-minifigure family included: mom, dad and son. Word from LEGO is that they are the same family from a seasonal LEGO City Christmas set, where the boy was still a baby. That’s kind of cool if you’ll ask me.

Amazon UK’s Free LEGO Gift Sets, Good Until December 19th.

LEGO buyers and collectors in the UK may be pondering the reality that one of the brand’s major retail outlets is being reduced, now that Toys ‘R’ Us is closing a number of its stores in that country. This development however is inspiring other outlets to take advantage and make the most out of it.

In what could be an effort to attract LEGO shoppers who would lose access to a closing Toys ‘R’ Us store near them, Amazon UK is launching a one-two punch combination of a promo for customers shopping for LEGOs on their platform. This is the ‘freebie for minimum purchase’ thing.

Their first offer is a free LEGO Batman Movie Catwoman Catcycle Chase (70902) set for a minimum £50 worth of any kind of LEGO products. Amazon stateside has already been offering the Catcycle Chase and other sets tied to The LEGO Batman Movie at reduced prices since way back in mid-November. Check the rest of the promo mechanics for these freebie right here.

The other freebie is for fan-boys of The Force who would buy at least £40 worth of LEGO Star Wars sets; they’ll get a free LEGO Star Wars Imperial Trooper Battle Pack (75165). Both offers are good until December 19 only. UK buyers need only visit Amazon UK for details.