Since 2016, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of ‘big’ LEGO sets, and what used to be a relatively rare event is becoming run-of-the-mill. As well as identifying the best method to judge the size of a set, we’ll appraise recent trends and the wider landscape of big sets, and look back on two decades of LEGO’s ‘Big Beasts’. Image by Chris Clarke So What Is A ‘Big’ Set Anyway? There is no conclusive way to measure how ‘big’ a LEGO set is, which is essential if we want to assess the value for money (or lack thereof). Piece count has been the traditional measure, but the release of 31203 World Map and its 11,000 or so tiny round tiles, took away any remaining authority the already flawed ‘price per piece’ metric had. Image © The LEGO Group 31203 World Map Weight Is Better Than Piece Count Price...

As more and more Collectible Minifigure series (CMFs) are produced based on licensed themes, the question always arises: “Why can’t we have a Star Wars series?” There are certainly enough characters from a galaxy far, far away that haven’t been made into minifigs yet. With the Disney 100 CMF series soon to be released, let’s return to the year 2000 where a short-lived line of sets would provide not only collectible Star Wars figures but figures for a number of original LEGO themes as well. These odd display pieces with stands and information cards were released as “Collectible Mini-Figures” several years before the CMF series was conceived. So let’s dive into what exactly this strange line of sets was. History While fans might not always agree and new complaints arise with more and more specialty minifigures being released, LEGO has a long history of making consumer-friendly ways to acquire individual and...

One of my early entry points into MOC building was joining the Disney Habitat Challenge on Instagram in 2022. It was my first Instagram challenge, and it got me hooked on the benefits of habitats (and joining challenges for that matter). Disney Robinhood habitat by @Brickbuiltjosh Their small size is a welcome challenge while being super manageable to create, even when life was turned upside down as happened last year. They seem small and innocuous, but they can pack a ton if you approach it with curiosity and an eye for detail.  Habitats are the haiku of LEGO building: easy to dismiss, but you can fit worlds inside its small structure. We’ll explore exactly how you can make the most out of those 8x8 stud haikus with five key skill areas that are guaranteed to elevate your build’s impact. If you’re new to building your own creations or are hesitating to...

Why look at the clouds from below when you have a much better view up above! Carter (Carter Witz) and Hadden (Roanoke Handybuck) prove this to be true with their wonderful collaborative MOC, Cloud Life. I was able to catch up with the builders and find out how such a collaboration happens—and get an insight into their creative process. Cloud Life Planning and Collaborating Chris: Hey guys, it was great to see this in person at Bricks Cascade. Thanks for taking the time to dig a little deeper and nerd out over this fantastic MOC! First up, this was a team effort between the two of you—how did the planning for this project go? Blue is carter (LEFT), green is Hadden (RIGHT) Hadden: Hey Chris! Thanks for the interview! Planning was very spontaneous and it took place in a 60ish minute Discord call around 2.5 weeks before Bricks Cascade. We sent...

In not-so breaking-news, something that has flown mostly under the radar of most in the brick-osphere—LEGO has updated their brand identity in partnership with Interbrand. You may now be thinking “What is a brand identity?” and that’s totally fair because it likely won’t have much of an effect on you as seasoned hobbyists already loyal to the brand. A brand identity is a term that collectively describes all of the visual elements that make up a brand. The colours and shapes of advertising, the typefaces chosen for written material, the word-choices used to craft a certain personality or ‘voice’, and of course the logo go into creating a recognizable identity. It was only a few months ago that I brought up the (at-the-time) current brand font and identity with the use of Cera Pro! Is a mere four years too short of a turnaround on a new look for the brand?...