A spacecraft with black wings and a bubble cockpit? Easy – that can only be a TIE fighter. But hang on, these were also defining features of LEGO’s Blacktron II theme… So what is it? Well, it’s both! Gerard Joosten AKA Elephant-Knight has a bit of a knack for builds within the Blacktron II aesthetic, and he’s turned to the Star Wars universe for his latest creation. The TIE Defender is one of the more outlandish TIE variants, and as a result it fits very nicely into the design language of my personal favourite LEGO space villains. Does this mean Darth Vader gets a neon-green lightsaber…? The post Star Wars, but make it Blacktron appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo Spencer

Hot on the trail of the Land Rover Defender comes the LEGO Icons 10321 Corvette. With 1,210 pieces, this set is sure to make any gearhead’s heart go pitter-patter. They’ve replicated the classic styling of the 1961 Corvette nicely in red with a black interior and white highlights. According to details on the back of the box, the model has opening doors, trunk, and hood. Also, either the hardtop can be removed or an alternate convertible version can be built to show off the detailed interior. The LEGO Icons 31321 Corvette will be available from LEGO stores and their website starting on August 1st, and will retail for a price of US $149.99 | CAN $199.99 | UK £129.99. LEGO Icons 31321 Corvette | 1,210 pieces | Available August 1 | US $149.99 | CAN $199.99 | UK £129.99 The post LEGO revs up an American classic with the Icons 10321...

Over the course of the last six months, we’ve featured literally hundreds of excellent LEGO creations. While all of them are already the best we’ve found, there are a handful that stand out above the rest.  Usually these creations feature the coolest techniques and exceptional NPU (Nice Parts Usage), and have us talking about them more than the average build behind the scenes. We’ve seen everything, but occasionally we’re extra impressed by something new and unique. Although we do feature our overall favorite builds (using several criteria) in the running for the TBB Creation of the Year in December, we’ve decided it would be fun to honor some ace parts usage right here, right now. Join us as we count down the best of the first half of 2023! #10: Davy Jones would be proud Our first build in the countdown is Blackbeard, by Oliver Becker. It may be a little on...

I’ve got to say, the latest LEGO build by Mr Youm is pretty fly…or rather, is a pretty fly. All the little black bits are sculpted so precisely to create that insectoid face. Zamor spheres wrapped in red rubber bands, an air tank holding a pair of fangs, and lever handles stuck inside a 1×2 grill plate are just a few of the many excellent examples of novel part usage in this bug. But my favorite touch is the use of gray technic pins to create the texture of its wings. The stacking of those pieces, framed in black tubing and bars, is an off-the-wall solution to a problem normally solved by builders with a specific piece of plastic. The post Some buzz-worthy air travel appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

If the first thing that pops into your mind when thinking of dystopian futures is flat-pack furniture, well, you must be Cecilie Fritzvold. She decided to bring a touch of Scandinavian flair to the colossal cyberpunk city of New Hashima. You’d be forgiven for thinkin that Swedish minimalism and might not mesh that well with the often gritty cyberpunk aesthetic, but the concept works remarkably well. Little touches like the Japanese signage and neon decor make it look right at home. The post Visions of a dystopian flat-pack future appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo Spencer

Forget the headlight brick or jumper plate; I can’t think of a LEGO part more beloved by builders than the common frog! And builder/amphibian wrangler Roanoke Handybuck has done a great job providing the infamous hoppers with a spot all their own for a festival of frogs. All the subtle details paying homage to frog-kind in this scene are excellent, from the statues to the door handles. The color choices are clean, with the light blue water, golden leaves, and lavender pennants contrasting nicely with the gray rock surrounding the scene. I love the intricate use of slopes and plates forming the arch above the podium. And overall, this watering hole feels private, as if this is a secret meeting only a few are lucky enough to enjoy. The post A congregation of croakers appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

What’s better than a LEGO build that evokes nostalgia for a past theme? A LEGO build that evokes nostalgia for two past themes! Flickr user Student Scissors submitted this creation in the Bio-Cup competition. As the name suggests, this competition uses parts from the Bionicle theme. That box is ticked here: there are plenty of ball joints, and what looks like a Kanohi mask on the figure on the right. But the minecart full of power crystals, the teal-yellow-brown-dark-grey colour combo, and that massive chrome drill… That sounds like Rock Raiders to me! Although come to think of it, the colour scheme of the bat (lime green with blue and orange highlights) is reminiscent of the Power Miners theme from 2009. So that’s actually three awesome themes from yesteryear in one! The post All the best LEGO themes are found underground appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo...

Building on the success of the 31199 Marvel Studios Iron Man mosaic from 2020, LEGO once again fuses the Art and Super Heroes themes together in 31209 The Amazing Spider-Man. With 2,099 pieces, this set is a departure from the pointillism of past pop culture pictures, instead adding 3-D aspects to the image and imitating the Ben-Day dot style typical of comic books. The web-head’s portrait measures 21″ (54 cm.) by 16″ (41 cm), and is accompanied by an appropriately-themed soundtrack, as per usual for recent Art sets. 31209 The Amazing Spider-Man will be available from LEGO stores and their website starting on August 1st, and will retail for a price of US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £169.99. 31209 The Amazing Spider-Man | 2,099 pieces | Available August 1 | US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £169.99 Here’s the press release from LEGO: LEGO® Art The Amazing Spider-Man...

Today we start digging in to the sets from the brand-new LEGO original Dreamzzz theme! We brought you an overview of the theme and some background info at the beginning of May; now we start with the largest set in the first wave, 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. If you’ve watched the first 10 episodes of the TV show, you’ll be be familiar with this fearsome conveyance; if you haven’t, then we’ve got you covered with pointers on how the set and the source material differ – and why it doesn’t really matter (* one minor grudge aside). Here’s our review of the set, which contains 1,389 pieces, 6+ characters (LEGO says 4 minifigures; we’ll get to that), and will be available August 1st for US $139.99 | CAN $179.99 | UK £119.99. The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with...

Take a trip with us down into the sea where we find a noble seahorse on a knightly quest in this wonderful LEGO scene by Mohamed Marei. Built for the Bio-Cup saltwater biome theme, the scene shows off the creativity of a great builder. The bright colors contrast nicely against the bronze look of the seahorse knight, bringing our attention to the central figure. Floating above the knight is an exquisite jellyfish, using an array of transparent pieces well. The framing of the scene is fluid and I can’t stop looking at it! As is intended in the Bio-Cup, this is one of those builds that pushes the use of LEGO as a medium to new levels. Also, can we acknowledge how nice the use of the stud shooter is for the mouth of the seahorse? It’s like it was meant for such a use all along. The post A fin-tastic...