Ninjago playsets have a track record of introducing some of the wildest and best minifig accessories around, and this January’s crop was no different. One of the coolest accessories is the Earth Monster claw, which can serve as either headpiece or hand to the latest elemental villains. Builder CapyMOCs immediately clocked the similarity to horns of Scarabaeidae Dynastinae, aka Rhinoceros beetles, and set to building one in LEGO. We couldn’t agree more – it’s the role that part was born to play! The post Working the bugs out of the latest Ninjago monster appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jake Forbes (TBB Managing Editor)

Reading patterns into LEGO’s release schedule is normally a fool’s errand. The minute you think you can guess what set is coming next based on what’s been before, the pattern changes. That said, after previous years saw releases of the McLaren MP4/4 and Williams FW14B – two of the most famous Formula One cars ever – the next car in this fledgling series should be a surprise to no one. The Ferrari F2004 dominated the, well, 2004 season, and propelled Michael Schumacher to a record 7th drivers’ title. From March 1, you’ll be able to build your own thanks to LEGO Icons 11375 Ferrari F2004 & Michael Schumacher. It has an RRP of USD/CAD/GBP, with 735 pieces. Will it dominate the competition like its real-life counterpart? Only one way to find out! The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with...

As you no doubt recall (and for shame if you don’t), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home sees the crew of the original Star Trek series travel to 1980s San Francisco because a probe from space is speaking humpback whale. Trust me, it makes sense in context. Anyway, the film never gives us a glimpse at the other worldly creatures that want to speak with the humpbacks (my wife calls them whaliens), but I imagine they’d look something like this celestial cetacean by Jesse Gros. Jesse has captured the beauty and majesty of those gentle giants in a craft that looks like it would be equally at home gliding through the cosmos as through the waves. The post Captain, there be whales here! appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Norm Harper

Although they’re known primarily as miners, Dwalin Forkbeard has higher aspirations for the dwarves near the Eastern Watcher. They’re about to mingle with the clouds, thanks to their airship the Skyscraper. The orcs won’t know what’s coming their way, as they watch low for their dwarven enemies, only to be pelted from above with bombs. Obviously, the large stone tower immediately draws the eye, and it’s impressively built. But the airship steals the show, with that wonderful dwarven masthead. For more of Dawlin’s impressive creations, make sure to dig into our archives. The post These dwarves are done digging appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Norm Harper

Latte art? Tired. LEGO art in the coffee shop? Wired! Especially when the LEGO art in question is as rich and filled with color and genius parts usage like this mural from Vietnamese AFOL and Masterpiece Gallery alum Khang Huynh, in collaboration with building partner Kỷ Duy Phong. Created for Starbucks Vietnam, the artwork was created over four months and measures 1×2 meters.  The work incorporates Vietnamese imagery into an ornate depiction of the coffeemaker’s mermaid mascot. At first glance, the mural might look flat, but up close, you can see how it bursts from the wall. 2×1 round tiles let the artists shape the flower petals into organic curves. Creative parts usage abounds, like the use of Pteranodon wings for a green gradient in the lily pads. The most galaxy-brain NPU, however, is found in the hands. Those life-like finger tips? Patrick Star heads from the SpongeBob theme! The post...

Few things bring together the LEGO community like Collectible Minifigs. Whether you’re looking for new elements, chasing nostalgia, or hunting for a friend to sit on your desk, CMF have something for everyone. Series 28, released this month, is all about animal costumes (you can read our review here). Even with this narrow theme, the figures are inspiring a zoo’s worth of creative builds. Whether you’re a habitat fan or a mecha mechanic, there’s plenty to appreciate in this menagerie of minifigs! Candy Bricks created several impressive vignettes for the different animal figs. Our favorite features the frog amongst toadstools. Candy expands on the included bubble wand with a forest full of big bubbles. Thorben (tee_baum_bricks) takes the frog fig in a very different direction, swapping bubbles for a very big sword! The CMF body gets repurposed as bigfig hands for this absolute brute of an amphibian. (You can see more...

This little LEGO creation built by Carter Witz comes with a Bible verse from Matthew 7:24-27. It states, and I’m paraphrasing here, something about how a wise builder, hearing the Lord’s word, builds on rock and has the steady foundation that leads a life that withstands the inevitable trials while the fool, who doesn’t obey the Lord, builds on sand and whose life results in total collapse when challenges come. This must me one of the many, many verses I missed after they threw me out of Sunday school for coloring Jesus’ hair green. True story, bro! While my path has diverged greatly, Carter’s faith in the Lord has never wavered and we never wavered in our appreciation for Carter’s talents. Reflect on our Carter Witz archives to see what I mean. The post Hardcore cottagecore- on a hilltop appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Lino

LEGO builder and Alien fan Dan Hollogast, who goes by Owlhead online, discovered that the Ninjago anaconda bone helmet, turned backwards, uncannily resembles a facehugger. Building on that Giger-esque bit of NPU, Dan recreates the scene on the Nostromo where the crew of the Nostromo investigate the creature attached to Kane’s face for an act best not described in polite company. Dan ably captures the pristine med bay of the Nostromo with great care paid to matching the on-screen look, down to the floor pattern.  I don’t know what those greebles above the table are for, but they look very science-y. Of course, things won’t stay clean for long. Moments after this scene, everyone gathered around the table is about to lose their lunch. Talk about mess decks! Am I right? For more on the lifecycle of everyone’s least favorite uninvited party guest, be sure to ingest our Alien archives. The...

Here’s one LEGO knight who’s not horsin’ around with his wagon needs. This charming medieval moc comes from a new face on the afol scene, a French builder who goes by Slippin’ Jimmy, and like his namesake,  s’all good, man. Jimmy’s cart is pulled by cleverly designed stag that incorporates wands and minifig hands for its spindly legs. The antlers augment the classic samurai headpiece for an impressive rack. While small in scale, the wagon is a surprisingly complex build that uses SNOT elements, round plates, and slopes to hit the perfect curves. The star elements are those white Technic panels that work perfectly as a cloth covering for the wagon. If the green paper background and layout look familiar to regular readers, that’s because Jimmy photographed the scene with help from good friend Syrdarian, who wrote a guide for the site about building in this “ground-based” style. The post This...

What better place to spend your holiday from the Mushroom Kingdom than Isle Delfino? French builder Clément (issemclem) put together an impressive recreation of the Isle’s Delfino Plaza, bustling with activity and some familiar buildable Mario figures aside some that we haven’t seen before. At the center of the plaza is the massive Shine Gate (now fully cleared of Shadow Mario’s goop), towering over a Pianta plaza that is ripe with detail. A closer look at all of the tile work and detail that went into the foundation is recommended, as you may notice printed tiles from the Rivendell and Fountain Garden sets make an appearance alongside printed parts from the Super Mario sets (like the large coins from the Piranha Plant set). The plaza features some of the buildable Mario figures (like Yoshi and Toad), but also features some new character builds from Clément that feel right at home next...