Everyday Bricks

New The Lord of the Rings Lego sets on sale now: 79005, 79006, 79007 & 79008

The second series for the Lord of the Rings Lego theme is now available for sale on Amazon.com. These sets help to fill out a lot of the missing characters from the first release. Such minifigures as Elrond, Arwen, Saruman, Gandalf the White, the Mouth of Sauron, the King of the Dead, and many others. These sets are great, and it looks like the Tolkien themes may have many more updates in the future. You can even get an exclusive Lego Eagle that can help you set up plot holes and your favorite Deus ex machina! (HAHA!)

The Lord of the Rings: The Wizard Battle (79005)

The Lord of the Rings: The Council of Elrond (79006)

The Lord of the Rings: Battle at the Black Gate (79007)

The Lord of the Rings: Pirate Ship Ambush (79008)

Old Lego Truck

This old style Lego truck makes you wish that Lego would release some historical sets. Treat it like the current architectural sets, but with a more historical/museum quality theme. This Lego Old Truck is designed by Carl Merriam, and can be viewed on Flickr. Using a window piece worked out perfectly for the old style radiator, and including such details as wooden spoked tires, and a wooden truck bed help to sell the retroness of this vehicle.

The wood tiles used to create the truck bed, were specifically chosen to showcase the custom printing from Print-A-Brick. They help to create a retro look to the pickup that would be harder to achieve without. The logo featured on the door is also a custom brick from Carl Merriam.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39069854@N07/8875046709/

Lego Ghostbusters Cuusoo Project

When somethings strange in your Lego drawer, “Who you gonna call? — Ghostbusters!”

BrentWaller has proposed a whole Ghostbusters theme over at Lego Cuusoo in celebration of the films 30th anniversary. Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler and Winston Zeddemore would all appear in Minifigure form, along with the ever popular Slimer. No one would expect these guys to capture these ghosts unprepared, so they come with a full set of Proton Packs, PKG Meters, and Ghost Traps.

Not only would you get the whole Ghostbusters team, but their headquarters too. The office is super detailed and surprisingly accurate. Because, of the sheer size and scope of such a build, this would probably be cut from the final set if Lego approves one.

The last piece of the proposal is the Ecto-1, which is one of the most iconic vehicles in film history. Here it has been recreated in full Lego and even features some amazing lighting. The Ectomobile is based off of the 1959 Cadillac Ambulance and is instantly recognizable.

Lego has been open to licensed Cuusoo projects in the past. Especially Back to the Future, which has been approved and is expected to be sold sometime before the end of the year. This is good news for a future Ghostbusters theme. Check it out on the official Cuusoo page: http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/36088

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The Three Ninjas.

Lego Star Wars: Ewok Village (10236)

This week Twitter was lighting up with messages and rumors about an upcoming Star Wars: Ewok Village set. It didn’t take long for Lego to confirm these rumors. With 1,990 pieces and a price tag of $249.99 this is a massive Ewok Village. The whole set comes with 16 minifigures. 7 of which are exclusive designs and only available in this village. The new set will be available for purchase from Lego Shop@Home in September.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXE5KYeHGDc

The Ewok Village is built up around 4 trees and suspended in the canopy. There is so much brown and green that anyone making landscapes should be interested. Most Lego Star Wars sets are really cool starships and speeders, and it is rare to get a diorama or landscape based build. The set has been designed to replicate all of your favorite scenes from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. From the capture of Luke, Han, Chewbacca and Leia to the false worship of C3PO. Lego has even included details to help replicate the celebration after the Death Star is destroyed, for instance a set of drums made of recycled Stormtrooper helmets.

Hopefully more of these massive set pieces are coming in the future.

Lego City: Undercover

If you happen to be one of the lucky few people out there to own a WiiU, Lego City: Undercover is considered one of the best games available. It has been 8 years since TT Games first released Lego Star Wars and many people think that the formula is wearing thin. The co-op action-adventure game does many things right, but the same complaints (wonky camera, bad AI, etc.) have haunted the series for years. And, although these complaints are valid, overall the Lego series of video games are some of the most charming available.

TT Games and TT Fusion surprised many people by creating an open world action-adventure game. Lego City: Undercover is a breath of fresh air. It has successfully merged the gameplay of more adult titles such as Grand Theft Auto into a more friendly package. It is also rare to see a Lego game not based on a licensed property, and this may be the first video game to do one of the core Lego themes justice. Lego City has never been this interesting before.

Check out this surprising review from GameTrailers: http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/q0a4go/lego-city-undercover-review

Lego Star Trek: Resistance Is Futile

“We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.” — Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: Into Darkness is looking like a great film, possibly with the most realistic lens flare ever. And, although everybody’s favorite Klingons are rumored to be in the film, everybody’s second favorite villains are missing… the Borg. They are coming soon, resistance is futile.

Halfbeak, of Flickr, created Resistance is Futile. The greebling technique here is used to full effect, rendering the Borg Cube in frightening detail. In all that mess can you spot the clockwork key? Then, by creating a mini build of the Starship Enterprise the illusion of a gigantic Cube is enforced. Using a white Lego minifig torso for the body of the Enterprise is genius, and solves a lot of connection problems that arise when working at this scale.

Resistance is Futile: http://www.flickr.com/photos/halfbeak/7306132044/

I Choose You Charizard!

Pokémon Red and Blue had the best starting Pokémon of all the games. Each one was memorable and interesting. Squirtle, a water turtle, who would evolve and have a cannon on its back. Bulbasaur, a grass monster, who would end up with a giant poisonous flower growing out of it. And Charmander, a baby fire dragon. Although no poison flower or cannon, Charizard was a dragon, which means he is the best. For many people, Charizard accompanied them all the way to the Elite Four. Who knows how and why Pikachu became the Pokémon mascot, Charizard eats Pikachus for breakfast.

Flickr user Retinence created Pokemon: Charizard MOC. Believe it or not Charizard is actually incomplete with a few minor details still being worked on. Go check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/retinence/8811179745/

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Robo Baggins.

Bag End

“Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bar, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a Hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

— The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Bag End is Bilbo’s Hobbit-hole from the Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings. It being located in Bagshot Row of Hobbiton. The desire of all the Shire, or at least the Sackville-Bagginses. With the notable green door, and immaculate garden kept by Samwise Gamgee. Bag End may be the most innocent location in all of Middle Earth.

Lego did a great job with their official set, offering just the right amount of detail to feel complete on its own. Bag End is one of the best Lego sets currently available. When built the whole thing inspires people to add to the set. It can easily be expanded upon, and in this case expanded out.

LBaixinho, of Flickr, built this expanded Bag End. With the exception of the larger tree, and crooked fence, the actual Hobbit-Hole is straight from Lego’s set. What LBaixinho did, was offer up a more complete version of Bagshot Row. Filling in a front yard full of vegetables, flowers, roads and paths. Even Gandalf is stopping by, maybe getting ready to set up an Unexpected Gathering.

Check out Bag End and all the little details at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lbaixinho/8729382132/