As long as there have been stories, there have been villains. And as long as there have been villains, there are some who can be called truly iconic. Villains that stick with us. Villains that stand the test of time. Dracula. Darth Vader. And Sauron. Whether in his human form or in the form of the eye, the central villain from The Lord of the Rings has become one of the most recognizable villains in history. As such, when LEGO announced 11373 The Lord of the Rings: Sauron’s Helmet, it felt like a perfect fit for growing the LEGO helmet collection. When BrickNerd was offered an early copy of the set, I was excited for a couple of reasons. For starters, I haven’t had a chance to get 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr, so this set provides another opportunity to acquire the stunning Sauron figure. While the minifigure is...

LEGO has dropped a new documentary called Building the LEGO Dream that showcases five fan designers who became LEGO designers. It’s 46 minutes long and there’s also a behind the scenes short as well as a director interview with Ethan Vincent. Unfortunately, yhe documentary is not hosted on YouTube but you can watch it on the LEGO Shop in the link above. • Josh Bretz – BTS Dynamite (21339)• Ivan Guerrero – Sesame Street (21324), Family Tree (21346), Cosmic Cardboard Adventures (40533)• Thomas Lajon – BrickLink Designer Program Series 3 Lost City, The Orient Express Train (21344)• Sandro Quattrini – Motorised Lighthouse (21335)• Alex Storozhuk – Home Alone (21330) Building the LEGO® Dream What is it like to be a LEGO® designer? How do you become one? Building the LEGO® Dream follows five people from different walks of life and different corners of the planet as they answer those questions and...

Today’s guest article comes from Koen Van Der Hoeven, who is a data and LEGO architecture fan located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. You can find more of his writing on Brick Architect. LEGO and Modern Architecture In my last article, we explored the direction we are seeing with architecture-based sets making their way into other themes, such as Icons and Ideas. In this article, we will explore a perfect example of this as LEGO expands their definition of “Architecture” through 21354 Twilight: The Cullen House, or as I will refer to it moving forward, 21354 Hoke House. We will look at how the 2007 modernist and contemporary Hoke House situated in Portland, Oregon, exemplifies modern architecture and how this translates to LEGO form, while in parallel, touching upon the role that architecture can play in creating long-lasting imagery in pop culture history.  What Is the Hoke...

The Pokemon 30th Anniversary is next week and it is also the official release date of the LEGO Pokemon sets. As we know by now, there are three sets that you can purchase as well as a gift with purchase set and a LEGO Insiders reward item. At least they’re not as hard to get as the actual cards. Eevee (72151) and Pikachu and Poke Ball (72152) are still available for pre-order while the flagship Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise (72153) has stopped taking pre-orders. The latter should be available again on February 27. This also goes for the Kanto Region Badge Collection (40892) GWP which was intially available when pre-orders went up in January. The Mini Pokemon Center (40911) Insiders Reward will also drop on February 27 for 2,500 Insiders points. Although these are just the intial launch items for LEGO Pokemon, we should see sets release regularly in the upcoming...

Today’s guest article comes from Koen Van Der Hoeven, who is a data and LEGO architecture fan located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. You can find more of his writing on Brick Architect. What is Architecture? As you read this article, you may at times find yourself asking the following question, “What is Architecture?” IMage via FreePIk Architecture is a bit of everything. Architecture is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings, structures, and spaces that serve both functional and aesthetic purposes.   Architecture shapes the physical environment in which people live, work, and interact, blending creativity with practicality to create spaces that are not only functional but often visually compelling. Beyond surface level, architecture reflects societal values, technological advancements, and historical evolution, making it a dynamic discipline that bridges engineering, art, and human experience.  IMage via FreePik In a way, architecture represents the building blocks...