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...

Some builders bring MOCs to Skaerbaek Fan Weekend. Others arrive with swaps, badges, or small gifts tucked into their bags for trading with friends. And then, every so often, someone brings an experience that becomes part of the shared memory of the weekend. Jason Briscoe, known to many as Skaerbaek’s unofficial “King of Merch,” has spent years contributing to that side of the event’s culture. This year, his contribution didn’t come in a custom kit or a display case, but inside a glowing capsule prize machine that drew crowds, lovers of chance, and more than a few raised eyebrows. This is the story of how it came to be, as told by Jason… “These are the capsules you’re looking for…” In the dusty corner of a bustling intergalactic bazaar, a peculiar creature stood out among the gleaming stalls of exotic wares. It was a creature of stoic beauty, with fur that...

There are many unofficial “LUGs” (LEGO User Groups) that AFOLs have made up just for the fun of it. Whether it’s SausageLUG, TIKILUG, DaveLUG, SORTLUG, or any number of niche-focused groups, these “LUGs” are a fun way to connect AFOLs with similar interests. Among these unofficial LUGs stands one that is arguably the greatest of all time: GOATLUG. Current GOATLUG logo. Created by: @backlotbricks GOATLUG was created by Krys Van Rheen, Jennifer Nogle, and Karla, and it officially went live on Facebook on August 23, 2023. Since then, it has grown rapidly, gaining followers on Facebook and Instagram—numbers that continue to climb as word of GOATLUG spreads. The private group generates a lot of activity, hosting posts that range from adorable goat pictures and videos to LEGO goat memes, merch ideas, and even 3D-printed goat models. The unofficial LUG is a celebration of everything goat-related, and the enthusiasm makes it clear...

In my last article, I covered my best tips and advice to become a better builder by learning new techniques, receiving constructive criticism, and joining a LEGO community. If you recall from ‘My Story,’ part of my motivation to get better was to catch up to my friends who seemed to “effortlessly” win or be nominated for awards at LEGO fan conventions. Some example awards from Bricks LA 2018 So naturally, after my experience at more than twenty LEGO conventions, I’ve thought a lot about how to approach awards and interpret my (and others’) convention performance. I hope to pass down a helpful thing or two, as this is my purely pragmatic advice on how to win awards. But before we get there, we have to get one thing straight… The Nature of Awards Ask 100 AFOLs about their thoughts about awards and you’ll get 100 different answers. Some think they’re...