Barad-Dûr, seat of Sauron’s power, is known more by reputation than by first-hand accounts in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien describes it as “wall upon wall, battlement upon battlement, black, immeasurably strong, mountain of iron, gate of steel, tower of adamant.” Peter Jackson’s films made Barad-Dûr an iconic on-screen presence with the fiery eye watching all from atop the tallest tower. It was that version that LEGO adapted for last year’s massive Icons set. For Jae Min Lee, a Korean fantasty builder who goes by the handle Saint, the official set didn’t match the picture of Barad-Dûr in his imagination. For over a year, Saint iterated on his vision of Sauron’s stronghold with the latest version debuting just in time for Korea Brick Party 2025. Saint was kind enough to talk with us about his LEGO journey into Mordor. TBB: Your version of Barad-Dûr is incredible in size and detail....

Following this year’s excellent Arkham Asylum set and Batman Forever Batmobile, the Dark Knight continues his hot streak as LEGO announces four new Batman sets releasing on March 1, 2026. The sets draw on different eras of the Batman movie franchise and connect to the LEGO Batman – Legacy of the Dark Knight video game, with each set containing an unlock code for an exclusive golden variant in-game. First, a Batman Logo offers a greeble-covered take on the iconic Batman (1989) design, and includes a bonus golden Batman minifig. The other sets are branded as part of the Legendary Batmobile Collection and feature the car and costumes featured in Batman v. Superman, The Batman, and Batman & Robin, the latter making its LEGO debut. The Batmobiles are scaled and detailed similarly to Speed Champion sets, although they aren’t associated with that line. Designed with display in mind, they lack play features...

Our friends at Umbasa LUG host monthly challenges focused on minifigs and dark fantasy. For September, the community tried something a little different, challenging builders to create not just characters but a brick-built vignette of between 10-16 studs on each side. The Brothers Brick sponsored this month’s contest, providing a copy of Windmill Village Hut to the winner. And without further ado, we’re excited to reveal that the winner is… blocksofmocs! Of the winner, Umbasa LUG organizer jdm_bricks said: “We decided that with such a small build, blocksofmocs was able to pack in such an impressive amount of character and detail, that it just had to be put on top. Highlights for us were the whimsical aesthetic, the very lively classic color pallet, the cohesive pirate crew, and the lovely shaping of the boat and waves.” Congratulations to blocksofmocs, and thank you to all the other amazing builders who participated. pickybrickster...

There are few subjects I enjoy seeing in LEGO as much as trees, from the single-mold pine trees in vintage sets to the enormous redwoods of Sequoia Tree Trail. I never cease to be amazed by the creative ways that AFOLs find to make decidedly organic branches and bark out of plastic bricks. At Skærbæk fan weekend, a pair of builds from Finnish builder Niina L show just how evocative a LEGO tree can be. First up is this incredible iron tree with a greeble trunk sitting atop a pile of tires and surrounded by blood-red water. It’s a glimpse of a dystopian world where green has been all but forgotten. A lone sprouting branch offers hope in this dead world. A second build also showcases Niina’s incredible talent for creating organic forms from irregular parts. This time the trunk incorporates incorporates a mix of Bionicle, constraction, and System parts in brown. The...

LEGO might not have released a stand-alone Space theme since 2013’s Galaxy Squad, but the spirit of space exploration lives on as a sub-theme of City. Two years of great sets have introduced new uniforms, personal mechs, and swooshable ships with an aesthetic closer to Interstellar than retro sci-fi. At last month’s IDS Brickworld, long-time collaborators and Rogue Bricks membrers Michael Diermann and Sascha Brüning debuted a sprawling tribute to the City Space called “Mission on Thalora Prime.” The builders adhere to the aesthetics of the line, from the nougat earth to the modular building style to the alien shrubbery, while expanding in scope and variety. The arid alien landscape is wonderfully done and provides a fun foundation for an aerial walkway to the radar module. LEGO 60430 Interstellar Spaceship has never looked better than here, with hangars to hold a squadron. Michael, aka Boba-1980, shares a video from the event on his...