This exciting fiery scene is brought to you by the LEGO Rivendell 10316 set; or rather Roland Buzai’s disinterest in buying it. Its admittedly hefty price tag is prohibitive for a lot of builders plus, Roland tells us, is not a favorite scene for Lord of the Rings fans. He’d rather spend the money on a Balrog set, which doesn’t exist, so instead he constructed his own totally badass Balrog diorama complete with copious flames and four LEGO LED lights built into the base. You hear that, LEGO? Your inability to produce a Balrog set has caused someone to come up with an amazingly creative solution. Wait, that’s not a valid argument. Nevermind! It turns out legions of dedicated Lord of the Rings fans have taken matters into their own very creative and very capable hands. Click the link to see what I mean. The post Instead of Rivendell, why not...

I don’t know why but I’ve had a thing for little abodes lately. This LEGO cottage built by Erek Weidner is a little slice of perfection. You have an apple tree, a wee French Bulldog, a shiny red Vespa, and a tiny cottage to call your own. The butterflies, ladybugs, and squirrels are just icing on the cozy perfection cake. What else do you need, really? I imagine a good strong Wi-Fi connection would make this place perfect. The lawn is a little bit unruly but I think the sheep will have that settled pretty soon. The post A cottage and a Vespa to call your own appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Lino

If you’ve been eyeballing the new 4,000-piece LEGO Batcave but don’t have a spare $400 to drop on a superhero shadowbox, you could take a cue from Ids de Jong and go small. This awesome microscale recreation riffs on one of LEGO’s official lifestyle images of the Batcave displayed on a mantle, but this tiny version is 100% brick-built, including the background. The whole Batcave is only a handful of pieces but still has an instantly recognizable bat emblem. The post We’ve gotta build a bigger Batcave! appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Chris (TBB Managing Editor)

When considering what LEGO creation to write about there were the usual offerings of a cool spaceship, castle diorama, Star Wars something or other…and a pretty mustachioed man vacuuming. Then I was like; hell yeah, this is the one I want to write about! Upon closer inspection, I realized this little scene built by Mark van der Maarel looked a bit familiar and recalled that it depicts the Queen video for their song “I Want to Break Free”, showcasing the entire band in drag. Freddy looks particularly ravishing in a pink top, heels, and a short skirt as he sings about how he’d like to be free from a toxic relationship. We’ve all been there, right? I mean the toxic relationship part. Also the vacuuming in heels part. I mean seriously, I’m like two bags of female-packaged M&Ms, a bag of Cracker Jills (not Cracker Jacks), and a Bud Light away...

This excellent LEGO insect built by Duncan Lindbo is one of my most favorite fan builds in recent history. Set atop an enlarged computer chip, it totally sells the idea that this is some sort of cyber bug. It even has a realistic name: “Cyberoptera Digitalis”. But apart from simply looking cool, it utilizes some awesome part techniques such as 3-pointed “rock crystals” for eyes, crowbars for feet, a screwdriver for a proboscis, and Uruk-hai swords for wing-tips. Speaking of wings, they even articulate and fan out! If you like this, check out some more awesome models by Duncan Lindbo, as well as all sorts of cyber creations. And don’t forget the insect builds well you’re at it! The post Who knew a computer bug could be a good thing? appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Bre Burns

LEGO has unveiled 76252 Batcave Shadowbox today, a 3981-piece Batcave-in-a-box loaded with features, light bricks, and a tricked-out Batmobile build. It goes on sale with VIP early access on June 5th and broad availability on June 8th for US $399.99 | CAN $519.99 | UK £344.99. Here’s the set description from LEGO: Adult enthusiasts can recreate the iconic Batcave from 1992’s Batman Returns movie with the LEGO® DC Batman Batcave – Shadow Box (76252). This 3,981-piece tableau incorporates movable items, minifigures and a feature-rich Batmobile to produce a detailed and dynamic display piece that will captivate all who see it. Batman drama in a display case Measuring over 20 in. (51 cm) wide, this Batcave tableau contains an assortment of authentic details, including movable items that can be controlled from the rear. Users can turn the chair, change the computer screen and open and close the tool store and illuminated Batsuit...

This LEGO Speed Champions space-ification by EricTheSkeleton is giving me some serious “2013” vibes. For it was a decade ago that we were introduced to GARC, or the Galactic Asteroid Rally Circuit. And while Eric’s terrific speedsters are more “circuit” than “rally,” they still leave me pining for the golden age of LEGO space racing. With all the recent Speed Champions options out there now, maybe it’s time for a comeback… The post Does a checkered flag even wave in space? appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

Built for a local LUG (LEGO Users Group) challenge in the theme of postcards, this miniature scene by Dale Harris looks like a tribute to all things fantasy, from the castle by the water to the swooping dragon… I guess we can see where the town gets its name. The dragon is nicely detailed for such a small build, and that uncommon red binoculars make an interesting snout. Let’s hope the dragon is friendly, or that castle will melt faster than Harranhall from Game of Thrones. The post When you get to Dragonkeep, drop me a postcard appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

If you couldn’t tell from the title, this LEGO castle masterpiece by Ben Hauger has got angles going every which way! The rockwork is terrific – a base of dark gray slopes conveying all kinds of craggy goodness. Yet the twisty vines laid out atop all those slopes are the real treat. Using chains of dark brown droid arms and assorted verdant bits in olive green, Ben laces his build’s foundation with a glorious bit of greenery. But for a more man-made angle, check out the beams supporting the right jetty. Those thick logs of LEGO lumber add a level of architectural realism to the creation, while showcasing a brilliant technique that I’m going to have to try myself. Finally, taking a look at the build from a different angle, the full design of the main tower comes into view. Instead of relying on the simple, 45° look common to brick...

This mech suit by dicken liu has a few excellent part usage of note. The head of this domed bot is from the Star Wars buildable planet Death Star, and the super laser makes a perfect eye. But that’s not the only spherical part… the Minifig-sized gyro sphere from Jurrasic World forms the outer cover for a tiny rotund pilot. The post Chonky mech for a chonky pilot appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel