When tackling a subject as large as a city in LEGO, it’s best to bring things down to microscale. While you’re not able to capture every inhabitant, many of the metropolitan details can be preserved with clever part choices. That’s exactly what builder Toltomeja has done with the city of Kraków. Let’s take a tour of their tiny city, and explore all the sights within. We see the main square of Kraków above, centered on Cloth Hall. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this central feature of the city dates back to the Renaissance. Brilliantly captured here using vertical grille tiles to represent its many arches, the structure really stands out in the middle of the paved square. From a different angle below, we can see St. Mary’s Basilica, clad in brown and black. Its Gothic towers, sitting at uneven heights at the front of the church, are capped here with a...

According to their most recent press release, the LEGO Group’s revenue for the first half of 2023 is up only 1% over the same period in 2022. Similarly, consumer sales grew by 3% compared to that same period last year. And while a positive number is definitely better than a negative one, this rate of expansion pales in comparison to the stats thrown up over the last three years by TLG (revenue was up 17% for the first half of 2022, for example). However, amid a shrinking toy market, these numbers are outstanding when compared to their peers. And in that hostile environment, TLG managed to further grow its market share over this period. CEO Niels B Christiansen remains undeterred by the slowdown: “Our strong financial position allows us to invest for the long term, particularly in areas such as digital, sustainability and manufacturing. Overall, our performance is in line with...

French retailer Fnac have given us an early glimpse of the next LEGO Ideas set: 21343 Viking Village. The original Ideas submission by user Brickhammer did reach the magic 10,000 supporters number, but didn’t make it past the reveiw stage. However, last year it was part of a vote conducted between LEGO and US retailer Target to bring back one of these sets. The submission will finally see the light of day over 3 years after its original submission. With 2,103 pieces and four minifigures, the set is expected to hit Fnac’s shelves on October 1st, for an estimated US $139.99 | CAN $TBD | UK £TBD. 21343 Viking Village | 2,103 pieces | Available October 1 | US $139.99 | CAN $TBD | UK £TBD Here are some of the main highlights of the set: The set features 2,103 pieces, and four minifigures are included: a blacksmith, a Viking chieftain,...

For most of us, The Sound of Autumn can be leaves rustling in the wind and then blowing down the street as they fall from the trees. Where LEGO builder Vincent Kiew is from The Sound of Autumn apparently involves a panda playing the violin on a dock. I’d like to hear what that sounds like, actually. To me, it’s far more exotic than the usual rustling of autumn leaves, and even the most audacious Pumpkin Spice Latte order at Starbucks. Check out our archives to see why we think Vincent Kiew is music to our ears. The post A panda playing a violin on a dock appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Lino

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 4th week of August 2023.TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS We may not have had much news coverage from big themes recently, but we still had some juicy news, including the announcement about the new LEGO loyalty program which will make it much easier for customers to access their rewards from a single log-in. We also covered the latest LEGO Ideas set: Insects, which looks like an awesome set. More Marvel collectible minifigures were announced, and braille bricks, to bring LEGO fun to visually impaired fans. We also took off for an amazing feature about the LEGO airplane sets based on real aircraft. While you’re catching up on LEGO news and reviews, be sure to check out our last Brick...

With fall quickly approaching for the northern hemisphere, it’s time to start thinking about those holiday LEGO sets. One of the first coming out in the wave for 2023 is 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, featuring a wealth of customizable looks on the basic anthropomorphic cookie pattern. But will these constructible confections lead to some delicious creations, or are they only half-baked? Composed of 190 pieces, 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments will be available in the UK starting on September 1, with the US and Canada having to wait until October 1. The set will retail for US $12.99 | CAN $16.99 | UK £10.99. The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews. The box and contents Sporting a green stripe on one end, the festive box features three cookies on its front, amid a background...

Introducing the DSV Hardshell, the latest in undersea exploration by Slick_Brick. This amazing submersible glides silently through the ocean with flipper-style propulsion and steering, allowing you to roam the reefs without frightening away its aquatic inhabitants. The extra wide windscreen allows for unobstructed views in nearly all directions while keeping you safe from electric jellyfish and any sharks who might be lurking nearby. The post Go swimming without getting a drop on you appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Norm Harper

Before we get going with the article, please know that this isn’t going to be your typical review. In large part, that’s because 40656 Braille Bricks isn’t your typical set. There’s no model to build here, and the parts aren’t intended for imaginative exploration like Classic sets. Instead, this is an educational item, designed for targeted learning rather than invention. Let’s discover together what we can learn from LEGO’s latest offering, hitting store shelves on September 1, 2023. 40656 Braille Bricks will retail for US $89.99 | CAN $119.99 | UK £79.99. The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews. A quick history lesson Technically, a similar product to this has been available since 2020, though not directly through LEGO. A larger version of this set, packaged similar to LEGO Education sets,...

A couple of weeks ago, LEGO unveiled 10318 Concorde as the next Icons set. I’ve always admired Concorde, so I’m really excited about this one. In part because it looks gorgeous, but also because it falls into a nice small category of LEGO sets: those based on real planes! Aircraft have of course featured hundreds of times in LEGO sets of varying sizes. But the number based on actual, real-world aircraft is much smaller, which makes it more manageable for things like feature articles on LEGO fan blogs. So, with the help of TBB’s resident expert plane modeller Ralph Savelsberg, let’s take a look at LEGO’s affiliation with planes! Now before we start, let’s establish some (completely arbitrary) rules. I’m going to use terms like aircraft and planes fairly loosely here, but to be clear, we’re talking about aeroplanes! So two wings, designed for atmospheric flight, and either propellor or jet-driven....

LEGO builder Hannes Tscharner (aka Marshal Banana) has reminded me of one of the hottest debates in sci-fi fandom, that being; what the heck is up with E.T.’s finger? I mean, seriously is it a Slim Jim with a lightbulb on the end or what? Also, having nothing to do with nerdy fanboys debating online is this awesome Star Wars replica of Han Solo’s blaster. The handsome DL-44 borrows design DNA from the Mauser C96 but added a scope and a bunch of other greebly bits including the “mystery disk”. What does the mystery disk do? It shoots mouthy Rodian bounty hunters right in the aedeagus, that’s what! This movie-accurate replica is 1:1 so you can hold it and practice your lovable scoundrel smile in the mirror. Isn’t that what we all do when not debating E.T.’s dubious finger? The post For the record, Han Solo shot first appeared first on...