For those of us who grew up with LEGO playsets,  there’s a charm to the mix of accessories, side builds, and play features that could turn a modest number of elements into endless possibilities. Clayton (sunroombricks) is one of a growing wave of builders who are leaning into retro aesthetics, and for this builder, Adventurers is the theme that continues to inspire. Clayton’s latest project is a remake of 5986 Amazon Ancient Ruins. All of the original play features are present, and then some. The build utilizes modern colors and elements while retaining classic LEGO design principles. Here you can see a hobbled together version of the original set that Clayton dug up to introduce to his kids. That molded base plate brings back memories! No Adventurers set is complete without booby traps, and Clayton expands on the traps from the original set. You can see videos of the traps on...

Nobody said that taking on an Empire would be easy. As stated in Karis Nemik’s manifesto: “The frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere, and even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.” On an unnamed forest planet, Bolim59 brings this truth to light as Rebel freedom-fighters play their part in slowing down the ever-growing oppressive Imperial regime. This appears to be a two-team sabotage mission, fronted by Rebels obviously dressed in the coolest Star Wars garb (seriously, the Battle-Ready Lucy headgear usage here is perfect), and a lightsaber-wielding Rebel that looks eerily similar to a former Jedi padawan we’ve seen before. Of course, no one should attempt the perfect heist alone. Bolim’s build is a collaboration with Jonas Gohlke (oblivion_builder) who builds another target, a data center, where Rebels are liberating details about Imperial shipments. Both builders are adept at creating unique Imperial architecture that expands on what’s been...

For over a decade, French AFOL Vincent Gachod (aka Vince Toulouse) has been turning heads with retro-futuristic vehicles that take advantage of the latest LEGO curves to blend tech with biological design. His latest design wonder is the C4-Owl, a ten-engine plane that is ready to soar in sand and dark blues. That distinctive cockpit uses corner windows from the Botanical Gardens and those 10 shiny chrome propellers hail from early aughts Jack Stone sets. I love the mix of retro whimsy, like the little bicycle wheel under the tailfin, and the two organic exhausts coming out of the rear fuselage. The design evokes one of Vincent’s spectacular convention builds from 2022, only that larger passenger plane used insect wings and antennae instead of 92 feathers. We interviewed Vincent back in 2017 about his distinctive deco style, which you can read here. The post Vince Toulouse takes flight with this owl-inspired...

Hi there, my name is Jan, username wooootles, and I am excited to contribute to The Brothers Brick for the first time! A short introduction: I am a huge fan of LEGO, and I tend to focus on MOCS- particularly LEGO City. I was fortunate to have LEGO as a kid, but my interest in the hobby really started to take off with the release of the first modulars: 10182 Café Corner and 10185 Green Grocer. My passion went into overdrive when I discovered Bricklink around the same time, just after getting my first paychecks as a working adult! I’ve built car and house MOCs, but I’ve really focused on building and honing my MOC skills in big apartments and modular-sized skyscrapers. Wasabi District, my city layout, has been the result of nearly a decade of slowly building a super modern-style City layout, something that I think is uncommon in the...

Henry Selick’s Coraline is an animated masterpiece that gets better with every viewing, scary and beautiful in equal measure. The young heroine’s design with her blue hair and yellow raincoat pops on the big screen and in LEGO courtesy of Kaylie (ohlego). The builder captures Coraline’s skeptical and childlike spirit with the offset mouth, and the asymmetrical hair. All she’s missing is some button eyes – then she can be happy forever! The post LEGO Coraline is cute as a button appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jake Forbes (TBB Managing Editor)

Predators and Aliens are both having a moment with Predator: Badlands, Predator: Killer of Killers, and Alien: Earth, each giving the sci-fi staples a jolt of creative energy. Of course, these two franchises never go out of style as inspiration for LEGO creators. Haru_bonks is the latest AFOL to tackle the movie monsters. The builder incorporates elements from Bionicle, Hero Factory, Knights Kingdom, and Technic alongside System details. The Predator’s head and shoulders are my favorite part of the build, packed with detail and excellent shaping. The Hero Factory insect mask for the Predator’s helmet is an inspired choice, as is a One Ring decoration on one of the locs. Of course a Predator this armed to the teeth needs something to hunt… Haru_bonks also made his mark on one of the LEGO world’s most popular creature designs – the Alien Xenomorph. Even after so many fan models, haru finds ways...

It’s been far too long since we’ve spotlighted a build by Ayrlego, an Australian AFOL specializing in historical builds that span centuries and cultures. It’s been a while since Ayrlego has shared a larger build, but he’s back as part of “Brethren of the Brick Seas” role-play setting hosted by Eurobricks. The challenge for this chapter was “Homecoming,” and here Ayrlego shows the estate of Basil Vatatzes. The sunbaked bricks and terra cotta roof create modest grandeur where one can easily imagine fields of olive trees and ancient grape vines on the noble’s lands. Wands on their sprues create detailed railings, while a judicious use of SNOT techniques allows for elegant tilework around the windows. Here we see a closeup of the estate’s owner. As the build is part of a role-playing challenge, of course, Ayrlego comes with excellent lore: Widowed in his earlier years, Basil raised two sons who have...

Star Trek, the final frontier of fandom, is coming at last to LEGO this month with the Black Friday release of LEGO Icons  10356 U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 3,600 piece set is designed by Hans B. Schlömer (no stranger to big ships, having also designed the Millennium Falcon and Endeavor) with graphic design by Crystal Marie Fontan, who wonderfully captures the look of the crew across the 9 included minifigures. The massive display set features one play feature – a removable saucer section. When the set goes on sale on Black Friday, November 28, it comes with a Gift With Purchase of the Shuttlepod Onizuka and exclusive minig Ensign Ro. Photos of the set leaked months before today’s reveal, but what didn’t come across was how substantial the set is (see some of the lifestyle pictures below to better appreciate the scale). We’re also thrilled...

Drawing on Japanese Mythology, pickybrickster shares a beautifully constructed Tengu temple high above the clouds with a gripping backstory. The various techniques used to build the rock foundation and the surrounding clouds work really well together, especially highlighting the smoothness of the clouds in contrast with the jagged rocks. With a story as wonderful and intriguing as the build itself, he writes: On the highest mountain peaks, far beyond human reach and well above the clouds, dwell the mighty tengu. A lone samurai ghost has come to this mythical place to seek his revenge, for he could not reach it while he was still alive. The tengu took his family, and now he hunts them down — this is a story destined to become a legend. The post The Tengu Temple above the Clouds appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jarrett Gercken

This coming January marks 15 years since LEGO introduced Ninjago, and to celebrate, LEGO is planning a year of surprises, starting with a set honoring the very beginning of the Ninjago story.  We had the chance to go hands-on with 71858 Four Weapons Blacksmith in Billund, and it’s a remarkable set with broad appeal. For longtime Ninjago fans, the nostalgia factor is high as the set recreates the opening of the animated series’ pilot episode and features beloved characters as they first appeared. For fans of Asian architecture, it’s an attractive and detailed model that looks good from all angles. There’s a sophistication to the set that evokes the MOC in the way that few official sets do. After a year of so many enormous sets with large space demands, it’s great to see LEGO starting out 2026 with sets like this one and the Iron Man Mark 3 that offer...