If there’s one thing we at TBB never get tired of, it’s castles. The LEGO community never fails at using both innovative and tried-and-true techniques to bring castle walls to life, and this build by JakobKaiserMOCs (“Gothic: Twilight – Greenmire Gate”) is no exception. The first thing that drew my eye was the stunning vaulted arch that serves as the entryway, made from curved stacks of 1×1 round bricks set on top of microfigs to suggest carved figures in the stone. Another standout feature is the lovely set of windows along the gallery on the left, with some 1×1 studs providing an effective accent. It’s worth trudging across that dodgy-looking pond (itself worth a good look) just to get a better view. The post What awaits you beyond Greenmire Gate? appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Ryan Kunz

Kids. They grow up so fast. One day they’re playing with LEGO and coloring books, the next they’re asking hard questions like, “Dad, why is our family different? Why do we wear these cardboard robot suits?” Builder duo Les Foutch‘s charming scene captures a moment between father and son that is both silly and heartwarming. Les Foutch were inspired by the cardboard robot from Collectible Minifigures Series 23, seen here bound inside the family album. The builders do an admirable job enlarging the retro robot costume for father and son, recreating details at two different scales. The child’s bedroom is wonderfully detailed with matching furniture and storage solutions that look like they could have come from Ikea, and shelves packed with everything a child could need, like Star Wars microbuild vehicles. This scene was displayed by Les Foutch, members of Canadian QuéLUG, at last month’s Exposition Deux tonnes de briques. Looks...

The right minifigs can elevate a build by making a scene come alive, suggesting a story much bigger than the LEGO model on display. The motley crew of pirates assembled by Bryckland have clearly seen their fair share of action, gaining infamy for their raids, but no shortage of glory too with close-calls and daring adventure too, I’d wager. Bryckland’s longship is a wonderful design, with a hull made of horns and rounded Technic elements, invoking ancient reed boats. Considering the sails are made from Hungarian Horntail wings, perhaps the hull is made of dragonbone or some other fantastical substance. The diorama is elevated by the patch of roiling blue sea.  Where will this voyage end? Perhaps with a little pillaging at one of Bryckland’s past ports of call. The post Steer clear of these surly Sea Raiders appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jake Forbes

There are no shades of grey on the battlefield of chess — only black and white. Builder Herbert Lee explores that stark contrast with a pair of opposing pieces that are as commanding as they are elegant. The White Queen is almost entirely monochrome, with only black contrast for the eyes and hidden mixel joints to allow for regal posing. Herbert mixes soft, rounded parts for the queen’s dress with sharp horns and egg shells that should make you think twice before accepting her gambit. The Black King is no slouch waiting for his knights and rooks to keep him out of check. Armed with a jagged sword and Kylo Ren’s chiseled abs, he looks ready to pwn a few pawns. I appreciate the asymmetry introduced by a single metallic grey Bionicle chest piece as a pauldron. Seeing these two pieces, I can’t help but imagine a full board of such...

Batman has always been a bit of a rōnin at heart: a masterless warrior honor-bound to protecting people. So it makes sense that a fusion between Caped Crusader and samurai (and LEGO) would be supremely satisfying. It’s not the first time Batman and feudal Japan have come together (if you haven’t seen the anime Batman Ninja, it’s a odd mash-up), but this build by Dad’s Bricks (Joe) at Japan’s Brickfest is just plain awesome. Every aspect of the Batsuit makes an appearance, from the blades on his arms (now the samurai’s vambraces) to the ears on his cowl (now the helmet crest). I don’t know what the Japanese term is for “whoa,” but now I might have to learn it. The post This awesome Batman is a little far from Gotham City appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Ryan Kunz

Construction vehicles come in many shapes and sizes in the real world, but I’ve never seen one, LEGO or otherwise, in the shape of a cube until now. This boxy mech by SweStar looks like a cross between Ghost in the Shell and Super Mario. I love how the piston legs feel like they could hold the weight, although the sidewalk and street may not survive intact. Hopefully there is enough room inside for a mini-fridge. The post This LEGO construction mech is square, and that is OK appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

While I was more a Magic: the Gathering fan growing up, I was certainly aware of the trading card phenomenon known as Yu-Gi-Oh. And to see such an excellent recreation of characters/cards from the TV show in this LEGO build by mc tung takes me back to the early 2000’s, for sure. Featuring (from left to right) Swords of Revealing Light, Dark Magician Girl, Kuriboh, Dark Magician, and Blue Eyes White Dragon, these five iconic cards from the show and game stand before Yugi Mutou, wielder of this special deck of cards. Each of the figures are an outstanding creation on their own, and as a sextet are instantly recognizable. I especially like all the detail put into Yugi’s crazy hair and the billowing cape behind him. He’s even rocking his magical Millenium Puzzle and standard-issue Duel Disk. The post “My grandfather’s deck has no pathetic cards, Kaiba” appeared first on...

With the new alien movie coming to theaters this summer, the offspring of sci-fi’s scariest endoparasite is back. An endoparasite is defined as a creature that lives or is born inside another animal, like the appropriately named chest-burster built in LEGO by VelociJACKtor wrapped around some poor soul’s heart. Small gears make the perfect set of teeth, while a curved white shoulder piece from the buildable Obi-Wan figure forms the iconic rounded forehead. I can almost hear the squelching…. The post In space, no one can hear your heart break appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

’80s animated film The Last Unicorn is a true gem. Like the best fantasy films of that era, it can be scary, sad, romantic, and haunting in a way that kid flicks since rarely aspire to. Also, the theme song slaps. One fan caught under the film’s spell is LEGO builder Gino Lohse who pays tribute with a mesmerizing triptych poster. The central panel mirrors the original movie poster with the terrifying red bull menacing the eponymous unicorn. I’m impressed by Gino’s use of bold colors, layered plates, and flame shafts to create the burning intensity of the bull. And the typography of the title perfectly matches the iconic font. The ensemble of characters on the left is equally accomplished, especially King Haggard with those piercing blue eyes and wispy hair made from feathers. The castle on the right looks simpler at first glance, but features some very clever use of...

Some of the magic of Dicken Liu’s LEGO work is his ability to capture speed even when his creation is standing still. This is the case with this biomechanical leopard; the tail, the curvature of the back, and the purposeful gaze all leads me to believe that some serious business is about to go down. Someone or something is about to be destroyed and maybe even made into lunch. Do biomechanical animals eat? It’s a question I’d rather not find out, thank you very much! The post The fast and the furious appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Lino