Episode 849

Read the comic here.

LEGO Stained Glass Octopus

Ever have one of those ideas you just *have* to get out?
I was inspired to build something like this on December 22nd - took a couple of days to design it, and put the final bricks in place this morning.

Click on through for higher res and other angles.

Episode 848

Read the comic here.

I tend to forget how passionate Donut is about his cooking...and then he'll remind me with a bit of dialog. Or, in this case, his suddenly serious expression in the last panel.

And, yes, Santa has a chicken leg, not Chili. He had the chili earlier. :P

Episode 847

Read the comic here.

Episode 846

Read the comic here.

Episode 845

Read the comic here.

And now you know why I went out of my way to keep from naming some of this year's advent characters.

Obscured by the word balloons is Hef, who I envision as that creepy guy at parties who just hovers and listens in on what really should be private conversations.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Episode 844

Read the comic here.

Be sure to check back tomorrow; there's a special gift for many of you regular posters.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 24

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 24


Treasure Chest and Pirate Booty

After yesterday's dip into evil, I wasn't sure what to expect behind the final door of the 2009 Pirate Advent Calendar. Severed LEGO Monkey heads? The rest of the skeleton from Day 23? A still-warm LEGO heart?

No, instead they gave us the alleged root of ALL evil: Money.

A treasure chest filled with Pirate Booty - a nice selection of Transparent Gems and a lump of gold ore. It sure beats the lumps of coal Santa should have brought these naughty pirates!

But for a grand finale of the Advent Calendar...this is still pretty weak. They could at least have thrown in some gold LEGO coins.

So. Time to wrap up this year's Advent Madness.

How did LEGO do with this limited-release Pirate Themed calendar?

Well, I doubt anyone will complain that it wasn't Pirate-themed enough. From Brickbeard the Pirate Captain to the lovely Mermaid Lass, LEGO found enough swag to fill the calendar.

The problem was that some of the swag was pretty weak. Consider day 10's "Barrel of Crap" and day 20's "barrel and oar": hardly impressive hauls. Considering the difficulty of getting one of these calendars and their already-high price point, I found myself going "is that it?" more than once.

On the flip side, there were some impressive mini-figures to be had. The Pirate Lass, the Castaway, the Mermaid...all had to find figures with quality decoration and accessories. (Provided you're willing to count the mermaid's tail as an accessory, anyway.)

In my role as "grumpy old man who talks about LEGO", I tally this year's calendar up as follows:

Excellent Days: 7, 11, 14
Good Days: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 21
Okay Days: 3, 15, 17, 19, 23, 24
Weak Days: 8, 16, 18, 22
Crap Days: 10, 20

Giving the overall calendar an average of +7, a solid mark higher than just "okay". That puts this year's Pirate theme firmly in the WIN column.

Way to go LEGO! That's 2-for-2 on this year's calendars!

Will we see another Pirate adventure in 2010? Will we return to the Castle universe? Or will we take a dive and explore Atlantis next winter? Or maybe...just maybe...will we explore SPACE?

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to finding out!

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

Episode 843

Read the comic here.

There's one last bonus strip for the year - it'll be up later today.

Today's set marks the return of a very old one - the interior of the original Brick House! Just perfect for holiday entertaining.

Whiskey's sweater is actually the torso from the Shark Warrior from the new Atlantis sets. It's a pretty cool pattern.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 24

CITY Advent: Day 24


Chimney, Stockings and SANTA!

Wow.

They did it. LEGO actually pulled off a CITY advent calendar that didn't suck. I'm stunned.

And happy.

Oh, sure, there was that weirdness with the cop sub-theme early on. And the Janitor was kind of iffy. But overall the full calendar worked together to create a nice little pile of holiday mini-sets.

What really sold me on the win this year was LEGO's decision to have Santa hiding behind the final door. We haven't seen Santa in a CITY advent since 2006 - and today's set is a nice upgrade to that year's offering.

Looking ahead, I haven't heard what LEGO has in mind for their 2010 Advent calendar(s). Will we see yet another CITY themed countdown?

Right now, I'm thinking that might not be so bad.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 23

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 23


Sinister Altar

I know it's a Pirate themed calendar and all, but...wow. This is a pretty evil looking mini-set.

I'm not sure why a disembodied skull is creepier than the full skeleton from yesterday. The setting certainly is a factor - and it leaves me wondering what the LEGO designer who put this mini-set together was thinking.

"I know! While all the kids are dreaming about the presents they're about to unwrap, let's remind them that there's a fun secret friend inside everyone! You just have to peel off the skin!"

Well...okay. He probably wasn't thinking that.

But now you are.

Happy Holidays.

Survey O' The Moment

Help settle an important question:

Poll: Fake particles that generate sleep are... (i.e. My dog is emitting and making me sleepy!) http://poll.fm/1fx2t

Episode 842

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 23

CITY Advent: Day 23


Christmas Tree

Day three of the Lumberjack theme - and the next to the last day of the CITY Advent calendar. We can pretty much expect something Christmas-y tomorrow - LEGO has yet to fumble an Advent calendar THAT badly - so today's mini-set is really the last of the possibly-screwy CITY themed items.

But...not this year. This year we get a satisfying end to the lumberjack theme with a very nice brickbuilt Christmas tree. The build isn't very complex, but the use of 1x1 rounds as ornaments works well. Plus, the trans-neon-green wand as the star is an inspired touch.

In America these days there's an ongoing debate if Christmas trees are "better" if they're natural or artificial. LEGO neatly bridges that gap by giving us a plastic tree that, in the LEGO world, is as natural as it gets.

Looking back, 2007's Advents both ended with Christmas trees. That we're seeing a tree today just might mean big things for tomorrow's door.

(And what of 2008? Well, that CITY advent ended with a snowman and snowball throwing kid. Which, you might recall, kicked off this year's calendar. It's a little bit of cyclic nonsense that I wish I had noticed earlier in the month!)

Only one more door to go. It's almost like Christmas eve! Except it isn't. It's actually Christmas Eve Eve. Which sounds kind of redundant, so I won't bring it up.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 22

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 22


Skeleton and Snake

He's an undead warrior from Davy Jones' locker with an appetite for human flesh. She's a slithering reptile from the depths of the amazon with a taste for Brie.

CAN THEY GET ALONG?

Episode 841

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 22

CITY Advent: Day 22


Lumberjack Supplies

Oh good! Yesterday's Stephen King moment was a false alarm! Turns out our Axe Wielding Maniac was just a friendly lumberjack!



And what possible Holiday Link could a lumberjack have?

Oh, please LEGO...let my guess about tomorrow's set be on the mark...

Toybox of FAIL: Thunder Charger

Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
-=-


Thunder Charger

Jing Zhiwei toys continues their run of LEGO knock-offs with a small helicopter model. A very familiar helicopter.

In fact, everything about this bootleg should be familiar to long-time FAIL readers. Why? Because other than a company name-change from BRICK, this set is identical to the one I reviewed back in March of 2009.

Take a look at the packaging:

The same part count. The same graphics. The same fonts. The same goofy log cabin in the background shot...

And remember the badly translated slogans?

Well, check out the top the new box...



"But what about the toy?" I hear you ask. "Surely it's a bit different!"

First the BRICK version:


and the latest:





Oh. Wait. They are different. And the Jing Zhiwei version is even crappier looking.

I would have passed up this review all together, but my photographer would have been mightily irked to have suffered through building and documenting this piece of crap for nothing. So now her suffering becomes yours.

You're welcome.

---======-----
As always, many thanks to Joe from The Undiscovered Playthings for sending me this set to review.

Photos of the Jing Zhiwei Thunder Charger are © 2009 Alyska Bailey Peterson /
PointyKitty Studios

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 21

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 21


SHARK! SAWFISH!

I'll admit it. When I first saw the box art for the Pirate Advent calendar I thought there was a slim chance we'd be getting one of the super-deluxe sharks from the Agents line.

I knew it probably wouldn't happen - there's no way LEGO could cram the larger shark into the standard Advent spot...but still, I hoped.

Today's door isn't a bad consolation prize, though. Sure, it's a "Sawfish" and not a shark, but this particular fish hasn't been seen since 2002, cast in black plastic in an Agents Alpha Team set. If you wanted things in a more nautical grey, you had to go all the way back to 1997 when it was a common feature in town Diver sets. With the color change from old-grey to new dark bley, this makes today's cretaure a one-of-a-kind accessory.

Sounds like a win to me.

Episode 840

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 21

CITY Advent: Day 21


Man with Axe

So on day three of the race theme we...hold on.

We're not due for a new mini-figure until tomorrow. So what's with the axe wielding maniac?

LEGO got their wires crossed! They were looking for holiday inspiration and ran across a family spending their winter alone in a hotel!

Buzzkill

I duplicated the swirl from Buzz's chin to his cheeks to mimic the SAW Puppet's decorations.

And, yes, that's Woody's leg.

Buzzkill time!

For those of you who don't recognize the image, check it out at IMDB, then go rent the film. It's one of the best horror movies of all time.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 20

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 20


Pirate Escape Pod

Oh, LEGO, how you toy with my Holiday Cheer.

Yesterday, you shocked and delighted me with a seemingly bonus minifigure. Today, you crush my spirits with a two-piece microset.

Oh, sure, it fits the overall Pirate theme. And both the oar and the wooden tub are uncommon parts.

But, come on. I paid how much to have this set shipped to me from the UK? And the best you can do, less than a week from Christmas Day, is two lousy pieces?

If anyone needs me, I'll be over in the corner, weeping quietly.

Episode 839

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 20

CITY Advent: Day 20


RC Car and Race Accessories

Day 20 of the CITY Advent - we've entered the home stretch. Other than the early stumble with the Police Barricade sub-theme LEGO has been doing a good job of making this year's calendar a fun holiday experience. I have to admit: I'm impressed.

Today's continuation of the RC Racer sub-theme is another quality entry, too. What's the fun of having a RC car if you don't have anyone to race against? Today's accessories work well with any of the previous day's characters to give yesterday's kid a bit of a challenge.

Sure, the parts are all fairly common and there's not a lot of building to be done...but sometimes you don't need either of those to make for a decent accessory pack.

I do wonder where LEGO will take things for day three, though...

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 19

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 19


Deckhand

As expected, today's door held nothing more than a few random bricks and...

...hold on.

That's a minifig.

But we just got Officer Grumpypants two days ago. We're not due for another person until at least tomorrow.

I was all set to bitch about another low quality micro set. Um. Okay. Let's try this again.





Um.



In an amazing twist, the Officer sub-theme ends with a criminal to put into yesterday's handcuffs!

Episode 838

Read the comic here.

Answering a comment from yesterday: Both of them got their wish. They're still alive.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 19

CITY Advent: Day 19


Child and RC Car

I've been pretty grouchy this year about any repeats from previous year's CITY Advent calendars. I've taken the stance that CITY is a big enough theme to showcase new things - that there's no reason to rehash the same models over and over again.

But today's set leaves me in a bit of a bind. It's clearly a repeat of a previous year's offerings...in 2005 we had a Kid and a RC race car. But in 2005 it took two days to get the kid and the car.
So today is clearly an improvement over 2005...but it's still a repeat.

Eh. I just can't be grinchy about this one. It's a kid and toys and that says "Holiday Theme" to me. I call today's gift a clear win.

Buzzkill time!

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 18

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 18


Weapons and a Rack to put 'em on

Today's set is another in the "sort of hit, sort of miss" pile for the Pirate Advent. It fits well as a follow-up door to yesterday's Officer Grumpypants. It has some decent accessories that you can even share out among the other Mini-figures from the calendar.

But...let's face it....the model itself is pretty darn weak. What good is a sword stand that requires you to grab the blade when you want to retrieve it?

Heck, it almost looks more like a little Steampunk robot than anything Pirate-y.

Now there's an idea. A Steampunk Advent.

Someone remind me to do that as a contest next November.

Episode 837

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 18

CITY Advent: Day 18


Fountain

It's another puzzle. Did LEGO abandon the "street sweeper" sub-theme or is there a way to work this fountain into the mix?

Considering the amount of winter-themed objects we've seen so far in this year's CITY Advent, the inclusion of a water feature seems really...odd. Everything else is frozen solid...but not this!

Maybe it's meant to be a fixture in a mall or something.

The model itself has the advantage of being something new and different from the Advent-verse, at least. Despite the fact I didn't manage to align the parts correctly in my photo, the building technique isn't bad. And the blue water "flame" is an uncommon color for that part.

This far into the calendar and LEGO can still surprise me. They've almost got me looking forward to discovering tomorrow's new theme.

LEGO Photo Review: 7592 - Construct-A-Buzz

7592 - Construct-A-Buzz
Click for more photos

I decided I wanted a giant Buzz head to go with my mini-fig scaled one. When I stopped by TRU this afternoon, they were in the process of marking up this set from $26.99 to $29.99. It looked like most of the Toy Story sets were getting price increases. (ANOTHER $3-$5 per set, over the already inflated prices!)

Oh, TRU, there's a reason I don't shop at your store 90% of the year. If it weren't for the addict in me needing these new sets ASAP, I'd rather give my money to any of your competitors.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 17

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 17


First Officer Grumpypants

Working with the LEGO Advent calendars every year, I've come to expect to see some familiar faces and themes. LEGO tends to re-use faces a lot, and it adds a small bit of continuity to the calendars that - somehow - isn't quite as annoying as when they rehash things like traffic lights.

However, it did take me by surprise when the usual CITY Police officer minfigure took it upon himself to time travel and enlist in the British Navy.

Say hello (again) to First Officer Grumpypants. His grim visage has been a regular feature of law enforcement in the CITY calendars for nearly half a decade.
(He appeared in the 2005, 2006, and 2008 editions. I guess he was busy in 2007.)

It's only fitting that he appear this year as a Navy Officer - I doubt he'd have enjoyed life on the wrong side of the law.

Episode 836

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 17

CITY Advent: Day 17


Snow Removal Cart

It's a stretch. It's a real reach. But at least LEGO is trying. Today's mini-model of a snow removal cart manages to transform yesterday's cheerless Janitor minifigure into a Winter Worker.

At least I think it's a snow removal cart.

Those 1x1 rounds might actually be meant to represent little LEGO marshmallows.

In which case this sub-theme doesn't make any sense at all.

Episode 835

Read the comic here.

Buzz in D Miner

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 16

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 16


Leftovers

The Pirate Advent continues to follow it's own wacky rules. I thought we were back to traditional three day sub-themes, but I can't see how today's mini-model relates to a Mermaid universe.

If anything, today's sad little meal would work better with the Castaway from Day 11. The turkey leg is pretty generic as far as LEGO meals go, but the addition of a rat to the tableau suggests that quiet desperation that can come from living in one of only two places: a deserted island or downtown Detroit.

I can't decide if I like today's offering or not. It's a very simple bit of building, but it really does evoke a mood.

Episode 834

Read the comic here.

There's another bonus strip in the works for today. Check for it later tonight.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 16

CITY Advent: Day 16


Janitor

Today's new sub-theme kicks off with the expected Mini-figure.If nothing else, the CITY Advent has a very steady pace.

Unfortunately, we're stuck with a sub-theme that seems very far from the holiday spirit. Today's addition to the cast is a Janitor. Oh sure, he's a happy Janitor - look at that cheerful grin. But I leared a thing or two about Janitors from Mystery Science Theater 3000.



Besides. This Janitor comes with an old-style LEGO hat. He clearly ranks lower than even the Postman from day 10.

How depressing.

Winter Shop of Horrors

Episode 833

Read the comic here.

I cheated a bit for today's set - most if it is LEGO's "Home One" Star Wars playset. The boys are in armor from the 2010 Power Miners sets.

Toybox of FAIL: Violent Wind Speed

Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
-=-


Violent Wind Speed / Cross-Country


Jing Zhiwei toys continues to up the "WTF" quotient of their knock-off toys. Just when you get used to the idea that they're blatantly stealing LEGO product designs, they go and make their packaging even more incomprehensible.

Is today's toy called "Violent Wind Speed"? Or "Cross-Country"? "36 pcs"?

Maybe "No. 803"?

Whatever it's called, a better translation would have been "crap."


(Click the pic for more views)

I mean, just look at this thing. The colors are crap. The pieces are crap. The printing is crap. Heck, even the figure's hand is a malformed piece of half-digested waste.

If this car was subjected to "cross-country" or "violent wind speed" there's no doubt in my mind it'd end up in at least 36 pieces.

Bleh.

Still, thanks as always to Joe from The Undiscovered Playthings for sending me this set to review. Sorry I wasn't more bitter, but I've had a long day.

Photos for this set © 2009 Alyska Bailey Peterson /PointyKitty Studios

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 15

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 15


Underwater Treasure

Today's micro-set is very similar to Joe Crab's shack from December 9th. We get a little underwater diorama - a rock, a plant, and a tiny sea creature. The focus, though, isn't on the oyster, but rather the pearl it contains. Or, rather, the giant pink gem it contains.

I was trying to think of what part LEGO could have used instead of the gem to represent a pearl. Maybe a 1x1 round in the new flat silver? I don't know if that'd really scan as a pearl, though.

Eh. It's really not that important.

Today's set fits well with the Mermaid sub-theme, so I have no real complaints in that area either.

Maybe I'm getting mellow in my old age.

Episode 832

Read the comic here.

I'm hoping to have a bonus episode up later tonight.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 15

CITY Advent: Day 15


Bench

The final day of the Chef sub-theme. I was hoping this final door would give us an answer to the question: Is this a holiday theme or not?

Like the mystery of how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootise-pop, the world may never know. For today's set is about as theme-neutral as you can get: it's a bench.

Can we take a clue from the white baseplate that this bench is outside? In the winter snow? That's sort of holiday-ish.

And if you combine it with the ice skating rental stand, the garland street light, and yesterday's mystery kiosk...well, it's almost an outdoor holiday mall in miniature.

So, in the spirit of giving...let's go ahead and call it "Festive."

There's still plenty of time for LEGO to send things spiraling into the netherworld - and tomorrow starts a new sub-theme. Will we be making merry? Or weeping bitter tears?

Another Disturbing Buzzkill

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 14

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 14


Mermaid

Three days after the Castaway Minifigure, we get...another Minifigure! Tradition has been restored.

Maybe December 10th was just a weird space-time anomaly that shifted the bulk of the Pirate Advent back a day or something. I blame the Romulans.

Today's Minifigure is an awesome addition to the Pirate theme, too. This mermaid has only appeared in one other set - at the bow of set 6243, Brickbeard's Bounty. (It's also worth noting that the design on her tail is an improvement over the printing on LEGO's other Mermaid figure from the 2005 Harry Potter line)

Certainly a nice surprise to help take the sting out of a cold winter's Monday.

Episode 831

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 14

CITY Advent: Day 14


Flower/Coffee Stand

Day two of the Winter Chef sub-theme. Today's model is another kiosk similar to the Ice Skating stand from Day 5, but only a lot more mysterious. What, exactly, is this product being sold? Is it some sort of beverage to go with the mug (and the mug the Chef was holding yesterday)? Or is it a flower stand? Or are the flowers just decoration?

It's a mystery.

The model itself is a fun little build. The 1x1 sloped tiles make for a nice candy-cane awning, and LEGO included a few extra bits to let you customize your gift.

The question remains, though: is this a holiday sub-theme or not?

I still can't make up my mind. Maybe tomorrow's item will help decide the matter.

Oh, so very wrong.

Click the pic to check out a set of some of my more disturbing images...modifications of the new Buzz Lightyear minifig.

LEGO Photo Review: 8075 - Neptune Carrier

The "big daddy" 2010 LEGO Atlantis set.

8075 - Neptune Carrier
Click for more

LEGO Photo Review: 8059 - Seabed Scavenger

Probably the weakest of the 2010 Atlantis sets...but still not bad.

8059 - Seabed Scavenger
Click for more

LEGO Photo Review: 8061 - Gateway of the Squid

More 2010 Atlantis Goodness

8061 - Gateway of the Squid
Click for more!

This is by far my favorite Atlantis set.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 13

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 13


Monkey and Banana

Haven't you always wanted a monkey?

Well, if you were lucky enough to get a Pirate Advent calendar, now you have one.

Episode 830

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 13

CITY Advent: Day 13


Chef with cup

So...is this the start of a new holiday theme or not?

Our chef looks happy enough...and overindulging in Christmas Feasts is a holiday tradition.

There's really not much to say about today's items...so let's wait and see what tomorrow has in store.

LEGO Photo Review: 8058 - Freeco Speeder

New overpriced 2010 Star Wars Set. Cool alien, though.

8085 - Freeco Speeder
Click for more photos

LEGO Photo Review: 8057 - Wreck Raider

New 2010 Atlantis set

8057 - Wreck Raider
Click for more photos

LEGO Photo Review: 8511 - ChromaStone

I have never been more disappointed in a LEGO set in my life. I knew the Ben-10 line was going to suck...but I had no idea I'd be paying over a dollar a part for a super-low quality Bionicle knock-off build.

Avoid the Ben-10 line like the plague. If we're lucky, the line will tank quickly and LEGO will move on to bigger and better things.

8411 - ChromaStone
Click for more depressing images.

LEGO Photo Review: 8084 - Snowtrooper Battle Pack

Another 2010 Star Wars Battle pack:

8084 - Snowtrooper Battle Pack
Click for more photos

LEGO Photo Review: 8083 - Rebel Trooper Battle Pack

2010 LEGO Star Wars battle pack...

8083 - Rebel Trooper Battle Pack
Click for more photos

LEGO Photo Review: 7590 - Woody and Buzz to the Rescue

More 2010 Toy Story Goodness:

7590 - Woody and Buzz to the Rescue
Click the pick to see the photos

LEGO Photo Review: 8072 - Sea Jet

More 2010 Atlantis Impulse...

8072 - Sea Jet

Click for more photos

LEGO Photo Review: 7567 - Traveler

2010 CITY small set -

3177 - Small Car
Click for more photos

Looks more like a "Smart Car" to me, but whatever... ;)

LEGO Photo Review: 8073 - Manta Warrior

New 2010 Atlantis Impulse Set...

8073 - Manta Warrior

Click the pic to check out the photo set.

LEGO Photo Review: 7567 - Traveler

New Review is up on Flickr - Click the photo to check it out.

7567 - Traveler

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 12

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 12


Fish Dinner

Today's set works well as a "Castaway Enhancer" - a small fish cookout for our lost Pirate.

The building technique here isn't super advanced, but it's still not a bad mini-model. I'm a fan of the new alternate flame piece, and it's used here to good advantage.

The new fish design has been around since Winter of '08 (when the first pirate sets leaked out to Toys R Us) but it still makes me smile.

I'd rank this one as "mid-to-high" on the quality scale. It fits the overall and sub themes, has fun parts, and more than six pieces. We've seen better, but we all know we've seen much, much worse.

LEGO Photo Review: 7595 - Army Men on Patrol

Starting to work my way through this mornings find. Click on the photo to check out the first Photo-Review...

7595 - Army Men On Patrol

Episode 829

Read the comic here.

For those of you not familiar with them, I suggest you spend a bit checking out the insanity at Archie McPhee.

New LEGO sets at TRU

I was out running errands this morning when I stopped by TRU on a whim.
I'm glad I did.


(Click for bigger!)

They had just put out a TON of new stock. There were new CITY sets, wave 2 of Atlantis (heh. Wave.), Toy Story, and BEN 10. Oh...and Star Wars.

I had to leave a lot of new stuff there...my budget only allows for so much OMGWFTBBQ in a single day.

Photo reviews on the way shortly!

(All of this is from the Toys R Us in Madison Heights, Michigan. Your local results will most likely vary.)

CITY Advent 2009: Day 12

CITY Advent: Day 12


Gift and Crate

I guess I shouldn't have made that smart comment about not needing another 1x2 tile with an envelope printed on it.

Closing out the three day "Going Postal" sub-theme we have a crate and a package to put on the back of the Postman's ATV. And that's clearly a Holiday Gift - giving LEGO a solid 3:1 lead on actual festive themes in this year's calendar.

Tomorrow starts a new theme, though. Will LEGO pull ahead to a 4:1 holiday advantage? Or will the forces of the mundane drag us back to a nondenominational ratio of 3:2?

Episode 828

Read the comic here.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 11

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 11


Castaway and Torch

Heh. Okay. I get it.
Yesterday we got a super-lame advent gift of a barrel and a couple of tools. The expected minifigure was missing.

Why?

Because obviously he was lost at sea and couldn't find door 10 in time.

This castaway is a very rare fellow: he appeared in only one set: 6241 - Loot Island. In that set he had a blue hat instead of the long hair, making the Advent Castaway a one of a kind variation.

Pretty cool comeback on LEGO's part.

Episode 827

Read the comic here.

Observant readers will note there aren't any new advent items in this strip. Guess the lockdown in working.

There's a bonus strip for today - it'll go up this afternoon, so stop back by!

CITY Advent 2009: Day 11

CITY Advent: Day 11


Mail Cart

If I didn't know about the three-day sub-themes in the CITY Advent, I probably wouldn't have identified today's gift as a mail cart. It could just have easily been a "Race Car" or "Dune buggy". The yellow-and-red color theme of LEGO's postal service isn't much of a clue either...it just makes me think of McDonald's.

But, that's really nothing to complain about. It's a fun mini-model. There are some decent parts to re-use, and it even came with an extra red cheese wedge. (That's a 1x1 sloped tile, for you non LEGO addicts.)

I guess our postman is expecting a LOT of mail, if he's taking this little car around with him on his daily rounds.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 10

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 10


Barrel of Junk

Wait.

This isn't right. This can't be right.

Every three days in a LEGO advent calendar you get a new mini-figure. It's like...tradition. It's nearly a law.

This is day 10. CITY got a Postman. And the Pirates get....this?

A barrel, a pick-axe and a shovel???

Three common LEGO parts. Parts so generic that they can't possibly be called "thematic".

I'm hurt, LEGO. You were doing so well up until now.

Episode 826

Read the comic here.

Back to the Pirates.
I was going to do a narration box with "Meanwhile..." but it seemed kind of obvious in context.

The important bit of context that might be lost on newer (or more forgetful) readers is that Donut has parked the Brick House on the same lot where the original stood for the first 300 episodes or so. This bit of nostalgia has apparently come back to bite him in the butt.

Again, a bit of a spoiler on the Pirate Advent since I needed to show today's items in-strip, and wanted to have the comic up before the Pirate Advent Review published at noon. What can I say? They're Pirates. Not following the rules is a key tenet in their religion.

Speaking of Advent items, I had to move the flag on the raft to make room for all the passengers. How that dinky little thing is staying afloat under the weight I have no idea.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 10

CITY Advent: Day 10


Postman

A postman. Hrm.

Well, considering that 90% of my holiday shopping has been mail-order this year, I don't have any problem counting this guy as a Christmas Minion.

As far as mini-figures go, this one isn't bad. The shoulder-bag accessory (from the Indiana Jones line) is a nice touch - it's certainly more useful than yet another 1x2 tile with a envelope printed on it. Speaking of printed things, this torso design has only appeared in two others sets: 2009's 7731 Mail Van and 7732 Postal Plane.

The postman's hat is worth noting, too - it's the new "short bill" style that started showing up in mid 2009. It has a more curved shape than the classic LEGO ballcap, fitting the figure's head better and looking a tad more realistic.

Let's hope the rest of the "Going Postal" sub-theme is as worthwhile as the minifigure.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 9

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 9


Joe Crab's Shack

I've got mixed feelings about today's mini-model. Oh, it's cute enough. And the crab is a fairly rare item in the LEGO world, so that's nice.

But is it Holiday themed?

Heck, is it even Pirate themed?

I suppose, with a little imagination, our little Joe the Crab could be having a wee little Holiday Party deep under the sea. And the plant behind him is an aquatic version of a Christmas Tree.

There. All better.

And tomorrow, if tradition holds, we should be getting a new Mini-figure to bring this calendar to new heights of Pirate-y goodness. Or badness.

Or something.

Toybox of FAIL: Death's head VS Astronaut

Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
-=-

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the Toybox.


Death's head VS Astronaut


Today we continue our look at Jing Zhiwei toys and their ongoing quest to distribute bootleg LEGO product as their own. Today's offering is what can best be described as a "battle pack" - there isn't really much building involved, but you do get two mini-figures and some accessories. According to the box art, the two figures are "Death's head" and "Astronaut". As one of them is a skeleton and the other is an alien, I leave it to the reader to decide which is which. It's really not much of a puzzle.

What is a puzzle, however, is the ever-present question of just what Jing Zhiwei designers were smoking when they came up with this set.

One figure in red on a white board. The other in white on a red board. It's Ying vs Yang, Good vs Evil, Crap vs Even more Crap.

Let's take a look at what you get inside the box...



Two minifigures. On skateboards. Who fight.

Sadly, the product colors don't match the box, but by now we know better to expect that. What is shocking is that all the parts shown on the box are actually present in the set.

Sure, the alien...excuse me...Astronaut...is LEGO-original teal instead of the martian red, but at least the spider attached to his back is the correct transparent yellow plastic. And he comes with two weapons that look like weapons.

Now, Death's head may be in for a bit of trouble. One hand is on fire, leaving just has a gem to try and hit Astronaut on the head with. Maybe he's secretly aligned with the scorpion and extra spider. Or maybe he has some other super power beyond just being an animated skeleton.

The only thing left to decide is...who will win? Who will lose? Who will end up regretting they have a crappy bootleg instead of actual LEGO mini-figures and weep bitter tears when the cheap plastic cracks and puts out an eye?

----
The Toybox of Fail. Brought to you by people who really should know better.

Thanks to The Undiscovered Playthings for sending me this set to review.
Photos for this set © 2009 Alyska Bailey Peterson /PointyKitty Studios

Episode 825

Read the comic here.

Here's a quick link back to December 14th, 2005. In case you were wondering.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 9

CITY Advent: Day 9


Traffic Signal

Sigh.

Well, we've reached day three of the police sub-theme. Today's advent gift is a traffic light.

I'd give LEGO points for originality, but this is just a repeat from Day 14 of 2005.
What's worse, the 2005 model had more parts.

Well, if tradition holds, tomorrow we should get a new theme and a new mini-figure to go with it. It guess that's something to look forward to...

Episode 824

Read the comic here.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 8

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 8


Raft

I'm starting to think that the Pirate Advent really doesn't care about the CITY "three days of a theme" concept - I think the overall Pirate-focus is overwhelming any micro-sets that might be included.

Case in point: today's wooden raft. Does it work with the Pirate Lass from yesterday? Sure. Does it also work with just about any other day? Sure. (Although linking to the Parrot might be a bit of a stretch.)

As to the model itself, it's pretty middle of the road when it comes to Advent Swag. There aren't any super interesting parts, but at least there's more than six pieces. The model is recognizable at a glance, fits the theme, and has decent play value.

If all the remaining doors hold up to this level of quality, I'll be impressed.

(Impressed... and shocked.)

From Brick to Doozer in 24 hours

Every now and again I find I have a bit of time to actually create something. Usually it's not a lot of time - particularly in December when my website and work responsibilities reach a fever pitch.

So I've started playing around with "24 hour builds" - less than a day from idea to finished model. This is my first real attempt at it.

It's a Doozer from the Fraggle Rock show! You can click the pic to go to the set on Flickr.

I was inspired by a friend's surgery - I wanted to do something to help, but I live several states away and she already had family to look after her. So, while fretting, I decided to build a little guy who is always "doing something."

She's recovering nicely, and now I have a little workshop helper. It's win/win.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 8

CITY Advent: Day 8


Barricade

Day eight of the CITY Advent, and day two of the Police Action sub-theme. And...just like that...we've left the holiday themes and returned to the mundane.

Maybe if I really think hard, I can find a way to see today's assembly as festive.

Hrm.

Well, the red-and-white caution stripes sort of look like a candy cane.

There. I tried.

Episode 823

Read the comic here.

This is a reference to a classic bit from Monty Python's Flying Circus. Can't seem to find a good clip of it online, though.

I had to do a dual post today - the Pirates needed a strip to let them go off and plot for a couple of days, and the CITY advent storyline needed to meet the policeman right away.

Episode 822

Read the comic here.

A special double update today - look for part two later tonight.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 7

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 7


Pirate Lass with Spyglass

Last years Castle Advent gave us a lot of rare mini-figure designs - it seems that we can look forward to the same treatment from the Pirates this year. At the time of this writing, the only other place you can acquire this figure is in a Toys R Us limited-edition set: Shipwreck Hideout. Or, if you're near a LEGO store, you might spot her in the Pirate Tic-Tac-Toe set. But that's it.
(Her corset-top appeared in the LEGO exclusive Medieval Market Village set, too. Not that I'm complaining about that.)

LEGO still has it's share of Princesses-in-Peril in minifigure form, but it's nice to see them giving some gender-diversity to their heroes as well. There's no doubt in my mind this tough-as-nails Pirate would kick your butt if she ever heard you calling her a wench.

Now that's a role model.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 7

CITY Advent: Day 7


Police Officer with Bullhorn

I knew it. I knew it. Day seven and LEGO gives up.

Once again Christmas in the CITY means police action.

At least we get a different face on the officer this year - I don't know how I would have coped with yet another incarnation of Officer Grumpypants.

Will LEGO be able to spin the police sub-theme into something festive? I guess we'll find out over the next two days...

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 6

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 6


Crocodile

Hrm. So...following the "three day sub-theme" rule of thumb...is this an Imperial Crocodile?

Regardless of his political affiliation, I just love the dark green shade of this beast.

So...do you remember when rock was young?

Episode 821

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 6

CITY Advent: Day 6


Street Light with Garland

Day Six. One quarter of the way through the advent. So far LEGO has wowed us with toys that actually reached beyond just "CITY" and into an actual holiday theme. We've seen three days of snow, two days of ice, and now...a day of lights.

I wasn't sure how LEGO was going to stretch ice skating into a third day. Would we get a small clear baseplate to simulate the ice rink? A pair of skis and snow poles to continue the winter sports concept?

No, instead we get a bit of set dressing - a nice prop to put by the side of our imaginary ice rink to let our mini-figures play into the night.

"But, Chris!" I hear you say. "How can you be so calm about LEGO giving us a streetlight for a set? It's LAME! You know it!"

Ah, dear reader, but look at the clever building techniques! See how LEGO decided to accessorize their streetlight! A white 2x2 plate at the base to keep the snowy theme alive! A garland! And some 1x1 rounds in white to make everything look wintery and festive.

I can forgive them for the streetlight since they wrapped it up so nicely.

But, rest assured, I'm all set to be cranky tomorrow when we kick off a new sub-theme. I'm sure it'll be a real stinker.

Won't it?

Episode 820

Read the comic here.

Running two advent streams is a bit of a challenge - I don't have time to do two strips a day this year, and there are sure to be things happening on both sides of the conflict all month. I'll probably end up doing a few double-update days when there are scenes (or jokes) just too important to miss.

Anyway, since we started off with the CITY advent for a few days, it's only fair we give the Pirates a few days to set up their side of things...

LEGO Gingerbread Houses!

Here's a little Advent Madness Extra!

I'm a decent LEGO builder - but often I'm amazed at the creations from the real masters out there. Among those master builders is one of my idols, Mariann Asanuma. Recently, she created an amazing LEGO Gingerbread House in micro-scale for Brickjournal. There's even a set of instructions so you can build your own!

So I did.

Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone. Ignoring the elegant lines of Mariann's model, I made a few tweaks to my own little gingerbread house mod-build.

Click on through to see more photos at my Flickr stream. And be sure to build your own copy of the Asanuma Gingerbread house!

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 5

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 5


Cannon

Traditionally, LEGO Advent calendars follow a three day sub-theme format. You start off with a mini-figure, then get two days of items to help outfit him or her.

So far, the Pirate calendar seems to be following that format - the Pirate Captain came with two "support" days of his map and parrot. That would make today's cannon an accessory for yesterday's Imperial Officer. I guess that's why LEGO decided to make the cannon stand empire red, rather than a more Pirate-y dark grey.

For a tiny brick-built cannon, today's model is reasonably clever. Using only a handful of tiny parts, the cannon is instantly recognizable as such. The downside is a lack of ammunition, but I'd prefer to use my imagination rather than end up with yet another flick-fire missile...

CITY Advent 2009: Day 5

CITY Advent: Day 5


Skate Stand

I'm more and more convinced that the first "snow" sub-theme is meant to work hand-in-mitten with the second sub-theme of "ice". How else can we justify a second pair of ice skates if they're not intended for the snowball-throwing mini-figure from day one? Day 4 certainly can't wear two pairs. That'd just be silly.

As far as mini-models go, today's kiosk is nice. The two shades of blue brick mix with the white to give a nice cold color tone to the set. The construction isn't overly fancy, but the connection between the upright poles and the roof is a bit more advanced than we normally see in these micro sets.

We should have at least one more day of wintery-mix left tomorrow before we have to risk a new sub-theme. I'm enjoying the run while it lasts.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 4

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 4


Imperial Officer

Say! This guy isn't a pirate!

When you think about it, Pirates is one of the few LEGO themes that favors the "Bad Guys". Sure, some themes give both sides of a conflict equal time (Castle comes to mind) but not many.

Okay, and maybe in the grand scope of history LEGO does tend to favor the invading army. Western, Power Miners, Mars Mission, Belville...all focused on trampling the natives.

Erm. Anyway. Where was I?

Oh yeah.

Today's Pirate Advent toy is an Imperial Soldier. And, as Star Wars teaches us, Imperials are the bad guys.

Episode 819

Read the comic here.

Yes, I think I found a way to involve Brikwars in this year's madness after all...

CITY Advent 2009: Day 4

CITY Advent: Day 4


Ice Skater

I'm not exactly sure how to call this one. It's day four, and past history tells us that LEGO is moving on to a new three-day sub-theme in the Advent. And, sure enough, we get a new mini-figure to kick things off.

The problem is that today's figure fits in so well with the previous doors that maybe we're looking at our first extended sub-theme. Ice Skating is certainly still a wintery activity...

I can't even complain about the part mix. This minifigure has a hard-to-find grinning face, easy to-reuse white torso and green legs, and an always-in-demand red bandanna. The ice skates are a fairly common part these days, but they're still a great bit of detailing.

I...I don't know what to say. I was all ready to gripe about how LEGO had already abandoned the holiday spirit just four days in...but obviously they found a way to keep hope alive.

Color me amazed.


For now.

Toybox of FAIL: Mars Baby

Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
-=-

As if I don't have enough going on in December, I've found a way to start showcasing more horrors from the Toybox of Fail.

The secret? I've enlisted the aid of Pointykitty Studios to help out with the photography! (Considering how amazing these photos look, I'm sad I didn't think of asking sooner.)

The reviews also have a useful new feature: As the photos are hosted out on Flickr, you can click through to see larger versions of all the shots.

So...what are we waiting for? Brace yourself as we reach into the Toybox and find...


Mars baby


Jing Zhiwei toys is the latest Bootleg toy label to use the "Intelligence Toys" logo. (We've seen it before on sets like Ack Ack from Xin Qi Le). Mars baby is set 801 and contains an estimated 23 pieces.

We can see from the product shot on the front of the box that the Bootleg Designers were on a very potent blotter of acid the day they designed this set. An alien (cloned directly from LEGO's Life on Mars theme, only sunburned an uncomfortable shade of red) stands atop...something. Part wagon, part table saw, this vehicle is a propeller-driven mishmash of themes. That apparently fights whatever foes it can find in the deep desert.



The back of the packaging has a layout we've seen many times before - right down to the "combinatorial series" logo. Not that there was much doubt that many of these bootlegs flow through numerous shady pipelines - but sometimes you can be a bit too obvious about cloning your competition.

There really isn't much mix-n-matching you can do with the parts in this set, and the bootleggers show that in their product shots. Note the amazing transformation of the vehicle by basically turning the figure around to face the other way.



Inside the package we find the usual assortment of fragile, broken, and misshapen parts. The photographer was barely able to get these shots as the toy kept falling apart whenever she took a step away from it.

The color of the parts fails to match the box, but that's not uncommon. What is uncommon is the decision to cast the wagon wheels in bright blue plastic. I guess it makes the set look more "spacey".

The alien, by the way, is cast in LEGO-authentic teal. Of course, he's not assembled the way LEGO intended, creating a misshapen, twisted creature that can only be called....Mars baby.

You can click the following photos to see larger views of Mars baby. You know you want to.



The Toybox of Fail. Brought to you by people who really should know better.

Thanks to Joe from The Undiscovered Playthings for sending me this set to review.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 3

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 3


Parrot and Stand

Day three of the Pirate Advent continues to outfit our Captain with needed accessories. Sure, the treasure map is important, but no Pirate worth his salt would be caught without a Parrot at his side to spout "Pieces of Eight" at opportune moments.

This mini set would be at place in a CITY pet store just as much as in the Captain's cabin. The food cup is a nice touch that makes the stand more than just a coat rack with a bird on it.

Here's a question for everyone. Which do you prefer, the new "mixed red and green plastic" Parrot or the classic painted version below? (Thanks to Bricklink for the picture)



Personally, I'm a fan of the classic version.

Episode 818

Read the comic here.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 3

CITY Advent: Day 3


Sled

Day three of the "Snow" theme - and already the cracks are starting to show in LEGO's gameplan. While the first two days were pretty good - a minifigure and a nice multi-piece build - today' offering is pretty weak.

Five small and common parts make a small Sled for Day 1's minifigure to enjoy. If LEGO continues their established Advent tradition of "three days for each sub-theme", we're leaving our winter wonderland on a downturn.

I refuse to be too gloomy, though. Taken as a whole, this first sub-theme was just what I would hope to see in an Advent calendar. A nice winter feel to the toys, and as a group a fun day spent outdoors for our little mini-figure. This is miles ahead of some of the sub-themes we've seen in the past like Criminals and Oil Drums.

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 2

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 2


Table, Map, and Lantern

I'm usually pretty harsh on LEGO's CITY themed advent for not adhering to a holiday over-theme. I recognize that it's is a bit of a double standard not to hold the other calendar up to the same ideal. After all, there might be a way to make Pirates festive.
(Hrm. That might make a good contest idea for next year....)

Still, I do expect a decent amount of quality out of the Pirates Calendar. Luckily day 1's minifigure was pretty nice, and day two has some nice supporting pieces.

Sure, there's not much to today's assortment - the table is three simple bricks, the lantern another five. Heck, even the map is something we've seen a lot of. (It's been around since the Indiana Jones "Last Crusade" sets.) But combined they make a nice jumping off point for a Pirate-based adventure to last through the month of December. First we got a Pirate Captain, and now we have a map to help him on his way.

Will the following days continue to suggest a narrative? Only time will tell.

Episode 817

Read the comic here.

After I had finished building these new sets, my wife pointed out I had missed adding an intercom "so they could talk to each other". I added the widget, and it immediately had a use in the unfolding story.

Oh. I and just noticed I spelled "anti" wrong. I'll fix that in a bit.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 2

CITY Advent: Day 2


Snowman

Continuing the "Snowy" theme started with yesterday's snowball-throwing lad, today we have a brick-built Snowman.

LEGO has released a few different Snowmen builds over the years - some better than others. This one falls in the middle for me. It lacks the roundness of an actual snow sculpture, and some of the color choices are a bit odd to me. (The black and grey tiles should really have been white.)

While I'm not sold on the "broom through the torso" design choice it's at least a little bit innovative.

But...let's not forget that LEGO has managed to fit a second day of actual winter fun into their CITY advent calendar. This is a great start to things...let's hope the trend continues!

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 1

Pirate Advent 2009: Day 1


Pirate Captain

The 2009 LEGO Pirate Advent Calendar is a European exclusive set. Although 2008 Castle set showed strong support for a non-CITY themed advent stateside, LEGO didn't have time to modify their 2009 plans to include a North American release of this set. They claim they'll have worldwide releases of all advent themes for 2010...we'll see how that goes.

Anyway, lurking behind Day 1 of the Pirate Advent is a studly Pirate Captain Minifigure. He's the same figure that's been shipping with the rest of the 2009 Pirate sets, but that's not really a bad thing. He has dual sided printing on his torso, a snazzy upgraded skull and bones logo on his hat, a well drawn face, sword, and shiny gold epaulets. (In fact, he comes with two of them. In case one gets dirty or something.)

Sure, it's not much of a holiday theme - but I forgive LEGO for that. Holiday Pirates? Sounds like a bad webcomic to me.

Episode 816

Read the comic here.

Another new batch of sets were required for today's strip. I'm particularly fond of how the viewing window turned out.

CITY Advent 2009: Day 1

CITY Advent: Day 1


Child and Snowballs

Once again, LEGO has gone with the "CITY" theme for the mass release Advent Calendar. It's safe, it's free from those troubling licensing issues, and it's a proven seller. The problem it that it's usually pretty darn boring, and the toys don't have a lot do to with any sort of Holiday Celebration.

2009's set, however, opens up with a bit of hope for the season. As usual, the first door reveals a mini-figure...but instead of the usual Police Officer or Fireman, we get a child and snowballs.

A winter theme. Amazing.

There might be hope for this year yet.

As to the figure itself, he's made of pretty standard LEGO parts. In past years we've seen a few rare colors and scarce parts work their way into the calendar. We'll just have to wait and see if our luck holds in that area as well.