No, I hadn't forgotten this A-Wing from the 2011 Star Wars Advent Calendar. But I have to say that I never really liked this ship, even in the set. 6207 released in 2006, and yet the model is correct. I'm not even talking about the one in the set 7134 released in 2000 and which is too connoted Space Classic ... So what about this mini-micro ship ...

For the record, the A-Wing designed by Ralph McQuarrie was originally supposed to be blue. The color was changed to red during the shooting to get around a technical problem: The shooting in front of a blue background, to then add the special effects.

Brickdoctor offered his Midi-Scale version of this really not very charismatic ship, and I must admit that it is quite successful. Fairly basic but ultimately successful. For those who would like to reproduce it the lxf file is for download here: 2011SWAdventDay22.lxf.

On this December 25, 2011, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, I hope you have a good time, with your family or not, and that Santa has thought of you, even if he has not necessarily brought you what you expected.

We are lucky to be able to live our costly passion, and we owe it to ourselves to have a thought for all those for whom Christmas is not necessarily a day of celebration ... so if you have the possibility, offer LEGO around you. In this way, you will transmit a little of your passion and you can share it with new friends.

That being said, I therefore propose to you the conclusion of the Advent Calendar, which, if it was overall disappointing, still remains a successful attempt on the part of LEGO to adapt this concept to the Star Wars universe. . A little more work on the mini ships and a few more original minifigs will do the trick in the future.

One last thought for our portfolio which will suffer in 2012, with high prices to be expected for the licensed ranges. We will have to be patient and wait for the right promotion to get off honorably.

As shown in this image from the 2012 catalog in the USA, Star Wars sets from the first wave 2012 can be pre-ordered from January 1, 2012 on shop.LEGO.com/preorder with a shipment scheduled for January 30, 2012.

For each pre-order, LEGO is giving away an exclusive 61 x 81 cm poster (bottom right of the image).

Price wise: The Planets sets are $ 9.99, the Tie Fighter at $ 54.99, The Jedi Interceptor at $ 39.99, the X-Wing at $ 59.99, and the Y-Wing at $ 49.99. This will undoubtedly result in us by prices in € higher than the prices in $ as with the Super Heroes range.

LEGO's pricing policy is no surprise. The manufacturer has, on numerous occasions, publicly justified the discrepancies observed between the different distribution zones by transport costs or even distribution costs.

Moreover, LEGO does not hide, like many other manufacturers, to adapt its pricing policy according to the country concerned, on the basis of parameters such as its desire to set up there or to fight against competition ( Hasbro in the USA for example, which is doing very well with its new Kre-O Transformers range).

 For comparison, here are the prices announced by Amazon in France when the products were put online, prices which were then withdrawn:

All Products Planet Series 1 

9674 - Naboo Starfighter and Naboo 11.90€ (Or $ 15.53)
9675 - Sebulba's Podracer and Tatooine 11.90€ (Or $ 15.53)
9676 - TIE Interceptor and Death Star 11.90€ (Or $ 15.53)

All Products System

9488 - ARC Trooper & Commando Droid Battle Pack 14.40€ (Or $ 18.79)
9489 - Endor Rebel Trooper & Imperial Trooper 14.40€ (Or $ 18.79)
9490 - Droid Escape  26.20€ (Or $ 34.19)
9491 - Geonosian Cannon  26.20€ (Or $ 34.19)
9492 - Tie Fighter  57.10€ (Or $ 74.52)
9493 - X-wing Starfighter 69.70€ (Or $ 90.96)

This is unexpected, but the sets of the Super Heroes DC Universe 2012 range are referenced on the Lego shop French and advertised as available.

The prices are the public prices and if you want to pay less for your sets, you will have to wait for availability at Amazon or at other merchants:

6857 The Dynamic Duo Funhouse Escape 52.99€
6858 Catwoman Catcycle City Chase 14.99€
6860 The Batcave  89.99€
6862 Superman vs. Power Armor Lex 27.99€ 
6863 Batwing Battle Over Gotham City 39.99€
6864 Batmobile and the Two-Face Chase 59.99€

Who has never railed against the LEGO instructions on which it is often difficult to distinguish the Black du Dark Grey ? On the small sets, we can still get by with a little sorting and deduction, but on the bigger ones, how many of us have reversed two parts only to realize it much later and have to take everything apart? to restore it ...

After a long test phase with the little ones, LEGO has finally responded to the many complaints of its customers on this subject by finding a solution that seems satisfactory: the black parts will now be darker and surrounded by a pale gray border on the instruction booklets.

This new signage was offered for the first time with the set 2506 Ninjago Skull Truck before being officially set up with the set 4184 Black Pearl (above). It will be present across the entire LEGO range from January 1, 2012.

A good initiative that will save us a few precious minutes in the assembly of our sets and which solves a problem that has become really annoying on the most complex sets. Below is a page of the set instruction booklet 7915 Imperial V-Wing Starfighter with the old signage.