Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO Ideas set 21342 The Insect Collection, a box of 1111 pieces freely inspired by the creation put online by Hachiroku24 (José María Pérez Suero) on the LEGO Ideas platform and which will be available in VIP preview from September 4, 2023 at the retail price of €79.99.

It should probably be recalled once again, the LEGO Ideas platform exists to collect ideas and LEGO then reserves the right to adapt and transform them into marketable products. It is therefore common for the official version of an idea allows itself a few liberties and other more or less justified shortcuts.

Those who had followed the evolution of the project concerned until its arrival in the review phase at LEGO and its final selection have necessarily noticed that LEGO has taken up the initial idea in broad outline but that some of the insects present have been reduced to their simplest expression.

One could imagine that the designer wanted to keep a semblance of scale between the different protagonists of this box, this could then explain that the bee and the ladybug only benefit from a minimal treatment in the official version of the box. 'idea.

This "collection" of insects therefore comes down to three large detailed constructions, a minimalist bee and four ladybugs symbolized by Tiles pad-printed rounds. On the other hand, we obtain three small flat bases decorated with a few plant elements which allow the insects to be presented in good conditions, it is always better than placing them loose on a shelf as presented in the initial project.

These supports are obviously coin-consuming and a large part of the inventory passes into these dead branches, these mushrooms and other flowers which welcome the insects in situation. I finally find this solution welcome, it gives cachet to the three constructions and it allows to expose the blue morpho butterfly, the Dynaste Hercules beetle and the Chinese mantis in a readable and dynamic context.

LEGO provides four instruction booklets in this box, three for the insects to build and a fourth booklet composed of a few pages documenting the species concerned as well as the inventory of the box. It will therefore be possible to assemble the product with several people, it is always a valid argument in favor of a certain user-friendliness.

Whether the subject speaks to you or not, this product at least has the merit of bringing freshness to the LEGO catalog which sometimes tends to purr a little and often to surf on its achievements. The three insects are fun to assemble, there are good building ideas and the result is visually stunning. Don't spoil yourself too much about the different stages of assembly of each of these insects, all the pleasure provided by this product is there and you will probably not be disappointed.

Fans of misuse of certain parts will also find something to have fun here, with bucket handles, pistols or even crowbars used to refine the aesthetics of these different insects.

As you probably already know, I only appreciate these misuses when they are used in moderation and that is pretty much the case here. No stickers in this box, the borders of the wings of the blue morpho butterfly, the look of the Chinese mantis, the ladybugs and the abdomen of the bee are therefore stamped.

In terms of faults that I have been able to identify: the fragility of certain sub-assemblies which can quickly become annoying during construction. But it is not a toy for children and each insect can be moved without breaking everything by catching the support on which it is firmly fixed. I also notice a few scratched parts right out of the box and it's always more annoying on a detailed construction that uses few parts than on a massive ship in which technical faults drown more easily.

Some may regret that the insects are here a little less the "stars" of the product due to the presence of visually invasive plant elements, this was undoubtedly the price to pay to make the initial idea more suitable for a product targeting an adult clientele who wishes to display a beautiful object, not just put a butterfly or a beetle on their shelves.

Entomology is not one of my passions, so I don't see these three pretty constructions being exhibited at home, but I appreciated being able to assemble them between two vessels and other less poetic dioramas.

And it is above all for this variety that the product brings that it should not be neglected, it allows you to change your mind a bit, to discover some rather original construction and finishing techniques and to build something relatively realistic. . The mix of colors used is well chosen, the overall assortment works aesthetically with a fairly satisfactory visual balance.

If you have 80 € to spend at the start of the school year in addition to your usual purchases, do not ignore this product, it provides a few hours of pure construction pleasure with a result with interesting decorative potential, especially if the mysterious world of insects excites you.

It remains to be verified that all those who voted for the initial idea will be there when it comes to checkout, the eventual commercial success of the product will necessarily have an influence on the future choices of the product. team in charge of validating LEGO Ideas projects. For my part, I remain an avid fan of licensed lines like Star Wars or Marvel, but I do not say no to something a little innovative and refreshing from time to time.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at August 31, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we are very quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Marvel set 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle, a box of 900 pieces which has been available since August 1, 2023 at the retail price of €104.99.

As for the set 76266 Endgame Final Battle which I was telling you about a few days ago, it's about assembling a compact interpretation of a scene taken from a film with the idea of ​​being able to display the thing without invading the living room with plastic bricks.

This film derivative Spider-Man: No Way Home therefore uses the principle of the small black and round base on which the construction is installed, with the promise of being able to enjoy it from all angles. I specify for those who have an overflowing imagination, the base is not equipped with a system which would make it rotary, it will have to be turned by hand. It's also a bit of a shame, the presence of an axis under the tray would have facilitated the exploration of the contents of the product.

We're not going to lie to each other, many fans imagined that the final scene of the film would receive more treatment at LEGO with a construction on the level of the one seen in 2019 in The LEGO Movie 2 set 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg. This is not the case and we have to be content with this very compact version which frankly lacks ambition. With a few details, the head of the Statue of Liberty is similar to that of The LEGO Movie 2 set, but there is only this part of the statue in this box and the diorama is economy.

Everything is very quickly assembled and then a slew of scaffolding is installed which necessarily makes the whole visually a little confusing. It is however in the spirit of the scene of the film, but much tighter with 18 cm high by 20 cm wide and 22 cm deep. the construction can be used from different angles, the finish matches on all sides.

There are a few stickers to stick on the head of the statue, but you can almost imagine doing without them as the construction is hidden behind the scaffolding, knowing that it is only a few bolts and that the background color of these stickers is not perfectly matched with the color of the parts on which they must be installed.

LEGO did not forget to slip some fun details into the heart of the construction, including Sandman's hand hidden inside the head of the statue or a large sticker evoking the contents of the set 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum accessible via the hidden portal at the back of the skull. The portal opened by Ned is there and even if everything is piled up with forceps, the references are appreciable.

The decor being planted, we can then install the large handful of minifigs provided in this box and all the fantasies are allowed with in particular some curved transparent supports and adapted to the installation of characters in a very dynamic pose. The product loses a little in compactness but it then takes on an interesting volume and we almost forget the central construction to focus on the figurines and their interactions.

The endowment in minifigs here is rather substantial with the three versions of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Ned, MJ, Electro, The Green Goblin and Dr Octopus. No Lizard in this box, it is the great absentee and there was however enough to add this central character of the scene concerned with a public price fixed at 105 €. LEGO would probably have included a large figurine of the creature and there was not necessarily room to install it on the diorama.

The three Spider-Man figurines seem successful to me, we can clearly distinguish the significant attributes of each of the outfits and the graphic designers have done their homework. Each of the characters comes with a head and a hair that allows them to be displayed without their respective masks, it is an interesting choice knowing that they evolve without their masks in a large part of the scene of the film. Legs injected in two colors for everyone, it is appreciable.

The more observant will have noticed that Tom Holland's minifigure reuses elements already seen in other boxes, it makes sense. Those who have been waiting for LEGO to one day make The Amazing Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) version more accessible than the limited edition one offered during San Diego Comic Con in 2013 will finally have the character at hand without having to spend a lot of money.

The Ned figurine is pretty much the same except for the design of the torso: the jacket is the wrong color. Same observation for MJ's minifig with a striped sweater which is also not in the color seen on the screen. On the villain side, the three characters provided are quite successful, they are all equipped with well-designed accessories that add to the dynamics of the scene. Doc Ock has glasses with very slightly smoked lenses on the screen, the minifig is faithful. LEGIO on the other hand could have made an effort on the Green Goblin figurine, the legs and arms of the character lack detail.

We must face the facts, this set is in fact a pretext to offer us a very large handful of characters with enough to stage them without wisely aligning them on a support or in a Ribba frame.

The main construction lacks in my opinion a bit of flavor and one could have hoped for a more ambitious product to represent this scene. It's dense, visually a bit confusing, but we'll have to deal with it and we'll console ourselves by keeping space on our shelves for some larger products to come.

As for the public price of this box, this is not a problem, this product is already available at Amazon at a much lower price, which immediately makes it even more attractive:

Discount -20%

LEGO 76261 Marvel Spider-Man's Final Battle, Recreate the Scene from Spider-Man: No Way Home with 3 Peter Parkers, Green Goblin, Electro, Ned, Dr Str

104.99 € 83.99 €

BUY

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at August 29, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO Star Wars set 75371 Chewbacca, a box of 2319 pieces which is currently in pre-order on the official online store at the public price of 209.99 € and which will be available from September 1, 2023.

First of all, it should be recognized that the official announcement of this derivative product last July on the occasion of the 2023 edition of San Diego Comic Con will not have left anyone indifferent: too expensive and missed for some, missed and too expensive for others or passable by far for the most indulgent, we feel that the model of the Wookie is far from unanimous. And it's almost a shame as the set offers some good ideas that are not necessarily highlighted by the final result.

Regarding the assembly process, we quickly realize that the designer has worked on his subject and that he was able to offer us varied sequences even when it comes to assembling sections for which we could expect similar and repetitive steps.

No two builds are exactly alike except for a duplicate pillar in the internal torso structure, and you'll never get bored. The texture of the fur is diversified as much as possible to avoid visual repetition effects and it works. It will also be necessary to be very attentive when leafing through the instruction booklet, assemblies involving dark brown parts are not always very readable.

As you can see in the photos that illustrate this article, we start from the black base in which the two feet are firmly anchored and then move upwards. The limbs are made up of internal assemblies in various colors, so much the better for the inventory obtained thanks to this box as well as for the readability of the instructions, on which the fur of the Wookie is placed in the form of small independent sections. Nothing revolutionary, this is often the case for character models with textured skin like the Porg in the set 75230 Porg or Yoda in the set 75255 Yoda.

Some Ball Seals later, we obtain the body of the character and it is then a question of assembling the head. Same process as for the limbs with an internal structure on which the fur is plated, we also add the two pad-printed eyes and a few finishing pieces to give this somewhat mocking expression to the wookie.

Reproducing fur with plastic bricks is at least as complicated as trying to create hair on a BrickHeadz figure, plus the volume. Chewbacca is here covered with pieces which create some waves and other reliefs but the character being entirely covered with this somewhat unusual texture and unfortunately we don't really believe it. It's also missing a few teeth to really replicate the creature's on-screen expression and there's only the satchel with its nicely executed strap to save the furniture by covering some fur.

We finally assemble the crossbow intended to be fixed inside the right hand and we end up with the small display stand flanked by the character's minifig and a pad-printed plate distilling some facts about the Wookie. The latter obviously reinforces the collector side of this product sold for 210 € but it does not bring much other than a few facts without much interest. No stickers in this box.

The design of these plates widely used in the range Ultimate Collector Series hasn't evolved since their first appearances and I think we've reached the limits of the concept here with a frankly very ugly brick-based blue Chewbcacca. The graphic designer could have simplified the visual by keeping only the main contours of the character's head, as it is, it failed. Those who hoped to get here a new minifig of the character will be at their expense, LEGO provides the figurine available since 2014 in many sets.

The model of about fifty centimeters high is completely static, it is not possible to change the pose planned by the designer. The feet are anchored in the base, the head does not turn and the arms are fixed to the torso at two points using Ball Seals. It will also be necessary to deal with the inevitable clearly visible injection points, the usual scratches as well as other defects linked to the molding of the parts and not to observe the Wookie too closely. From a distance, the object is an illusion, but it is the face with the toothless smile that is the problem and Chewbacca looks a bit like a village idiot, and we don't really know if he's smiling.

The buildable crossbow with its fabric strap is quite well executed but it lacks the stock which disappears into the fur of the Wookie's forearm. Too bad for those who would have liked to expose the weapon separately next to the figurine, the designer would have been well advised to provide for this possibility.

For the rest, I'm not sure I want to spend 210 euros on this derivative product, even if I must admit I had a good time during the assembly process. I will wait wisely for the thing to end up in destocking, which in my opinion will inevitably end up happening one day. The designer has probably done his best considering the subject treated but the result does not seem convincing enough for me to paw the floor with impatience.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at August 25, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Marvel set 76266 Endgame Final Battle, a box of 794 pieces available since August 1st at the retail price of €104.99. LEGO promises us "Iconic characters in a detailed settingvia the official description of this movie spin-off Avengers: Endgame, it's almost that but not quite.

It is therefore a question here of building a small round display which will be used to stage a handful of figurines on a pile of rubble as in the film. The LEGO version is on arrival only a pile of pieces a little rough in certain places with some places planned to install the characters there. The object is not a playset, there is no functionality and the scene is static.

The assembly is quickly dispatched, you have the right to make mistakes anyway and no one will really notice. There are some good ideas, especially at the level of the damaged pillar, but it's generally too confusing to clearly distinguish the different subsets that make up the scene without approaching.

However, we recognize Luis' van equipped with the Quantum-Tunnel miniaturized which was delivered complete in the set 76192 Avengers Endgame: Final Battle and which here consists of a few parts embedded in the base of the product.

For the rest, this product is aimed at customers who do not wish to invade their living room with LEGO playsets and the tribute to the scene concerned remains compact enough to be discreet in an interior decoration.

All the figures provided can be presented in a relatively dynamic pose and the object can even be displayed in a linear fashion, revealing the presence of Thor's hammer and Captain America's Shield, both hidden under some rubble.

We are sold the idea that this product can be admired at 360° when the base is closed on itself, it is true but it will then be necessary to adapt the position of the figurines according to the angle chosen to expose the object. Note that the top of the pillar on which Valkyrie is riding Pegasus pivots on itself, which allows it to be oriented in the correct position whatever the angle chosen.

There is obviously no escaping a sheet of stickers and you will have to deal with the usual problem of the (really) white background of certain stickers which is not really fitting with the slightly cream tint of the parts on which they must be installed. It's ugly, but we're used to it.

The endowment of figurines will not really motivate collectors who hoped to find something here to fill their Ribba frames a little more: the only completely new minifig is that of Valkyrie and Thanos benefits from a new head here.

Valkyrie logically reuses the head and hair already seen in the set 76208 The Goat Boat, only the torso is new and the legs are neutral. The figurine is a little sad but we are starting to get used to neutral legs in this range of derivative products. We will also remember the presence of the winged horse Pegasus whose wings are borrowed from the LEGO Harry Potter set 75958 Beauxbatons' Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts.

All the other minifigures delivered in this box have already made at least one appearance in a LEGO product released so far: Okoye in the set 76247 The Hulkbuster: The Battle of Wakanda, Shuri in sets 76186 Black Panther Dragon Flyer et 76212 Shuri's Lab, Captain Marvel's torso is in the set LEGO Marvel Avengers 76237 Sanctuary II: Endgame Battle and that of Scarlet Witch, who here wears Indira's hair (43225 The Little Mermaid Royal Clamshell), is in the set 76192 Avengers Endgame: Final Battle.

The Wasp microfig is the one also delivered in the set 76256 Ant-Man Construction Figure, it is also delivered here in two copies in the box.

LEGO having chosen to refer directly to the scene "Girl Power" from the movie Avengers: Endgame, the presence of Pepper Potts / Rescue would have been appreciated. This is unfortunately not the case.

In short, it is probably not the selection of figurines that will motivate collectors to spend 105 € on this product, except perhaps if this box ends up being offered elsewhere than at LEGO with a significant reduction in its retail price. As far as I am concerned, I find the whole visually too messy to convince me despite the obvious potential for exposure of the product.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at August 23, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we very quickly go around the content of the LEGO DREAMZzz set 71460 Mr. Oz's Spacebus, a box of 878 pieces currently available at the public price of 99.99 € on the official online store and a little cheaper elsewhere, for example at Amazon.

So we're assembling a space bus here, which is a slightly wacky cross between a classic (American) school bus and a spaceship. The craft is piloted by Mr. Oz, the real-life science teacher who becomes a Dream Chaser in the world of dreams. An entire program. If you still haven't understood the concept, go see the third episode of the first season of the animated series which is used to sell these derivative products, you will see the first appearance of this ship which comes to embark the young heroes. You will discover in passing that the LEGO version is not extremely faithful to the reference ship but we are starting to get used to it in this range.

The main lines of the ship are indeed there, but many details are overlooked or are ultra-simplified, no doubt to respect the constraints of inventory and price of the product. The colors used on the LEGO version are however not the right ones, and that's a shame. the ship seen on the screen is gray with blue accents, it is not white, and LEGO does not offer us landing gear or a properly fitted interior or an access ladder to the central compartment, the latter being vaguely embodied by a sticker.

If we leave aside the reference machine, this LEGO version remains a nice product that is fun to assemble. The crossover between a school bus and a starship Classic Space is fun and should appeal to both the youngest and nostalgic adults who will not remain insensitive to the use of the recognizable logo among a thousand, here revisited with the addition of the hourglass of Dream Chasers. LEGO had warned during the official announcement of the range, the latter was going to draw from many universes of the manufacturer and this box is no exception.

The spaceship is quickly assembled, it comes with a small exploration vehicle to store in the hold at the back and LEGO offers, as usual in this range, two possibilities of evolution of the cabin to choose from in the pages end of the instruction booklet. The first allows you to equip the ship with two reactors and guns placed at the end of the wings with a very small handful of parts that remain on the desk at the end of assembly, the second proposes to keep only a large central reactor and to use the rest of the inventory to assemble two additional small ships. In this second case, the handful of unused parts is a little larger but nothing comparable to what sets in the Creator 3-in1 range usually leave behind.

The sheet of stickers provided is impressive, but it is at the cost of using these stickers that the ship takes shape and regains some color. Without this skin, it's a little too sad and the youngest should probably get a little help not to disfigure their new favorite spaceship. There are a few small unused thumbnails left at the end of the assembly, it's up to you to customize your construction with them, they're there for that.

The endowment of figurines provided in this box sold for 100 € may seem substantial at first sight but there are actually only two "real" minifigs, those of Mateo and Professor Mr Oz. All the rest of the cast is made up of a few small figurines including the monkey Albert, Logan, Z-Blob and a handful of minions in the service of the King of Nightmares. However, variety is required with different accessories for each of the creatures, even if the character does not even stand up while collapsing under the weight of the additional elements. On arrival, it's still frankly meager in terms of minifigs, one or two more would have made it easier to pass the pill of the public price of the product.

Finally, I think this box is one of the most "readable" in the range with a rather well designed machine present in several episodes of the animated series. It's playable, manipulable without breaking everything, there's something cute with the help of the different guns installed on the ship and the whole thing will look great on a shelf in a child's room. Small regret concerning the absence of landing gear, we see several times the ship land in the series and it is however well equipped.

We will also wisely wait for this product to be offered with a significant reduction in its public price to crack, this is already the case with certain retailers and this will always be the case at the end of the year just in time for the holidays.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at August 19, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.