Without transition, we take a quick look at the LEGO Creator Expert set 10266 NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander (1087 pieces - 94.99 €), a beautiful box that offers a detailed model of the LEM, already present in a micro version in the LEGO Ideas set 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V. marketed since 2017.

There is no real reason to prolong the suspense, this set is in my opinion rather successful and it will easily find its place among all enthusiasts of space conquest. The attention to detail, despite some approximations, is evident here with the end result an assembled product that could easily become a credible and usable educational tool in addition to being a pretty exhibition model.

The instruction booklet contains a few pages which quickly put the model in context, it is always a plus to discover the history of the Apollo 11 mission before proceeding to the assembly. A few facts are scattered throughout the pages of the booklet, it is a welcome educational distraction.

First, the descent stage is assembled onto which the ascent stage will then be clipped, which allows at the end of the mission to join the command module which remained in orbit. Each step of the assembly is an opportunity to learn a little more about the LEM, with for example the installation of the different oxidizer and fuel tanks in the form of two containers for the nitrogen peroxide and two other carboys containing Aérozine 50.

We also install the various compartments which contain the scientific equipment necessary for the mission and we stick in the passage some stickers which symbolize the thermal insulation material which covers the panels of the descent module.

Many golden elements dress the downstairs and the stickers are roughly the same color as these pieces. Visually, it's almost consistent even though the stickers are much more reflective than the gold pieces which have a matte appearance. I'm not a fan of the mix of colors between stickers and tinted parts, it's rarely convincing. In this specific case, the stickers win with their shiny rendering.

The landing gear with their jacks, their shock absorbers and the cups which come into contact with the lunar ground contribute to the high-end model effect of the model. The whole is sufficiently detailed to be convincing without giving in the overbidding of small parts which could possibly weaken the four "legs" of the machine.

Fundamentalists will inevitably find fault with many details that are not completely faithful to the original LEM, but I think the compromise proposed here is acceptable, at least with regard to the machine itself. After all, LEGO does not claim to market a 100% faithful model and we mainly buy here a construction toy simply based on an important event that took place 50 years ago.

When the descent stage is assembled, we then tackle the ascent module which is also designed to be both a detailed element of the overall model and a modular unit whose structure can be disassembled to discover the different spaces. and their function.

Here too, the attention to detail is impressive with several control panels in the form of stickers to stick and even the possibility of placing a minifigure in the main space of the module. Almost nothing has been forgotten: by turning over the descent stage, we find the central nozzle of the descent motor and the ascent stage is also equipped with a nozzle which simply slides into the center of the section. lower part of the model.

The LEM has here a real presentation base to assemble with the mention Apollo 11 Lunar Lander pad printed which gives the whole a little side "Lego space architecture"and which brilliantly stages the model. Once again, the attention to detail is evident with even a few footprints starting from the foot of the LEM ladder and leading to the flag planted on the lunar soil.

This 26x28 stud base is not based on a standard plate and is made up of many elements that add to the final inventory of the set. For once a large-scale LEGO set isn't doomed to be on display without a display stand, I'm not going to complain. The lunar ground in LEGO version with the four mini craters which accommodate the feet of the LEM is an accessory which beyond offering a nice scenario also makes it possible to easily move the machine.

The side compartments of the LEM contain the camera triggered by Armstrong when it came out and the laser reflector which then made it possible to measure the distance between the Earth and the Moon. These elements may seem anecdotal to some, but they also contribute to giving an educational value to the product and will serve above all as a starting point for some more detailed explanations of the unfolding of the Apollo 11 mission.

No one will play with this set and the camera will probably stay hidden in its storage space for a long time. As often with LEGO products, we know it's there and it's enough even if it can't be seen. The laser reflector, on the other hand, can easily find its place on the exhibition base, which is where it should be.

The two minifigs provided are presented as two astronauts, with no additional details on the identity of the characters. There can be no confusion here, it is obviously Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins having remained in orbit in the command module during the mission.

I personally find it unfortunate that a product celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing does not contain the third member of the Apollo 11 crew. He did not set foot on the moon but Collins did his part of the job and greatly contributed to the success of the mission. Even if it means offering a box that pays tribute to the event, an additional minifigure, even generic, would have been welcome.

From a technical point of view, the pad printing of the torso of the two characters is a bit lacking, there is an unpleasant blur effect on the NASA logo and on the various printed areas. The defect appears on both minifigs and even if their torso disappears under the helmet, it's a shame not to have a perfectly finished product.

Speaking of the helmet, it's a shame that LEGO has not made the effort to offer a fairly correct reproduction of the equipment of the two astronauts. The generic piece used here bears little resemblance to Armstrong and Aldrin's outfit. The shape of the golden canopy is also not consistent and I was hoping to get two less generic and flesh-colored heads for the two astronauts. The yellow heads provided are not up to the anniversary this product intends to celebrate. This box is not a simple LEGO CITY or Creator set, it deserved better than that in terms of minifigs.

In summary, I think this box is quite successful despite the few faults highlighted above. This is not a 100% faithful mockup of the LEM, but it is a product sufficiently advanced to make it convincing educationally and make it a perfect companion to the LEGO Ideas set 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V. on your shelves. The minifigs are a bit too generic for my taste, but we'll make do with it.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the June 9, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE SET 10266 NASA APOLLO 11 LUNAR LANDER ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Today we take a quick look at the LEGO Marvel set 76128 Molten Man Battle (294 pieces - 29.99 €), one of the three already available LEGO products from the film Spider-Man Far from Home which is expected in theaters in early July.

We at least know that Molten Man (Mark Raxton) is in the film, the two trailers already released confirm it. We do not know, however, if the creature will have really merged with a parking lot, a traffic light and a lamppost or if it is equipped with a rotating missile launcher as the LEGO version suggests ...

Good news, the figurine is really well articulated: shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, Ball Seals do their job and allow the construction to take many different poses with more or less correct stability depending on the angles.

As with most figures of this type, the joints are very visible. This is the price to pay so that the price of the set remains contained and that the character's mobility is not too hampered by decorative pieces.

The "molten lava" aspect is very well rendered and the three trans-orange antennas perfectly imitate the flows seen in the first trailer of the film. They are clipped and do not interfere with the handling of the figurine. Seen from the back, the figurine does not demerit and the finish is very correct even if this part of the character is logically the subject of a little less care.

A remark concerning Ball Seals and the inserts used for the joints: I find that some of them lack a bit of "bite" and some joints are a bit looser than others.

The face pad printed on the piece which is usually used as a shoulder for the figurines in the range Buildable Figures is technically well done even if I find the graphic design very "cartoon" of this piece a little out of step with the rest of the figurine.

We can also regret that the mixture of stickers, pad printed parts and tinted parts in the mass creates a certain visual inconsistency in the colors that dress the character. Continuity is not assured, for example, neither on the colors nor on the pattern, between the sticker on the chest and the piece placed in front of the right shoulder.

If the part Wedge 4x4 trans-orange is common and made the heyday of the Nexo Knights range, the version with an overlay of Gold on the different facets is for the moment exclusive to this box. I think that many MOCeurs will find it useful in other contexts.

Spider-Man comes here with the SHIELD follows seen in the trailers and the minifigure is rather successful. Too bad that the inversion of the base color between the torso and the legs creates a hue shift: the gray printed on the legs does not match perfectly with the tinted gray in the body of the torso and hips, it is even more visible at the crotch of the figurine.

Mysterio's minifigure is also very successful with an impeccable pad printing even if the central part of the torso should have been in Gold Judging by Jake Gyllenhall's outfit in the film's trailers. The aquarium which is plugged into the neutral head in Flat Silver does the job, but LEGO could have provided a spare head to have a version without a helmet.

The firefighter provided in this set is a generic character delivered with the face of Erik Killmonger, the Shocker or even Taidu Sefla (Rogue One).

In short, this little box sold for € 30 will make everyone happy: Young fans will find a real villain to assemble and stage. Collectors will have on hand a never-before-seen Spider-Man in a highly successful outfit and a copy of Mysterio, which is identical in all three boxes based on the film. The MOCeurs will have a starting inventory to possibly create a Balrog ...

I say yes, the set 76128 Molten Man Battle is a product with balanced and playable content sold at a reasonable price. It's also a product that, judging by the trailers already released, is a bit more derived from the movie it was inspired by than many other LEGO Marvel sets released so far.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the June 6, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE MOLTEN MAN BATTLE SET 76128 ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Today we are interested in the LEGO Star Wars set 75238 Action Battle Endor Assault (193 pieces - € 29.99), one of the three boxes that this year is launching the new fun concept "Action Battle"in which we therefore find the two projectile launchers which allow targeting the opponent's targets and trigger the ejection of an opposing character.

This box features the planet Endor, with the ewok Wicket on one side and a Scout Trooper on the other. To enhance the battlefield, LEGO delivers two constructions that put us (a little) in the mood with a monitoring station perched on a tree and a support for the Speeder Bike provided. Each of these elements hides an ejection mechanism that kicks in when the missile hits the red or blue target.

I said it already in my test of the set 75239 Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack, the principle of this real layer of interactivity added to a construction toy is interesting in theory. In practice, I find it here to be infinitely sad.

The treehouse is rather successful, we find all the attributes of the constructions that made the success of the excellent set 10236 Ewok Village released in 2013. Wicket can stand in front of the guardrail while waiting to be ejected by the Scout Trooper missile. It's funny. Once.

To get revenge, Wicket can then go and unseat the Scout Trooper who walks casually in the forest on his Speeder Bike. This is not the best interpretation by LEGO of the machine, far from it, but the designer undoubtedly wanted to obtain a construction easily embedded on the provided support. If Wicket's missile hits the target, the mount in question tips over and the Speeder Bike falls.

The two guns are still very basic, and LEGO makes no particular effort to integrate these large gray pieces. At a minimum, it would have been fashionable to offer the same piece in a brown color to match the ambiance of the set. After all, the launch of a new concept must be accompanied by efforts on the presentation of the thing. Dreaming a little, an AT-ST integrating the missile launcher and a tree with the cannon hidden in the trunk would have been even more attractive. But as we are already at 30 € in the state, I dare not imagine the public price of a more bushy set.

The more I "play" with these sets Action Battle, the more it seems to me that the various mechanisms which react to the impact of the missile are too simple to be really convincing. There is no chain reaction or combined effects (for example the tree which opens in two and the minifigure which is ejected) and that is a pity.

The Tiles Pad printed used to identify the two opposing camps in this box are identical to those delivered in the sets 75239 Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack et 75241 Action Battle Echo Base Defense. LEGO does not leave much room for the eventual scalability of the set and those who consider that it is still possible to flesh out the thing by inventing other mechanisms will have to look to the aftermarket for a few copies of both. pad printed targets, just to obtain an aesthetically coherent playset.

On the minifig side, the Scout Trooper is brand new, at least when it comes to the helmet, torso and legs. The minifigure is very successful and with this superb new helmet molded in two colors, it gives a big boost to the many previous versions. The character's head is the one already available in more than a hundred sets marketed so far. The outfit is generally consistent with those of the soldiers seen on the screen even if this time it lacks a few white areas on the arms to reproduce the various protections.

The Wicket minifigure is identical to the one delivered in the set 10236 Ewok Village marketed in 2013. The pad printing of the bear's face is really very successful.

I did not dare to put my son to work to observe his reaction to the contents of this box. I'm not abusing his patience, I will need him on other issues. As far as I'm concerned, I think it's way too expensive for a set that features an interesting idea but which saves money.

What could have been fun and amusing here becomes almost out of date, especially since this box whose action takes place on Endor is not the extension of a larger set as is the case for the reference 75239 Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack which enhances the content of the set 75241 Action Battle Echo Base Defense which we will talk about in the next few days.

It's without me, and I hope the new Scout Trooper delivered here will make an appearance in a somewhat more convincing future set.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the June 3, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE SET 75238 ACTION BATTLE ENDOR ASSAULT ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

If you are one of those people who absolutely want to collect all the LEGO products marketed for the 20th anniversary of the LEGO Star Wars range and you already have the five standard sets, the bust of Darth Vader (ref. 75227) and the small exclusive set (ref. 40333) offered on the LEGO Shop on the occasion of the May the 4th operation, you also need the two polybags stamped with the logo that is present on all of these products: the references 30384 Snowspeeder et 30461 Podracer.

In these two bags, you will find smaller versions of machines also available in their usual format in two of the sets of the anniversary range. The 58-piece Podracer from bag 30461 is nothing fancy, but it could have been a nice little collector's item if it weren't so fragile.

The fins of the two front engines only hold by a tenon and the transparent rod is simply plugged into the gray part placed under the cockpit. There is also no representation of the cables which in principle connect the nacelle to the motors .... The machine becomes almost impossible to handle without losing a few parts in the process and will have to be content to sit enthroned on a shelf or a desk. .

For its part, the Snowspeeder of 49 pieces of bag 30384 is on the other hand rather solid, nothing falls and the machine is easy to handle. This is in fact a scaled-down reproduction of the Snowspeeder from set 7130 (1999) and the result is very convincing with a level of detail that is really satisfactory for a model of this scale. And it's gray, so it's the right color ...

The machine will easily find its place in a snowy diorama, either to take advantage of a perspective effect, or to fix the scale of everything you need to build around. If you're not too keen on these scale stories, you can even use them to flesh out the playset 75241 Action Battle Echo Base Defense and its extension, the set 75239 Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack.

These two bags that every good collector of the LEGO Star Wars range must add to his collection are therefore of unequal quality, even if it seems obvious that the realization of a Podracer on this scale is a little more challenging. than designing a Snowspeeder.

The other challenge is to obtain these polybags which are more or less exclusively distributed or sold by certain brands. there is always the option of the secondary market, but if you find these bags in your favorite toy store do not hesitate to indicate it in the comments, I will add the info here.

We already know that the 30461 Podracer polybag was recently offered at Toys R Us during an animation and that it was seen on sale at Jouéclub. Polybag 30384 Snowspeeder is well distributed in Europe, it has been seen on the shelves of several Eastern European brands. I know, it makes you a nice leg ...

Note: The polybags shown here, supplied by LEGO, are as usual put into play as a single set. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the June 2, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we quickly tour the LEGO Marvel set 76131 Avengers Compound Battle (699 pieces - 119.99 €), the most expensive box of the series of sets vaguely derived from the movie Avengers Endgame.

The set directly references the film's final battle as evidenced by the presence of Thanos and his most trusted Outrider at the Avengers troop headquarters. Unfortunately, those who saw the film obviously understood that this box has little to do with the scene in question.

A small precision to temper the a little lying side of the product: LEGO does not refer directly to the movie Avengers Endgame in the official description of the series of sets marketed around the release of the film and is satisfied with a very vague "... Kids can recreate the thrilling action of the Marvel Avengers movies with this LEGO building toy ...".

The designer of the set, undoubtedly a Danish cousin of Jean-Michel Apeupré, therefore offers us here a LEGO CITY police station made up as the Avengers' lair with lots of stickers. Everything is there, the police car, the police helicopter, the cell for the prisoner with escape function, the break room, etc ... For the youngest, a playset is always good to take, but there are other ranges for this type of simplistic construction that allows you to invent stories of police and thieves.

The construction delivered here is therefore a playset as Kenner did so well in the 80s. On the one hand, a facade with large bay windows and a garage with a sliding gate and on the other large openings to allow placing the characters and vehicles in the various spaces provided.

Why not, except that in the scene of the film, the Avengers headquarters is already a pile of rubble before Thanos and his armies even land. To correct this detail, you can simply empty the contents of the bags on the living room table, you will get a playset a little more faithful to the state of the combat zone seen in the film.

As it is a playset, LEGO obviously does not forget to provide us with something to distract us: Everyone knows that Nebula never travels without his pocket helicopter and that Iron Man loves to ride around in his convertible. function. Again, there is certainly plenty of fun for the little ones, but there is no helicopter or Avengers vehicle in the scene of the film.

The helicopter and the vehicle are models that one has the impression of having seen a hundred times in the LEGO CITY range. LEGO has tried a diversion by adding a large rotating cannon on the nose of the chopper and two Stud Shooters in the back of the car, but the discerning fan won't be fooled by these elements.

In case whoever opens this box has any doubts about the range to which it belongs, LEGO provides us with a nice sheet of stickers with logos of all sizes that transform the building into the headquarters of the superhero troop and two machines supplied as company vehicles. There is even a huge sticker for the helipad platform, a story that Nebula knows where to land before going to fight with her father.

If the construction delivered in this box is only a vague reference to the final battle of Avengers Endgame, we still have the minifigs to try to make the link between this derivative and the film. Failed, or almost. Captain Marvel's minifig is identical to the one already seen in the set 76127 Captain Marvel and The Skrull Attack but the character's haircut bears little resemblance to Brie Larson's in the film's final scene.

Iron Man is here delivered with the MK85 armor and LEGO has chosen to provide two arms in Pearl Gold instead of pad printing red arms. The solution works pretty well but LEGO forgot to add some armor elements to those golden arms. The arms are directly matched with the front face of the helmet but the golden tint pad printed on the legs is not in the same tone and somewhat spoils the overall consistency of the figure.

Nebula is here supplied with the Quantum Suit already seen in several boxes. No female version of the torso, all the characters who wear this outfit are equipped with the same torso and the same legs.

Fortunately, the head of Nebula is very successful, it takes the design of that of the minifigure delivered in the set 76081 The Milano vs. The Abilisk (2017) with a different and original facial expression.
Finally, the Ant-Man nanofig is provided here in a version Quantum Suit rather successful.

The set also allows us to obtain two large new figurines: Hulk and Thanos. Too bad for the Hulk, we have to be content here with a simple variant of the usual figurine and we will probably never have a Professor Hulk to add to our collections.

Regarding Thanos, we cannot blame LEGO for alternating between shades of blue and purple for the character's minifigures, even Marvel does not know which foot to dance on according to the films in which Thanos appears. The hammer provided is also not in the movie battle, and the Infinity Gauntlet only comes with the Time and Space Gems. In short, if you counted on this box to get all the stones, it's a failure.

The Thanos figure is okay, the armor is molded directly onto the character's body, and the shoulder pads reduce arm mobility a bit. Nice pad printing on the chest, a few pieces of armor on the arms but nothing on the legs and it's a shame. We may also regret that Thanos' helmet has really been ultra-simplified in a LEGO version. The character deserved better.

I'm not giving you the usual verse on the unique Outrider delivered in this set, it's in four out of five boxes of this wave of derivative products.

In summary, this box may find its audience among very young fans whose parents can afford to spend 120 € in a playset barely more successful than a product from the LEGO CITY range, but I think the movie Avengers Endgame deserved a more serious treatment from LEGO.

Those who will answer me that the content is deliberately sloppy so as not to reveal anything about the film will in my opinion simply be wrong. The sets were released BEFORE the film was released and regardless of their content, it is only possible to notice the presence of a possible spoiler AFTER watching the film. the content of the sets therefore does not change anything for those who have not seen the film and only disappoint those who have seen it.

There will also be those who will defend the theory of "It was Marvel who purposely gave only very preliminary info about the movie to LEGO"I can't believe it, when could some guy at Marvel say to the LEGO designers:"... then, at one point Nebula arrives in a chopper and Iron Man tumbles in a convertible to face Thanos who is armed with a giant hammer and who has lost four of the six stones ..."?.

I am convinced that LEGO makes its own choices and that the content of the sets is above all dictated by commercial constraints that go far beyond fidelity to the universe reproduced: Two stones only so that children claim other boxes from their parents; A gray Hulkbuster because kids love robots; a motorbike because it's cool; a Quinjet because you always need at least one in the catalog; a playset in the LEGO CITY style because children like it and if you can sell them the same thing more expensive, it is always more margin. I am summarizing, but I think I am not far from reality.

In short, it's missed, it's too expensive, it's irrelevant. There remains some never-before-seen Iron Man armor and a Thanos minifigure which is arguably the most faithful element of the set. It's without me, except in promo around 100 euros max.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the May 28, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE SET 76131 AVENGERS COMPOUND BATTLE ON THE LEGO SHOP >>