It was while browsing flickr that I came across this photo of MED and that I asked myself the question. Are LEGO minifigs too detailed?

It is a question that deserves to be asked and that divides the community. It's a fact, LEGO minifigs are getting more and more detailed, screen-printed and dressy. Some see it as a normal evolution of the toy according to the evolution of fashions and technologies, while others see LEGO gradually losing its soul and its image of a toy appealing to the imagination of the youngest.

Today we are a long way from the basic yellow-headed minifigs of the 1990s. I naturally pass on the bits of plastic acting as a character dating from the 1970s before the creation of minifigs with movable arms and legs in 1978 .... The arrival of Flesh in 2003 changed the appearance of minifigs, but without necessarily distorting the product.

In recent years, LEGO has entered another phase: Minifigs are more and more detailed and close to the universe from which they are inspired. Just see Jack Sparrow, Harry Potter ou Indiana Jones to understand that there is no longer any need for imagination: The minifigure is immediately recognizable and assimilable to the character it embodies.

The remakes of the Star Wars universe are also ultra-detailed: Sebulba from the set 7962 Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba's Podracers released in 2011 is much more detailed than the Sebulba of the set 7171 Mos Espa Podrace released in 1999.

Not to mention Boba Fett's minifigure which has evolved well since the set's minifigure 7144 Slav I released in 2000 until 8097 Slav I released in 2010 .... 

The Star Wars universe reflects this evolution of minifigs over the years. The range spans over 10 years and incorporates almost every variant of minifig that LEGO has been able to produce.

Personally, I am divided. On the one hand, I tell myself that as long as the minifig keeps the shape that we know it, all is well. And I expect seriously worked minifigs in the Superheroes range, with beautiful screen prints and colors faithful to that of the models. After all, it's the shape of these characters more than their dress that makes them part of the LEGO world.

But on the other hand, I contradict myself and I regret that some minifigs are sometimes too dressy, decorated, to be made even more realistic or close to their model. Undoubtedly an effect of nostalgia particular to the Star Wars universe, which must be less present among the youngest ....

And you, what is your opinion?

You have probably already visited the site legosantayoda.com, but you might have missed the main point of this mini-site.

In addition to the contest which will allow Americans (and only them, don't think about why) to win many prizes, you can make your contribution to the charitable effort  Toys for tots by sending e-cards to family, friends, or people you don't know but would like to spam by doing a good deed.

So, since it's Sunday and you are surfing aimlessly on the global web, take a few minutes to send several virtual cards and help bring some happiness to underprivileged kids. For each card sent, LEGO agrees to give a toy back. The gauge doesn't go up very quickly, it's up to you to make it go even higher.

I just received and leafed through this book everyone is talking about: The Cult of LEGO four-handed written by John Baitchal and Joe Meno, publisher of BrickJournal magazine.

It will have cost me 29 € at Amazon to acquire this work from which I expected perhaps a little more than what it has to offer ...

The set of 290 pages is well bound, with a beautiful black cover, lined with a yellow overcover of the most beautiful effect. The inner flyleaves are adorned with the designs of the patent filed by Godtfred Kirk Christiansen on October 24, 1961. 

The content is quite uneven. The photos are often ugly, taken by the MOCeurs themselves with the means at hand, and the texts are more or less interesting depending on whether one is an informed AFOL or a dancing LEGO enthusiast.

Many subjects are discussed with among others the history of the LEGO company, AFOLs, minifigs, LEGO-based comics, different construction scales or even LEGO-based video games.

The text in English can be read and you don't have to be perfectly bilingual to understand. The layout is modern, and the photos just needed better quality for this book to be an essential Christmas present. 

I remain on my hunger as for the form. Basically, nothing to say, the essential is taken seriously.

It's up to you to see if you want to add this book to your LEGO library. It is currently for sale at Amazon for 29.75 €.

We were finally treated to some high-resolution images of what should be the definitive version of the LEGO Superheroes First Wave sets for 2012.

And this range is a good surprise. The gameplay will be there for the youngest and collectors will find their account between the new unpublished minifigs and the covers of characters already released in the Batman range from 2006 to 2008. It remains to obtain the prices, important data that will decide in part for the future success of this licensed range.

La Batcave set 6860, although more rudimentary than that of the set 7783 The Batcave: The Penguin and Mr. Freeze's Invasion released in 2006 remains a nice playset for children with many features and the 5 minifigs provided will delight collectors. This set will be the most expensive in the range, but it constitutes the starting point of any self-respecting playset around which the other sets will be articulated.

I'm a little more skeptical about the set 6858 Catwoman Catcycle City Chase, which will have barely the merit of allowing us to get Catwoman in a set which should be reasonably priced. The bike is barely passable with its metapiece fairing. But this set is obviously a lead product.

The and 6862 Superman vs Power Armor Lex is my favorite of this new range. It already makes me regret having invested a few tickets in the Superman minifig offered at New York Comic Con 2011 which is identical in all points to the one in this set, but I am delighted to get Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor, two minifigs unpublished. The Down is interesting, well designed, and looks like he can hold a minifigure in his hands. It will allow you to make pretty thumbnails and beautiful photos, it will change us from Stormtroopers on flickr. Hopefully subsequent waves of sets will include more scenes with Superman, and as the box design suggests, the man in blue tights looks like he is entitled to his own line of custom sets.

The and 6863 Batwing Battle over Gotham City will appeal to children once again, the gameplay being guaranteed: Two flying machines, a bad guy, a nice one and before the frenzied chases. I'm a little disappointed with the Batwing which I would have hoped was a bit more elaborate. Looks like an old-time Blacktron machine. I will be able to add a "Henchman" to my collection, these henchmen with their beanies amuse me .... Note the tommy gun delivered with the Joker.

The and 6864 Batmobile and the Two-Face Chase also brings immediate playability with two vehicles and 5 minifigs. Unlike many AFOLs, I'm happy to see Two Face in a different color than the set 7781 The Batmobile: Two-Face's Escape released in 2006 and its assorted henchmen will once again make me happy .... the Batmobile is nice, even if I'm not particularly a fan of these Batmobiles in comic version. I prefer the versions seen in the movies. This set will allow you to obtain beautiful pieces in often very popular colors, such as tan, orange or purple. We also find purple as a common point to all the bad guys in the range.

The announced addition of paper comics in four of these sets is a significant added value. Hope they are well done.

In conclusion, I am obviously fans of this new license which seems to be on the right track. I can't wait to be able to add all of these new minifigs to my collection, and I remain confident for the future. The DC Universe as seen by LEGO is interesting but not new, and I can't wait to see what LEGO will do with the Marvel Universe even more.

By dint of wanting to flood the market with derivative products, LEGO sometimes makes a few missteps. We will be indulgent with towels, salt shakers, piggy banks, umbrellas and other products stamped with LEGO. We will be less so with this totally useless gadget and so badly designed that it is better to laugh about it: Minifigure Speech Bubbles, in other words, dialogue bubbles for minifigs. On the menu are plastic bubbles to put on the neck of the minifigure on which you can paste a predefined text or write yourself a line for the character concerned. 

This product is still sold for nearly $ 10 in the USA, especially at Toys R Us.... The pack contains a minifigure, 24 plastic bubbles of different colors, 12 pre-printed messages, 24 white stickers to personalize yourself and a marker ....

Technically, the product borders on the ridiculous with a completely silly attachment system and a final look that immediately makes one think of a minifigure committing suicide by hanging. I therefore solemnly award the finest derivative product for 2011 to this accessory. Hoping that by the end of the year it won't be dethroned by another gadget that came out of the minds of marketing specialists at LEGO ...