I finally got my copy of the book LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia New Edition pre-ordered since July 2019 and this is the opportunity to quickly tell you about the book itself and the exclusive minifigure that comes with it.

For those who do not know the principle of this format entitled "Character Encyclopedia", more than an encyclopedia in the proper sense of the term, it is above all a non-exhaustive dictionary of minifigs in a range with very large photos surrounded by some information and other anecdotes on the character concerned.

This new edition of the book based on the LEGO Star Wars range logically leaves a large place for minifigs from content available since the previous edition, which dates from 2015. The characters seen in the films Rogue One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi ou The Rise of Skywalker which have been declined in minifig format are therefore present in this update, like the protagonists of the animated series Rebellious et The Clone Wars.

With the exception of a few generic minifigs that appear in several contents, you will not find in this book any figurines based on the important characters of the animated series. Star Wars Resistance or from the series The Mandalorian, but the selection of around 200 minifigs obviously includes some great classics from the LEGO Star Wars range.

The information and anecdotes provided in this 220-page book are for the most part interesting, although the most seasoned collectors will not learn much as the pages turn. For each minifig, the author specifies the date of marketing, the first set in which the figurine appears and the film or series that features this character.

The photos are very nice and they are indeed photos of the real minifigs and not digital renderings as was the case in other similar books. The counterpart to the use of real photos of the minifigs: some pad printing defects are really visible on several characters.

Even though the book is interesting, we all know here that most of those who are going to acquire it will be doing it to get the exclusive Darth Maul minifigure inserted in the cover. The character has his unconditional fans and his regular appearances in several contents of the saga (films, animated series, comics and novels) help to maintain his popularity. Darth Maul is here in his Crimson Dawn version, named after the criminal organization of which he is the leader. We therefore find the pendant which takes the logo of the organization on the character's tattooed torso.

The accessory that plugs into the head of this minifigure is not a new and exclusive element to this version, it is the one that already equips the other variations of the character in the LEGO Star Wars range. The head is however new, it ignores here the grimacing smile seen on other versions of the character and is satisfied with a variation around the tattoos and the look. Darth Maul's mechanical legs are here embodied by pad-printed patterns on a classic pair of legs. The pattern is in my opinion convincing with a well-managed graphic transition between the character's tunic and the mechanical elements.

Overall, we get here a version of Darth Maul based on the very brief appearance of the character in the film. Solo: A Star Wars Story and the most assiduous collectors should not hesitate long before spending the twenty euros requested by Amazon for this book.

With a little patience, this English version should as usual finish at a knockdown price within a few months and this exclusive minifigure will not cost you much. It is not yet known whether a French version will emerge, but if so, its public price will be much higher than that of the English version anyway.

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Marvel Spider-Man set 76149 The Menace of Mysterio, a small box stamped 4+ which combines a very basic assembly experience with a varied assortment of minifigs but far from being able to satisfy the most demanding collectors.

As usual in the 4+ boxes intended for the youngest, the two machines delivered here are based on meta-pieces that you have to dress up to obtain simplified but frankly playable constructions. Between Spider-Man's helicopter and Mysterio's robot, we find ourselves in the Mighty Micros atmosphere, less assembly pleasure.

While the pocket helicopter will not pass into posterity despite the good idea of ​​using claws in place of the usual skates, Mysterio's robot, an enlarged version of the character's torso, is a little more interesting with his post of control covered with a bubble and its movable arms. As you probably already know, there are no stickers in these boxes, so this is an opportunity to get some pad printed elements that can be reused for personal creations.

The gameplay of the set does not only depend on the possibility of a confrontation between Spider-Man, associated with Ghost Spider on his skateboard, and Mysterio at the controls of his robot: There is an additional stake with a bank to rob.

Here too, the construction is really very basic, but despite the cartoonish aspect of the thing the functionality of opening the trunk by removing the thick door on which the handle is located is interesting. The three fingers of each hand of the robot can grip objects or characters and Mysterio can therefore remove this element to allow access to the two small chests placed inside.

On the minifig side, of the three characters provided, two are not unpublished and are also delivered in sets marketed in 2019 and 2020. The Spider-Man figurine appears in four other sets: 76133 Spider-Man Car Chase, 76134 Doc Ock Diamond Heist, 76146 Spider-Man Mech and 76147 Vulture's Trucker Robbery and Ghost Spider was already present in the set 76115 Spider Mech vs. Venom (2019)

The big flaw of the Ghost Spider minifigure: The black color pad printed on the white background of the torso which tends to turn gray. It's far from fitting with the legs and on this specific point, the version of the set 76115 Spider Mech vs. Venom seems more polished to me.

The only truly new minifig in this box is that of Mysterio with his minimalist torso and his neutral head in Light Aqua placed under the globe which also served as a helmet for Mr Freeze in 2019. All the parts used here work quite well and we find a comic version of the character very faithful. Too bad for the legs which remain hopelessly neutral instead of benefiting from the basic yet basic pattern present on the torso.

The minifig is here equipped with a purple cape which covers the pad printed pattern on the back, with a piece of cape. It's a bit strange to find this piece of cape printed on the back of the figurine, but we'll do with it.

Finally, this little box does not deserve despite its public price a little too high (34.99 €) even if the most assiduous collectors of minifigs will be hungry for a single new character. There is plenty of fun here and, for the little ones, get your foot in the LEGO-style Spider-Man universe with simple builds but instant playability.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at April 13th next at 23pm. No emergency for the draws, the shipments will only take place when the sanitary situation allows it.

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 76143 Avengers Truck Takedown (477 pieces - € 39.99), one more box based on the Marvel's Avengers (Square Enix) video game whose release was initially scheduled for May 2020 but has finally been postponed to next September.

Here, too, the Avengers face the AIM troops (Advanced Idea Mechanics) and for the occasion Captain America and Hawkeye are at the controls of a modular truck with a slightly strange look. The machine is based on four (too) small wheels and it opens to store the rear Stud Shooter competition mounted on Technic beams.

Why not, even if the vehicle would in my opinion have benefited from being mounted on large wheels or tracks, just to make it more homogeneous. Just press the latch at the back to open the two body panels that hide the weapon, it's always taken for playability, and the cockpit of the truck is also a little strange but it has the merit of being able to accommodate a minifigure in uniform under the mobile canopy.

With its look and its blue / gray color and by simply changing the stickers, the machine could also just as well integrate the LEGO Jurassic World range and I think that this truck is not really up to what could have invented Tony Stark to make life easier for the band of superheroes. For a more successful product, LEGO could in my opinion have added a motorcycle that it would have been possible to store in the rear compartment for Captain America, the barrel then being fixed above the driving position.

Opposite, the AIM troops had to be content with a more modest three-wheeled machine, but they were assisted by a combat drone armed with Stud Shooters which is attached to the back. We find at the front a rim identical to those seen on the Black Panther motorcycle in the set 76142 Avengers Speeder Bike Attack. If the truck struggles to convince me, this very simple three-wheeled motorcycle seems more consistent with the universe developed here thanks to its aggressive look and its use justified by the transport of the combat drone.

As usual, we stick some stickers on the truck and on the motorcycle with the bonus of a license plate which also serves as the signature of the designer of the set: NA811 for Nabii aka Mark Stafford.

On the minifig side, we get here two members of the Avengers. Captain America benefits from a brand new double-sided face and torso, shield and mask previously seen in the set 76123 Captain America: Outriders Attack (2019) and a pair of neutral legs. The white of the torso is not really white as usual but the design of the piece is very faithful to the video game version although it lacks a few patterns on the arms to make it perfect. LEGO is kind enough to deliver hair for the character, it's nice.

Hawkeye benefits from his side of a torso and a new head, all plugged on neutral legs and with hair in Medium Dark Flesh already used in the past for Thor, Newt Scamander and a handful of other generic minifigs. Nice graphic work on the torso, too bad the legs have not received the same attention.

Finally, the two AIM agents delivered here are identical to the one seen in the set 76142 Avengers Speeder Bike Attack. One of the two agents is equipped with a flamethrower and a jetpack, why not, these elements will bring a little variety when it comes to forming a small squad intended to populate a diorama.

As for the set 76142 Avengers Speeder Bike Attack, there is fun here by getting some new minifigs and everyone should find something for themselves. Even if the "Avengers truck" will probably not go down in history in the same way as a Quinjet, this box sold at the public price of 39.99 € is a product that makes the effort to be self-sufficient with what fun for two or three without having to go back to the checkout. It's already that.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at March 29, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and 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. Shipment of the batch as soon as the sanitary situation permits.

Today we quickly tour the LEGO set 40371 Limited Edition Easter Egg, a small box of 237 pieces which will be offered from March 23 to April 13, 2020 from 55 € of purchase without restriction of range.

The Easter egg to be built here partially takes up the principle of what is called the Lowell Sphere, named after its creator Bruce Lowell, with its cubic interior structure and paneling based on panels with visible tenons in gradient.

The construction is divided into three modules with the lower part of the shell, a removable intermediate zone and the cover. Nothing very complicated in terms of assembly techniques, it's simple and repetitive. The DOTS effect is felt here too with many small pieces to align to decorate the shell and a whole lot of additional pieces which aim to fill the lower internal space, the white of the egg. We also assemble a little chick with the eyes of Mixel which logically finds its place in the yolk of the egg.

On arrival we get a big construction that is a little too cubic to really look like an egg. We are also at the limit of converting the thing to BrickHeadz format, which should delight fans of characters with "revisited" morphology. Younger fans eager to discover new techniques may find it beneficial by learning to dress a bob to make it (almost) round.

In short, this small limited edition set (it's marked on the box) mixes genres without really convincing and I'm not sure we'll find many people from next March 23 to force themselves to spend € 55 on the store. official online to get this box.

As usual, tastes and colors are indisputable and it's up to you.

Note: The product shown here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at March 22, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and 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. Shipment of the batch as soon as the sanitary situation permits.

Today we must quickly turn to the LEGO Ninjago set 71716 Lloyd Avatar Arcade Pod (48 pieces - 9.99 €), a new attempt on the part of LEGO to offer us boxes in which it is possible to store and transport the contents of the set concerned.

Here, the container takes the form of an arcade machine composed of a very large molded part on which are grafted a cover, a base, a glass, several stickers and some decorative elements. The series of three sets taking up this idea and integrating in turn Lloyd (71716), Jay (71715) and Kai (71714) is inspired by the world of video games Empire premium declined in short videos uploaded by LEGO to bring the 12th season of the animated series.

No mystery here, the 48 pieces of the set are quickly assembled and it is the installation of stickers that will take the most time. The arcade cabinet is pretty well designed, except that you have to remove the base completely to really interact with the two minifigs placed inside. The locking latch is supported by two pins and the assembly does not open unexpectedly during transport and the terminal door serves as a storage space for various accessories. The head of Lloyd's avatar is also plugged in and the body of the character takes place just in front of the minifig of Digi lloyd. It is then necessary to break down the minifig to align the torso and legs in front of the display.

The object obtained in this box is rather successful, we immediately recognize the arcade machine and the model will find its place at the bottom of the backpack of a young schoolboy fan of the Ninjago universe. The decorations placed at the top of the construction will undoubtedly come off during movement and it will then be necessary to go in search of the different parts at the bottom of the bag to reconstitute the thing but it is generally very transportable.

Unfortunately, if the idea is good, the realization leaves aside an important constraint which harms the coherence of the content a little: A minifigure cannot reach the buttons of the game console which is much too high. We can therefore conclude that the terminal is really only a storage box and that it has a little trouble convincing of its possible double use. We are not going to lie to each other anyway, with this molded box, LEGO tries above all to impose a new "collectable" product rather than a real toy with which we will have fun for long hours.

The arcade machine is dressed in four large stickers including two huge side stickers. LEGO is kind enough to provide us with eight small additional stickers to stick on the terminal or elsewhere according to your desire and your creative capacities.

This box also allows you to obtain two minifigs and only the Avatar version is exclusive. The Digi Lloyd minifig with its "life bar" on the back is the one already seen in the 71709 Jay and Lloyd's Velocity Racers, 71712 Empire Temple of Madness and 71713 Empire Dragon sets. The handle of Lloyd's saber shaped like a gamepad Pearl Gold is only available in the three Arcade Pods but it is found in white in several boxes marketed since the beginning of the year.

The Avatar version of the character is not uninteresting but its realization leaves much to be desired with colors that do not match anywhere. The green pad printed on the legs in Pearl Gold is too dark for that of the torso which is on a green base with a pad-printed insert which turns pale yellow instead of being matched with the head and the hands of the character. Again, the official visuals are way too pretentious and the reality is disappointing.

In summary, for 10 €, we get two minifigs, their accessories and a decorated box that allows them to be transported. After the ball-shaped capsules, square boxes from the Friends range or books from the Disney universe, LEGO offers a new variation of the toy to take everywhere thanks to a container made of a molded shell. Why not, even if in this specific case I would have appreciated getting an arcade machine to assemble and scale minifigs.

Note: The product shown here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at March 20, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and 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. Shipment of the batch as soon as the sanitary situation permits.