Certainly, the Monster Fighters range is talking about it at the moment (not that in good elsewhere ...) and Brickset unveils a new (again!) Polybag of the range with the reference 5000644 distributed during the FanExpo which was taking place in Toronto this past weekend.

Nothing very attractive in this bag: 12 pieces, including a skeleton, a bat, a fluorescent spider, two crystals and a spider web, and a sheet of stickers ...

These polybags are used more and more by LEGO which declines them in all the sauces and for many ranges (Star Wars, Super Heroes, Lord of the Rings, etc ...). And if (European) collectors are tearing their hair out to bring them together, their usefulness in the promotion of LEGO products to potential customers clearly no longer seems to be demonstrated ...

It's a tradition now well established among LEGO fans. Each year its Advent calendar. Everyone has their favorite theme, but for everyone the joy (or disappointment) of opening a daily box with a few pieces inside allowing you to create a machine or a vessel, some accessories or even a minifig.

Children are fond of this exercise, AFOLs also ...

To be sure to have the coveted box on time, it is better to do it in advance. Recent rumors regarding production issues with the LEGO Friends set 3316 complicate the availability of it at traditional merchants. Public prices are also very high, and inflation does not spare this type of sets.

Fortunately, we have alternative sources to get these sets at the best price. The best offer of the moment is available at amazon Italy with very correct prices:

3316 LEGO Friends Advent Calendar 2012 - € 18.59
9509 LEGO Star Wars Star Wars Advent Calendar 2012 - € 26.09
4428 LEGO City Advent Calendar 2012 - € 18.59

These three sets are in stock and immediately available. One more reason not to risk having to pay a high price at the last moment because of a breakup ...

Erik Amzallag, the president of FreeLUG, one of the French LUGs, recently met the managers of LEGO France and offers a report on the points raised during this meeting which you can read in full. on the FreeLUG forum ou on the Brickpirate forum.

In summary: So there will be an official LEGO store in Lille, but it won't be the first to open. LEGO wishes to remain discreet on the subject, and we understand why: Some merchants, generalists or specialists, will look gray ...

No concrete answer regarding the recurring supply problems that we encounter in France. Furthermore, LEGO France is aware that we are in Europe, that we have the internet and that Spain and Italy have become viable and cheaper sources for our purchases of LEGO in a few months.

New product releases should gradually be harmonized on a global scale.

LEGO France is apparently little spoiled in terms of marketing budget, which explains the absence of promotional operations (polybags, etc ...) and the weak involvement of the French branch in the events organized during the year (exhibitions, etc ...). 

I forgot: there will be a second animated LEGO Star Wars short film.

Pack up the party favors, it's time to tidy up and move on ...

The Monster Fighters 10228 Haunted House set was sold for € 139.99 last weekend on the LEGO Shop FR before dropping back to € 179.99 on Monday without any notice.

I will not go over the whole history of this operation here, you will find lots of information on the blog, or on the Brickpirate forum in the dedicated topic.

Many AFOLs had expressed their dissatisfaction following the sudden price increase a few days before the effective availability date (September 1, 2012). But it turned out that the set could actually be ordered for € 139.99 (which I hope you did ...). The order confirmations have reached customers, LEGO hasn't sent any messages saying it was a pricing error, and we're all waiting for an upcoming delivery.

In addition, a Belgian AFOL indicates on Hoth Bricks facebook page "... Lego is offering 800 VIP points in compensation to Belgian customers who bought this set € 179.99 when it was sold € 139.99 to the French 😀 I say: THANKS LEGO! (only valid if you ordered 10228 this weekend) ..."

For its part, an AFOL living in Belgium contacted LEGO about this price difference between the French tariff (139.99 €) and the Belgian tariff (179.99 €). He got the following response from customer service: "... I am terribly sorry to hear of your disappointment regarding the apparent price difference between Belgium and France for item 10228. The price of this set in France was in fact altered to 179.99 EUR and can only be purchased at that price. It is true that at this moment the price appears as 139.99 EUR in the search results, however when clicking through to pay for the item the amount changes to 179.99 EUR. This is an internal error and we are currently working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. However, I thank you for taking the time to write to us with your feedback ..."

In short, it's nonsense, LEGO seems to have nothing in control in this matter and we will see if the orders placed at the most advantageous price are delivered, which should be the case if LEGO respects the legislation in force (Contract of sale between the merchant and the customer formalized by the deed of payment, etc ...)

A reliable source, very reliable even, confirms to me that LEGO will indeed offer TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) licensed products with an official launch date announced for January 2013.

No details on the content of this range for the moment, but we can think that LEGO will be based on the animated series whose launch takes place on September 29 on the American channel Nickelodeon (see the press release).
We can therefore take for granted the appearance of the TMNT license at LEGO for next year. Hopefully, the New York Comic Con, which will be held from October 11th to 14th, 2012, will bring us more information about this new range ...

Small clarification: The image above does not represent the range in question, it is a DIY assembly by yours truly ... I say that in case you find this image elsewhere and it is sold to you as a visual official...