It is on purpose that I did not jump on the Brickset article which presents the above shot taken by Chris McVeigh when you unpack your set LEGO Monster Fighters 9466 The Crazy Scientist & His Monster and which indicates that the left brick from this set is much less heavy, the plastic less opaque and less dense and that the color which should have been Medium Blue is far from agreeing with that of the right brick ...

Always according Chris McVeigh, all the bricks in the set in question appear to be of poor quality, with the exception of the 1x2x2 slopes in Medium Blue.

That being said, the reactions were numerous, and the comments of the article in question swarm as usual with remarks about a possible manufacture in China of these bricks, which would explain their poor quality.

It's a rather quick shortcut often done in the heat of the moment and without taking a step back. Anyone who has worked with Chinese manufacturers before, and I am in a good position to bring it up, knows that it is not that simple.

The Chinese, like other manufacturers on the planet, produce according to the criteria provided by the principal, in this case LEGO in this specific case. And LEGO necessarily has quality control in place, throughout the production process. To summarize Chinese industry as the production of low-end products is to misunderstand the capacity of these manufacturers to adapt to the constraints of the market for which they produce.

Let's face it, the Chinese also know how to manufacture quality products. The extremely low cost of labor allows them to be competitive, but they are able to keep precise specifications, as long as the person who orders the goods keeps an eye on the production phase.

I think that we should not systematically blame the Chinese factories that are subcontractors of LEGO for every quality problem, and there are more and more of them, that we are currently encountering in different ranges.

LEGO may have decided to reduce its production costs, by reducing the density of the plastic, its quality, the quality of the coloring pigments used, the number of checks carried out during the production phase, etc.

After all, LEGO has regained its leadership position in its industry and everyone knows it's easy to rest on your laurels. Shareholders are smiling again, dividends, and always want more. At the same time, production volumes are increasing, allowing significant economies of scale and favoring the relocation of production to countries capable of responding rapidly to growing demand but which do not have the best image in terms of production. quality. Whether in Mexico or China, or even in Eastern countries, LEGO seeks to reduce its costs, and labor represents a large part of it.

But substantial savings can also be achieved by reducing the quality of raw materials to even a limited extent. The average consumer will see nothing but fire, it is above all a construction toy intended to be handled by children.

Maniacal and meticulous AFOLs obviously realize that many details are overlooked by LEGO these days, from misaligned silkscreens to pieces that split quickly after first use.

The quality problems are there, more and more present, it is a fact. But let's not blame the Chinese or the Mexicans. It is to LEGO that it is necessary to turn, to forward the information, and to make understand to this leading manufacturer today but at the limit of the filing of bankruptcy a few years ago, that nothing is acquired. .

People buy LEGO at a high price for the quality of the products. If this quality drops, prices will also have to drop, or consumers will turn without qualms to alternative brands, much less expensive ...

This magnificent MOC is the big winner of the competition organized by FBTB: Wings of Justice Contest.

It largely deserves its first place thanks to a machine which is perfectly suited to a rather edgy Bruce Banner. The tubular connections are perfectly integrated, and the only downside that I would express here relates to the gray of the cabin, a little shy and monotonous. Dressing in Tan would have tasted better in my opinion. You will notice the H of Hulk taken in different places in a very aesthetic way.

To see more about this machine, it's on zane_houston's flickr gallery that it happens. To see the other contest winners, it's on this post at FBTB. You will also find in third position the Bat-Rotor of Si-Mocs I was telling you about a few days ago.

He intervenes on this blog and I thank him in passing, _Tiler is a MOCeur and a creator of custom minifigs that I particularly appreciate. The MOCs he offers are always meticulous, clean and even if some of his creations do not seem very impressive at first glance, they are all the result of careful and thoughtful work.

After one mini batmobile very successful which returns the polybag 30161 in the Majorette department, here is what could be the supercharged vehicle of Captain America ... I know the guy already has a motorcycle, and that is more than enough for him to move, but I see the beginning of a mini-range Racers / Super Heroes which is not to displease me. I have always loved small cars. And the super heroes.

To see more it's on _Tiler's flickr gallery that it happens.

The big news today comes from the very annoying but still knowledgeable guy at Brickshow, you know, this guy who speaks so slowly in the tone of a CNN presenter that his videos are 20 minutes long while the content takes 30 seconds. .

LEGO has confirmed that we will be entitled to sets inspired by the movie Iron Man 3 slated for spring 2013 and produced by Marvel / Disney. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle will return to service to face new villains: Iron Patriot, Aldrich Killian, creator of the Extremis virus, and The Mandarin.

So many potential minifigs to check out next summer, and I have to say I'm pretty excited about this announcement. Hoping that LEGO will offer us all the characters from the film, Iron Patriot in mind ....

http://youtu.be/PSpMpAUHnpU

We promise, this is the last trailer that I am posting here for the LEGO Batman 2 game which officially comes out on June 22.

But Launch Trailer is simply excellent. Some scenes have already been seen and reviewed in previous trailers, but I find the staging and the voices so successful that I never tire of them.

Loose, a Joker-looking mech that I hope to see one day as a set, a reference to the Justice League (Justice League) which promises, a lot of humor and superb scenery.

Like the rest at LEGO, video games are evolving, are more detailed, better finished, and even if the gameplay will probably not have a big surprise in store for us, I am looking forward to spending a few hours on this game with my son. To him the cartoon and zany side, to me the more adult references to the world of these super heroes ... 

http://youtu.be/KXYkBXh2Quw