It is mutley777 who draws the first with two reviews of the mini sets 30056 Star Destroyer and 30058 STAP. As usual with these mini sets, do not expect too much and they are not UCS ... I would like to point out that for all those who will complain about the poverty of the models even before having taken into account that these are small sets intended to promote the brand ...

Regarding the 30056 Star Destroyer, the final model is well made, rather similar and in my opinion more successful than the ship in the set 4492 Star Destroyer released in 2004. This mini set is available on Bricklink for around 10 euros.

Regarding the 30058 STAP, the machine benefits from a slightly improved design, in particular with the use of a slopes in Brown which replaces several parts used on the model of the set 30004 Battle Droid on STAP released in 2009. This mini set is also already available on Bricklink for around 10 €.

To access detailed reviews of these two mini sets at Eurobricks, click on the images.

Here are the official descriptions in English which allow us to discover the exact list of minifigs that will be delivered with each set of the second wave of Star Wars 2012:

9496 Desert Skiff 

Hovering over the deadly Sarlacc Pit, Luke prepares to meet his fate aboard the Desert Skiff. Will he be made to walk the plank and be eaten by the ferocious Sarlacc? Or will his friend Lando Calrissian help him escape the clutches of the renowned bounty hunter, Boba Fett? You decide! Included 4 mini figures: Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett and Kithaba. (213 pieces)

9497 Republic Striker-Class Starfighter

Jedi Master Satele Shan streaks through space aboard the sleek Republic Striker-class Starfighter. With attack and cruise mode wing configurations, flick missiles, rear lightsaber storage and T7 -O1 droid, this powerful starfighter has everything it needs to take on the evil Sith Empire! Included 3 mini figures: Satele Shan, Republic Trooper and T7-O1 Astromech Droid. (376 pieces)

9498 Saesee Tiin's Starfighter

Jedi Master Saesee Tiin is patrolling for Separatist forces in his Jedi Starfighter, ready to go into battle with fellow Jedi Master Even Piell. As well as being extremely light and agile, Saesee Tiin's green starfighter is equipped with 4 missiles, an R3-D5 droid and if the action gets a little too intense, a cockpit section that detaches to become the Jedi Master's very own escape pod! Includes 3 mini figures: Saesee Tiin, Astromech Droid R3-D5 and Even Piell. (244 pieces)

9499 Gungan Sub

Jar Jar Binks guides his friends Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn through the watery core of planet Naboo in the elegant Gungan Sub. Built to resemble some of the many creatures that inhabit the underwater world, the Gungan Sub features a large cockpit, cargo bays, storage boxes, rotating tail propulsion, missiles and even a mini-sub with harpoon. Included Queen Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Jar Jar Binks. (465 pieces)

9500 Sith Fury Class Interceptor

On board the lethal Fury-class Interceptor, the evil Sith Lord Darth Malgus scans his instruments for Republic-occupied territory. Armed with 4 missiles and folding wings, the Sith Fury-class Interceptor's large hold can also be used to transport Sith ground troops into the heart of the battle. Who will defeat the evil Sith Lord? Includes 3 mini figures: Darth Malgus and 2 Sith Troopers. (748 pieces)

9515 Malevolence

The Malevolence is General Grievous' flagship and one of the Separatist military's most feared weapons. Unbeknownst to Grievous and his crew, Anakin and Padme have entered the giant craft in an attempt to rid the galaxy of this deadly curse. The Malevolence features a cargo bay with transport train, detailed interior with removable-opening sections for easy access and twin quick-fire missile launchers. Includes 6 LEGO minifigures: Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, General Grievous, Count Dooku, Battle Droid Commander and BattleDroid. (1101 pieces)

9516 Jabba's Palace

At Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, Princess Leia is disguised as Boushh as she tries to rescue Chewbacca and carbonite-frozen Han Solo. Can she get past the roof-mounted missiles, defense guns and surveillance equi pment to reach them? Or will Jabba and his motley band of followers capture the princess and entrap her beneath Jabba's sliding throne? Includes 9 mini figures: Jabba, Salacious Crumb, Bib Fortuna, Gamorrean Guard, Oola, Han Solo, Princess Leia in Boushh outfit, Chewbacca and B'omarr Monk. (717 pieces)

A first description of the set 6866 Wolverine's Chopper Showdown is available in English, here it is:

Oh no, Magneto and Deadpool are attacking Wolverine with their helicopter. Help him to escape! Dodge the missiles and make a quick getaway on Wolverine's Chopper before Magneto traps Wolverine with his magnetic powers. Includes 3 minifigures: Wolverine, Magneto and Deadpool.

So we learn that Magneto and Deadpool are attacking Wolverine with their helicopter. Missiles are obviously in the game and Wolverine escapes with his motorcycle. Three minifigs in this set: Wolverine, Magneto and Deadpool.

We also learn a little more about the set 6867 Loki's Cosmic Cube Escape :

Loki is escaping from SHIELD headquarters with the powerful cosmic cube. If he succeeds, he could use it to wreak havoc on the world! Can Iron Man take to the skies in his amazing armored suit and chase down the speeding off-roader or will Loki escape with the cosmic cube? You decide! Includes 3 minifigures: Iron Man, Loki and Hawkeye.

Which gives us the bottom line: Loki escapes from SHIELD headquarters with the Cosmic Cube. Can Iron Man track the all-terrain vehicle by Loki? Three minifigs in this set: Iron Man, Loki and Hawkeye.

If there is a hero that we no longer talk about now, it is Green Lantern. No trace of him in the first wave of LEGO Super Heroes DC Universe, and he should logically not be present in the LEGO Super Heroes wave based on the Marvel universe and slated for mid 2012.

Hal Jordan's known minifigure is the one produced in 1500 copies and distributed at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2011 (I made a picture for you above) and since then, nothing ... It is currently reselling between 40 and 70 € on Bricklink. If no set were to come out with this minifigure, its price should logically soar by the end of the year ...

We already know he should appear in the LEGO Batman 2 video game (see this article), but no set has yet been announced as the film with Ryan Reynolds in the title role accompanied by the sublime Blake Lively has been released since August 2011 and the same film is currently entering its second career with the release in Blu-rays / DVDs.

In addition, we also know that an animated series featuring this character will be broadcast in the USA but also in France: Green Lantern - The Animated Series. 

Regarding sets, Green Lantern was nevertheless entitled to a set in the Ultrabuild range: 4528 Green Lantern.

So will Green Lantern be entitled to a set System? I think so, the character is in the news early in 2012 and LEGO didn't produce the Comic Con minifigure just for the occasion. We should find her in a set featuring her, and I think that she will undoubtedly be accompanied at least by Superman whom we have only seen so far in a set, certainly of quality but not very large (6862 - Superman vs Power Armor Lex).

I will wrote my skepticism about the Friends range a few days ago. I was probably not the only one to think that this line intended for girls would raise a serious problem: Is LEGO showing sexism? sectarianism? condescending to little girls who want to play with LEGOs?

In A press release fallen like a hair on the soup in full commercial launch of the Friends range, LEGO explains that it is important to clarify a few points about this range that I summarize here: The Friends sets are designed like those of the other LEGO ranges, they are just as constructible, packaged like the others, with instructions and parts in bags like the others, that the pink bricks are not a novelty and that the marketing plan for this range is the same as for the others ...

LEGO then defends itself against offering girls only the Friends range, and that they can play, because they are obviously capable of it even if they are girls, with the other range of the manufacturer ...

In short, it smacks of the emergency rescue attempt of a product whose brand image has tilted to the wrong side in a few weeks ... But LEGO boasts of having tested the product with thousands of girls and their parents. for 4 years, and therefore to have largely covered the issue ...

I think that LEGO has forgotten some basic principles: If this product was not intended for a particular audience and in any case different from the one usually targeted by LEGO, why did you turn the minifig into a mini-doll? Because once again, the whole problem is there and not in the candy pink or the still dubious marketing choice to sectorize the products according to the sex of the customer.

In France, we are less sensitive to the problem of sexism in our daily lives, but I tell myself that there must be an American feminist association that risks asking this obvious question: Why do girls have the right to a different toy from the one for boys for whom the rest of the LEGO range seems reserved?

How can a little girl who sees her brother, her cousin, playing with LEGOs and classic minifigs, hope to share this activity when she does not have the same toy in her hands?

One would have thought that LEGO had learned the lessons of the Belville range. Apparently not, LEGO continues to want to offer a product intended only for girls and significantly different from the rest of the range that made it successful. The LEGO minifig as we know it remains the yardstick of this construction toy, not the brick which is declined by many other manufacturers.

Until proven otherwise, for LEGO, boys create and build and girls therefore play with dolls ...

 Find the official press release at this address.