Everyone has long agreed that LEGO has always oversized its boxes in relation to their content.

Many criticisms have already been made on this subject and in particular this year by the magazine 60 millions de consommateurs which evoked deceptive packaging for the consumer (See this news).

It seems that LEGO has decided to significantly reduce its packaging as evidenced by this photo taken by a Toys N Bricks forumer in a Wal-Mart store in the USA.

Apparently this compact box from the 8093 Plo Koon's Starfighter set has a different barcode from the classic model.

 So, is this an exception, or is LEGO reviewing its packaging policy. And if so, is it only for environmental and economic considerations, or under pressure from customers who feel cheated by a few bags of coins in an oversized box? 

I remember my son's reaction to opening some Star Wars sets. 

His disappointment at the scanty content was blatant as the big box made huge promises ......

Here's a good idea from LEGO: Offer a simple and intuitive online tool so that you can create a City-themed comic with just a few mouse clicks.

The interface is successful, the menus easy to use even by the youngest and the result is stunning.

Watch the demo video below and go at this address to create your comic book.

seen on StarWars.com, the presentation of the packaging model for the 2012 range of Star Wars licensed products.

This time we find the Sith Lord Darth Maul in the spotlight, and this choice is not trivial. It is in fact in 2012 that is planned, in addition to the end of the world, the 3D release of episode I The Phantom Menace at the cinema, a film in which Maul plays an important role.

Note that the designers have not planned any particular packaging for the products of the Clone Wars range. We can therefore expect to see Maul appear on all LEGO Star Wars boxes by early 2012.

You can read an interview with the designers of this packaging via this link.

The photo posted on Toys N Bricks by gabriellee11 is fuzzy, but we can distinguish the two new packs of magnets (The minifigs are glued to their support) from the SW range.

Pack 853130 contains Anakin Skywalker, Talz, and a Clone Pilot. (on the left in the photo)

Pack 853126 contains an AT-AT Driver, Ben Kenobi, and a Tie Fighter Pilot. (on the right in the photo)

Note that these two packs are not yet listed on Brickset or on the LEGO Shop.
As soon as new visuals appear, I will be sure to post them.

Another version of the iconic Snowspeeder, arguably the most famous device in the Star Wars saga after the X-Wing. And the most reproduced too.

This time, siseon, forumerEurobricks, was largely inspired by the work of Larry lars (His T-47 version 2010 can be seen here), and does not hide having been influenced by the achievements of BrickDoctor (His version of the T-47 can be seen here) and Marshal banana (His model can be seen here), two other talented MOCers well known in the community.

In the end, the result is a clever mix of all these impressive realism MOCs and the finish is exemplary.
Siseon has produced two models which you can see in pictures on the dedicated topic at Eurobricks.

Click on the visual for a larger version.