Toys R Us may shutter all of its U.S. stores as soon as next week. According to a Bloomberg News report, the toy store giant failed to find a buyer or work out a debt restructuring deal. Now, while the Toys R Us situation is in flux reports say liquidation seems a likelihood and so goes the temple of my youth.

Maybe millennials don’t get it, but Gen Xer’s like myself and back, we get it. You might think it’s so convenient to order online, and sure, it is. But have you ever taken your kid, or when you WERE a kid, had you ever been taken into a Toys R Us and given a budget or number and told you could ‘pick a toy?’ Because if you had, I guarantee you’d get it. There’s no replacement for the feedback of a physical store in that scenario. The overwhelming joy as either a parent, watching your child, or an adult watching ANY child, or as A child being in that situation, it’s unmatchable. NOTHING comes close to that, not even Christmas morning, to being let loose in an entire retail wonderland ENTIRELY for children and then told, “You, yes you, can pick any one thing you want…GO!”

In the pre-internet days, I would get my ideas for Christmas by going to Toys R Us after Thanksgiving to see the new offerings and come up with my list. Well, it was that store and the Sears/J.C. Penny catalogs. I could always tell when the Wishbook came in the mail, because it had this particular thickness that was unlike the larger clothing catalogs my mom would get. You would open the mailbox and could just tell. “Yes! The Christmas catalog is here!” It had such great stuff too: Legos, train sets, musical instruments. Oh man, as I kid I lived for the annual four page spread with the Star Wars toys. It’s a shame at what’s being lost to the internet.

The stuff that drew me out of the house as an adolescent – movie theaters, arcades, toy stores, malls, Blockbuster – are all dead or dying. It’s not a problem for me personally, since I’m an adult now. But in my ignorance, I do sort of wonder what kids today actually do for fun that involves going outside. Libraries are making a comeback, so that’s cool. Pokemon Go came and went, but that was a fun summer while it lasted.

I wonder what this generation of kids will be sentimental about?

Back in the day, my friends and I would kill entire afternoons riding around aimlessly on our bikes in the summer, maybe stopping somewhere for a Slurpee if we happened to have the money but more often just wandering. We didn’t even have cellphones, it was just assumed we’d be home in time to clean up for dinner, even though most of us didn’t have watches.

Is there an equivalent to that for kids these days?

Once we get driverless cars, that whole “let’s just drive and see where we wind up today” romanticism will be long gone. You need a destination, a place to go spend money, and you need to get there right away. No more off the beaten path, no more fun and games. I always thought walking through the aisles of a toy store would be one of the few retail enterprises that would be immune from the internets. I don’t want to grow up.

-Dagobot



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The following is a guest post from Sheena VanCott.

They’re small. They’re exaggerated. They have a big head, and I’m not talking about their ego. They’re a depiction of you’re very favorite icons. Whether it be your favorite TV shows, movies, or role models, Funko has a Pop! for you. Today I wanted to bring you a little glimpse into the future of 2018, and give you a tid-bit of what they have coming out. I, myself, have a pretty decent collection of these buggers, and I just can’t seem to get enough. From Star Wars to Fallout… Game of Thrones to Stranger Things… Marvel to DC… my collection of Pop! figures continues to grow, and I can’t wait to get some of these new figures for myself.

It doesn’t matter if it is something you love present day, or that nostalgic character you loved as a child, Funko never ceases to amaze or impress with what they produce. By far, my favorite one is Wonder Woman and the Invisible Jet. This is one of the most creative figures that I have purchased, or even seen. Much like this release, Funko has so many exciting figures coming at you this year!

I don’t know about you, but I love 8-bit anything. One of the specific lines they have started releasing has me absolutely jumping for joy! Maybe it’s a generational thing, but in September 2017, Funko announced that they were going to begin manufacturing 8-bit figures, for the ‘love of the 80’s’ fanboy or girl. Examples of some of the awesome characters that will be appearing in your nearest comic-book store are:

• Batman
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Stranger things
• Dig-Dug
• Aliens
• A Nightmare on Elm Street

I want to buy every last one of these, even if it’s not something that I may be into. I just love the concept. These are so righteous! Some of these are already out! So get them while you can! Especially if we want them to keep releasing more. Which I do.

When you were a kid, did you ever wish that something existed that you knew didn’t anymore? When I was a kid, Jurassic Park was one of my FAVORITE films. I had the toys, I watched the making-of over and over again, and I have seen the old trilogy, as well as Jurassic World, several times over. I am pretty sure if I had the opportunity to have a T-Rex for a pet, I would do it in a heartbeat. So, naturally, these next figures have me going crazy for carnivores!

• Dr. Alan Grant
• John Hammond
• Dr. Ian Malcom
• Dennis Nedry
• Tyrannosaurus Rex
• Velociraptor
• Dilophosaurus
• Dilophosaurus (with crests)
• Wounded Dr. Ian Malcom
• Dennis Nedry (spit on) and Dilophosaurus (2-pack)

Keep an eye out for these in the next few months! I’d love to collect the whole set!

For some of you video game enthusiasts out there… In 2016, Overwatch won game of the year! That’s probably why this next list includes an abundance of characters!

• Mercy
• D.VA with Meka 6” figure
• Zenyatta
• Roadhog 6” figure
• Junkrat
• Sombra
• Widowmaker
• Zarya
• Reinhardt 6” figure
• Lucio
• McCree
• Mei

So many awesome characters to choose from! Not to mention a few 6” figures. Those are so cool! Some of these have already been released, and the newest additions are set to be released early May 2018.

“The Care Bears have a very special mission, and that mission is to help everyone share their feelings with others”.  The Care Bears, if you haven’t heard of them, were a group of multi-colored, super happy bear characters that taught children how to care for, and to be kind to one another. I know I had my fair share of stuffed animal toys growing up. Here is a list of the bears that are prancing at you in May of 2018:

• Good Luck Bear
• Love-A-Lot Bear
• Tenderheart Bear
• Cheer Bear
• Funshine Bear
• Grumpy Bear

I guess you could say that I personally get excited when something nostalgic comes my way, as far as collectibles go anyways. There is nothing wrong with owning a “little positivity” on one of your bookshelves!

So get in to your closest comic-book store, or Funko Pop! retailer, and get yours soon!

It’s a big day for LEGO news. Earlier they revealed three of the six DC Superhero Girls sets, and now they’re showing a few of the sets that will be released with “The LEGO Batman Movie” (coming February 2017). Here’s what they dropped:

Batcave

Arkham Asylum

Mr. Freeze Attack

…this is in addition to the sets they previewed a few months ago:

Batmobile

Joker’s Notorious Lowrider

…LEGO didn’t provide any pricing information, or the date they’ll be available, but it’s a safe bet they’ll be on store shelves in January. I like the overview we get of the heroes and villains that will be in the movie — Batman, Batgirl, Robin, Alfred; Joker, Harley Quinn, Mister Freeze, Man-Bat, Catwoman, Two-Face, Riddler, Penguin…pretty much all the classic characters you’d expect. The writers and directors have said they want this to be the “ultimate Batman movie,” and they may just deliver.  On the design side of things…I’m sure I’ll like the aesthetic more after seeing it in the movie, but for now I don’t quite like it. I’m more a Batman: the Animated Series, simple lines kind of guy…but if these guys can make it work, I’m in.  

As for the LEGO sets themselves as LEGO sets — they look pretty fantastic. The Mr. Freeze set is kind of a throwaway–it’ll run twenty bucks and is cool if you want an Ice Mech of some kind. Arkham Asylum — wow. That’s a prison yard. This is the third Arkham Asylum set, and with a dozen minifigures and a building that size, it will be a pretty penny. The Batcave, which has seen four or five releases by now, is also impressive. I’m loving the Batboat, which looks like an upgraded Adam West-era vehicle, love the Penguin’s Rubber Duckie (although the villain himself looks more Batman Returns-y than anything we’ve seen yet in LEGO form) and those adorable little killer penguins. Batman’s conveyor closet of Bat-uniforms shows us three incredible ones in addition to the classic black he’s already wearing — Alfred and Bruce Wayne in a James Bond-worthy tux just sweeten the deal. We’ll have to wait until February to see how faithful the build is to the actual Batcave, but I like the pieces we see here. 

I’m in. 

For most fans, seeing the trailer for a new “Star Wars” movie is what gets them most excited for its release. And I’ll admit, the most recent “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” trailer got me pumped. But LEGO revealing their lineup for the movie–that has me champing at the bit for the December release. Happily, the LEGO sets will be out September 30th. So I have four weeks to save my pennies. Okay, dollars. Okay, twenties and fifties. Here’s what’s on the way:

Imperial Assault Hovertank 75152, $29.99

Help Chirrut battle the Imperial Assault Hovertank as it patrols the streets. This tough urban patrol vehicle has a two-minifigure cockpit and a rotating and elevating turret gun with spring-loaded shooters to target enemies of the Empire. And if the rebel forces hide out of sight, open the storage container, grab the blasters and play out your own mini urban battles! 

AT-ST Walker 75153, $39.99

Go on the hunt for Baze and the Rebel Trooper aboard the All Terrain Scout Transport. Open the top hatch, load up the AT-ST Driver and move the legs to speed into action. When you’ve tracked them down, turn the wheel to rotate the top and prepare to fire the spring-loaded shooters! Can Baze and the trooper escape the advancing AT-ST? That’s for you to decide…

TIE Striker 75154, $69.99

Prepare for launch with the amazing TIE Striker, the Empire’s atmospheric patrol fighter! Open the minifigure cockpit from the top or front and put in the TIE Pilot. Help the Imperial ground crew member put supplies in the rear hold and arm the spring-loaded shooters. Then adjust the huge wings and launch into the skies in search of rebels!

Rebel U-Wing Fighter 75155, $79.99

Open the cockpit and place the U-Wing Pilot in his seat. Fire up the engines and launch into the sky. Keep a lookout below with the transparent window, and when you spot the enemy, fire the front spring-loaded shooters mounted in the side doors. You can even fold the wings back for a bigger model!

Krennic’s Imperial Shuttle 75156, $89.99

When a tough transport ship is needed, Krennic’s Imperial Shuttle is the perfect choice. Put him into the pilot seat, open out the thick-armor plating and seat the Death Troopers. Lower the ramp and check the blasters are secured, then arm the spring-loaded shooters and seal the hull for takeoff. Raise the landing skids, lower the wings for flight mode and set off on another dangerous mission!

Sergeant Jyn Erso 75119, $24.99

This tough Rebel soldier has everything she needs to take on the Empire. Build the figure, load the blaster rifle, put her in a battle pose and fire the spring-loaded shooter! Then grab the truncheons and turn the wheel to activate the arm-swinging battle function. Jyn Erso is ready to bring the battle to the Empire!

K-2SO 75120, $24.99

Once an Imperial security droid, K-2SO is now ready to fight for the Rebel Alliance. Build the droid, then push the button to the side to swing each arm or push it straight to swing both at the same time! The powerful K-2SO has the strength and skill to take on the Empire!

Imperial Death Trooper 75121, $24.99

Elite soldiers of the Imperial Intelligence, Death Troopers are the Empire’s most imposing enforcers and bodyguards! Build the trooper, grab the blaster pistol from the holster or fire the blaster rifle with spring-loaded shooter. Then put him in a battle pose and get ready to defend the Empire!

These are some solid sets–partially because “Rogue One” designers pushed the Star Wars design universe a bit further than “The Force Awakens” did. I love that we’re getting a U-Wing Fighter, I like the Hovertank, and the TIE Striker might be my favorite variant on the classic TIE. The minifigure selection seems to cover the breadth of what we’ve seen in the movie so far, although I’d love to get a small “army builder” set that has some of those Shoretroopers (Beachtroopers?) too. Plus Mon Mothma somewhere, somehow. The larger buildable figures are more hit and miss for me, although that K-2SO will be coming home with me. These will be out September 30 — watch for reviews of the sets on Big Shiny Robot from yours truly! 

LEGO’s Collectible Minifigures have become a staple for both casual and hardcore collectors, and the just-glimpsed Series 16 looks like it will have some eagerly-sought pieces as well. 

The official names of the characters aren’t out yet, but the rumor list calls them:

1. Snow Queen
2. Arabian Knight
3. Cyborg
4. Imp
5. Spooky Boy
6. Hiker
7. Wildlife Photographer
8. Boxer (Kickboxer?)
9. Scalawag Pirate
10. Penguin Guy
11. Rogue
12. Dog Show Winner (?)
13. Serenader
14. Spy
15. Banana Guy
16. Babysitter

That breaks down as eleven male characters and five female, although both the Imp and (more) the Penguin could just as easily be little girls as little boys. Several trends continue, adding Snow Queen to the fairy tale lineup that’s been building, Spooky Boy joins Spooky Girl from a few series ago, we get another animal suit character with Penguin Guy (cutest thing ever, btw) and a friend for Hot Dog Guy (one of my favorite minifigures of all time) in Banana Guy. There are at least eleven new or rare pieces, including the devil horns on the Imp, the hairpiece on Spooky Boy and Cyborg, the little Yorkie dog, the acoustic guitar, and of course the Babysitter’s baby (debuting as a piece today with the much-anticipated Fun in the Park set. This is a solid series, and although I say I’ll “just pick up twelve of them,”  once you have twelve, you might as well get the last few.

Series 16 will be out this fall, probably September 1st, with no specific date as of yet. Meanwhile, the Disney Minifigures are in stores now, and are selling like…you would expect collectible Disney LEGO minifigures to sell. I’ve “only” bought Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Ursula, Ariel, Mr. Incredible and Maleficent. And I’m good with that. The inevitable Disney Minifigures Series 2 will come in early 2017, I’m guessing. It’s gonna hurt so good.

You can find the Disney Minifigures at The LEGO Store, Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us — my local Kroger affiliate, Smith’s Marketplace, is often my go-to for price and availability. But they’re out everywhere. Of course, they’re also sold out everywhere. So…good luck. 

It started as a rumor last year, and then we got some sneaked peeks at some sculpts, but now they’ve been finally revealed. The next series of LEGO Minifigures will be Disney characters. The only other times LEGO has done licensed characters were for “The LEGO Movie” and “The Simpsons” (with two series), although I hold out hope that there will someday be a DC Comics Minifigures series, or Star Wars, or I’d even take Marvel Superheroes. It’d be a great way to get some of those obscure characters who will never anchor a set, but who would make an unforgettable character. 

Anyway. Here’s the Disney lineup:

So here’s the list:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Alice
• Cheshire Cat
• Aladdin
• Genie
• Mr. Incredible
• Syndrome
• Stitch
• Ariel
• Ursula
• Peter Pan
• Captain Hook
• Maleficent
• Buzz Lightyear
• Pizza Planet Alien

We already knew about ten of those characters from rumors. And from the beginning, I figured I wouldn’t be getting every character, because A) I’m not a completist when it comes to collecting anything, and B) I’m not a huge Disney fan. 

So here’s who I’m getting for sure:

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy: more based on childhood affection than anything. I mean…it’s Mickey Mouse. Come on. Even then, I think they look kind of weird in minifigure form–which I also thought about the Simpsons characters. So yeah. I’ll be buying them anyway. 

Mr. Incredible and Syndrome: in the hopes that we’ll eventually get the rest of the family more than on the basis of these two characters alone. Again, they look kind of wonky. They’ll grow on me.

Ariel and Ursula: It’s a good movie (although “Beauty and the Beast” beats it in every way imaginable), but the real selling point here is that Ursula is hot. So yeah. Must-buy.

Peter Pan and Captain Hook: Favorite movie when I was a pup, and that Peter Pan looks fantastic. They’re also a great addition to LEGO Pirate and other sets — sold. 

Maleficent: favorite Disney villain of all time, and even that dumb movie with Angelina Jolie didn’t make me not like her. So yeah. Hella-sold. Whither Sleeping Beauty though? Come on! 

The characters I won’t be picking up:

Aladdin and Genie: Never liked the movie, and Robin Williams (RIP) bugs the heck out of me.

Alice and Cheshire Cat: I can see myself picking them up just because they look better than most of the other characters, but I’ve never cared about the movie, book, or characters. So meh.

Stitch: I’ve never seen the movie, I don’t care. Where’s Lilo?

Buzz Lightyear and Pizza Planet Alien: I have the entire Toy Story lineup from around the time “Toy Story 3” came out, so these guys would be redundant. Everyone else should pick them uup though. Because they’re awesome. 

So. These are going to sell like LEGO Disney Minifigures. Who would I want to see next?

• Goofy
• Uncle Scrooge
• Huey, Dewey, and Louie
• Pluto
• Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey
• Elasti-Girl
• Dash
• Violet
• Jack-Jack
• Sleeping Beauty
• Prince Phillip
• Belle
• Beast
• Kermit the Frog
• Miss Piggy

…pretty predictable list, but with the first series laid out the way it is, I’d want to see them complete things like the Incredibles, and move on into some new territory. And yes, since Disney owns the Muppets now, I want some damn Muppets in the mix. Beyond that, I’d love to see movies that would fit in well with existing LEGO themes. Just as Peter Pan complements LEGO Pirates, Robin Hood would work well with LEGO Castle. Actually, so would most of the Disney fairy tales. 

I’m excited about this line, even if the lineup and execution isn’t quite what I want it to be quite yet. Who would you want to see? Will you be collecting them all? 

This week LEGO’s crack-like addictive line of minifigures added its latest wave. Series 15 is a particularly strong grouping that includes characters from space, city, castle, and mythology themes, with new sculpted pieces galore. As with other waves, I want all sixteen of them. I’m trying to rein myself in a little though…at least as of this week. So using my best package-fondling skills (they’re blind-packaged, so you need to use skilled fingertips to figure out who’s who) I picked the seven characters I wanted most. 

There are at least sixteen newly-sculpted pieces on the sixteen characters, like the farmer’s pig (an updated sculpt from the old one), the queen’s skirt and hairpiece, the wrestler’s mullet. But that doesn’t mean those characters have made my list. Here’s who I picked up, and why they were must-buys. Here we go, from least-important to most. 

Astronaut — I’m a fan of the Classic Space era of LEGO, like Benny from the “The LEGO Movie.” That’s when I first noticed LEGO was a thing, and I still love those guys best. This astronaut is like a modernized version of those, with the classic space logo printed on the flag, his shoulders, and chest plate. This is one of the characters I’d like four or five of, just to start some kind of new space mission. Like many of these characters, he’s got printing on his arms and even the sides of his legs — something LEGO’s printing technology couldn’t do easily five years ago, but is becoming more standard.

Jewel Thief — Is it weird to say you should just buy her because she’s sexy? Yeah, that’s weird. Really, she’s a classic cat burglar, with a skintight suit better than most Catwoman characters we’ve seen, with a great mask and smirk. The kicker for LEGO collectors is that hairpiece, which debuted in red on a Black Widow minifigure in the “Age of Ultron” sets, and has only made one other appearance until now. Plus diamond and grappling gun, but those are a dime a dozen.

Animal Control Officer — it seems like they try to get one new uniformed character into each series, someone who would make an interesting addition to the law-abiding residents of your LEGO City. Animal control seems like a weird choice, but it’s a great female uniform, with printed short sleeves and patches, and a double-faced head. The coup de grace of course is the skunk. Any time there’s a new LEGO animal, I’ll be buying it. BECAUSE LOOK AT HIM YES WHO’S A GOOD BOY YES 

Tribal Woman — I believe this is the fifth American Indian minifigure we’ve seen in this collection, and the second woman. She’s got great printing that continues onto arms and legs, but is overall unremarkable. 

Until.

Yup. Right there is LEGO’s very first newborn baby. Here as a papoose, strapped onto mom’s back, but if you had the same bundle of joy in white or pink or blue or plaid, it could be any baby in a LEGO city or castle or space. Babies are actually big sellers at the LEGO conventions, with smaller companies making things that LEGO hasn’t gotten around to to fill the gaps. We don’t know yet if this will mean a baby boom in standard LEGO sets, but it’s nice to see the little fella/gal make a debut appearance here. 

Clumsy Guy — he’s got a lot going for him. Brand new crutch pieces, a new bandaged head piece, the banana peel shirt, the injured face, the printed cast. We’ve had LEGO ambulances and hospitals for decades, it’s nice to get some new patients and equipment into the mix. For all that, my reason for wanting him was more personal. That right there is how I looked for most of this last summer, including a trip to LEGOLAND and a week with a beach house in San Diego. It kinda sucked. This guy will help me remember that.

Shark Suit Guy — In almost every series, there’s been a minifigure dressed as something in a mascot-style “suit.” Dino Suit Guy, Gorilla Suit Guy, Hot Dog Suit Guy, Panda Suit Guy, Bumblebee Girl, Unicorn Girl — you get the idea. Typically they’re among my favorites in that series. Here we have Shark Suit Guy, who is simply beautiful. The head/dorsal fin/tail piece is amazing, giving him flippers instead of traditional arms, his face poking through the mouth — it’s just perfect. And whether you’re claiming he’s “Left Shark” or “Right Shark,” he’s a spectacular minifigure.

Faun — we’ve had some great characters inspired by classical mythology over the years. The Mminotaur and Medusa still rank among my favorite minifigures of all time. This Faun though–wow. That hairpiece with horns and pointy ears and Very Good Hair is all-new. The torso based on my own chest is perfect for the character. The most amazing thing? Those legs. Instead of just going with standard legs with innovative printing, they’re all-new sculpts, giving the appearance of faun/satyr/goat legs. I love that LEGO came up with such an elegant solution. I can’t think of a way they’d use those legs on any other characters, but now that the piece is out there, maybe they’ll come up with something. But now your Narnia/Percy Jackson worlds can come to life. Or to plastic. Or get sucked up in the vacuum cleaner. 

So those are my top seven.

The next four on my list would be the Queen, the Janitor, Ballerina, and Winged Warrior, because they all have new pieces, but they are also complementary to other minifigures we already have. The remaining characters — I feel like I have enough knights and farmers and stuff. Although, when you need a fix…

Series 15 is in stores now, and are easiest to find at The LEGO Store, Target, and Toys R Us. Retail price is $3.99, although if you have a Kroger affiliate (Fred Meyer, Smith’s Marketplace) they frequently have sales on LEGO that drop the price below that line. Which is nice.

The next series, coming in May or June, has eighteen Disney characters. LEGO did two series of “The Simpsons,” and now it looks like they’re taking things a little further. I’m not the biggest Disney fan, but we’ve already had confirmation of Mickey, Minnie, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Genie, Ursula, Mister Incredible, and Syndrome. It looks like it will be a good mix of Classic, Newer Disney, and Pixar, which sounds about perfect. It will be interesting to see who makes the cut. In my prayers to the LEGO gods every night I’ll be asking for some Muppets to make the list. But I haven’t been a very good boy, so…frick.

It’s been ten years since Palisades Toys produced its last Muppet action figures, and while that line was extensive and beautiful, it may be time for another company to play the music, light the lights, blah blah blah. 

This time it’s Diamond Select Toys, rolling out a line of 6″ scale action figures starting in March 2016. This line of figures is going to have all of the characters in two-packs (and sometimes three) for $22.00, which is pretty much the going rate for action figures these days. It almost makes me want to go into an old man rant, but I shan’t. Yet. 

Here’s the lineup:

Kermit the Frog comes with his nephew Robin and Bean Bunny; Bean Bunny is a character that Palisades never got to in their 2001-2005 line, so I’m particularly happy that he’s going to be in the mix. I love Kermit’s jointed-ness; for a dude with such spindly arms and legs, he looks amazing. And that banjo and stool are the perfect accessories for my main frog. 

Fozzie Bear comes with a rubber chicken (because why wouldn’t he?) and Scooter comes with hisself. There are a few things that may be messy photography or editing by DST, like Fozzie’s left foot looking like a melted caramel, and Scooter’s left hand looking like Kristen Wiig’s character with the baby hands from SNL…but overall both look good. For me this is the weakest pack of this first wave of figures.

Gonzo the Great is a longtime favorite of mine, and I love that he’s in his classic purple tux from “The Muppet Show.” His girlfriend Camilla is also looking good, and making me realize she still hasn’t appeared on the new Muppet series on ABC, and I would really really like her to.

I kind of like that Miss Piggy isn’t in this first wave of characters; we know she’ll be coming eventually, along with Rowlf and Animal and Bunsen and Beaker and hopefully all of the members of the band, plus Statler and Waldorf…okay, everybody. These are coming in March 2016, and are available for preorder now. 

The LEGO Group put out word yesterday that they’d be introducing a new theme at New York Comic Con today, and they were true to their word. While I was hoping for a license that’s in the LEGO Dimensions game but not yet a playset, like Portal or The Wizard of Oz, instead we get Nexo Knights. 

From their press release:

LEGO® NEXO KNIGHTS™ Catapults Into Action

World’s leading toy brand introduces new intellectual property that bridges physical and digital play with building sets, episodic content and digital gaming

New York Comic Con attendees get first-look at story, products and gaming app

NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The LEGO Group today announced LEGO® NEXO KNIGHTS,™ a new, original LEGO property depicting a medieval kingdom set in a futuristic world where five young, brave knights “download” special powers to their shields in order to battle the royal court’s evil Jestro and a cast of monsters to restore peace. The story comes to life through LEGO building sets, an episodic television and a digital gaming app that fuels story-driven gameplay. The property launches later this year, with products available starting January 1, 2016. LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS characters, story, app experience and two iconic building sets from the collection will be previewed to New York Comic Con attendees, Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Booth #1436).

“Inspired by insights to meet the emerging needs of today’s kids, LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS juxtaposes a timeless world of medieval knights with a futuristic twist in a captivating story that invites children to explore LEGO play in a whole new way,” said Casper Thingholm of the LEGO Group. “LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS offers children the rewarding building experiences they know and love, amplified by digital enhancements that merge what today’s kids love: self-expression, strong characters, deep content-driven story and digital gaming.”

Story
Set in the futuristic, high-tech world of the Kingdom of Knighton, LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS follows five young knights in their quest to battle Jestro, his sidekick, the Book of Monsters, and their Lava Monster Army. Heroic knight, Clay Moorington, leads the band of knights, including alpha superstar Lance Richmond, hipster Aaron Fox, Macy Halbert, a princess who would rather be a knight, and Axl, the giant. Together, under the tutelage of Knights’ Academy mentor and Great Digital Wizard, Merlok 2.0, they join forces to defeat the enemy.

The sets are kind of a steampunky medieval space futuristic…well…this:

So yeah. A castle, on tank treads, with robohorses/speeder bikes that…yeah. 

…and that’s Jestro’s Evil Mobile. 

Where this is a homegrown property, they won’t have the licensing fees that LEGO has with the superheroes and Star Wars brands. Their in-house brands are hit and miss. “Ninjago” was, and still is, huge. It’s had several iterations of the cartoon, games, and is getting it’s own theatrical release. The followup was “Legends of Chima,” which never really took off with kids (or adult fans), despite having some cool designs and play features. I’m guessing “Nexo Knights” is intended to replace “Chima.” From a jaded adult perspective, it’s kind of a mess. But it’s the kids that matter. Will they dig it? Here’s a trailer for the accompanying cartoon and app game:

It could work. LEGO Nexo Knights will be on store shelves in 2016. That’s when we find out. 

The LEGO Adventure Book Vol. 3: Robots, Planes, Cities & More! Megan H. Rothrock, Hardcover, 192 pages, No Starch Press. September 2015. (7 out of 10) 

Over the last few years, No Starch Press has been expanding their LEGO reach, with books written by and for LEGO fans, but not officially endorsed or published by the toy giant. As of today, there are a whopping 32 books in No Starch’s LEGO catalog, and on the whole they’re very good. They cover a variety of topics and styles, from LEGO Space models to medieval history to architecture to LEGO art and sculpture. Some are expressly meant for adults, but there are plenty that are good for kids as well. Which is good, because…LEGO. It’s a toy. 

This month sees the next addition to an ongoing series by author Megan H. Rothrock: “The LEGO Adventure Book Vol. 3.” I read the first in this series, but somehow missed the second. They were published in 2012 and 2013, so there was a large gap between volumes 2 and 3. 

Where most of the No Starch LEGO books are essentially a collection of pretty pictures of professional-grade LEGO models, with some building tips and instructions thrown in, “The LEGO Adventure Book” series attempts to tell an ongoing story. The tenuous storyline has Megs (a black-suited female minifigure representing Megan’s online avatar and persona) and her tiny Brickbot traveling through time and space in her little time machine. The first ten pages set up that story, but do so without explaining what has come before. We’re dropped into the middle of the story without any warning, and it’s very disorienting. Even as an adult who had read the first volume and knew the premise, I didn’t know what was going on. I guess in volume 2 they met a villain called the Destructor, who…destructs. Things. LEGO buildings, cars, spaceships–whatever he can get his mitts on. So Megs and Brickbot go throughout various LEGO worlds, trying to apprehend the dude. 

Aside from that bit of confusion, and a scene pretty much stolen directly from the LEGO Movie — remember that group of Master Builders who met inside the Dog in Cloud Cuckoo Land? With Abraham Lincoln and Michelangelo and Michelangelo and Milhouse? Well, it’s that. Here they call it the “Council of Creative Constructionists,” and it’s fine…but really, a complete ripoff. So aside from the confusion and the CCC, this becomes a very nice book. Megs’ journey takes her through nine different worlds, spending as much as 25 pages in some, as few as 8 pages in others. 

The settings include Dordrecht (a town in the Netherlands), outer space, a steam fair (a carnival, not a steampunk event), and a beach. They also vary in scale. While most of the chapters are in standard minifigure scale, others are “miniland” scale — the scale of the buildings you see at LEGOLAND, where the characters are approximately six inches tall, There are even a few pages of nearly human-sized food — a sushi platter, hamburger and fries, etc. This variety of LEGO models and genres ensure there will be something in “The LEGO Adventure Book” for everyone, whether you’re a kid or a LEGO-loving adult. 

My favorite chapters were on Dordrecht and one called “Trouble in Eden.” One of the great things about this book is that the builds in each chapter aren’t by Megan Rothrock herself, but by some of the best LEGO builders in the world. Dordrecht is built by Patrick Bosman. We also get the addresses of their Flickr accounts if they have them, so we can see what else they’ve done. There are hundreds of high quality photographs showing the worlds these builders have created, but also specific instructions for building specific models. In Dordrecht, Megs and Patrick show us how to build a beautiful 17th Century Dutch House, with brickwork, arches, Dutch spires and a detailed interior. These instructions are laid out more quickly than they would be in a standard LEGO instruction booklet. If you’ve got a lot of LEGOing under your belt, they’re challenging to follow; if you’re a kid attempting the same thing, I can see getting frustrated quickly.

The “Trouble in Eden” chapter features Birgitte Jonsgard, a science teacher from Norway. Most of these builders are just LEGO fans who have become amateur experts, not actual employees of LEGO. Her project is an eco-friendly house (pictured on the cover of the book). The house itself is an interesting modern build, but what I liked best are the small add-ons that are easy to build and add to any LEGO neighborhood. This includes rooftop solar panels, windmill, and water heaters, compost bin and chicken coop, a beehive and a lot of foliage. Each is a relatively simple build, but adds details to houses that I haven’t seen in LEGO form very often. Yeah, there’s irony in building them all out of toxic ABS plastic that will last for thousands of years after I’m gone…but I’m not going anytime soon. 

In all this is a great book filled with ideas. I’ve never built anything like sushi rolls or a hamburger out of LEGO, but I think I’m going to try. I may not do things exactly the same, or in the same color — I don’t think I have all the right pieces in the right color to make that Dutch House. But I can take piece of that design and incorporate them into other projects I’m working on. Rothrock emphasizes many times in the book that if you don’t have the right pieces, you can substitute one color for another, or X for Y, and still have a great model. If you’re looking for a gift for the LEGO fan in your life who already has every LEGO set, or you want to give them something different that they’ll still enjoy, “The LEGO Adventure Book” should be on that list. 

Other books for LEGO Fans

Beautiful LEGO Wild! 

Brick Flicks: 60 Iconic Movie Scenes and Posters Made From LEGO

Special thanks to No Starch Press for providing a review copy of “The LEGO Adventure Book Vol. 3.”