Featuring: Josh Bressi photographer

 A good buddy of mine and hell of a grand photographer has been shooting some various nerd properties and I must say they are pretty damn professional...Just want to spread some love and talent to the rest of my fellow readers...any feedback is welcomed as I'm sure he's always willing to hear how awesome he is. :)

"Ice to meet you"

If you didn't want to collect Lego Batman, you do now.

 

 

 

So, that's what all the hype on the weather report was about...

Toy Review: Lego Lord of the Rings / Mines of Moria

I have been having an on and off rekindling of all things Lego lately.  Mainly through my refound interest in the Clone Wars Cartoon Network series *midnight feedings have given me a perfect excuse to catch up on all of my on-demand shows the wife can't stand including TMNT, Adventure Time and Regular Show which I freaking love!* and my seeing "An Unexpected Journey".    Ironic because my wife already gave my Lego collection two previous kick-starts which stupidly I have since sold off and am kicking myself for....why did I sell that AT-TE that's reselling for 200 bucks these days?

I've been slowly picking up various Hobbit and Star Wars Lego sets within my price range...which has since shrank dramatically since the baby boy came about 4 weeks back.   But this set goes back a week before the delivery that I miraculously found on a Wal-Mart clearance shelf for 50 bucks priced down from I think 80 or so.  Score and a half, I'd say.

This is the LOTR: Mines of Moria construction set.  I gotta say, it was a blast to build although I kinda hate that Lego spoon feeds their sets anymore through the smaller numbered bags.  Screw that, I remember when it was luck of the draw with no tips at all.  Just you and your building skill all weekend. 

 

 

 

The set itself is a nice sectional rendering of the Moria scene; you get a Tomb of Balin with book and skeleton, a well with quick-drop feature along with skeleton attached to a chain and bucket for your two smaller pieces.  For the big "set-pieces", you get the gated doors with collapsible wall, torches and ax to jam the door and you get a columned, bi-level wall section with decals, hidden treasure and nice details.  The sets for the Hobbit can only do so much since they are trying to recreate ruins like Weathertop or the crumbling walls of Helm's deep so they don't have that "shiny" newer feel that the older Castle System sets have.  Lego is going for realistic so that is why the set seems to be a little lacking which I'm still a bit disappointed with.  Granted, I understand that costs are up and they can't build you a whole room but really, I remember 80 dollar Lego sets as a kid building you a 3 story castle with multiple rooms, features and passageways.  You just gotta swallow the pill that times are a changing and I love LOTR so it shall pass.

The minifigs are where a lot of us are compensated...you get some awesome staples including Legolas of the Woodland Realm, Gimli son of Gloin, Boromir of Gondor, Pippin Took, two Moria Goblins and a Cave Troll along with two skeletons for ambiance.  Along with a plethora of orcish weapons you can mix and match and a chain to harness the Troll who also get a nice smashing club.  You get a lot of options with the figs but I'll say articulation takes a back seat...examples are that halflings legs cannot move, the Troll is pretty off balance beyond one or two static poses and the hairpieces for Legolas and Gimli make their heads immobile but you do get the option to change the facial expressions on Legolas, Pippin and the Goblins which is a feature I love.

The action features are nice touches if not limited...you get a sliding treasure chest (filled with jewels) that can be hidden under the bi-level tier, the doors are movable. and the archway has a level which can knock down the wall section and the two pillars have levels in the back that can smash them down to recreate the Trolls mayhem from the movie.  This stuff really isn't for me but I do give Lego credit for being so true to the film.  The stickers are really well made and add a lot to the backgrounds and the ability to recreate the shattered stonework without making it look like a broken set is a feat within itself...(they also do this really well with the monster hunters sets)

Anyway, I like the set.  It makes nice vignettes and has great figures but I'm also really glad I got it for nearly 40 percent off.  If your a LOTR fan, you probably already have this one, if not but want to start a collection, I'd hold out for the newer sets coming in March/April like the Black Gate of Mordor or Council of Elrond.




"Throw yourself in next time!"

"I think I'm getting the hang of this!"

Lego: the Hobbit / An Unexpected Gathering Review (The Shire / Bag End)

Let's kick off the Christmas haul reviews in a proper way.  The Lord of the Rings always will ring a Christmas note to me because of its traditional proximity in release dates to the 25th of December.  I've seen the movie's on my break from college, teaching and what have you.  (I'm actually gearing up to see "the Hobbit" tomorrow with my 9 month pregnant wifey after our OBGYN appointment...her idea, not mine!  In all honesty, she's a bigger Tolkien fan than I am, I think.)

Speaking of wifey, she certainly did not fail to please for this Christmas.  I received a whole mess of on-line only Star Wars Vintage Collection figures, a few awesome Lego sets and a San Diego Comic Con exclusive set of Battle Beasts Minimates...oooh, speaking of Comic Con, she also got tickets for us to the Wizard World Philly Comic Con!  My first Con! Excellent!  I can't wait to see the Torchwood, Star Trek captains reunited, Bruce Campbell and Chris Hemsworth panels!  Freaking sweet!

Does the set measure up to our beloved Hobbit hole?

So onto the first highlighted item.  It's the sole Lord of the Rings lego set I got this year.  I've had my eyes on this set ever since the pictures were released during the SDCC.  Honestly, when I found Lego snagged LotR as a series (Back to the Future was just added this week too btw!), instantly I knew I had to have a Shire set.   This Bag End depiction in the set "An Unexpected Gathering" is perfect.

In every sense of the word, this set is "charming" to the last detail.

The set screams "detail."  It's absolutely wonderful in every single touch placed throughout its construction.  It mirrors the feel of Bilbo and Frodo's home perfectly giving the outside a nice, rustic look while having the homey comforting aspects of the inside.  I think it works so well because this is one of the only settings we actually get a chance to look at while the pace of the story is still idling and we can really take in the surroundings.

The exterior has a great ranch style fence  around the front with a hinged working gate, plenty of flowers growing around the yard and windows, beautiful port hole windows, a nice front rose window with inlaid glass panelling, a wonderful large round green door paramount to all Hobbit holes, an adjustable bench , a hanging lantern, a produce barrel and a garden with stems sprouting about!

The interior has a nice table with a detailed spread,  lovely fireplace and chimney, shelves with bottles on them, detailed maps of middle Earth, pots, pans, and a writing desk with Bilbo's current "There and Back Again" masterpiece still in progress accompanied with a ink-stand and quill.   Phew!  Quite a bit of nice details!

Look at the fire in the fireplace! Spectacular touch!

Minifigure-wise, this set is packed!  You get a great Bilbo Baggins along with detailed Galdalf (although if you've already been collecting this set, you already most likely have him since he came with the "Galdalf Arrives" set...and you'll get him again with the Goblin King set in this series as well...enough Gandalf already or at least make a White Wizard version for variation) along with four of the dwarfs; Balin, Dwalin, Bofur and Bombur.
They come with some great beards, chest detailing, weapons, digging tools, daggers, and a huge hammer weapon!

Balin, Bofur, Dwalin, Bombur, Bilbo and Gandalf

What's even cooler is that this set can be used across the time frame as you can use this to recreated your favorite Fellowship of the Ring scenes depicting the beginning of the film when Gandfalf arrives and Frodo takes up the quest!

 

"A wizard arrives precisely when he means to!"

"Please don't turn me into anything...unnatural!"

All in all, this is a must-have for all Lord of the Rings fans, it was a blast to build and I cannot recommend it enough.