The Ugly Duckling at BrickLink

Go Ka-GO Go

2011-04-21T20:41:00.000-04:00

Citizens,

I'm breaking radio silence to announce that I'll be submitting the occasional article to the Ka-GO LEGO blog. True to our efforts here I'll continue to cover the scene with interviews in the 'Behind the Build' style.

Right now I have an interview with Pedro around his amazing mod of the Hazel Fantasy Emile armor.

Join us in AFOLville and continue to fight for the cause. The 'Nation' lives on...

Cygnet
Minister of Information
Minifig Nation

In Memorium: The Ugly Duckling Feb 2010 to April 2011

2011-04-08T00:02:00.000-04:00

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that 'The Ugly Duckling' will effectively be closing its doors as of today. There have been some changes in my work and personal life that have left me with little to no free time to dedicate toward the site any longer. The site will continue to remain, unfortunately there won't be any new content added.

Over the past few weeks I've debated between closing down the site outright and dialing back on updates and coverage. In the end I thought it best to just make it a clean break. I apologize to everyone who feels this is a rather sudden decision. I assure you that it's the right thing for me to do at this time.

The current Minifig Design Battle contest 'Oh My Goddess...' will run as scheduled. I've contacted FireStar Toys and it looks like we will continue the contests into the future. Stay tuned to the Flickr group for more details.

I will also continue to post up new Series 4 locations on the Rollout Map if people send them to me.

I want to thank everyone who have helped make this past year very memorable. I can say that when I started the site back in February 2010 I had no idea where it might go. The journey has allowed me to get to know an amazing group of artists, entrepreneurs, and fans of the fig.

A big thank you to Leper who was able to step in and help me with the minifigure guides earlier this year. Without your help, I feel the end would have come sooner.

My thanks to BrickTW for being the first custom house to send me product for review. Your products and Tigerggyy's photos will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thanks to JasBrick, Morgan, Victor, Shobrick, Hazel, Geoshift, and Andrew for agreeing to talk shop and share their love of minifig customization with everyone.

Thanks to everyone who have sent me items over the months. I appreciated the work that went into each and every one. I especially have to thank Pedro who couldn't be a nicer guy and really helped me out time and time again.

I also want to thank all of the custom houses for what they do. Without them we'd all be victims to the whims of a certain company in Denmark.

Thanks to Huw from Brickset for being a mentor to me in the world of LEGO fan sites.

Thanks to FireStar Toys for having us as an affiliate and sponsoring the monthly contests on Flickr. Paul is a real professional and I wish him all the best.

Last, but certainly not least, I thank the readers. Without you, none of this would have been possible.

I can't say this will be the last you'll see of me in the online LEGO community, (in fact I'm hoping I'll actually have time to build and design and not just write about it). I've also talked with a fellow blogger who has been gracious enough to host the occasional article (Pedro - yours will likely be the first of these). Please keep an eye on the Ka-GO blog for further developments.

Until next time...

Cygnet (AKA Kyle Swan)

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

Exciting News - JasBrick's New MinifigWorkshop.com

2011-04-03T20:53:00.000-04:00

While reading through the comments of JasBrick's latest printed masterpiece, he revealed that his 'very expensive printer' with 'very expensive ink' will be used to provide items via his new website Minifig Workshop and FireStar Toys.

If you've been follow Jas' latest uploads on Flickr, you'll have seen the variety of printed designs he's been developing. This is very exciting as there are only a few places where you can get custom minifigures with print versus waterslide decals or paint!

It sounds like Minifig Workshop will also be a site where the budding customizer can come to learn new techniques and practice their craft. New customization tutorials are always welcome.

The site is still 'coming soon' but you can continue to check in at MinifigWorkshop.com or FireStar Toys for these great new items.

You can also check out Jas' Flickr stream to see all the designs he's been cooking up over the past few weeks.

Series 4 Collectible Minifigures Now at LEGO.com

2011-04-02T08:55:00.000-04:00

Although I'm certain most readers know by now, Series 4 Collectible Minifigures are now available at the LEGO.com worldwide. There's a limit of 16 figures per order, but multiple orders are allowed (if you can stomach the shipping and handling charge, that is). You can place your order by clicking on your country's banner at the top of our page.

I've also been updating the Series 4 Rollout map. I've just added locations in Quebec and Hungary. Many thanks to everyone who have sent me notices of locations worldwide.

In Series 4 guide news, I've added the link to the Series 4 dot code sheet in each guide entry. I'll try to get individual codes placed in each guide entry too.

That's all for now. More as it happens...

Have We Just Seen a Minifig Davy Jones?!

2011-03-31T21:33:00.001-04:00

It would seem that more LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean game trailers are being released online. The one above focuses on action in the Dead Man's Chest section of the game. Clearly shown is a minifigure version of Davy Jones!

Now that doesn't mean Davy will ever make an appearance in ABS, but one can hope for a holiday exclusive set of The Flying Dutchman. Atlantis molds can be re-purposed for the crew, and the lobster claw element has already debuted. His face tentacles could be a beard-like accessory from the pictures, which would be unfortunate. I think the Atlantis Squid Warrior head looks much better.

On a separate but related note...I love that Jack in the game sounds just like Johnny Depp using LEGO-speak! I sold my game system a little over a year ago, but this really makes me want to pick up a controller and set sail!

New Polybags - Pharaoh's Quest and PotC

2011-03-31T13:08:00.001-04:00

Brickset is reporting there are four new polybag sets in the LEGO system. Two of the bags are related to Pharaoh's Quest and include minifigures, while the Pirates of the Caribbean sets are a brick built mini-ship and the promotional Captain Jack included with pre-orders of the video game.

The package art doesn't give us any additional clues at to what that Captain Jack minifigure is supposed to be. There are 'motion lines' around the hands, and it seems to be walking in the pic (a mechanized Jack?!) I'm still going to stick to my guns and say it's supposed to be a voodoo doll.

You can read the full article and see all the polybag pics at Brickset.

LEGO PotC In the Wild!

2011-03-31T07:38:00.001-04:00

Daniel of The Brick Blog dropped me a message to let me know that 'Versen' had been able to lay hands on a few LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets in Russia (assumed because of the '.su' designation in the forum url).

Versen provides some great pics of the Isle de Meurta set and nice 360 views of the minifigures. There's even a shot of a 'Captain Jack' line up suggesting Versa has more than one set.

The biggest question remains unanswered, "Will those pirate hats fit over hair pieces, or not?" I fully expected LEGO PotC to launch in April, but more towards mid-month. Here's hoping a launch might be sooner.

You can see the review here. Big thanks to The Brick Blog for the heads up!

UPDATE: Captain Thom and Apples have done a little digging on said forum and have found additional reviews for Whitecap Bay and Cannibal Escape. Alas, it appears the pirate hats are attached to the hair pieces...

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Hadras

2011-03-30T22:22:00.000-04:00

Hadras is exclusive to LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean set 4183, The Mill.

Parts and Accessories
Hadras is composed of four parts - head gear, head, torso, and legs.

The head gear is a new part resembling a conch shell in dark tan. The part has print to resemble barnacles.

The head, in sand green, has a new head print with the barnacle print continuing on the face. Part of the facial print is obscured by the head gear. It is not known if the head is dual sided, but the head gear could support it.

The torso, arms, and hands are all sand green. The print on the torso continues the monstrous appearance. It is not known if there is print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are dark tan with print on both the legs and hips.

The accessories I've seen with this figure are the standard Pirate sword in dark blueish gray and a trans-red cylinder with a heart print. This is supposed to represent the heart of Davy Jones.

Hadras resembles the movie character fairly well. The main difference being that the skin color is not quite the same. If the skin were more gray, it would be a rather 'bland' figure though...

LEGO.com Bio
Hadras is a sailor turned sea creature aboard the cursed Flying Dutchman. After a long servitude under Captain Davy Jones, Hadras’s head has morphed into a hermit crab. Don’t let him get his claws on the keys to the Dead Man’s Chest! Knock his block off and it just might scuttle away!

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is low. We'll see if The Flying Dutchman is in our future, but even MOCs might have a couple of these guys in the crew.

The Big Draw
The head gear is definitely a unique part and potentially sought after. The head and torso prints can be a great addition to your growing collection of monster minifigures.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides) Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

LEGO Warhammer 101

2011-03-30T20:40:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I reached out to two of LEGO customizers regarding how one might incorporate pieces from the Warhammer line of gaming figures into their minifig customs. Life being what it is, I hadn't been able to write up this article until now. Although 'Warhammer fever' has since cooled, I thought it would still be worthwhile to share these tips.

Warhammer and Warhammer 40K are table-top gaming systems that utilize small figurines. The painting and customization of figures via 'bitz' is as much of the experience as the role-playing game. Warhammer largely takes place in a fantasy setting much like Dungeons & Dragons, while Warhammer 40K is set in a dystopian science fiction universe. The scale of the Warhammer figures are not quite aligned to minifigures, but if you know where to look, you can find some great pieces.

In order to find answers to my questions I sought the help of two experts in both Warhammer and LEGO customization, JasBrick and Geoshift.

The first question I had was where to even begin looking if I wanted to see what might be available. A quick Google search on 'Warhammer' quickly lead me to the Games Workshop website. Games Workshop is the parent company that owns and produces the figures for both games. Even though I had found the 'mothership' it wasn't immediately clear which elements would actually be compatible with use on minifigures.

JasBrick offers up that the plastic parts (versus metal) are going to be your best bet. In fact those parts associated with the Tau Empire or Space Marines from 40K work quite well.

JasBrick: "The scale is not quite right, however GW uses a heroic scale which means that some of the pieces are exagerated in size. The best kits to use are space marine and Tau kits, with the former having lots of nice details and bits like ammo packs and heraldic symbols, and the latter being good for sci-fi weaponry (from the battlesuit kits)."

A quick perusal of the Games Workshop site shows lots potential across the board, but what's difficult to discern is which parts are the right scale for minifigures. Geoshift had similar issues when he started to incorporate these 'bitz' into his work...

Geoshift: "I wish I had a good answer for this, but the truth is that it's very difficult. In fact, MOST of the parts I've purchased can't be used at all because they are simply too small and I don't have a good alternate use for them. Unfortunately it is often impossible to determine size from the photos [online]..."

So it's definitely 'buyer beware' when exploring parts for usage where you aren't certain of the scale. Looking around at Jas' and Geoshift's Flickr streams may give you an idea if a part you're considering has been used in their work previously.

So you've scoped out some parts and decided on which you want to buy. Do you start purchasing kits? JasBrick has some advice here...

JasBrick: "Would I recommend buying the kits for those that don't play WH40K.... NO.... these are expensive and the amount of usable parts in most cases do not warrant the expense. What I would recommend is to use eBay for bits as a lot of people break down the kits. Alternatively is try and find out if anyone you know is a GW player and ask for access to their 'Bitz Box' which any modeller worth the name will have. You may find parts that they will have no use for that you can use to create a new custom."

Geoshift has purchased all of his parts off of eBay...

Geoshift: "I've found a few good sellers for these parts, including 'hoard_*_bits', 'window-box', and 'krazy_marine'. The best search terms are 'Warhammer bits' or '40K bits'. You will then find these guys and others selling just parts."

So you've raided the 'bitz box' and put in several orders on eBay. Now what?! What do the experts recommend on how to bring it all together...

Geoshift: "Because of the scale issues, the challenge is to find useful parts, then bring them together on a particular build in a way that flows and seems to make sense. So, I'm using parts in ways they were never intended in most cases (a jet pack becomes part of the armor chest-piece, or the top of a banner staff becomes a decorative shoulder guard). Of course, this is part of the fun as well!"

I want to thank Jas and Geoshift for sharing their wisdom on this topic. Hopefully this has been helpful for readers who may have considered using Warhammer in their customs but didn't know where to begin.

A quick review would suggest the following:

Choose plastic over metal for minifigures
Tau Warriors and Space Marines are a good place to start, but opportunities are everywhere
Buying full kits may be pricey - raid the 'bitz box' or shop on eBay
There's not a good way to check scale in advance - look for parts used by others previously, otherwise 'buyer beware'

V&A Steamworks Now Offers Stovepipes to Public

2011-03-29T22:18:00.000-04:00

Prior to Bricks by the Bay last week, we discussed that V&A Steamworks would be selling their minifig stovepipe hats at the convention. There was a promise to make them available to the public at some time down the road...well today is your day!

Available in seven colors, the cost is $4 USD apiece or three for $10 (plus shipping). Guy is even offering to do custom color runs with a minimum order of 10 hats!

You'll need a Flickr account to place your order, as you need to send V&A a Flickr Mail to start the process.

What more do you need to know. Head on over to V&A Steamwork's Flickr stream and place your order today!

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Angelica

2011-03-29T20:10:00.000-04:00

Angelica is exclusive to LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean set 4195, Queen Anne's Revenge.

Parts and Accessories
Angelica is composed of four or five parts depending on the hat/hair combo - hat and/or hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

The hat and hair may be a single part. If so it will be new to the LEGO universe. If separate...they will both be new parts. The hat is a new style with a buckle and a hole for a tan plume. The hair is a new female style in brown. This may be the same hair piece that appears with Syrena.

The head is a new female print in light flesh. It is not known if the head is dual-sided, but the design of the hair could support it.

The torso appears to be dark green with white arms and light flesh hands. The print on the torso resembles a blouse/vest/corset combo. It is not know yet if there is print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are black with no visible print.

The accessories I've seen with this figure are the standard Pirate sword and what I believe is a voodoo doll. The voodoo doll is the minifigure statute that has appeared with Collectible Minifigures from the past. It has print to resemble Captain Jack (this is only a guess as the video game pre-order fig of Jack also appears to be a wooden doll of some kind).

LEGO.com Bio
Angelica is the beautiful pirate daughter of the bloodthirsty Captain Blackbeard and past love of Captain Jack Sparrow. She’s a con artist and a scoundrel that rivals Jack Sparrow in nearly every way. When she’s not disguised as Sparrow, she’s searching for him in the hopes that he can lead her to the Fountain of Youth and extend the life of her aging father. Although she’s got more than one reason for wanting to knock his block off.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is low.

The Big Draw
The hat and/or hair piece will be the real draw of this figure. If the hat is separate and fits over most LEGO hair pieces, then it will really be a sought after item.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides) Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

Citizen Brick Review on Brother's Brick

2011-03-29T19:13:00.000-04:00

It seems the folks at Citizen Brick set Nannan up with some printed minifigures, bricks, and tiles. In turn, Nannan has put together a review of their products on The Brothers Brick.

If you've been considering a purchase, but wanted a the opinion of an unbiased third-party...well now you have it! I personally think that there's a lot of potential from this relatively new company, given the inventive and witty nature of their products to date.

You can see the full review on The Brother's Brick, or just cut to the chase and visit Citizen Brick today.

New Hazel Visors Have You In Their Sights

2011-03-29T07:41:00.000-04:00

Hazel Tam has been 'flashing' pics of a new variant of eye protection on Flickr. These visors appear to be a custom design for Nightmare System in Japan, but may still make it to the US via United Armory. So far there appear to be versions in black and tan.

Once these go on sale, I'll let everyone know.

(Via Hazel's Flickr stream)

Series 4 Now in US LEGO Stores and Singapore

2011-03-29T07:25:00.001-04:00

I've received a couple of reports that Series 4 Collectible Minifigures are now appearing in LEGO Stores in the US. The confirmed sightings include the Queens Center LEGO Store in NY and the Baybrook Mall location in Friendswood, TX (Thanks David and Thomas!) LEGO had listed April 15th as the official release date, but perhaps they are a bit squeamish about TRU launching so far in advance. You may want to call your local LEGO Store to check for availability. It's not uncommon for stores to put stock out early and then be asked to pull it until the official release date.

Andrew at Smashing Bricks also wrote to let me know that Series 4 appears to be in Singapore now. I'm still waiting for a location, but I'll post it once I have it in hand.

There were some weird 'technical difficulties' with Google Maps this morning. I'll post these locations on our Rollout Map as soon as those clear up.

UPDATE: Andrew let us know that the Singapore locations include BricksWorld, BrickStation, ToysHunt, and Secret Chamber. Metro Departmental Store and Toys R Us (SG) will have stock in a couple of days.

Tiny Tactical Packs and Radio

2011-03-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

Steve has more great custom accessories soon to hit the shelves of Tiny Tactical. There are three new items pictured above:

ULS - Ultra lite strike pack (Dark Tan, Black and OD Green)
TDA- 3 day assault pack (Dark Tan, Black and OD Green)
MSRV2- Tactical Radio in pouch (Black/Dark Tan, Black/Black and Black/OD Green)

The packs may come in two 'flavors' - one which attached to the TT vests, and another that attaches to the fig via a neck piece.

The radios can't be removed from the pouch, but will look great as an accent item on your custom figure.

No dates yet on when these will be available, but be assured that we will let you know.

Many of the Tiny Tactical accessories sell out quickly, so check their BrickLink storefront often for news and updates.

(Via Tiny Tactical Flickr stream)

Inside the Customizer's Studio: Pecovam's Emile

2011-03-28T21:27:00.002-04:00

I'm very excited about a change to the 'Inside the Customizer's Studio' series. In the past we've focused on longer interviews that debuted over a series of days. These have been fantastic opportunities and I enjoyed each and every one.

Since then, Ka.lego has launched his Ka-GO site and 'Behind the Build' interview series*. The concept is instead of finding inspirational builds and saying, 'Isn't this cool?' there's additional information provided through a discussion with the artist. I've ~~blatantly stolen~~ been greatly inspired by the concept and thought it would be a perfect way to bring more quality, original content to the site.

The first subject of the new format is a custom Emile minifigure that Andrew Pescovitz (Pecovam) had sent to me. The helmet and armor are produced by Hazel Tam and sold through United Armory. As you can see from the side-by-side picture above, Andrew has added Emile's signature skull design to the EVA helmet and a fantastic paint job. We start our interview here...

I remember on Flickr you mentioned that your hands were sore after working on several helmets. What technique did you use to create Emile's signature skull on the EVA helmet?

The technique I used for creating the skull was very simple. I took a regular exacto knife, and then took a smaller exacto knife blade with an extremely small and sharp point, and I fixed the smaller blade inside the larger holder and secured it in place. The larger holder for the blade allowed for slightly more control over my carving in my opinion. None the less, after about nine of them, my hands were really sore.

What type of paint did you use on the figure? Do you tend to add layers of paint or just have one coat?

I used two different types of paint on the figure. Mr. Color metallics and Citadel paints. On the majority of my figures, aside from ones I paint with camouflage, I try my best to keep the paint to three to four 'layers', I guess is what you would call it. Whenever I paint something, I am always thinking about the most efficient way to achieve the desired effect with the least amount of paint. This is also slightly money saving as well (lol). I always start with a base coat of a metallic color, and then go from there adding solids, weathering, battle damage etc. to make sure I can always achieve a realistic look to the best of my abilities.

There's an amazing amount of detail on the figure. How do you achieve such a clean look on such as small scale?

As for the cleanliness of the figure itself, I would chalk that up to two to three simple things. First, if you do something enough, you will eventually get better at it. I utilize paint on every single one of my customs in one way or another, practice makes perfect. Second would have to be my attention to detail, as well as my personal desire for everything I make to look as good as possible. If I paint something and it doesn't look as good as I can possibly do, I do it again, and again, until it's where I want it to be. Patience, a steady hand, and a knowledge of how your favorite brush and paints react to the surface of plastic and your strokes, eventually it will start to become second nature. Lastly, I would have to say the types of paints used make a big difference. I like to go with paints that dry extremely thin. This allows me to add a lot of color detail without filling in the detail on my parts.

It looked like you painted a pair of Space Police legs keeping the pockets and pads, or did you pant the legs and add decals?

I did actually just paint the space police legs around the pockets and left those in. This technique I actually got from a very good friend, Pedro. I saw him use this a few times in his photo stream and loved the way it looked. It adds a level of realism to the legs while maintaining the 'LEGO' look.

Did you use any 'new' techniques when developing the fig?

As for new techniques when developing this figure, I would have to say no. For a few reasons, when I make figures for myself to keep, I like to go all out. I like to go in all sorts of directions for modding in terms of how I like to make ball jointed arms for my figures, and such. When I make figures for other people, not to say I wouldn't try anything upon request, I try to keep a more 'LEGO' feel to the figure just because I know not everyone is all about the type of modding I do for my figures.

What was the most difficult part of the custom? What was the most fun?

The most difficult part of the custom and the most fun are actually one in the same. It was the skull. In terms of difficulty, making sure I did not scratch the raised portions of the skull for the mouth and eyes was a big challenge. But in the end, once you see the final product up close, it's very rewarding. As well as seeing how happy people were when I sent them out, including you.

A big thanks to Andrew for taking the time for the interview, and especially for the custom minifigure! I have more of these interviews planned for the future, so hopefully you enjoy the new format. In the meantime, you can see more of Andrew's work via his Flickr stream.

*If you've not been following the Ka-GO site/blog, I highly recommend it!

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Will Turner

2011-03-28T19:41:00.000-04:00

Now Showing
Will Turner, captain of the Flying Dutchman, appears in sets 4182 (The Cannibal Escape) and 4183 (The Mill).

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Will Turner is composed of five parts: hair, head, sheath (although it does not appear in the picture above), torso, and legs.

His hair is a new part in reddish brown. It is a swept back hairstyle with a ponytail in the back.

The head is a new print in flesh color. It features a raised eyebrow and extended sideburns. He also has his goatee printed on for an uncanny likeness to Will Turner himself.

The sheath is a new piece currently exclusive to the Pirates line in brown that goes across the minifigures torso similar to the Indiana Jones satchel but instead of a bag there is a slot for a sword.

The torsos is light grey, with white arms, and flesh colored hands. There is a new print featuring an open colored shirt showing his chest. There is also a thick brown belt across the front. It is unknown if there is print on the back as of yet.

The legs of this figure are brown with no print.

LEGO.com Bio
Will Turner risks his bricks for love, honor and adventure. Once a humble blacksmith, Turner’s adventures on the high seas, and humble self-sacrifice for those he loves, have imprisoned him as the cursed Captain of The Flying Dutchman, bound to sail the Netherworld offering salvation to sailors lost at sea. Though he can only step on land once per decade, his heart (locked inside of the Dead Man’s Chest) belongs to his beloved wife, Elizabeth Swann Turner.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is low. There is only one Will Turner so why would you need more than that?

Big Draw
The big draw for this fig is the torso. It's a nice new print that could fit a variety of figures. The new sheath is a big draw as well for the pirates line. Also for collectors trying to get every PotC figure, this is a must have.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures Guide)

(Pictures via Smashing Bricks)

Smartgun Tutorial by Catsy

2011-03-28T07:49:00.000-04:00

Brandon Bannerman (Catsy) is both a customizer and fan of the Alien's movies. Thus, it's no surprise that he's put together a tutorial on how to create your own minifig smartgun using BrickArms and LEGO parts.

Pricey? It can be if you don't have the requisite BA parts, but what can you do until Hazel releases his version via United Armory?

You can see the full tutorial on Brandon's Flickr stream.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Syrena

2011-03-26T21:35:00.001-04:00

Syrena the mermaid is exclusive to the set Whitecap Bay (4192).

Parts and Accessories
Syrena is composed of four parts - hair piece, head, torso, and fish tail.

The hair piece is a new part in brown.

The head is a new female print in light flesh. The head is likely dual sided, one showing a sad countenance and single tear, and another showing the fearsome face of the mermaid.

The torso, arms, and hands are all light flesh light flesh. The print on the torso resembles scaly skin and a sand blue area to keep everything PG. It is not known if there is print on the back of the torso.

The new mermaid part takes these maidens out of their stiff poses and gives them the ability to stand on their own. Syrena's piece is sand blue and has print on the front.

LEGO.com Bio
Syrena is a beautiful and deadly mermaid that encounters Captain Jack Sparrow on his hunt for the Fountain of Youth. On land, Syrena takes to minifigure form, but under the sea she transforms into an underwater creature. Don’t be fooled by her sweet song – it’s fishy business to tangle with the Mermaids of the Caribbean but it may be the only way to find the Fountain of Youth.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is moderate. I could see collectors wanting to add variety to their undersea cities or trade in their old fish tails for new ones.

The Big Draw
A new female hair piece is always a sought after item. The new mer-person tail will also be attractive.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides) Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

TBB's Charity Relief for Japan

2011-03-26T15:32:00.000-04:00

The Brothers Brick is organizing efforts to help those affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. They have banners on the site where you can donate to the Red Cross, and they are currently organizing a series of auctions via Creations for Charity. If you recall Creations for Charity usually has a big event around the holiday season where people can donate items to be sold and the proceeds were used to support Toys for Tots. This time around the items are being auctioned via eBay, but the mechanism is generally the same.

Over the holidays there was a strong show of support from minifig customizers for Creations for Charity. If you have the time, please help those affected in Japan.

You can find out more on The Brothers Brick or visit the active eBay auctions.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Blackbeard

2011-03-26T09:46:00.001-04:00

Blackbeard is exclusive to sets Aqua de Vida (4192) and Queen Anne's Revenge (4195).

Parts and Accessories
Blackbeard is composed of five parts - hat/hair piece combo, head, beard, torso, and legs.

It is expected that the hat is a separate piece from the beard. The hat is a new part for the LEGO universe in black. As 'Captain Thomas Foolery' pointed out, the gray tendrils are lit cannon fuses, a trait the real Blackbeard was purported to wear to intimidate the enemy.

The head is a new print in light flesh. Bushy brows and wrinkles around the eyes. There may be a beard print on the face, in the same way that recent bearded figures like Sensei Wu and the Lawn Gnome, but it remains unknown for now. It's also unlikely that the head is dual-sided, but possible.

The beard appears to be a new part in black. There didn't appear to be any beards with four braids on BrickLink.

The torso and arms are black with light flesh hands. The print on the torso resembles a captains coat with belts. It is not known if there is print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are black with print continuing from the torso.

The accessory shown with this figure is the Sword of Triton. It is not known how the sword factors into the mythology of the movie, but is definitely a new part.

The figure matches Ian McShane's character quite well. Although it's difficult to tell for sure, it would have been neat to have his large stomach represented on the torso in a similar fashion as The Sumo Wrestler from Series 3.

LEGO.com Bio
Coming Soon

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is low. There is only one Blackbeard...

The Big Draw
There's a lot to like about Blackbeard. The torso and leg prints will be popular among Pirates fans, as will the hat. The beard can be a new addition to dwarven armies, and the Sword of Triton is just 'neat'. Expect this to be a popular minifigure from this series.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides) Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

Quick Hits: Series 1 is Back and Ninjago Gets Re-upped

2011-03-25T07:17:00.001-04:00

A couple of quick news items this morning...

Reports are surfacing over various sites that the Build a Minifig bins at US LEGO Stores are now getting Series 1 Collectible Minifigure parts. This shouldn't be a terrible surprise as the LEGO Store calendars declaired this was coming. The only questions that really remains is which parts will be available. The same pic taken by JAYMATIK seems to be up on the sites currently reporting. It shows The Forestman, The Clown, and a couple of Mermaids (not Series 1 I know). The stories also state that parts for the Cheerleader and Magician are making an appearance. If the Zombie parts ever surfaced, that would really be a coup! Build a Minifig prices are three minifigures for $9.99 USD.

The second item of interest is that Cartoon Network has picked up Ninjago - Masters of Spinjitzu for renewal. Likely to appear in late 2011, this will be a series and not just a three or four episodes. This is both a first for LEGO and evidence that the Ninjago sets will be around for some time. This isn't a terrible surprise for me as the Ninjago Minifigure Guides are still one of the most visited portions of the site. You can read more about this story at Toy News.

That's all for now. More as it happens...

UPDATE: I kid you not, here is the brief on the new Ninjago series released by Cartoon Network:
After a time of peace in Ninjago, our four Ninja heroes are about to face a new dangerous enemy. Lloyd Garmadon, son of their archenemy Lord Garmadon, has unleashed a new evil with unique powers. Soon all his ambition to follow in his father's footsteps has put all of Ninjago in jeopardy.

I can't wait to see the Lloyd Garmadon minifigure...

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Jack Sparrow

2011-03-24T20:36:00.002-04:00

Captain Jack Sparrow will be appearing in all of the upcoming LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets due in May...and then some. We will refer to this version as 'Jack Sparrow', but he comes in several variants including 'Cannibal Jack' and 'Undead Jack'.

This regular version of Jack Sparrow is exclusive to the sets The Mill (4183), The Captain's Cabin (4191), and Aqua de Vida (4192). 'Cannibal Jack' can be found in set 4182, Cannibal Escape, while 'Undead Jack' can be found in set 4181, Isla de Meurta.

Parts and Accessories
Jack Sparrow is composed of four parts - hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

The hair piece is black and features print for a red bandanna and various trinkets in Jack's hair. This is a new part for the LEGO universe.

The heads are where many of the Captain Jack minifigures are differentiated. As with many of the licensed themes the head color is light flesh. It is also expect that the heads are dual-sided. The head for the figure is features a 'smirk' and is shown above.

The 'cannibal' head features Jack with tribal paint on his face. The expression shown here is panicked but I've seen another for this figure.

The 'undead' head has one side which is normal and the other which is all white to represent a skull.

The torso is some shade of blue and arms are white with light flesh hands. The print on the torso resembles Jack's vest with the addition of belts and a striped sash. It is not known if there will be back printing on the torso.

The legs and hips are reddish brown with print continuing the vest and sash design that began on the torso.

The accessory shown with this figure is the standard Pirate cutlass in light blueish gray that has appeared in LEGO Pirates sets for some time.

LEGO.com Bio
Jack Sparrow is dueling to the death for the key to the Dead Man’s Chest. He’ll have to be sneakier than ever to clench control of that key and make a break for it before the other pirates have him in pieces.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is low. There is only one Captain Jack...

The Big Draw
Aside from the figure as a whole, the torso and leg print combo will be desirable for Pirate fans.

The various dual-sided heads will also be fun additions to anyone's collection.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides)
Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

Great Interviews at Ka-GO Blog

2011-03-24T18:40:00.000-04:00

The Ka-GO blog scored a great interview with Mike Napolitan, who we put the spotlight on last week. Mike's rendered depictions of Marvel minifigures are absolutely fantastic and ka.lego gets the skinny on how it's done.

Ka.lego has quickly shown himself to be an adept writer with a great eye for blogworthy topics. So if you read only one LEGO blog everyday...read The Ugly Duckling. If you read two, however, read UD and Ka-Go's blog.

If you're at Bricks by the Bay this weekend, say hello to 'Ka' he'll likely be wearing one of these great t-shirts of his own design.

(Via Ka-GO Blog)

V&A Steamworks Stovepipe Hats at Bricks by the Bay

2011-03-24T13:46:00.002-04:00

Bricks by the Bay is this weekend, and those attending are starting to put up some of what they'll be bringing. V&A Steamworks will be selling stovepipe hats in black and white and some with printed bands as well. They will be selling for $4 USD each, or three hats for $10 USD.

Not going to be in Northern California this weekend? No worries. It sounds like the hats will be available to the general public soon.

(Via V&A Steamworks Flickr stream)

There's a Solanum Outbreak on Flickr

2011-03-24T07:59:00.000-04:00

There seems to be a rash of custom zombies popping up on Flickr this morning, leaving the Hazmat Guy with plenty to clean up.

The first custom zombie comes to us courtesy of Victor (eclipsegrafx). His 'tourist' is the first in a line of zombie designs he'll be selling through various channels. As Victor points out, lots of great layers happening with the decal designs. The I 'heart' NY tee is a nice touch too.

The second strain of the undead creeps forward from Roaglaan's workshop. It would appear these guys were infected at the gym as they are some of the 'beefiest' zombies I've seen to date. The soldier zombie will be great for those inspired by the movie Sucker Punch which comes out this weekend. There's a whole portion of the movie set in a Weird War II universe and the enemies seem to be a mix of the Helghast from Killzone and the living dead.

All in all some fantastic designs and great way to add variety to those Zombie hordes whene the Series 1 Brooks Brothers brigade just won't cut it.

(Via eclipsegrafx and Roaglaan's Flickr streams)

BrickArms Micro D.O.G. Pack at Bricks by the Bay

2011-03-23T23:16:00.001-04:00

Dan Siskind just put out a blog post on Brickmania announcing that a new BrickArms pack will be available first to those attending Bricks by the Bay this weekend. The Micro D.O.G. Pack will feature a selection of dark olive green items, a color not previously available.

Not attending Bricks by the Bay? No worries. Brickmania will be selling this online in a few weeks.

You can read more about this on the Brickmania blog.

I Can Feel A Change Coming On

2011-03-23T21:00:00.000-04:00

Legoagogo returns with this great depiction of a lycanthrope's transformation. Mark nails the concept with great lighting and the use of Fenrir Greyback as the midpoint of the metamorphosis.

Mark's been away designing large displays for his local game store. It sounds like we'll be treated to a new display featuring a certain pirate captain very soon.

See more on Mark's Flickr stream.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures - Captain Jack Sparrow

2011-03-23T20:37:00.001-04:00

Jack Sparrow will be appearing in all of the upcoming LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets due in May...and then some. We will refer to this version as 'Captain' Jack given he's wearing his tricorne hat and coat.

Captain Jack Sparrow is exclusive to Whitecap Bay (4192), London Escape (4193), and Queen Anne's Revenge (4195).

Parts and Accessories
Captain Jack may be composed of as many as four or five different parts depending upon the design of the tricorne hat - hat and/or hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

As we just mentioned, the tricorne hat may be a soft plastic piece that fits over the 'standard' Jack Sparrow hair piece. The hair piece features a red bandanna and various trinkets in Jack's black hair. If the part is a singular piece, then it will still be spectacular nonetheless. One piece or two these are all new parts for the LEGO universe.

The heads are where many of the Captain Jack minifigures are differentiated. The head for this figure is dual-sided with a 'smirk' on one side and a worried expression on the other. As with many of the licensed themes the head color is light flesh.

The torso and arms are reddish brown with light flesh hands. The print on the torso resembles Jack's leather coat with the addition of a belt and striped sash. It is not known if there will be back printing on the torso.

The legs and hips are brown with print continuing the coattails and sash design that began on the torso.

The accessory shown with this figure is the standard Pirate cutlass that has appeared in LEGO Pirates sets for some time. Light blueish gray, however, is a new color for this part. There is also a 1x1 tile with a compass print that's seen with Jack in many of the sets.

I've been both amazed and amused at how well TLG captured the character's likeness in minifigure form. There's not much else they could have done to match the source material.

LEGO.com Bio
Coming Soon

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this minifigure is low. There is only one Captain Jack...

The Big Draw
If the tricorne hat is a separate part which fits over the hair piece, it will likely be a very desirable element. To date you have had to make a make a choice between head gear or hair.

The torso and leg assembly combo could also be desirable for Pirate fans, as well.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Guides)
Thanks to Smashing Bricks for the hi-res images

New Pics of LEGO Alien Conquest and Ninjago Spinners

2011-03-23T20:08:00.000-04:00

Just as I suspected...website Mikado Spieleland also has new hi-res images of LEGO Alien Conquest as well. We get a good look at that new gun design and nice close ups on the minifigures.

I was also able to confirm that the new Ninjago spinner sets have pics up too. Although the pictures aren't quite as good, you do get a sense of what the new Sensei Wu, Kruncha, and Wyplash will look like.

You can see more of Alien Conquest and Ninjago on Mikado Spieleland.

Best Buy to GameStop - "Not So Fast"!

2011-03-23T19:41:00.000-04:00

It seems that GameStop won't be the only one who'll have the promotional Captain Jack. Best Buy is also offering this exclusive minifigure when you pre-order the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean video game through their stores.

Have we seen the last of these promotional offers? Will this minifig be the White Boba Fett of the season? Stay tuned to find out...

You can find out more at the Best Buy website.

New Pictures of Series 5 Collectible Minifigures

2011-03-23T18:30:00.002-04:00

Series 4 is so-o-o five minutes ago...Series 5 is where it's at! Readers Jacob and Troy both sent me word that new images of the Series 5 Collectible Minifigures (8805) are currently on the toy site Mikado Spieleland. The image I could grab (above) was quite small, but there's a viewer on the site that gives you a close up look. There's also an image of the customary four by four grid of actual figs.

I'll be returning to the site shortly, as Brickset has seen new Hero Factory and I hear that new Ninjago spinners are on the site too. It's possible other treasures can be found.

Check it all out at Mikado Spieleland now.

UPDATE: I was able to coax a much better picture from their site. I'm also including the grid pic of the actual figs above. Click on both for larger images.

Days of Future Past: LEGO Prototype Minifigures

2011-03-23T13:12:00.000-04:00

I feel that I'm a fairly informed member of the AFOL community. I probably see 80% of the LEGO news and information that comes across the interwebs because of my involvement with the site. So I'm often surprised when I find a new trove of existing information that hasn't come across my desk.

Earlier today Flickr member Highonbricksshared a picture that was labeled 'Space Police 3 Proto Drawings' (you can see the image above). Several people asked where the picture was from to which he replied 'research'. Jumping to action I sought guidance from the love child of Sergey Brin and Larry Page (AKA I did a Google search), and I quickly found that Brickpedia has a 'prototypes' page where images of TLG protos can be found. There's a mixed bag of stuff in there, but there's an entire section dedicated to minifigures.

You can easily see from the image above which figs made the cut on Space Police 3 and those that didn't. There's are also early sculpts of the heads from Atlantis and a fig from a line that never launched called 'Seatron' (perhaps supplanted by Atlantis, me thinks).

Lot of great stuff to see! You can find the page on Brickpedia.

A special thanks to Highonbricks and The Brick Blog who eventually pointed the way.

Series 4 World Tour: Germany, Austria, and US East Coast

2011-03-22T15:58:00.000-04:00

A couple of updates on Series 4 availability have come my way...

Brickset is reporting that Mueller Markt stores in Stuttgart and Winnenden, Germany are now getting Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. The reported price is €1.99 per pack.

Also via Brickset a commenter says Toys R Us in Graz, Austria has them in stock.

Finally there have been reports that Toys R Us in Virgina (US) are starting to see these rascally rascals too. The eastern seaboard has been fairly bare of pins on the Series 4 Rollout Map to date. This may be a sign they are starting to arrive.

More as it happens.

Hi-Res Renders Now Up on PotC Minifig Guide

2011-03-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Leper, our resident Keeper of the Scrolls, and Smashing Bricks, we've been able to post hi-res renders of the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean minifigures! In the past we've held images like this back until we had a full guide entry ready to go...then we realized that was a rather silly thing to do!

On the main guide page, you will see items with the tag 'Coming Soon' those are links to the hi-res images. The links with the tag 'New' or 'Updated' have guide entries behind them.

In hindsight this seems like such an obvious 'fix'. We will likely do the same for other guides like Harry Potter and Star Wars. Do give us time, because the updates of Series 4 and Pirates of the Caribbean will take a little while.

So what are you waiting for?! Head on over to the PotC Minifig Guide and see all the images.

Thanks again to Smashing Bricks for providing the hi-res images!

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures

2011-03-22T12:34:00.009-04:00

With Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the forth movie of the series, about to be released on May 20, 2011, we begin our guides on these LEGO minifigures. We may start seeing these sets in stores as early as mid-April.

Check back here for guides about mermaids, zombies, and Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates fear. Is that it? Well contrary to what Captain Jack Sparrow says, I think not!

Each of the following links are tied to the original articles. These may be modified over time based on new news, so please check back often.

Captain Jack Sparrow (New)
Jack Sparrow (New)
Jack Sparrow (Video Game Promo) (Coming Soon)
Blackbeard (New)
Hector Barbossa (New)
Hector Barbossa (Peg Leg Variant) (Coming Soon)
Hector Barbossa (Skeleton Variant) (Coming Soon)
Joshamee Gibbs (Coming Soon)
Will Turner (New)
Elizabeth Swann Turner (Coming Soon)
Hadras (New)
Angelica (New)
Philip Swift (Coming Soon)
Scrum (Coming Soon)
Syrena (New)
The Mermaid (Coming Soon)
Quartermaster Zombie (Coming Soon)
The Gunner Zombie (Coming Soon)
The Yeoman Zombie (Coming Soon)
Cannibal of Pelegosto 1 (Coming Soon)
Cannibal of Pelegosto 2 (Coming Soon)
Admiral Norrington (Coming Soon)
King George's Officer (Coming Soon)
King George's Solder (Coming Soon)
Horse Coach Driver (Coming Soon)
Chef (Coming Soon)

A big thanks to Smashing Bricks for all of these hi-res images!

The Series 4 Guide 'Upgrades' Continue

2011-03-22T07:42:00.000-04:00

"You have something in your teeth, dear."

I was able to add the Hockey Player and Ice Skater to the upgraded guide entries last night. It looks like I'll upgrade a couple each night until I'm through the whole series. I could just take a single pic of each fig and put it up...but what fun would that be.

As always if you have specific questions about a figure, let me know and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

You Have to Admit It...The Man Has Skill

2011-03-22T07:29:00.000-04:00

JasBrick has recently procured a 'very expensive printer, with very expensive ink' and has since been testing various torso designs on minfigures. One of those tests was for a couple of henchmen for a Dark Knight style Joker.

Putting the printed torsos aside for a moment, you really have to appreciate how difficult if must be to paint a face that small and pack it so full of detail. I've seen similar designs on printed heads, but this is quite amazing!

If you are more keen on those printed torsos, you can check out more of Jas' tests on his Flickr stream.

Series 4 World Tour: Singapore

2011-03-22T07:13:00.000-04:00

So are ya sick of me talking about the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures yet? Don't worry pretty soon you'll be sick of me talking about the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean minifigures...but back to the issue at hand.

Smashing Bricks informs that Series 4 may be available within the week. BricksWorld is promising product in stock at their Ngee Ann City location by March 29th and Plaza Singapura by the 31st.

Again, it feels like the global roll-out of this series have happened in record time, which I'm certain was no small logistics feat by TLG.

If you would like to learn more about Series 4 in Singapore, visit Smashing Bricks.

Let the Series 4 Photos Begin!

2011-03-21T18:35:00.001-04:00

One of the things I always look forward to when a new Collectible Minifig series or play theme launches, is how the various LEGO photographers will use them in new compositions. Chris McVeigh (powerpig) gives us this outbreak of the solanum virus in what appears to be Wall Street (why else would all those zombies be in identical suits?)

If the radiation symbol was a 'biological hazard' icon this shot would be perfect!

I think it's safe to say that The Hazmat Guy will be appearing in many more shots in the coming weeks. I'm hoping to also see some creative use of the 'B-team' of collectible minifigures. There's one custom minifig I'm really holding out hope for. I've even decided on a title for the post when I see it. I'll give you a hint...'Happy Trees'.

You can see more of Chris' work on Flickr. As always, Chris also sells his work via RedBubble.

UPDATE: Chris has posted a lighting 'how-to' on his Set-Ups page for this very shot. Very informative for those budding toy photographers!

Series 4 'Rares' in Store Now

2011-03-21T15:17:00.001-04:00

Late last week I mentioned that I was able to purchase some Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. I've recently finished taking guide pictures for all of the 'rare' figures and placed them for sale on my BrickLink store. I currently have The Lawn Gnome, The Ice Skater, The Hockey Player, The Viking, and The Crazy Scientist (alas The Musketeer still evades me). I've attempted to price the figures competitively, plus I have flat rate shipping*. You can purchase more, but shipping costs will stay the same.

I only have one of each figure, so hurry down and take a look. There are also a few other figures like The Werewolf and Soccer Player still available as well.

You can check it all out on BrickLink.

*See 'store terms' for full details

It's Time to Upgrade!

2011-03-20T22:05:00.000-04:00

It's already time to start upgrading the Series 4 Collectible Minifigure guides. I've started in with The Crazy Scientist, giving you 360 views of the fig and close-ups of key features.

I'm also adding the dot codes from minifigcollector.com for your reference while in store.

I will do my best to update each guide entry in a timely fashion. If there's anything you would like to see for a particular fig that you haven't seen to date, just let me know.

Series 4 Now on Sale at ToysRUs.com

2011-03-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

While visiting The Brick Blog to provide a link, I noticed a post saying that ToysRUs.com is currently selling Series 4 Collectible Minifigures online! The post was this morning, but it appears they still have them in stock. They are retailing for $2.99 USD and there don't appear to be any limits. Right now Toys R Us will ship for free on orders above $75. Head on over to TRU.com for more details.

Thanks once again to The Brick Blog for the news.

Series 4 Collector Case on Amazon

2011-03-20T20:33:00.001-04:00

Daniel of The Brick Blog set me a link for this Series 4 Collectible Minifigure collector's case on Amazon. The Amazon listing shows it being from LEGO, but it's being sold by another retailer (Toy Hoarder).

The front is made of a clear PVC plastic with a backing that slides into place. The back has a listing for all 16 figures. The case can stand by itself or hang from a wall.

There are plenty of ways you can display you Series 4 figures, and now you have another option. The case retails for $19.99, but do make certain you read all details regarding shipping and handling.

You can find the listing on Amazon.com.

Thanks to The Brick Blog for sending this over.

The Stargate is Open

2011-03-20T15:05:00.000-04:00

I knew that I couldn't have been the only one to think 'Stargate' when LEGO Pharaoh's Quest came out. Outside of JasBrick's custom minifigures, however, I hadn't seen much done.

Eurobricks member Yatkuu has answered the call with this MOC depicting the villains transporting in. Great use of lighting and the build captures the action the 'transporter rings' quite well.You can see more of this MOC on Eurobricks.

Amazing Zelda Custom Sword on Shapeways

2011-03-20T11:39:00.001-04:00

Shilo shares this new minfig scale custom sword currently sold on Shapeways. The sword is a replica of the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda series of video games. The designer is Michael Inglis (M1NGLES) who had added just enough detail to keep it within the LEGO aesthetic.

Given that it's Shapeways the pieces you buy are produced via 3D printing techniques. You have a variety of materials that you can choose from. The version shown in Shilo's pic above is made of stainless steel but you can also purchase versions in plastic as well.

I would recommend checking out Michael's store. He doesn't have a lot of items for sale, but what he does have looks quite nice.

Thanks to Shilo for sharing!

Doc Venkman Lays Down the Law

2011-03-20T09:02:00.001-04:00

Doc Venkman, the customizer featured by Wired magazine last month, just put up his finished version of Judge Dredd. Several hand sculpted accessories really bring Dredd to life. I think Jas will be a little jealous...

You can see more shots of the entire fig on Doc Venkman's Flickr stream.

The Series 4 Rollout Map Rules Have Changed

2011-03-20T08:46:00.002-04:00

It seems that someone thought it would be funny to move all of the pins on the Series 4 Rollout Map. As a result I've removed collaboration from the map (i.e. only I will be able to add pins and make changes from now on). If you have a new location, please just e-mail it to me at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com, and I'll add it.

I'll also need a bit of time to put the pins back where they belong. The good news, however, is that the vandal didn't think to change the pin labels. You can still peruse those to determine if Series 4 is in your area.

UPDATE: I've corrected the map, but not with the precision it originally had in all locations. If you notice an incorrect placement please e-mail me at the address above. Also, to the person who indicated the Brookfield Farm Tesco (UK) has Series 4, can you give me a more specific address? I tried hunting for it, but the closest I came was in Carisle.

Exclusive LEGO Harry Potter Dictionary Minifig Revealed

2011-03-19T21:26:00.001-04:00

Smashing Bricks and Eurobricks share that the exclusive minfigure that will come with DK's LEGO Harry Potter: Building The Magical World book is...dress robes Harry Potter. Based on the conversation on Eurobricks, this is a bit of a mixed bag. The torso design is really the only new bit here and it's...OK.

If you disagree and feel you must add this dapper wizard to your collection you can pre-order the book which comes out May 30th on Amazon.com.

You can also read more at Smashing Bricks and Eurobricks.

Series 4 World Tour: UK and Canada

2011-03-19T21:02:00.001-04:00

Toys N Bricks and Brickset are reporting that Canadian Wal-Mart stores and UK Tescos are starting to get Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. This feels like the fastest rollout to date for several countries (thank you TLG!) The Canadian figures are listed for $3.28 CAN, while those in the UK are going for 1.97 GBP.

The two locations have been added to the Series 4 Rollout Map. Make certain to 'drop a pin' when you find these in your neck of the woods, or drop me a line and I can do it.

Keep checking back for more Series 4 news, as it happens.

(Via Toys N Bricks and Brickset)

Gamestop to Offer Promo Captain Jack Minifigure

2011-03-19T08:38:00.000-04:00

FBTB is reporting that Gamestop will offer a promotional Captain Jack Sparrow minifigure not currently slated for sets when you pre-order the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean video game.

So this now makes 51 versions* of Capn' Jack that you'll have to collect if you want the entire series. I'm not certain what variant this one is supposed to represent, and the details are sparse on the Gamestop website. The face almost looks wooden and the pupils aren't highlighted. A voodoo doll?! Nevertheless a 'fun' idea!

You can see more about this story at FBTB.net.

*Not really, but it feels like it

BrickBash! LEGO Show This Weekend

2011-03-18T22:35:00.000-04:00

Family Bricks is sponsoring a LEGO event in Ann Arbor, MI this weekend called Brick Bash!

You really only need to know three things about the event 1) there will be lots of LEGO on site 2) it's free and 3) Family Bricks will have several of his custom minifigs on display and items for sale.

If you need to know more (like where it is and what time the doors open...details, details) you can find out more at the Brick Bash website.

Black Lodge Customs for Bricks by the Bay Announced

2011-03-18T22:13:00.000-04:00

Badger has announced the two Black Lodge Customs figs that he'll be bringing to Bricks by the Bay next weekend. Fans will be able to pick up a redesigned version of the Neo-Tokyo Street Punk and the all new Royal Rifleman.

You get quite a bit in each package. The Street Punk offers up several BrickArms custom accessories, including four prototypes, for $25 USD, while the new Royal Rifleman at $15 USD gives you an opportunity to score a prototype musket along with other goodies.

Badger makes mention that the Heavy Laser Cannon prototype mold suffered some damage while producing these figs, so the value of these babies just went way up!

The figures will be on sale at the Brickmania booth on Friday and will be first come, first served.

Bricks by the Bay will be the first major AFOL convention of the season and starts next weekend. If you would like to learn more about the event, check out the interview with Bill Ward on the Ka-GO blog (a seriously good AFOL site that Ka.lego has just started).

You can see more about the Black Lodge Customs on Badger's Flickr stream.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures: Hector Barbossa

2011-03-18T20:45:00.021-04:00

Now Showing
Back from the dead its Captain Hector Barbossa! This character is appearing in set 4181, Isla De Muerta, and possibly also in set 4184, Black Pearl.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Captain Hector Barbossa is composed of five parts: hat, head, torso, sheath, and legs.

The hat is the same as the Musketeer recently displayed in series 4. It's a large black piece with a cavalier brim. It has a hole in the back for an accessory, in this case a dark blue triple plume.

The head is a new print on flesh color. He has a slight smirk with a brown handlebar mustache and a scraggly beard.

The torsos and legs of this figure are dark blue (possibly black) with a long jacket printed on the front. He has on open shirt showing a necklace and the inside of his jacket show us that hes wearing an orange and red vest of some sort. He also has on a grey belt.

The sheath is a new piece in brown (black?) that goes across the minifigures torso similar to the Indiana Jones satchel but instead of a bag there is a slot for a sword.

LEGO.com Bio
Captain Hector Barbossa is a brutish pirate captain underneath his classy, gentlemanly façade. He’s after riches, revenge and freedom from curses, but he especially can’t keep his claws off the Black Pearl or anything else belonging to Jack Sparrow. Haunted by supernatural terrors of the sea, he always manages to cheat death somehow.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure alone is low, but the parts of the Pirates figures could be sought after in multiples for custom applications.

Big Draw
The big draws here are the hat and sheath. Personally I also think the torso/legs combo of the this figure, and of course the opportunity to collect the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean minifigures.

(Back to the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Minifigures Guides)

(Pictures via SmashingBricks)

Series 4 Collectible Minifigures Available In Store

2011-03-18T19:48:00.000-04:00

I was fortunate enough to come across a few Series 4 Collectible Minifigures today. I've placed a small selection up for sale on my BrickLink store. If you have certain figures that you really must have, you may want to check out our supply. The stand and all accessories are included, but they do not come in sealed bags.

Visit The Ugly Duckling for more details.

Brickworld Starts Tomorrow!

2011-03-18T18:40:00.000-04:00

Brickworld Indy that is! Brickworld Indy is a two day event brought to you by the same folks that coordinate Brickworld in Chicago. The biggest difference between the two events is that there isn't a corresponding AFOL only convention (although with a LEGO Store announced for Indianapolis that may change down the road).

The even takes place Saturday (10am to 6pm) and Sunday (10am to 5pm) at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. There should be a large contingent of MOCs this year and several big name vendors like BrickForge and Brickmania on hand (I imagine Brickmania will have BrickArms for sale). I believe David Pickett, the animator behind The Nightly News at Nine brick films, will also be in attendance.

Adults are $8, kids under 10 are $5, while kids 3 and under are free. You can see all the details on the BrickWorld Indy site.

If you see a man trying to keep two young children corralled while trying to look at exhibits, there's a good chance it's me (although I realized I just described 99% of the potential attendees). I have yet to attend a large-scale LEGO show, and Brickworld Indy may be my best shot this year. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to a convention sometime soon (still holding out hope for BrickFair).

UD Minifig Design Battle - Samurai Sho(w)down Winner

2011-03-18T13:53:00.000-04:00

Congratulations go out to Burakki for winning the February UD Minfig Design Battle! The challenge was to select a character from the video game 'Samurai Shodown/Samurai Spirits', and craft a minifigure in it's likeness. Burakki opted for Oboro's Amazon as her subject.

Burakki will be receiving a gift card to FireStar Toys worth £25 which can be used on a wide variety of LEGO brand products, custom minifigures, or custom accessories.

I encourage everyone to check out all of the entries by visiting the UD Minfigure Design Battle page.

The Emperor is challenging all designers with this month's theme - 'Oh My Goddess...' The brief and details of the contest can be found at the UD Minfigure Design Battle page.

Congratulations once again to Burakki and my thanks to everyone who participated this month.

To those who are about to design, we of the Minifig Nation salute you!

It Has a Certain 'Je Ne Sais Quoi'

2011-03-18T10:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes people ask me how I determine which minfig creations I decide to feature here on the site. It's not so easy to explain. A lot of it just jumps off the screen, grabs me by the collar, and won't let go (not literally, of course...that would likely be an indication that my meds need adjusting).

These 'purist' custom soldiers* are one of those creations. A great mix of part combinations paired with that mini-walker in the background really make this shot. My hat is off to you Monsieur Groovybones (I seem to be in a French state of mind today).

You can see more of Groovybone's creations on his Flickr stream.

*Yes, I realize the soldiers are holding BrickArms Combat PDWs

Custom Minifig Cases at Simply Bricks

2011-03-17T20:19:00.000-04:00

Huw dropped me a a line to let me know about some custom cases designed for minifigs (it's like a Brickset trifecta today!)

BrickLink store Simply Bricks is offering these custom minfig cases for sale. A great way to show off those ABS All-Stars while keeping protected from the elements. UK Simply Bricks is offering them for $2.18 USD and shipping charges apply. See the Simply Bricks store for more details.

Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Dot Codes Surfacing

2011-03-17T16:58:00.000-04:00

Brickset members have already started to compile the 'dot code' sheets for the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. There two such sheets currently available...

The first can be found on Jared Bohem's Flickr stream. It would appear that he has all but two of the codes listed (The Lawn Gnome and Hazmat Guy).

The second list can be found on the website minifigcollector.com. Their list is a full one, with all 16 minifigures listed. Minfig Collector is also an app for Android smart phones, which should be updated with the Series 4 dot codes in a couple of days.

A word of caution - Huw notes that some of the corresponding dot codes don't agree between the two sheets. Given that it's early days, and the dot codes can be difficult to read (relative to the bar codes anyway), it's not surprising. You may also want to try to feel the item through the polybag to make certain you are getting the figure you want. Not sure what to feel for? Head on over to our Series 4 Minifig guides and see what we recommend.

(Via Brickset, Jared Bohem's Flickr stream, and minifigcollector.com)

Huw Reviews a New Star Wars Minifig App

2011-03-17T15:06:00.000-04:00

Brickset has nice little review of a new iPhone app that helps LEGO Star Wars fans keep track of their minifig collections on the go - SWMinis.

The review was nicely done and very informative. The screen shots from the SWMinis website also appear attractive and well designed. At a price point of $1.99 USD, this seems like a great addition to both your iPhone app and minifig collection.

You can read the full review by Huw on Brickset.

Ninjatoes' Papercraft LEGO Pirate

2011-03-17T07:30:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I found a link to papercraft artist Ninjatoes' website. They were attempting to build a papercraft version of the LEGO Pirate Redbeard. It would be one thing if someone build up an entire shell that looked like a minifigure, but Ninjatoes actually built each piece individually with articulation. Amazing!

What's also nice is that they've shared the parts templates and instructions on their website, so if you wanted to have a go...you can!

I would also recommend taking the time to peruse the entire Ninjatoes' site, as there are several fantastic works across a variety of themes.

Thanks go out to Nathan who reminded me about this work and let me know when it was complete.

The Closest Thing to LEGO Marvel Video Games

2011-03-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

I always enjoy finding a great new artist when perusing through Flickr. Today I came across Mike Napolitan's stream and his fantastic collection of rendered minifigures largely based on the Marvel Comics universe! There's also a little DC, GI Joe, and Star Trek thrown in for flavor.

Mike appears to have been around for at least a year, as he has a blog called 'The Legion of Mini Figs' which dates back to 2009!

I look forward to seeing more from Mike and his great renders of these four-color titans.

(Via mnap73's Flickr stream)

Series 4 Rollout Map Redux

2011-03-16T20:22:00.001-04:00

(Click for Larger View)

My sincerest apologies to those who've tried to add pins to the Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Rollout Map on Google. You should be able to add locations now. As is often the case, there was one box I hadn't clicked to allow for collaboration.

I also realized that some of the Google Maps functions had changed since last time, so I figured that I would update the instructions on how to add a pin...

Step 1: Head on over to the Series 4 Rollout Map. You may want to bookmark the page and check back often.

Step 2: Click on the 'Edit' button near the upper left-hand corner of the map. Three icons should appear in the upper left-hand corner of the map.

Step 3: In the search bar enter the address of the store you are trying to enter (i.e. "ToysRUs near Indianapolis, IN").

Step 4: Move your cursor over the map icon in the upper right-hand corner of the map. The box will expand with additional options when you mouse over.

Step 5: In the newly opened box, look to the bottom of the list of options. You should see a map title for the item you just searched (i.e. Indianapolis, IN) and for the Series 4 Rollout Map. Make certain that both options are checked. This should overlay the two maps on top of one another.

Step 6: Zoom in on the location you searched for.

Step 7: Go back to the three icons that appeared in Step 2. The middle one should say 'Add a placemark'. Click on this middle icon. You should now have an icon attached to your cursor that looks like an upside down tear drop with an 'X' at the point.

Step 8: Move the marker near the retail store location that appeared from your search in Step 3 and 'click' to drop the marker. Almost there...

Step 9: Add a title (ToysRUs - Indianapolis, IN) and a description ($2.99 USD found in the LEGO aisle, no purchase limits). You can also click on the 'blue tear drop' and change it to a 'red push pin' (don't worry if you can't do this, I can fix it). Finally click 'OK' when all your information is entered.

Step 10: Click 'Save' and then 'Done' and then you are...um...done.

Now that I've written it out, it doesn't seem as simple, but hopefully this helps. You'll be dropping 'virtual pins' in no time.

As always, if you have any questions just drop me a line at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com.

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

Call TRU Customer Service to Check Series 4 Availability

2011-03-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

Morgan pointed this out to us last round, but I completely forgot that you can call ToysRUs in the US and see if Series 4 is in your area. I've lifted this from Morgan's earlier comments...

'If you're in the US...Call 1-800-869-7787

- Press menu options 1, 3, and then 2

- Ask the operator to check the availability of item 578074

Searching for that number (TRU's code for S4 figs) will allow the operator to see if any are in stock in your zip code, if they've been ordered, etc.'

I personally called to check for availability in my area and the closest store was Lexington, KY (I've added a pin on the Series 4 Rollout Map). Another reader also let me know that he's seen them at a TRU in Springfield, IL (also pinned).

You can see the instructions on how to use the map here, but if you are having difficulty in adding a pin, just write me at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do. Some of the Google Maps functionality has changed since then, so I may need to update the instructions.

Happy hunting!

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

The Series 4 North American Invasion Has Begin

2011-03-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

...and the first report comes to us via Brickset (Thanks again to Apples for the heads up!)

ToysRUs in Algonquin, IL had Series 4 Collectible Minifigures on 3/15. The price point was $2.99 USD. Chances are that Series 4 will spread like the plague through the mid-west via TRU, so check your local store for availability. The UPC code is 673419144995, and there is no limit on the number of bags you can buy.

No word yet on a 'dot sheet' for Series 4, but we will post it once it becomes available. Given the resourcefulness of most AFOL's we should see one by the weekend.

If you find these ABS All-Stars don't forget to place a pin on our Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Map!

You can follow the on-going conversation at Brickset.

K'NEX Mario Kart Minifigures

2011-03-16T07:42:00.000-04:00

File this under 'interesting'...

I caught this announcement on toy site Tomopop the other day. It seems that K'NEX is launching a Mario Kart line of building sets that very closely resemble LEGO bricks. Although K'NEX has always had minifigure-esque figures appear with their sets, it's the brick design that really surprises me.

On the figure side there are three so far - Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi. They come with their own 'power-up' items too. No news yet if other Mario Kart characters are slated.

(Via Tomopop)

LEGO Ninjago Skeleton Chopper at TRU (US)

2011-03-16T07:29:00.000-04:00

Apples writes in to say that the LEGO Ninjago polybag set Skeleton Chopper (30081) has made an appearance at ToysRUs in the US. If you recall back to the beginning of February, Brickset discovered four of these Ninjago promotional sets. I believe Target and ToysRUs have been the only stores to feature these Ninjago polybags, to date.

Apples also noted that the Cole DX spinners were in store as well, so it may only be a matter of time before all the new spinner sets are in.

(Picture via Brickset)

March UD Minifig Design Brief - Oh My Goddess...

2011-03-16T00:01:00.001-04:00

Three design battles have come to pass. The Emperor of Minifig Nation would like to know if you have the mettle for his next challenge...

The fourth minifig design battle has begun. The theme of this month’s challenge is...

“Oh My Goddess...”

The challenge is simple - you must depict a minifigure as a female diety with power beyond those of mortal...um...women. You may choose a goddess from an existing mythological pantheon such as Athena or Kali.

You may also ‘freestyle’ on this challenge. You can derive your own ‘goddess of war’ or ‘technology’ or ‘wisdom’; however, the figure you design and create must clearly emanate ‘godliness’ - no mortals need apply.

- You must depict the goddess as the main element of your design.
- This is a ‘goddess’ challenge so the minifigure must be a woman or female.
- You must state in the body of your entry who your character is supposed to represent (i.e. “Athena”) or what your ‘freestyle’ creation is the goddess of.
- The goddess should be a LEGO minifigure.

A couple of additional design ‘rules’ if you don’t want your entry disqualified...Although goddesses often don’t feel the need for clothing, yours should. The fact is we deal with a medium that is also a child’s toy so keep it clean. Also keep any depictions of gore or violence to a minimum - see the ‘Rules and Guidelines’ on the Flickr group page.

If you choose an existing female deity for your design, treat it with respect. We all have our own beliefs and this is a group of inclusion. Any entries that are blatantly putting down another religion through their design will be disqualified and their image removed from the pool. You will also be disqualified from further contests.

Other elements that will be looked upon favorably but are entirely optional include lighting, presentation, posing, and photography/digital effects. Do remember that the figures should be the primary focus of the composition and should not be overwhelmed by other design elements.

Although this is not a ‘customization-only’ contest, you may find many of the tutorials we’ve collected on the site to be helpful. There are also tutorials on photography, presentation, and digital effects.

Entries must be submitted to the UD Minifigure Design Battle Arena group on Flickr before 12:01 am EST April 16th, 2011. Entries submitted after this time will not be considered eligible. Remember to read the ‘Rules and Guidelines’ thread before submitting your entry.

This month’s winning prize is sponsored by FireStar Toys, where the victor will receive a gift card to FireStar worth £25 (approximately $40 USD**) which can be used on a wide variety of LEGO brand products, custom minifigures, or custom accessories from companies like BrickArms, Tiny Tactical, Si-Dan Toys, or Amazing Armory Ltd., to name a few. You can start planning on how to spend your winnings by visiting FireStar Toys today.

Questions about this contest or the rules should be submitted to Cygnet at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com.

To those who are about to design, we of the Minifig Nation salute you. Good luck!

*Please read the contest ‘Rules and Guidelines’ thread regarding views on depicting violence and other topics of a potentially serious nature.
**Exact value in US Dollars is dependent on the currency exchange rates at that time.

Hi-Res Pics of New LEGO Harry Potter Sets

2011-03-15T20:22:00.000-04:00

Ace of FBTB points the way to SnitchSeeker.com, a Harry Potter fan site, who have been given hi-res photos of three upcoming LEGO Harry Potter sets - Battle for Hogwarts (4867), The Knight Bus (4866), and The Forbidden Forest (4865).

There are a few new minifigures, and hi-res photos give you a great look at the designs.

You can see the pics of all three sets at SnitchSeeker.com.

Brilliant Bootstrap Bill Turner

2011-03-15T15:21:00.000-04:00

I'm blown away by Jared's (AKA DirkNagel) entry for the Pirates of the Caribbean custom minifig category of the Jolly Roger 2 contest, Bootstrap Bill Turner. I love the look of the barnacles and sea stars in this design, especially when you take a step back and appreciate the scale at which these details were created!

I'm expecting 'big things' from Jared in the future. You can check out more of his work, including his 'Union Against Infected' zombie stompers, on his Flickr stream. You can also see the other entries to the Jolly Roger 2 Contest at ForbiddenCove.com.

How to Create Very Tiny Glasses by Powerpig

2011-03-15T11:38:00.000-04:00

So last week I posted Chris McVeigh's (Powerpig) scene titled 'These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For' - A very humorous depiction of a classic Star Wars scene. One of the more amazing aspects of the shot were the tiny 'Groucho glasses' that appeared on 3PO and R2.

Chris has pulled back the curtain once again, this time in video form, to show how the shot was achieved. I can't embed the video here but you can view the 'how-to' on Chris' Flickr stream. This just further reinforces my belief that a little technical know-how and ABS figures can result in some amazing photography!

Whoa-din!

2011-03-14T20:30:00.001-04:00

I'm so 'punny'...Bad jokes aside, Justin Fung (Tin7) just put up his 11th series of custom minifigures based on the Marvel cinematic universe.

This round of great figures focuses on the characters from the upcoming Thor film. Each figure is quite impressive, featuring Justin's signature decals and sculpey accessories. This depiction of Odin the All-Father, as played by Anthony Hopkins in the film, does not disappoint.

You can see all the figures Justin has created from Thor and other Marvel film series on Flickr.

New Ninjago Spinner Sets at ToysRUs

2011-03-14T20:07:00.000-04:00

Toys N Bricks is reporting that the newer Ninjago spinners are showing up at ToysRUs stores in the US.

Cole DX and Zane DX have been seen so far, but the Nuckal and Nya spinners shouldn't be far behind. Do be aware that the spinner minifigures appear to manufactured differently from those that come with the main sets (take that for what you will). Skeleton spinners, like Nuckal, also have a different arm configuration so the figure can hold weapons out to the side. If these details aren't a concern, this is a less expensive way to add these figures to your collection.

There are several TRU LEGO deals this week with free sets and price off deals. ToysRUs has also lowered their threshold for free shipping from $100 down to $75. You can see all the details at Toys N Bricks, or you can go straight to ToysRUs.com.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Werewolf

2011-03-14T18:42:00.003-04:00

The Werewolf is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Werewolf is composed of four main parts – a hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

The hair piece is a brown version of part 93230pb01. This is the same mold as seen on the Elf from series 3.

The head is brown with a new facial print featuring orange eyes and snarling teeth on a hairy face.

The torso is white, one arm is white and the other is brown, and the figure has brown hands. The torso has a shirt ripped to shreds printed on it. The one brown arm makes it look as tho one sleeve has been completely ripped off of the shirt.

The legs and hips are light blue, also torn at by the Werewolf, printed on each leg.

The accessory is a white bone. Similar to those released with Ninjago.

LEGO.com Bio
"Aroooo!"

Whenever the full moon rises high in the night sky, the Werewolf undergoes a startling transformation into a half-man, half-beast creature. Unable to control his primal instincts, he rampages across the countryside, terrifying all who encounter him!

...Okay, he actually just digs holes, buries chew toys in the yard, and romps around the park fetching sticks. It's all a little embarrassing for the Werewolf, so if you happen to see him running around in circles trying to catch his own tail, please try to act scared. It'll mean a lot to him.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate. I can see many people wanting to create Werewolves and we already have a few different face selections (Greyback and boardgame). The hair will be the big piece people are looking for.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

Feeling It Out
The bone will be your best bet here and even that will be hard to feel for. You want to look for one with minimal parts in it.

The Big Draw
The hair piece is really the biggest draw here. Also, we haven't seen a werewolf with pointed ears since 2002.

(Back to the LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guides)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

Sound the Klaxons! Series 4 Minifigures Are Here

2011-03-14T18:28:00.001-04:00

Ivan Angeli just wrote me to say he's seen Series 4 Collectible Minifigures on sale in Belgrade, Serbia at the store 'Hipopotamus' near the Tashamjadan Sports Center!

This is the first official sighting that I'm aware of. It would stand to reason that Europe will receive this round first followed by the rest of the world. We'll just have to see if those of us in the US will need to wait until April 15th, or if a North American launch is eminent.

Big thanks to Ivan! I've added the first pin to the Series 4 Rollout Map. Remember that you can add 'virtual pins' too when you find Series 4 in the wild. You can see how to do so here.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Hazmat Guy

2011-03-14T01:10:00.008-04:00

The Hazmat Guy is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Hazmat Guy is composed of four main parts - helmet, head, torso, and legs.

The helmet is a new part in light orange. It is a radioactive containment suit with a black hazardous waste sign printed on the front. The back is similar to some older suits, like part x40, for the sprayer to be attached to.

The head is yellow with a new facial print featuring a scared look. There are wrinkles under the eyes and on its forehead.

The torso and arms are orange with black hands. There torso also has a hazardous waste sign printed on it along with a belt. Most of this is covered by his suit but the belt is still slightly visible.

The legs are light orange and the hips are black.

This figure comes with a very unique accessory. It's a sprayer with a flexible hose attached to the bottom. The hose can be attached to the back of the suit, as seen in White Fang's review on Eurobricks.

LEGO.com Bio
“This is a job for the Hazmat Guy! Er, do you smell something funny?”

When you’ve got a bad case of mysterious glowing goo in your city, the hard-working Hazmat Guy is just the fellow to call. Whether the job involves searching the sewers for mutant sludge or cleaning up after giant radioactive chickens from outer space, he’s always ready to put on his airtight protective suit, grab his hi-tech equipment, and make the streets safe and tidy once more.

Of course, when you get sent into dangerous situations to handle hazardous materials every day, you’re bound to get a little jittery. Although he never backs away from an emergency, the Hazmat Guy is always nervous that this is the one time his gear won’t work. After all, with all of the crazy substances he’s been exposed to, it’s a wonder he hasn’t grown an extra face on the other side of his head!

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is high. The suit/gun I can see as being highly sought after items. This is the first time we've seen a hazmat figure of any kind.

Feeling It Out
I would try feeling for the suit and a flexible piece.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
I think the entire figure is the draw here. The suit/gun offers a lot of custom potential.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Hockey Player

2011-03-13T21:18:00.004-04:00

(Click to Enlarge)

The Hockey Player is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Hockey Player is composed of five main parts - helmet, head, torso, body gear and legs.

The helmet is a new part (93560) in dark blue. The face mask/visor is a new part and can be maneuvered up or down.

The head is yellow and has a new facial print featuring an intense, almost growling expression. Great for those fighting custom minifigures.

The torso and arms are dark blue with black hands. There is no torso print, because the printing appears on the body gear for this fig. The body gear is part 47577 in dark blue. There's white print on the front and back of the body gear. The front of the body gear has the image of a wolf.

The legs and hips are dark blue with white print around the knees to represent pads.

There are quite a few accessories that come with this figure. You have a pair of flat sliver skate blades. These are a new part and are only shared currently with the Series 4 Ice Skater. There is a stud on the top of the skates which allow them to attach at the minifigure's feet. This figure can also stand on the skates when the legs are straight.

There's also a new hockey stick part in white with a single connection point on the end of the handle. The stick tapers flat as it moves down to the blade. Finally there's a black 1x1 round standing in for a hockey puck.

LEGO.com Bio
“Grrrr!”

Raised by wild wolves out on the frozen tundra until he was discovered by a traveling sports agent, the Hockey Player quickly proved to have a natural talent at the fierce and fast-paced sport of ice hockey. Whether he’s chasing the puck across the rink or guarding his team’s home goal, he’s dedicated to one thing and one thing alone: winning the game!

No one’s faster or tougher on the ice than this ferocious fellow, and no one’s more loyal to his team, either. Rival players have learned not to get too close to the Hockey Player when he’s ‘in the zone.’ Why’s that? Let’s just say that the cage on his helmet isn’t only for his own protection!

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. A few head changes and you have a whole team (but as Hillel would say, where's the other team?!).

Feeling It Out
I would try feeling for the body gear and hockey stick.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
I think the entire figure is the draw here. The helmet may offer up some custom potential when matched with other visors, but the other items are so specific it's hard to rate them individually.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Cole DX

2011-03-13T13:11:00.000-04:00

Cole DX is currently only in Ninjago set Battle Arena (2520).

The normal version of Cole will be covered separately.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Cole DX is composed of four parts - a head wrap, head, torso, and legs.

The head wrap is a back variant of part x54, which is a new color for this part. There is a clip on the back of the wrap to hold weapons or other items.

The head is a new pattern with a stern look and bushy eyebrows. This is the same as the normal (non DX) version of Cole. It is not printed on both sides.

The entire torso assembly is black and features a new torso print. Cole DX's design is a dragon breathing rock. On the back there is a lion symbol with Cole's name spelled out along the bottom.

The legs have print on them which is nice. It is a simple tied on rope belt.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Ninjas need very little customizaion to fit into any Japanese clan. With the new torso print it could also easily be a leader or some other new rank of ninja.

The Big Draw
It's a ninja! There really aren't really any new parts here with this specific one but ninjas are always sought after and a new one is always ready to join the party.

LEGO Bio
Leader of Sensei Wu's team, the Ninja of Earth has his feet on the ground. He knows when to give orders and when to hang back and let his teammates rely on their instincts. The others all respect him and follow his lead, knowing that Cole has a plan for everything.

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Written by Leper

A big thanks to Pedro for setting us up with this figure.

Reminder: Samurai Sho(w)down Deadline

2011-03-13T10:27:00.000-04:00

This month has been a little unique and as a result I've not been able to send out as many reminders about this month's UD Minifigure Design Battle Challenge - 'Samurai Sho(w)down'.

Hopefully, you've all been working on your designs this month. Entries must be submitted to the UD Minifigure Design Battle Arena group on Flickr before 12:01 am EST March 16th, 2011. If this is the first you are hearing of the contest, then you can check out the design brief and start finalizing that entry today!

This month’s winning prize is sponsored by FireStar Toys, where the victor will receive a gift card to FireStar worth £25 (approximately $40 USD*) which can be used on a wide variety of LEGO brand products, custom minifigures, or custom accessories from companies like BrickArms, Tiny Tactical, Si-Dan Toys, or Amazing Armory Ltd., to name a few. You can start planning on how to spend your winnings by visiting FireStar Toys today.

Questions about this contest or the rules should be submitted to Cygnet at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com.

*Exact value in US Dollars is dependent on the currency exchange rates at that time.

Constant Concepts' Ballerina

2011-03-13T10:11:00.000-04:00

I always enjoy it when customizer Constant Concepts debuts a new hand-painted minifigure. This ballerina is no exception!

The skirt looks like it could be made from a Technic gear, but it's too difficult to tell. The use of the Series 3 Sumo/Series 4 Geisha hair piece is perfect and I could easily see a custom ballet minifig for Series 6. A white swan/black swan from Swan Lake would be perfect, especially given the recent film from Darren Aronofsky!

You can see more of Constant Concepts' creations on their Flickr stream.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Crazy Scientist

2011-03-12T19:10:00.003-05:00

(Click to Enlarge)

The Crazy Scientist is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Crazy Scientist is composed of four main parts – a hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

"Doctor"..."Doctor"

The hair piece is the same hair that appeared with Dr. Inferno from the Agents line, but in light blueish gray.

The head is yellow with goggles and manic facial expression.

The torso and arms are white with black hands. The print on the torso is of a lab coat and belt with chemical stains on the coat.

The legs are black with white hips and no visible print.

The accessory that comes with this minifigure is a trans clear flask with a green fluid pattern. This is a new part for the LEGO universe. I can't wait for LEGO to develop more of these in different colors for filling out brick built labs.

LEGO.com Bio
"Ah hah hah hah! They called me mad at the university...and they were right!"

The Crazy Scientist really loves mad science. He's got all the right equipment: a spooky old laboratory, shelves of beakers and tubes full of bubbling liquids, and even one of those antenna things with the little bolts of lightning that go up and down. He's still looking for just the right creepy assistant, but he's sure that one will answer his ad soon.

On the other hand, there are the experiments. The Monster was one, but just like the rest, it didn't turn out quite as planned. It was supposed to be all evil and scary, but instead it turned out friendly and nice. No matter how hard he may try, the Crazy Scientist can't seem to create anything really bad. He just doesn't know where he's going wrong, and it's driving him crazy!

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is low, unless your scientists are into 'cloning' of course...

Feeling It Out
The hair and the flask are the most unique items here, likely to be felt through the packaging.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The head print and flask are the most attractive items for me. The hair is unique and may be appealing to some.

(Back to the LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guides)

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - Musketeer

2011-03-12T14:27:00.002-05:00

The Musketeer is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Musketeer is composed of four main parts – a hat, head, torso, and legs.

The hat is a new part in black with a cavalier brim. The hat also comes a white triple plume.

The head is yellow with a new mustache and beard print.

The torso is blue with white arms and black hands. The torso print features a tunic with a fleur de lis on the front, crossed with a belt. There is no print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are black with print on the legs to resemble the tops of boots.

The accessory is a rapier style sword in flat silver. This is a new part for the LEGO universe.

LEGO.com Bio
"Do you dare to face my blade?"

To the dashing Musketeer, there's nothing in the world better than a clash of blades with a worthy opponent. Of course, when you're as good with a sword as he is, worthy opponents are pretty few and far between!

The Musketeer searches the world high and low for skilled adversaries. But alas, every duel ends in quick victory, and then there's nothing left to do but shake his defeated rival's hand with a thanks for trying. And then, with a smile, a wink and a bow, the Musketeer departs to seek his next opponent!

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate. At least three will earn you an Alexandre Dumas novel, more a battalion of Musketeers.

Feeling It Out
The hat and rapier at the go to items when trying to feel this figure through the bag.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The rapier is the biggest draw of the lot mostly because the hat will be available via Pirates of the Caribbean in the not too distant future. The torso print is also likely to be a hit.

(Back to the LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guides)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

Grand Opening Minifigs...I Like It!

2011-03-12T11:29:00.000-05:00

Ace of FBTB reports on the LEGO Store grand opening this weekend at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA. The planned events seem to cover the standard fare for a new brand store - A Master Builder event, in this case Yoda, and some free exclusive items with qualifying purchases. It's the Saturday promotion which I find most intriguing...

When the LEGO Store opened in Cincinnati, OH there was a small brick-built model that you could get with a qualifying purchase (I think it was a 'flying pig'...don't ask). It would seem that LEGO has foregone the brick built model in Costa Mesa for an exclusive 3-pack of minifigures. On Saturday, be one of the first 300 people to make a purchase of $35 or more to receive the figures (hopefully given the time difference you can make your way down and still take advantage of this).

The torso prints are the real win here with designs I've not seen before. There's also back printing with the date and store to commemorate the event. Now I don't know if these prints will make an appearance in the 'Mini Build Bin' anytime soon, but future stores may have their own figures to look forward to.

If you are in the Costa Mesa area and want to read more about the event, head on over to read the full article at FBTB.net.

The Eagles Have Landed...at FireStar Toys

2011-03-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

FireStar Toys has been updating their supply of custom minifigures lately, including two new 'winged avengers' which feature a modified set of Warhammer wings! Although these aren't classified as JasBrick's, I'm certain he had a hand in helping craft these figs.

There are two 'avengers', a male and female, which come with their own custom weapons to boot. You can find them both at FireStar Toys.

FireStar also has a 10% voucher code in effect. Just type in 'KV882256' in the discount code box at checkout.

New News from TwoMorrows Publishing

2011-03-11T22:20:00.000-05:00

Joe Meno 'tweets' that BrickJournal #14 has gone to the printers to ship on March 23rd. The fourteen issue stands out for several reasons...

First the man behind the Jason Burnett (AKA JasBrick) has scored an interview with Matthew Ashton of The LEGO Group about minifigure designs on several play themes, including the Collectible Minifigures line! An excerpt of the interview can be found on pages 19 and 20 of this pdf preview. You'll have to pick up Brick Journal 14 for the full scoop (you can order a digital copy too).

Not only does the latest issue have Jas' interview, it also contains several feature articles on 'brick animation' and a Minifig Customization 101 article from Jared Burks on 'purist customization'.

Speaking of Jared, his new book 'Minifigure Customization: Populate Your World!' goes on sale April 27th!

You can see it all at the TwoMorrows website.

Morgan Has Been a Busy Bee

2011-03-11T21:43:00.001-05:00

Customizer Morgan seems to be steadily rolling out new custom minifigures recently. The first debuted about a week ago with this great rendition of of a female dragon slayer, Jasna Zonritri (I really need to get some of those arched pauldrons from BrickForge).

Then we have the Japanese Warlord Akinori. A fantastic blend of action figure and LEGO parts combine into a savage warrior.

Finally we have Sgt. Anton Peternko, heavily armored and ready to defend the Goldenfox headquarters.

To give you sense of how crazy this week has been, I started writing this post on Tuesday and have only just now gotten back to completing it.

You can see these, a new Battle Beast design, and Morgan's treasure trove of part on his Flickr stream.

Tiny Tactical Restock Today (3/11/11)

2011-03-11T14:40:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that Tiny Tactical is planning on re-stocking their shelves around 2pm PST today (3/11). The BA-G36 upgrades, gas masks, and flame thrower kits should also be available at that time.

Don't forget to visit Tiny Tactical on BrickLink in just a few hours!

These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For

2011-03-11T12:01:00.001-05:00

Chris McVeigh (Powerpig) brings one of his original t-shirt designs to life in this hilarious scene. What's even more amazing is how detailed the 'Groucho glasses' are given such a small scale! I'm really hoping there will be a set-up shot for this down the line.

If you hurry, you can see and purchase the t-shirt that inspired this work on Qwertee. Hurry, however, as it only on sale for another 6 hours!

(Via Chris McVeigh's Flickr stream)

Series 4 Insert Now on LEGO.com

2011-03-11T11:22:00.000-05:00

Brickset is reporting that really nice images of the Series 4 insert are now on LEGO.com. Again, more evidence that Series 4 Collectible Minifigures are likely ready to go on shelves somewhere in the world very soon.

No news on the Series 4 Rollout Map as of yet, but I'll keep checking the interwebs for news when it hits.

(Via Brickset)

New Products at FireStar Toys

2011-03-10T22:32:00.000-05:00

First off, my apologies for not posting much. I've been traveling alot this week. In fact I'm writing this post in an airport lounge waiting for the 'red eye' back home. But enough about me, let's talk about figs...

FireStar Toys has just released a new series of custom minifigures featuring chromed custom items from head to toe. Some items feature accessories from the Hazel Fantasy line while others are chromed Star Wars figs.

There's also a series of female Star Wars custom minifigures featuring the new Arealight printed sci-fi torsos and helmets!

Lots of wonderful custom items and minifigures to choose from. Head on over to FireStar Toys today!

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Punk Rocker

2011-03-10T10:42:00.001-05:00

The Punk Rocker is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Punk Rocker is composed of four main parts - hair, head, torso, and legs.

The hair is a new part in dark pink. This is the first mohawk TLG has produced and I think they did a very good job on it.

The head features a new facial print with a raised eyebrow and open (singing) mouth.

The torso is black with yellow arms and hands creating the sleeveless look. The torso has a skull on the front that reminds me of the Day of the Dead festival.

The legs and hips are light blue with a chain and patched up tear printed on the figures right leg.

The accessory for this figure is a very nice guitar with a V body. It is black with a white plate and has three strings printed on.

LEGO.com Bio
“HEY! WHO’S READY TO ROCK?!”

The Punk Rocker never goes anywhere without his favorite electric guitar, and as long as that guitar is in his hands, you can be sure that he’ll be rocking up a storm…and waking up everybody in the neighborhood while he’s at it.

There are all kinds of legends about the noisy Punk Rocker. Some say that he used to be shy and quiet until he got hit by a bolt of lightning one day. Some say that he’s sworn never to stop rocking until his music has created world peace. But whatever you may believe, one thing that everybody has to agree on is that the Punk Rocker is very, very, very LOUD!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is moderate. I don't see many people needing armies of Punk Rockers but I do see people seeking out this figure for the new parts and possibly creating a band.

Feeling It Out
The guitar and possibly the hair peace are what you will be looking for here.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The whole fig is great. Many people are dying for a mohawk like this. I think that will be the biggest draw here. The guitar is also a fantastic add to the LEGO universe.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

Extensive Series 4 Review on Eurobricks

2011-03-09T08:23:00.000-05:00

It seems that White Fang and the folks at Eurobricks have been treated to an early release case of the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures! A very detailed review showing parts breakdowns and case counts. A must see while we await the broader Series 4 rollout.

It has also been discussed on Eurobricks that the dot code system appears to be in play again. Once the code has been cracked and reference sheets surface, we will be sure to post them.

You can see more on Eurobricks.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Street Skater

2011-03-07T22:56:00.002-05:00

The Street Skater is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Street Skater is composed of four main parts - hat, head, torso, and legs.

The hat is a dark blue gray variant of part 90541, which came with the Series 2 Skier. There's a green spray painted brick on the front of the hat.

The head features a new facial print featuring a smiling face with glasses.

The torso and arms are light blue gray with yellow hands. The torso print resembles a hoodie over a black and orange t-shirt. There is back print on this figure to represent the hood of the hoodie.

The legs and hips are dark tan with no visible print.

The accessory for this figure is a black skateboard with white wheels. This is the same skateboard design that appeared with the Series 1 Skater, but the design on the top of the board is different (blue rays of light eminating from a cityscape on the top, and a brick with wings on the bottom). These are new colors for these parts.

LEGO.com Bio
“This is the perfect spot for an awesome new stunt!”

To the Street Skater, the whole city is one big skate park. No matter where in town he may be, everything around him looks like just the right location for his next mind-blowing skateboarding stunt.

People all over the city are used to seeing the Street Skater rolling up and down stairs, along railings, through fountains and even across the branches of the city park’s trees. He's such a familiar sight that the streets just wouldn't be the same without him and his famous skateboard!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is low.

Feeling It Out
I would try feeling for the skateboard and hat.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
I predict that the torso and head will be popular for 'sig figs'. The hat will also have appeal. The skateboard I'm not as certain about, but it's definitely a better design than the Series 1 board.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

I Apologize In Advance...

2011-03-06T22:41:00.000-05:00

I couldn't call it a night with out posting about a new custom house out of Chicago called Citizen Brick. I say new, as they've just established a presence on Flickr, but as far as I know this group could have been out there for awhile.

Now I realize we have a wide variety of readers, and not everyone has the same tastes, but I find Citizen Brick's products run the gamut from inspired to just plain funny (to me at least).

Their big, claim to fame is that they are able to create printed items from minifigures to bricks and tiles. The minifigures are priced around $20 USD and include names such as 'motorcycle enthusiast' and 'botany enthusiast' (yes, I know these won't be everyone's cup of tea). I've shown the 'ink enthusiast' above.

In addition to full custom minifigures they have a range of printed tiles, bricks, and minifigure heads.

I'm really interested to see what these folks have in store. You can see more on their Flickr stream or on their website, CitizenBrick.com. New customers can save 20% with the promo code 'Citizen20'!

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Ice Skater

2011-03-06T21:22:00.003-05:00

(Click to Enlarge)

The Ice Skater is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Ice Skater is composed of five main parts - hair piece, head, torso, skirt, and legs.

The hair piece is new with sweeping bangs and bun in tan.

The head features a new female facial print with a smiling face, blue eyeshadow, and stars on the face. There's even a star on her teeth!

The torso is light blue with one light blue arm and one yellow arm. The hands are yellow. The print on the torso resembles a striped, asymmetrical top with a large star on the left side. There's also print on the back of the torso as seen above.

The legs are white with yellow print to resemble 'bare' legs. The hips are light blue. There is also a light blue cloth skirt with jagged edges that attach on the hip posts.

The accessory for this figure are a pair of flat sliver skate blades. These are a new part and are only shared currently with the Series 4 Hockey Player. There is a stud on the top of the skates which allow them to attach at the minifigure's feet. Although not shown here, the minifig can stand on the skates if the legs are straight.

LEGO.com Bio
“Just give me music and I’ll skate to it!”

Elegant, graceful and light on her feet, the Ice Skater can create an elaborate figure skating routine for any music…any music at all! Just play something, no matter how fast or slow, loud or soft, and she’ll show you a dazzling display of ice skating skill that will leave you applauding and shouting for more.

But that’s not all! For her most stunning feat, the Ice Skater will start out up at the top of a huge block of ice and begin to skate. By the time she’s done with all of her spinning jumps and pirouettes, she’s used her shining skates to carve out a beautiful ice sculpture based on any subject you choose!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is low.

Feeling It Out
I would try for the hair piece and perhaps the skates. If the skates can actually be felt through the bag, try to see if you can't feel the accessories of the Hockey Player.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The hair piece and skates would seem to be the 'must have' items for this figure. The skirt may also be desirable as it is a new and unique cloth element.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Viking

2011-03-06T20:58:00.003-05:00

(Click to Enlarge)

The Viking is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Viking is composed of four main parts - horned helm, head, torso, and legs.

The horned viking helm is composed of a light pear gray version of part x1533 and two pearl gold barbs/horns. This is a new color for the helm.

The head features a new facial print featuring a bearded face and scar over the left eyebrow.

The torso is reddish brown with yellow arms and hands. The torso print features a fur vest over a mail shirt and belts. There is no print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are dark tan with print on the knees resembling wrapped patches of fur.

The accessories for this figure are an axe and shield. The axe is composed of a 3L brown bar and a flat silver axe head (part 53705). These are both new colors for these parts.

The shield is the same that came with the Series 2 Spartan in dark brown. Unlike the Spartan shield, however, the viking's features print with dragons, Celtic knots, and rivets.

LEGO.com Bio
“There are monsters everywhere, and I’m just the Viking to fight them!”

Raised on heroic ballads of sea serpents, forest trolls and fire-breathing dragons, the fearless Viking sees monsters everywhere – and the most important thing he knows about monsters is that when a Viking sees one, he’s got to fight it!

With axe and shield in hand, the Viking happily plunges into battle like a shouting whirlwind of clattering, clashing leather and iron. He’s ready to take on any monster he spots, and it can take some explaining to get him to understand that plenty of monsters aren’t really all that bad!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is moderate to high. A village of vikings is not too hard to imagine.

Feeling It Out
I would try for the helm and shield as both would be relatively distinctive.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The head and shield may have the highest level of desirability. Although not likely to be on par with the Spartan, these Nordic warriors may be desirable overall.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Sailor

2011-03-06T20:33:00.002-05:00

The Sailor is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Sailor is composed of four main parts - hat, head, torso, and legs.

The hat is a new part in white, not previously available. There is a blue anchor printed on the front of the hat.

The head features a new facial print featuring a 'winking' expression (what does this sailor know that we don't?). The 'wink' may have been used to better mimic how people often look through telescopes.

The torso and arms are white with yellow hands. The torso print resembles a sailor's shirt. There is back print on the torso as seen in White Fang's review on Eurobricks.

The legs and hips are white no visible print.

The accessory for this figure is a flat silver telescope, a new color for this part.

LEGO.com Bio
“Aye aye, Cap’n!”

The brave and trusty Sailor can always be counted on in a nautical emergency. He can tie knots like nobody’s business, spot a lighthouse through his spyglass from a hundred leagues’ distance in the middle of a storm, and hoist a mainsail or batten down the hatches in no time flat.

The Sailor has spent his whole life at sea, and he knows every tide and fathom like the back of his hand. He just doesn’t feel like himself if he’s not out on a sailing ship, feeling the deck roll beneath his feet and hearing the gulls squawking overhead. Freedom, adventure and the great wide sea: that’s the life for him!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is moderate to high. This style of sailor has not been available before. The simple design allows for head changes to fill out your minifig Navy.

Feeling It Out
I would try for the hat as it has a distinctive shape, but this one might be difficult to discern through feel alone.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The hat is the most unique part of this minifigure, and I would expect this to be the biggest draw. As I mentioned before there hasn't been a sailor in this style available before, so the whole figure may be desirable.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

We Interrupt These Guide Entries for Breaking News

2011-03-06T20:07:00.000-05:00

Again this may be old news, but some Series 4 Collectible Minifigures have already been sold on BrickLink. The sellers, to date, have all been located in the Netherlands. Does this mean that Holland is 'ground zero' for this round giving Europeans first dibs on these figs? Only time will tell...

Again no matter where in the world you might reside, you can use the Series 4 Rollout Map to make a mark and help fellow collectors find these figures.

Now back to your regularly scheduled guide entries...

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - Lawn Gnome

2011-03-06T19:55:00.004-05:00

(Click to Enlarge)

The Lawn Gnome is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories

The Gnome is composed of five main parts - hat, head, beard, torso, and legs.

The hat is a new part in green, not previously available.

The head features a new facial print with white eyebrows and beard. The rest of the facial print is obscured by the beard, which is the same part that came with the Series 3 Fisherman.

The torso and arms are red with yellow hands. The torso print resembles a small red shirt with a black belt and yellow trim. A shirt commonly seen on lawn gnomes across the world. There is no print on the back of the torso.

The legs are the short variety in blue. There is no visible print.

The accessory for this figure is a reddish brown version of the fishing pole that came with the Series 3 Fisherman. This is a new color for this part.

LEGO.com Bio
"I should really get a move on, but it's just so nice here..."

The Lawn Gnome is quite happy to stand perfectly still and watch the world go by. As long as the view stays interesting and the weather isn't too bad, he'll stay in one place for years on end, not budging even an inch no matter what may happen around him.

This may lead you to mistakenly believe that the Lawn Gnome is merely a statue. But the joke's on you if you pick him up and carry him home to your front yard, because if you don't give him something interesting to look at, he'll pack up his fishing pole and pointy green hat and be off on his way!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is moderate. I could see a few minifig gardens wanting some Gnomes for decoration.

Feeling It Out
I would try for the fishing pole and hat as they would have a unique feel compared to other parts.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The hat is the most unique part of this minifigure, and I would expect this to be the biggest draw. Depending upon the rarity of the figure, the beard and pole could also be desirable, given that the Series 3 Fisherman was one of the most rare figures of that set.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)