Tag Archives: DC Comics

LEGO 76252 Batcave – Shadow Box | Set Preview

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LEGO’s ‘Set for Adults’ just keep getting bigger. This is the brand new 76252 Batcave – Shadow Box, a £345/$399, near-4,000 piece tableau that recreates Batman’s secret lair from the 1992 blockbuster ‘Batman Returns’ in mini-figure scale. And yes, we had to look up what a ‘tableau’ is.

Measuring over half-a-metre in length, featuring seven mini-figures, the Batmobile, and 3,981 pieces, almost all of which are black (or very very dark grey), 76252 is one of the largest mini-figure scale sets that LEGO has ever produced.

Hinging along its right-hand edge, allowing the box – sorry tableau – to open , a variety of small play features are included, which can be controlled from the back via hidden mechanisms. These include a rotating chair, changing computer screen, opening toolbox, and an “illuminated Batsuit vault”. It’s safe to say a ‘tableau’ is more about the visuals than the functions…

Due for release exclusively at LEGO.com on June 8th, the LEGO 76252 Batcave – Shadow Box is – like many of the brand’s recent sets – aimed at ages 18+, although for once the black packaging is more than marketing gimmick. With nearly 4,000 black or very very dark grey pieces, we expect the age on said packaging is more than a marketing gimmick this time too, as we can only imagine how difficult to read the instructions will be.

So what do you think internet? A spectacular homage to the 1992 ‘Batman Returns’ movie, a source of all the black and very very dark grey parts you will ever need, or another unattainable LEGO set priced so far out of reach only Bruce Wayne could afford it? There’s at least a neat circularity to 76252 if it’s the latter.

LEGO Technic H1 2023 | Set Previews

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This week marks the start of a brand a new year, and thus, as is customary, our sneaky Elves have unearthed all the brand new for 2023 LEGO Technic sets! So, following our reveal of the awesome looking 42154 Ford GT earlier in the week, here is every new addition to the LEGO Technic line-up due to reach stores in the first half of 2023…

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42147 Dump Truck

Kicking off the new 2023 Technic range is this, the 42147 Dump Truck. Consisting of 177 pieces and aimed at ages 7+, 42147 looks like a great way to introduce Technic to younger builders, with working ‘HOG’ steering, a tipping bucket, and a good level of visual detail that reasonably approximates any number of generic compact trucks common across Asia in particular. 42147 costs around £9, can also be built as a rather decent looking excavator, and is available to buy now.

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42148 Snow Groomer

Alternatively, with the same target age and just one difference in the piece count, your £9 for a Technic starter set could be spent on this; the 42148 Snow Groomer. 42148 also looks pretty good to us, and includes mechanical levers to operate the front blade and the rear smoothing, um… thingy. Like 42147 above, an alternative model can also be constructed (in this case the worst-looking snowmobile we’ve ever seen) and is available to buy now.

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42149 Monster Jam Dragon & 42150 Monster Jam Monster Mutt

It wouldn’t be a New Year Set Preview without a pair of pull-backs. Fortunately after some dismal efforts a few years ago, LEGO seem to have struck gold with the officially-licensed ‘Monster Jam’ series, which are perfect for pull-back tomfoolery. 2023 sees another two real-world monster trucks from the American arena spectacular immortalised in brick-form, one of which is giant dog. There’s a green dragon or something too, but if you don’t want the giant dog there’s something wrong with you. Each set costs around £18, and both are available to buy now. Buy the dog.

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42151 Bugatti Bolide

Continuing LEGO’s partnership with Bugatti, which has produced such sets as the huge Technic 42083 Bugatti Chiron, comes the 905-piece 42151 Bugatti Bolide. Nope, we hadn’t heard of it either. Apparently the Bolide is a $4million track-only hypercar limited to just 40 units, due for delivery some time in 2024. Unless you buy this one of course, which is available now for £45. That price still seems rather a lot for a set that has only working steering and a miniature V16 piston engine for its technical features, but hey – it’s got lots of stickers, some new panels, and lightsabers for rear lights.

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42152 Firefighter Aircraft

This is more like it. Looking a bit like a Canadair CL-215 water bomber (but distinct enough not to require licensing…), 42152 brings some decent technical functions to the Technic line-up in aircraft form. And it can dump blue bricks from its hold.

Retractible landing gear, a working tail rudder, propellors that spin when the model is pushed along the floor (with its landing gear retracted), and a lever to dump the ‘water’ all feature, as do a few new pieces not seen before – including some curved corner sloped panels that’ll you’ll soon be able to find listed on Bricklink at an enormous cost. Aimed at ages 10+, 42152 is a welcome addition to the Technic hangar and will reach stores later this quarter.

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42153 NASCAR Next-Gen Chevrolet Camaro

It’s time for some double branding with this; the 42153 NASCAR Next-Gen Chevrolet Camaro. Looking rather good (albeit in a very be-stickered way), the new 42153 set brings next-generation NASCAR to the LEGO Technic line-up. And by ‘next-generation’ we mean, ‘exactly the same as NASCAR has always been’. Cue angry comments from NASCAR fans.

Costing the same £45 as the 42151 Bugatti-we’d-never-heard-of above, but with some 230 fewer pieces, 42153 looks to be even poorer value, featuring only a working miniature V8 engine and ‘HOG’ steering. It does look nice though, and will reach stores in March 2023.

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42155 The Batman – Batcycle

2023’s final new addition is this, the 42155 The Batman – Batcycle, which we should write in all-caps but can’t bring ourselves to. We haven’t seen 2022’s ‘The Batman’ movie, having decided that ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy cannot be bettered, but apparently this features in it. It’s no Tumbler…

But it is quite a nice looking motorcycle we have to admit, and includes an H4 engine, working suspension (via new shock absorbers in black), steering, and a phat set of tyres on new black rims. Expect 641 pieces, a 9+ target age, and £50 price-tag when 42155 lands on shelves in March 2023.

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And there you have it, the complete line-up of new LEGO Technic sets for the first half of 2023. Which new Technic sets do you think are worth having? Us… we’ll take the Ford GT.

To the Bat Bus!

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What’s this? Is Batman giving up on vigilante crime-fighting in favour of all-natural-ethnically-sustainable-like-and-subscribe-#vanlife? Thankfully a ginormous gas-turbine-rocket-engine-propulsion-thingumy mounted in the bed of his ’60s Volkswagen Transporter suggests not.

Our hope is the Dark Knight is off to infiltrate the #vanlife community before beating the living crap out them. Not for being criminals, just for being douchbags. Whilst we luxuriate in that thought you can check out more of Batman’s new ride courtesy of 1saac W. of Flickr.

Batman’s going to give them not the beating that they deserve, but the one they need.

My Other Car’s The Batmobile

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Not many people can say that. One really. And we suspect if he knew anyone else was saying it he wouldn’t be happy.

However thanks to TLCB Master MOCer Nico71, you dear readers, can say ‘My Other Car’s the Batmobile’, as this deeply cool hot rod – instructions for which are available – is constructed only from the parts found within the new LEGO Technic 42127 Batmobile set.

There’s working steering, a V8 engine and… er, that’s it. Because to be fair it’s all the 42127 set is equipped with. Plus some unnecessary light-up bricks, but our thoughts on those being a Technic ‘feature’ mirror Batman’s feelings on impersonators.

You can convert your own 42127 Batmobile set into Nico’s hot rod alternate via his excellent website, where building instructions, further imagery and a video are available. Click the link above to take a look.

LEGO 76240 Batmobile Tumbler | Set Preview

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It’s been thirteen years since Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ re-set the bar for Batman movies. It’s also been thirteen years since the best Batmobile of all time crashed onto screens, and seven since LEGO’s own 76023 Tumbler set first crashed across bedroom floors.

Time therefore for an update, which LEGO have revealed today in the form of the new 76240 Batmobile Tumbler.

76240 looks fairly similar to the first set to recreate the Tumbler, because… well, it is, but the new version includes 200 more pieces for a total parts count of over 2,000. It also features the awesome tyres first released with the 42054 Technic Claas Xerion 5000 – although we’re not actually sure they’re that accurate for the Tumbler – along with LEGO’s new all-black marketing for their adult sets, which is rather appropriate for ‘The Dark Knight’.

The ’18+’ bit is probably just marketing guff though, allowing adults to feel more comfortable purchasing a toy / justifying it to a perplexed partner. “Honestly Barbara, this isn’t for kids. It’s a sophisticated interlocking building system!” “OK, just buy the damn thing. (Sigh….)”.

Nevertheless – and unlike the Batman films that followed ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy – 76240 looks a good update to bring the Tumbler back to Batman fans in LEGO form, and the new set will be available to buy for around $230/£170 when it reaches stores later this year.

Build-a-Batmobile

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Batman hasn’t always been dark and moody. There was a time when he was a little more… flamboyant.

These were his wheels from that more festive era; the Lincoln Futura-based, George Barris-designed 1966 Batmobile, and now you can build one too.

Flickr’s Orion Pax has recreated the ’60s television icon brilliantly and he’s released building instructions for his ’66 Batmobile model alongside the stunning imagery. Head to Orion’s photostream via the link above or visit his website here to see more and build your own!

Batlift Truck

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Ever wondered how Batman moves all his stuff around the Batcave? No, us neither, but Pasq67 has.

Cue Batman’s Fenwick forklift truck, which – considering it only operates out of sight in the Batcave – has been unnecessarily restyled to make it more Batty.

It also appears to be used only to transport large quantities of brooms (Batbrooms?) for some reason, but we know very little about comic book superheroes so who are we to argue.

See more on Flickr via the link!

Dark Knight Distancing

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Batman’s job has got a lot easier lately. Gone are the days of people holding up banks (they’re closed), robbing stores (closed), even walking out of a restaurant without paying (closed). Instead the Dark Knight is enforcing social distancing rules and breaking up groups of teens in the park. Still, at least he’s still got the Tumbler, which means he remains unbelievably cool. This brilliant Lego version comes from Riskjockey, there are instructions available, and you can see more on Flickr. Click the link above to order that old lady to stop hoarding toilet paper.

UniBatty

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Is it just us, or is a bright pink Batmobile infinitely scarier than a black one?

It’ll be driven by the type of girl who’ll scream ‘This song is about meeee!’ at least twice a night, have an exhaustive Facebook album entitled ‘Randoms’, put a ‘Powered by Fairydust’ sticker on the trunk of their car, and claim you’re the crazy one for not wanting to come over for her cat’s birthday, before crying uncontrollably about how you don’t care enough… OK, that may have got a little personal, but you know what we mean. Pink cars are terrifying.

That hasn’t stopped The Brothers Brick’s own Chris Doyle from, er… ‘enhancing’ the official 76139 DC Comics 1989 Batmobile set though, with a new pink paint job, smiling star wheels, Unikitty at the controls, and very probably a ‘Powered by Fairydust’ sticker on the back.

Chris hasn’t stopped there either, uploading an album sixty photos strong (just like Karen’s ‘Randoms’ album… sorry, that got personal again), with Unikitty-ed versions of several of the Dark Knight’s rides. He’s gonna be pissed.

Click this link to take a look, where we definitely won’t be joining you for fear of getting sucked into another one of Karen’s ‘Sex and the City’ marathons…

Bat Dozer

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In TLCB’s home nation it is illegal to disturb bats. We’re not sure why bats specifically, but nevertheless you can go to jail if you annoy them. The same applies if you eat a swan. We’re a weird nation.

Still, probably better that than this, which we expect Batman uses when he’s really pissed off. With styling from Batman’s, er… camper years, Alec Hole‘s jet-powered Bat Dozer looks just the vehicle for when the Dark Knight has had enough of nighttime noise and decides to clear the streets of drunken miscreants. Head to Alec’s photostream via the link above and give Batman a wide berth…

Batwing

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Batman has piloted a lot of vehicles over the years. Some were excellent, some, er… let’s just say they they fit into the ‘Robin’ category. This one of those, the ‘Batwing’ from the Tim Burton-directed movie of 1989.

First appearing in the Batman comics in the 1930s the ‘Batwing’ is more accurately called the ‘Bat Plane’ (‘Batwing’ was actually a name given to a pointless spin-off character), and originally looked like a fairly normal aircraft before its wild 1989 reincarnation in the form of the Caped Crusader’s logo.

It’s the Tim Burton version that’s the most famous (although definitely not the best), and it’s been recreated rather wonderfully by Riskjockey in the image above. Head to Flickr via the link to see all the photos, and you can watch the original trailer for the 1989 movie in which the ‘Batwing’ stars by clicking here.

Knight in Shining Armour

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Lego Batman Batpod

We all know Batman only works in black (and sometimes very very dark grey). After the extravagant campness of his appearances in the ’60s this is something of a relief, but if he were to pick a new colour the Dark Knight could do well to take advice from ianying616 of Flickr.

ianying616 has recreated the amazing Batpod from The Dark Knight trilogy and given it an exterior somewhat shinier than the mat-black original. The result is spectacular and there’s more to see of ianying’s all-chrome Batpod at his photostream. Click the link in his name above to see all of the stunning imagery.

Lego Batman Batpod

Arkham Knight

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Lego Arkham Knight Batmobile

Batman, in all his various forms, has owned an expansive range of vehicles. Some were good, some were interesting, and others will be almost instantly forgotten. One of the very best comes not from a Batman Movie, but instead from the successful Arkham Knight range of video games.

The Arkham Knight Batmobile hails from a similar school of thought to the Nolan Trilogy’s ‘Tumblr’ and it’s been brilliantly recreated in mini-figure scale by Lucas Inc. of MOCpages. Lucas’ build uses some ingenious techniques to capture the design and there’s more to see of his Arkham Knight Batmobile via the link above.

Super Fun

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Lego Superhero Dodgems

Where do superheroes go in their time off? The fun fair of course! Flickr’s Kale Frost has built a customised dodgem for five beloved* comic book characters. Will the Flash be able to handle a top speed of 6mph? Will Batman and Catwoman finally get it on behind the candy-floss machine? Click the link above to head to the fair and find out!

Lego Bumper Cars

*Plus Robin.

Back in Black II

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Lego Batmobiles

The sun is scorching and temperatures are in the 30s here in TLCB’s home nation, so naturally today’s posts are sombre and black. Or very very dark grey.

Following the dreadful Batman vs. Superman epic, and the pretty good The Lego Batman Movie, the Dark Knight is due some new toys. Flickr’s Chak hei Mok has duly obliged and created three new additions to the Bat Fleet. Each is packed with cool detailing and there’s more to see of each mini-figure scale Batmobile via the link above.