Akano

My bird ayyy consisted of me having a head cold, TA'ing Advanced Physics Lab, editing a paper, and attending a Journal Club! Am I doing it right?

GD if for birthdays of st... oh what the heck.

 

Akano: don't let Tekulo tell you math sucks. I really enjoyed the transcription of your description of Euler's formula. Happy birthday!

KK: happy birthday even though what Tekulo said might be true.

Yeah, who needs rules?

I had to remind myself of what I wrote about Euler's formula. You've been following my math entries since before I called them Equations of the Day! You're a trooper.

Also, thankee! 8D

Happy of Birthday to both of you!! You are both cool people! Congrats on this very special occasion of having your party in this forum!

Aw, shucks. Thanks!

Happy birthday youse guys!

Thanks!

As a sprite comic author, I have a few kits lying around on my hard drive.

As for Razor sprites, I know of few more complete than this one that I put on my Brickshelf ages ago. I'll root around and see what I can find later.

"Pohatu... is fine." My favorite line.

^This.

Very well done! Not only nostalgic for the MNOG style, but also a great story to go along with it. We see hints of this in Mask of Light, so it makes sense that such a conflict probably occurred in their pre-Nuva days.

Also, I really like your portrayal of Jaller. No offense meant to Andrew Francis, but his portrayal in MoL seemed less wise and less like a Captain of the Guard than his portrayal in the MNOG and Flash animations of the Bohrok era, and this hearkened back to that character.

I also really enjoyed the new assets you created for the Kirikori Nui and the Hikaki. Seamless.

 

Okay, now I'm a bit confused. The author fell into the portal, however The Society of the Blind Eye was established after the fact. The Society was written about in Journal 3. That journal was hidden away by the author before Dipper found it. Hirsh, you have explaining to do, because this is the main reason I didn't suspect the author fell into the portal. Mumble grumble

 

Has this actually been established? We know something bad happened that caused McGucket to found the Society, but we don't know exactly what that event is, so

On another wonderful note, "Not What He Seems" was a fantastic episode. That last scene, though. So many rewatches. ♥

EDIT: So, the Bill Cipher AMA happened on reddit yesterday, and there were lots of funny and interesting revelations. Things I found noteworthy:

So, I have a crazy theory that Grunkle Stan is secretly the author, or more specifically part of the author. I don't have any solid evidence yet. However, he's the most likely character we've been introduced to thus far.

That'd be fascinating. I also heard a bit of a Wild Mass Guessing theory that suggests that

I think this would be a funny possibility, but unfortunately there isn't too much evidence to back it up. It would be amusing to say the least.

I love this show, it has great humor and a gripping storyline. But how does a Disney comedy cartoon get away with so many dark elements? I mean, just last episode,

there were animal heads bleeding through their eyes and mouths chanting 'ancient sins' while a pretty realistic skeleton with an axe through its head crawls out of the fireplace (which we later see a flashback to when the axe killed him). How is any of this allowed on a kids show!? Not to mention the teaser for next episode which has snipers aiming at a main character before he gets tackled and arrested by SWAT.

 

I'm not complaining, I'm just astonished Disney (synonymous with family entertainment) lets so much get by. But anyway, this show is great and March 9th can't come soon enough.

I was really impressed at all the dark imagery of the last episode. It felt truly haunted and scary in a way that I'm not familiar with in cartoons. A lot of "scary" stuff tends to be jump scares and weird lighting/dark shadows, but this was genuinely creepy. It reminded me a bit of the screaming head that Bill summons for Dipper in "Sock Opera."

(Don't... don't ask about the others...)

But...the others...

Also, super ahead of the game on this one. Five stars.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone! We had a fantastic weekend.

Or Nigel, or Santa Jumpy, or whatever you're called nowadays.

Please join me in wishing my little bro a happy 23rd, everyone!

I am an INTP, which suits me fantastically well.

Thanks, everyone! I had a great day.

So wish him a happy, love-filled day! 8D

I got you a teddy bear!

The life you have breathed into the characters of the Toa Kaita through this piece is incredible.

This is absolutely beautiful, GSR. (Also, in "a weapon that toppled the Makuta yet is unable to piece the beast’s shimmering hide," I think you want pierce instead of piece.)

You know what the nice part of having Phoenix Wright characters for avatars is? It's being able to use sprites to get your reaction across when you know you're going to sound like a blubbering dork if you try to express it in words.(Disclaimer: Apollo is absolutely a blubbering dork sometimes, so I don't think I've really solved my problem.)

^This. XD

I think that Takua is the most brilliant pick for this idea. He's the character through whose eyes I (and many others) first saw the BIONICLE universe; I think he deserves the glory of being illustrated like the original comics.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."I'm sure many fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were eagerly awaiting the release of this set, and now that it's out, I've decided to review it. Here's a look at the LEGO re-imagining of Bag End.PresentationFrom the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

The interior of Bag End has a couple of cute corners. The one corner has some shelves with jars of somethings sitting by the window and Sting (because he totally had that at the beginning of the book ). There is a treasure chest and a couple of maps on the floor, and yes, the maps are stickers. On the other side we have the dining room table where the dwarves roll dishes and throw food at each other, and in the window is Bilbo's book that he'll eventually write about his adventures (again, with stickers). To the side of that is the fireplace and chimney with a couple pans/pots, along with a broom to keep your hobbit hole tidy. On the outside we have a garden with carrot sprouts growing, a bucket of freshly picked vegetables, and flowers galore all over the house. I do like how they have Gandalf's mark on the door (which is printed, by the way) and the tree on top of the home. And who can forget the bench on which Bilbo first encountered Gandalf?One of the coolest design aspects of this set for me was the window. It is actually not connected by studs to the house, but is instead just sandwiched in with other pieces. The window design looks like this:

"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"

"Would you like to take some time to hear about our creator, Aulë?"

"Can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

• [*]

ConsWhat's not to like?

• [*]

Hopefully you enjoyed this review of our favorite Hobbit home. For extra pictures, check out the gallery when public.

I am absolutely loving the Wizard Battle set. Those yellow crystal balls and eye of Sauron will be mine. 8DThe Lone Ranger sets remind me of the Wild West theme; I wonder if they thought now would be a good time to reboot that (kind of like how they rebooted Adventurers in a way with Indy and Pharaoh's Quest...).

I just saw this yesterday. I thought it was a very clever way to go about something like this, and I definitely look forward to watching his other contraptions.

New comic posted! Time to reply to you wonderful people.

wierdox: Power through it! Face senioritis head on and apply directly to the forehead! Wait, that's not right...

Reznas: Thank you very much! I try not to get too bogged down in the graphics because I started these in MSPaint, and although I use GIMP/Photoshop now, I prefer not to spend too much time on the aesthetics. The jokes are what everyone comes for anyways. ^_^And cool! I shall have to remember to add you to the short but surprisingly existent list of people who aren't KK that share my birthday.

Tenebrae Invictus: Ah, I see. No worries. And that's the beauty of my method! 8D

Hope you all enjoy the new one!

Great review! I'm honestly torn between getting this or getting the Vampyre Castle; both seem to be really great!

The front, however, is straight out of a scary movie or Halloween-themed I Spy book.

Or a mansion inside of a witch's lair conspicuously close to the house of a bear and bird.

Everyone knows that the most haunted part of a haunted house is the attic...

And I definitely read this in Homestarrunner's voice (I think it's the Halloween 'toons getting to my head).

This set is pretty rockin'. I just noticed the album covers and newspapers in this review. Are those also sticker pieces?I can't wait to see this when we're all back home again.

It's the review you've all been waiting for, and it's just in time for Halloween. This is by far the most monstrous of the Monster Fighters sets, and I hope that I can convey its awesomeness in every detail by giving you a great review. So, let's get to it!PresentationFrom the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

The box is quite large. Comparing it to other large set boxes I own, it's larger than that of Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins, as long and thick as Vampyre Castle's, but wider (where thickness < width < length). The back of the box displays all the features of the house, which are mostly from the set's shop at home page. It also shows the house opened up and the glow-in-the-dark feature of the ghosts. The front of the box reminds me a lot the haunted house from I Spy Spooky Night, which was part of the motivation of getting the set (also because it looks REALLY AWESOME).

Now, I've built sets with two instruction booklets before, e.g. Nui Jaga and Tarakava. This is the first set I've ever built with three different instruction booklets. Count 'em. Three. One for each story of the house. I kid you not: the first booklet is dedicated to the minifigures, the details within the house (like the phonograph, potted plant, writing desk, etc.), and the first story; the second booklet is entirely devoted to the second story; and the third booklet is dedicated to the attic, roof, and gate.But enough of the fancy pictures that you see before the build, let's look at the build itself...BuildingHalf the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?This set, with picture-taking time included, took me over eight hours to build. Now, I'm a fussy builder in that I'm obsessed with the LEGO printed on the bricks to align a certain way and such, so if I were trying to speed-build I would probably have been able to build it in less time. But EIGHT HOURS! That's a long build.Let's look at the pieces.

The top row is just pictures of the pieces in their respective bags. Note that there are about six bags that constitute bag 4 and similarly for bags 2 and 3. The second row is the dumped-out pieces for bags 1 and 2, since the other bags' pieces just wouldn't fit into the picture/I was lazy. At 2064 pieces, it's not surprising that there are this many bags, but I found it entertaining that there were six-ish bags labeled with the same number.Oh, yeah, there are over 2000 pieces in this set. Just so you know.The first things you build (besides the minifigs – we'll get to those later) are the detail pieces:

I'll have one heart with a side of femur.

There is a lot of creativity in these details. First off, I love the phonograph. I don't know if it's because of the creative use of a pith helmet for the horn or the fact that it's a phonograph makes the attic feel even older, but it's one of my favorite parts of this set. The antlers that hang in the bedroom are another nice detail. Two taps and four of the newer skeleton arms gives you a pair of antlers; who knew? The old bed without a mattress is pretty cool, and the stove/oven combo is cute. I also like the use of tan bricks/tiles for the old newspapers. The old lamps with the clear minifig heads also give the interior that very old home feel as well, along with the quills by the writing desk. My favorite, though, is that little phonograph.The next thing you build is the first story:

For me the cool part about building the first story was putting in place all the mismatched cobblestones on the front entrance and in the kitchen. I also love the zombie-head pillars in the front of the house; they're comedic and yet very dark, as though the architect thought about actually using zombie heads as part of the design. I also like the detail on the railing of the awning/porch/whatever on the top of the first story. The little hand-clips jutting out in crooked directions adds to the old, broken feeling of this house.Since the details are built first, they're put in after the structure around where they go is finished:

Because, you know, every healthy kitchen has a spider web on the wall.

However, no details go into the entrance hall, since the staircase takes up a good portion of one side and the other free walls have windows.Speaking of the stairs, let's journey up to the second story...

The second story build is rather similar to the first, but without the loose cobblestones on the floor. It's rather bare inside until you add the details, much like the first floor.

Oh noes! I forgot to hang the awesome picture of Frankie in his white tux on prom night!

The bedroom looks like your typical undead sleeping pad. With pictures hanging of friends and family, some undead deer skull, a rickety unfurnished bed, and an empty wardrobe, it's ideal for the everyday vampire who's trying to get away from all the stresses of life. The writing desk at the top of the stairs is in a nice corner by the window(s) so the maximum amount of moonlight is available when writing to those creepy, alive relatives of yours. I also like that there's a railing at the top of the stairs, but no railing following them down to the first floor. Clearly safety is of no concern during the transition between stories.But why spend time in the main parts of the house? Everyone knows that the most haunted part of a haunted house is the attic...

Again we see use of the hand-clip things that were used on the exterior of the first story, which I think are used wonderfully. Notice that the attic details are added during the build rather than at the very end, which I thought was interesting. The chimney is finally complete, and the house is nearly done! All we have to do is add the roof.

There! All done! There's nothing left to build... oh, wait, there's this tiny little gate...

Honestly, building the gate after this behemoth of a house is kind of an anticlimactic end to a build, but whatever. It actually does add to the feel of the house; an old estate owned by some enterprising vampire with a gate just yelling "keep out" is much spookier than one without a gate.Set DesignNow that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

You can just drool at this picture, if you like. No reason to read any further.

This set is beautiful inside and out. Let's first look at the out:

The back of the house is fairly bland, but no one ever looks at the back of a house (unless you're creepily lurking in the back yard, you creeper). The front, however, is straight out of a scary movie or Halloween-themed I Spy book. The detail is where this set shines, from the boarded up windows to the shutters hanging at weird angles to the exposed bricks (actual bricks, not LEGO, silly) on the walls. I also like the side entrance with its own little roof above the door.Now, let's look at the inside, shall we?

I apologize for the light glare going on in some of these pics.

The inside is pretty awesome, too. I think my two favorite rooms are the bedroom and the attic, since I feel they have the most going on in them. The stuff all being piled up in the attic is exactly as an attic should be; the only thing that would complete it is if there a couple of cobwebs floating around (rather than in the kitchen ). I've already talked about the other two stories, so no need to beat a dead horse.Let's also take this opportunity to look at the minifigs this set has to offer. Some of them you've seen already:

This is the third set in which you can obtain Lord Vampyre, and if you don't want to grab Vampyre's Castle, this set gives you an alternative to obtain his bride as well. The ghost is the same as those in the Ghost Train save for the fact that he doesn't have traditional minifig legs, but instead a 1×2 plate on top of a 1×2 brick, making him one plate shorter than a normal minifig (the Ghost in the polybag promotional is the same). You get two of him in this set.This set also comes with two exclusive minifigures:

The butler reminds me of Lurch from The Addams Family. Also, something KK pointed out to me as I was showing him this set over Skype was that all incarnations of Frankenstein's monster (including this one) have their heads shut a different way; the LEGO Studios monster has a zipper, the series minifigure has bandages, the Crazy Scientist's monster in Monster Fighters has safety pins, and Lurch here has crisscross stitches. The chef's head is the same as that of the zombie driver, but his body is new with stains of sauce/rust/whatever. It'd be pretty cool if his toque had rips/stains printed on it, too.PlayabilityThe other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?While this set is geared toward AFOLs, it also has great potential for playing. You can make it the setting of a spooky LEGO story, like a bunch of kids breaking in and trying to prove they're brave by spending the night in the house, or as another battle site for Rodney Rathbone and his Monster Fighters to prevent the total eclipse of the sun.Or you could do what I do and pull the lever that makes the attic's stairs come down; the sound is so rewarding.Final ThoughtsOnce it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?If you have the cash, go and buy this set. It's 180 USD, but for over 2000 pieces and an awesome Halloween decoration that you spend hours building, it's a good treat (or trick).ProsWhat's to like?

• It's beautiful
• Seriously, just look at it
• Amazing detail
• Cool minifigures
• Phonograph

ConsWhat's not to like?

• The price (justified by how ginormous it is)
• The back is bland (but who looks at the back?)

I hope I was able to provide a good review of arguably one of LEGO's most amazing detailed sets.

I just read all of your numbered comics, and I have to say, you've done well with these. My absolute favorite has to be Comic 043. It's short, to the point, and ridiculously funny.I can see why this topic has gotten over 1,000 replies. Kudos, Soran!Also, that Iron Man comic is beautiful.

Aanchir: You are correct, sir! I will edit that. (Also, very glad someone caught that little Easter egg. )I think they did use the robber's backpack for Yoda Santa from the Star Wars Advent calendar, but I guess they decided to go for a new mold for this one. *shrug*

New comic is up and ready for viewing!

Kahi: Yes and yes. I hope you enjoy taking it. It can be quite fun.

Venom: Don't avoid physics! Embrace it! It's so fun!

Malignus: Not an engineer! There is a lot of physics in engineering, since engineering is mainly physics applied to the things we build.

Summer: Yes indeed. Hopefully you use Griffiths' Intro to Quantum Mechanics, though. He is a great author for physics texts.

So, in a somewhat recent blog entry I mentioned that LEGO had two new Series Minifigure 3-packs; the Halloween Accessory Set and the Rock Band Minifigure Accessory Set. Well, I bought the former of the two when I obtained half of the Series 8 Minifigures, so I figured I'd review this little 3-pack.PresentationFrom the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

The box is just like that of the luau set: a flexible plastic container with lids on top and bottom. The minifigures are proudly displayed in the front just like the olden days where big sets had a box flap that opened to reveal the minifigures and other special pieces to look forward to. It was a simpler time; it was a better time. The background keeps with the Monster Fighters theme with an eerie full moon in the background, which of course works perfectly for a Halloween set. The back is similar and pretty much repeats the picture garnished underneath with a healthy dose of legalese.BuildingHalf the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?

Simple build is simple.

Like the luau set, there isn't much substance other than the minifigures themselves, thus the build doesn't take more than five minutes.Set DesignNow that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

Copy and paste? I have no idea what you're talking about...

This is it. Other than the minifigures, this is the set. The tombstone is pretty cool, and the design with the bat and "RIP" is a printed piece, not a sticker, which is definitely a plus. It's a cute little grave for a cute little set. But, this isn't the important part. Let's take a look at the minifigs...

I personally don't see a resemblance...

The witch is exactly the same as the Series 2 minifigure, which is good for those who may not have snagged her when she came out, because frankly, she's pretty awesome. Interestingly, her hands are black in the set and in the original series release, but her hands on the box art are dark bley. O.o

Ebenezer Scrooge...!

The ghost in this set is the same as the Monster Fighters ghost, but he comes with chains to rattle like Jacob Marley. I like this new take on the classic ghost minifigure that made his appearance in Time Twisters and Castle sets, since he has that little tail on the back of his head and is making an eerily awesome moan with his mouth. He also does not have actual legs, and instead has a brick and plate combo for his feet (like in the Haunted House set, which I eagerly am waiting to buy...).

Grr...argh...

To be honest, this was the real reason for me wanting to get this set. The zombie. Almost the same as the Series 1 zombie (which is now ridiculously priced on Bricklink!) except his clothes have changed; his tie and jacket have switched colors. This is fine, as his face is now available to buy again, and he's still as endearing and adorable as ever.PlayabilityThe other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?I mean, let's face it; this set is to enhance your minifigure collection. Don't get me wrong, the grave is a cool, spooky addition to any Halloween-type set you have, but as far as playability, there isn't functionality or anything like that.Final ThoughtsOnce it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?If you want to add these minifigures to your collection, hop on this deal. The ghost, which is normally only in the Ghost Train and Haunted House sets, is now available here for a fairly decent price, and if you missed the Series Witch or Zombie you'll want to get this. I will agree that the $15 that LEGO has priced this at is a bit high, but not terribly much more than the price of the Series Minifigures (plus an extra tombstone and critters!)ProsWhat's to like?

• ZOMBIE!!!
• Witch
• Ghost
• Grave is cute

ConsWhat's not to like?

• Price may be a bit high.

I hope you all consider getting this one as the spooky season closes in on us. For the gallery, go here when it becomes public.

... I am so jealous of that lederhosen, you don't even know. What's more, the twist in the pretzel is accurate... Must... obtain... plastic baked good... (You have no idea how much I love that XD).

Nice descriptions, though I wish I could see a side-shot of a few of these... (especially a close-up of the DJ's headpiece).

I'm not a rabid collector of the Minifigures (in fact, my entire collection was generously given to me by Kakaru at last Bricks Cascade), but I need that Lederhosen guy. That guy's smile is infectious, and the gigantic pretzel makes it all even better.

I was going to skip here when I went for my series 8, but this has made me rethink that decision.

So, today I visited my local LEGO Store to plunder the latest series of Minifigures, and I got some good ones. Let's review them, shall we?

Actor

Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him...in America!

This was the last one I found in the mass of minifigs, so it's only natural I open my review with him. The Actor is wearing the finest of Shakespearean garments, and acts out Hamlet quite beautifully with his skull (not the one in his head, mind). The ruffles on his collar are a new mold, and if you're looking for the actor is fairly easy to feel. Also feel for the presence of two minifigure heads, as the skull will help tip you off to its presence.

(Red) Cheerleader

So And So! What's Her Face! The Ugly One!

This cheerleader is totally not a rehash of the blue cheerleader from Series 1. Not at all. For starters, she is red, not blue, and she has an "A" on her shirt, not an "M" (which earns brownie points in my book ). Also, her hair is black, not blonde. No new molds here. Just feel for the pom poms if you want to add her to your collection.

Conquistador

I caught the fever!

The conquistador is very, very gold. Not golden, just gold. Though he doesn't offer any new molds, his spiffy gold helmet and breastplate will make any pirate fan happy, and he has a fencing sword for anyone who missed the musketeer or is too cheap to buy a Monster Fighters set with Rodney Rathbone.

Cowgirl

Howdy, pardner!

The Cowgirl is pretty cool. Her lasso piece was previously used for Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth and is now available in reddish brown. I also like her boots and hat, as they really add to her character. Her face just lets you know she's charming and polite around new folk, and she has a wonderful Southern accent. Feel for her hat (new mold!) and lasso, and she'll take care of all your ABS livestock.

DJ

In your home, or in your car, you are never really far from L-E-G-O radio! *ding dong*

The DJ is awesome. He has a hairpiece with headphones, and is carrying a album case and the record that goes with it. His minifig-head-shaped-equalizer-graph shirt is also pretty awesome. Who wouldn't want to listen to L-E-G-O radio when he's behind the mic? Feel for the album and record, they're not hard to miss.

Lederhosen Guy

Yodel-lederhosen-hoo!

Lederhosen Guy is adorable. Just look at that smile; you know he's enjoying life so much more because of the sheer joy wearing lederhosen brings. He also loves pretzels (new mold!). Feel for the pretzel, and it will guide you to a world of happiness. A world of lederhosen.

Pirate Captain

Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!

As if LEGO hasn't released enough pirates stuff (Pirates, Pirates II, and Pirates of the Caribbean) they decided to give us a bling'd out one. The Pirate minifig comes with gold hook, gold sword (that won't dent at all in combat) and a gold skull and crossbones on his hat. He and the Conquistador should become friends. Feel for the sabre, his legs, his hat, or his hook (I found his sabre first).

Santa

Down through the chimney with lots of toys, all for the little ones' LEGO joys!

We have yet another iteration of Santa in LEGO form that isn't Yoda (and this time with a much more apropos beard than the Merlin-style one). His hat is similar to, but different than, that of the Lawn Gnome from Series 4, and his bag of presents seems to be a new mold as well. You can also tell that under his beard is indeed a jolly old face, beaming at the joyful yuletide season.So, that's half of Series 8. There are still a couple more I want to get, so when I obtain those I will review them. Also, gallery when public.