LEGO star wars magazine: issue 24

LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 24

The LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 24 is already out and this month's free gift is the awesome A-Wing Starfighter!

The latest issue of our favorite magazine from a brick galaxy far, far away is filled with the usual comics, pull-out posters, fact files, puzzles, and more, encompassing all eras and even beyond (ehem, Freemakers, ehem). Speaking of comics, the one where the Skywalker twins used a Gungan Sub to save Lando and Chewie in Naboo painfully reminded me that I missed the LEGO version of the underwater vehicle! And not to mention the Queen Amidala minifigure! Say what you want but I super love The Phantom Menace!

Back to the magazine, the free LEGO set in this issue is an A-Wing minibuild. The A-Wing is a wedge-shaped starfighter widely used by the rebels for a long period of time, from the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire, to the Resistance against the First Order.

A-Wing

The mini A-Wing is a cute and fun model to build. With regards to resemblance to the film version, it's quite passable, but a casual fan may not be able to identify it straightaway. I like the green and yellow color scheme of the model, matching the one in the Vader’s TIE Advanced vs. A-Wing Starfighter [75150] set. The free toy is a nod to Star Wars Rebels after all. By the way, the transparent stand is not included.

Next month's cool toy is the Sandcrawler! It was not written but I highly doubt that the Jawas minifigures will be included. The new issue comes out 5 July.

Sandcrawler

LEGO star wars magazine: issues 21 & 22

LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 21

More LEGO Star Wars Magazines!

Due to my unscheduled hiatus (sorry), Issues 21 and 22 have piled up in my drafts folder. That's the reason behind this bumper post.

For Issue 21, the free gift is the Imperial Combat Driver! Wow! Another minifigure! But as I mentioned in the previous LEGO Star Wars magazine post, he may look rather familiar if you own a certain someone's speeder bike. Still doesn't ring a bell? Check it out here. It's the minifigure from Kanan's Speeder Bike [75141]! If you can remember, two issues ago, in Issue 19, Kanan Jarrus was the first ever free minifigure in this magazine series. Now it makes me wonder if the Stormtrooper is next, or the speeder bike, haha. Anyway, a free minifigure is a free minifigure! And the Imperial Combat Driver is a great addition to any collection. Especially now that Star Wars Rebels is ending (boohoo)!

Imperial Combat Driver

For Issue 22, the free gift is a TIE Advanced minibuild.

LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 22

When I first saw the preview image, I wasn't really impressed with it. It reminded me of the previous TIE Bomber minibuild, which in my opinion kind of look awkward. But after the final minibuild, I was actually impressed. At a certain angle, the TIE Advanced looks wicked! As if it will shoot right at you any moment.

TIE Advanced

Next issue's free gift is a new Starfighter, the Vulture Droid! Now, don't get too excited (like me). There's a very fine print in the lower left of the page that the Battle Droids minifigures are not included. Issue 23 comes out 3 May.

Vulture Droid

UK LEGO store year-end promotions

Gingerbread Man
(Photo grabbed from: https://www.lego.com/en-GB)

2016 is almost over but the UK LEGO Store has still some lovely presents to giveaway.

These freebies are just in time for the holidays. Stocking fillers, anyone?

From 11 to 20 December, there's a free Exclusive Gingerbread Man Minifigure [5005156] for any purchase over £25. This is perfect if you miss this the first time in the Collectible Minifigures Series 11 [71002]. This little fellow also goes well with last year's Gingerbread House [40139].

From 11 to 31 December, you can get a free Rebel A-Wing Pilot [5004408] polybag for any Star Wars purchase over £25. The long sought Phoenix Squadron Pilot minifigure will be officially up for grabs at last in the UK brick market. The minifigure is from Star Wars Rebels, more specifically from the end of the second season.

Rebel A-Wing Pilot
(Photo grabbed from: https://www.lego.com/en-GB)

And don't forget to pick your 2017 LEGO Wall Calendar from 11 December to 15 January. Simply present your valid receipt (with sticker) to any LEGO Store.

2017 Wall Calendar
(Photo grabbed from: https://www.lego.com/en-GB)

Of course, everything is claimable while supplies last.

Enjoy the remaining days of 2016!

ahsoka tano LEGO dress

Ahsoka Tano LEGO Dress
(Photo grabbed from: https://twitter.com/pablohidalgo/status/790728456703086593)

Just in case you missed it in the San Diego Comic-Con International, the epic Ahsoka Tano LEGO dress has made another public (sort of) appearance in the Lucasfilm Headquarters.

Last week, Lucasfilm Creative Executive Pablo Hidalgo tweeted that the magnificent Ahsoka Tano LEGO dress is on display at their workplace. It was originally worn by Ahsoka Tano herself, Ashley Eckstein in her brand Her Universe fashion show at the above mentioned comic convention. The dress was made in collaboration with LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya and fashion designer Andrew Maclaine. Precisely 10,000 bricks forming Ahsoka's appearance were ingeniously sewn onto a regular dress. It was reported to weigh about 25 pounds.

The day after the tweet, the couture gown was briefly featured on the weekly syndicated The Star Wars Show. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out below:

UK LEGO store star wars rebel A-wing pilot promotion

Rebel A-Wing Pilot Promotion
(Photo grabbed from: https://www.lego.com/en-GB)

It was announced in the UK LEGO Store Christmas 2016 Newsletter that the Star Wars Rebel A-Wing Pilot [5004408] will be finally available as a free gift with purchase come December.

The long sought Phoenix Squadron Pilot minifigure will be officially up for grabs at last in the UK brick market. The minifigure is from Star Wars Rebels, more specifically from the end of the second season. The promotion runs from 11 to 31 December, with a free Rebel A-Wing Pilot [5004408] polybag (while supplies last) for any Star Wars purchase over £25.

I know it's a bit early for this announcement, that's why I plan to make another post later on to remind us of this certain promotion. I'm sure, like me, you wouldn't want to miss this...

my LEGO star wars rebels ghost crew (so far)

Ghost Crew

In Star Wars Rebels, the Ghost Crew has proved to be a formidable force against The Empire. In brick form, Spectres One to Six are exactly the same...

But I'm two Spectres short. I was not able to rediscover LEGO and Star Wars on time to collect the first LEGO Star Wars Rebels sets. And that includes The Ghost [75053], the only set (for now) wherein you can get Zeb Orrelios. 75053 has already retired, and I haven't seen a justifiable price yet, so I'm just counting on a re-release. But I was able to get the Microfighter version [75127] though, and that gave me the ship's pilot, Hera Syndulla. It may not be accurate but it was designed very cutely, that's why it's one of my favorites.

The Ghost [75127]

My latest addition to the Ghost Crew is its leader, Kanan Jarrus. My ever-loving wife gave me Kanan's Speeder Bike [75141] for our anniversary. For me, the final build looks like it came out straight from the TV series. I love (mostly) every detail, especially the hover effect. I'm just not really a big fan of stickers.

Kanan's Speeder Bike [75141]

And of course, if you have read my review on the LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017, you'll know that I got my Chopper and Ezra Bridger minifigures from there. What a cheap and easy way to get them? Now, all that's needed is Ezra's lightsaber-blaster hybrid. A binoculars piece will easily solve that.

LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017

And that leaves me with Sabine Wren. She's easily obtainable, but she ain't cheap. So far, Sabine is part of three sets, two of which are big and expensive. The other set, Ezra's Speeder Bike [75090] has a reasonable retail price, but it's already retired! Isn't it ironic?

One day, I hope that I'll be able to complete the whole gang. But now that I've thought of it, I realized that I have a greater desire when it comes to LEGO Star Wars Rebels, and that's having an official Loth-cat minifigure...

LEGO star wars annual 2017 review

LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017

LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017 has just been released, and it looks way, way better than last year's.

When I first came here in the United Kingdom, I bought a copy of the LEGO Star Wars Annual 2016 in Poundland for £1. It's a kiddie activity book with some free bricks. To be specific, it came with three 1x8 and three 1x4 white plates to represent lightsaber blades. That doesn't really make any sense. But I'm not really complaining, I got the book for only 1/8 of the retail price (paying the full price is not worth it). Apparently, annuals are a thing here. But what exactly are annuals? In my previous post I mentioned that annuals are books published shortly before the end of each year, and are aimed at the Christmas market. They are generally large hardcover books centered on sports, toys, celebrities, films, TV series, and so on, featuring various contents like text articles, comics, puzzles, etc. And since LEGO is quite popular here, it's not surprising to see LEGO Annuals. For 2017, three books were published. One is about LEGO per se, the other centers on Ninjago, and the remaining one focuses on, of course, Star Wars.

Imagine my excitement when I saw the preview of the LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017. Instead of senseless bricks, the new book includes not only an Ezra Bridger minifigure, but also a C1-10P, AKA Chopper. Even the LEGO Star Wars Magazine is yet to release an issue with free minifigures. So, when I saw a copy in my local WHSmith with a buy one get one for £1 promo, I decided to buy it (but not right away). I studied first if that was the current best deal. The book is actually cheaper in Argos for £3.99 (RRP £7.99), but it's out-of-stock in all the Argos near me. That alarmed me a bit. If it's selling fast, I don't think stocks will be left to be dumped into Poundland and be sold at a low, low price. Good thing there are still a few copies left in my local WHSmith. I immediately grabbed a copy (and a Ninjago one for my little sister) and found relief.

I was still in the shadows when the first Star Wars Rebels sets came out. So I missed The Ghost [75053], and The Phantom [75048], and all the minifigures that came with them. My first Star Wars Rebels set (that is not a polybag) is The Ghost [75127] Microfighter. Now my Hera Syndulla minifigure is no longer alone. She now has Ezra and Chopper in her crew (I'm just not sure if they'll all fit in the microfighter ship, haha).

Ezra Bridger

The minifigures included in the LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017 are not really exclusives. They are the same Ezra and Chopper that can be acquired in The Phantom [75048], Rebel Combat Frigate [75158], Ezra's Speeder Bike [75090] (for Ezra), and the San Diego Comic Con 2014 exclusive The Ghost Starship (for Chopper). I think the Ezra minifigure will be updated in future sets based on the show's third season, with his new look and all. I was just a little disappointed with Chopper's matched appendages. I was kind of expecting mismatched struts, but I guess that can be easily arranged. Now that I think about it, I think Chopper is quickly becoming one of my favorite droids ever!

C1-10P (Chopper)

For the LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017 book itself, it still is a kiddie activity book. It is recommended for children aged seven years old and above. The art is colorful and cute as always. The puzzles and activities are also quite similar. What's remarkably new is the inclusion of The Force Awakens characters and story line. It's always a delight to see BB-8 in whatever form.

The LEGO Star Wars Annual 2017 is a good enough of an annual with great minifigures and fun activities. It's a perfect book to add in any collection, or to give away this holiday season. Just make sure to buy it at a discounted price.