Assault-Teddy

It’s a well established fact that kids sleep better with a teddybear. What’s less known is the fact that the reason they can sleep well is the diligence and perseverance of the humble teddy. When the lights go off and the eyes close, teddy’s watch begins, and thanks to builder Moko we can get a glimpse into the secret world of kid defense.

Thomas Goes Off The Rails

Thomas is here to shatter your childhood thanks to an upgrade (?) by builder dvdliu. This one resonates with me because a couple years ago we did some Thomas animation at my stop motion studio, and we had dozens of this little guy and his friends around. But they were extra disturbing because I removed their pupils for animation purposes, so they were zombies.

Smug Mug

I don’t know what it is about this mech by Markus Rollbühler, but it has had me grinning ear to ear ever since I first laid my eyes on it. Maybe it’s the smug yet whimsical look on the classic yellow mini-figure, or maybe it’s just the thought of being even lazier when getting a hot beverage in the morning. But in the end, we all know that the reason why this mech has me grinning is because it resembles the cute and not at all creepy character from Toy Story: Babyface.

JFK 1 Mechanoid

Check out this bad boy from builder Marco Marozzi. I don’t know if mechanized combat like this is in our future, but it seems pretty inevitable. After all, if you look around today, it’s all the technology we dreamed of in the mid century (and way beyond in some aspects). I know one thing though, the battlefields of the future will be pretty terrifying.

Ducky

You know what you need? A duck mech. I’ll be truthful, I didn’t know I needed one too until I saw this MOC by Moko. Ok, maybe I don’t need one, but I WANT one! I have no idea what I’ll do with it, where on earth I’d take it, just around my sleepy little town of Lompoc, CA probably. Maybe I’ll fabricate a costume, and fight crime in it, please submit your ideas for my new super hero persona.

MF-10 Diamond Empress

I’ll be the first to admit that there isn’t much LEGO mech coverage on this blog. This isn’t because I have anything against them, it’s simply because I’ve run out of words for them. I see them all the time and think “hey, that’s pretty awesome” but beyond saying “hey, this is pretty awesome” I have no idea what to write. So when I scrolled past this mostly transparent mech by builder Moko that was the usual response, but it’s just so unusual and nifty I had to share. By the way, if you’re a LEGO mech fan with more to say and would like to blog about it, come join the Nerd Herd.

Centipede - Plague Mech: Omicron

I don’t know what a plague mech is, and I hope I never find out because this thing is a bit terrifying. Builder Anthony (The Secret Walrus) Wilson has brought together seemingly benign Technic and System pieces into a thing of nightmares. Part centipede, part alien, part machine, all horrifying.

Samurai Mech

I was stunned to learn that builder Eero Okkonen constructed this gorgeous behemoth in two days, TWO DAYS! I know I’m a slow builder, glacially slow any more (seriously, my current MOC has been on the table in the studio for well over a year) but this just blows my mind. Sometimes it’s the pressure of a contest deadline that can kick a build into overdrive, in this case the Eurobricks Ninjago Contest. But to beat the deadline with such an awesome figure, color me impressed.

Fetchbot

What is the biggest problem LEGO builders face? No, not the price of LEGO. Not the illegal building techniques either. It’s not even the time waiting for the next BrickNerd blog. It’s of course finding the right darn piece! Now if only we could all have this perfect little companion built by Sven Franic to help us find those pesky parts life would be so much simpler. I highly recommend checking out the article that explores the new Ninjago turntable piece used for the hands which you can find here.

Drillbilly

Digging holes sucks, just ask anyone who digs holes. And wherever there’s a job that sucks there’s a need for a robot to do that job for us. Luckily there’s DB-Y3, or “Drillbilly” by builder roΙΙi. Drillbilly can not only take care of those needed holes in the ground, he can do so with a wide range of emotions, and anyone who has dug holes will confirm, there’s a spectrum. It goes from quiet resignation to bitter regret and questioning of life choices.

The EERV

I’ll set the scene for you: The wind is still howling, the worst of the storm as passed but it’s not quite over. The station is in ruins, all around you is destruction. Seven months of work, all gone. You and a handful of Alpha Centauri engineers are huddled in the “panic pod”, the E26 Crew Emergency Shelter. While there’s enough M5 ration packs to last a week, your future is uncertain, and this is on everyone’s mind as you all stoically look at each other. The lights flicker in the pod, and everyone instinctively looks at the fuel cell monitor, the LCD is cracked, but it still functions, it flashes a grim message…”Vapor barrier compromised, safety protocol initiated”. You all know what that means, less than 12 hours of heat and light, this pod just became a coffin. As you all wrap your head around this heartbreaking reality you hear a muffled, rhythmic pounding. As you cautiously peer out of the single view of the world around you, a small round window with scratched 4 inch sapphire glass, the sound becomes louder. In the distance, obscured by flying dust and debris, a shape emerges from the haze. A large, bipedal figure looms ominously, but instead of fear or dread, you can barely contain your joy. “It’s Lenny!” you exclaim as the other crew members shout out in excitement, you are saved.

Bad Robot!

“How many times have I told you not to scuff up these floors with your traction plates! We just had them installed!” Although I’m a big fan of edited photos, where a mech such as this might be tromping through some inhospitable alien environment, I decided to go with this shot, with a grown woman for scale. Yeah, that’s right, it probably weighs more than she does. Iomedes!… has really outdone himself with his Zorin class heavy bot “Butch Bunny” inspired by Walking War Robots video game. Check out the other high-res pics in his photostream to see the phenomenal details. There’s one with minfigs for scale, too, but I prefer this one.

Meow & Squeak

I can’t say I totally understand this moc by builder DOGOD brick Design, but I like it. For one I’m a cat lover, and of course I’m into LEGO. But mostly I think it’s because I get to write the following sentence: Check out Emmet in his mouse mech riding a cat who has a powerful lamp on his head. I’ll likely never assemble that set of words in that order again.

Finally A Reason To Go To The Beach

Yes, I’m a California native. No, I don’t like the beach. I know this is absolutely baffling to those that don’t live here, and especially baffling to those that do, but I don’t care for the beach. I mean, I like to look at it, and camping near it is nice, and driving along it is wonderful, but I don’t go to the beach. BUT, if I had this surfer van mech by builder Dvd, I think you would have difficulty getting me off the beach (plus I’m a sucker for old VWs).

Thunderbolt

Behold your doom, Thunderbolt! This latest by Moko pretty much blows my mind. He’s calling it a Bionicle MOC, but this transcends that class as far as I’m concerned. It’s got the prefect mix of System and Technic blended in, as well as some Power Functions for lighting (and exposed wiring that just adds to the aesthetic). It looks like something from a movie, a movie I want to watch.

Schwere Kanone

Builder Benjamin Cheh has gone fully beefy on this latest mech build. Meet the AGM Type 88mm "Schwere Kanone" Gustav, a seriously heavy mech. With two giant cannons, and positively bristling with armament, this dude mean business. Wherever these are deployed you can expect instant pacification, or some serious fireworks.