Xenomorphs Are A Pain In The Chest

Can something be cute and horrifying at the same time? I'd argue it can, just check out this adorable, I mean horrible chest burster from Paddy Bricksplitter. Sure it will kill you, but I think in those few seconds before you died you might experience just a fleeting moment of appreciate for how cute this guy is. Sort of a" squee to scream" moment.

And I Know When That Hotline Bling....

This LEGO vignette by Nannan Zhang perfectly depicts some of the gameplay in Hotline Miami. The main minifig is 'Jacket' who wears a variety of masks as he takes on the local Russian Mafia, following instructions left on his answer machine. This scene sees Jacket bursting through the door and shooting one mob member whilst wealding a bat ready to take on the next. I really love the use of the red crystal in the back of the minifig that's been shot - it really creates a sense of impact! Also the dark red tiles under the dead minifig by the door as the blood spills over the floor.

Sci-Fi Evenings Of My Youth

Along with a absolute glut of movie cash grabs in post Star Wars 1970's, there was quite a bit of sic-fi on television too. But these two shows captured our imaginations and eyeballs for a couple hours a week. They were no Millennium Falcon, but the ships of Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers kept us happy (and so did Wilma). These versions by SPARKART make me happy too, I just wanna swoosh them.

What a Shocker!

This is David Lee's moc of the lead character from the 1970's Manga series 'Kamen Rider'.     For those unfamiliar, the storyline revolved around an organisation called 'Shocker' who - in their bid for world domination - captured citizens, brainwashed them and turned them into mutant cyborgs. Takeshi Hongo escaped their grasp, became a grass-hopper themed superhero and battled against Shocker's army. Kamen Rider 1 appears confident and ready for battle in this build, although he does look a little bug-eyed!

Steaming Through the Jungle

These explorers are off on a jungle adventure aboard skiz0f0x's steampunk elephant. This build incorporates a great combination of LEGO cogs, tracks and wheels as well as some more unusual aspects like the chests, weapons and divers helmet (which is definately my favourite element!). This piece warrants a good zoom in to check out all the details. The adventurers are well prepared with everything from guns for protection to champagne for celebrating!

STOMP-BANG-THUD!

Prepare for battle!  Robbadopdop has designed four wickedly cool "Powersuits."  Each is unique, yet they all appear to belong together.  It's rare to see this kind of build that still incorporates the minifig helmets and visors as the actual heads.  The craftsmanship that went into each of these models is very impressive and shows dedication.  The techniques used are phenomenal, and I especially like all the different weapons/accessories.  Let's get ready to rumble!

The Golden Deer

This MOC by markus19840420 looks right out of a fairytale or adventure game. The tranquil setting, the lush landscaping, the ornate tree and the scene unfolding of a mysterious figure approaching a majestic stag. There's a story unfolding here, and it draws you in. I would love to see this under cinematic lighting, it would be wondrous I'm sure.

Don't Make a Mess, Messerschmitt

I have a great respect for World War era LEGO builders.  Not only is it a unique theme, but it is (in my honest opinion) one of the hardest and most difficult to pull off well.  All vehicles during that time period had a very distinct look to their features.  Replicating the angles well, along with the overall shaping in order to be accurate, is almost a war all on its own.  My good friend and fellow LEGO enthusiast Matt K. is one of the builders who performs particularly well in this theme.  Normally, Matt recreates accurate model of tanks, occasionally building a different vehicle model such as a German U-boat and WC-52 jeep.  This time, he has branched out and built an aircraft, specifically a BF 109.  I personally have attempted to build this plane before, but have never gotten a completed MOC at this quality.  Every little detail is precisely executed which results in a very sleek model.  Job well done!  Safe flights ahead. . .

Not To Toot My Own Horn

A very long time ago in junior high school I dabbled in the school band.  The tuba and the flute were my instruments but I got very familiar and friendly with the neighboring brass and reed sections.  Once I finished junior high, I never touched an instrument again and forgot most of what I learned.  I was lucky enough to catch these excellent MOCs in person earlier last May during Golden Week (Japan's version of Spring Break) while they were on display at Osaka University.  Needless to say but I was hit by a wave of childhood nostalgia.  Built by Japanese builder Ryo Arai (AKA -Grie- on Flickr), I was impressed by the attention to detail to all the rods and levers that connect the valves and also how smooth the curves are.  Curves aren't an easy thing to pull off with LEGO bricks, especially those that mimic their real life counterparts.  Be sure to take a look at all the other angles on his Flickr photostream.

Saxophone Trumpet

Winston

Overwatch mania continues to sweep the world, and the AFOL community. I actually recognize this beast of a character, which is pretty unusual for me these days. When we picked up our preordered copy of the game at GameStop my son got a figure of this guy, a jet pack sporting gorilla named Winston. By the way, any day you can type the sentence "jet pack sporting gorilla" is a good day.

Robot Breakdance

There are AFOLs in all walks of life, but it makes me especially giddy when one is from the entertainment industry. Builder breakbricks72 happens to be an Emmy winner and producer/director in the animation business, so it comes as no surprise that the animation in this adorable brickfilm is nothing less than outstanding.

Did Someone Call A Doctor?

Overwatch hype is all over the place and I love it. We've been waiting for this game since its first reveal in 2014 and the beta the past year had a lot of us gamers hooked! Even if you're not into games, or specifically FPS games, you have to admire the amazing art and style Overwatch has. 

Here at BrickNerd we've already covered a few amazing characters such as Tracer, Bastion & Reinhardt; and I'm sure we'll continue covering more to come as the character designs are both amazing in game and even more in LEGO! 

My favorite part about a new theme circling the Flickr community is sometimes we get the same character built by different builders, and the fun part about it is seeing how great minds things alike but also how they create things differently: 

Often we see LEGO female characters built overtly sexual to grasp the attention of the audience. I admire a builder who can create a strong LEGO character without having to rely on those details.  Loysnuva used such fun details instead to portray this Swiss-warrior, like the tubing for her halo, and the teeth parts for her wings. 

Simon Liu has been on a roll and his latest creation of the beautiful Mercy is just as great,

Mercy's halo is instead created with gold bionicle parts and gold horns at the ends; gold staffs and swords as detailing on her wings.  

Both builders do an amazing job here showing the strength and beauty of Mercy, a support hero who can heal or damage boost her team. Now if someone can just create Mei then my life will be made :) 

ISS

This International Space Station MOC by Lia Chan DFW is so brilliantly built I thought it was just a photograph at first. I've had the pleasure of watching this engineering wonder built live through many, many hours of streaming NASA feeds (space doesn't happen quickly, but always fascinatingly) and I sort of wish I could have been watching this MOC being built the same way. It measures over five feet long and is amazingly detailed. It's also up to date with the addition of BEAM and Cygnus-6, awesome.

Right on Time

If you need a refresher on what high-quality Alice in Wonderland art looks like (after that film sequel nobody asked for), check out this beautifully organic landscape by The /\rchitect. There's a few great techniques in play here, like the tire embedded in the ground and the rock-work on the crevice on the left.

Esso Gas Station

1950's design and top-notch building come together in this exquisitely detailed Esso gas station by Norton74. Designed by famed Dutch architect Willem Marinus Dudok, these modernist gas stations dotted the Dutch landscape. Now we can all marvel at this brick-built version. The attention to detail is beyond reproach, with stylistic and realistic touches everywhere you look. 

"I've Gotta BE The Marble!"

Ryan Rydalch has put together a fantastically artistic scene, showcasing a sculptor in his natural habitat. The monochrome creations surrounding him are pristine and exquisite in their detailing, especially the stag near the back. He also uses some great backgrounds which really bring out the color (or lack thereof) in the piece.

Down, Kitty! Down!

Takamichi Irie clearly is a fan of Star Wars and its minor characters and creatures.  Remember the Nexu from Attack of the Clones?  I didn't at first.  I theorize that Taka's inspiration for building the Nexu has to do with the fact that this ferocious space cat nearly devoured actress Natalie Portman (whom Taka has proclaimed his fondness of on numerous occasions.)

Pay particular attention to the Nexu's head.  The intricate teeth assembly is clearly held together by either magic or a rubber band (my money's on magic) and the regular lever handles are used for the eyes.  You can see more shots of Taka's Nexu here.

"You Have A Train To Catch"

And Spider-Man quite literally did just that very thing.

What we have here is one of my favorite scenes of all the superhero movies recreated by mike m.  It also just happens to be a huge model made of LEGO bricks.  The brick-built Spidey's posing adds the weight of the train and situation and another clever detail you might not have thought about consciously is how front and center the train really is.  I mean, it's just really close.  Hang in there, Spidey!  We're all rooting for you!

Sideswipe

Like being a Lamborghini isn't cool enough, this guy can also turn into a robot?!? Yes, I'm a kid of the 80's so the Countach is pretty much the coolest car ever. I should also be into Transformers too, but they came along just moments too late for me (but I got to enjoy GiJOE in his proper dimensions, 12"). This Sideswipe by MortalSwordsman can transform without removing pieces, which in itself is an accomplishment, but to also make it this accurate and awesome? Total win.

Bastion & Reinhardt

Overwatch mania continues to sweep the world, and AFOLs are clearly not immune. Builder Si-MOCs brings us not one but two characters from the phenomenally popular Blizzard game. And of course I still haven't seen anything from it. But judging from all the yelling in the back of the house it's exciting and/or frustrating. And based on the smell back there, it's addicting too.