IG-88 Assassin Droid - Watch Out Meatbags!

IG-88 is arguably the deadliest Robot Bounty Hunter in the Star Wars universe. Eric Druon has updated his IG-88 robot MOC previously made in 2007. This super accurate build measures 40cm/16" tall and has plenty of articulation and great detailing. I love the bandolier, and am pleased to see the droids distinctive silhouette has been so faithfully reconstructed.

Younger readers may not remember IG-88 from the movies as he only has a very brief cameo in the Empire Strikes Back. He does also appear in an episode of the Disney Forces of Destiny episode "Bounty of Trouble".

I wonder if Holowan Laboratories are hiring if so Eric is a shoe in for their next vacancy!

Wind

Here's a fun fact: I played the clouds in Cabin Boy. Yes, it's true. Way back when I used to do creature effects, and when the call went out at Alterian Studios for someone with an expressive, character face, Tony Gardner thought of me (go figure). You can even see my transformation in the first episode of Movie Magic (man that was a long time ago). Thanks lummerlander, your MOC brought back some strange but fun memories.

Wearable Empire

If Star Wars taught me one thing, it's that helmets are popular in space. And what good is a helmet that you can't wear? Well, Lego Admiral seems to think the same thing, and has crafted these excellent Vader and Stormtrooper helmets in bricks, and you can actually wear them. I don't know how much protection they would offer, then again Stormtroopers can be taken out by a teddy bear with a rock, so the real ones don't offer much either.

Keko Pops!

Hey kids! You want to start your day off right, right? You can't just run off to the factory or place of labor without getting properly fueled up. Those jobs are important, and too difficult or dangerous for humans so they're relying on YOU! Start your day with a balanced breakfast of Keko Pops! All the energy you need to be productive and dependable, and a free torque wrench in every box!

Taiping Lake Gardens

This beautiful lake diorama by builder wenyehng looks totally tranquil and inviting. With all the chaos in the world, and the craziness in my life with work and home, I find this irresistibly compelling. I don't think me plus a kayak would be a good mix, but drifting around in one of those swans, with a cool drink and little classical music sounds SO appealing. Click through for many more pictures.

The UCS Falcon, Live From Kidsworld

Friend of the blog and all around spiffy human Dirk Plug will be building the legendary LEGO 10179 Ultimate Collectors Series Millennium Falcon live at Kidsworld in Roden, The Netherlands. The building will take place over two days and will be broadcasted live on YouTube. Tune in the 19th-20th from 11:00-5:00 local time (GMT +1) and tell him BrickNerd sent ya!

NES Classic Case

At first glance you think "ah, a Nintendo NES". Then on closer inspection you think "wait a second, that's brick-built" and you're impressed. Then you learn that it has a NES classic inside and can actually be played and your mind is blown. What better way to store your minuscule NES classic (that is, if you were lucky enough to get one, I was not). Well played BrickinNick, well played.

Nassau 1715

I visited Nassau once, sorta. We were on a Disney cruise a few years ago and that was one of the ports. I have to confess I didn't even get off the boat. But I think if it had been 300 years earlier, and this was the view from the boat, I'd be heading down that gangway (and probably killed by pirates, bugger). This is a collaborative build from Ryan K, Erik Platt, Brian Carter, Patrick Taylor, Ben Lefke, Jack Spitler, and Max Sweeney that premiered at Brickfair VA and is just another reason I wish I could attend east coast events, gorgeous! Click through for more pics.

Samurai Mech

Legends and history of samurai go way back (and I mean way back, like when dates only had three digits) but builder Moko also imagines a future of legendary warriors. This is a samurai mech, and while the scale isn't immediately obvious, the strength, discipline and fortitude is clear. This would be a mighty opponent, I'd want him on my side.

Build This Porsche

The Arvo brothers are back, this time with some classic German automobile engineering. Way back in 2009 they built their first 911, and haven't lost their passion for this iconic performance car. This time however they've gone a step further, by making instructions so you too can build this beast. Hit them up at arvo@arvobrothers.com to get your hands on them.

Odin

To the vikings he was the god of war, to nerds he's Thor's dad, and to LEGO fans he's fantastic relief sculpture by 2nd Life Bricks. It's Odin, and no matter who is is to you, you have to agree this is a fine bit of building.

Ivysaur

Congratulations, you've just evolved your Bulbasaur into Ivysaur, what are you going to do now? Well, you're not done if you want to get to Venusaur, so time to get training! Make your way to the nearest gym and prepare for battle if you want to be the best there ever was. You can be sure builder lisqr will be there.

Steampunk Samurai Iron Man

My old pal Kevin Ryhal, aka M<O><O>DSWIM, has come up with a truly unique mash-up!  He's been creating all sorts of cool combos over the years, from Steampunk Gundams, to Darth Skeletor.   But I just looked through his photostream to make sure.  This is the first time he's gone for three genres in one.  "Jarvis-san, bring the boilers to full power!"

Roll A D20 To See If You Spring The Trap...

I didn't play much D&D when I was a teen, our preference was Aftermath and Traveller, but I played enough for this MOC by Galaktek to get me right in the nostalgia feels. Join the adventure of a party of four as they descend deeper and deeper on the search for treasure. Click through for a full room by room quest, it's pretty epic.

Orca

Here's some fun facts about Killer Whales:

1. They're not whales at all, they're actually the largest dolphin.
2. They'll stay with their mother their entire life.
3. They use echolocation, a form of undersea "radar" to navigate and find food.
4. They are an apex predator, top of the food chain baby!
5. They look awesome when built in bricks, like this one by timofey_tkachev.

Spacesuit, Spacesuit, SPACESUIT!

I've seen a lot of Minifigure costumes through the years. While they all make me happy, most of the time the proportions or construction is just not quite right. Not the case with this latest cosplay from Henrik Pilerud. It's clear from the beginning of the project that Henrik was determined to get it right, and with outstanding skill and talent, he did.

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I'm guessing if you saw any of these images as thumbnails, you'd never suspect there's actually someone inside it. The proportions, attention to detail and material selection is perfect, making this absolutely one of the best Minifigure costumes ever constructed. The construction is primarily high density foam, with a fabric cover. But it's exceedingly clever, even incorporating venting through the top of the head and out of the face, which is mesh.

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I had the opportunity to chat with Henrick about this amazing costume.

BN: How long did it take to make this?
HP: 200 hours from research, some 3D modelling, pattern making, cutting, gluing, sewing to finished.

BN: What's been the reaction?
HP:Lots, and lots of smiles! I have only had it at one event so far, but winning the cosplay contest and qualifying for both the Swedish Cosplay Championships and the European contest EuroCosplay Championships together with all the joy the costume spread among the convention goers, I would say was a great success.

BN: What lessons did you learn?
HP: I used a lot of lessons I've learned from previous costumes, both in choices of raw materials, mainly foam, and making it comfortable (as much as possible) to wear the costume. I also learned that I can walk (but not very fast or easily) with short legs with no knees or feet joints.

BN: Do you have any plans for other figures?
HP: Probably no more figures any time soon, but perhaps some more LEGO props and stage dressing for my performances in the coming contests. Having a space ship to scale, would be awesome, but not very realistic. The scale is 46:1 compared to an actual minifig. However, me sharing my work, might inspire others so make costumes of the same, or even higher, quality around the world.

You can learn more about Henrik and how he created this and many more stunning costumes at his Facebook page Pilerud's Cosplay.

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Sea Haven

The lengths that people have to go to feel safe has not changed much through the years. These days we have perimeter walls, armed guards and high tech security systems, back in the day we  built castles and keeps, sometimes in crazy places. This outstanding diorama by builder Blufiji depicts such a place, the small keep of Lord Askvoll and his family. I can't imagine the kids did much running around in that yard, that or they started with more kids.

Brick Bank Is On The Money!

As a huge fan of the wild west as a setting and LEGO theme I was delighted to find the "Brick Bank" by builder Paul Trach. It looks as though Paul has decided to upgrade the Creator set 10251 and repurpose it for the Wild West Theme. Paul explains he has built this for a competition over at his LUG Rogue Bricks. I've seen some other really strong entries already and the Lug seems full of great builders, but this is so far the standout for me!

The builder has gone to great lengths to ensure a level of quality that runs all the way through the MOC from top to bottom. The roof has a super water barrel and that funky little winch (was it used to install a small safe in the managers office upstairs?) and the brick built signs show a dedication to doing things right - no easy way out with a sticker here! Did I mention the use of the flat silver ice cream tops for the railings -  tekkers!

Let's also take a moment to admire the 45 degree angle of the build itself. There is some serious SNOT work going on here and I love it. The façade of the building has some fine decorative adornments and a delicate clock (don't be late to deposit your money).

Possibly my favourite detail on the build is the way in which the lattice work on the windows has been crafted using whips, these are highlighted by contrast to the trans green stained glass window panes constructed behind it.

As if those details aren't enough Paul has thrown in some authentic looking swing doors,  a beautiful pair of flowering cacti, fantastic use of the light grey ingots on the snot work base of the building and a delightful selection of dapper looking minifigs.

Paul's stream is full of great builds in a variety of themes - head over and take a look!

Vietnam Rocky Highland

I've never been to Vietnam, but I hope if I ever get to visit it's as vibrant and charming as this little MOC by builder Know Your Pieces. There's an interesting mix of traditional and modern aesthetics, with the waterwheel giving a timeless touch, but the power poles letting us know this is contemporary.

BrickFair Virginia 2017 Recap

It's that time of year again. BrickFair Virginia 2017 wrapped up this past Sunday after five days of friends, games, shopping, and mostly LEGO. BrickFair is my favorite week of the year because of how friendly the LEGO community is. I saw lots of old friends and new friends this year, and in just the same way I saw lots of old and new MOC's. My fellow contributor Nathaniel was there this year as well, and we'd like to share some of our favorite MOC's of the weekend with you, below. You can find more information about BrickFair here. Nathaniel has written a few words about his experience at the convention below as well.

Hi guys! Nathaniel here. I can't believe that BrickFair has already ended. As the highlight of my summer, it always goes by too quickly. As Kodi said above, both he and I were there proudly representing BrickNerd to fellow exhibitors and the public. It was great to see old friends again, and make some new ones for future conventions. How can I summarize BrickFair Virginia, without spending hours describing it? It's simply pure joy. I would highly recommend it to any fellow LEGO builder. If you're really interested in seeing more of the convention, I would highly recommend that you head on over to Beyond the Brick's YouTube channel and await their guided video tour of the convention.

Already looking forward to next year! Until then, we will take our memories (and loot) and look to the future.

So long, BrickFair!

Kodi & Nathaniel