Brickshelf user nash1126 has pictures of the box art of the upcoming space sets that we have previously discussed in the interview with the designers. At last, we see what the complete package will probably look like. It looks like each kit has quite an assortment of vehicles and play features.
They just keep getting better and better. I’ll probably find myself purchasing one or two…or four…
The Star Justice set is pretty impressive- it seems to have a real classic feel to it, especially with the design.
Now all we need is a Factory designed Castle sub-theme. :D
All of the Alien ships look a little weird? Otherwise, I think it looks great!
Is it just me, or does that ship in the upper right hand corner of the Space Justice set feel very much like an Intrepid Class Starship?
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Image:Intrepid_class,_overhead_view.jpg
Yeah, it does. Only you would notice that, Keith.
Ahh, good old starship Voyager, but I don’t think it looks like it, if anyone could, try to clear me on the prices again?
^ 99.00 USD each. Prices will likely vary from country to country.
Tempting, yet expensive…Star Justice is my favorite.
nice…. but still no $99….
The Justice set is 895 pieces, or 11 cents per piece.
The Skulls set it 956 pieces, or 10.3 cents per piece.
That’s about average.
I don’t understand it. The math makes sense but…for some reason they just don’t look like $100 sets. Don’t get me wrong, I love and want them both, the quality is outstanding – it’s the quantity that seems wrong. Maybe it is the fact that they are each collections of smaller models (would be much better, imho, if each model was sold separately. I’m assuming the issue here was the cost of packaging?). Or maybe it’s that AFOL creations tend to be more solid and compact where official big LEGO models leave a lot of open space to make them seem bigger? Whatever it is, they just strike me as $70 or $80 sets, not $100, and I’m not sure if I’m willing to fork that $100 over – especially with no printed parts. I’m really torn about this because I love the designs and want to see them succeed so we can get more fan designs in the future…
You hit it right on the head. AFOL creations tend to be more solid and compact where LEGO models leave a lot of open space.
Or like the Exo Force sets, with all the detail on the front. Ever look at the back side of a $15 Exo force mech? An AFOL-designed, detailed mech would probably cost $40-50 at the same overall size.
Also, ABS is a petroleum product and oil prices have gone up quite a bit lately. Food for thought.
The price per parts ratio is lower than the usual set but isn’t too bad. Good models sets like the Indy truck and Hailfire droid are also more compact in quality, but for the purposes to scavenging a set for parts, I’ll wait for the possibility of a clearance.
The Star Justice looks nice, and the bad guys… not so much.
Neither looks like a $100 set, not even close. Skulls looks like a $60 tops.
Nicely designed, but yet again the $100 price point is insane.
k.
I hope you AFOL designers are not taking the pricing critique personally. The sets look fantastic but you can’t help Lego’s pricing strategy so why try and defend it? Just let everyone whine a bit. ;)
Thanks for the comments guys. We have no control on the price or anything. We’ve put the best sets possible with all the limitations. Buy it or not, it’s all good.
The 10 cent per part days are giving way due to oil costs and other stuff.
I love the little cargo truck thing in the Star Justice, it is nicely designed. It would even fit into the new Mars Mission sets, it’s niffy. :)
It should be $110 for both.
I know this has probably been said a million times already, but I’m not sure if 3vil and Blck Fantasy go together. Anybody else agree?
Adam, this is actually the first time I’ve heard that mentioned. But I have to say the tentacles on the skulls do remind me of black fantasy. I wonder what made Mark go for tentacles instead of a brick-built base on the large skull.
Chris and Mark:
Can you give us any explanation for TLC’s decision to bundle the models together instead of selling a few smaller sets?
As for the sets – they aren’t my cup of tea, but you guys did a good job with what I’m sure was a very limited palette.
Adam and Nannan: Mark’s Death Skull predates Black Fantasy by years. :P
We asked LEGO to make a smaller set as a part of this, like the 2 fighters or something. It’s their call about how the sets are bundled, so I don’t know what business model they use to determine how the set is released. And, while it’s all TLC’s call on the price, there is a reality Mark and I understand about the price… bricks are more expensive, and special bricks doubly so. We’re just trying to help communicate that.
I do hope there’s a larger bundle with both sets and a discounted price.
These are so great. I can’t wait to get at least one of each. And for you folks complaining about the price, We’ll probably be paying 150$ each here in Canada and they might pay as much as 200$ in Australia and Europe. Pretty much the rest of the world just groans when Americans complain about the price of Lego. These look like great value and I will be proud to support Mark and Chris.
Any chance on getting set inventories for them?
Perhaps it would go a bit to help some people justify the cost. The compact design is very deceptive when judging the value.
Hey guys,
Congratulations on these sets, they look awesome. I do agree that I wish there were smaller sets with individual models – in particular the larger of the two fighters in the Star Justice set (the one in the upper right corner of the picture) would be an awesome set around $20 or so.
One question, the BrickJournal article refers to the fuel cells in the Star Justice base – presumably those little units with the 2×2 trans neon green rounds. Do those fuel cells swap in and out of all of the various different vehicles? I can see them in a few (the wheeled vehicle, the smaller SJ fighter, one of the Skull fighters).
The fuel cell fits into the Justice rover and the Skull fighter has “capture” claws on the sides for raids. ;)
Personally, I like the space skulls the best. Go Braniac!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Brainiac_Ship.jpg
Couldn’t you guys have slipped a Fleebnork into one of ’em? That would have been beyond awesome.
I admit the prices do seem steep for what’s included, but hey, I’ll probably buy both of them anyway, just to support the idea of LEGO using AFOL designs. I want to see more!
*and because they look extremely awesome. Sorry; somehow that post accidentally came out sounding like I didn’t really like them. :D
Now that I’ve seen the instructions for these things, I feel a lot better about paying $100 for each.
Also, it makes me very excited for when the space parts are put into LDD for everyone to use.
Nobody would’ve been happier about putting a fleebnork into the sets than me. Unfortunately I just couldn’t convince LEGO to do an entire production run of trans neon green scorpions just for our set. :(
Didn’t LEGO make some weird colored scorpions a few years ago? I’m sure they have some laying around. :)
Unfortunately the trans neon green ones were only in set 6575 Polar Base
Ryan,
Although Mark did build a giant mechanized skull, I fail to see where the black fantasy comes in. Sure it’s got “appendages” but they aren’t anywhere near black. I see the connection, but not entirely.
No trans-ornj either…
Clearly I’m an outsider here because half these posts are using real names and not poster usernames. While it’s cool that the group is so close, can I make a request that we keep with blog protocol and stick with the usernames?
It makes it easier for following who’s replying to what.
:)
Adam-
I don’t understand your post at all. Did you read mine? What I intended with my post was to *break* the connection you guys were making between 3vil and Black Fantasy. In other words, the Space Skulls are not inspired by or related to Black Fantasy, as I clearly illustrated with the old 3vil moc of Mark’s that directly inspired the giant skull model in the set.
Ohh, see I for some reason thought you meant that 3vil and Black Fantasy have been around for a while; considering Mark’s MOC. Which didn’t make sense because the skull doesn’t in fact have anything “BF” on it. That’s where I was confused.
I do realize your point that the space skulls aren’t inspired or related to BF; but apparently Nannan and I both think they have similarities. That’s all I was trying to say.
Oh and Ramone, have you got a Flickr account? Maybe think about joining up if you don’t already.
We’re one big happy family!
There would be less similarity if I had been able to use the chainsaw piece on the ends of the tentacles for this set. Unfortunately it wasn’t available, so I went with the black tentacle tips.