Lego Minifigures Series 14: Monsters (Part 2)

Huzzah -- they’re finally out in Australia! 

Minifigures Series 14 had an official release date of September 2015, but as is often the case they began showing up earlier in the US and UK. Well, now they’ve made their ways to the sunny shores of Sydney, and you can read my take on them, starting here. 

This series is subtitled “Monsters”, designed to tie in with Halloween. Well, Halloween decorations often don’t show up in stores till midway through October in Australia, but I think these will be a hit nonetheless.

Fly Monster

Horror films often end up being marketed to kids. Nightmare on Elm St is a classic example – in spite of a being a film about a murderer who started his career murdering children, there was a huge amount of merch in the 1980s which was targeted at kids. Dolls, costumes, young adult novels, collectables – the list goes on, and it seems kind of weird in hindsight. Of course, this was also the decade that Rambo and RoboCop were turned into kid’s cartoons, so go figure.

So now it’s The Fly’s turn. This one skews a lot more to the 1950s version, as opposed to the gruesome body horror of the 1980s David Cronenberg version. This is probably a good thing, as while it’s an excellent film, Jeff Goldblum’s take on the character was really not suitable for kids.   

I was really looking forward to this figure, but I don’t think he turned out quite as well as I was hoping. Part of the problem is just because he’s so dark – there’s some nice green fur detailing, but the rest of him is a little too plain. Still, the head is nicely executed, and it would be pretty easy to make a custom that more or less matched the appearance of the original film, if you have a spare scientist minifig about. Fun, but not as fun as I’d hoped.

Plant Monster

Now this guy is really cool! The backstory for this figure is that the plant is some kind of minifigure-eating creature – it goes around swallowing minifigures, then spits them out after a day or two. Which is why the guy inside looks so frightened – he’s trapped in a leafy mass!

The paint and accessories attempt to convey this impression via a plain green body, with vine printing that curls around the front and back of the body. Vine pieces are clicked into the character’s hands, presumably trying to give the impression of an assassin vine or something. I suppose the other obvious touchpoint is Audrey II, from Little Shop of Horrors, though I’ve never actually watched any of its various iterations.      

Given that his headpiece looks to be an entirely new mould, I’d be surprised if it doesn’t get used again…possibly as some kind of henchplant for Poison Ivy? We can only hope!

Gargoyle

Series 14 doesn’t have much in the way of army builders – but if there’s one character that lends itself to multiples, it’s the Gargoyle. Gargoyles adorn countless buildings all over the world. Traditionally associated with churches, they served both superstitious (they were thought to frighten off evil spirits) and practical functions (they were also there to funnel off excess water, effectively functioning as downpipes).

But in a Lego sense, they’re ideal for anyone who bought the Vampyre Castle or the Haunted House from the 2012 Monster Fighters theme – these guys are the perfect decoration to add an extra touch of Gothic ambience to those buildings. Dark grey paint apps on a light grey body give the impression of a monstrous beast carved from stone. He’s been given the short legs, apparently to imitate the crouched stance of real gargoyles, but I think that’s a bit of a shame – it would have been great to see one stretched to full size. 

Nonetheless, the Gargoyle is an excellent minifigure. His horned helmet looks to be a new piece – my tip is that we’ll either get a lot more gargoyles in very short succession, or we’ll get satyrs in the next round of Castle! Either way, I’d be pretty happy about that.

Werewolf

There have been a disproportionately high number of werewolves released by Lego over the last few years. First of all, we got the Wolfman-styled one back in Series 4, then another one that was a little more Dog Soldiers as part of the Monster Fighters theme in 2012. But I’m not complaining! The more werewolves we get from Lego, the happier I’ll be. 

One interesting little detail is that this werewolf is apparently the same Lumberjack who appeared back in Series 5. Look at his shirt and nametag – it’s him! This must be one of the first times that the same character has reappeared in a different guise. No doubt customisers with access to a few of each figure will make some kind of transformation diorama – if you find one, post the link here, I’d love to see it.

This one follows the same style as the Monster Fighters one, using a similar yet different head. But for the first time, he has a tail! I believe this part debuted for Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy sets that were released last year. It’s cast in softer plastic, almost like a rubber, and works pointed both up and down. Very, very cool – this was the figure I was most looking forward to from the range; while I wouldn’t say it turned out as my favourite, it's definitely one of the best figures in the series.

Coming soon: Part 3! 

Lego Monster Fighters -- The Mummy (9462)

Theme: Monster Fighters

Pieces: 90

Construction time: 15-20min

Year: 2012

RRP: $14AUD

THE BACKGROUND

Well, I’ve moved on from being fairly unimpressed with the Monster Fighters theme through to owning most of the range. Funny how that works, isn’t it? So today we look at my latest (and likely last) purchase from the range – The Mummy.   

MINIFIGURES

There are two minifigures in this set – the Mummy himself and Ann Lee. Both of them are okay, if not great. The Mummy has printing on the front of his head, chest, back and legs, but the arms are blank. He fits in well with the Pharaoh’s Quest sets, but as a standalone figure, I still prefer the Mummy from Minifigures series 3.  

Ann Lee completes my set of the Monster Fighters themselves. She’s the only female fighter among the gang, and has a similar kind of visual aesthetic – Victorian-era meets combat fatigues. Ann Lee has two printed faces – a stern, determined one, and one with more of a smirk on it. She’s got some cool little details on her, like the garlic and stakes printed on her trousers (though it won’t be much use against a Mummy, of course). But overall, I’m not really sold on her. I think my main problem is with her hair – she reuses the same hair as the Cave Woman from Minifgures series 5, but styled with a crossbow bolt instead of an arrow. It’s a good piece, and it worked fine for that character, but here it looks a little strange. Maybe they should have just given her a ponytail or something.

 

THE BUILD

There are two vehicles this set – a one-person helicopter and an Egyptian-style chariot.

Like most of the Monster Fighters vehicles, I wasn’t overly impressed with the helicopter on first glance, but it’s grown on me since. It’s got a cobbled-together look that ties in well the overall theme – the Monster Fighters are facing deadly supernatural foes with very little in the way of resources. Of the vehicles I own from the range, but it’s still kind of cool – just a little too specific to be used in other settings too, I think.    

But the real centrepiece is the Mummy’s chariot. It’s got lots of ornate little details – the golden scorpion, the moonstone, the spears put on the side of the harness, the gold horns on the front and the green “lamps” on the chariot itself. There’s a lot going on, but never so much as to overwhelm the eye.    

 

I can’t speak for how “historically accurate” it is – not very, I suspect – but it nonetheless conjures up a great pop culture idea of what an undead Ancient Egyptian chariot should look like.  

AVAILABILITY

I first saw the Monster Fighters theme in stores around Halloween 2012, and apparently they had their American release in May that year. Most of them disappeared pretty quickly from stores; Halloween isn’t that big a deal in Australia, so I suspect that most retailers didn’t order a huge amount. However, since late last year, Kmart stores have had the range popping up in larger quantities than I ever saw them during their “official” release period. I can only assume that they got a good deal with an overseas warehouse or something. Still, they’re thinning out in numbers now – if you’re keen to get this set I would suggest grabbing it ASAP.  

Apparently there are two versions of the set – initially the Mummy and the skeletal horse both glowed, but the later runs of the set have only the horse as a glowing piece. Mine appears to be from the later run, which isn’t surprising that I bought it about two years after initial release! 

OVERALL

I bought this set as a birthday present for a friend earlier this year, but I fence-sat on it for a long time for myself. However, with my recent acquisition of the Rise of the Sphinx and the Scorpion Pyramid sets, I thought the chariot would be a cool supplementary piece. Taken as part of the Monster Fighters range, it’s not my favourite set (which would probably be the Vampire Castle), but it’s a great Egyptian-styled piece and a welcome addition to the collection.   

Lego Ghost (30201) polybag

Theme: Monster Fighters

Pieces: 31

Build time: 5-10 minutes

Year: 2012

RRP: See below

The Background

In spite of my initial scepticism about the Monster Fighters theme when I first encountered it in 2012, I have become quite a fan. Christmas 2013 saw my parents (very) generously purchase for me Lord Vampyre’s Castle, which now occupies pride of place on my bedroom floor. But I was lacking a ghost to haunt said castle, and that had to be rectified.

So I bought this set -- a polybag that containing a ghost, complete with Marley-esque chain, and a grandfather clock.

The Minifigure

When I was but a youth, I had a friend that I'm pretty sure owned this set, from Lego’s long-running Castle theme. The included ghost minifigure was unlike any other I had ever seen. There were ghosts in the world of Lego? Perhaps most amazingly, IT GLOWED IN THE DARK!

I was, of course, rather jealous. But though I owned a handful of Castle stuff, my Lego interests were more focused around the Pirates and variations of Space. So I never ended up getting one of these bad boys.

Flash forward more than 20 years, and I finally have my own ghost minifigure. On the whole, I think he lives up to expectations. This one is a little different to most modern versions – he doesn’t have any legs, but instead a small brick. A ball and chain plugs into the bottom of this to provide him with a “foot”, and he’s balanced by attaching a single stud to the other empty slot. It’s a neat little system, and the addition of the ball and chain separates him from the ghosts that are included in the other Monster Fighter sets.

And does he glow in the dark? You bet he does!

The Build

As might be expected, it didn’t take long to put this bad boy together. I think it was around 5 minutes, while watching an episode of The Middle.  
The clock works well for the ominous Monster Fighters theme, but could be easily transplanted into your average Creator house. I’ve never really seen Lego do a set like this, and I thought it was really cool. It’s a bit of a shame that it seems to be restricted to this fairly limited release. For the time being, it sits in a tower of Lord Vampyre’s castle, chiming every hour and irritating the bat-creatures that hang from  the building.

Overall

This set isn’t particularly hard to find, but it’s now discontinued and getting expensive. I paid $18AUD, which seems about standard, and was fortunate enough to find an Australian seller who didn’t charge me for postage. International sellers may have it cheaper, but you’ll probably pay a bomb for postage.

Still, it’s a fun little set and one of the cooler ways to get hold of an individual Lego Ghost – on that basis it comes recommended. If you can find it cheaper than I did, grab it!

 

  "Dammit, ghost! I'm trying to sleep -- go and clank somewhere else!"

Lego Review - The Werewolf (9463)

Set:  9463 – The Werewolf

Series: Monster Fighters

RRP: $29

Pieces: 243

Build Time: 1-1 ½ hours

 

The Background
Well, I know I said I didn’t think I was going to get any more of the Monster Fighters range – but the Kmart near my work still seems to have a whole bunch of in stock, and I am a bit of a sucker for werewolves. So a month or so ago, I found myself walking home from work with the kit tucked beneath my arm and an excited gleam on my face. A werewolf to accompany the Swamp Creature was an exciting prospect, as was the idea of having a regular minifigure-sized werewolf to accompany my giant Lego CHIMA werewolf.

The Minifigures

 
The Werewolf, front and side-on

 

When I first saw this kit’s Werewolf minifigure about a year ago, I was not particularly impressed. I had previously owned the Werewolf from the collectible minifigures (series 4), who was styled after the Lon Chaney Jr. Wolfman, and was quite endearing. This one is a little more Dog Soldiers in its approach, which was part of the reason for my caution. Non-standard heads are very hit and miss when it comes to minifigures. Also, oversized Wolverine claws? Even if they did glow in the dark, I wasn’t quite convinced. Though I prefer the wolf-man hybrid look in most other forms of media, I thought the 1940s approach was probably the better one to take when it came to Lego.

But almost a year and several close inspections later, I’ve changed my mind. As I’ve mentioned before, my Lego purchases tend to be very minifigure driven, and this one definitely fits that pattern. Of course, my love of all things glow in the dark definitely gives my overall enjoyment level a boost – I’ve changed my mind about the claws, and think they’re a nice little touch, and they do glow in a highly satisfying manner.

                                                              Major Quinton Steele

 

 

The Monster Fighter – Major Quinton Steele –has a stern, colonial look about him. I suppose he’s meant to be a bit of a Van Helsing-style mentor figure for the Monster Fighters team. He’s somewhat older, presumably highly knowledgeable about the subject of monsters, and though his best combat days are behind him, he can still kick a good bit of butt when push comes to shove. He’s not bad – but I already have the Explorer from series 2 of the collectible minifigures. They’re definitely two distinct figures, but it does feel like there’s a lot of similar ground covered between them. Still, the Major does have a badass rifle – a cool toy gun will make up for a lot of other shortcomings.  And as you’ll see, he does have a pretty cool car.

The Build

There are two builds contained within the kit – Major Steele’s hot rod, and a tree which incorporates the Wolf Moonstone.

We’ll tackle the hot rod first. I don’t really “do” cars. I know virtually nothing about them, only got my Provisional license earlier this year and I don’t really enjoy driving. But with that said, I can still appreciate a cool-looking car. This particular vehicle is exactly that. It looks somewhere between FAB-ONE (of Thunderbirds fame) and one of those hot rods that you see at tattoo or rockabilly festivals. No doubt there are many flaws more knowledgeable people than I could pick with it, but I think it looks pretty cool nonetheless. 

Major Quinton Steele's Hot Rod

The only real letdown is its colour. While I appreciate it’s meant to be functional rather than edgy, I think it would have been better to have it as a reddish or metallic colour, rather than a similar shade of beige to the driver’s outfit. Nonetheless, it remains a very cool piece - close observers will note that the hood ornament is actually a frog.

The tree, though, is the true centrepiece of the kit, and I’m quite pleased with it. It’s one of the more unusual Lego builds I’ve seen in an official kit. While it’s obviously intended to have an eerie, low budget horror vibe about it, I think it works just as well in a fantasy setting.

 

                                   

Conan discovers the lost secret of the Wolfstone, after slaying countless hordes of evil monsters.

The Wolf Moonstone is placed in a vaguely altar-y setting, though with a little tweaking it becomes a wolf-throne – or if we’re going for the fantasy vibe, a wood-elf throne. Additionally, it works quite well with the little piece of swamp that came with the Swamp Creature set. Going off the box art, it looks like 9467 is driving through a swampy area, too. I can only infer from this that the Swamp Creature and the Werewolf live quite close together. As a bonus, it’s got an action function which allows the werewolf to “jump out” from among the leaves. Not a feature I’m overly fussed about as an adult, but I would definitely have appreciated it as a kid.

The Werewolf poised for launch

 

Overall

I still have fairly mixed feelings about the Monster Fighters theme, but it has grown on me a lot. I do like the Ghost Train (set 9467), but it’s primarily because of the abundance of glow-in-the-dark pieces on the kit. I could see myself picking up a glow-in-the-dark ghost or two, but buying the (very expensive) set itself would be quite hard to justify.  

With this said, I have heard rumours that Lord Vampyre's Castle may be on the way for Christmas...

The minifigures receive a combined score of 6/10. The Werewolf is great on his own, but I’m not really fussed on Major Steele – he’s not a bad minifigure, just not really the sort of minifigure I prefer. As for the build, I’m giving it a 7.5/10. It’s far from the most difficult one I’ve ever done, but it’s certainly one of the most unique. The car is pretty boss, and the tree lends itself to a variety of different settings.  All in all, $29 I’m quite happy about spending.

The set in its entirety