M'Kyuun

I dig the world of TRON as well. TRON was one of the few films I got to see in the theatre as a kid and I thought it was amazing, especially the visual aspects. It was completely unique- still is, really, as TRON: Legacy used completely different techniques and tech to achieve the look, which is much shinier and cleaner than the original. But knowing all the labor put into achieving the look of the original gives me a far greater appreciation for it. TRON was ahead of its time story-wise too, as I don't think society was really in the headspace of thinking about personifying the inner workings of a computer, which at the time was a rarity and inaccessible to the majority of people. From that perspective, as well as the duality of user and program, and using the actors to portray both, set against an evil master control program, essentially a dictator wannabe, was simple yet brilliant. TRON: Legacy, while prettier and more streamlined, didn't make as much of an impact on me. I like it, but the newness of ideas explored, as well as the visuals in the original set it apart. I've seen only disjointed eps of TRON; Uprising, but I think I enjoyed the toon more than Legacy. I just watched the original a few nights ago, intend to watch Uprising in its entirety on Disney Plus, and then rewatch Legacy. Not sure what they can do to expand the story, but I like the world of TRON and am open to see more exploration of it in film, tv, or even a new game. I hope ARES is well-done- I hope it surprises.

Concerning Leo Prime's lion face, I much prefer the more realistic take over the derpy cartoon face. I thought it looked awful on the MP and was pleasantly surprised to see the more realistic lion head on the Legacy fig. I will say, however, that some additional paint, esp to the eyes, would have gone a long way towards improving the look. Appreciate the side-by-sides of the various Menasors. I think it goes without saying that the Legacy is the best overall take, although it's not without its warts. I never cared for the G1 combiners as they all looked stiff, lifeless, and generally lacked articulation, one of my major gripes about the vast majority of G1. The CW figs, accepting that liberal license was taken with their designs as opposed to being G1 updates, weren't too badly done in the bot and vehicle modes, but that combined mode, as with the majority, just left somewhat to be desired, especially in a line that was all about combining. I'm not a big fan of the frame with bots tacked-on approach, but it's more aesthetically pleasing and imparts a stability and strength to the joints that were woefully lacking in the CW line.

I've never heard of a UV resin pen. I assume it uses the UV light to cure it quickly. TBH, I wasn't really planning on doing a repair, but perhaps I should, if for no other reason, it would prevent the crack from potentially spreading. I figured at least one, and probably more (Dr. Wu comes to mind), third party upgrade kit makers will make Targetmaster figs with better articulation. I'll keep an eye out.

I'll be finding out, as I ordered this figure. It looks amazing- very much like the Flame Toys fig, only transformable, and that was the clincher for me. Too, I love the Asurada alt mode, so regardless of which mode I have him in, I'm gonna be happy with him. That transformation, though....I'm trying to mentally prepare for it. It doesn't look like fun at all for all the reasons you pointed out. I watched Skullface fumble with it, and I have a feeling my experience is going to be similar- I always seem to have issues with one side or the other not lining up, or being tough to tab, or some other obstructive issue. Fingers crossed it'll go smoothly. I'll almost certainly have a vid up by a competent reviewer who's adept at doing transformations. I got my kit today and installed it, and the elbow peg that goes into the car hood side of the right arm was so tight it cracked the post hole housing. Sorry for the blurry pic. Anyway, I disassembled the arm and sanded down the peg, but the damage was already done. What's odd is I had no issues with the left arm. As I mentioned above, I always seem to have asymmetrical issues with my toys where one side works perfectly, and the other side doesn't. Anyway, I like the articulation the kit imparts to the arms, and one wonders why Hasbro couldn't have just designed it this way themselves. I'd rather have had the full elbow bend over the little grill extensions it originally came with that restrict elbow bend to less than 90 degrees. I wish Nonnef had given us the bits to make a fully articulated gun dude for Pointblank; the one that came with him remains in the box, as I can't abide its lack of articulation. I don't care how small these things are- the same standards of articulation should apply regardless. It's 2023, not 1985. Evolution in technique, quality, and features should be equal across the board. I'll second on the Headmasters head sculpt, just not the gimmick. The Sunbow bucket head is not as appealing.

I collect the majority of Speed Champions, but the Nissan Skyline holds no interest for me- I've never seen any of the F&F movies and doubt I ever will. If a car in there interests me, I'll get it, but it'll be based entirely on the model's appeal by itself. This just strikes me a s a bit mediocre compared to some of the more exotic cars they do. The 2023 lineup is already looking pretty good. They're already doing a car from a video game in this next wave, and I hope that opens them up to anime, as I'd love to see a Mach 5 from Speed Racer and an Asurada from Future GPX Cyber Formula in this line. I don't plan on getting the Ghost Rider mech & bike set, but I agree on the playability- hope they do more like this with other characters.

Congrats, have fun building, and remember that there are far worse 'problems' to have than an affinity for LEGO. Enjoy!

I find it interesting how two fans of the original theme can have such different views, both valid. I can see where the changes to the design could be off-putting if you were expecting a more faithful homage, especially if you have strong attachment to the original. This set is certainly an homage more than a redo, and liberties were taken, some good, some not so good. I dislike stickers- they're a PITA to apply and try to get lined up perfectly, especially when there are symmetrical stickers, which is often the case. Putting the logos on the canted cargo doors was a pain. And speaking of which, those constitute a poor design choice. With all the new parts- brackets and slopes aplenty, they could have approximated the original's boxy covering and put it on the old hinge brick, also like the original. The bar w/ clip elements, due to the softer material of which they're made, don't have the same grip as ABS clips, and so those large flag elements used for the side doors tend to very easily disengage from the clips. Not the best. I neglected to mention that in my review. Too, speaking of the stronger grip of ABS clips, the little engine assembly is tough to remove from the larger module (w/ the trans-red lined arrays). I struggle with it, so I can't imagine an 8–12-year-old having a much easier time of it. Brick separator to the rescue. Those are really my only negatives. I personally love the reimagined design, the generous number of included accessories, the replicated robot, the back printing on the minifig, and though I don't like stickers, I appreciate how they replicate or homage the old prints. Moreover, they can be handy on MOCs as well. Mostly, I'm just happy to see yet another Classic Space design reimagined for a modern audience after 13 years of no original Space themes, and 44 years since the original Galaxy Explorer and 36 years since the Blacktron Invader debuted. There are many more old sets I'd love to see reimagined in like fashion, but I'm really hoping it opens the door to another new original Space theme. For this fan, there's room for both Star Wars and new sci-fi Space stuff in my heart, if not on my shelves.

Howdy all! I hope the new year is treating everyone well. 2023 became infinitely better when LEGO unveiled the new 40580 Blactron Cruiser GWP set, and being an old LEGO space nerd since the 70s, it was an opportunity I couldn't, nay wouldn't, resist! So, three rather expensive orders later, I now have three of these lovelies in my possession. but is it worth dropping $190 just to get it in your cart? For me, absolutely yes. Let's take a look at it. Apologies beforehand for the photo quality- someday I'll get a better camera. The box art does a lovely job of mimicking the original Blacktron Invader's box deco down to the robot with a hammer in the foreground. So here it is, the updated Blacktron Invader, now called Cruiser for reasons that have yet to be made clear. As with the original Blacktron sets, and the Invader in particular, the new Blacktron Cruiser can also separate into modules. The Cruiser is in the foreground and the original Invader behind it. Not only does the Cruiser break apart in similar fashion to its predecessor, but the engine section further breaks down with an additional two modules. Unlike the original set which used Technic pins to lock the various sections together, the Cruiser uses a combination of a new 1x2 round brick with posts in the center, a piece that is sure to find extraordinary utility going forward, and horizontal clip pieces. I like how the yellow striping is consistent between modules as well, even in the areas that can't be seen when they're assembled. Like the original, the central module is a container, each of which carries a brick-built robot, a hammer, and the old classic wrench. The Cruiser, however, further carries a cargo box with drop-down door with two black ingots within. Original 2023 Box Robots. New on left. Since the old control console piece that comprised the body of the original robot was retired years ago, designers used a clip and this small pistol element originally created for the Overwatch sets to make the body of the new version while maintaining the stooped posture. Cockpit. Although the cockpit sections are similar in overall length, the canopy used on the original was much shorter. As a result, the pilot is situated closer to the nose than on the update, which uses the new canopy developed for Buzz Lightyear's XL-15. (Thanks Angus!). The original featured a hollow area behind the pilot's seat which inexplicably was never utilized, as one of those cargo boxes would have fit (I tested it! 😉) On the update, due to its shape, there's more storage area ahead of the pilot, and the designers utilized it by giving us a metal detector. A sticker replaces the printed control console slope used in the original and a trans-yellow tile affixed within a couple clips provides a nice HUD. Every print on the new set is provided by a sticker; there are eight in total. I'm not the biggest fan of stickers, but given its GWP status, and the fact that it's yet another Classic Space update within several months' time, it's a concession I will gladly accept. I hope they keep putting these out every several months henceforth. They're a long time coming, and for us old Classic Space junkies, a breath of fresh air over the monotony, or should I say monopoly, of Star Wars as the only sci-fi space LEGO available on the shelves. Additionally, the 2023 set gives us one of the old large camera/ space gun accessories and a smaller brick-built gun/sensor/ whatever you want it to be. These are stored on the top flap of the three-way opening cargo box. The Pilot. The new fig is on the left. The white paint is a little brighter and his eyes only a smidge larger and very slightly closer together than the original's on the right, but otherwise, they are nearly identical. Until you turn them around and remove their tanks. This is the first time a Blacktron figure has sported back printing, which will likely make the value of this fig soar on the secondary market. Another great touch by the designers in upgrading and updating the original set. And with that, I'll wrap things up. Coming back to the question I asked at the beginning, is it worth paying $190 just to get this set? For me, absolutely, and I paid it three times over just to get three copies. I'm flirting with the idea of getting a fourth. Anyway, Blacktron was one of my favorite themes- the black and yellow color scheme hinted at something darker, more nefarious, something LEGO generally didn't do in those days. There was no conflict, only exploration. When Space Police was released and we saw Blacktron figs as prisoners, it was the start of something new- confirmed bad guys in space. Too, the modularity aspect of Blacktron was cool, especially if you were lucky enough to have a few of the bigger sets to mix and match the various modules. I had the Battrax, the Renegade, and the Message Intercept Base, and I loved them. Too, Robocop came out the same year; it was a movie I adored (still do!) and I used to love closing the visors on my Blacktron figs so only the mouth was visible like a certain cyborg cop. Good memories. So yes, nostalgia has me in its tight unwavering grasp, and virtually anything that will appease it has exceptional value to me beyond just dollars. That said, if you're not into Space or sci-fi, then this set is likely not for you and not worth the price of admission, as it were. I'll add, however, that I wish this had been a wide retail release to share shelf space with the 10497 Galaxy Explorer. The cool designs and juxtaposed color schemes would have popped, and at a likely $35-45 price point, would have been much easier to swallow if one was simply curious and bought a copy. The $190 threshold is a bit steep and will likely prevent a lot of fans from acquiring it, which is sad. We've waited so long for CS to make any kind of comeback, and when it does, many simply won't be able to afford it. I'm grateful that I was able to get not just a copy, but several. They'll find a good home among my other classic Blactron and other assorted SC era ships and vehicles. So, obviously I had to buy a fair bit of LEGO to get my Blacktron sets, and I'll share a little of that here too. First, the Monkie Kid Combi Mech. So this set just released on Jan 1, and I thought it looked pretty neat. There's an additional feature, hence the 'combi' part of the name, that I can't show since I didn't buy the other set that combines with it. The year's not over yet, though. 😉 Anyway, the articulation that this thing possesses, relative to the oft limited elbow articulation and lack of knees endemic to most of LEGO's mecha models, is superb. As you can see it can even kneel, and due to how the ball and socket joints were arranged, the arm articulation is fantastic. The hips and shoulders are Technic ball/socket joints, the elbows are made up of the small ball/socket joints (Mixel joints), the knees are ratcheted hinge joints, and the ankles are also Mixel joints. the shoulder pauldrons are also moveable, attached by clip joints. After handling this model for a bit and putting it through all sorts of poses, I can't help but think that this should be the template for all their medium sized mecha. Alas, it's not. Endgame Hulkbuster So, this also released on Jan 1st, and it is the most accurate Hulkbuster model at this scale. I love how the designers put those upper torso bits on an angle to really bulk up the shoulders- it just has a presence that past models lacked, although being a Hulkbuster fan, I have all of them (except the new UCS- not crazy about the proportions or the price tag). Articulation-wise, the shoulders are on ratcheted joints, the elbows are made up of the old hinge plates, the wrists can rotate on Technic pins, and the fingers can all rotate independently. The shoulder pauldrons/armor can swivel out to make clearance at the shoulder The range of arm articulation is very good. As usual with these System-scaled HB models, the head does not rotate; it can swivel up to reveal Dr. Bruce Banner at the controls (or lack thereof in this case). The hips are also on ratcheting joints, the knees are fixed, although clip joints are used at the back of the knee and removing the robot arms which make up the mechanical detail at the front of the knee will provide a bit of knee bend. The ankles are large Technic ball/socket joints and the toes are attached via clips. The toes have enough requisite strength to hold the weight of the model and compensate for the minimal range of motion possible at the ankle, as you can see in the photos. Despite its few articulation shortcomings, I love this model- it just looks amazing. Since it's LEGO, the articulation is something I may consider modding at some point. But for now, I'm just enjoying it as-is. Avatar: The Way of Water From the very first instant I saw a pic of the Crabsuit, I was enamored. Seeing it in action in the actual film only increased my love of this cool mecha, which looks and moves like its namesake. LEGO created a set featuring both the Crabsuit and the Tulkan, a whale-like creature that features prominently in the film. Much like their Avatar sets based on the first film, LEGO included little bases that appear as seafloor bits covered in an array of colorful and unique flora and fauna. It's a very cool way to create a bit of Pandora while also including a stand in disguise, if you will, for the various machines and creatures from the films. Here's the Crabsuit in its sub form- the legs and arms are folded to make it more compact and aquadynamic. The pilot is a generic unnamed human character. I like this model quite a bit. It's LEGO, so of course it's going to have some limitations and inaccuracies, especially at this scale. but, it's a fun little model, easily swooshable, and relatively poseable in its crab form. The Tulkun This model is partly comprised of three large specialty molded elements forming the head and each side jowl. Personally, I wish they would have fully brick-built the entire creature as they do with Creator sets, but I can understand why they went this route. The latter 2/3 of the Tulkun is completely brick-built, and the designers mounted the last third of the tail on a set of large Technic hinges (AT-AT legs) enabling the tail to move up and down through about three detents' range of motion, IIRC. The flukes at the tip of the tail can also be articulated on a ratcheting plate hinge, as can the large pectoral fins. The smaller fins forward and lower than the pectorals are on Technic friction pins allowing for up and down and rotational articulation. The mouth can open by rotating the large jowl bits, attached to the head via friction pins, and the lower jaw can articulate via ratcheting hinges. Like the Crabsuit, it comes with a sea-bottom stand and IMHO, makes for a nice-looking display. Of course, as most of us are aware, scale is always a concession when it comes to models depicting large to very large things, and the Tulkun is no exception. While it is a sizeable model, after seeing the film it's probably about a third the size of the creature as depicted in the film. The Crabsuit is pretty well scaled, and it barely fits atop the Tulkun model. In the film, numerous Crabsuits could walk about on a Tulkun's back. Alas, it is what it is. I enjoyed building this set; I was mostly intrigued by the Crabsuit model, which you build first if you follow the numbered bags, but once I moved on to the Tulkun, I found it to be a nice relaxing build. There weren't really any surprises or advanced techniques, per se, but it was an enjoyable experience resulting in a pretty impressive creature with a fair bit of articulation. Well, that's it for now. It's a bit longwinded, but I hope at least some of it was interesting, useful, and perhaps even enjoyable. As always, play well. Cheers!

My set is on its way- I just got the regular kit with black elbows. I'm not too plussed about the opening where the elbows form the grill; having the full range of arm articulation he should have had outta the box is worth the concession. The car mode still looks good, better in fact for the kit's inclusion of his secondary blue wing accessory which was likely dropped due to budgetary restrictions. I'll also agree with Mike on the Headmaster inspired noggin- it just looks better, even if the actual Headmaster gimmick wasn't in play (I'm not at all a fan of the Headmaster gimmick, so no love lost there if someone does do a replacement head based on the HM look). This guy really should have had a voyager budget.

I envy every collector who has room. 😊

I've always been a big fan of the cassette bots, and these upscaled versions by MMC definitely strike a chord. Not only does the larger scale allow for more complex engineering and detail, but the bot modes scale far better to the rest of their respective bots. I, too, hope MMC continues to produce these guys- all of them, including the combiner cassettes, in this scale. IMHO, there simply is no such thing as too many cassette bots, and when they're realized this well, I'm happy to have them at this scale, G1/MP scale, and legends scale (looking at the tiny but impressive Magic Square cassettes). There's just something intrinsically cool about them, and as Mike mentioned, growing up in the 80s with cassettes being so prevalent as the primary means of listening to music, nostalgia is surely a meaningful factor for most of us G1 fans. I wish we had a modern equivalent today for future Soundwave toys- that cassette and player gimmick was one of the coolest ever in any toyline. Anyway, I've got a copy of RMX-11EX Tempo with chrome gold wings POed and hoping he'll be available for release soon. It's prob not worth the markup just for a little chrome gold paint, but it just adds that extra bit of G1 goodness to the fig, and since he'll likely spend most of his days in lion mode, it's worth it to me.

Waterslide decals come with it. At least if you order with Showz, but I'm guessing the decals are part of the package from the factory. Looking forward to getting this guy, but not the transformation so much, nor the application of those stickers, which really are a must to bring out the ultimate look of the car mode. Beautiful fig, though, and the Asurada from Future GPX CyberFormula is a great choice for an alt mode.

I don't really have a top 5, but some standouts to me were: 1. Legacy Cosmos- Shoutout to @mikeszekelywithout whom I never would have had this figure. Weve had a few official Cosmos figs over the years, including the really cool Generations Cosmos fig, but none that actually looked like his G1 namesake. The Walmart Exclusive Velocitron 500 Series Cosmos fixed that omission with an excellent chunky deluxe scaled figure that looks the part in both bot mode and flying saucer mode. IMHO, this is one of 2022's best releases. 2. SS86 Ironhide- Mike said everything that needs to be said about this fig. he filled a long, long overdue hole in the mainline, and despite a few warts (those big hinges on the side of his van mode, the lack of his yellow stripes, knee joint issues for some, the overpainted front bumper section, lack of his back cannon, multiple shades of red throughout), the base fig channels the animation model very well and as Mike said, looks better than the Masterpiece, which I hope they revisit someday, but after they've given up this slavishly toon-accurate nonsense. 3, Legacy Kickback- This fig took its cues from the original toy, and one could be excused for thinking it was the G1 toy on first sight. It's a really nice update, although I wish they'd made his wings look mechanical like the original and that they had some additional hinges to lay flat for flight in his locust mode. I also wish the lower legs retracted over the thighs somehow to shorten the legs and disable the robot knees, but you can't have everything. Hoping we'll get at least one more Insecticon update in 2023. 4. SS86 Sludge. Sludge was my only Dinobot as a kid, and I've always had a soft spot for him. I was excited when he was announced, and pretty pleased overall with him in-hand. While I don't think they need to reinvent the wheel with the Dinobots, I appreciate the novel transformation schema Hasui-san came up with for him. My only real negative was that the robot toes hang from the Bronto's stomach like a weird udder. There's a large space in the dino's chest that makes it appear as though the toes were going to rotate into that cavity, but they probably exhausted their budget and just let them hang. Fortunately, we live in a golden age of Transformers where multiple third party companies create upgrade kits to fix some of the official toys' flaws, and I used one such kit to fix the toe issue and give my Sludge the trim tummy he was always meant to have. Excited to complete the Dinobots, and hopefully both Snarl and Swoop will round out the team in '23. 5. Menasor- more to the point, the complete package of Stunticons and Has/Tak's approach to rethinking how they do combiners since Combiner Wars. Truthfully, I prefer an all-inclusive approach like MMC have been doing with their combiners- no add-ons, no parts-forming. But, I'm also pragmatic, and I understand it's simply not feasible within their operating limitations to do that. IMHO, the direction they took was the right one, and other than Breakdown's inaccurate car mode, the Stunticons turned out pretty well, minus a wart here or there. Has/Tak did a brilliant job giving us a screen-accurate, stable, and quite articulated Menasor. Still, I wonder how they're going to approach other combiners that don't utilize a framework with bots tacked-on. 6. Legacy and MP Skids- I like Skids' design, and I was happy that he not only got a fig in the mainline last year, but also a MP fig that harkened back to the good old days when Hasui-san was driving the design direction. That direction may not be for everyone, but I like it, and I was happy to add him to my MP collection, and his mini-me to my CHUG collection. 7. Legacy Tarantulas and Inferno- I'm a BW fan, and IMHO, both of these figs were done exceedingly well, really capturing the characters. I especially appreciate the articulated jaw on Inferno- I can hear his maniacal laugh every time I open his mouth. 8. legacy Override- I'm not a fan of the Unicron Trilogy, but as with all things Transformers, every now and then a design strikes a certain appeal, and that's how I feel about Override. I was happy that that they gave her a fig, and I think she turned out pretty well overall. 9. SS Hot Rod- I vehemently dislike the Bayformers films, but I have to admit that a lot of cool toys arose from that franchise. The transformation engineering on this fig impressed me, especially the way bits of his hood rotate and compact to form his torso. Too, I like how the front of his car forms his chest- it's reminiscent of G1 characters like Prowl and Jazz, and I've always been a fan of those designs. Hot Rod has mediocre articulation and the wheels on his legs don't have enough clearance for the knees to bend without scraping. However, I think he looks cool, the transformation is quite clever and a bit involved, and his car mode is beautiful. 10. Legacy Bulkhead- While I've seen most reviewers link him to the Prime design, from his truck mode to various cues on his bot mode, this design screams Animated to me. Of course, given Derrick Wyatt's very stylistic animation, the translation from that to a realistic military truck was always going to be fraught with challenges, but I think Has/Tak did ok. The result, of course, is a trimmer, lankier version of the big guy to make him fit with the G1 aesthetic. Regardless of which version of Bulkhead you associate him, the toy itself turned out pretty well. I'm probably missing a few, but these figs stood out to me for one reason or another. I'm hoping 2023's lineup is at least this good. There's a lot more non-G1 stuff coming for 2023, especially UT stuff, which isn't exactly my cuppa. Nevertheless, I'm in it for the toys, and regardless of the media to which a toy is attached, if the toy itself appeals, I'll usually pick up a copy. Still, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see more G1 stuff, especially those first season omissions that have yet to be filled, and maybe a deluxe Powerglide, too. Come what may, here's to an exciting new year of Cybertronian goodness and hopes that we're all able to get the toys that appeal to us. Happy collecting!

Agree. I was excited for a UCS Imperial Shuttle, until I saw it and watched some reviews. I hated the nose on it, as it was completely inaccurate, and the wing mechanism seemed poorly realized in light of what fans had done in their own MOCs. I wasn't crazy about the snap-on landing gear solution either. If they attempt it again, I hope they fix all these issues, give it a proper interior, and sculpt that nose section to look like the film model. More like this

Concerning the Imperial Shuttle, while there's currently a set out, I would try to find a copy of 75094 which was larger, more detailed, and featured Han, Leia, Chewy, and a couple Rebel dudes in Endor gear. It was simply a better set, IMHO, the best version they've ever made thus far, at least in System scale. FWIW, the Imperial Shuttle is one of my top 5 favorite SW vehicles, so my suggestion carries the weight of extreme bias. Good luck completing your collection!

Sorry to hear the negatives there, especially when related to LEGO, which should be positive. Alas, the other side of your story sounds full of positives, and I'm glad for you. Moreover, as a big LEGO fan, although I'm not getting the Lion Knight's Castle myself (I'd have nowhere to put that lovely beast), I think it's absolutely brilliant and I'm envious. I hope it proves to be yet another huge positive in your life, both figuratively and practically. Enjoy it and the new Blacktron set. Hopefully the first of many more.

Hmm, looks like a cross between Ghost in the Shell, Westworld, and Battle Angel Alita. I'm a fan of all three, so I'm in for a watch. I hope it'll be well-written and adventure outside of the tropes previously established by its predecessors.

Me too. I didn't think of that, but I did pass a request to one of the LEGO designers on Twitter, to pass to the Speed Champions Team, for both a Mach 5 from Speed Racer and a GSX Asurada from Future GPX Cyber Formula. I didn't hear anything back from him, so I don't know if he passed it along or not. I'm sure they get hit with requests all the time, and I'm nobody of significance. Regardless, I felt there was no harm in asking. Speaking of Speed Champions, they're introducing a number of cool new parts to the palette this year. Of particular notice is this gem: This part will surely be a godsend, only two plates tall with a rounded back allowing rotation, and a hollow stud facing sideways. I've been wanting something like this for years and thanks to the Speed Champion Team, we're finally getting it. My utmost gratitude! The 2023 sets, as those of us who collect them have come to expect, are chock full of new and interesting techniques, often using unexpected parts in cool and unusual ways to achieve brick-built details of the real cars. These sets are always a treat to build even if cars aren't your thing. I'm not a car guy myself, although I do like the look of many of these supercars and enjoy having these brick-built replicas in my collection.

So 2022 has come and gone, and overall, I think it was a pretty good year for Transformer toys. My itch was certainly scratched for the vast majority of G1 figs released, as well as figs like Override, Legacy Bulkhead, and Earthspark Twitch, which added variety to my collection. I'm looking forward to what 2023 brings us as well as the discussions and reviews they inspire. Finally, I'm grateful that the Transformers brand continues to thrive, that I'm getting versions of the toys I wished for as a kid in the main line, that there are options like upgrade kits and third-party figures to fill voids otherwise unrealized, that the fandom remains passionate for these convertible robots inspiring everything from actual toy designs both official and non, cartoons, live action films, forums like this one, and the many reviewers who do us all a service by letting us see what's in the box before it hits our eager mitts. I'm thankful, and hopeful, come what may. To all my fellow Macross World members, I wish you a most excellent new year!

Me too. Great looking model. Probably a little too modern and warfare related for LEGO's rules, though, more's the pity. Pretty sure I would have plunked down the cash for that Knight Rider set, too- the submission model, at least, is gorgeous.

I was able to put in two qualifying orders, so I'll be getting a pair of Blacktron Cruisers in the near future, as well as a handful of cool new 2023 sets and the Sanctum Sanctorum. So happy. I didn't get home until close to 0200 PST and felt certain that the Blacktron set was going to be exhausted after five hours of being available. Guess the $190 threshold was a bit much for many folks. Edit: Later in the afternoon, I realized I'd forgotten to order the new Quinjet and Hulkbuster sets, so I got them and the Monkie Kid Combi mech which landed me a third copy of the Blacktron Cruiser. Feeling rather squee at the prospect of having three of those new Blacktron astrofigs with back printing. 😍 I was worried I wouldn't even get one copy, so I'm quite elated, although I dropped nearly a grand on LEGO in one day, which is pretty much a record after 40+ years of collecting.

Between that and the camera motion, it looks generated rather than real, likely from a sim game.

If I end up missing out on the set itself, I may just put one together via bit and piecing. I have a spare slope piece with the Blacktron symbol printed on it, so if I need to, I can cobble my own together. That said, I'd still like to have a copy of this just to have it. I've always had a soft spot for Blacktron I as well, but I never had the Invader as a kid. This past October, I picked up a used copy from a vendor at BrickCon in Seattle- no box or instructions, IIRC, but all the parts were there and it now resides mission ready on my shelf among a host of various CS era sets that I've been acquiring over the years. The Tallneck is a good choice; what it lacks in articulation it more than makes up in presentation. It's a fun build too, which is always kinda the point with LEGO, at least in theory if not in execution. I was hoping there'd be more Horizon machine sets to follow in 2023, but thus far the Tallneck seems to be a one-off. More's the pity; they could milk this license copiously, and I'd happily buy most or all of them. I was also hoping Optimus Prime would see another licensed Transformers follow-up set, most likely Bumblebee due to his popularity and the innocuous, i.e. non-modern warfare-related, nature of his alt mode. LEGO's stance on such things precludes G1 Seekers or a G1 Megs that turns into a pistol.

All graphics in 10497 were printed; no stickers in that set, and there were quite a few printed bits. Obviously, as an anniversary set, it had a much higher budget, piece count, and minifig count. The Blacktron Cruiser (not sure why they didn't carry its original namesake, Invader, over but whatever) as a GWP set just doesn't get that kind of budget, unfortunately, hence stickers. But, I'm ok with it just to have more Classic Space era sets. I have a dinner date with friends this evening, and I'm hoping I'll have the opportunity to get on LEGO.com and get in an appropriate order to at least get one copy of this set before it gets spammed by scalpers. We all know it's gonna happen. Kinda miss the days before the adult market for toys really opened up- at least stuff remained available for longer periods without jockeying to try and get your order in immediately or hope to find some kind of reasonable deal on the secondary market. Too many greedy people nowadays that suck the joy out of what should be a fun experience. And I don't exclude LEGO from the blame either; this is a known pattern with these sorts of limited edition sets, and yet they keep putting them out in this manner. Not the best, and certainly not good enough.

Costumes, custom weaponry to match the period, rights to shoot at fitting locations, chariots, horses, etc all add up to eat their share of the budget. Using lesser-known actors spares the budget the chunk that well-known actors command, as well. But if the story is good, the actors competent, and the director has a solid vision, I think taking the Predator through various timelines to face off against humans at various stages of technological and social development is a good formula to keep it relevant and interesting, especially if they vary the Predators' approaches to hunting the particular prey at hand. Heck, it'd be interesting to see a Predator hunting Neanderthals, who were more robust than modern humans physically, and potentially smarter given their large cranial capacities.