BrickJournal #48

The Magazine for LEGO® Enthusiasts of All Ages!

Issue 48 • November 2017

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Returning to Mecha Secrets and Tricks of LEGO Mecha Building

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Interviews with Benjamin Cheh, Kelvin Low, Lu Sim, Freddy Tan, David Liu and Sam Cheng Instructions and MORE!

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Issue 48 • November 2017

Contents

From the Editor...........................................................2

People Mech Builder Spotlight: Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann..............................4 Mech Builder Spotlight: David Liu...................................................................11 Stand By for Titanfall!.............................................16 Mech Builder Spotlight: Freddy Tan................................................................22 Grimlock.......................................................................28 Mech Builder Spotlight: Lu Sim.........................................................................34 Mech Builder Spotlight: Sam Cheng..............................................................38 Noel Encarnacion’s Gundam Papa Bee......43

Building

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You Can Build It: Strider Mech............................................................48 You Can Build It: MINI Hammerhead Corvette........................52 BrickNerd’s DIY Fan Art: Guardian...................................................................56 Minifigure Customization 101: Large Figure Conversion, Part 2...................58 A Ball, a Socket, and Some Friction: Beginning the Bionicle Chronicle...............64

Community BrickFlimer’s Spotlight: Paul Hollingsworth & Digital Wizards......70 Community Ads......................................................78 Last Word.....................................................................79 AFOLs.............................................................................80

From the Editor: This issue is all about the giant robots!

Mecha building has been one of the more interesting areas of LEGO building because of the challenges with building and mechanizing the organic shapes that are seen in the mecha from TV and movies. Building a static creation is one thing, but building an articulated robot that uses hundreds to thousands of parts is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

November 2017 Issue 48 Publisher John Morrow

Editor in Chief Joe Meno

Photography Editor Geoff Gray

Proofreader Eric Nolen-Weathington Japanese Bureau Editor Nathan Bryan West Coast Editors Todd Kubo Ashley Glennon

LEGO Ideas Correspondent Glen Wadleigh

Contributors: Jared Burks, Christopher Deck, Dave Foreman, Noel Encarnacion, Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann, Seth Higgins, David Liu, Kelvin Low, Lu Sim, Sam Cheng, Kim Smith, Freddy Tan, Tommy Williamson, and Greg Hyland.

Many thanks to the websites who have served as mirrors for BrickJournal:

The builders here are among the best mecha builders in the world, who are constantly pushing their craft to new levels. A few have been in BrickJournal before, and they have returned because they have built more, or improved their builds.

They build in a different direction from many of us, and they can inspire us to build. I hope they are as inspirational to you as they are to me.

Build on!

Joe Meno, Editor P.S. Have ideas or comments? Drop me a line at admin@brickjournal.com. I’m open to suggestions and comments and will do my best to reply.

P.P.S... Yes, BrickJournal has a website — www.brickjournal.com! Twitter? Yep, there too — http://twitter.com/brickjournal. Facebook? Yup — http://www.facebook.com/group. php?gid=58728699914&ref=mf. Or you can scan the bottom codes with a QR reader!

P.P.P.S. If you want info on a subscription, you can go to: http://bit.ly/2fRrze2 or scan the code below!

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About the Cover: A triple threat of mechas by Kelvin Low, Lu Sim and Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann.

Photos provided by the builders.

About the Contents: Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann’s mecha tenses for battle.

Photo by Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann.

Glossary AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) AFFOL (Adult Female Fan of LEGO) TFFOL (Teen Female Fan of LEGO) NLSO (Non-LEGO Significant Other) MOC (My Own Creation) TLG (The LEGO Group) BURP (Big Ugly Rock Piece) LURP (Little Ugly Rock Piece) POOP (Pieces­—that can be or should be made—Of Other Pieces)

SNOT (Studs Not on Top) LUG (LEGO Users Group) LTC (LEGO Train Club) MECHA (a large armored robot on legs, typically controlled by a pilot seated inside) MECH (a large piloted combat robot) DARK AGES (usually teen years, when you drift away from building) STUDS OUT (building where the studs on bricks face the viewer)

LEGO®, TECHNIC, MINDSTORMS, Belville, Scala, BIONICLE, ExoForce, Mars Mission, World City, and other LEGO theme lines are trademarks of the LEGO Group of companies. All articles, photos, and art are copyright BrickJournal Media, LLC 2011, TwoMorrows Publishing and the respective writers, photographers, and artists. All rights reserved. All trademarked items are the property of their respective owners and licensees. Subscriptions are $55 Economy US, $70 Expedited US, $97 International, or $23 Digital Only and can be purchased at www.twomorrows.com or payment sent to: TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614 USA. The editorial/advertising office address for BrickJournal is: BrickJournal Editor, 5610 Briar Oak Lane #510, Raleigh, NC 27612 USA or admin@brickjournal.com. First Printing. Printed in China. ISSN 1941-2347.

BrickJournal and its staff would like to thank the LDraw community for the software it makes available to the community, which we use for making all of the instructions and renderings in this magazine. We would especially like to thank Kevin Clague for his continued upgrades of the LPub tool that is a part of2the LDraw suite. For more information, please visit http://www.ldraw.org.

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People

I redesigned the head to add a LEGO light brick since it was a 2x3 brick size and took the detail to another level.

Article by Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann Last Mecha issue, Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann showed his initial hangar bay and mecha builds. Since then, he has uprated and built new models. Here he talks about his builds!

AMS JE06 JEBAT “Pahlawan”

Here is my latest MOC mecha, a one-of-a-kind design: the AMS JE06 JEBAT “Pahlawan.” Standing almost 60 cm tall, from head to foot, this huge mecha has brick lights installed within its head to light its mono eye as well as its interior cockpit area. The process for building this mecha began from the foot initially and working up. It took me about 4-5 months between breaks to finish this beast in time for Japan Brickfest 2017.

Previous page:

After six months, my AMS JE 06 Jabat finally landed in the Hangar No. 5 diorama. This was only a test shot, not the final version—I wanted to share my excitement with everyone when I initially placed it here. I’m glad it turned out okay for the height.

The mono eye light really makes me feel satisfied about the build.

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Maintenance Hangar #5 Hangar No. 5 is where my AMS JE06 Jebat stands for maintenance checks by its crew. With dimensions of 60 cm by 60 cm, this diorama took me over two years on and off of building, with various designs being implemented such as adding multiple colored light displays, an opening LEGO Technic door, a scissor lift boom, and many more details, which can be seen on my Flickr page. I learned a lot of lessons that I will cherish while I built the Hangar. It made its public debut at Japan Brickfest 2017 in Rokko Island, Kobe, Japan. The response to my MOC along with AMS JE06 Jebat was humbling. I was glad to see the satisfaction and surprised looks of the visitors— Hopefully I inspired them in a way.

This angle shows more details on the inner wall design, including a walkway that can lock in place to the surrounding platform when not in use.

With a little imagination, you could place a minifigure inside to make the diorama more like a real-life scenario.

The base can easily house approximately 20 minifigures in it.

The diorama includes:

ABL Articulating Boom Lift

• 10-20 crewmen • 4 mechanical arms: 2 attached to wall panels and 2 on a beam • LTV Formica Light Transport Vehicle • 2 GP Containers - General Purpose • ABL Heavy Duty Articulating Boom Lifts • 4 Platform Walkway • 4 LED lights • Rack of Missiles • Walkway platform with 2 hidden robotic arms for robotic arms This is currently on public display in Parkson Mahkota, Malacca. Many thanks to Kelvin Low, Lu Sim, and Kenny Lim for ideas and contributions.

ABL Heavy Duty Articulating Boom Lift

A great additional element here for my diorama hangar scene is an articulated boom lift which provides a way to reach the pilot cockpit within the mecha. There is a hidden extended floor design at the platform.

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AMS FS99 Führungmaschine Mark II “Mistel”

I did a complete overhaul from the head to the feet from the Mistel’s predecessor, Balrog. The main cockpit and torso area remain the same with some additional details added on. As for the hip, a total redesign was done by removing the skirt based on the Balrog. More details were added to the arms, such as LEGO Technic parts fitted to the elbow area. The legs were reinforced with more slope parts, and the feet were a bit challenging with a new design. Details were added on, such as blue and red lights on the shoulder and thigh area. A 1x2 trans tile was added to the front of the cockpit area, which will glow in the dark.

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At this stage, I designed so many versions of the Mistel head that I lost count.

As always, my favorite style would be a mono eye design. I came across a new part that changed my eye design with a trans-orange tooth shape, giving it a menacing look.

Infantry Assault Division “Roach” Desert Camo R99 Mk V

After many delays and redesign frustrations that lasted almost two years, I finally managed to get work on this mecha back on track, this time named the Infantry Assault Division “Roach” Desert Camp R99 Mk V, which means it’s the Mark 5 version or fifth attempt to upgrade this model. Instead of the usual mech body design that I have made for others, this will be based on one semi-circle dome shape design with one big mono eye in the middle. This mecha is a rebuild from a failed prototype, the R89 Mark IV. As for the design process, I have added on armor plating on the leg area for protection in a close-up battle scenario. I also added some orange barrels on its back on two sides of the main body, which could act as an ammunition or fuel tank. The front cockpit has a smaller arm near the eyeball, which gives it a nasty look. The top right side has some new functions, including a camera for drone detection and an infrared eye. I also made a new leg design that is taller on the hind leg, making it look like an ostrich leg.

Two shields are placed in front of the legs for protection from closed counter attack. Additional shielding will be added on the top half of the body in a subtle way. Another item that has been added is a small three-rocket booster that can lift the mecha in the air a few meters high for getting a higher spot platform or just to make a quick escape.

For weaponry, I added two removable missile pods on each side of the mecha on the shoulder, and two additional pods on each leg. There are concealed missile pods from the body of the mecha at the side, and the arms are equipped with Gatling guns.

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Wulfaz “Reaper” Lupus WL. 44 STA - Surveillance and Target Acquisition

I got inspiration from the Metal Gear Solid 4 series where there are characters that I really like—I have been wanting to build the Crying Wolf ever since the game was released in 2012. I hadn’t built anything based on animal forms before, so this was my first attempt. This is also a follow-up from my unnamed mech head design with a minor change, aside from the side panel with the printing on it.

The design shape is based on Grey Wolf, hence the name Wulfaz (an old Germanic name) and Lips (the genus name for the Gray Wolf). This Wulfaz is primarily a “ScoutSniper” STA (Surveillance and Target Acquisition) mecha.

This is a pose where the head reveals its jaws and within the head, a giant infrared lens to scout in the dark. This design can be traced to my earlier sketches. The side view of this beast shows the overall details and design at the front and rear leg, especially the small foot design, armaments position and shape of the back.

This model appeared on BrickVault’s Youtube channel recently.

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This is the head with the fangs exposed and the mono eye exposed. This new design works really well with the fangs and a more mechanical tone. There is a hidden design element where the head opens and exposes its inner bright lens while the fangs drop down to a more intimidating pose, like a growling wild animal.

DOR SR 44 Sniper Rifle

This sniper rifle has a bipod rest and a stainless steel barrel. The DORA SR 44 has a detachable box magazine and an adjustable stock.

The 3 yellow stripes on the barrel are kill stripes, indicating the kill score by the gunner.

Gebar ARG 4 Assault Rifle

I made a weapon for my AMS 06 JE Jebat: the Gebar ARG 4 Assault Rifle. This comes with a detachable magazine and a periscope for better aiming at targets from a distance.

You can see more of Benjamin’s work at https://www.flickr.com/photos/benjamin_cheh_creations_bcc/ or by scanning this QR code.

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Black Boa ”Borussia” Mark II BB4 Infantry Assault Division EMP Version

Almost a year ago, I made a black mecha based on my favorite anime series: Patlabor—the Type J-9 Griffon.

Now, it’s time for an upgraded version of it: the latest Black Boa “Borussia” BB4 IAD (E.M.P MODE). It’s an airborne mecha with wings and it comes with a pilot inside.

For the leg, I have added more firm support in the foot and leg area. Its former design wasn’t that strong and wasn’t stable, so it kept falling down, to my annoyance. I added more details to the torso, such as grills to make it more mechanical-looking. The head was expanded and upgraded to another level. The arms were redesigned to make them smooth, using slope parts.

The wing design which was based on its former predecessor’s design is equipped with an EMP generator, which creates a short burst of electromagnetic energy up to 1000 meters from the main core rod. With three rods, the energy is three time stronger. The EMP disrupts enemy trackers, radio, and other electronics, rendering them useless while Borussia hunts them down.

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People

Incy Wincy

David’s first walker, built in Classic Space colors.

Incy Wincy, my first walker built with classic space color scheme

David Liu works in the finance and IT industry. Most of his leisure time is spent with his beautiful wife and lovely son. His wife loves arranging many activities for the family during the holidays. Since his son is young, he is very much attached to David nearly 24/7, leaving time to build only during his naps or when he sleeps. Other than LEGO which is David’s main focus, he is also into Transformers and Japanese comics.

How long you have been building?

My first experience with LEGO was through playing with my elder brother. However, I wasn’t really into it and fell into the Dark Ages very quickly. In 2012 I used LEGO to build a birthday gift for my girlfriend (now wife!). Since then, my interest in LEGO has piqued again. At first, like everyone, I’d just buy sets and build. It wasn’t till 2013 where I bought a copy of Amazing Vehicles which raised my interested in AMOC (Alt Builds). In 2014, LEGO Mixels came into the picture, which encourages AMOC a lot! No matter how strange one’s creation is, that’s okay because it’s a monster! All these factors pushed me to further my AMOC adventures. Then from 2015, I made a decision to combine all the bricks from my opened sets, sort them, and embark on my MOC journey.

Article by David Liu

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Santa Mecha

Christmas is always a cheerful theme to build.

Barigator

The Zoids Barigator (top) was one of my favorite toy in my childhood, so I built one! (bottom)

A iconic scene of Star Wars in microscale.

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Red Riding Hood Combining fairy tales with mecha: Little Red Riding Hood.

Power suits for (from left to right): Red Riding Hood, Grandmother, the Wolf.

What inspires you to build?

As one of an Admin of MOCer League (LEGO MOCer group on Facebook), there is always a monthly topic to build. I always emjoy combining the topic with existing elements that I like. One particular topic was “Fairy Tales” where I converted all the characters from Little Red Riding Hood into mecha. I am fond of combining two disparate themes, mashing them up and making the creation even more fun! For example, combining mecha or military genres with Disney elements, or Food with elements of Star Wars. These are pretty fun in my book!

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Donald Mecha

Mecha or military genres with Disney elements a Donald mecha!

A Brickheadz version of Dumbo with Timothy Mouse, built for David’s wife.

A zombie pirate vignette.

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Chameleon Mecha

This chameleon was built only from the parts in the Future Flyers LEGO set.

You can see more of David’s work by going to his Flickr page: https://www.flickr. com/photos/dvdliu/ or by scanning this QR code!

Lobster Mecha

The lobster included in the LEGO Batman Movie is so adorable, David built him as a mecha with a huge cannon.

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People

Stand by for Titanfall!

Article by Kelvin Low

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One of the more popular videogame series that has been released recently is Titanfall games by Electronic Arts. This first-person game lets the player command a towering mecha called an Atlas through the game and became the inspiration of a LEGO build.

For Kelvin Low and his friends and fellow builders Lu Sim and Benjamin Cheh, it became their first group build for their Facebook group Brick Mecha Division. Kelvin describes the building of the model here for BrickJournal.

For this particular build, I based it off of the threezero version (threezero is a Hong Kong based toy company) which I find is the definitive version in terms of both detailing and proportions.

It also helps to have a work flow for your build. My build order is as such Torso -> Head -> Arms - > Legs

Given the source material, I knew I had to include a pilot with dual hatches: One from the front and the other from the top hatch. These necessitated a large torso. To counteract that, I decided to go for a full Technic-based frame which would allow me to scale up without issues in weight. Also, with the Technic frame I was able to incorporate more pistons and mechanical details into the build.

It also helps to have a workflow for your build. My build order is as such: Torso -> Head -> Arms - > Legs.

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Here are some test builds of the torso. Building a torso that fits a figure will require lots of trial and error to work in hinging the hatches and also adding articulation points for the arms and legs. System plates are also being experimented with to help shape the torso.

First test frame.

Another look at the frame.

Test fit with pilot.

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Rear view of the frame.

The final version of the torso can be seen on the left. Once you have nailed the torso and head, it is easier to scale the proportions of the arms to the body. Using references, the arms are built and detailed. Articulation is built into the arms, with elbow and wrist joints eventually added. Plates are also added to ‘skin’ and color the mech. Other accents are added as the shape is defined.

The final torso design.

A look at the rear.

Completing the torso.

Once the torso is done, next is designing the appropriate legs to match the weight of the torso.

Friction adders (part #6106472/ballcup-high-friction-w-rubber) are a must for large mechs as it prevents the legs from splitting under their own weight! Ball joints are used to open up the motion of the legs and arms, but the knees use large click joints to support the mech.

Building the feet. You can see the friction adders in the center linking the ankles to the feet.

Working on the waist. Note the minfigure scuba tanks used as details.

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The frame of the Atlas without exterior armor.

The rear of the waist.

The completed cockpit.

Arm detail of the Atlas.

For more shots, do check out my flickr account : https://www.flickr.com/ photos/chubbybots/ and my recently launched Youtube channel https:// www.youtube.com/user/chubbybots as well, where I give people a more detailed breakdown of my builds and how they are done.

You can see more of Kelvin’s work at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ chubbybots/ or by scanning the QR code below.

The rear of the frame of the Atlas armor.

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People

Article by Freddy Tan

Freddy Tan is an automation engineer by profession: He designs and builds machines that assemble products. He’s also one of the members of the Brick Mecha Division and a member of the Titans Creations LUG (LEGO Users Group). BrickJournal talked to him about his building and mechs.

BrickJournal: How long have you been building?

Freddy Tan: My very first contact with LEGO was when I was about ten years old. I loved to take apart my brother’s LEGO and build my own stuff, such as helicopters, boats, and cars. I even tried building robots, but sadly there were only limited parts. Then came my Dark Ages where I stayed away from LEGO. That lasted for more than twenty years.

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I started to dabble with LEGO again during Christmas 2013, when I received a Star Wars battle pack during a gift exchange. I was fascinated by how far LEGO build techniques had evolved after building the simple speeder bike included in the set. I was instantly hooked, especially when I realized that there were a lot of new parts that they didn’t have back then, parts that I could finally use to build stuff I always wanted to do so since I was a kid: Mechs.

What inspires you to build?

Sure enough, my very first MOC was a mech that was modelled after Battletech’s (a mech-based game) Mad Cat, and I have to admit it didn’t even look remotely similar. However, that spurred me on to do further major modifications twice on my mech, and also motivated me to try new building techniques.

I would have to say the main inspiration to build is the simple reason that I can translate any idea and concept of mech from my mind into a physical form. With LEGO as the medium, I am able to build any form of mech, in whichever combination of details and weaponry, no longer constrained by whatever is available in the market. There are many ways to express and physically manifest the ideas in our head: Some people sketch, some people do 3-D modelling, some people do clay modelling. I simply build them out with LEGO. My favorite part about building mech is definitely weaponizing. Determining how the mech is armed and what sort of role they play in actual combat actually helps shape the mech. It’s always good to have a vague idea of a mech’s purpose before building it.

This will determine the proportions of the mech: Lean and agile chassis for a scout role, or a stout and bulky chassis for heavy support role.

I also find that building is a journey; you can never build the best MOC, but you must always strive to build a better MOC than your last MOC. Hence I always try to explore new techniques and build styles. When I start on a new mech, I always ask myself what are the different things that I can try on this mech, be it a new joint type, adding more articulation, improving SNOT technique, making a more compact cockpit, or simply improving the structural integrity of the build. No matter how minute these improvements are, you will have learned something, and also have a sense of accomplishment.

Warhammer Battlecruiser

Being an avid Warhammer 40k fan, I always wanted to build something out of its universe. Hence this 60 cm long model of a battlecruiser based on the game. Built over a week, this was one of my fastest builds, considering the size. It’s also one of the few non-mech things I’ve built so far.

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Avengers Mech Suits

A Hulk suit I made for a local super-hero themed MOC event. I was quite surprised that I managed to scrape together sufficient olive green parts to put this together.

There is a full squad of Avengers suits, but they are smaller in size and not as detailed as this one.

War Machine.

Iron Man.

Hawkeye.

Thor.

Captain America.

Black Widow.

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Mech Armored Suit

A crazy idea that I had to make: A suit for a suit. Based roughly and influenced by the gun tank in Gundam and the suit concept from one of my favorite animated series, Exo-Squad. The tracked feet are supposed to add mobility to the mounted suit while the outer frame adds unrealistically overwhelming firepower. Exaggeration was very much intended.

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WarBears

A series of suits which I call WarBears due to their bulky frame.

Designed to be grunts in combat and fulfilling various roles as needed.

I actually had to stop myself from replicating them further using the same frame. In total I built seven of them in different colors and roles, including a Santa Claus version for a Christmas event. Weaponizing them was extremely fun.

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Titanfall Themed Suit

Specifically built for a challenge by a Facebook group called Brick Mecha Division. The theme of the challenge was Titanfall. Its frame is roughly based off the WarBear fame but enlarged by about 250%. It stands about 45 cm tall and one of my goals for this build was to make sure it could adopt the kneeling position.

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People

Grimlock Article and Photos by Seth Higgins Grimlock has been a fan favorite of many Transformers fans, and I am no exception. The Dinobot leader made his original debut back in 1985 and has had many different remakes since then. I chose to build the original 1985 version, because it is the Grimlock I’ve known the most. He has a classic ’80s feel to his design with the flashy lights and exposed robot parts. The character himself has become an icon of the original Transfomers through his personality and story. Grimlock is known for his brute strength, which I wanted to show in my build. The Dinobots were designed as walking tanks. They were larger, stronger, and more heavily armored than the other Transformers.

When I was designing the build, I looked at the original Transformer toys and artwork. I wanted the design to look close to the cartoon, but I also wanted to bring out the ‘mechanical beast feel’ that many of the comic books and artwork gave Grimlock. One detail that is a reference to the comic book is Grimlock’s red eyes. The cartoon made Grimlock have blue eyes to make him more of a fun and docile comic-relief type character, leaving out his more brutal destructive side. Because I have always thought of Grimlock as a titan among the Transformers, I decided to make Grimlock larger than any of my previous Transformer builds.

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Design Designing the transformation was tricky because of the weight and size of the build. I made the transformation similar to the actual toys. But, due to how LEGO bricks connect by clutch power and interlocking together, I had difficulty with the structural integrity holding the weight of the build in transformation. Since making a Transformer requires having lots of moving parts that need to fold and separate, the structure of what could be just a simple robot build, can become thin and frail. For example, Grimlock’s dinosaur legs become his robot arms. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem since his legs are bulky. But, since his legs need to be his arms, they have to hide the hands inside the leg in dinosaur mode. This leaves an open area that would normally have part of the main structure of an arm or leg. It would be similar to your bones being made like a hollow pipe rather than a solid rod.

Grimlock has been one of the most difficult Transformers for me to design, but the time and effort was worth it to me.

He stands in robot mode at 12.5 inches and from nose to tail in robot dinosaur mode is over 20 inches long. His size does make him a little hard to pose just because of how heavy he is, but he does stand well on his own without the use of back support. He is scaled to be around the correct size compared to a LEGO minifigure.

I tried to use as many SNOT techniques as I could to keep the build clean. The arms were one of the most difficult parts of the build. The shape of the arm needs to have a round curve on each side, and each side needed to nearly match. The first try building the arms didn’t go well. His arms split in half and just couldn’t hold his weight in dino mode. After trying many combinations of bricks with studs on the sides and top, I finally got a sturdy functional robot arm. There was a lot of trial and error that went in to the Grimlock build, but it was a fun process that was worth the end product. Grimlock stands out as a character and he towers over all of my Transformer models. Maybe I will someday get around to building the remaining four Dinobots, but I certainly can’t be making any promises.

Grimlock is equipped with a flamethrower in his mouth.

Grimlock.

When Grimlock was originally designed people thought that the T-rex dragged its tail. Though this was later shown to be incorrect, it is a fun defining part of Grimlocks character. This area also holds the majority of his weight and helps keep him balanced and stable.

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20 Inches Long

12.5 Inches High (Actual size)

Small ball joints in each tow give just a small amount of flex for better stability.

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Transformation Techniques The Dino chest opens to become the back of the robot.

The Hands rotate into the arms for dino mode.

The Ends of the tail are connected by two ball joints to rotate inside the leg.

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• Virtual customization, and designing decals • Custom part modification and creation • 3-D printing and painting techniques • Lighting with LEDs or EL wire • Ideas on displays and digital photography • Plus a custom gallery with tips & tricks!

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People

Article by Lu Sim

Lu Sim, also known as @Messymaru online, has been a graphic designer since 2005, doing mostly freelance work in corporate communications, branding, and anything/ everything that requires some digital layout to be done. He has also done some freehand and digital illustrations. His latest project has been making fitness-related apparel with his longtime girlfriend as they’re both quite active in their local fitness community. BrickJournal talked to Lu about his building and his MOCs. BrickJournal: How long you have been building?

Lu Sim: I’ve returned from my Dark Ages in 2013 after being intrigued for years by LEGO blogs (specifically LEGO mech blogs). I finally decided one day that I needed a tangible creative outlet aside from illustration and decided to dig up my childhood LEGO bin, only to find it with fewer parts than I remembered. That’s when I started meeting some local guys, got more bricks to play with, and made my first post-Dark Ages mech in late 2013, and I’ve continued my mostly-mech 34 creations ever since.

What inspires you to build?

Growing up, I was a huge Mecha fan. I grew up watching tons of anime, mostly Gundam and Macross, read and looked at as much Mecha-related material as I could find growing up; like manga, artbooks of video games or shows, and just absorbing as much of that as I could. Eventually, I got into plastic models but always felt like it wasn’t enough to build something as instructed. Sadly, it was quite hard getting into the custom models scene when I was growing up, but I resorted to using my LEGO to make crude mechs.

Nowadays, I build knowing I haven’t built all the designs I’ve always wanted, and that’s a strong driving force for me to keep on creating newer mech designs.

AL-KT02GS Izlude

This is actually a commission piece based of an earlier knight build I made called the Paragon. Someone saw the Paragon build and asked about it and we decided to just build a newer version using the Version 3 reFrame.

The color scheme and weapon was requested by the client, but I knew from the start that I wanted a beetlelike shield idea for this design. Really happy with how it turned out with the gold accents and striping, and this is easily one of my favorite designs. Honestly, I’m a little sad having to let it go, but I know the guy who commissioned it will take good care of it.

35

NESF-M07TSL Sailia

The Sailia is the first mech I’ve built using my newest version 3 reFrame mech inner structure. This allows for a minifig pilot to sit inside the chest, making it more balanced than the back piloted version 2. I started this design mostly as a test build to see the limitations of the inner frame in terms of stability, amount of detail, balance, and structural integrity, and was quite pleased with the results. That and I’ve always wanted to build a sand blue mech and have been saving up pieces for it ever since I came back in 2013, as Sand Blue is such a beautiful and unique color for me.

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ARMT-M01X-SR Dash Baron

One of my most experimental designs, the Dash Baron is actually an improved model of an earlier build called Baron. I repurposed it as an entry to Omar Gonzales’ Mecha Racing League so the redesign had to feature some racing-inspired aesthetics like the vents and mechanical details found all around the build. It uses the Version 2 of my reFrame mech structure, allowing a minifig pilot in the backpack.

It was a really fun build to do, especially using the Chima Speedorz as the base of the foot design. I’ve been wanting to incorporate that as a heel for a speedoriented mech, and this was the perfect chance to do so.

Figured I’d make the whole build in orange too, to have that sports car vibe to it.

You can see more of Lu Sim’s work at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ messymaru/ or by scanning the QR code above.

People

RX-78-2 Gundam and Zeta Gundam

The RX-78-2 Gundam (right) is shown with shield and weaponry. The Zeta Gundam (below) strikes an iconic pose.

Article by Sam Cheng Sam Cheng is based in Hong Kong and Singapore. His family is in the jewelry industry.

He has been an AFOL since late 2014, specializing in mecha building. He spoke to BrickJournal briefly about his building.

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BrickJournal: How long have you been building?

Sam Cheng: My first LEGO set being an AFOL was Metalbeard’s Duel (70807) which I got after The LEGO Movie’s screening in 2014. I had actually bought two sets in an attempt to customize my own version of Metalbeard. The empowerment of the brick that LEGO gives us builders allows me to recreate my favorite mechas from my childhood, such as Transformers and Gundam, according to my aesthetic vision and philosophy.

What inspires you to build?

My design philosophy is based on these three principles: 1. Balancing Aesthetics, Structural Integrity and Play, 2. Combining Form and Function, 3. Inspiring and introducing new ideas to the LEGO Community by creating original and creative building techniques.

The genre and characters that I build are popular subjects done by many. Orion Pax, Moko of Japan, Chris Roach of Canada, Alex Yap of Malaysia, and Alex Wong of Hong Kong are all inspiring masters of their craft when it comes to transforming MOCs. Each of them provides a unique facet to the gem that is the LEGO community, that enriches and inspires the community.

I focus a lot on balancing the tripartite of Aesthetics, Structural Integrity and Play.

Since I play with my MOCs a lot, they have to look stylish, be sturdy enough to play, have interesting gimmicks, and be as posable as possible. I tend to go for simple, clean lines to better define the silhouette, and I go for the semi-super deformed look with a disproportionately large head (chibi style) to better capture the spirit and essence of the character.

To create something that is familiar yet new and unique is always a challenge. To me, creating the character alone is not enough. I have very high standards for my creations. I always explore features and ideas that are unique and new to make my MOC stand out—be it the light-up eyes of Chibi-Prime and Megatron, the fiery glow of Grimlock’s fire breath, and the extendable Z joints on my RX-78 to enhance its gunpla-like qualities.

Combining form and function is a cornerstone of my MOCs too. As far as possible, I will incorporate features that enhance the aesthetics in a meaningful way.

For instance, in my RX-78 Gundam, I introduced a joint I dubbed as CGS (centre of gravity shift) that shifts the entire centre of gravity of the upper body forward or backward horizontally without affecting the aesthetics, and adding locks to joints that not only add mechanical detail, but serve a practical purpose to support the Gundam in different poses.

Zeta Gundam

Sam updated his build to incorporate more articulation and detail.

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In my transformer creations, I do not use existing toys as reference. LEGO elements have an intricate, relative sizing and measurement relationship. As such, what might work on an existing toy may not be suitable at all for a brick-based transformer. Instead, I come up with or adapt transformations based on the subject matter. So long as the final result is reminiscent of the character, all is good.

Dinobot Grimlock

Grimlock in his Dinobot form (below) and showing his tail (bottom right). Grimlock transforms to his Chibibot version on the opposite page.

Bumblebee

Bumblebee (top photo, left) and Cliffjumper (top photo, right) can transform into cars, as seen with Bumblebee (above).

The Chibiformers.

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Most of my Transformers feature relatively simple transformation, with the exception of Megatron. I try my best to keep all transforming movements to be part of the mecha’s movable joints so that in robot mode, these joints will enhance their articulation and can keep the MOC relatively compact to be in scale with minifigs.

Chibi-Prime

A chibi-based version of Transformer Optimus Prime (right and bottom right).

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Megatron

Megatron features more than 40 points of articulation with the ability to transform into a toy gun.

Megatron transformed (above) and in gun mode (below).

My latest creation is Megatron. This is a rebuild of my first version back in 2015. All in all, I have tried close to a dozen methods this year to transform him from a robot into a gun. The hardest part about transforming MOCs is to balance the look of the robot and the alternate mode, and Megatron is no exception. In most Megatron gun modes, be it the toy or LEGO MOCs, the gun mode is not symmetrical. As such, one of the aims that I set out to do is to create a gun mode that is symmetrical from both the left and right side.

Also, Megatron encompass ideas from my previous MOCs, such as off-balance posing from RX-78 Gundam, and light-up features from Chibi-Prime.

Through LEGO, I have made many friends around the world. I want to thank every one of them for the constant support and feedback. And a big thanks to BrickJournal for the feature.

Brick On! You can see more of Sam’s work at his Flickr gallery: https://www. flickr.com/photos/ s2toys/ or Facebook page: https://www. facebook.com/S2Toys/ . You can also scan the QR code to his Flickr gallery.

42

People

Noel Encarnacion’s

Gundam Papa Bee Article by Noel Encarnacion

I

have always been fascinated with robots, mecha and Gundam (mobile suits) since the late ’70s when the cartoon show Voltes V aired in the Philippines. It was shown every Friday and ran for 30 minutes each episode.

Seeing robots fly and move like ballerinas as they battle other robots, I was instantly hooked. It so happens that in the early ’80s, LEGO was introduced for the very first time in Manila. It was the Classic Space sets that got me interested in LEGO, but it wasn’t until 1992 when I bought my first LEGO set, the Imperial Flagship from the Pirates theme.

By mid/late ’90s, I started watching more Japanese animation movies, and my interest in robots resurfaced.

It was also during these years that I noticed an increase in my LEGO purchases and was going to garage sales on Saturdays, looking for used sets and bulk LEGO. Craigslist and eBay were in its infancy then, if not non-existent.

Then in 2003 after a trip in Asia, I decided it’s time to start on my “Gundam” project. I was more than eager, yet not quite ready, using LEGO as a medium. I told myself, there was nothing to lose and everything to gain. I knew I was on the right path by doing some research using the Internet to check what has been built at that time and by whom.

It was by accident that I stumbled on this mecha on the Internet, roughly 12-13 inches tall and superbly done. I tried to contact the builder but got no response to my e-mails.

Luckily, a couple of builders came into the picture which provided me with ideas regarding their mechabuilding experiences. Those early lessons learned from these two individuals became the foundation of my own mecha building.

43

44

The Gundam compared to a minifigure.

The shin plates can be opened to show the supports needed to keep the Gundam standing.

With the shoulder plates removed (above and below), one can see the gears that are used to move the arm. The universal joint that hangs under the shoulder tip pivots the arm up and down.

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A look at the back of the model. Articulation points are marked by axle connectors (the ridged tubular parts) and bushings (the short round segments) and are used to rotate joints for posing.

My original plan was to build something bigger than the 13inch mecha I saw on the Internet. I wanted to integrate some articulation to the build, not just for the finished model to be a static display. More research and countless hours on the Internet got me to meet this Japanese fellow: Mr. Cabuto (I hope I spelled his name right; it’s been a while). He had built several mechas and Gundams already, all with some form of articulation. With his expertise and help, I was able to do the same on my Gundam. As always there were some successes and a fair number of failures in integrating articulations into my model.

Armed with enough gray pieces and ample red bricks, I started my build in 2004. It took approximately a year-and-ahalf of “on again/off again” building to finish my Gundam, which stands tall at a height of 2' 5" (head to toe). The (oversized) feet alone took three months (of trial and error) to get the right “size” in order to support the weight of the Gundam. The skeletal integrity is held by Technic 46 beams and gears, covered by plates as its skin.

The back of the head. Note that the parts used are relatively basic.

A close-up of the head, and [right] the chest and head of the Gundam.

While the Gundam has a cockpit in the chest, the model does not have one.

I was fairly satisfied with the end result of the build despite some shortcomings. In my world of building, those are expected, which translate to future improvements.

Through the years, the Gundam had its share of “falls” that required reconstruction. Because of its weight (at 10 pounds), there were no less than six accidental falls.

While on display, it’s best to have it lean against a wall or something sturdy, although it can stand on its own for some period of time.

After a few years on display at home, it was “mothballed” and kept in storage for over five years. It was only two months ago when it saw the light of day once more. For the very first time, the Gundam was brought to a LEGO fan convention in the San Francisco/Bay Area—Bricks By the Bay—to be seen and enjoyed by fellow AFOLs and public alike. For the con, it was given an official name, Gundam Papa Bee, in honor of my father who passed away last November, and who silently supported my LEGO hobby.

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You Can Build It MINI Model

Strider Mech

For this issue, I wanted to add a micromech that was different from the humanoid models that are usually featured. This mech was actually built some years ago with some other micromechs I built way back in BrickJournal #15!

Design and Instructions

by Joe Meno

Parts List (Parts can be ordered from Bricklink.com by

I had to do a little updating, as the legs used hinge plates that are no longer being made. With the update came an update to the shoulder weapon. Previously, there was a small cannon. That has been replaced with a sniper gun.

The 1x2 plate with handle can be built with other weapons or radar as desired.

The color of the strider mech can be other colors too, so build it the way you want! There’s a lot of options to play with, so have fun building!

searching by part number and color)

Qty 1 1 1 2 1 1 6 1 3 4 2

Part 6141.dat 54200.dat 2540.dat 3024.dat 3062b.dat 4589.dat 6141.dat 30374.dat 6141.dat 60478.dat 61252.dat

2

63868.dat

2 2

92280.dat 2412b.dat

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Description Color Plate 1 x 1 Round Trans Red Slope Brick 31 1 x 1 x 0.667 Trans Black Plate 1 x 2 with Handle Dark Bluish Gray Plate 1 x 1 Dark Bluish Gray Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud Dark Bluish Gray Cone 1 x 1 Dark Bluish Gray Plate 1 x 1 Round Dark Bluish Gray Bar 4L Light Sabre Blade Dark Bluish Gray Plate 1 x 1 Round Black Plate 1 x 2 with Handle on End Black Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (Thick C-Clip) Black Plate 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on End (Thick C-Clip) Black Plate 1 x 2 with Single Clip on Top Black Tile 1 x 2 Grille with Groove Blue

Qty Part 2 2429.dat 2 2430.dat 4 3024.dat 1 3040b.dat 4 3069b.dat 1 3623.dat 1 3700.dat 1 3710.dat 1 3794b.dat 2

4081b.dat

2 2 2

6141.dat 49668.dat 60897.dat

Description Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Base Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Top Plate 1 x 1 Slope Brick 45 2 x 1 Tile 1 x 2 with Groove Plate 1 x 3 Technic Brick 1 x 2 with Hole Plate 1 x 4 Plate 1 x 2 with Groove with 1 Centre Stud Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Light Type 2 Plate 1 x 1 Round Plate 1 x 1 with Tooth In-line Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical (Thick C-Clip)

Color Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue

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50

You Can Build It MINI Model

MINI Hammerhead Corvette

Design and Instructions

by Christopher Deck

Hello everybody, I am really glad to join you again for another mini building session in BrickJournal! In this issue we want to build another starship model from the latest Star Wars spin-off film: Rogue One. During the Battle of Scarif, a small hammerhead corvette rams its head into the flank of a disabled Star Destroyer to push it towards the planetary shield gate in order to destroy it.

Building a capital-scaled starship as a miniature is a challenging task. To create a recognizable shape of a large ship in a small scale, you need to avoid bulky elements on the outer shell, and if at all, use big elements in a way so that it contributes to the design. For example, we use a big LEGO Technic T-shaped liftarm in the engine section. It gives the shape for three engines simultaneously and holds the entire block together by offering an option for another SNOT brick to be attached.

Another highlight of the design is the ship’s head. To attach two 1x1 slopes smoothly together, without a step in the combined slope, we use two headlight bricks to generate a half-plate height. This generates the perfect angle for the ship’s hammerhead. I hope you will enjoy building this starship. I wish you happy building, and see you next time!

Parts List (Parts can be ordered from Bricklink.com by searching by part number and color) Middle Section Qty Color

Part

2

Light-Bluish-Gray 3062b.dat

1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

3

Light-Bluish-Gray 4733.dat

1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

2 3 5 2 2 2 1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

3062b.dat

30162.dat 55300.dat

Light-Bluish-Gray 3024.dat Light-Bluish-Gray 6141.dat Light-Bluish-Gray 3023.dat

Light-Bluish-Gray 85984.dat Light-Bluish-Gray 11477.dat

Light-Bluish-Gray 24201.dat

3

Light-Bluish-Gray 6541.dat

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 98138.dat

3

Light-Bluish-Gray 3070b.dat

1 1

Orange-Solid

24246.dat

Orange-Solid

3069b.dat

Description

Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud

Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Four Sides

Minifig Binoculars with Round Eyepiece

Minifig Tool Box Wrench Plate 1 x 1

Plate 1 x 1 Round Plate 1 x 2

Slope Brick 31 1 x 2 x 0.667 Slope Brick Curved 2 x 1 Slope Brick Curved 2 x 1 Inverted Technic Brick 1 x 1 with Hole Tile 1 x 1 Round with Groove

Tile 1 x 1 with Groove Tile 1 x 1 with Rounded End

Tile 1 x 2 with Groove

Engine Block Qty. Color 3

Dark-Bluish-Gray

3

Orange-Solid

52

Part

3062b.dat

Description

Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud

3062bpb043.dat Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud with Fire Danger Sign Pattern

Qty. Color

Part

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 4070.dat

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 30136.dat

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 3024.dat

4

Trans-Orange

1

1

1 2 1

Light-Bluish-Gray 47905.dat

Dark-Bluish-Gray

30162.dat

Light-Bluish-Gray 6141.dat 6141.dat

Light-Bluish-Gray 85984.dat Light-Bluish-Gray 24201.dat

1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

18654.dat

1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

32002.dat

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 60484.dat

Description

Brick 1 x 1 with Headlight Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Two Opposite Sides Brick 1 x 2 Log

Minifig Binoculars with Round Eyepiece Plate 1 x 1

Plate 1 x 1 Round Plate 1 x 1 Round

Slope Brick 31 1 x 2 x 0.667 Slope Brick Curved 2 x 1 Inverted Technic Beam 1

Technic Beam 3 x 3 T-shaped Technic Pin 3/4

Hammerhead Qty. Color

Part

Description

2

Dark-Bluish-Gray

4070.dat

Brick 1 x 1 with Headlight

2

Dark-Bluish-Gray

30162.dat

1

Dark-Bluish-Gray

3024.dat

2

Light-Bluish-Gray 3794a.dat

2

Light-Bluish-Gray 4070.dat

1

Light-Bluish-Gray 4733.dat

2

4 1

Orange-Solid

Orange-Solid

Dark-Bluish-Gray

3024.dat

54200.dat 15100.dat

Brick 1 x 1 with Headlight Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Four Sides

Minifig Binoculars with Round Eyepiece Plate 1 x 1 Plate 1 x 1

Plate 1 x 2 without Groove with 1 Centre Stud

Slope Brick 31 1 x 1 x 0.667 Technic Pin with Friction with Perpendicular Pin Hole

Middle Section

53

Engine Block

www.brickcoaster.com

54 Custom Roller Coaster Tracks, Sets and Accessories

Hammerhead

You can see Christopher’s webpage by going to www.deckdesigns.de or scanning this QR code!

55

Guardian

Design and Instructions

by Tommy Williamson

Tommy Williamson is no stranger to BrickJournal, having been featured previously for his Jack Sparrow miniland scale figure. Since then, he has gone farther into building, making some remarkable Star Trek props and other models. He’s now doing a column for BrickJournal: DIY Fan Art. Here, Tommy takes a little time out from his busy schedule at BrickNerd.com to make a model of his choosing for the magazine.

Parts List

(Parts can be ordered through Bricklink.com by searching by part number and color)

Qty Part

About this issue’s model:

When someone says “giant robot,” you might be inclined to think of Transformers or mechs, but these days I’m still playing a lot of Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, so I think about these guys, Guardians. While I’m not as afraid of them as I was when I started the game (I know how to defeat them now), they still make my palms sweat when they show up. Enjoy the build!

Color

1 4032a.dat Black

2 4081b.dat Black

1 4150.dat Black

1 4742.dat Black

6 11090.dat Black 1 30033.dat Black

1 30361a.dat Black

1 44567.dat Black

1 60474.dat Black

1 4519.dat Light Bluish Gray 1 6141.dat Medium Blue 6 88704.dat Flat Silver

56

Description

Plate 2 x 2 Round with Axlehole Type 1 Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Light Type 2 Tile 2 x 2 Round with Cross Underside Stud Cone 4 x 4 x 2 Hollow No Studs Bar Tube with Clip Plate 2 x 2 with Rod Frame Octagonal Cylinder 2 x 2 x 2 Robot Body without Bottom Axle Holder Hinge Plate 1 x 2 Locking with Single Finger On Side Vertical Plate 4 x 4 Round with Hole and Snapstud Technic Axle 3 Plate 1 x 1 Round Minifig, Weapon Whip

Bent Flexible

57

Building Minifig Customization 101

Large Figure Conversion - Part 2 Article and Photography

by Jared K. Burks

Don’t miss Jared K. Burks’ two books Minifigure Customization: Populate Your World! and its sequel Minifigure Customization: Why Live In The Box? (both available now at www.twomorrows.com)

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Yo-yo-yo-yo Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo Yoda. . . … . . That tune is still stuck in my head from the intermission article in the last issue. Anyway, before life got in the way of fun, I was showing how to convert a LEGO Minifigure Clock to a new custom figure without a clock. As I mentioned, I am making this figure for my new son, who is now just almost six months old. In the first article I demonstrated how to dismantle the LEGO clock figure, remove the clock, and repair the figure to cover all of the holes, leaving you with a blank slate.

With the figure repaired, this issue is going to focus on creating a new custom Captain America figure.

I have a few surprises in store and some of the plans have changed from the original concept for this project, but that occurs with any good project.

In this article, I will demonstrate how to: • Fix errors in judgement: How to not cut your finger in the process (ouch) • Mold, cast, and alter Batgirl’s helmet • Recreate most any LEGO part to any scale you desire and 3-D print the elements • Prime, paint, and decal the final figure I have learned many things along the path of creating this figure. Some were a surprise, and some I simply knew better, but I relearned an old lesson.

In the list above, the first item is “Fix errors in judgement: How to not cut your finger.” I would like to stop and make a quick statement about this point. In the process of making this figure, I had messed up a casting step and the release agent used did not allow the cast part to come off the head. Because I couldn’t remove the cast part from the head, I started cutting it away to salvage the head. It was late and I was in a hurry and the rotary saw got the best of me.

I have stated many times to use protective Kevlar gloves, which I have and didn’t use (mistake #1). You should also use a hand saw over a knife or rotary tool, and optimally to sand a part down whenever possible (while wearing a dust mask). I made a mistake and misjudged and ended up in the Emergency Room to repair a lacerated finger from the rotary saw (mistake #2). Please know all is well, but learn from my mistake instead of making one of your own.

Please exercise caution and good judgement and take your time, even when errors occur. There are always other alternatives.

Blank slate figure, the starting point.

So let’s dive into what I did with the blank slate, as I am excited to share. I decided to make my son a Captain America Superhero Giant figure. This means that Cap will need a shield and I am wanting to make a hybrid design from the old comic books and his current helmet. I want to make the helmet because ultimately I will be altering Superman’s hair piece to give him some hair and I may 3-D print the LEGO folded-down hood to give him various looks, but for today, we need to create a helmet and a shield. Let’s start with the helmet.

For the helmet I could start with clay and sculpt one from scratch, or attempt to design one in a 3-D program, as I will be using 3-D printing in this article, but I didn’t want to go that route and I wanted it to look as “LEGO” as possible. As we all know LEGO has created several DC character clocks including a Batgirl clock, which features an altered cowl from the Batman clocks. Her cowl, minus the bat ears and with a bit of a re-sculpt of the eye openings and brows, would be nearly perfect for Captain America’s helmet. So my sister, Megan, kindly donated a Batgirl clock to this project. Now I could have cut down the seams, removed the cowl, cut off the ears, patched, repaired, primed, and painted, but I decided to go a different route. I decided to mold Batgirl’s head. By placing the whole head, including cowl, in a mold, I could place the blank LEGO head in the mold and cast and create a new completely solid and sandable helmet.

Error in judgement results in a dermal glue closure of laceration.

Batgirl!

Making the Mold

I didn’t want to cut off Batgirl’s head (I would quickly become the ultimate Bat-verse villain), which would have been the easiest way to mold and cast her cowl. I decided I did not need a perfect result and I did not need a mold that would make very many copies, as this was needed for a one-off figure.

Therefore, I started by selecting a less expensive mold rubber from the art store, Oomoo 25, from Smooth-On. Oomoo 25 is a two-part tin cure silicon rubber where the two parts are mixed by equal volume. So I set to building a large LEGO box that I could put Batgirl’s head into to create the mold and then I figured out how to support the whole Batgirl figure since I wasn’t removing her head and making the whole process smaller and easier. This is where I made another mistake (mistake #3), which was the easiest mistake to repair in this whole process. I mixed the two-part silicone together and poured it into the mold box and positioned the head into the box. I did not place this mold box into a pressure pot to create the mold under pressure because the box was simply too large for my pressure pot (I forgot why this was so critical if I was

59

Molding of Batgirl’s Head

Pouring Oomoo 25 into the mold box.

Batgirl in the box.

going to cast under pressure—more on this in a bit). Therefore, I left it on my desk and let the mold rubber solidify for the duration required.

Typically, when creating a mold, the part being molded is firmly secured to a base to keep it from moving during the process. As this was a quick mold for a one-off part that wouldn’t damage Batgirl, it was not.

This resulted in a hole in the side of the mold as the figure shifted during the process. Because this mold rubber will bond to itself if no release agent is used, I simply patched this hole by adding additional rubber to the side of the mold and allowed it to set. This is shown in the center right photo.

Casting the Cowl

The final mold.

Patching the mold.

Casting Batgirl’s Cowl

The resulting part.

60

Adding casting resin to the mold.

In order to cast the Batgirl cowl, we have to add the LEGO head inside the mold so that a head cavity is created and the cowl can be removed.

In order to remove the head more easily from the cast part, I tightly wrapped the head in aluminum foil before I coated it in a release agent.

What I should have done is wrap it in two layers of aluminum foil, from different directions, to more tightly seal the head from the casting urethane plastic (mistake #4), and I will show you why in a minute. So I added the Clock head to the mold, which was held in place along the neck. I then turned the mold upsidedown and drilled some holes into the tops of the bat ear regions of the cowl. This allowed me to add urethane resin to one side and have the air escape from the other.

After adding the urethane resin to the mold, I placed it in a pressure pot to help crush any bubbles in the resin so I can sand the resulting part. I then let the resin cure in the pressure pot.

When I removed the part I discovered what I had forgotten about molding under pressure if casting under pressure (mistake #3). There could be small bubbles in the mold rubber, and when casting under pressure, these air pockets would get crushed and the resulting part will have a poor resulting surface. This means I have extra sanding to do. Given that I was going to reshape the part, this wasn’t that big of an error, however if I wanted the exact part this would have required an entirely new mold. Now the issue of mistake #4

presented itself. Even though I coated the head in mold release, because I didn’t cover the head in two layers of foil, the resin penetrated the foil and bonded with the head below. This meant I had to heat the head and cast cowl to soften the cowl to pry it from the head, which created mistake #5.

This caused a small tear in the left and right sides of the helmet as well as the nose region, however the head was removed and the part would still tightly attach to the head.

Converting the Cowl

Time to start altering the cowl and converting it into Captain America’s helmet and repairing my various mistakes. I started by using a razor saw to cut off the bat ears. Once the largest portion of the ears have been removed, I was able to use a vibrating sander to start smoothing the surface of the part and remove the pressure casting problem. This is when I discovered I had trapped air in the top of the helmet between the ears. I have a large hole as well as many smaller holes. Pressure casting won’t remove air; it simply makes it smaller. Because I had trapped air in a place it couldn’t escape, it showed up in the final part.

Sanding, Patching, and Priming

Because of the trapped air and the hole in the back of the cowl for Batgirl’s ponytail, there were several areas that needed to be repaired. I was going to use Bondo to fix these issues, but I was chatting with a friend in the Cosplay world and he suggested Apoxie Sculpt, a two-part sculpting material that solidifies in 24 hours and is cleaned up with water. So I decided to use Apoxie Sculpt instead of Bondo as it sounded a bit easier to use. After using it, I can testify that it is easier to use.

The Apoxie Sculpt was mixed and mashed into holes and defects, it was added where the part was damaged, and ultimately it was added in the eye sockets to reshape them from being more cat-eyed to more rounded. Then all these surfaces were sanded, then sprayed with a primer spray paint to enhanced paint bonding, sanded again, and primed for the final time.

Removing the head, placing it in the oven to soften.

The head was covered in resin, which now has to be cleaned.

Resulting Cowl.

Left view of the part.

Converting the Cowl to a Helmet

Cutting off the bat ears.

This is where the brow was shaped.

Sanding the part down repairs many of the issues from casting mistakes. The brow is not quite right for Captain America, so this is where converting started.

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Sanding, Patching, and Priming

Creating the Shield

These show the process of repairing and prepping the part for final painting.

Painting and Decals

The next step is to create Cap’s famous shield. In order to create the shield, I wanted a part that is an exact replica of the LEGO minifigure shield. So I started looking at the various LEGO CAD programs as many of them can render the official LEGO parts. LeoCAD does something that I have not found in the other LEGO CAD programs; it will export Wavefront Object files (.obj). With the .obj file, one can open that in Autodesk’s Meshmixer program, which will allow you to convert it to an .stl, which is a printable format file. I altered the part to separate the disk from the handle. The reason was to improve the printing. I added small studs to the handle that insert into the disk portion so I could reattach and glue them back together. From there I printed the files in my 3-D printer, sanded the parts, and test fit the handle in the Clock Figure’s hand.

Creation of the Shield

Saving the file in Obj format and alteration to improve printing.

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Sanding, test fitting.

Printing via a 3-D printer.

Now we are coming into the final home stretch of the figure: Painting. I primed all of the LEGO clock elements as I am going to paint the whole figure. I am doing this to ensure I have a good color match across all parts.

Getting an exact color match to LEGO would be very difficult. So I am using a grey primer, patriotic blue, bright red, and white to paint the various parts. Instead of showing every part going through the process, I am going to show the priming of the hips piece.

After priming, it was painted blue, however the rods that insert into the legs were masked off so paint wouldn’t get into the joint. This same masking technique with painter’s tape was used on the arms and legs to paint them the various colors that were needed.

You can see Jared’s webpage by going to http://www.fineclonier.com/ or scanning this QR code!

All that is left is to create a design for the figure and attach it to the figure, in this case via waterslide decal. I wanted to have it printed with a UV printer, but time got away from me. So I created a hybrid design for Captain America, paying homage to his Jack Kirby roots, but changing out his helmet to a more modern version. I wanted a figure that was able to sit in both worlds and one that specifically had the chain mail top.

As I created a waterslide decal, even though these are larger than what I normally use, I got them wet and slid them onto the figure parts. I don’t want to slide them very much as they might tear, so you want to hold the design down and then gently pull the paper out from under it.

I have a figure I am proud of creating that I am giving to my son, Greyson.

It will look great in his nursery and I hope he will enjoy it. I made many mistakes along the way in creating the figure, but persisted and overcame the errors and I hope learned from them. I hope my son will one day see this article and come to understand that life isn’t always about making the correct decisions, it’s what you learn from bumps in the road. You can avoid some of them, but not all, and when you do make a mistake and hit a bump, it isn’t the end, merely the beginning of solving a new set of problems.

Gluing the parts back together for comparison with the official LEGO shield element.

Painting and Decals

Masking parts and priming of the waist. Painter’s tape was used to mask out areas where paint was not desired.

Spray paint was used for ease of application.

Captain America!

An example of how larger decals are applied to the helmet.

Come back next issue for more Minifigure Customization!

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Community

A Ball, a Socket and Some Friction: Beginning the Bionicle Chronicle!

Article and Photography

by Dave Foreman

Dave Foreman’s Bionicle creation, Matteo.

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Y

ou may have noticed us, floating around out there in the community, spread thin between all the System MOCs; occasionally we pop up on the “who’s who” blogs, or perhaps you’ve walked by our table at a convention.

Maybe you even stopped for a second to see what was going on. You promptly decide that you have no clue what’s happening and move on, not giving us another thought for the rest of the convention. You probably have a bag of our parts that you tell yourself, I’ll never use these. These are useless. To a lot of System Builders this is often what happens. You see us, you don’t understand us or what we do, so you disregard us and move on. Who are we?

We are the Bionicle builders of the world and we are often relegated to the back table, ignored by the larger community, sometimes even snubbed by some as “not really LEGO.” We are LEGO’s stepchild in a way: We’re part of the family, but not really. I am here to tell you that we are not so different after all.

My name is Dave Foreman. I’m 28 and I’ve been building with LEGO bricks since I was two years old. I work in retail as an overnight stocker and I have no formal training in design or art. I’m simply an AFOL who enjoys building with those peculiar pieces LEGO insists on mak-

ing called Bionicle. I’m weird—even to most AFOL’s I’m probably considered weird. I think that’s just a trait of being “the Bionicle guy” talking to all the System MOCers.

Mana-Ramp-Matoran, Alieraah, Pate-Keetongu, Djokson, our user names on Flickr are weird, often unpronounceable. You don’t see too many “Bricks” or “minifigs” in our names, and every website is usually given the prefix “Bio”: Biogram, Biotube, Biopages as shorthand for “Bionicle builders on that particular platform.” We are spread out across the Internet and we are a legion of fans.

Bionicle has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the LEGO Group. Bionicle first emerged onto the scene in 2001 after a few precursor themes known as Throwbots(US)/ Slizers(EU UK), and Roboriders in the late ’90s. Bionicle exploded in popularity by 2003 with LEGO cranking out tons of merchandise as well as four straight-to-DVD movies before ending Bionicle in 2010. It was replaced with Hero Factory later that year. With Hero Factory came the refining of the ball and socket system into what LEGO now calls CCBS (Character and Creature Building System) or “Constraction,” the amalgam of “Construction” and “Action.”

CCBS has been used in other themes like Super-Heroes, Legends of Chima, and perhaps most successfully in the

Matteo with his “Blood Letters” drawn.

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Star Wars Buildable Figure line. Bionicle fans were delighted with the news of its return in late 2014. But the reunion was short-lived because by Summer 2016, LEGO cut off Bionicle mid-sentence and the theme was discontinued yet again.

These days the SWBF’s are all Constraction fans have, but hopefully we will see the return of an original line of figures from LEGO again.

Even though Bionicle has ended, the fans have carried on.

Bionicle inspired an entire generation to be creative. LEGO gave us a whole world to play in. The world of the heroic Toa, the villainous Makuta, and the humble Matoran Villagers allowed children to create their own characters and snap them right into the lore, much like a LEGO element. These days you still see a plethora of Toa and other canon character types, but you also see Bionicle, CCBS, and Technic used as a medium to tell new stories and create new characters.

Ferocious dinosaurs, colossi that tower over everyone else, tiny adorable robots, demonic looking motorcycles—these are all subjects I have encapsulated with Bionicle. Of all my creations, though, the one I’ve poured my heart and soul into is Matteo.

Matteo checks the time.

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Matteo

Matteo is a Plague Doctor, a medical practitioner who went around relieving plague victims when epidemics broke out throughout Europe. They often wore beak-like masks and heavy waxed robes as a way to form a primitive hazmat suit. In modern pop culture, plague doctors are often associated with death and disease, as plague doctors weren’t very effective at curing patients and were there more to provide relief and to keep count for demographic purposes. Matteo is a heavily stylized interpretation of these plague doctors.

The idea for Matteo started off innocently enough. I found that dragon head from the 2006 Viking sets, held it up to a Bionicle head and thought it’d make an awesome plague doctor mask, and off I went. That was back in 2010. One of the things Bionicle builders love to do is keep our MOCs together and improve them over several versions. While most kids call this “Revamping,” what they don’t realize is that they are working with iterative design, a powerful tool that most designers use in their everyday work.

Instead of iterating over a course of weeks, we are doing so over the course of years. The Matteo of today is a far cry from his formative years. I almost don’t even recognize him as the same MOC when I look at those old photos. Matteo is a fine example of how narrative can influence the actual build of a MOC, or vice versa. As I developed the character, so too did the build develop and change. Once I knew more about who this character was, I started to think about what kinds of things he might carry on his person. This influenced how I approached the build. One of the things I did was look at him as though he was a high-end action figure. Oftentimes when you buy a premium action figure, they come with really cool accessories. With Matteo I wanted to populate the character more than just being a figure, so I started giving him those cool accessories.

Before I knew it, Matteo had quite an inventory. With the plethora of accessories came a whole new level of detail that I had not seen previously in Bionicle MOCs. I even managed to change the way Matteo wore his mask. He is actually wearing it like a real mask.

Two white LEGO elastics secured by the axle in the eye socket fasten to thin Technic bushings where his ears would be, and the mask rests on his face. As a result, Matteo really is wearing his mask.

A closer look at the head reveals the mask’s straps.

Like with Matteo’s mask, I applied a practical approach to a lot of the other accessories he carries. This ultimately shaped how I approached designing them out of LEGO parts. You wouldn’t believe how effective copying real-life works when scaled down to Bionicle size. The list of other accessories include: • A messenger bag filled with goodies like a medicine bottle, syringe, and some minifig books for some light reading and to take field notes in.

• A stylish cane with an ornate carving of a spider holding a gem.

• A belt with a ring of keys and two knives, either for light combat or perhaps to open things. You never know when you might need a sharp knife.

Most of Mateo’s accessories.

• An ornate lantern. Matteo is often skulking about in back alleys at night where it’s dark. While Matteo is influenced by European themes, I wanted the lantern to evoke more of an oriental feel. Perhaps Matteo picked it up in his many travels.

• A pocket watch. As a doctor, it’s important for Matteo to be on time. He’s very punctual. He even has pockets built into his legs so he has a place to keep his watch.

• A pendant that hangs freely from his neck. Matteo is quite fond of this trinket and is often seen clutching it; maybe it was gifted to him by a past lover.

• Two blood red blades that attach to his wrists when Matteo is in fight mode. Aside from being an apothecary, Matteo is also a lethal assassin who works for mysterious forces. His “Blood Letters” are his one supernatural ability and he uses them much like Wolverine from X-Men uses his claws. With a poof of red smoke they appear, and with a poof they are gone again.

Thanks to the Star Wars Buildable figure line, we have been given a bevy of new cloth elements to build with. The most recent additions to Matteo are his cape and other cloth elements—because what stylish medieval gentleman doesn’t wear a dashing cape? With each new accessory comes a new detail about the character, which in turn inspires me to create more for the character. Even the construction of the parts in the figure have been reconfigured to mimic clothing. Matteo wears black trousers, a dark red undershirt with an ornate red overshirt, and black leather gloves. Every creative decision I’ve made since the initial build was to tell Matteo’s story, to convey who this character is.

A closer look at his lantern.

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Bionicle for me has served as a creative medium to tell a story. This is perhaps what Bionicle builders do best: We tell stories. As a builder you can do this too. Details matter and the more you infuse into your MOCs, the deeper and richer they become to view, and as their creator they become more fun to explore. This is just one example of what Bionicle can do in the hands of someone creative and driven. There are so many more. So before you decide Bionicle isn’t worth your attention or that your Bionicle parts are useless hunks of plastic, keep in mind a MOC like Matteo or some of the many other MOCs I plan on showing you in future articles.

Because at the end of the day, it’s all LEGO, it all fits together, and a little bit of friction holds it all together.

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Community

Paul and Hailee Hollingsworth.

Brickfilmer Spotlight:

Paul Hollingsworth and Digital Wizards!

Article by Kim Smith (thefourmonkeys)

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P

aul Hollingsworth was a teenager in Toronto, Ontario when he saw Steven Spielberg’s 1993 epic movie Jurassic Park. The special effects in that movie “were phenomenal and game changing” and motivated Paul to want to make movies. Paul went on to film school, and began a career as an editor on TV shows and low-budget films. In his extra time he would make his own movies. One of those movies was a LEGO stop-motion film. He “dusted off” his old LEGO and made a 14-minute Braveheart-style attack on a castle. This film went on to win at a brickfilming festival in 2002, and Paul won a trophy made of LEGO bricks for his efforts. He didn’t even have proper stopmotion frame capture software at the time, but he made it happen because of his video editing background.

Chasing his dream of making movies, Paul moved to Southern California with an “edit machine, about 100 pounds of LEGO, and a bag of clothes.” In California, he sharpened his editing and storytelling skills while working on the TV series called Chop Cut Rebuild and Street Tuner Challenge. He also started forging great working relationships with people that helped create the group of artists known as Digital Wizards. In 2011, Paul and his writer/editor friend Steve Banta created the brickfilm Cowboys and Aliens for a brickfilm contest that had a looming deadline. They only had ten days to make the film, and completed it with the help of another friend named David Kelly. David works at Voodoo Highway, and added his audio wizardry and gave it a truly professional mix. The creation of that brickfilm is what led to the formation of Digital Wizards.

A few other members of Digital Wizards are Paul’s family. His wife Amanda is a “master LEGO sorter.” She once took on the huge task of sorting Garrett Barati’s LEGO collection. Garrett is a fellow professional stop-motion artist that has done work for the LEGO Group. Paul’s daughter Hailee, also known as BrickGirl, contributes as a sorter, builder, and animation assistant. Hailee has her own YouTube channel where she posts videos of her building and reviewing LEGO sets. Paul really enjoys sharing his hobby/job with his daughter and attributes Hailee’s creativity to helping him gain perspective. She also gets the perks of access to nearly every LEGO brick possible. Paul is very proud of the fact that she built the over 3400-piece Eiffel Tower LEGO set by herself.

The night scene from Digital Wizard’s Jurassic Park.

Amanda and Hailee have contributed to organizing the Digital Wizards’ LEGO collection, which is sorted by type and not by color. Paul stated about sorting, “When you’re building, and you say, all I need are bricks, or all I need are plates, all I need are cheese or slopes or tiles, and you can just go to a drawer or whatever you have and grab it and pull that quickly; all of a sudden you find your build time shrinks in a huge way.”

To bring in bigger and better scenic elements, the Digital Wizards enlisted the brick building talents of Damon Corso and James Banks. Paul met them through the Los Angeles LEGO user group (LUGOLA). Paul is an active member of the group and once hosted a LUGOLA monthly meeting at his home. Over 70 LEGO fans from the Los Angeles area came to his house and made a zoetrope by building 110 LEGO sets in different variations, and putting them on a turntable which was a “classic throwback to how they used to animate years ago.”

Hailee Hollingsworth at work.

Paul has had the honor of collaborating with some very amazing and talented LEGO stop-motion animators such as Forrest Whaley, Sean Willets, Chris Salaises, and Garrett Barati. Forrest has made some of the most popular brickfilms on the Internet. Sean animates professionally at Stupid Buddy Stoodios. Chris has a popular brickfilm channel called Minilife TV. Garrett, a classically trained animator with a “very keen eye for detail,” shared a lot of his experience and gave great tips to Paul when they made several Mixel videos for LEGO. Paul’s animation skill level jumps every time he collaborates with other animators. Collaborative spirit and partnerships make films bigger and better than what can be done alone. Paul credits a lot of the success of the videos that he makes to the teams he surrounds himself with. Other regulars involved in making magic happen at the Digital Wizards are Brent McDonald, David Kelly, Chris Osborn, Brian Heins, and Ryan Jennings.

Paul’s garage has been converted into the Digital Wizards brickfilming studio, and is equipped with professional lighting, camera, video equipment, and of course, lots of LEGO. Not only does Paul have a large LEGO collection, the Digital Wizards have access to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of

71

LEGO for use in filming. The Digital Wizards used this when making LEGO Jurassic Park and LEGO Ghostbusters, which were two viral hits on the Internet. Dozens of articles were written about these videos.

These two videos alone have over ten million views on YouTube.

The T-Rex takes the stage.

Paul once won a huge LEGO brick Yoda with a brickfilm he entered into a LEGO brickfilming contest. He was inspired by his job at the time, which was editing infomercials. His brickfilm infomercial was of Wookies singing Christmas carols. The prize was a 3' LEGO Yoda which was used in a later brickfilm.

When author Sarah Herman made her book about brickfilming called Brick Flicks, she reached out to Paul for help. He was interviewed, and he also helped out with research and provided a majority of the photographs used in the book.

One of the things that Digital Wizards’ brickfilms are known for is having incredible digital mouth movements. They have been developing their techniques for making mouth movements since Day One. Paul states “moving mouths and great voice acting helps the audience identify with all your characters” in his interview in Brick Flicks.

Paul works on a scene with the lawyer and the T-Rex.

At the hatchery.

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Paul created a Youtube series called Battle of the Brickflicks which was a brickfilming contest that also interviewed the contestants. These interviews included the best and most popular brickfilmers on the Internet. Some of those were Forrest Whaley, Sean Willets, Jordan Johnson, and Kevin Ulrich, just to name a few. Some interviews were even conducted on the double-decker couch that resides at the Digital Wizards Studio.

When the Digitals Wizards are not making brickfilms, they are producing branded content for toy companies, and providing professional directing and editing services. These commissioned professional jobs for various toy companies have afforded the purchase of some really cool equipment, one of which is a motorized slider system that can be controlled by the frame capture software Dragon Frame. This

“They travel in herds.”

Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough in brick.

particular piece of equipment has allowed the Digital Wizards to create incredible stop-motion shots that would be difficult to do without a precise motorized slider. Once it allowed for a panning shot that had two jeeps to be shot, using only one LEGO jeep. The slider was also used by Forrest Whaley for a long panning shot in a Captain America video made for the very popular forrestfire101 YouTube channel.

Paul was also one of the brickfilmers interviewed in the Bricks In Motion Documentary. The documentary was a crowdfunded project that was recently released on Vimeo On Demand. Paul looked very debonaire with the tie and vest he wore for the interview.

Meeting a sauropod.

Over the course of six years, the Digital Wizards Youtube channel has grown to more than 50,000 subscribers with over 20 million views. They make films of what they love most, which are Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Star Wars, Minions, Superman, Batman, Avengers, Back to the Future, and Walking Dead.

The collaboration of passion and pop culture has created success for the Digital Wizards. Paul is very happy that he has the opportunity to make movies with his daughter, his friends, and his co-workers. The latest big project for the Digital Wizards was a Star Wars fan brickfilm called Epic LEGO Star Wars Trench Run and was released on the IGN Youtube channel.

What will be next for Paul and the Digital Wizards?

The Digital Wizards crew.

73

Next issue (#49) ships in late December! Subscribe now!

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FEMALE LEGO BUILDERS! US Architectural builder ANURADHA PEHRSON, British Microscale builder FERNANDA RIMINI, US Bionicle builder BREANN SLEDGE, and Norwegian Town builder BIRGITTE JONSGARD discuss their work and inspirations!

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LEGO GAMING! IMAGINE RIGNEY’s Bioshock builds, NICK JENSEN’s characters and props from HALO and other video games, and GamerLUG member SIMON LIU builds LEGO versions of video game characters, spaceships and more! Plus: “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd’s DIY Fan Art, Minifigure Customization with JARED K. BURKS, MINDSTORMS robotics and more!

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(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95

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GIVE BACK ISSUES THIS HOLIDAY— ON SALE TILL DECEMBER 1

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BRICKJOURNAL #42

BRICKJOURNAL #41

BRICKJOURNAL #40

BRICKJOURNAL #39

LEGO EDUCATION! See how schools and AFOLs can build with the new WeDo, FIRST LEGO LEAGUE’s 2016 season explored (with national competitions at LEGOLand California), and robotics builders the Seshan Brothers take LEGO MINDSTORMS to the next level! Plus: Minifigure customizing from JARED K. BURKS’, stepby-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, & more!

OUT OF THIS WORLD LEGO! Spacethemed LEGO creations of LIA CHAN, 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Orion space plane

by NICK DEAN, and Pre-Classic Space builder CHRIS GIDDENS! Plus: Orbit the LEGO community with JARED K. BURKS’ minifigure customizing, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

LEGO MECHA! How to build giant robots and mechs with builders BENJAMIN CHEH MING HANN and KELVIN LOW, and SETH HIGGINS shows us his amazing transforming LEGO robots! And even cyborgs love Minifig Customization by JARED K. BURKS, step-by-step "You Can Build It" instructions

by CHRISTOPHER DECK, DIY Fan Art by BrickNerd TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons, and more!

LEGO DINOSAURS! Builder WILLIAM PUGH discusses building prehistoric creatures, a LEGO Jurassic World by DIEGO MAXIMINO PRIETO ALVAREZ, and dino bones by MATT SAILORS! Plus: Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, stepby-step "You Can Build It" instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, DIY Fan Art by BrickNerd TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons, and more!

(84-page FULL-COLOR mag) SALE: $5 (normally $8.95) • (Digital Edition) $3.95

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BRICKJOURNAL #34

BRICKJOURNAL #38

BRICKJOURNAL #37

BRICKJOURNAL #36

BRICKJOURNAL #35

LEGO COOL CARS AND HOT RODS! LEGO car builders STEPHAN SANDER, JORDANIAN FIRAS ABU-JABER, and ANDREA LATTANZIO! Plus: Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, step-by-step "You Can Build It" instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd Pop Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

STAR WARS! Amazing custom ships by ERIC DRUON, incredible galactic layouts by builder AC PIN, a look at the many droid creations built by LEGO fans—truly, the LEGO Force has awakened! Plus JARED K. BURKS on minifigure customizing, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

MICROSCALE BUILDING! With JUSTIN McMILLAN’s micro house and other buildings, a look at the MICROSCALE Standard

by TwinLUG, and featuring some of the best microscopic LEGO work from around the world, plus JARED K. BURKS’ minifigure customizing, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

HISTORY IN LEGO BRICKS! LEGO pro RYAN McNAUGHT on his LEGO Pompeii and other projects, military builder DAN SISKIND on his BrickMania creations, and LASSE VESTERGARD about his historical building, JARED K. BURKS on minifigure customizing, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

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BRICKJOURNAL #33

BRICKJOURNAL #32

BRICKJOURNAL #31

BRICKJOURNAL #30

TOMMY WILLIAMSON on the making of his YouTube sensation BATMAN VS SUPERMAN, BRANDON GRIFFITH’S COMICBRICKS PROJECT recreates iconic comic book covers out of LEGO, JARED BURKS and his custom Agents of SHIELD minifigs, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!

LEGO ROBOTS! A talk with MINDSTORMS EV3 builders MARC-ANDRE BAZERGUI and ANDY MILLUZZI, designer LEE MAGPILI, CHRIS GIDDENS with his amazing robot sculptures, plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, other looks at MINDSTORMS building, and more!

LEGO ARTISTRY with builder/photographer CHRIS McVEIGH; mosaic builders BRIAN KORTE, DAVE WARE and DAVE SHADDIX; and sculptors SEAN KENNEY (about his nature models) and ED DIMENT (about a full-size bus stop built with LEGO bricks)!

Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, MINDSTORMS building, and more!

Building LEGO bricks WITH character, with IAIN HEATH and TOMMY WILLIAMSON, Manga-inspired creations of MIKE DUNG, sculptures by Taiwanese Brick Artist YO YO CHEN, Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS building, and more!

LEGO ARCHITECTURE with JONATHAN LOPES, a microscale model of Copenhagen

by ULRIK HANSEN, and a look at the LEGO MUSEUM being constructed in Denmark! Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS building with DAMIEN KEE, and more!

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BRICKJOURNAL #29

BRICKJOURNAL #28

BRICKJOURNAL #27

BRICKJOURNAL #26

BRICKJOURNAL #25

TECHNIC hot rod builder PAUL BORATKO and editor JOE MENO diagram instructions on adding functions to your models, shoptalk with LEGO TECHNIC designers, and more surprises to keep your creations moving at top speed! Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, and more!

Learn what went into the making of The LEGO Movie and other brickfilms with moviemaker DAVID PAGANO, chat with brickfilmers The Brotherhood Workshop, sit in on a talk with the makers of LEGO: A Brickumentary, a look at MINDSTORMS building, minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, & more!

GUY HIMBER takes you to the IRON BUILDER CONTEST, which showcases the top LEGO® builders in the world! Cover by LEGO magazine and comic artist PAUL LEE, amazing custom models by LINO MARTINS, TYLER CLITES, BRUCE LOWELL, COLE BLAQ and others, minifigure customization

by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, & more!

CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL with builders SEAN and STEPHANIE MAYO (known online as Siercon and Coral), other custom animal models from BrickJournal editor JOE MENO, LEGO DINOSAURS with WILL PUGH, plus more minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, and more!

MEDIEVAL CASTLE BUILDING! Top LEGO® Castle builders present their creations, including BOB CARNEY’s amazingly detailed model of Neuschwanstein Castle, plus others, along with articles on building and detailing castles of your own! Also: JARED BURKS on minifigure customization, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, stepby-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, and more!

(84-page FULL-COLOR mag) SALE: $5 (normally $8.95) • (Digital Edition) $3.95

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BRICKJOURNAL #24

BRICKJOURNAL #23

BRICKJOURNAL #22

BRICKJOURNAL #21

BRICKJOURNAL #20

LEGO TRAINS! Builder CALE LEIPHART shows how to get started building trains and train layouts, with instructions on building microscale trains by editor JOE MENO, building layouts with the members of the Pennsylvania LEGO Users Group (PennLUG), fan-built LEGO monorails minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, microscale building by CHRISTOPHER DECK, “You Can Build It”, and more!

STAR WARS issue, with custom creations from a long time ago and far, far away!

JACOB CARPENTER’s Imperial Star Destroyer, MARK KELSO’s Invisible Hand, interview with SIMON MACDONALD about building Star Wars costume props with LEGO elements, history of the LEGO X-Wing, plus our regular features on minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!

LEGO PLANE BUILDING! Top builder RALPH SAVELSBERG takes off with his custom LEGO fighter models, there’s a squadron of articles on Sky-Fi planes by FRADEL GONZALES and COLE MARTIN, find instructions to build a Sky-Fi plane, plus our regular feature on minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, other step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!

LEGO CAR BUILDING! Guest editors LINO MARTINS and NATHAN PROUDLOVE of LUGNuts share secrets behind their LEGO car creations, and present TECHNIC SUPERCAR MODELS by PAUL BORATKO III and other top builders! Plus custom instructions

by TIM GOULD and CHRISTOPHER DECK, minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” section, and more!

LEGO SUPERHEROES! Behind-the-scenes of the DC and Marvel Comics sets, plus a feature on GREG HYLAND, the artist of the superhero comic books in each box! Also, other superhero work by ALEX SCHRANZ and our cover artist OLIVIER CURTO. Plus, JARED K. BURKS’ regular column on minifigure customization, building tips, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!

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BRICKJOURNAL #19

BRICKJOURNAL #18

BRICKJOURNAL #17

BRICKJOURNAL #16

BRICKJOURNAL #15

LEGO EVENTS ISSUE covering our own BRICKMAGIC FESTIVAL, BRICKWORLD, BRICKFAIR, BRICKCON, plus other events outside the US. There’s full event details, plus interviews with the winners of the BRICKMAGIC CHALLENGE competition, complete with instructions to build award winning models. Also JARED K. BURKS’ regular column on minifigure customizing, building tips, and more!

Go to Japan with articles on two JAPANESE LEGO FAN EVENTS, plus take a look at JAPAN’S SACRED LEGO LAND, Nasu Highland Park—the site of the BrickFan events and a pilgrimage site for many Japanese LEGO fans. Also, a feature on JAPAN’S TV CHAMPIONSHIP OF LEGO, a look at the CLICKBRICK LEGO SHOPS in Japan, plus how to get into TECHNIC BUILDING, LEGO EDUCATION, and more!

LEGO SPACE WAR issue! A STARFIGHTER BUILDING LESSON by Peter Reid, WHY SPACE MARINES ARE SO POPULAR by Mark Stafford, a trip behind the scenes of LEGO’S NEW ALIEN CONQUEST SETS that hit store shelves earlier this year, plus JARED K. BURKS’ column on MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION, building tips, event reports, our step-by-step “YOU CAN BUILD IT” INSTRUCTIONS, and more!

Focuses on STEAMPUNK! Feature editor GUY HIMBER gives a tour with a look at his work, DAVE DeGOBBI’s, NATHAN PROUDLOVE’s, and others! There’s also a look at the history of LEGO Steampunk building, as well as instructions for a Steampunk plane by ROD GILLIES! Plus our regular columns on minifigure customization, building tips, event reports, our step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and much more!

Looks at the LEGO MECHA genre of building, especially in Japan! Feature editor NATHAN BRYAN spotlights mecha builders such as SAITO YOSHIKAZU, TAKAYUKI TORII, SUKYU and others! Also, a talk with BRIAN COOPER and MARK NEUMANN about their mecha creations, mecha building instructions by SAITO YOSHIKAZU, our regular columns on minifigure customization, building, event reports, and more!

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TwoMorrows.

BRICKJOURNAL #13

BRICKJOURNAL #12

BRICKJOURNAL #11

BRICKJOURNAL #10

EVENT ISSUE with reports from the BRICKMAGIC fan festival (organized by BrickJournal), BRICKWORLD (one of the oldest US LEGO fan events), and others!

Plus: spotlight on BIONICLE Builder NORBERT LAGUBUEN, our regular column on minifigure customization, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, spotlights on builders and their work, and more!

A look at back-to-school sculptures by NATHAN SAWAYA, LEGO builder MARCOS BESSA’s creations, ANGUS MACLANE’s CubeDudes, a Nepali Diorama

by JORDAN SCHWARTZ, instructions to build a school bus, MINIFIG CUSTOMIZATION by JARED K. BURKS, how a POWER MINERS model became one for ATLANTIS, building standards, and much more!

“Racers” theme issue, with building tips on race cars by the ARVO BROTHERS, interview with LEGO RACERS designer ANDREW WOODMAN, LEGO FORMULA ONE RACING, TECHNIC SPORTS CAR building, event reports, MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION by JARED K. BURKS, MICRO BUILDING, builder spotlights, LEGO HISTORY, and more!

BrickJournal goes undersea with looks at the creation of LEGO’s new ATLANTIS SETS, plus a spotlight on a fan-created underwater theme, THE SEA MONKEYS, with builder FELIX GRECO! Also, a report on the LEGO WORLD convention in the Netherlands, BUILDER SPOTLIGHTS, INSTRUCTIONS and ways to CUSTOMIZE MINIFIGURES, LEGO HISTORY, and more!

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Last Word Another issue of BrickJournal is completed.

It’s a relief, but it’s also a moment to reset. I often joke about my work cycle—a few weeks of rest and research followed by two weeks of frenzied laptop work. The rest and research is a lot of fun, and this time, I called back a few builders to talk about their Mecha builds.

Cosplay at Bricks by the Bay!

One of the places I went to visit for research was Bricks by the Bay, a West Coast LEGO fan event that is a bit of a throwback—it has only one day for public display, so there is more time devoted to the fans. I was Keynote Speaker, and I can tell you that I had a great time! There’s no article here because the event was a little too close to deadline to write about. It’ll be in the next issue, though—there were a lot of fun builds to show!

As for this issue, I hope you had fun reading and building!

Til next issue, build on!

Digital Wizards at work!

80

All characters TM & © their respective owners.

MORE BOOKS FROM TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING

GROOVY

COMIC BOOK FEVER

MONSTER MASH

HERO-A-GO-GO!

A psychedelic look at when Flower Power bloomed in Pop Culture. Revisits ‘60s era’s ROCK FESTIVALS, TV, MOVIES, ART, COMICS & CARTOONS!

GEORGE KHOURY presents a “love letter” to the comics of 1976-1986, covering all that era’s top artists, coolest stories, and even the best ads!

Time-trip back to the frightening era of 1957-1972, & explore the CREEPY, KOOKY MONSTER CRAZE, when monsters stomped into America’s mainstream!

MICHAEL EURY looks at comics’ CAMP AGE, when

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(240-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $34.95 (Digital Edition) $12.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-063-2

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(272-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $36.95 (Digital Edition) $13.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-073-1

KIRBY100

Celebrate JACK KIRBY’S 100th BIRTHDAY in style with an all-star line-up of 100 COMICS PROS who critique key images from his 50-year career, admiring his page layouts, dramatics, and storytelling skills, and lovingly reminiscing about their favorite characters and stories. (The Limited Hardcover Edition includes 16 bonus color pages of Kirby’s 1960s Deities concept drawings) (224-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $34.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-078-6 (Digital Edition) $12.95 (240-page LTD. EDITION HARDCOVER with 16 bonus pages) $45.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-079-3

spies liked their wars cold and their women warm, and TV’s Batman shook a mean cape!

REED CRANDALL ILLUSTRATOR OF THE COMICS

ROGER HILL’s biography of the “artist’s artist” who brought an illustrator’s approach to comics from the 1940s to the ‘70s on Golden Age heroes DOLL MAN, THE RAY, AND BLACKHAWK; horror and sci-fi for EC COMICS; Warren Publishing’s CREEPY, EERIE, and BLAZING COMBAT; THUNDER AGENTS, ERB characters, FLASH GORDON, & more!

LOR FULL-CO VER HARDCO ES RI SE ting documen of de each decastory! comics hi

AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES:

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The 1950s-80s plus 1940s and ‘90s COMING SOON!

(Digital Edition) $13.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-077-9

COMICS MAGAZINES FROM TWOMORROWS

BACK ISSUE

ALTER EGO

COMIC BOOK CREATOR

DRAW!

JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR

BACK ISSUE celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through a variety of recurring (and rotating) departments, including Pro2Pro interviews (between two top creators), “Greatest Stories Never Told”, retrospective articles, and more.

Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

ALTER EGO, the greatest ‘zine of the ‘60s, is all-new, focusing on Golden and Silver Age comics and creators with articles, interviews and unseen art. Each issue includes an FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) section, Mr. Monster & more.

Edited by ROY THOMAS.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR is the new voice of the comics medium, devoted to the work and careers of the men and women who draw, write, edit, and publish comics, focusing always on the artists and not the artifacts, the creators and not the characters. Edited by JON B. COOKE.

DRAW! is the professional “How-To” magazine on cartooning and animation. Each issue features in-depth interviews and stepby-step demonstrations from top comics professionals. Most issues contain nudity for figure-drawing instruction; Mature Readers Only. Edited by MIKE MANLEY.

JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR celebrates the life and career of the “King” of comics through interviews with Kirby and his contemporaries, feature articles, and rare & unseen Kirby artwork. Now full-color, the magazine showcases Kirby’s art even more dynamically. Edited by JOHN MORROW.

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Editions) $3.95

(100-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Editions) $4.95

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Editions) $3.95

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Editions) $3.95

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TwoMorrows.

The Future of Comics History.

TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA

Phone: 919-449-0344 E-mail: store@twomorrows.com Web: www.twomorrows.com

It’s

GROOVY, baby!

Follow-up to Mark Voger’s smash hit MONSTER MASH!

All characters TM & © their respective owners.

From WOODSTOCK to “THE BANANA SPLITS,” from “SGT. PEPPER” to “H.R. PUFNSTUF,” from ALTAMONT to “THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY,” GROOVY is a far-out trip to the era of lava lamps and love beads. This profusely illustrated HARDCOVER BOOK, in PSYCHEDELIC COLOR, features interviews with icons of grooviness such as PETER MAX, BRIAN WILSON, PETER FONDA, MELANIE, DAVID CASSIDY, members of the JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, CREAM, THE DOORS, THE COWSILLS and VANILLA FUDGE; and cast members of groovy TV shows like “THE MONKEES,” “LAUGH-IN” and “THE BRADY BUNCH.” GROOVY revisits the era’s ROCK FESTIVALS, MOVIES, ART—even COMICS and CARTOONS, from the 1968 ‘mod’ WONDER WOMAN to R. CRUMB. A color-saturated pop-culture history written and designed by MARK VOGER (author of the acclaimed book MONSTER MASH), GROOVY is one trip that doesn’t require dangerous chemicals!

(192-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-080-9 • DIGITAL EDITION: $15.95

SHIPS NOVEMBER 2017!

SUBSCRIPTIONS ECONOMY US Alter Ego (Six 100-page issues) $65 Back Issue (Eight 80-page issues) $73 BrickJournal (Six 80-page issues) TILL DEC. 1 $55 Comic Book Creator (Four 80-page issues) $40 Jack Kirby Collector (Four 100-page issues) $45

EXPEDITED US $83 $88 $66 $50 $58

PREMIUM US $92 $97 $73 $54 $61

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