LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - Surfer Girl

 
Surfer Girl is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
Surfer Girl is composed of four main parts: hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

The hair piece is the same as that featured on the Series 1 Nurse and Series 3 Tennis Player, but in what appears to be Medium Dark Flesh . This will be a new color for this part, and likely to be sought after.

The head features a new facial print with pink lipstick and a slight smirk.

The torso is black with a pink and light grey wetsuit print. She also has bare yellow arms and hands.

The hips and legs are black. The wetsuit print from the torso slightly continues down onto the hips.

The accessory for this figure is the same surfboard from the Series 2 Surfer but with a new print. This girl's surfboard has pink flames printed on it. The edges of the surfboard are shaped to allow the figures to grip the board. Also, there are brick connections on the bottom of the board.

LEGO.com Bio
“The best wave is always the next wave!”

The Surfer Girl loves everything about the ocean, from the biggest sandy beach to the tiniest tropical fish. She’s happy just to be in the water, and she’s even happier still when she finds a new surfing challenge to test her skill.

As long as the sky is clear and the surf is wild, the Surfer Girl can be found right in the middle of her element, riding the tallest wave she can find and whooping at the top of her lungs the whole way back to the beach. And as soon as she reaches the shore, she runs right back into the water to chase the next big splash! 

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is low. Not many people want an army of surfers and their are no new parts.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

Feeling It Out
The surfboard would be your best bet here.

The Big Draw
The surfboard will be a hot item due to this being only the second time its seen. Also their are not many female parts out their in the LEGO universe and this is our first time seeing a wetsuit.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

Thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

LEGO Star Wars Minifigures: Eeth Koth

Eeth Koth is exclusive to LEGO Star Wars set 7964, Republic Frigate.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Eeth Koth is made up of 4 parts - hair piece, head, torso, and leg assembly.

The hair piece is a new mold showing off the Zabrak vestigial horns.

The head appears to be dark orange and features the Zabrak facial tattoos.

The torso is dark tan with tan arms and black hands. The torso print features Jedi robes on the front. It is not known if Eeth has print on the back of the torso.

The legs and hips are dark tan with no visible print.

The accessories for this figure are a lightsaber with trans-green blade.

As with Quinlan Vos, this character is modeled after his incarnation on the Clone Wars TV series. The facial print is quite good, but the hair piece is a bit 'odd'. I'd be curious to know why they decided to mold Eeth's horns but not Sugi, who was also a Zabrak.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is low. Although a new figure for the LEGO Star Wars universe, there's nothing of note that would make this figure sought after in multiples. 

Big Draw
Eeth Koth was another member of the Jedi council featured in the live action films. I could see collectors wanting to possess all those featured for this fact alone.

(Pictures via Gizmodo and StarWars.com)

(Back to LEGO Star Wars Minifigure Guide)

miniBIGS Now the Official US Reseller of Arealight

The owner of miniBIGS contacted us to let us now they are now the official US reseller of Arealight products.

They will be carrying about 90% of Arealights products. This is great news for us here in the US. That will mean faster shipping times and likely at a lower cost too.

Arealight products are great and if you haven't gotten a chance to look at his products yet you can do so by clicking here or by reviewing some of the guides we here at the Ugly Duckling have written up here.

Visit http://www.minibigs.com/ or http://www.arealightcustoms.com/ today!

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 4 - The Artist

The Artist is exclusive to set 8804, LEGO Series 4 Collectible Minifigures.

Parts and Accessories
The Artist is composed of four main parts: beret, head, torso, and legs.

The beret is the same part that appeared with the Series 2 Mime.

The head features a new facial print with inquisitive look and goatee.

The torso and arms are white with yellow hands. The torso print resembles a gray neck scarf and two paint smears on a smock. There is no print on the back of the torso.

The hips and legs are dark tan with more paint blotches on each leg.

The accessories for this figure are a pallet and paintbrush. The pallet appears to attach to the minifigure hand via a small post on the bottom. The paintbrush has green paint on the tip.

LEGO.com Bio
"All the world is my canvas, and I must paint it!"

Everything the Artist sees inspires him to paint. The sunset, the sky, the bugs, passing airplanes...each one gives him the idea for a truly magnificent work of art, and he is consumed with painting them until he is done.

Since he doesn't carry a canvas with him everywhere he goes, though, this leads to him painting on whatever surface happens to be handy. He paints on walls, rocks, trees and anything else he can find. You'd think it might get him in trouble, but his artistic creations are so spectacular that no one ever seems to mind!

Army Building Potential
The army building potential for the figure is low. Not many people want an army of artists.

Feeling It Out
I would try for the pallet as it would have a unique feel compared to other parts. The paintbrush might be easy to feel as well.

Pre-Identifying Figures
Series 4 will be using the same 'dot code' approach to identifying which figures are inside each pack. The following dot codes were provided by minifigcollector.com who will have a corresponding app for Android smart phones. You can see the entire dot code sheet here.

The Big Draw
The pallet and paintbrush are the draws here. The head may also be desirable for the facial features.

(Back to LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guide)

A big thanks to Grogall for the hi-res images!

Brickfilm - The Profession

Zach Macias and Mindgame Studios have a new brickfilm to share with the public called 'The Profession'. A recounting of a man and his 'different' career choices. A nice production all around.

There's a fight scene and some light 'gun play' for those concerned. It's definitely not Keshen's LEGO Black Ops, from a violence standpoint...

LEGO Star Wars Minifigures: Commander Wolffe and Wolfpack Trooper

Commander Wolffe and the Wolfpack Trooper are exclusive to LEGO Star Wars set 7964, Republic Frigate.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Each figure is primarily made up of four parts, but vary in their accessories - helmet, head, torso, and legs.

The helmets are standard clone trooper fare in white with unique prints to distinguish Commander Wolffe from the rest of the pack (the commander is pictured on the right above).

The heads are also likely to be the standard clone trooper design in light flesh.

The torsos are white with sand blue arms and black hands. There are no differences in the torso designs that can be seen. There is likely to be print on the front and back.

The legs are sand blue with black hips. There is also white print continuing the pattern on the front of the legs.

Aside from the helmets, the accessories for these figure are what set them apart. The Wolfpack trooper carries a short blaster and what may be a backpack (although it is difficult to discern from these pictures. Commander Wolffe is fighting akimbo with two black DC-17 blasters. As is customary with clone commanders, Wolffe also has a black rangefinder and leg kama.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for Commander Wolffe is low, but the Wolfpack Trooper is high. Clone troopers embody the definition of 'army building' and the print on these guys is likely to set them apart.

Big Draw
What's not to like about a new clone commander and the Wolfpack troops will bring a welcome addition to the growing number of clone squads in your Republic armies.

(Pictures via Gizmodo)

(Back to LEGO Star Wars Minifigure Guide)

You Aren't Getting Off That Easy

How can I not log in these two fantastic shots of ABS adventurers before heading out the door?

First up we have RDL with his depiction of the Pharoh's Quest team encountering a giant beetle. The backdrop and lighting are spot on, giving you the sense of running into one of these little 'buggers' in tomb or crypt.

Next we have yet another great action shot from Scrawnysumo. Wonderful use of focal zoom and the waterfall backdrop to leave you feeling a touch of vertigo. Must...hold...on...

You can see tons of fantastic shots from these minfig photographers on RDL and Scrawnysumo's Flickr streams.

LEGO Star Wars Make Your Own Story Campaign

Came across this story via a Google Alert today. It seems that Brazilian advertising school Escola Cuca has designed several print ads around the theme of 'Make Your Own Story' for LEGO Star Wars.

Despite being all over the web, I'm having a hard time finding if this is an official tie-in with TLG or just a riff on the brand. A couple of these seem to be awfully close to material from other LEGO photographers like Mike Stimpson (the 'Vader Sucks' one seems especially familiar to me). Hmmm...

You can see all of the pics via The Laughing Squid.

New JasBrick Customs at FireStar Toys

The folks at FireStar Toys have just put up 27 new JasBrick custom minifigure designs for sale. Each figure is designed by Jas himself and come with hand-painted custom accessories. In addition to the newer designs, there are also several pages of other custom minifigures to choose from.

FireStar also carries a wide selection of official LEGO minifigures and parts in addition to custom pieces from BrickArms, BrickForge, Tiny Tactical, Arealight, Amazing Armory Ltd...the list goes on and on.

You can see them all at FireStar Toys.

Gone Fishin'

We'll not exactly...I do have a project that will keep me away for a few days, however. You may have already noticed a dip in the frequency and depth of posts. Never fear - I've set up new material which will post during my hiatus.

Rest assured if you send me messages or have news and I don't reply right away, I'm not ignoring you...well maybe I am...a little (*wink*).

We should return to your regularly scheduled programming next week.

Cygnet
Minister of Information
Ugly Duck Command Center
Minifig Nation

Trust Me I'm a Doctor...

A fantastic shot by Mark (Smokebelch) depicting Luke taking a time out in the bacta tanks while the medical droid looks on. A considerable improvement on the droid by eliminating that bulky arm, and a great use of lighting.

You can check out all of Mark's toy photography on his Flickr stream.

It's Tuberrific

...I really shouldn't try and post before my second cup of coffee.

Crappy title (mine) not withstanding, this is a great shot by Alex Eylar showing how simple tubing can be used as an arm substitute to great effect. I personally think ball joint arms are the next step in minifig evolution, but so far Billund isn't listening. Hopefully this gives you ideas for your own 'straight shooters'.

You can check out more from Alex on his Flickr stream.

CustomMinifigs.com Product Review

Shilo (Omicron) has put up an informative review of the second wave of custom minifigures from CustomMinifigs.com. Great 360 views and a rundown on the details of each fig.

You can find the review on the BrickForge forums or on Eurobricks.

You can also find these customs designed and produced by Shmails and Armothe at CustomMinifigs.com.

The Wild, Wild West

Alex Schranz (Orion Pax) has put up a poster of several western themed minifigure factions for his next project. Hot off the heals of our 'Paranormal Gunslinger' contest, it's nice to see this theme revisited.

Looking forward to seeing the full project once it's ready.

(Via Orion Pax Flickr stream)

Sticks and Stones

...and fantastic set-ups will make the shot. Scrawnysumo has been posting some solid pictures lately including this scene from LEGO Kingdoms. What really caught my eye was how the shot was set up...

Yet again a computer screen is used to amazing effect as a backdrop. The stick and stone are in perfect proportion to the fig for that added sense of 'realism'.

You can see all this and more outstanding photos on his Flickr stream.

I Told You to Go Before We Left!

If I had seen this photo without the accompanying story, I would have imagined Bossk stepping out of Slave I after catching sight of a bounty from the air. I will have to say that Avanaut's story is much better than mine...

Another fantastic shot from a true master. The atmosphere in this photo is rich, and the Slave I model really feels like it has significant 'weight' to it.

You can see more on Avanaut's Flickr stream. While you're there check out his recent art book he's compiled from his Hoth series. Due to copyright concerns, he will only be producing a few as gifts. It's a shame that LEGO can't find a way to partner with such amazing toy photographers.

Dead Space Level 6 Suit by Pecovam

Andrew (Pecovam) continues to play in the Dead Space arena with his latest rendition of Isaac Clarke in the Level 6 Military Suit.

Again a fantastic way to present a custom minfigure with a brick-built set and digital enhancements.

Andrew promises to showcase the figures  by themselves to show off all the detailed work.

(Via Pecovam's Flickr stream)

Gizmodo Delivers the Hi-Res Goods for 2011 LEGO

Gizmodo ran an article last night that featured tons of big, hi-res images of all the 2011 LEGO playthemes announced to date. This includes Star Wars, Ninjago, Alien Conquest, City, Kingdoms, Pirates of the Caribbean...the list goes on an on. LEGO Harry Potter seems to be the one missing piece.

Becuase the hi-res images are so big, you get great shots of all the minifigures. You can find the article at the Gizmodo website.

A big thanks to the folks at The Brick Blog who pointed me in the right direction.

Fembots Four

Have you submitted your entry into the Eurobricks Number Four Raffle yet? Morgan has with these clever Fembots which use the perfume bottles from the Orient Bazaar game (see those games have minifig parts too). 

You have two more days, I believe, to submit your entry. The 'contest' is a raffle so you just have to submit a pic within the scope of the guidelines. You must have been a Eurobricks member before the contest was announced, however, to win.

Not a Eurobricks member?! Head on over today so you're ready for their next event.

LEGO Jolly Roger Tees from Kasama Lego

Yet another reason why I need to get out to some cons 'stat'. In preparation for Bricks by the Bay (March 25th thru 27th), Kasama Lego (ka.lego) has designed a series of t-shirts to bring for the event. My favorite of the bunch is this Jolly Roger design. A great choice of skellie head and he even added the little holes in the cross bones as they appear in the Ninjago sets.

Kasama is looking for feedback, so head on over to Flickr and check out all the designs he has up so far.

LEGO World 2011 Mosaic

I was monitoring the interwebs for any relevant new coming out of LEGO World 2011 which was held in Copenhagen this past weekend. I'm certain many have heard about the Maersk Train set, but other than that there really wasn't much that I saw or heard.

I did happen to see this giant mosaic via Matija Grguric's Flickr stream. I don't know if this breaks the Guinness world record attempt made back in October 2010, but it is definitely sizable.

As you can see from this reference pic the full mosaic was a scene of several Series 1, 2, and 3 Collectible Minifigures.

If anyone knows more about this story, please let us know.

Tyler Takes It To The Mattresses

Tyler (Amadgunslinger) has developed these great mafia customs circa 1946. The painting is clean, the combos well thought out, and the fabric used for the coats are great.

A unique theme that's only occasionally been touched by others. This is a preview for a larger scene. Can't wait...

(Via Amadgunslinger's Flickr stream)

Sometimes It's How You Frame It

Customizer ZeroVelocity produced a custom 'skull bandanna', a piece that is very popular in the community. Instead of just snapping a pic and posting it, he took the time to frame it up in a compelling way. It not only makes for a more interesting picture, but it shows off the clean lines of his work.

Something for all of us to think of when sharing our creations.

(Via ZeroVelocity's Flickr page)

LEGO Star Wars Technology at Its Finest

There may be a new trend afoot...showing pictures of LEGO Star Wars technology gone wrong. Chris McVeigh (Powerpig) kicked it off with his depiction of what can happen to a lightsaber in the cold climate of Hoth.

Then Pedro Vezini showed what could have happened to Han if the carbonite freezing process had taken a turn for the worse.

Only time will tell if we see other gadgets from a galaxy far, far away falling on their collective faces.

You can see more on Powerpig and Pedro's Flickr streams. Chris included his set up for the lightsaber shot on his set-up page.

Adventures of Max - Atlantis

A little brick film fun for your Saturday evening. We have the third episode of the Adventures of Max series written by Greg Farshtey and animated by David Pagano. Enjoy!

Additional Hi-Res Photos of Series 4 Minifigures

This may be old news, it may not be...on the Toy Fair 2011 page of Figures.com, there are additional hi-res photos of the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. These appear to be in poses more traditional to real minifigures instead of the 'cartoony' action poses.

If you would like to see more you can check them out at Figures.com.

Saber Scorpion's Brotherhood of Steel

Justin (Saber Scorpion) returns with a bevy of new custom minifigures from Fallout 3. I've posted his Brotherhood of Steel figures here, but he has several factions on display - Vault Dwellers, Raiders, and Super Mutants.

Justin utilizes his decals to great effect, decals that you can purchase at his store. If you would like to see all of the custom factions, you can find them on Flickr and his website.

Forget About Duct Tape

...electrical tape is the new multipurpose tool. When we interviewed Shobrick we asked what his favorite tool in his kit happened to be. The answer? Electrical tape.

Sho has taken E-tape to an art form by designing clothing, straps, and other accessories for his custom minifigures. You can see it being used to great effect in these detail shots of his Navy Seals.

You can see more of Shobrick's work on his Flickr page. You can also pick up prints of his work on RedBubble.

Fantastic Four

No, I'm not talking about the 'first family of comics' (they're down to three now anyway). Eurobricks is holding a 'raffle contest' where current forum members submit LEGO creations that incorporate the number four. The rules are pretty soft, so it should be easy to enter. 

After four days they will draw four entries for four random draws from a Series 4 Collectible Minifigure case. You can see the full rules on the Eurobricks forums.

TLG is sponsoring the contest, but does this mean Series 4 will debut somewhere in world very soon? I'm placing my bets on a March launch. Stay tuned...

We Really Need to Stop Meeting Like This

I feel like I'm blogging Geoshift's customs every other day, but a deal is a deal - you keep making awesome creations, I'll keep writing about them.

Great use of the BrickTW Terra Cotta Warrior armor and Warhammer skulls. The Death Eater mask fits well with these combos too.

Geoshift keeps finding ways to wow us with these hybrids. I can't wait to see more.

(Via Geoshift's Flickr stream)

It's Deja Vu All Over Again

It feel like Thursday all over again with these great new creations by PetraFloDem and Family Bricks.

Petra is up first with this great shot of Qui Gon Jinn fighting Darth Maul a la Phantom Menace. A great use of action, digital enhancement, and composition.

Next we have Josh's (Family Bricks) latest in this Post Apoc Babe. The details on the torso and legs are so good, I thought they were decals...but they're actually painted! Josh promises lots more ladies, which is a very good thing!

You can see more of PetraFloDem and Josh's work on Flickr.

UD Minifig Battle - The Paranormal Gunslinger Winner

Once again, I want to thank everyone who participated in the Paranormal Gunslinger challenge. The battle was well fought by everyone with lots of fantastic entries.

The judges have convened and the verdict is in. The winner of the Paranormal Gunslinger challenge is...

...KJ the Knight! KJ's entry embodied the spirit of the brief quite well, with his Ghostbusters in the 1800's concept. The devil hat was a nice touch too. KJ will be receiving a gift card to FireStar Toys worth £25 which can be used on a wide variety of LEGO brand products, custom minifigures, or custom accessories.

I encourage everyone to check out all of the Paranormal Gunslingers by visiting the UD Minfigure Design Battle page. This month's competition was fierce and difficult for the judges to decide.

The Emperor is challenging all designers with this month's theme - The Samurai Sho(w)down. The brief can be found at the UD Minfigure Design Battle page.

To those who are about to design, we of the Minifig Nation salute you!

I Have You Now...

I was perusing around the interwebs and came across a fantastic WIP custom by Jared (AKA DirkNagel). I was immediately curious to see if Jared had any other custom creations on Flickr or Brickshelf...and he did!

This Union Against Infected Heavy Gunner has some nice part usage (the visors around the head remind me of the Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor). There are some nice painted touches to show this soldier has seen his share of action.

This wasn't the WIP I saw elsewhere (I'll wait until it's done to post), but even after seeing just a few of Jared's customs, I know he'll be one to watch over the coming year.

(Via DirkNagel's Flickr stream)

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Video from Toy Fair

Joe Meno has uploaded another American International Toy Fair video on YouTube, this time walking us through the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets. Good comprehensive close-ups of the sets and minifigures, unfortunately it looks like folks weren't allowed to pick items up for full 360 views.

Again, another big thanks to Joe for taking these shots. I'm guessing we could have videos for all the themes as time goes on.

Good Luck, Harry Potter

This shot by PteraFloDem is simple in its composition, but powerful in emotion. A great recreation of a pivotal scene at 4 Privet Drive.

(Via PteraFloDem's Flickr stream)

LEGO Alien Conquest - UFO Abduction

Thanks to Grogall, we now have one of the first official pictures of the LEGO Alien Conquest sets. This is a pic of set 7052, Alien Abduction.

If you've see the video from Joe Meno, you'll know that this is the set that used the light brick and flexible arms to 'abduct' other minifigs.

The alien fig looks great with his sinister underbite and big eyes. It's difficult to make out the print on the torso and legs, but it looks like it has promise. It would also seem that we'll have plenty of the zap guns from the Collectible Minifig series.

I can't wait to see more official pics of these great sets! Thanks again to Grogall for passing these along.

From Wings of Darkness I Strike at Thee

I've fallen head over heals with figures that incorporate these Warhammer wings on custom minifigures since seeing them for the first time in JasBrick's work. The love affair continues in Josh's (Family Bricks) latest, The Dark Elf Lord.

A great combination of official TLG and custom parts from top to bottom. The scroll is an especially nice touch.

You can see another 'dark elf' creation on Josh's Flickr stream, or visit the  Family Bricks site and check out all the products for sale.

It Would Seem Ursula Has a Deadlier Sister

Customizer Trennas has devised this fearsome Cecaelian Sea Witch using only official TLG parts. A great selection of parts for the build, and a female to boot (we don't see enough of these I'm afraid).

The posing of the arms provides motion and depth, and the camera angle gives a great sense of action (although it does remind me a little of the 1960's Batman series).

More of this great build and other custom creations can be seen on Trennas' Flickr stream.

Product Review - Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor

It is hard to believe, but this will be the first product review we have done for Hazel Fantasy and Amazing Armory Ltd.. This review will cover the Cyborg Armor set and Cyborg Shield. We will also have a review of customizer Pedro's work in painting one of these sets. The intent of this review is to give you the information you need to decide if these products are right for you.

Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor - 360 View (Click to Enlarge)

The Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor is sold as a set that includes both body gear and helmet. The body armor fits on the fig in the same way that standard LEGO gear might, over the head post. The connection holds firm to the body with no issues. The pauldrons and back pack are all part of a single, molded, ABS piece. The level of detail on the body gear are astounding.

There's plenty of room inside the neck/head guard of the armor to allow for helmets of various shapes and sizes.

Max Forward Arm Movement (left); Max Rear Movement (right)

Full arm movement is restricted due to the pauldrons and the back pack. The picture above shows the full range of arm movement available.

Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor Helmet - 360 View (Click to Enlarge)

The helmet, also made of ABS plastic, has full coverage of the minifigure head with an opening for the mouth. Again the piece is nicely detailed and there was a firm connection with the head with no issues.

Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor Set - 360 View (Click to Enlarge)

The pictures above show how the body armor and helmet come together for the final effect.

Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Shield - Front and Back (Click to Enlarge)

The Cyborg Shield (sold separately) can be paired with Cyborg Armor set or used for other builds. The shield is held via a handle on the back of the shield (shown above). The connection was good within the fig's hand and there were no connection issues. As with the Cyborg Armor set, the piece is molded in ABS plastic and comes nicely detailed.

The Cyborg Armor set and Shield only come in Dark Blueish Gray. Many customizers will often paint these pieces to provide variety and add color. Customizer Pedro, who is also the owner of the North American reseller of Hazel Fantasy, United Armory, provided us with a hand painted custom version of the Cyborg Armor set. We will review Pedro's work to both give you a sense of what can be accomplished with these pieces. Pedro will often sell custom minifigures through United Armory, so this can also give you an understanding of the quality craftsmanship that goes into his work.

Painted Cyborg Armor Set for UD by Pedro (Click to Enlarge)

Here we have a 360 view of the painted Cyborg Armor. Pedro has used Mr. Color paints on this piece to nice effect, incorporating the colors of our site into the armor. Pedro uses both Mr. Color and Citadel brands in his work. The lines are extremely clean with no issues. Pedro has also added two additional custom touches, first he's added several tiny holes in the neck/head guard to give some additional character to the piece. Second he's added a waterslide decal on the right pauldron of the Ugly Duckling logo - both features are nicely done.

There are no sealants used, as Pedro feels it can alter the appearance and texture of the piece; however, he can add a sealant upon request. Also although extensive play is not recommended, the piece should withstand some light play and posing.

Cyborg Shield Painted (Left) and Unpainted (Right)

Pedro included a painted version of the shield and a FAMAS rifle (not reviewed here). The two pictures show the difference between the painted and unpainted pieces.

Hazel Fantasy FAMAS Painted (Bottom) and Unpainted (Top)

Another factor to consider when buying a full custom minfigure is the quality of the minifigure itself. There were no issues here as the Space Police III minifigure that was used seemed brand new and the head was of quality.

Pedro will take requests for custom minifigures, but he asks for payment in advance. You can contact him via Flickr or United Armory.

Overall these pieces are fantastic from top to bottom. Good connections, highly detailed parts with ABS construction. Although they only come in dark blueish gray, you can always paint the parts and add your own custom look. If painting is not your thing, you could always purchase one of Pedro's custom pieces. The Cyborg Armor set, shield, and Pedro's custom work are all highly recommended.

Additional Stats - Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Armor Set
Website: United Armory
Location: United States
International Shipping: US and Canada only
Products & Colors: Dark Blueish Gray
Retail Price: $8.80 USD

Additional Stats - Hazel Fantasy Cyborg Shield
Products & Colors: Dark Blueish Gray
Retail Price: $4.00 USD

Geiger Would Be Proud

Yes, I recognize that these Xenomorphs from Aliens are not minifigures, but who else is your ABS Ripley going to fight? These are some great creations from Brandon (AKA Catsy), with lots of articulation and pose-ability.

These would pair nicely with the upcoming Hazel Fantasy Aliens line which debuts at the Tokyo Toy Fair in March.

Brandon has incorporated these great builds into a series of scenes which can be seen on his Flickr stream.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Guides - Series 4, 5, and 6

Collectible Minifigure Collection Details

• The figures will be packaged in "blind" bags and capsules in Japan.
• There are 16 characters in each series.
• The recommended price was $1.99 USD per bag, until Series 3 when it changed to $2.99 USD.
• There are three levels of rarity based on the mix of figures in each case.
• Secondary bar codes on the back of each bag indicate which figure is inside for the first two series. Series 3 does not have the bar codes, but instead has a different coding system based on 'bumps' at the bottom of the packs.
• There had been no printing on the back of these figures until Series 3, when the Gorilla Suit Guy and Mummy debuted with back torso print. Most figures do not include printing on the back as a cost-cutting measure; however, quite a few of the Series 4 minifigs will have back print.
• LEGO executives have stated that at least two sets will be released each year as long as they remain popular...or they run out of ideas, whichever comes first.
• Steve Witt of The LEGO Group announced at BrickFair 2010 that figures have now been designed up through Series 5. To date, only the figures through Series 5 have been shown.
• The LEGO Group has stated that once a series sells out, it will no longer make those figures. Series 1 & 2 are sold out to date.

Collectible Minifigures - Series 4 (#8804)

The following are the minifigures scheduled to be part of the fourth series of LEGO Collectible Minifigures. Series 4 is planned to launch around March/April 2011.

Commons (5 Figures per Case)

• The Punk Rocker
• The Sailor 
• The Werewolf

Uncommons (4 Figures per Case)

• The Kimono Girl 
• The Surfer Girl
• Frankenstein Monster 
• The Hazmat Guy
• The Street Skater
• The Football/Soccer Player
• The Artist

Rares (2 to 3 Figures per Case)

• The Mad Scientist (Upgraded)*
• The Hockey Player (Upgraded)
• The Musketeer
• The Viking (Upgraded)
• The Ice Skater (Upgraded)
• The Lawn Gnome (Upgraded)

*2 figures per case 

Collectible Minifigures - Series 5 (#8805)

The following are the minifigures scheduled to be part of the fifth series of LEGO Collectible Minifigures. Series 5 is planned to launch around July/August 2011.

• The Royal Guard (male)
• The Eskimo (male)
• The Boxer (male)
• The Fitness Trainer (female)
• The Gladiator (male)
• The Gangster (male)
• The Snowboarder (male)
• The Dwarf (male)
• The Zookeeper (female)
• The Pie Clown (male)
• The Detective (male)
• The Lumberjack (male)
• The Cavewoman (female)
• The Dinosaur Suit Guy (male)
• The Graduate (male)
• Cleopatra (female)

They call me 'Pants'...Agent Igotpants

The site was seriously lacking in Karf Oohlu creations of late, but Karf gave me the perfect reason to fix that...

I absolutely love the mileage he's been able to get out of the LEGO flashlight figure. The cell phone and 'fuzzy pants' are a nice touch.

You can see more of Karf's creations on his Flickr stream.