Series 4 Collectible Minifigures Now at LEGO.com

Although I'm certain most readers know by now, Series 4 Collectible Minifigures are now available at the LEGO.com worldwide. There's a limit of 16 figures per order, but multiple orders are allowed (if you can stomach the shipping and handling charge, that is). You can place your order by clicking on your country's banner at the top of our page.

I've also been updating the Series 4 Rollout map. I've just added locations in Quebec and Hungary. Many thanks to everyone who have sent me notices of locations worldwide.

In Series 4 guide news, I've added the link to the Series 4 dot code sheet in each guide entry. I'll try to get individual codes placed in each guide entry too.

That's all for now. More as it happens...

Series 4 Now in US LEGO Stores and Singapore

I've received a couple of reports that Series 4 Collectible Minifigures are now appearing in LEGO Stores in the US. The confirmed sightings include the Queens Center LEGO Store in NY and the Baybrook Mall location in Friendswood, TX (Thanks David and Thomas!) LEGO had listed April 15th as the official release date, but perhaps they are a bit squeamish about TRU launching so far in advance. You may want to call your local LEGO Store to check for availability. It's not uncommon for stores to put stock out early and then be asked to pull it until the official release date.

Andrew at Smashing Bricks also wrote to let me know that Series 4 appears to be in Singapore now. I'm still waiting for a location, but I'll post it once I have it in hand.

There were some weird 'technical difficulties' with Google Maps this morning. I'll post these locations on our Rollout Map as soon as those clear up.

UPDATE: Andrew let us know that the Singapore locations include BricksWorld, BrickStation, ToysHunt, and Secret Chamber. Metro Departmental Store and Toys R Us (SG) will have stock in a couple of days.

Quick Hits: Series 1 is Back and Ninjago Gets Re-upped

A couple of quick news items this morning...

Reports are surfacing over various sites that the Build a Minifig bins at US LEGO Stores are now getting Series 1 Collectible Minifigure parts. This shouldn't be a terrible surprise as the LEGO Store calendars declaired this was coming. The only questions that really remains is which parts will be available. The same pic taken by JAYMATIK seems to be up on the sites currently reporting. It shows The Forestman, The Clown, and a couple of Mermaids (not Series 1 I know). The stories also state that parts for the Cheerleader and Magician are making an appearance. If the Zombie parts ever surfaced, that would really be a coup! Build a Minifig prices are three minifigures for $9.99 USD.

The second item of interest is that Cartoon Network has picked up Ninjago - Masters of Spinjitzu for renewal. Likely to appear in late 2011, this will be a series and not just a three or four episodes. This is both a first for LEGO and evidence that the Ninjago sets will be around for some time. This isn't a terrible surprise for me as the Ninjago Minifigure Guides are still one of the most visited portions of the site. You can read more about this story at Toy News.

That's all for now. More as it happens...

UPDATE: I kid you not, here is the brief on the new Ninjago series released by Cartoon Network:
After a time of peace in Ninjago, our four Ninja heroes are about to face a new dangerous enemy. Lloyd Garmadon, son of their archenemy Lord Garmadon, has unleashed a new evil with unique powers. Soon all his ambition to follow in his father's footsteps has put all of Ninjago in jeopardy.

I  can't wait to see the Lloyd Garmadon minifigure...

I Can Feel A Change Coming On

Legoagogo returns with this great depiction of a lycanthrope's transformation. Mark nails the concept with great lighting and the use of Fenrir Greyback as the midpoint of the metamorphosis.

Mark's been away designing large displays for his local game store. It sounds like we'll be treated to a new display featuring a certain pirate captain very soon.

See more on Mark's Flickr stream.

New Pictures of Series 5 Collectible Minifigures

Series 4 is so-o-o five minutes ago...Series 5 is where it's at! Readers Jacob and Troy both sent me word that new images of the Series 5 Collectible Minifigures (8805) are currently on the toy site Mikado Spieleland. The image I could grab (above) was quite small, but there's a viewer on the site that gives you a close up look. There's also an image of the customary four by four grid of actual figs.

I'll be returning to the site shortly, as Brickset has seen new Hero Factory and I hear that new Ninjago spinners are on the site too. It's possible other treasures can be found.

Check it all out at Mikado Spieleland now.

UPDATE:  I was able to coax a much better picture from their site. I'm also including the grid pic of the actual figs above. Click on both for larger images.

Series 4 World Tour: Germany, Austria, and US East Coast

A couple of updates on Series 4 availability have come my way...

Brickset is reporting that Mueller Markt stores in Stuttgart and Winnenden, Germany are now getting Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. The reported price is €1.99 per pack.

Also via Brickset a commenter says Toys R Us in Graz, Austria has them in stock.

Finally there have been reports that Toys R Us in Virgina (US) are starting to see these rascally rascals too. The eastern seaboard has been fairly bare of pins on the Series 4 Rollout Map to date. This may be a sign they are starting to arrive.

More as it happens.

The Series 4 Guide 'Upgrades' Continue

"You have something in your teeth, dear."

I was able to add the Hockey Player and Ice Skater to the upgraded guide entries last night. It looks like I'll upgrade a couple each night until I'm through the whole series. I could just take a single pic of each fig and put it up...but what fun would that be.

As always if you have specific questions about a figure, let me know and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

Series 4 World Tour: Singapore

So are ya sick of me talking about the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures yet? Don't worry pretty soon you'll be sick of me talking about the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean minifigures...but back to the issue at hand.

Smashing Bricks informs that Series 4 may be available within the week. BricksWorld is promising product in stock at their Ngee Ann City location by March 29th and Plaza Singapura by the 31st.

Again, it feels like the global roll-out of this series have happened in record time, which I'm certain was no small logistics feat by TLG.

If you would like to learn more about Series 4 in Singapore, visit Smashing Bricks.

Let the Series 4 Photos Begin!

One of the things I always look forward to when a new Collectible Minifig series or play theme launches, is how the various LEGO photographers will use them in new compositions. Chris McVeigh (powerpig) gives us this outbreak of the solanum virus in what appears to be Wall Street (why else would all those zombies be in identical suits?)

If the radiation symbol was a 'biological hazard' icon this shot would be perfect!

I think it's safe to say that The Hazmat Guy will be appearing in many more shots in the coming weeks. I'm hoping to also see some creative use of the 'B-team' of collectible minifigures. There's one custom minifig I'm really holding out hope for. I've even decided on a title for the post when I see it. I'll give you a hint...'Happy Trees'.

You can see more of Chris' work on Flickr. As always, Chris also sells his work via RedBubble.

UPDATE: Chris has posted a lighting 'how-to' on his Set-Ups page for this very shot. Very informative for those budding toy photographers!

Series 4 'Rares' in Store Now

Late last week I mentioned that I was able to purchase some Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. I've recently finished taking guide pictures for all of the 'rare' figures and placed them for sale on my BrickLink store. I currently have The Lawn Gnome, The Ice Skater, The Hockey Player, The Viking, and The Crazy Scientist (alas The Musketeer still evades me). I've attempted to price the figures competitively, plus I have flat rate shipping*. You can purchase more, but shipping costs will stay the same.

I only have one of each figure, so hurry down and take a look. There are also a few other figures like The Werewolf and Soccer Player still available as well.

You can check it all out on BrickLink.

*See 'store terms' for full details

It's Time to Upgrade!

It's already time to start upgrading the Series 4 Collectible Minifigure guides. I've started in with The Crazy Scientist, giving you 360 views of the fig and close-ups of key features.

I'm also adding the dot codes from minifigcollector.com for your reference while in store.

I will do my best to update each guide entry in a timely fashion. If there's anything you would like to see for a particular fig that you haven't seen to date, just let me know.

Series 4 Now on Sale at ToysRUs.com

While visiting The Brick Blog to provide a link, I noticed a post saying that ToysRUs.com is currently selling Series 4 Collectible Minifigures online! The post was this morning, but it appears they still have them in stock. They are retailing for $2.99 USD and there don't appear to be any limits. Right now Toys R Us will ship for free on orders above $75. Head on over to TRU.com for more details.

Thanks once again to The Brick Blog for the news.

Series 4 Collector Case on Amazon

Daniel of The Brick Blog set me a link for this Series 4 Collectible Minifigure collector's case on Amazon. The Amazon listing shows it being from LEGO, but it's being sold by another retailer (Toy Hoarder).

The front is made of a clear PVC plastic with a backing that slides into place. The back has a listing for all 16 figures. The case can stand by itself or hang from a wall.

There are plenty of ways you can display you Series 4 figures, and now you have another option. The case retails for $19.99, but do make certain you read all details regarding shipping and handling.

You can find the listing on Amazon.com.

Thanks to The Brick Blog for sending this over.

The Series 4 Rollout Map Rules Have Changed

It seems that someone thought it would be funny to move all of the pins on the Series 4 Rollout Map. As a result I've removed collaboration from the map (i.e. only I will be able to add pins and make changes from now on). If you have a new location, please just e-mail it to me at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com, and I'll add it. 

I'll also need a bit of time to put the pins back where they belong. The good news, however, is that the vandal didn't think to change the pin labels. You can still peruse those to determine if Series 4 is in your area.

UPDATE: I've corrected the map, but not with the precision it originally had in all locations. If you notice an incorrect placement please e-mail me at the address above. Also, to the person who indicated the Brookfield Farm Tesco (UK) has Series 4, can you give me a more specific address? I tried hunting for it, but the closest I came was in Carisle.

Series 4 World Tour: UK and Canada

Toys N Bricks and Brickset are reporting that Canadian Wal-Mart stores and UK Tescos are starting to get Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. This feels like the fastest rollout to date for several countries (thank you TLG!) The Canadian figures are listed for $3.28 CAN, while those in the UK are going for 1.97 GBP.

The two locations have been added to the Series 4 Rollout Map. Make certain to 'drop a pin' when you find these in your neck of the woods, or drop me a line and I can do it.

Keep checking back for more Series 4 news, as it happens.

(Via Toys N Bricks and Brickset)

Series 4 Collectible Minifigures Available In Store

I was fortunate enough to come across a few Series 4 Collectible Minifigures today. I've placed a small selection up for sale on my BrickLink store. If you have certain figures that you really must have, you may want to check out our supply. The stand and all accessories are included, but they do not come in sealed bags.

Visit The Ugly Duckling for more details.

Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Dot Codes Surfacing

Brickset members have already started to compile the 'dot code' sheets for the Series 4 Collectible Minifigures. There two such sheets currently available...

The first can be found on Jared Bohem's Flickr stream. It would appear that he has all but two of the codes listed (The Lawn Gnome and Hazmat Guy).

The second list can be found on the website minifigcollector.com. Their list is a full one, with all 16 minifigures listed. Minfig Collector is also an app for Android smart phones, which should be updated with the Series 4 dot codes in a couple of days.

A word of caution - Huw notes that some of the corresponding dot codes don't agree between the two sheets. Given that it's early days, and the dot codes can be difficult to read (relative to the bar codes anyway), it's not surprising. You may also want to try to feel the item through the polybag to make certain you are getting the figure you want. Not sure what to feel for? Head on over to our Series 4 Minifig guides and see what we recommend.

(Via Brickset, Jared Bohem's Flickr stream, and minifigcollector.com)

Series 4 Rollout Map Redux

(Click for Larger View)

My sincerest apologies to those who've tried to add pins to the Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Rollout Map on Google. You should be able to add locations now. As is often the case, there was one box I hadn't clicked to allow for collaboration.

I also realized that some of the Google Maps functions had changed since last time, so I figured that I would update the instructions on how to add a pin...

Step 1: Head on over to the Series 4 Rollout Map. You may want to bookmark the page and check back often.

Step 2: Click on the 'Edit' button near the upper left-hand corner of the map. Three icons should appear in the upper left-hand corner of the map.

Step 3: In the search bar enter the address of the store you are trying to enter (i.e. "ToysRUs near Indianapolis, IN").

Step 4: Move your cursor over the map icon in the upper right-hand corner of the map. The box will expand with additional options when you mouse over.

Step 5: In the newly opened box, look to the bottom of the list of options. You should see a map title for the item you just searched (i.e. Indianapolis, IN) and for the Series 4 Rollout Map. Make certain that both options are checked. This should overlay the two maps on top of one another.

Step 6: Zoom in on the location you searched for.

Step 7: Go back to the three icons that appeared in Step 2. The middle one should say 'Add a placemark'. Click on this middle icon. You should now have an icon attached to your cursor that looks like an upside down tear drop with an 'X' at the point.

Step 8: Move the marker near the retail store location that appeared from your search in Step 3 and 'click' to drop the marker. Almost there...

Step 9: Add a title (ToysRUs - Indianapolis, IN) and a description ($2.99 USD found in the LEGO aisle, no purchase limits). You can also click on the 'blue tear drop' and change it to a 'red push pin' (don't worry if you can't do this, I can fix it). Finally click 'OK' when all your information is entered.

Step 10: Click 'Save' and then 'Done' and then you are...um...done.

Now that I've written it out, it doesn't seem as simple, but hopefully this helps. You'll be dropping 'virtual pins' in no time.

As always, if you have any questions just drop me a line at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com.

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

Call TRU Customer Service to Check Series 4 Availability

Morgan pointed this out to us last round, but I completely forgot that you can call ToysRUs in the US and see if Series 4 is in your area. I've lifted this from Morgan's earlier comments...

'If you're in the US...Call 1-800-869-7787 

- Press menu options 1, 3, and then 2

- Ask the operator to check the availability of item 578074

Searching for that number (TRU's code for S4 figs) will allow the operator to see if any are in stock in your zip code, if they've been ordered, etc.'

I personally called to check for availability in my area and the closest store was Lexington, KY (I've added a pin on the Series 4 Rollout Map). Another reader also let me know that he's seen them at a TRU in Springfield, IL (also pinned).

You can see the instructions on how to use the map here, but if you are having difficulty in adding a pin, just write me at uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do. Some of the Google Maps functionality has changed since then, so I may need to update the instructions.

Happy hunting!

Cygnet

Minister of Information

Ugly Duck Command Center

Minifig Nation

The Series 4 North American Invasion Has Begin

...and the first report comes to us via Brickset (Thanks again to Apples for the heads up!)

ToysRUs in Algonquin, IL had Series 4 Collectible Minifigures on 3/15. The price point was $2.99 USD. Chances are that Series 4 will spread like the plague through the mid-west via TRU, so check your local store for availability. The UPC code is 673419144995, and there is no limit on the number of bags you can buy.

No word yet on a 'dot sheet' for Series 4, but we will post it once it becomes available. Given the resourcefulness of most AFOL's we should see one by the weekend.

If you find these ABS All-Stars don't forget to place a pin on our Series 4 Collectible Minifigure Map!

You can follow the on-going conversation at Brickset.