Updates and such

For those of you waiting for this week's updates...you might have a bit longer to wait than usual.

I'm in the last minute stages of prepping for CONvergence, and we leave for the convention tomorrow.

I'm working on a last-minute LEGO project that I hope to display, along with Tom, Crow, the Forrester Mural and some other things. I'm bringing several cameras, so there should be some interesting stuff showing up my Flikr Stream if you want to keep an eye on it.

I'm also finishing up sets for the next arc of Brick House - hence the delay there.

Anyway, I'll be back in town, and hopefully back on track, by next Tuesday.

In the meantime, check back occasionally - I'm bringing my laptop so I should be posting *something* over the next few days.

Finally, for those of you who are grumpy about all the recent interruptions to your free entertainment - after this con I'll be officially out of cash for a few months, so I'm more likely to be around and working on the site.

Episode 712

Read the comic here.

Observant readers will note that this puts all our hero groups into "Plot Device Drive" at the same time.

That can't be good...

Brickworld Photos on-line

I got a chance to upload the rest of my Brickworld 2009 photos to Flickr.



Click on the pic to go directly to the set!

Episode 711

Read the comic here.

Donut's dialog in the final panel is a tribute to an old "Ren and Stimpy" short about the History Eraser Button. Go watch it.

Toybox of FAIL: Soldier

First time here? Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
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I've got a good one for you today. A single bootleg that manages to cross several corporate lines - creating a sickening mish-mash of a "toy", poised to shatter and cut your fingers at the slightest provocation.

It only makes sense that such a violent bootleg would carry a militaristic name like "Soldier."





Before I show you today's fail, though, I thought it best to familiarize you with the main toy that's being ripped off.



This is LEGO Bionicle set 4878, Rahaga Bomonga. Yes, it's a goofy name.

Have you taken a good look at this set? Are you ready to move on to the FAIL?

I sure hope so.



Yes, it's the return of our "good friends" at BRICK. There's really no attempt to hide the LEGO origins of this toy - from the matching typefaces on the logos, the color schemes, the base toy itself, to the duplicate instructions for the toy's flying disc feature, there's giant heaps of copyright infringement everywhere.

Oh, sure, there are little differences. The background art is (slightly) different. The line name is different.

And, oh yeah, there's the strange fact that Solider has a DARTH VADER HEAD.



Before we look at that, though, here's some fun-to-read text from the top of the package:

Modern design.
Superior performance.
Skillful manufacture.
Perfect in workmanship.
High standard in quality and hygiene.

I was buying it up until they brought up high standards of hygiene.




Instead of including an instruction sheet, this time BRICK just printed the build on the back of the box. The fun begins when you notice the "check the size to make sure you have the right technic beam" illustrations are not printed to scale. In fact, the pictures are so tiny that they're nearly illegible. Way to go, BRICK!



Here's the base toy - it's a direct duplication of the LEGO build and parts. The plastic used is super brittle - and many of the joints and parts are defective. (Not enough plastic in the mold causing gaps or too much plastic preventing things from seating properly due to overruns.) The flying disc is there, but the gearing doesn't work, rendering that part of the toy useless.

But let's take a look at the real FAIL of this toy - the replacement of the Bionicle head with Darth Vader's helmet.




In person, this toy is almost cute in that "I'm going to tear off your toenails because that's all I can reach." way. You know. Like a rabid hamster or something.



Here's a detail of the face. It's not 100% Vader, but I don't think they were trying for anyone else. I guess they just didn't have a correctly-scaled Vader Mold lying around the factory to re-use.



Flipping the head over you can see the technic mount at the neck. Some poor worker was forced to carve this thing. Or maybe he volunteered for the task. I don't really know which would be worse.

Anyway, if you know anything about Bionicle, you know that LEGO loves to release six sets with basically the same parts cast in different colors. Take that knowledge as a bit of foreshadowing as to five other reviews that you'll be seeing in the near future.

Oh yes, the pain has just started.

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Many thanks to Joe from The Undiscovered Playthings for sending me this set to review.

Episode 710

Read the comic here.

Yes, this is something I set up years ago. For those of you who want a mild spoiler, you can click here. Otherwise wait and the context will be revealed in-strip.

Toybox of FAIL: Flying Disc

First time here? Please take a moment and read the Toybox of FAIL Disclaimer. Thanks!
-=-

Good news for you LEGO bootleg enthusiasts - I just received another shipment of FAIL from my good friend Joe of The Undiscovered Playthings blog. Until I can get them scanned and photographed, though, here's a little bit Summertime FAIL to whet your appetite for destruction.



Looks pretty innocent, doesn't it? Just your typical dollar store Frisbee.

Or is it...?


Flip it over and you find that you've bought yourself a poly-bag full of FAIL!



Yes, it's not just a Frisbee clone - it's a High Performance Gyroplane! But who's that in the logo?



Sky Sufer?




What the heck is a "Sufer"? Whatever it is, here he is.

Hmmm. This reminds me of something....

Oh. I bet they meant SURFER.

As in SILVER.



They do look similar, don't they?



Nah. It's probably just my imagination.

Episode 709

Read the comic here.

Here's a quick link back to Episode 431.