The LEGO Maniac

 Minifigure Spotlight 23.6- Elsa (Frozen)  Figure ID#: DIS032  Year(s): 2019  Theme: Disney Collectible Minifigures (Series 2)  Other: Fittingly included in the 2019 Disney Collectible Minifigure Series 2 alongside of her sister, Anna, Elsa stands ready to just shrug and “let it go”. A frosty snowflake-pattern cape and holding a translucent snowflake, this Elsa is also a one-of-a-kind minifigure. Before (and after) this figure’s release we have only ever seen a Doll-version of this beloved character.

 Minifigure Spotlight 23.5- Anna (Frozen)  Figure ID#: DIS033  Year(s): 2019  Theme: Disney Collectible Minifigures (Series 2)  Other: Released in May of 2019, Disney’s Anna from the “Frozen” franchise was a part of the second wave of Disney Collectible Minifigures. Complete with a fabric cloak and a lantern to brace herself against the cold, this figure has the distinction of being the only Anna Minifigure ever released. All other figures of this character have only been released in the Doll-size.

Today I want to introduce a new segment of The LEGO Maniac blog, we are going to simply call it "Brick Talk". In these segments we will talk over different issues regarding LEGO, the LEGO community, and other relevant topics. I hope that, through these segments, we can help clarify and educate the LEGO Community on current issues. In this edition of Brick Talk, I want to address the topic of Knockoffs, 3rd Party products, and why we should even care. Believe it or not, the issue of Knockoff LEGO Products is actually a very big issue and has ramifications that run deeper than most realize. As is, you see this topic brought up in LEGO Facebook groups, Pages and on Reddit and other social media platforms. Usually the term "Knockoff", "Fake", "Flego", "Fake LEGO", and "3rd Party" are used fairly interchangeably. Also, a number of AFOL's argue rather heatedly over whether you should buy Fake LEGO or even have them in your colle...

-Minifig Spotlight 23.4-          Name: Ogel Figure ID#: ALP008, ALP020, ALP029 Year: 2001, 2002, 2004 Theme: Alpha Team/Mission Deep Sea/Mission Deep Freeze Info: Over the course of LEGO history, there are only a few villains that are noted for being the worst of the worst, and whose evil machinations stretch potentially further than their own theme. The Brickster, of LEGO Island fame, is one such villain. But right up there with the Brickster is Ogel. A strange cross between every spy villain out there, Ogel’s one and only goal is to conquer the world, and possibly the rest of the universe at the same time. With his mind control orbs and armies of mindless drones, he has a very good chance of pulling it off, too. That is, he would if Alpha Team wouldn't keep getting in his way. Traditionally, Ogel’s appearance stays fairly the same. One red eye, gold face shield, black uniform and armor (the same armor piece used in the Insectoid and UFO themes). ...

  -Guide 4: Roboforce (1997)- 1997 saw what may very well be the smallest of the LEGO Space themes to be released. With a grand total of 4 sets to its name, Roboforce was a small, but impressive, theme. Roboforce was set up as a kind of municipal group, taking the roles of both Space Police and M:Tron. Their robots were powered with “Robo Disks”, which were also highly desired by both the Zotaxiansof the UFO faction, as well as the devious era-hopping Time Twisters. The Roboforce faction utilized large Zoid-like robots. These robots were grouped into two classes, Orange Class and Green Class. The Green Class robots were militant and served to maintain justice. Meanwhile the Orange Class was more geared towards “search and rescue” than combat. Of the sets that were released, there were two of each of these robots. Interestingly enough, while the Orange Class were made in humanoid form, the Green Class had more animalistic appearances. Also, with the exception of all but the Green Cl...

  -Guide 3: Ice Planet 2002 (1993)- In 1993 LEGO Space introduced us to the frozen surface of the planet Krysto. The mustached Captain Cold led the inhabitants of this “Ice Planet” in their advancements in the study of rockets and rocket fuel. Alongside him, the first female Space character, Doctor Kelvin, worked to keep their satellite and rocket technology out of the hands of the villainous “Blacktron” agents. The “Ice Planet” faction took the place of M:Tron as the resident civilian faction in LEGO Space lore, working alongside the officers of the second “Space Police” generation to foil the plans of the “Blacktron Future Generation”. The theme was released just after the discontinuation of “Space Police 2” and “Blacktron Future Generation”, and just before the outbreak of the “Spyrius” and “Unitron” conflict. This put them in the position to be featured alongside both sets of warring factions, and though a small force and civilian-based, the “Ice Planet” astronauts proved to be...

  -Space Police 3 (2009)- Though often considered the 3rd generation of the “Space Police” subtheme, “Space Police 3” (which was originally just called “Space Police”), was more of a reboot than a continuation of the fan-favorite theme. The theme came on the heels of the 2007-2009 “Mars Mission” theme, and like “Mars Mission”, “Space Police 3” had more modernist aesthetics and concepts. Instead of facing off against an opposing factions like the previous iterations, the officers of “Space Police 3” struggled to apprehend the alien criminal organization, The Black Hole Gang. The alien members of the gang often had very Mafia-esque appearances and names, and most included a molded single-piece head. The vehicles in “Space Police 3” were generally smaller in size than previous “Space Police” themes. They opted for smaller speeder and speeder-bike vehicles that more resembled modern motorcycle and automobiles than the sci-fi ship and air speeders of all the LEGO Space themes that had c...