I built the AT-ST raider today. Nice build. Wasn’t interested at first but once I saw the episode decided I wanted it.
Finish my 1989 Batmobile, that thing is beautiful. Unfortunately when I tried to take a pic of both Batmobile and the Tumbler, the right side lights on the Tumbler stopped working (can't find anything stripped on the wires, but something went wrong, as I checked the connectors and batteries).
Very nice! That's what I hope to do with a UCS Batmobile display. I just need to track down the UCS Tumbler to pair with my custom minifig scale Tumbler, build the 1989 UCS and minifig scale Batmobiles, and get lighting kits for both UCS models and install them. Man, when I spell out the plan like that, it seems like a lot of work but the hopefully the pay off is worth it. I actually quite like the fun, quirky 50's style of the Diner set. I plan to pick it up eventually but I do have the Detective's Office (even though that one seems more 1930's-40's era; haven't built it yet). I was bummed that I waited too long to pick up the Palace Cinema (it was sold out at Amazon a year or two ago before I could pull the trigger). I feel it and the Detective's Office would be good fits for a noir style Gotham City (the Palace Cinema could even be where Bruce Wayne's parents bite the dust, if we're getting dark about it ). I also have the Corner Garage and I like the look of it too (haven't built it yet either) even if it's a little on the boring side; I just dig the classic/vintage Americana aesthetic.
Is the Detective's Office gone??? I mean, LEGO's site doesn't have it, but it came out in 2015, and if they're just retiring the 2014 restaurant I nabbed I figured the office would still be ok. I prefer getting VIP points for my larger LEGO purchases so would prefer buying direct from LEGO, but if the office is no longer available Direct I suppose I shall simply have to make do without. Just as I shall be Palace Cinema-less unless I find a very reasonable deal for it on Bricklink.
Unfortunately I believe the Detective's Office was retired last year after the 2018 Black Friday sale.
Yeah unfortunately Lego is inconsistent with that-the Volkswagen Camper Van has been around 8 or 9 years, whereas later sets like the MINI Cooper have come and gone.
Am so looking forward to building mine by the end of the year. Really wish LEGO would make another set with the pilots.
They have a few years left to do sets for Episode IX, I wouldn't mind if they let the license go after that. They could redirect resources from SW to new original IP space stuff, revisit classic space, or even try a different space themed license.
Most every other licensed set includes minifigs even when they aren't to scale with the model. Why did they not use that to help sell Voltron? A set of them would have been a great bonus item for those who purchased him right away at full price.
I seriously doubt LEGO would ever abandon the Star Wars License unless it was priced too high out of their profit margins. These sets have lasted 20 years and while Hasbro seems to be suffering LEGO still looks to be going strong with every new year. I could be mistaken on that front, but there are certain advantages to sticking with an established big seller rather than starting fresh with something else. It's part of the reason why LEGO has, for the most part, embraced Licensed IPs over In-House brands.
My wife has all except the Green Grocer. She had to make a decision between that one and the department store, and as luck would have it, the Green Grocer was discontinued less than six months later, and the department store went on for years. We have all except the Diner and the Gas Station. My son picked up the Ghostbusters building, and it goes very well with the rest. What used to be a single street is turning into a small neighbourhood.
An official Lego Star Trek Enterprise set would be very cool (I'm more partial to the Next Generation Enterprise D design over the original). But getting Star Trek as an ongoing license would be competing with Star Wars with the similar space themes so I don't ever expect Lego to acquire the ST license when SW has proven to be quite profitable for them already. I could maybe see it as a Creator IDEAS one-off and that's it. Brickmania did make custom Lego figures of the cast of the original Star Trek crew (plus the black and white aliens, and a nameless red shirt ) complete with an Enterprise bridge set. It cost a pretty penny and is currently out of production, however. I would love an Enterprise D ship model or bridge set complete with crew.
Star Trek Lego would not be in competition with Star Wars Lego, overall. Kids buy Star Wars Lego and help boost that lines total sales. Star Trek lego would be a much smaller market and bought mostly by older collectors, and would not necessarily be in direct competition with space and Star Wars lego, if kept to the UCS line with a total of four ships per year (one every quarter).
I would go fully complete with any Lego Star Trek line (well, anything Prime Universe.... probably wouldn't be interested in Kelvinverse). Alas, I feel like the chances are minimal.
I doubt there would be demand by consumers for Lego to put out 4 UCS sets every year for the same line. I think Lego would just invest resources into properties that are guaranteed to make money. If Lego does get the Star Trek license one day (and I'm hoping they do), they'd probably do a one-off set like the 007 DB5. I don't think Star Trek is as popular now as it was, say, 10 years ago, to warrant 4 UCS sets per year. One per year would be more reasonable (if they released new sets like the modular buildings).
