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LEGO’s Official Press Release on Jabba’s Palace Criticism

April 2, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

Today, LEGO has released their press release on what happened with the Jabba’s Palace criticism. We reported yesterday that LEGO will stop production in 2014 but not because of the issue at hand but because of the normal shelf life of different LEGO sets. LEGO has clarified that in their press release seen below.

The LEGO Group’s reaction to criticism of LEGO Star Wars product: “Jabba´s Palace”

The Austrian Turkish Cultural Community has criticized a LEGO Star Wars product for looking similar to a mosque in Istanbul. The product is however not based on any real building but on a fictional building from a scene in the movie Star Wars Episode VI.

All LEGO Star Wars products are based on the movies of the Star Wars saga created by Lucasfilm. Jabba’s Palace appears in Star Wars Episode VI and appears in a famous scene on the planet Tatooine. The building is the palace of Jabba – a fictional movie character.

The picture shown above depicts the building from the movie scene. The LEGO designers try to reproduce all buildings, space ships and characters from the movies as close as possible when creating a new LEGO Star Wars product.

This is done to allow both young and old Star Wars fans to act out the scenes from the movies at home. The LEGO Star Wars product Jabba´s palace does not reflect any non-fictional buildings, people, or the mentioned mosque.

The LEGO minifigures shown on the box and found inside the box (Jabba, Salacious Crumb, Bib Fortuna, Gamorreanic

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LEGO May 2013 Promotions Revealed

April 1, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

Flickr user, Legocollecter123, has posted an image of the May 2013 calendar of all the promotions LEGO will be having that month.

On May 1st, you can build a FREE mini build of the LEGO Star Wars Yoda Chronicles’ Holocron Droid.
On May 4th-5th, you can get a Han Solo polybag for the May the Fourth promotion. You will need to spend $75 on Star Wars products to receive the gift while supplies last.
On May 16-31, you can get a LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man vs. Fighting Drone (30167) with purchases of $50 or more while supplies last.
On May 20-24, you can get a FREE LEGO Iron Man poster when you help rebuild the Malibu Mansion set. The offer is valid while supplies last.
The LEGO Star Wars UCS Red Five X-wing Starfighter (10240) will be available for sale on May 4th at brick and mortar stores as well as Shop@Home.
The Yoda Chronicles will be premiering on Cartoon Network on May 29th.

LEGO Architecture BT Tower (21020) Revealed

April 1, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

The newest addition to the LEGO Architecture line has been announced and it will be the BT Tower (21020). Construction of the BT Tower was completed in 1964 and has become one of the most well-known buildings in London. Honestly, the price of the set doesn’t reflect what you get but at least you get a lot of 2×2 round bricks. Below is the official press release of the new Architecture set:

BILLUND, Denmark – LEGO® Architecture, which uses the LEGO brick to interpret the designs of iconic architecture around the world, has added another London landmark to the series – the BT Tower.

The BT Tower, formerly known as the Post Office Tower, is one of the most recognisable buildings in London. It was built to support microwave aerials.

“Every time I visit London I see the BT Tower on the horizon, so I wanted to recreate it in LEGO” says the architect and designer Eric Bedford Jr. In capturing the essence of the tower in LEGO bricks, Eric looked at the aesthetics rather than engineering, especially the use of colours, patterns and materials that define the ‘spiritual DNA’ of the building.

Construction of the Post Office Tower started in 1961 and was completed three years later. When built, it was the tallest building in London, at 189m (620ft) high. Today, it’s still a major telecommunications hub, and has a rotating restaurant at the top.

LEGO Architecture products feature well-known buildings, and the work of important architects. Aimed at inspiring future architects, engineers, designers and

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LEGO To Cease Production of Star Wars Jabba’s Palace

April 1, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 5 Comments

Back in January, we reported that LEGO was being accused of being racist by the Turkish Cultural Community of Austria because the Jabba’s Palace (9616) looked too similar to the Hagia Sophia mosque. The group also claimed that the set’s Asian and Oriental characters had “deceitful and criminal personalities” and the minifigures were portrayed as terrorists, criminals, and murderers.” This comes from a Muslim man’s son receiving the set as a present.

In response to these allegations, The LEGO Group as agreed to cease production of the Jabba’s Palace set from 2014 forward. This decision came between LEGO executives and the Turkish community leaders in Munich, Germany. Birol Killic, president of the TCA, states that “We are very grateful and congratulate Lego on the decision to take Jabba’s Palace out of production.”

As a result of this decision by LEGO, the Jabba’s Palace set may have just became an instant collector’s set because of this blemish. By the time 2014 rolls by, the set will already be at the end of it’s shelf life so this is really doesn’t hurt LEGO that much and they would rather concede this moral victory to the Turkish Community. Buyers and sellers on the secondary market can expect prices of the set to rise as they are being taken off the shelves. You can still pick up the set right now on Amazon for $87.99, a 27% savings, or you can pick it up at Shop@Home with double VIP points.

Today is April Fool’s Day and I wish this was … Continue

LEGO Shop@Home April Offerings

March 31, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

April is upon us and there are some new deals over at the LEGO stores as well as Shop@Home.

First of all there will be a FREE exclusive LEGO Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splinter key chain with a $75 purchase. This offer is valid from April 1-30 or while supplies last.

Secondly, you can get a FREE exclusive LEGO poster with any City or TMNT purchase. This is valid from April 1-21 while supplies last.

The FREE monthly Mini Model build will be a sheep.

April 8th will be the last day to earn Double VIP points.

Han Solo Minifigure Confirmed as LEGO “May the Fourth” Exclusive

March 30, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

LEGO Star Wars Han Solo May The Fourth Exclusive Minifigure

The above image comes from the May LEGO Store Calendar which confirms that the Han Solo minifigure (5001621) will be the “May the Fourth” exclusive for 2013. This Hoth variant of Han is FREE with any LEGO Star Wars purchase of $75 or more. Remember that the Red Five X-wing Starfighter (10240) will also be released May 4th so that will easily satisfy the $75 purchase requirement. The “May the Fourth” deal will only be available May 4-5. As we reported yesterday, the Hoth Han Solo will be dressed in a brown coat and a removable hood.

LEGO Star Wars Han Solo May the 4th Exclusive Minifigure?

March 29, 2013 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran / 0 Comments

The above image was posted on Eurobricks by Sleeper just a short while ago of a new polybag of Han Solo. Could this polybag be the exclusive minifigure that will be included with a certain purchase amount during “May the 4th” special at LEGO stores and Shop@Home? This version of Han Solo shows him in Hoth attire but looks more like a Boy Scout if you ask me. There’a already been a few variants of Han in Hoth attire but this one will be the first for him wearing the brown coat. What do you think of this polybag and will you be picking on up when it’s available?