After a back and forth weekend, all calendars are still in the running as we begin a new week leading up to the holidays. Let’s see if MCU hangs on to the lead or if we have a new frontrunner on Day 6:

Day 6- MCU

Steve: MCU comes into the first full week with a lead – can they hold on? Door #6 is a table set for a BBQ. Like yesterday, it is a good build – the hamburger in particular is made with an interesting technique – but again, like yesterday, it doesn’t fit the theme or the season. Good build, odd choice.

Day 6- SW

Patrick: Behind the door for day number 6 is another micro build that stays on theme with the Imperial stuff we’ve been getting over the last few days. This 20-piece rendition of the Trexler-6 Armoured Marauder, seen in Chapter 12 of the Mandalorian, is well shaped and solid, much like its official set, 75311. Unfortunately, while it is accurate, its pretty unimpressive, and outside of some nice ingots and SNOT (Studs Not On Top) pieces, there’s not much here to scrap for either. Star Wars, again, relies on the other calendars being disappointing for the micro build to clutch out some points.

Day 7- HP

Matt: After snagging first place yesterday to stay in the running, HP looks to keep the momentum going. Behind Door #6 is none other than Dudley Dursley. Continuing the island scene, Dudley is presented to us in his stripped pj’s and cowlick-style hair, accurate to the film. This is one of the first real fun moments of the movie where Dudley begins eating the cake gifted to Harry on Day #5, and Hagrid hits him with a “pig tail” spell (“I shouldn’t have done that…”- Hagrid). I love the fact that the pigtail is represented on the back of the torso. A dual molded face is included as well, expressing Dudley’s shock and horror at his new tail. This is a unique, exclusive print for Dudley and as far as I know only the second time he has been represented in LEGO form. An accessory may have been nice but this figure should receive top marks on the day.

Verdict

For the first time this season, HP puts up back-to-back strong entries with an exclusive Dudley Dursley minifig and as such, wins its second consecutive day. In 2^nd place, SW offers a microscale build that has just enough to edge out MCU, with another backyard BBQ themed build.

With that, the overall lead switches, and the scores are now:

HP- 7

MCU- 6

SW- 5

To be continued…

As we round off the weekend, only two points separate 1st place from 3rd. Let’s see how Day 5 plays out:

Day 5- MCU

Steve: Day 5 of the MCU Advent Calendar is a… BBQ? This is a perfectly well-designed minifig-scale grill, It includes a chicken leg for cooking as well as a fire extinguisher. It’s just an odd choice as it does really fit in the Marvel theme or the Christmas theme.

Day 5- SW

Patrick: The build behind door number 5 of the Star Wars advent makes a weapons rack look like a UCS. These targets for Day 4’s E-web are a decent idea in theory, but getting them on their own day kinda kills them; they would have been nice to see included with the turret itself. In addition to this, it would have been nice to see some prints on the tiles for targets or bullseyes, or even the Imperial logos found in the brief Action Battle series Lego did a couple years ago; those were red AND had the Imperial Insignia. The only saving grace is the use of those nice torch pieces for the target bases and the new-ish 1×1 snot plate for the connection. All in all, these will be in my bulk by New Years.

Day 5- HP

Matt: After failing to secure any points over the last 2 days, HP really needs to bounce back to stay in the race early on. Behind the door on Day #5 is the “HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY” birthday cake, given to him by none other than Rubeus Hagrid in book/film one. This is an exclusive print on a 2×2 round tile, and arguably the first time TLG has addressed this scene in the franchise. Even as a kid reading the novels I really enjoyed this scene, as it was the first time Harry’s birthday had truly been acknowledged by anyone, the Dursley’s included. In addition to that, it also was a symbolic introduction to Hagrid who would go on to form an important relationship with Harry and Co. throughout the series. The pink frosting and green wording are true to the film and novel as well (I believe). The box it fits in is designed well enough. I think the 3×3 white plate, while welcome, is a little too “clunky” for the build, but nevertheless does the job. I wonder if this will be all for the “island” scene where Hagrid tracks down Harry and the Dursley’s, who are “on the run” from the constant Hogwarts acceptance letters. We shall see tomorrow but for now, it should be a cakewalk for HP, pardon the pun.

Verdict- After two straight losses, HP takes the cake on Day 5 (ok, puns end now) with its exclusive 2×2 printed tile. In 2^nd place, MCU, with a grill that while not festive or thematic, is well built. In 3^rd place, not much of anything from SW, with lackluster targets. At least it gives the entry on Day 4 something to shoot at. HP and SW swap places, while MCU retains the lead. The scores are now:

MCU- 6

HP- 5

SW- 4

To be continued…

Everything is tied up heading into the weekend. Something’s gotta give on Day 4. Let’s find out:

Day 4- MCU

Steve: For Day 4 the MCU Calendar gives us a minifigure – Black Widow. It’s not a unique figure, but it is a good one. Metallic printing on the torso looks really sharp, even though it isn’t a unique print. A very nice touch is printing on the arms, something often left off Advent Calendar figs. Rounding out the figure is a pair of her trademark electric fighting sticks and a marshmallow on the end for roasting.

Day 4- SW

Patrick: Behind door Number 4 is, in my opinion, the first stellar build for this advent calendar. This small E-Web Turret build is a great scale and has great shaping with the lightsaber and the BB-9E dome piece towards the barrel. I could give or take the stud shooter on top, but that can be omitted and the build still looks solid. An extra white stud is included, I guess its a snowball launcher? Either way, great minifig scale gun build and nice addition to my Imperial collection!

Day 4- HP

Matt: After a fireplace entry yesterday, I expect something to adorn the side clips. Unfortunately, I am correct. Behind the door is…err…an accessory pack. A broom, shovel, festive wreath, and three 1×2 printed envelopes are included on Day 4. It’s hard to be happy about this as an advent calendar gift, but having followed the HP calendars over the last couple years, I’m not surprised to see it. HP has a tendency to combine entries over multiple days to form a complete build/scene. Personally, I feel like this strategy “cheapens” each offering individually, but as a whole, the result is pretty cool. We now have a festive fireplace, with functioning chute, and accessories. I just wish this happened over one day rather than two.

Verdict

MCU is the clear winner here today with the Black Widow minifigure. SW takes 2^nd place due to its scale build and function. HP brings up the rear again for the second day in row, although the completed fireplace build is now pretty great. As such, the scores are now:

MCU- 5

SW- 4

HP- 3

To be continued…

The opening days saw all three calendars remain close. Let’s see what the final day of this week brings us heading into the weekend:

Day 3- MCU

Steve: Marvel has some catching up to do to get back on top for Day 3 – let’s open that door! Door# 3 gives us a Hall of Armour Wreath. It’s nice to see a little festive and seasonal build from the MCU calendar. The build itself has the connections to be integrated into the larger Hall of Armour set (set #76125), which is a nice touch. I also like to see minifig-scaled builds instead of micro scale.

Day 3- SW

Patrick: After a couple of micro builds, getting a minifigure behind door number 3 of the Star Wars advent is a welcome change! This Stormtrooper is the newest version Lego has been using since 2019, and while there are some valid complaints about the size and depth of the helmet, as well as lack of articulation, this is still a solid inclusion as an army-building figure. The dual-molded helmets Lego have been doing recently are great, and the torso and leg print is accurate as always. However, my main concern is not with the figure possesses, but what it lacks: a blaster. Since 2016, the advent calendar minifigures, in Star Wars at least, have been included WITH their accessories. However before that, “weapon racks” were included on their own days, containing a couple accessories for figs without. I worry the unarmed Stormtrooper might mark the return of weapon racks, but only time will tell…

Day 3- HP

Matt: After two days of solid entries, HP looks to keep the momentum going as it begins to build its board game style scene.  

Behind Door #3 is a… hearth/mantle/fireplace? It’s not immediately clear what this build is, which is always a concerning sign. Steve pointed out that initially I had it photographed lying on its back, rather than upright. After orienting it the correct way, I did like the result slightly more, but all in all, there’s nothing inherently “HP” about this, in my opinion. Patrick pointed out that the hearth, while not festive, does contribute toward building the scene where Harry receives hundreds of Hogwarts acceptance letters into the Dursley’s living room. I suppose in that way it is related.

Arguably the most redeeming aspect of this build is the play feature- you can insert the 2×3 black “flag” tile into the slot above the fireplace, to stop the letters from coming down the chute. This adds some synergy with the 1×2 envelope tile from Day 1. All in all, it’s fun, but just ok.

Verdict

SW captures top marks for the first time in the battle with its Stormtrooper minifig entry. The battle for 2^nd place was contested today, with both MCU and HP offering mediocre builds. Ultimately we favored the MCU build, as it incorporated a “festive” element that HP does not. HP takes 3^rd place today with a confusing build, albeit a neat play feature.

Heading into the weekend, we’re all square:

MCU- 3

SW- 3

HP- 3

To be continued…

It’s that time of year again, and we’re back with our annual Head-to-Head LEGO Advent Calendar Battle, for NewfoundLUG.ca. After beginning the battle in the comments section of Brickset.com in 2019, this is now our 2^nd year running the battle on our own LUG website. We’re thrilled to get the ball rolling on this year’s battle and we hope you follow along, share your thoughts, and most of all have fun.

Day 1- Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

“Stephen Churchill here, and I will be reviewing the 2021 MCU Advent Calendar this year, making its debut on the licensed advent calendar scene. Based on the spoiler builds revealed on the box art, we are sticking to the Civil War to Endgame section of the MCU timeline, but nothing from the TV shows (which were covered by the CMF series) or the more recent movies. Let’s jump in with Day 1.

Marvel starts the 2021 advent season with a unique and festive mini figure- Holiday Sweater Tony Stark The figure has both helmet and hair, always a welcome addition. The print for the holiday sweater is unique and includes “Tony” across the back. Add in some transparent light blue pieces for repulsor blasts and foot jets, and it’s just a solid fig all around.

Day 1- Star Wars (SW)

Hey everyone, I (Patrick Barnes) will be reviewing the daily Star Wars advent calendar builds. This is my 11th consecutive year purchasing the Lego Star Wars advent calendar, and its become a telltale sign of Christmas approaching at home! By the looks of the box, this year will have advent builds mostly correlated with the two seasons of the Mandalorian. Follow along at home and get active in the NewfoundLUG Facebook group if you disagree with our picks or would like to review the advent build of the day yourself!

Behind door number 1 of Star Wars’ advent calendar is this neat little Razorcrest build using a whopping 25 pieces. While this is a great and effective model that properly captures the angles and colours of the in-universe ship, it is hindered by the inclusion of a very similar model in the 2020 advent calendar. This model does utilize some new and improved techniques to recreate the engines, and I don’t know if dark tan tiles were the best colours to use on the sides, but otherwise it is a great little build. Especially surprising to see it included again here considering (SPOILERS FOR MANDO S2) its fate in the show.

Day 1- Harry Potter (HP)

Entering the ring for the first time and making its advent calendar debut is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) theme. We decided it would be fun to allow MCU to join incumbents Star Wars (SW) and Harry Potter (HP), and let the three themes duke it out for licensed festive supremacy.

My name is Matthew Zwicker and this is my 3^rd year reviewing the HP calendar. For the 2021 season, I find myself at somewhat of a crossroads. In 2019, HP made a fantastic rookie debut with a great calendar full of unique offerings and a breath of fresh air on the advent calendar scene. I felt that 2020’s “Yule Ball” themed calendar took a slight step back, but it was still widely well-received by the general population (so maybe it was just me). This year, I’m curious to see which direction HP will take- will they stick to each novel individually or will they leverage their Christmas theme pervasive throughout all books? Let’s take a look.

Upon opening the box, we initially see that the calendar is attempting to incorporate each build into a board game, where each build has a designated space on the board. I’m going to be very curious to track this progression and see how the game plays out. But for now, let’s check out what’s behind Door #1.

Today’s offering is a rendition of the now-classic Privet Drive sign. Going back to the very roots and opening scenes of both novel and film series, the sign is presented on a 1×4 printed tile. It’s curious to note that retail set 75698 (4 Privet Drive) does NOT include a printed tile but uses a sticker instead. This distinctly reminds me of 2019’s calendar which gifted us with printed tiles in place of their sticker counterparts in other sets. It’s a curious trend but obviously a welcome one, as printed tiles are infinitely more valuable/desirable than stickers. Add in a 1×2 printed envelope tile, and today’s offering is usable scale build, if not the strongest entry possible. An owl would have been ideal to accompany the sign.

Verdict

The battle had begun with a bang, the loudest of which is clearly MCU, blessing us with the gift of a unique festive Tony Stark- checking off all the boxes that you love to see in an advent calendar gift.

In second place, HP ekes out a point owing to its printed 1×4 tile and offering a “to-scale build” that can be implemented in HP sets/layouts.

Third place goes to SW. A decent microbuild that was represented in last year’s calendar yet offers a welcome entry to those who may be just jumping on board this year.

After Day 1, the score is:

MCU- 2

HP- 1

SW- 0

To be continued…

Best of luck to all advent calendars and see you tomorrow for Day 1!

“Senior” Set Reviewer & Star Wars expert Patrick Barnes is back with another set review for our website. Found out what he has to say about 7166 Imperial Shuttle:

Patrick: As someone who got into collecting Lego Star Wars in ~2006, there were some great sets I missed out on that came before and set 7166 Imperial Shuttle is no exception! Coming in at 219 pieces with 4 minifigures, this set effectively captures the look of the Imperial Shuttle seen in Star Wars: Episode 6, with large wing and slope pieces used to capture the dainty design of the ship. However, as a 20 year old set, the build is relatively basic, with simple ratcheted joint connections for the cockpit and wings, and not a single technic pin to be seen.

Much like most Star Wars Lego sets, the ship looks drastically better in its “wings down, flight/attack position” mode than its “wings up, landing position” mode. Unfortunately, the ratcheted joints don’t allow the wings to lower beyond this, but it still captures the design effectively.

Because the model doesn’t utilize most its core for technic mechanisms, there is sufficient room in the core to house Palpatine and both his guards, as well as their accessories, on a small, slide-out platform. The hatch also folds down and resembles a ramp, though I don’t know if this was deliberate or a coincidence when designing the platform.

Towards the front of the ship, the printed windscreen (which is a great looking piece) can be removed to allow access for a pilot. The console piece used is pretty weak, looking more like some kind of wired connection than driving controls. However the cockpit itself is pretty spacious, almost fitting two figures. Above the cockpit, two printed pieces are visible, both of which are great and add necessary detail to the ship. On both sides of the cockpit, bar pieces are used to imply forward cannons, which could have been easily improved by a small pin, or even a lightsaber hilt, at the ends.

The set features 4 minifigures, which are (from Left to Right), Emperor Palpatine, Imperial Shuttle Pilot, and two Imperial Royal Guards. These are great figures to include in the set as a pilot is necessary and Palpatine is always escorted by his red-robed guards. The printing used on Palpatine’s face is iconic for the character, with deep wrinkles and squinted eyes, and the Royal Guards must have been good for the time as Lego has been using their headpiece ever since. The standout of the lineup for me is the Shuttle Pilot, who has clean and efficient torso printing for a 2001 figure and is exclusive to this set. My sole complaint is Palpatine not getting a lightsaber and the pilot not getting a blaster, but otherwise a great selection.

Overall, this is a great set to pick up if you can find it semi-cheap on the aftermarket. Lego just released a new Imperial Shuttle that I believe is similar in scale, though even this set, at 20+ years old, can likely be found cheaper. I thoroughly enjoyed the more simplistic build, and I am eager to purchase more older sets!

Thanks Patrick!