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CONTENTS // THE SORT 06 A LEGO legend 08 What’s New and Next 09 Continuing the Infinity Saga 10 Ideas latest 11 Brick Central 12 Better than gold? 13 Secrets we’ve spotted in... 14 Build Challenge 16 Meet… G La Brique 18 Latest from LEGO House 19 Gaming Download 20 Screen Time 21 Restoring Notre-Dame 22 Top 10 24 In other news… 25 The Lost Elements 26 The Brick Debate 28 Contest of the Month 30 What’s new at BrickLink 31 Five things we’ve learned 32 This LEGO Life 74 // FEATURES 34 Dangerous dreams DREAMZzz Design Director Cerim Manovi reveals how he and his team came up with a compelling second year adventure and some of the strangest LEGO models ever conceived. novi p with a nd some of eived. n 48 Launching a LEGO space mission Hans Burkhard Schlömer didn’t have to plan a mission to the Moon, but he took on a challenge almost as intricate – recreating the Artemis Space Launch System as a LEGO display model. to plan a a challenge temis lay model. 58 Tubes not on bottom Sideways building could have happened decades before fans popularised the technique – in fact, the LEGO Group dreamed up an entire new element 60 years ago... the TNOB brick. ned ned echnique p an entire B brick. 88 Five years of monkey business Senior Designer Xiaodong Wen explains how five years of fruitful collaboration led to 80054 Megapolis City, a huge set that celebrates Monkie Kid’s first big milestone. ins how ins how to 80054 ates 96 Modulex: The forgotten system Modulex pivoted in response to what users needed and found success, then decades later pivoted again to become a signage company. users des later mpany. 4 | Blocks Editor GRAHAM E. HANCOCK A LEGO expert who can’t remember life without the brick, Graham loves using that knowledge to bring Blocks to readers every single month. Build Expert & Historian DANIEL KONSTANSKI Both a builder and a collector, Daniel has extensively researched the LEGO Group’s history, making him an unrivalled fount of knowledge. Build Specialist SIMON PICKARD If there’s a way to put two bricks together, Simon knows it. He’s an experienced builder who is always discovering new techniques. Features Writer KAT REES-JAUKE This life-long brick fan is always ready to dig deep into the latest sets to find out how they were conceptualised, designed and developed. Features Writer ANTHONY WALKER-COOK With a passion for fantasy sets but a penchant for any box that features the LEGO logo, Anthony covers every aspect of the brick experience. Reviews Writer DAVE CARTLIDGE Whether it ’s from Marvel Super Heroes, Friends, Technic or any other theme, Dave has the LEGO build know-how to assess the latest sets. Build Curator GENEVA DURAND A 2x2 pillar of the community, Geneva is a respected member of the online creative LEGO scene with an expert eye for the best builds out there. News Writer RYAN EVERLETH This LEGO aficionado has eclectic tastes, including Star Wars, Ideas and The Lord of the Rings. He always has a take on the latest news. Photographer PHIL WRIGHTON Models never look better than when this prize-winning LEGO photographer has worked his magic to produce beautiful Blocks covers.
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// BUILDS 46 Robot Penguin Mech It’s a harsh, desolate, frozen landscape out there on Ice Planet. A small robot stands no chance without some assistance, so this mech is ready to give the robot penguin the mobility it needs. 86 Jungle Ruin Provide some ancient ruins for your explorers to discover as they traverse through the treacherous jungle. It’s the perfect build for the new Johnny Thunder minifigure. 94 Robots There’s nothing better than a broad topic to demonstrate the creativity of the LEGO fan community – take a look at technological MOCs and hope that some of them aren’t sentient. 66 108 CONTENTS 72 // REVIEWS 64 21060 Himeji Castle 66 10330 McLaren MP4/4 & Ayrton Senna 68 76922 BMW M4 GT3 & BMW M Hybrid V8 Race Cars 69 LEGO Fortnite: Rebel Adventure 70 LEGO Fortnite: Cat Island 70 LEGO Fortnite: Wing Walkers 71 LEGO Fortnite: Smoothie Odyssey 72 76298 Iron Spider-Man Construction Figure 73 76284 Green Goblin Construction Figure 74 76274 Batman with the Batmobile vs. Harley Quinn and Mr. Freeze 76 42164 Off-Road Race Buggy 77 42167 Mack LR Electric Garbage Truck 78 42168 John Deere 9700 Forage Harvester 80 60434 Space Base and Rocket Launchpad 82 42604 Heartlake City Shopping Mall 84 Reviews round-up 64 96 48 // RETRO 104 In 1996… In 1996, you could get a huge Western fort for under £100, Technic launched a space shuttle and the gates to LEGOLAND Windsor opened. 106 Time Cruising Look back at Castle’s Lion Knights faction, Ice Planet’s grizzled leader Commander Bear and the beloved 1997 video game LEGO Island. 107 Vintage print ad This advert from 1988 shows a procession of knights heading towards the Forestmen... hopefully the meeting will be amicable. 108 7103 Jedi Duel Yoda is going to fight with a lightsaber? In 2002, it was a hotly anticipated moment in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, captured in this LEGO set that included the Jedi Master’s first minifigure. 110 Mini 1682 Space Shuttle Launch When space exploration arrived in Town, it was something entirely new. Build a palm-sized version of the classic 1990 set. 113 From the Vault If you wanted to see impressive layouts and find inspiration for what to build in the pre-internet era, the LEGO Group had you covered with titles like the LEGO Trains Ideas Book. LEGO DREAMZZZ: NEW SEASON 2 CONCEPT ART INSIDE righton il W Cover image: Ph BATMOBILE BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES EDITION BUILT AND REVIEWED WIN! N! SPACE M SET NASA ARTEMIS SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM SET EX EXCLUSIVES ICE PLANET ICE PL ICE PL ICE ICE BU THE BUILD A MECH FOR THE ROBO PENGUIN SIDEWAYS SIDSID DEDE D N DISCOVER TUBES NOT ON BOTTOM ISSUE 117 // £6.49 Contributors Matt Chiles, Will Tachick, Chris Wharfe Thanks to… The LEGO Group, featured builders, Matt Betteker, Anna Bitanga, Brick Central, Jonathan Dumont, G La Brique, Annie Knight, Rok Žgalin Kobe, John Longbottom, Cerim Manovi, Mischief PR, Jordan Paxton, Hans Burkhard Schlömer, Sara Skahill, Xiaodong Wen Art Editor Keith Wood, Hype Creative Publisher Tom Saunders tom@silverbackpublishing.rocks +447841 412199 Independence Blocks is published by Silverback Publishing Ltd for fans and enthusiasts of LEGO. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the brick and knob configurations, and the minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorise or endorse Blocks magazine. Distribution If you have trouble finding Blocks please call +447841 412199 or email subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks. While every effort is made in compiling Blocks, the publishers cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any storage or retrieval system, without the consent of the publisher. Blocks | 5

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CONTENTS

// THE SORT 06 A LEGO legend 08 What’s New and Next 09 Continuing the Infinity Saga 10 Ideas latest 11 Brick Central 12 Better than gold? 13 Secrets we’ve spotted in... 14 Build Challenge 16 Meet… G La Brique 18 Latest from LEGO House 19 Gaming Download 20 Screen Time 21 Restoring Notre-Dame 22 Top 10 24 In other news… 25 The Lost Elements 26 The Brick Debate 28 Contest of the Month 30 What’s new at BrickLink 31 Five things we’ve learned 32 This LEGO Life

74

// FEATURES 34 Dangerous dreams DREAMZzz Design Director Cerim Manovi reveals how he and his team came up with a compelling second year adventure and some of the strangest LEGO models ever conceived.

novi p with a nd some of eived.

n

48 Launching a LEGO space mission Hans Burkhard Schlömer didn’t have to plan a mission to the Moon, but he took on a challenge almost as intricate – recreating the Artemis Space Launch System as a LEGO display model.

to plan a a challenge temis lay model.

58 Tubes not on bottom Sideways building could have happened decades before fans popularised the technique – in fact, the LEGO Group dreamed up an entire new element 60 years ago... the TNOB brick.

ned ned echnique p an entire B brick.

88 Five years of monkey business Senior Designer Xiaodong Wen explains how five years of fruitful collaboration led to 80054 Megapolis City, a huge set that celebrates Monkie Kid’s first big milestone.

ins how ins how to 80054 ates

96 Modulex: The forgotten system Modulex pivoted in response to what users needed and found success, then decades later pivoted again to become a signage company.

users des later mpany.

4 | Blocks

Editor GRAHAM E. HANCOCK A LEGO expert who can’t remember life without the brick, Graham loves using that knowledge to bring Blocks to readers every single month. Build Expert & Historian DANIEL KONSTANSKI Both a builder and a collector, Daniel has extensively researched the LEGO Group’s history, making him an unrivalled fount of knowledge. Build Specialist SIMON PICKARD If there’s a way to put two bricks together, Simon knows it. He’s an experienced builder who is always discovering new techniques.

Features Writer KAT REES-JAUKE This life-long brick fan is always ready to dig deep into the latest sets to find out how they were conceptualised, designed and developed. Features Writer ANTHONY WALKER-COOK With a passion for fantasy sets but a penchant for any box that features the LEGO logo, Anthony covers every aspect of the brick experience. Reviews Writer DAVE CARTLIDGE Whether it ’s from Marvel Super Heroes, Friends, Technic or any other theme, Dave has the LEGO build know-how to assess the latest sets.

Build Curator GENEVA DURAND A 2x2 pillar of the community, Geneva is a respected member of the online creative LEGO scene with an expert eye for the best builds out there. News Writer RYAN EVERLETH This LEGO aficionado has eclectic tastes, including Star Wars, Ideas and The Lord of the Rings. He always has a take on the latest news. Photographer PHIL WRIGHTON Models never look better than when this prize-winning LEGO photographer has worked his magic to produce beautiful Blocks covers.

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