Side Builds and Minifigures
Lord of the Rings: The Shire 10354
The latest release in the Lord of the Rings series. Is it one large set? Or one set with 4 bonus small sets included?
One Sunday morning I was looking at pictures of the new Lord of the Rings 10354: The Shire, and something just seemed to annoy me about it but I couldn’t put a finger on what was bothering me. My brain was fighting between really liking how this set is constructed while simultaneously being annoyed. Later that day I was walking my dog while listening to a Lego podcast and the reviewer says this set should be $80 cheaper and the side builds should be sold as separate sets.
THAT WAS IT!
The side builds included in this set was the distraction for me. Not that the builds are not amazing because they are. There are just too many of them. Two of the side builds could have easily been smaller $20-$30 sets.
One of my biggest pet peeves when displaying Lego is how to arrange all the little side builds around the focal piece. I suppose I don’t have to display them but then what do I do with them? It's not that I don't enjoy the experience of the side builds, I just don't want to display them. If they were stand alone sets, I would have the choice to buy them, also giving me the choice to display them.
As a collector, in liue of side builds, I would rather see more pieces and detail in a set, or even a cheaper price. I feel this way because most of my display sets at the moment are Star Wars ships and vehicles. Most, if not all, come with at least one side build and/or minifigures that are not intended to be in the vehicle. Lately, I have been putting the excess minifigures in a labeled bag and banishing them to a dark closet. The only minifigs in my displays are the ones intended to fit in the vehicle. I label the excess minifigs and side builds at that moment so I dont forget who and what it is and what set it belongs to.
Based on the previous paragraph you can probably guess my stance on minifigures. I know I’m probably in the minority of Lego collectors, but minifigures just don’t move the needle for me. If they fit in the set, I will display them, otherwise I toss it in a bin with the side builds and forget them. Oddly enough, I do feel inclined to keep them. However as my collection grows post dark age, I may need to re-evaluate that stance and release them unto the world. Re-home them if you will. That strategy seems like a great way to increase my Lego budget and reinvest those profits to expand my Lego collection.
I don’t know why I feel this way about minifigs, but it's something that has evolved over time. I have primarily collected Star Wars sets over the years, so it could be the sheer volume of characters reappearing over and over again. I remember my first Star Wars set, 7130 Snowspeeder, from 1999. I thought getting Luke Skywalker in an orange pilot suit was super cool. It fit nicely within the vehicle and I displayed it proudly on my shelf.
SW0019: Luke Skywalker with Dark Gray Hips (Pilot)
The OG of Luke Skywalker minifigs in an orange flight suit from 7130 Snowspeeder
Since 1999, there have been 59 different iterations of Luke Skywalker in minifig form, according to Brickset.com. This should surprise no one as Luke Slywalker is a central character from the original trilogy. I realize most collectors are not getting too excited over Luke Skywalker minifigs, rather they covet the rare and interesting characters that have only been featured in one set and have been long retired.
I’m definitely not trying to tell collectors of minifigs that they are wrong. Quite the contrary actually as the beauty of collecting Lego is there is something for everyone and we can all enjoy our collections in the manner we choose. I just choose to enjoy my collection without minifigs…lol.
I know I’m not alone on the topic of side builds but my indifference towards minifigures most likely sets me apart from the majority of collectors. Please tell me what drives your Lego collection by commenting below or send me an email by clicking here.
I will be taking a couple weeks off at the beginning of May. That's OK because you will all be too busy building all the new Star Wars sets coming as part of the May the Fourth events. Also, the new Mario Kart set will be released in the middle of May which I’m personally looking forward to.
Until next time AFOL’s….