Top Hot LEGO Sets for Christmas 2013 Season

LEGOs are perhaps more popular than ever.  So it's no surprise to see LEGO on every 2013 Christmas hot toy list.  The only real question here is which sets are going to be hard to find this season.  Well, I'm here to help and give you an idea of what's hot in the world of LEGO as we enter into Black Friday and the final stretch to Xmas.

1.  Minecraft Micro World - The Village - 21105

Maybe the most obvious licensed LEGO property of all-time.  The Minecraft video game is essentially a LEGO video game, so it only makes sense that it crosses over to the real thing.  This is the second Minecraft set released, and features a pig, zombie, and villager buildable minifigs.  The set clocks in at 466 pieces and a retail price of $34.99.  Not bad for a mid-range priced model, you might be thinking.  However, the nature of the Minecraft sets is lots of little pieces and tiles, so the actual size of the completed set is smaller than you might imagine from the piece count.  But with the popularity of the game, this set has been among the top sellers since its release and remains a hot set for Christmas.  Two other Minecraft sets are out, 21102 and 21106 (21102 features the best-known characters Steve and a Creeper), but this seems to be the hottest one right now.  That said, any one of these will please a Minecraft fan.

2. The DeLorean Time Machine - 21103

Never sleep on the popularity of Back to the Future.  This one appeals to kids and adult fans of the movies alike.  Selected by LEGO Cuusoo for a custom release, this has proven to be a hot seller this season.  This set clocks in at 401 pieces and a $34.99 retail, and works equally well as a toy in the playroom, or a display piece on a shelf.  It also comes with Marty McFly and Doc Brown minifigs.  

3.  Legends of Chima - The Lion CHI Temple - 70010

The first big set on the list.  Chima has been a popular line for LEGO, with a tv series on Cartoon Network to promote the sets.  The Lion CHI Temple clocks in at 1258 pieces and a $119.99 retail price.  It also includes a whopping 7 minifigs and is over 1 foot high!  This set serves as the main base for the Lion tribe and features a tower cannon and lion claw bike and eagle drone fighter vehicles.  The Chima sets really benefit from detailed mini figure characters and lots of character accessories.  This particular set is no different and serves as a full playset form which to base adventures!  Just be warned, this one is a complicated build and might require help from a parent.

4.  Castle King's Castle - 70404

Another big set, and this one's a bit of a throwback.  Not a licensed property, just a good old fashioned medieval LEGO set.  A good choice for a child who loves LEGO, but may not be a fan of Chima or Ninjago.  This set comes in at 996 pieces with a $99.99 retail.  Comes with 7 minifigs as well as a catapult and battering ram.  Comes in at just about a foot high, so slightly smaller than the Chima Temple and $20 cheaper.  The construction is more straight-forward than some of the licensed sets, and maybe more versatile as a general medieval setting for LEGO adventure.  A great purchase idea especially if mom and dad are big Game of Thrones fans!

5.  Friends Dolphin Cruiser - 41015

A set that's become increasingly hard to find, despite being released within the last few months.  Designed to appeal to children who may not be interested in catapults, missiles, and space monsters, the Dolphin Cruiser is a luxury yacht complete with jet ski and even some friendly dolphins.  Playsets are nice for big xmas gifts, but LEGO really shines when given the opportunity to design vehicles.  This set is no exception and measures 14 inches long.  The top of the yacht lifts off to expose living areas and it even has a water slide!  The set comes in at 612 pieces and a $69.99 retail, although as often happens around this time of the year, there are reports of resellers snapping this set up and selling online for as much as $95. (check out this Amazon page LEGO Friends Dolphin Cruiser)  So if this one is on your list, don't hesitate to buy early.

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And as always, the current series 11 Minifigures blind pouches always make great stocking stuffers and offer unique characters.

Moto X Commercial Song - 'Little Green Bag' by George Baker Selection

This dog is cooler than I am

Been seeing a lot of the new Motorola Moto X commercial lately.  Totally customizable phone colors are cool I guess, but the thing that stands out to me in the commercial is that song.   It's got a vintage swagger kind of sound and just oozes cool.

The song is 'Little Green Bag' by George Baker Selection.  It was recorded in 1969, but only charted in the US in 1992 upon its use in the  film 'Reservoir Dogs'.

I knew I'd heard it before but couldn't place it until I did some digging.




Should be noted that there is also a version of this song featuring the song "Black Skinhead' by Kanye West.  Also good, but I like the 'Little Green Bag' version better.

Neil Gaiman to Return to 'The Sandman', Vertigo Comics

The Cure's Robert Smith, er... I mean The Sandman aka Dream aka Morpheus

Announced at Vertigo's Comic Con panel, Neil Gaiman will be returning to pen a new Sandman prequel, chronicling the events that led up to Morpheus (the titular character) being captured in Preludes and Nocturnes.  From Gaiman:

“When I finished writing The Sandman, there was one tale still untold: The story of what had happened to Morpheus to allow him to be so easily captured in The Sandman #1, and why he was returned from far away, exhausted beyond imagining, and dressed for war ...It was a story that we discussed telling for Sandman‘s 20th anniversary… but the time got away from us. And now, with Sandman‘s 25th anniversary year coming up, I’m delighted, and nervous, that that story is finally going to be told.”

Gaiman's address from the con

Gaiman wrote 'The Sandman' for 75 issues from 1989 to 1996, and it remains one of his defining works.  'The Sandman' follows Morpheus, the anthropomorphic personification of dreams, as he sets about to restore his kingdom and realm.  It's basically a dark fantasy/horror story with Morpheus serving as the tragic hero who must change his ways and make up for his past sins, or die.  

Since his run on Sandman, Gaiman has become a hot commodity across all entertainment media; from penning well received novels (American Gods), to having his works adapted for film (Coraline) to writing an episode for Doctor Who.  But his work on 'The Sandman' may still be his best.

I actually heard this news today from my local comic shop.  I had just read Preludes and Nocturnes, the first graphic novel of the series two weeks ago and coincidentally was there to buy book two, The Doll's House.  The cashier let me know as I was at the register.  Suppose it helps to keep up on news from the Comic Con if you deal in comics.  It's been a very enjoyable read so far and I hear it only gets better.  So I'm pretty pumped for this announcement.

The new mini series is scheduled for 2013.

I better get reading so I can catch up.

But seriously

Heck I'll throw Edward Scissorhands in there too for completeness

Bonus fun fact: Neil Gaiman is currently married to Amanda Palmer, formerly of the Dresden Dolls and currently just an awesome musician and performer

Ford Mustang Commercial Song: 'How it Starts' by The Features

Yesterday's Lowe's Commercial Songs post seemed popular, so I'm following it up with another commercial song post: The 2013 Ford Mustang Commercial.

The New 2013 Ford Mustang had been getting a marketing push lately, fronted by a new catchy tv spot.  I actually really like the redesign of the new Mustang.  I think the back end in particular recalls the classic look of the late 60's Shelby Cobras.  It helps that they've marketed this new-old look with a cool-looking/sounding commercial.  I also liked the Black Swan reference thrown in at the end.

Steve McQueen in a 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 in the movie 'Bullitt'

The song featured in the ad is 'How it Starts' by The Features.  Bit of a hard edge to the song.  I almost want to compare it to The Black Keys... but for how The Back Keys are a throwback band, The Features seem like a more modernized version of that sound.  Not quite as raw and hard-rocking, but with some of those elements and a bit of synth thrown in there.

Here's a live version I've been playing a lot lately:

I'll try to make this the last "commercial song" post I do for a while.  I like to have the tv on low when I'm studying, and whenever a song catches my ear I make a note of it.  Just seems like it's been happening a lot lately.