3D Printed Lego

Lego thinks about letting customers print their own blocks. [Link]

With the toy industry stagnating due to competition from digital games, Lego is among the companies looking at 3D printing as a potential fix. The Danish plastic brick manufacturer told The Financial Times that it is considering “what potential opportunities there are for consumers.” Legos are very easy to print on home 3D printers (in fact, some people are already printing them). 3D printing also opens up the opportunity for highly customized shapes, which could expand what people are able to make. But Lego isn’t considering 3D printing bricks itself; it’s more about printing them efficiently, and currently prints about 2,000 bricks a second.

Superhero toy designs that almost were made

Three words: Road Warrior Batman. [Link]

According to the Roman numerals across the top, these designs date from 1985, which means that if they had come out, they likely would've shared shelf-space with Kenner's well-remembered Super Powers line. But while those were pretty basic takes on the members of the Justice League and their enemies -- albeit with the finest Power Action Bat Punch features that squeeze-the-legs-together technology could bring you -- the unused designs hint at plans for evil yet highly accessorized takes on the same characters.

Specifically, the villainous versions are broken up into three different design schemes: Hi-Tech, Road Warrior and Robotic, which basically ensures that no matter how crazy they might seem looking back, kids would have absolutely loved them. I mean seriously, just look at these guys:

Knife ears.

And I'll Form the Head!

LEGO Voltron. In minifig scale. (The figures are at its feet!) [Link]

Years have passed since Zarkon's invasion of Arus. A team of Space Explorers approaches the planet. Young but determined, these explorers have been sent by the Galaxy Alliance on a special mission: to search for the secret of Voltron. The team of explorers consists of five brave young (brick)men: Keith, Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Sven. Together, with 71 hours of building, they form Lego Voltron. From work in progress to cockpit details and shoulder pin mechanisms, the photographed details are there to enjoy. The builder includes credits to the Teknomeka plans for the frame of the structure (history of the plans, models, and another model) (via).

Doctor Who Toys

Oh, I so want the Vashta Nerada and the Doctor. The Cyberman and the Dalek and the Blink statue are awesome as well. [Link]

While we dig the various villains and monsters chosen to make this large-handed cute timelord's life a misery - C'mon, a Vashta Nerada-animated space corpse? Made to look cute? You have to admit that that's kind of great - we have to admit more than a little sadness about a lack of any companions amongst the figures. I mean, would it have killed them to give us a Rose or a Martha? Maybe they'll be in the next release.