I'm sure this small update will disappoint a lot of you, but this has been like the busiest week ever, and I only anticipate it getting worse very soon. I'll try to post at least some new LEGO stuff soon though. In the meantime, The Decal Shop has been updated:

Historic: NEW Crusader Tabards & Shields available, plus a smaller Assassin vs. Templar Pack. Arabians coming soon!
Alien Invasion: All Cyborg Soldiers are now available in Sand Green.
Alien Invasion: Alien Footsoldiers are now sold individually, with a color selector.

Also:



EDIT: FURTHER UPDATES (8/14/2008)
I fixed a few glitches in the SYWBAA comic archive now, and I've also added a few more things to the shop...

Military: All camo decals are now sold individually AND in packs.
Espionage: New Series 3 Camo designs available, as well as a Camo Pack.

Just a few little updates here and there...

- In the Decal Shop, I've been making various improvements and changes here and there, mostly based on the requests of customers. You will now find some new items under Star Explorers, where all of the items are now sold individually once again.

- In the section for my novel G4M3: Shattered Reality, you will find some new reader reviews and a few more claimed entries in the Scavenger Hunt. Yes, someone FINALLY found the KotOR reference! After the tons of guesses I've gotten were all wrong, someone finally figured it out. (Highlight to read the answer: When Kyle Roswell is captured onboard the Order transport headed to the Other Side, the robot voice talking to him quotes the computer hologram guarding the StarMap on Kashyyyk in KotOR several times, including "Subject shows unfamiliarity to environment..." and "I... can't say" in response to several questions.)

- I have a downright ridiculous number of LEGO projects in various stages of limbo now, but I suddenly felt a burst of inspiration after playing the LEGO Indiana Jones game that may result in some customs pretty soon... here's a preview!

- Here's an update to the Warrior Born progress graphic. I know things haven't moved much, but I'm just being honest here. Keep in mind, however, that it's hard to measure your progress on a graphic like a novel cover in terms of percentage:

I've basically just made more progress on preparing the draft for printing and finished more chapter headers. I only have a few in-book graphics left, as well as the cover, before I begin progress on getting it sent off to print. The "final draft" bar should hopefully progress to 100% almost instantly.

In fact, I think I'll go get back to work on it now. Hopefully I'll have the SYWBAA Act 4 comic cover ready tomorrow or the next day and be able to re-post the SYWBAA archive. Yes, the cover will count as the next comic strip, so you won't be able to see what happens to Bob's party next until next week! Sorry.

Just some random thoughts I had while flipping through the new Summer 2008 LEGO Catalog that just arrived...

- Why does LEGO always offer deals like this gold keychain thing right after I place a huge order? If I wait until a deal comes along, it never happens. But whenever I decide to go ahead and order, a deal follows shortly thereafter. So remember to thank me for ordering from LEGO regularly, people - otherwise you might never get any special deals!

- When I saw a new Indiana Jones set, I was really hoping it would be a new classic movie set with some figs from the video game... like Sallah or Elsa, for example. Instead, it's just a Kingdom of the Crystal Long Title set of some airplane I don't even remember from the movie. Since it includes every new minifig (except Marion) AND a Crystal Skull (previously only available in the huge Temple set), it looks like a pretty good buy. Except that I already have all those things. So I guess I'll skip it. *shrug*

- Well, the Troll Warrior set is out in the United States now, but we still don't have a Good Wizard set. Bah!

- On the other hand, this Giant Castle Chess Set (yes, I already saw it on the site a long time ago, but the pictures weren't this detailed) looks quite impressive. I didn't realize just how much BIGGER it was than the average LEGO Chess set, and the corner pieces (one for each faction - dwarves, humans, skeletons, and trolls) are exquisitely detailed. And look - two good wizards and some evil witch minifig I've never seen before! Okay, I'm sold. Might as well complete my Chess collection, since I already have Knights Kingdom & Vikings.

- Although I'm not sure if I really want to buy it, this Transport Ferry Creator set looks to have one of the highest values in parts per dollar that I've seen, with 1,279 pieces for $70. But did they say they gave it wheels? Isn't that kind of strange, for a boat?

- This Vintage Minifigure Collection - which is kind of hard to find on their website - seems a bit odd. Why is the mad scientist in there? He isn't quite as vintage as the other figs, IMO. I'd have much preferred a vintage Castle fig, which is nowhere to be found. As it is, it's kinda neat, but a bit steep for 4 little bits of nostalgia (5 if you're young enough to count the mad scientist as an "old" minifig). And they didn't even use the really old helmet design! I think I'll pass.

- Hey, look - they gave us a preview of the next Brickmaster sets! I just got the Indy jeep the other day, and it was pretty neat, although tragically lacking in messenger bag (one of the main reasons to own more Indy figs - I already have like ten). The Bionicle set looks like it has some cool claws and such - maybe good for something - but the Clone Wars mini "Turbo Tank" (why are they still calling the Juggernaut that?) is uninteresting. I was hoping for an Agents or Castle set. *sigh*

- A new Ferrari set (yes, I like the Ferrari sets - the FXX was awesome), and it's just some boring F1 car and not the long-awaited 1:17 scale Ferrari F50. Bah!

- Wow, I usually pass on 90% of the Bionicle sets, but that new "Krika" guy looks wicked as hell. Is anyone else getting the impression of bloody alien spinal cords here? I suddenly feel inspired to make a skeletal dragon or something. And that head would be a great trophy for any Predator who just offed his first Xenomorph.

- The new flippin' huge Death Star playset is very impressive, and no doubt something every Star Wars fan has wanted - including me, back when I was one... but my sister pointed out a few... oddities... about the set, and we have since found several more. Here they are:

Why is IG-88 here? Is LEGO paying homage to the "Tale of IG-88" from the old "Tales of the Bounty Hunters" short story collection novel, in which the assassin/bounty hunter droid actually takes control of the Death Star II just before its destruction by Rebel forces? If so, that's pretty awesome, even if IG-88 is suddenly no longer silver like in the Slave 1 set (cutting corners to save costs, anyone?). I thought I must be the only one to think of this, but someone e-mailed me this morning with the very same idea. Glad to know I'm not alone.

More possible corner-cutting to save costs: R2-D2's head is no longer white with a silver print. Instead, it's a soild grey part with no silver to be found. C-3PO appears to be some dull yellowish-tan color instead of actual shiny gold, and it looks like he has PEACH hands. The Royal Guard has black hands instead of red ones. And finally, although they don't look this way in the minifig-only shots, in the actual photos of the whole set, Leia's lips and Luke's eyebrows look black. Cutting corners to save costs, anyone?

The Emperor's head looks... My God, he looks like the Emperor of the Toads version from Star Wars Episode III! DO NOT WANT!

Han's legs are the wrong color for this scene, not that I care.

The new Death Star Troopers, improved Moisture Farmer Luke, improved Darth Vader, and improved Ben Kenobi all look nice, but I find it strange that they improved these figs while cutting costs on so many others.

Still, I may get the set eventually. It just evokes too much nostalgia for me to resist it. I still need to get that UCS Millennium Falcon too though... argh!

- And on the final page of the catalog... OH NO! Volkswagen?! A most emphatic yuck. Here I was hoping for a Lamborghini line or something to follow up the Ferrari sets, and instead we get a flippin' VW Bug.

Oh, and one other thing: If you get Brickmasters, all you need do is check the first page of the latest magazine to confirm my remark that Agent Chase apparently is Ethan Hunt. You know, the mask thing? Yeah. Needless to say, Werewolf is now officially in love with this line.

EDIT (7/4/2008): Thanks to Chris Harshaw for pointing out another thing I missed... On the cover of the catalogue, Agent Chase has a male body, but the two agents behind him (Tough Guy and Nerd) have female ones. Hilarious! I'm going to have to hunt for bloopers in every catalog from now on...

Oh, and happy July 4th, everyone.