Lego Releases Shark Boy, Fat Queen & Mr Tumnus Mini-Figs

Well, the latest minifigure series is out there and Lego is pulling no punches, once again displaying its wonderful capacity for versatility and creativity in its products. Among some of the more colourful characters this series are Shark Boy, a Jewel Thief, Fat Queen, Faun, Daggy Janitor and Ballerina complete with Tutu.

As these Lego themed figures progress, they continue to represent a broader and broader cross section of society while increasing their attention to detail. The injured figure on crutches features a black eye, band-aids, bandaged head and plaster cast.

This is art-work (at least in the Lego community) at its best. Combining elements of reality and fantasy to create pieces that are fun, cute, imaginative and aesthetically pleasing. If art is all about capturing elements of our realities in imaginative, unique and creative ways, then Lego is adding its 2 cents and more to the modern artistic community.

Brickman Dan

Brickman Dan is the founder of Brick Yourself and publishes regular articles on how LEGO® Art & Design, as well as LEGO® Investment.

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Image courtesy of Lego

Why does stepping on Lego hurt so much?

Is there anyone out there who hasn't experienced that uniquely agonising moment of stepping on a Lego brick? If you have never, consider yourself lucky, but for anyone who has, the memory can be very vivid.

It could have been a cold Saturday morning and after sitting, warming yourself in front of the heater. You get up and begin to walk across the soft carpet feeling so nice and soft between your toes and then suddenly BANG! Excruciating pain rockets through your body. as the whole weight of your body presses down against the inexorable firmness of Lego plastic.

In a recent study by the American Chemical Society Reactions series the reasons for the unique and severe kind of pain that only comes from stepping on a Lego brick have been explored.

The excruciating pain is caused in part because of the tremendous amount of nerves that exist in the human foot, over 200,000 individual sensory receptors to be more precise. Particularly A-Delta fibers which sense fast, acute pain activate neurotransmitters which cause a reflex action generated by the nerves in the spinal cord, causing you to retract you foot before the pain information has been processed by the brain.

The pain also owes itself to the composition of the Lego brick itself which is ABS plastic. This special type of Lego plastic is a poylmer consisting of three monomers which give Lego its strength, its durability and its shine. These elements combine to form one tough nut to crack and explain why there is so little give when the pressure of a human foot is exerted against it.

Brickman Dan

Brickman Dan is the founder of Brick Yourself and publishes regular articles on how LEGO® Art & Design, as well as LEGO® Investment.