brick-a-block

I don't think it has to be realistic. We are talking about POTC here, where voodoo and the occult are just as important as pirating. The fact that the QAR appears to be just one of many enchanted vessels like the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman, in the sense that the ropes come lo life at the command of Blackbeard's sword, and the ships can travel very quickly, seems to suggest that if it can do these things I'm certain it can hold up it's very high stern with ease. I like the stern, particularly because of the stain-glass windows like the Flying Dutchman's too. And I do like the imagination of those on set designing the POTC ships. It's good to see they have hallmarks that make them memorable. However, on-topic, the same imagination cannot be said for LEGO's version of the Black Pearl The only explanation for its apparent austere look is the affordability/playability for children ratio. Though with a likely 75% tax hike on top of the US price, Australian families will feel the pinch when Christmas approaches, and perhaps not as many Aussie kiddies will get the Pearl for Christmas this year. Anything else would seem like coal. See what I did there...

They look like the kind of band that would cut out your innards if you pirated their music. Great MOC

This is an amazing set, most recognisably at first is the gnashing teeth/beak of the Kraken, I'm sure replicating this would have been immensely difficult, in particular the hollowed out mouth. Secondly, I love the detail of the hull inside, there's not a corner left unfurnished, and the brig is certainly nostalgic, it works seamlessly with the rest of the ship. There's a lot here to love.

The bloodied crimson arms and legs adds a nice touch of realism to the MOC, great job.

This a nice and colourful MOC, I always love MOC's depicting waves and wet sand. I think there is an element of humour but I'm not sure. Is the soldier up top shooting at the other soldier below, or is his hat jumping off because he's just walked straight into a band of scallywags?

Thanks for the correction. I understand completely how most prices on imports are set in Australia, but it seems immensely raw to hike the price, with some LEGO® sets double the US price. I think you mean the currency exchange, as opposed to stock market, but this is no reason to maintain exorbitant prices such as this . Other global companies have reduced their prices on merchandise in Australia amidst the Global Financial Crisis, including Apple who is notorious for 'never' dropping their prices. If someone can provide an online market like Ebay where I can get these sets at the USD that'd be fantastic. I've tried BrickLink and Ebay, that both have arbitrary prices, and often ridiculous shipping prices; Barnes and Noble frankly have the worst customer service (including cancelling orders oddly), and the LEGO® shop won't allow you to buy from a store overseas . Tell me your secrets

I have no idea how LEGO® append its arbitrary Australian prices, but if the QAR is anything to go by, expect an additional AUD $80.00 on top of the US $99.99. So Australians beware! You're about to pay AUD $189.99. for the Black Pearl set this November. If anybody can explain why Australians are taxed more, considering our dollar has been at parity with the US dollar for over 6 months now, I'd be grateful thanks.

Having re-watched the films recently I noticed the masts, the bowsprit, and the figurehead are all a whitish-grey colour (NOT BLACK!) If LEGO changed these colours to say a light or dark grey I think that would break up the black-glossy monotony of the set and provide significant change to the overall look. Hope they hear my suggestion.

I don't like the suggestion that yellow has to be mixed with 'fleshies' simply because one likes both themes. There are pro's and con's to each: • the licensed theme both expands LEGO ingenuity and minimises its scope at the same time. How? While I love the new pieces made specifically for POTC which can now be grounded in other themes respectively, pirates will only last so long and the well of scenes from these films could dry up after they've all been conceptualised in LEGO form already. I suppose the antithesis to that would be the Harry Potter theme, but considering the fact LEGO got its licensing foot in the door from the outset, over the course of the films there have been various reinterpretations of scenes, I suppose the end of the films will define whether a Harry Potter license can continue, and the same goes for POTC LEGO. • While I'm tempted to vote solely "Classic" Pirates, if the recent Pirate LEGO return is anything to go by then I really can't see my wanting to return, particularly since POTC raised the threshold. In hindsight the 2009 wave in my opinion was poor in comparison to the Classic Pirates sets, and while I cannot default LEGO for removing this theme considering it bridged the new POTC LEGO, what I was dismayed with the 2009 sets was the seemingly 'updated version' of some of the best Classic sets. I would have liked if something different had been imagined for a Pirate theme that had been in hiatus, and then perhaps introducing similar elements from the original sets later but this was not the case. My answer will be impartial, but only because LEGO Pirates regardless whether they're classic or POTC themes means continuity for the best theme that ever came out of LEGO. Pirates, like knights/wizards; spacemen/aliens; and cowboys/Indians, have been mythologised so much that it would be a pity not to jump on this theme. Themes that have pushed the frontiers of World history, and as refection of humanity's imagination should continue to inspire children in their own imaginative endeavours. A brick is a brick, but until you give it a context that is when you breathe life into imagination.

I wouldn't mind seeing a set released depicting the inside of Tia Dalma's shack, what with the various jars, cauldrons, and hanging voodoo paraphernalia. Depicting this with candles and perhaps single wall with her front door and the front porch/swamp would make for a quirky detailed little set. I'm think. About the size of Captain's Cabin or Isla de Muerta. Oh, oh, oh and while I'm on a roll. A nice little set LEGO could make would be the rum/maroon isle. A spittle of sand, with a secret stashed rum/food cellar. A reintroduction of the palm trees, Elizabeth/Angelica (in a different outfit -bloomers?) and Jack. And a separate bonfire. In addition, thinking on some of the classic scenes, I would like to see someone have a crack at depicting the underwater rowboat scene with Jack and Will walking beneath the dock towards the Dauntless. Anybody with the Atlantis sets should find this easy and enticingly challenging. I'm interested to see how people capture the scene and the feel of being underwater. Well there's an idea for an MOC or new set anyway.

I'm not certain about Tim Burton, don't get me wrong I love the man to death and his macabre cinematic style is brilliant. However despite POTC being right down Burton's alley, he has an uncanny knack for caricature, so the characters are more or less exaggerated to obscene and eccentric standards, that would make a serious and successful pirates franchise perhaps not the best it could be. I may be wrong about this, and Burton could bring some interesting angles to another stand-alone POTC film, but if we do want POTC to continue in further instalments I'd recommend Verbinski or someone else familiar with POTC. I'm of two minds on this.

I too can understand the considerable criticism here, but keeping in mind the preliminary boxart, this does not represent what the final product will be so I am indifferent at this stage as to the build. That said overall the set looks okay. - I do appreciate the attempt to break the black colour scheme with grey bricks. - 7 sails is SWEET! - perhaps some smaller rigging at the back will break up the gap between the helm and the mizzen-mast - It needs three arched windows on both the port and starboard sides, perhaps each of them raised slightly than the previous as they gravitate towards the stern. Like so: ///// Ω /// Ω /Ω But I'm anxious how this might turnout, as the actual arch brick above the window is quite wide. - some sort of deck would be nice, even if it was just a rampart/gangplank kind of thing around the inside of the hull (I think Skull's eye schooner did this) - railings that continue across the length of the hull I think would be a simple finishing touch to the ship, making it more ornate-looking, and perceivably making the hull-section look higher (i think it sorta does in the pic, but some of the minifigs are obscuring that) - 3 cannons would be nice, (considering either black seas barracuda or skull's eye schooner had 4 - can't remember). - If this is the design LEGO are not looking at changing overall, then I would perhaps pay attention to some smaller omissions, such as adding a monkey, glass bottles (RUM!!!), perhaps a single flat brick (like Jack's compass) with a black spot on it; a skeleton perhaps - oh and torn sails - I know many here want lovely pristine sails, but to turn it from a black morbid ship into the Pearl I think it needs to capture the essence of being a ghostly pirate ship. Ergo, sails with holes and patches (perhaps in a dark brown for the look of stitching).

FLY-SPRAY! It works.

New here, but more active on the classic-pirates threads. I've collected much of the Harry Potter castle sets and this Review is fantastic I must say. I came across this set on the LEGO website, but it stipulated that it was unavailable in Australia when I changed the site from US. Does anyone here know when the release date for Australia is? Brickipedia says June 2011, and apparently everyone here is seeing them, but I haven't yet. Any Australians that can confirm otherwise? Oh and I enjoy how you put Lucius Malfoy in what I'm assuming is one of the boys dormitorys, and then on the bridge chasing Neville. My mind jumped to some nasty conclusions ha ha Dirty Malfoy. Cheers

I know it's just the lighting, but I love how the horizontal bricks for the water reflect the dock, very realistic The bricks under the arches, look very nice. And the seaweed used as a kind of vine hanging from the trees give that jungle feeling. Overall a very sweet set.