DC superheroes MOC wave finale: Darkseid arrives

[Mandalorianknight]

I wasn't expecting to make the third wave nearly this soon, but it's been a rough month or two, and this was a nice distraction. The state of lego DC has improved somewhat, since we're at least getting sets this year, but as they're all Burton focused, the future of lego DC remains heavily uncertain. We can't even get waves of sets based on the newer movies, because half of them don't release and the other half bomb.

The core idea for this wave was that it would be done as if it was a movie tie-in, but with no actual movie it's tying into. (Though some inspiration is taken from other Darkseid stories in premise, such as Justice League: War, Justice League Dark: Apocalypse War, and the cancelled Zack Snyder Justice League sequels- of which Steppenwolf and one of the Batsuit's designs take heavy inspiration.)

My constraints for this wave were as follows, to ensure it would be something lego could realistically do:

Standard wave type: I can't do 80 $800 D2C Batman sets. For this wave, as with the last, I've made 3 mech gimmicks like the marvel sets (still in the old style, as I dislike the ninjago limb style), and 5 standard system sets, as well as a small polybag. However, this time I've added a retailer exclusive, and 2 diorama sets as lego has done for other themes.

Iconicity: This basically translates to "Batman needs to be a focus", since, well, he's the most popular DC character, and what seems to sell best with kids. Maybe with the new DCU other characters will become more popular, but for now, Batman's the star of the show.

For each set, I also only used existing pieces in existing colors for the builds. (With the exception of custom prints, since, you know, they're custom prints.) This is so the builds can be built IRL if one desires. The figures, on the other hand, do not follow this rule, and have more arm-and-leg dual molding than would be realistic, just since Stud.io has a limited print inventory and I wanted to differentiate who was who.

This wave also features some custom prints, as I've finally figured out how to use partdesigner. Just a couple, being the Omega symbol on a 2x2 tile and a few torsos, and they're of varying quality. I think Red Hood's turned out best, but my Superman one is pretty rough.

 

I didn't exactly write a screenplay, because I can't write, but this is the generic outline of the "film" story I based the sets off:

Spoiler

Darkseid attacks earth, killing Cyborg and Green Lantern, as well as defeating Aquaman badly enough he retreats to Atlantis seemingly permanently. About a year passes. Batman, a resistance fighter against Darkseid's regime, steals a shipment of Nth metal with the help of Arrow. He forges it into a batsuit, and begins to reassemble the justice league, who are scattered and discouraged. He finds Wonder Woman, who's been hunting Darkseid's lieutenants with Red Hood and Artemis, and they defeat Steppenwolf. Arrow finds Flash, and they rescue a captive Superman from Desaad. They formulate a plan to send Flash back in time with the cosmic treadmill to warn the League about Darkseid early enough that they could stop him, and attack Darkseid's palace, hoping to use the power of it's generators to power the treadmill. Darkseid destroys the generators in the fight when he realizes their plan, and Flash does the whole "run himself apart" thing to go back in time anyway and defeat Darkseid in the initial invasion.

Now that I've rambled for a paragraph, let's get started: As always, additional images and descriptions are in spoilers for space:

BATMOBILE POLYBAG: 57 pieces

Spoiler

A polybag version of the Batmobile seen later this wave. not much to say.

Nth Metal Bat-Mech: 158 pieces

Spoiler

 

Comes with a very bare-bones batsuit, since he's in the larger mech armor, as well as a second cowl for when he's outside of the mech.

Aquaman Mech: 160 pieces

Spoiler

If nothing else, it's colorful. Bristling with spikes, seaweed, and various aquatic animals, I think it really fits Aquaman more than just a generic mech in orange and green.

Darkseid Mech: 157 pieces

Spoiler

The mech serves as a cheap way to obtain the wave/film's main villain. The stud shooters are meant to evoke his Omega Beams given their positioning.

This Darkseid figure is an unarmored variant, with the Omega symbol visible on his chest. He comes with a small assembly that, when you put his arm up to his face, makes it look as if he's firing eye lasers.

Arrow-Bike Ambush: 148 pieces

Spoiler

A pseudo "battle pack" in the vein of 2018's outrider dropship. Features a motorcycle for Arrow, and a small parademon outpost with a cannon and function to blow the Nth metal crate off the platform.

The included figures are an apocalyptic Batman, Arrow, and 2 parademons.

Batcave Forge Invasion: 389 pieces

Spoiler

Usually I order the sets smallest to largest, but this one is earlier in the story than the next (Since it shows batman making the suit featured in the other sets), so I moved it up. From left to right, we have a forge in the Batcave where he makes the Nth metal into a batsuit, a suit rack in the center with a mounted turret, and a prison cell on the right with a release function.

Figures are Batman, a prisoner Joker, Kalibak, and a parademon

Batmobile: Versus Steppenwolf: 340 pieces

Spoiler

Don't laugh, ideally that Steppenwolf would have a new head mold.

The main build is a batmobile, which I think turned out pretty sleek.

Here it is from the back, with the obligatory giant engine.

Here's a look at the cockpit, and a storage area behind it with room for weapons and ammo.

The set comes with Batman (Nth suit), Wonder Woman, and Steppenwolf.

Bat-Tank: Superman Rescue: 778 pieces

Spoiler

A couple builds here. First up is the Bat-Tank:

It features some large spikes at the front, as well as spring shooters and two anti-personnel turrets.

The interior seats a driver and 2 passengers.

We also have Desad's lab, which has an exploding wall play feature, a cell and rack for Superman, a potion stand, and a separate cell for a larger parademon breed.

The set comes with Nth metal Batman, a captured Superman, Flash, Desaad, a parademon, and an Enhanced parademon.

Batwing: Darkseid: 1231 pieces

Spoiler

If nothing else this wave, I'm happy with the Batwing. 

It features spring shooters on the underside of the central wing segments, a rear defense turret, and wingtip cannons.

It seats one pilot, with room for 5-6 minifigures in the back.

Also-and this was totally unintentional for most of it's design- it kinda resembles the Bat-symbol from certain angles

The other builds are the cosmic treadmill, a power generator which-as shown in the first image-has an explode feature, and a throne for Darkseid.

The set comes with Barbatos, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, Nth Batman, Darkseid, and 2 enhanced parademons.

Retail Exclusive: Parademon artilliary: 509 pieces

Spoiler

That main cannon has an explode feature:

Oh, and Red Hood has a motorcycle.

Comes with Artemis, Red Hood, and 3 parademons. It's a retail exclusive since no batman/bat-build focus, but I felt like the villains needed more builds, so along with some side builds in the other sets I made this.

Diorama: Fastest Man Alive: 658 pieces

Flash's defeat of Darkseid. (Which is a spoiler for the "movie", I guess, but the diorama sets usually come out as their own wave, so we'll say these are released months later.). I wanted to show flash's speed, so along with the lightning trail we've got the road cracking as he runs, the mailbox and garbage can being thrown back, and his electricity overcharging a streetlamp. Comes with, of course, Darkseid and Flash.

Diorama: Darkseid's Throne: 660 pieces

Darkseid's throne room with some trophies of defeated heroes. Comes with Darkseid, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. I gave this one a quote too, since "Darkseid is." is just such a cool quote from the comics.

 

Anyway, sort of a weird wave premise, but I think it led to some interesting builds. I particularly like how my Batwing turned out. This is going to be the last wave for some time, though I will hopefully do another DC wave eventually. Maybe a D2C style Arkham, or some qoute sets based on some of the actual movies, too.

Let me know what you think!

[Murdoch17]

this is awesome! Love the dioramas sets, the Flash one looks like a actual screencap from a film!

[Lionbear8]

Love these,  keep up the great work! 

[rome00150]

Wow did not disappoint! My favorites have to be the Batwing, the Batmech(I love Batmechs, always wanted to make a mini Justice Buster one) and the Throne Room. I also quite liked the bust that the cowl sits on in the cave

[Agent Kallus]

Yeah, these are great. I especially love the dioramas. Killed off my favourite leaguer though.

[Mandalorianknight]

On 4/6/2023 at 2:27 PM, Murdoch17 said:

this is awesome! Love the dioramas sets, the Flash one looks like a actual screencap from a film!

Thank you! I was very happy with how the lightning trail turned out for Flash.

20 hours ago, Lionbear8 said:

Love these,  keep up the great work! 

Thanks!

13 hours ago, rome00150 said:

Wow did not disappoint! My favorites have to be the Batwing, the Batmech(I love Batmechs, always wanted to make a mini Justice Buster one) and the Throne Room. I also quite liked the bust that the cowl sits on in the cave

Thank you! If/when I do come back to this, I'm remembering the Justice Buster, it's a good idea.

10 hours ago, Agent Kallus said:

Yeah, these are great. I especially love the dioramas. Killed off my favourite leaguer though.

Thank you! Glad the dioramas are being liked, I was worried about how they'd be received.

Sorry to kill off Flash, but I knew I wanted the endgame of the film to be him traveling back, and I wanted some permanent consequences. Things definately go south pretty badly in the final fight. I have more written out, but as a summary: Nightwing (Who was in a tiny set I ended up cutting from the lineup) is killed by Darkseid in that final fight, which causes Batman to allow Barbatos to take control of his own body, and Red Hood and Artemis are killed right as Flash travels back in time. Oh, Lex Luthor dies earlier too, and Darkseid's lieutenants are killed off throughout the movie. Maybe a tad dark, but nothing compared to some of the other Darkseid-centric movies (or in Snyder's case, potential movies) I've seen. But I wanted something that would stick, and it was this or a different thing that would kill off Superman, which is a cliche at this point.

[Agent Kallus]

5 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

 

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Sorry to kill off Flash, but I knew I wanted the endgame of the film to be him 

I meant green lantern 

[Mandalorianknight]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:46 AM, Agent Kallus said:

I meant green lantern 

Sorry for taking months to respond! Two of them, actually, since the trophy has two rings (Hal and John if I remember correctly). I guess if we consider the first two waves I did "canon" to this made-up third film, Kyle is still out there somewhere.

[Lemerbrix]

Amazing work once again!

[hikouki]

Love the effects on the Flash diorama!

[Mandalorianknight]

On 7/22/2023 at 7:08 AM, Lemerbrix said:

Amazing work once again!

 

On 7/29/2023 at 2:15 PM, hikouki said:

Love the effects on the Flash diorama!

 

Sorry I missed these, thank you both! I am pretty happy with the lightning effects on the Flash diorama, I want to try making it in real life at some point.