Published by resource book kings Dorling Kindersley, the LEGO Minifigures Character Encyclopedia was released on May 1st 2013 to coincide with the release of the 10th Series of the collectible Minifigure blindbags and, thus, covers every character from Series 1 to the 10th. The book is a thick piece, dedicating pages to not just each individual Minifigure but also each series, the sub-groups throughout the line and a nice little information piece on how a Minifigure is designed and created as a physical toy. Speaking of, this wouldn’t be a DK LEGO book without some LEGO to go with it, would it?

The Toy Soldier is an exclusive Minifigure added solely for this book. He’s a fun little addition to the theme overall though he’s not one I’d have picked up if he was in one of the blindbag series. He’s a little plain and not to my personal tastes but I see the merit in him. He’s got bold colours and the extra printing on his legs and arms really sell his look. I also like the little detail of his wind-up key in his back. If I had any real problem with him, it’d be that he doesn’t come with the baseplate that all other Minifigures do so I hope you have a spare one lying around.

Back to the book itself; the pages are split into the various series in release order, with introductory pages for each and fun little pages interspersed about minifigures that share a common theme, such as beach lovers, musicians or even monsters. Each Minifigure features stats, their likes and dislikes, interesting trivia notes and great CG renders of the figures themselves.

And this is great. It’s a fun little guide to your favourite Minifigures. But as I was flicking through, something dawned on me. There was something missing… And then I realised that the Team GB Minifigures are completely absent from this book. They’re a notable series but I can only surmise that their lack of inclusion has to do with the fact that they were licensed specifically for the London 2012 Olympics and were exclusive to the UK. Such a shame too.

In summary, I can highly recommend this book. The LEGO Minifigures Character Encyclopedia is an informative, funny and essential reference guide for any LEGO collector. It’s especially useful if you just want to have a quick check on Minifigs you need and not refer to Brickipedia constantly.

JJ and his amazing friend Elizabeth have not seen Man Of Steel, yet, (well as of the recording anyway, they have as of this posting…it’s like time travel!) but that does not stop them from analyzing what makes ol’ Supes tick. They even touch on a debate at least a decade in the making-feel free to join in. Then the pair move in to one of JJ’s favorite segments “What awesome books has Elizabeth read lately?” Warren Ellis is highly recommended, some stereotypical white people books…not so much.

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JJ and his amazing friend Elizabeth are back this week to talk about the project they just finished. Well, that is the idea, but conversation being what it is, it takes on a life of it’s own. Movies are discussed, books and the chicks that buy books are examined, and JJ wonders what is the stupidest river. Then when Elizabeth shares a story of sexism that happened at her gym, not only is JJ’s mind blown, but the duo begin to wonder if there is any hope for us to all just get along.

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JJ and his amazing friend Elizabeth return to wish you the happiest of New Years. Elizabeth recommends The Little Stranger which leads into a discussion of what does and does not work in scary novels and movies. JJ takes umbrage with an article about the 50 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Of All Time. (Elizabeth drops the mic and leaves the “stage”) Finally the pair get into some very mild spoilers regarding the film they have just seen…Django Unchained.

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JJ and his amazing friend Elizabeth would like to warn you, the following podcast will contain spoilers for the movies Super 8 and possibly a bit for Fright Night, you have been warned. As you may have guessed, the pair have taken the time to see a couple of movies recently…can you guess which ones? After some discussion of the wonders of Colin Farrell and David Tennant, JJ asks Elizabeth to elaborate on the book series she has fallen in love with. All this and more just days before the Mars Needs crew start bombarding you with Dragon*Con goodness.

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