It takes a lot to improve my mood when I'm stuck in a toy aisle.So many weapon-toting action figures, so many cloying ponies, so much begging. And that's before I've started pondering the state of a culture whose toys are so gender-biased that the only female character I can find for my "Star Wars"-loving kids is a Princess Leia slave doll, complete with a chain around her neck. Lego's Research Institute, had I been able to find one, would have improved my mood. Created by Swedish geoscientist Ellen Kooijman, the set features paleontologist, astronomer and chemist minifigures, all of whom happen to be female.This is major progress for Lego, which likes to place its female characters mostly in shopping malls, bakeries and beauty salons. A laboratory, to a lot of parents, feels like an improvement — or, at least, a welcome addition to the mix."If I'm a 7- or 8-year-old standing in front of the Research Institute set, I think, 'Girls are smart. Girls are cool,' as opposed to, 'Girls like to go to the hair salon,'" says Melissa Atkins Wardy, author of "Redefining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood, from Birth to Tween" (Chicago Review Press).
"I might even think, 'I want to be all of those things.'"But when that box isn't there, the thought isn't there," Wardy says. "You can't be what you can't see."Well, that box is no longer there. The sets, priced at $19.99, sold out on Lego's website and in toy stores in a matter of days, and a Lego spokesman told The New York Times that's it: Like other fan-sourced Lego sets ("Back to the Future" and "Ghostbusters" sets, for example), the Research Institute was a limited-edition item. "Lego could have done so much good with this line," Wardy says. "At what point do you consider how much influence you have and exercise your social responsibility? At what point do you say, 'Here's what I'm going to do with this platform?' Instead, they're saying, 'We gave you what you want. Now shut up and go away.'"Wardy, who founded Pigtail Pals and Ballcap Buddies to combat some of the gender stereotyping in kids apparel, isn't going away. asking Lego executives to offer a permanent line of empowered female minifigures."
A large section of Lego's customer base have used their voices and wallets consistently for three years to communicate they are wanting, ready for, and will purchase sets like the sold-out Lego Ideas Research Institute featuring three female scientists," it reads. "Please change this 'limited edition' set into a Lego mainstay."Slightly more than 1,400 people have signed as of Wednesday."It's not a girls' issue," Wardy told me. "It's a people issue. My son and daughter both have every right to see females in STEM fields doing important work."And we have every right to direct our dollars toward toys that help make that happen.For the first time in my LEGO minifigure-collecting life, I might have to buy a whole box. LEGO has revealed the 20-character The LEGO Batman Movie blind bag minifigure set, featuring Fairy Batman and Lobster-Lovin' Batman. While I love me some brooding Batman, I can't get enough of Will Arnett's lighter take on DC's Dark Knight. He has his own movie coming in March, but the fun starts in January, when the first LEGO sets start rolling out.
That includes the 20 minifigures we'll be browsing through below (via The Brothers Brick), available in blind bags wherever LEGO stuff is sold. I guess feeling about for the pointy bat ears is only going to get us so far this time around. Let's see who we're getting! Lobster-Lovin' Batman is pretty self-explanatory. Eraser is a real Batman villain who has only one goal. You can probably guess what it is. Zodiac Master, another Batman villain. In his comics debut he predicted a series of disasters using astrology, only to have it revealed that he caused the disasters himself. His costume is so dumb. If you don't know who King Tut is, go watch reruns of the Batman TV show right now. Or I guess you could just use Wikipedia. Pink-Power Batgirl is Batgirl infused with the power of pink. I am guessing that means she's pleasant. There'll be plenty of Dick Grayson as Robin in the bigger movie sets. Here we have Dick as Dick, with a special accessory that's sure to come in handy.
Fairy Batman needs no explanation. He just needs our love. Orca, AKA Dr Grace Balin, a villain with the ability to look like a whale and swim very well. I'm sure she has other redeeming qualities.You guys, it's Glam Metal Batman. Clan of the Cave Batman. Vacation Batman comes with a floaty duck piece that will have builders going crazy, because they are really fond of ducks. I just love Arkham Asylum Joker's little toof. This might be the best Calculator costume ever created. The Red Hood features a red hood, so he's called the Red Hood. Commissioner Gordon is one of the characters I will wind up with several dozen of if I don't just buy a box. Barbara Gordon, who we've already seen in this set earlier but I don't want to spoil anything. March Harriet, another completely real Batman villain. Man, I knew they were going obscure with this, but Mime?! Catman, totally not Wolverine. Are we sick of Harley yet? Look for these figures all over my desk shortly after their January launch.
Then look for them a couple of weeks later in pieces all over my living room floor, because my children are monsters. and the LEGO Shop have a number of “Brick Friday” and Cyber Monday deals from now through the 28th. Starting at midnight Eastern at the LEGO Shop online, shipping is free regardless of order size, and orders over $99 USD / £60 qualify for a free 40223 Snowglobe. A number of exclusive and hard-to-find sets are 20% off from the LEGO Shop as well — we’ll update this post with the specific sets once we see what’s actually available on the 25th. And scroll down for links to the LEGO Shop sales & deals for our UK and Canadian readers. is already having a huge LEGO sale, with sets as much as 44% off. The fantastic LEGO Star Wars set 75150 Vader’s TIE Advanced vs. A-Wing Starfighter (read our review) is 37% or $33.20 off, at only $56.79. 75148 Encounter on Jakku, with great minifigs and lots of lovely dark brown and azure, is 36% off — down to $38.39 from $59.99.
In addition to Encounter on Jakku, many of the other Force Awakens LEGO Star Wars sets are on sale: More LEGO Star Wars sets are on sale: Even several of the brand new Rogue One LEGO Star Wars sets are on sale enough to make them worth a closer look: 21024 The Louvre is 22% off at $46.63. A number of other LEGO Architecture sets are also on sale, including all of the city skyline sets: The LEGO City 60110 Fire Station is $36 off at $63.99. The lovely 31052 Vacation Getaways with a camper and brick-built bear is 41% off at only $41.59. 60104 Airport Passenger Terminal is 37% off at $63.19. Multiple LEGO City train sets are on fairly deep discount: The excellent, steampunky Ninjago set 70592 Salvage M.E.C. is a whopping 38% off at a mere $24.79. The even steampunkier 70605 Misfortune’s Keep is 22% off at $62.29. More Ninjago LEGO on sale at Amazon: Finally, more stuff than I can list easily is on sale for LEGO Dimensions — level packs, story packs, and the starter pack itself.