Milano v's Milano

monkey_roo

For the first time in a while I can safely say I had a disappointing Lego building experience. To contextualise I love Guardians of the Galaxy, I got hooked in 2006 on Dan Abnetts crazy space opera and have devoured anything and everything ever since. So back in 2014 I was super excited for the movie and the Lego sets and was most impressed with both. In the case of the Lego sets the Milano really stood out. It took a few hours to build, was interesting and at a decent scale and price, certainly one of the Marvel sets of the year back then.

Roll forward to today and the same sense of anticipation is there again and while I think the film will rock, the same can't be said for the sets, specifically the Milano. The entire build took around an hour, there was nothing interesting about it and much like the ever shrinking Quint-Jets the model is half the size but not half the price. And unlike the Quint-Jets is totally lacks play features.

People can talk about increases in production cost, Brexit tax, bla, bla bla all day long, they might also point out the fact that the new set costs less that the orignional, although there are 100 less pieces in the set... but the bottom line is we have a smaller, less feature rich, totally underwhelming model that doesn't do justice to anything. That isn't to say the new model doesn't have some redeeming qualities, the colours are nice and the front profile is accurate, however, it feels half finished.

The figures remain an excellent draw but for a set that is based around one of the iconic vehicles from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this seems like a swing and a miss. Anyway, i thought I would show them side by side so people can see.

Bumblepants

Yeah I am really glad I have the old one. One of my favorite sub-$100 sets to build in recent memory.

Lyichir

So far it seems to be just me, but I kind of prefer the new one. The shaping and colors look better to me, and it's no bigger than it absolutely needs to be (yes, the interior is very small, but it still manages to fit all five Guardians counting Baby Groot). And as someone who only really ever dabbles in licensed Lego themes, a smaller set is much more suitable for storage or display than a larger ship with a more complete interior would be.

Fauch

but those pictures don't do the old set justice as the yellow parts appear greenish, in reality the colors are closer to how the new set appears on the pictures.

Shib

As a collector of the Superheroes themes I'm actually glad they did a smaller scale. Don't get me wrong the first Milano is a fantastic set, but it's a big set. Having the new one and an obviously different scale makes them both uniquely different enough to not feel like a rehash - frankly how could they not do a new Milano set?

I'm sure a lot of AFOLs would argue that for the second set they should have gone bigger, but logically I think going bigger could only be done by going UCS scale. At this point the smaller scale makes more sense to get the most out of the marketing machine that GOTG 2 is bound to be.

A UCS style Milano would be great but better saved for a point when the Marvel collects are more the prime market for it than kids. (I'm thinking that a UCS style Milano could do what the Tumbler set did)

Ayliffe

Reminder that "bigger" doesn't always equal "better" innit (unless you're Donald Trump, in which case what the blithering hell are you doing on a lego forum talking about angular spaceships).

SumoLego

I like vehicles as close to minifigure scale as possible.  (The UCS Slave I is perfect on so many levels - and the scale is what really is the topper.  I would lose my mind if a scale UCS Milano were to replace the Helicarrier...)

Thus, the original Milano is certainly my favorite.  It's no coincidence I have six of the set in various condition.  The new set feels much more like a toy-version.  I'm inclined to mod it a bit to look like Rocket's Warbird from the first film.  (The SDCC Warbird is basically a microfighter, and has no display value out-of-the-box.)

I do like them both, but much like the Quinjets, the first iteration is the best.

madforLEGO

I think the only one the new one has vs the old is that the new one can hold 4 figs (right?).
Other than that the scale is a bit disappointing but then again if it is cheap to buy then to each their own; Nebula in not in the older one; whereas I think she is in the new one (I'm guessing because they had more sets to sell back them for the movie). However I'm glad I bought the original and will not be buying this one.

So I think in short, if you bought the older one, you may be less inclined to pay for the new if it is smaller and you have all the figures from the first run.

LEGO_Dad77

Well, had my own review all typed out... took a pic and texted the wife, came back to add the picture, post gone. >:( Anyway, here's the pic I took that shows my slight mods. More mods in the future. I like both ships for what they each bring to the table, finally have the whole team, blah blah blah. XD

EDIT: The above was auto-saved two days ago, I will now attempt to share my review again as I'm no longer "bovvered." Haha! For added fun: I'm a big guy who's excited about a toy, and I'm a "DUDE" from California, so feel free to read this in that kind of voice, 'aight? XD

By some disgrace, I managed to miss the first LEGO Milano, even though it's the coolest & my most favorite new fictional spaceship. Though I was able to add #76019 Starblaster Showdown and #76020 Knowhere Escape Mission, and even #5002015 Rocket Raccoon TRU Polybag, I had hemmed and hawed over picking up the Milano for full price. Then by the time I decided to go for it as the price didn't seem to wanna go down.... it went up! XD My Guardians team was left incomplete; no Drax, no Gamorah. :( After that, when the new Milano was eventually released for Vol. 2, I snatched it up with a quickness! And.... I love it! Yeah, it's smaller; yeah, it's not as detailed (though I loved building the flap/wings as opposed to just slapping stickers on pre-molded pieces); yeah, the top section behind the cabin is verrrrrry flat... BUT, it has its positives! Like: it's so gosh-darn teeny and cute, it's like a little baby Milano! XD Nah, but really, I do like the Classic LEGO Town simplitude & smallness of it; wouldn't look out of place beaming little Peter Quill up from the outside of an old LEGO hospital after his LEGO Mama croaked in her scarcely detailed & blocky room inside. Plus, it's blue and ORANGE! :D Orange is the new black, or at least that's what I hear, so I'm gonna roll with it. AND, my Guardians team was finally complete! All I had to do was find a way to cram everyone inside... and so a couple guys were left standing around outside the ship! No problem! XD After changing-up the nose of the ship to my liking, and setting aside a couple of stickers, I was happy enough - with the understanding that I'd get around to modifying the flat area at some point.

THEN I GOT THE ORIGINAL SET ON EBAY!! :D For a swell price I might add, still pretty stoked about that. Anyway, this build got spread over a couple nights after work, cuz there was no WAY I'd've been able to wait for the weekend - too much anticipation built up.  Such a fantastic build! Actually both ships had interesting little build details that I thoroughly enjoyed, and new (to me) pieces too (that orange nose-piece on the Milano II is wicked!)! But I digest. I've always wanted the original LEGO Milano, the shape and the colors just pop perfectly (albeit non-accurate colors, but so what?), and it's just so damn BIG, inside and out. Gigantic outer profile with bulky landing gear, and the cabin fits the team nicely, I dig that. I also very much enjoy the boombox mounted on the wall, and all the little supplies/weapons clips placed all over the interior: makes all the blasters, swords, and knives easy to store and keep with the crew. I like looking in through the back window to see what my guardians are getting up to, currently Baby Groot is standing there waving. XD Peter's printed control panel piece is AWESOME, looks very Star Warsy, and the stickered pieces were extremely fun to place just so, especially that center top flap - works very well with the brick-built details surrounding it. Oh! And the stickers I set aside from the Milano II have finally found their new home on the original, bringing the accuracy levels up yet again! Might have to trim them down sometime, but I'm good with how they are for now.

I 100% LOVE having both versions of the same ship, I highly recommend adding them BOTH to your own collections; very eye-pleasing form - the Milano(s), and the "Awesome Mix" tape & "The Milano" stickers are super sweet I must say, plus Peter's new hair piece, Baby Groot, even the pink monster thingy - all this and more are waiting for whatever adventures you can imagine! Like mine, for example, will sit forever in a carefully selected & placed pose! Add some regular dusting... SO FUN! XD I had kinda planned on giving the smaller ship to The Boy.... but I think I'm gonna end up just getting him his own. :D Cheers.

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ImABrickManNow

I really like the color scheme on the new one, but the old one wins out overall due to size.

LEGO_Dad77

The original ship IS the one I've got hanging in a cool action pose. :D