The Simpsons LEGO

CCC

I just saw the Hail to the Chef Flanders fig on brickfan. Nice.

Brickarmor

^Concur!

CCC

Here he is. I was on my phone earlier.

Pic from thebrickfan.

leego76

Well get out the Crayolas and color me tickled pink..

burnsider

Sad. This all but confirms the heads will be large compared to the rest of the body.

burnsider

Just for comparison:

Brickarmor

The head size seems to me a good compromise: the rubber material allows more details, and the scale doesn't look too off. And there are a lot of Simpsons heads to think about, so going with the more malleable rubber is a wise decision. May make it a little "less LEGO" but hey. My main caveat being that the painting on the head molds will probably be hit or miss.

epyon396

leego76 said:

Well get out the Crayolas and color me tickled pink..

Buenos ding dong diddly días señor.

legomatt

I reeeally want to like these, but gahh, just the dingdangdoodley heads just look too much like cheap toys that have been decapitated and stuck on minifig torsos.

Whereas that slightly shrunk version on page 8 looks fab.

D'oh!

Wil348

I don't think the heads look that bad on the torsos. Maybe it's the fact that Ned's collar matches up to the size of his neck. Looking forward to seeing Homer.

Steve_J_OM

That is horrendous IMO. I genuinely worry that the chase for attractive licenses and need for detail will make minifigures less like minifigures and more like action figures.

CCC

For me, the heads are too big, but as noted above it is a compromise. They could have been done slightly smaller but this is what they have done. It is now up to us, we buy them or leave them. They could have been a lot worse. Using minifig heads wouldn't look right. Plus the range of hair styles needed would be difficult. Also The Simpsons characters need noses to look right.

Wil348

I'm just thankful that these Simpsons heads aren't nearly as bad as.....*gulp*....those Clone Wars faces. I'll take big head Ned over psychotic eyed Anakin any day.

Gooker1

I am all for the Simpsons line now. Slightly bigger than hoped for, but still excited!

leego76

Heads too big?? Won't somebody please think of the children?!

TBH I think they are fine, I'm a big fan anyway, well seasons 3-8 or so (plus some of the latest episodes have been half decent)

Beav

I like it, but it's still too big.

Steve_J_OM

CCC said:

For me, the heads are too big, but as noted above it is a compromise... They could have been a lot worse. Using minifig heads wouldn't look right. Plus the range of hair styles needed would be difficult. Also The Simpsons characters need noses to look right.

That's kind of my point; to make them an accurate representation of the source material, they stray from the realm of the minifigure and become too much like generic action figures. So where do you draw the line? Do you accept that some properties just don't translate well into LEGO elements or do you make changes to the LEGO elements to accommodate the source material?

CCC said:

It is now up to us, we buy them or leave them.

Yeah, I'm not going to bash these with any vitriol, I know there are a lot of Simpsons fans here (I'm one myself, the early series at least) who are delighted to have a LEGO representation, and I wouldn't begrudge anyone that anticipation. The precedent of making such compromises just worries me a little. I hope there'll always be a place for the simple, iconic minifigure with a smiley face.

Wil348

Also, didn't LEGO say that the theme initially would be a trial? It could be they're using rubber head moulds as rubber is cheaper to sculpt than plastic, just in case the line does flop in terms of sales. Maybe if the line does well they'll consider making the head moulds with plastic if they expand the line? I remember them saying the line would be expanded if the initial release is successful.

GIR3691

YOUR HEADS LOOK BAD AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD.

Wait, wrong show.

just2good

Wil348 said:

Also, didn't LEGO say that the theme initially would be a trial? It could be they're using rubber head moulds as rubber is cheaper to sculpt than plastic, just in case the line does flop in terms of sales.

They aren't rubber. I'm not good with my LEGO plastic, but they feel like the same material as the Toy Story figures, especially the Woody figure. Ned's mustache is... ABS? Is that it? It feels different from the rest of his head.

Machetero

I, for one, welcome our new big headed overlords.

Wil348

just2good said:

Wil348 said:

Also, didn't LEGO say that the theme initially would be a trial? It could be they're using rubber head moulds as rubber is cheaper to sculpt than plastic, just in case the line does flop in terms of sales.

They aren't rubber. I'm not good with my LEGO plastic, but they feel like the same material as the Toy Story figures, especially the Woody figure. Ned's mustache is... ABS? Is that it? It feels different from the rest of his head.

Oh, so they are plastic? That's better then I guess.

I'm wondering if we'll get a Sideshow Bob minifigure, probably not though because of his hair.

CCC

^ Maybe. They could do it in rubber similar to the mad / crazy scientist hairpiece.

CupIsHalfEmpty

I've rewritten this post several times as the Simpsons head just don't do it for me, so I'm trying to justify my hatred towards them. But what I've summarized is that Lego did do this one correctly. Whether the scale is right or not I can't tell, but as far as forgoing the traditional head for a mold, I think this is the right decision.

The traditional minifigure head suits traditional humans heads. I think that the cartoony over the top facial features of the Simpsons characters would be completely lost on a traditional head. The one picture that did it for me was Squidward 2006 beside the 2009 remake

Wil348

Machetero said:

I, for one, welcome our new big headed overlords.

Mmm.....Overloorrdss...*mouth waters*

Plell

I heartily endorse this event or product.

chromedigi

These new Simpsons heads are strangely reminiscent of the hypertrophied heads on Character Building figs, of which I am no fan (even though I do appreciate many of the unique Cobi parts in their sets).

kor

I like Ned. If they all look like this then I'm good with the line.

woodpile

Not really digging the big heads. You suck diddly-uck, Flanders!

Marshallmario

I think Blocko did a good job with regular minifigure shaped heads that would have worked for the new Lego Simpson figures.
Link to ebay auction with Blocko figures:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIMPSONS-BLOCKO-FIGURE-SET-SERIES-1-TOY-R-US-EXCUSIVE-/281189694469?pt=TV_Movie_Character_Toys_US&hash=item4178363c05

CCC

To each their own. I wouldn't buy the Lego ones if they had blocko style heads.

burnsider

^^ Those would go straight to the Trasho

Gooker1

Marshallmario said:

I think Blocko did a good job with regular minifigure shaped heads that would have worked for the new Lego Simpson figures.
Link to ebay auction with Blocko figures:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIMPSONS-BLOCKO-FIGURE-SET-SERIES-1-TOY-R-US-EXCUSIVE-/281189694469?pt=TV_Movie_Character_Toys_US&hash=item4178363c05

Yea, no. I hated the blocko line

Wil348

I actually think the bigger heads make them look more LEGO-y. I remember when people were skeptical of Iron Man's helmet for being big, but after it was released everyone was fine with it. Ned looks great IMO, hopefully Homer will be leaked soon.

LegobrandonCP

Why are their head's so big? Homer doesn't seem to have much of a brain. ;-)

I think these look fine, but a big top heavy. Will probably buy a full set for novelty purposes.

mrseatle

Excellent...

legomatt

woodpile said:

suck diddly-uck, Flanders!

Say that very fast three times on live radio... and I guarantee you'll call him 'Sanders' by the third pass... I won't say what you'll be advocating is done to said 'Sanders'. :oP

Wil348 said:

I remember when people were skeptical of Iron Man's helmet for being big, but after it was released everyone was fine with it.

Nudge-nudge, say no more!

--

Seriously, though. I agree with what's said. Moulded heads are certainly better than not, but I'm not a fan of the size. Even though, as said, cartoons are oddly sized, I wish they'd been done a tad smaller, for aesthetic Lego minifig purposes.

Oh well, will see.. (by picking up some minifig packs, if that happens) but likely a pass for now.

burnsider

I don't get how some think the head is the right size. The head is as tall as the torso and half the legs! They look like bobbleheads!

binaryeye

^ And if Marge's head is to the same scale as Flanders', it will likely be as tall as the torso and legs combined.

Marshallmario

Well I just thought since alot of people didnt like the big heads and wanted them to be more true to the original minifigure heads that the Blocko idea might be right in the middle. Just a thought that bombed!

GIR3691

Wil348 said:

I remember when people were skeptical of Iron Man's helmet for being big, but after it was released everyone was fine with it.

I still don't like it.

Marshallmario said:

Just a thought that bombed!

I understand where you're coming from. I'd have much preferred this kind of approach.

Legogeek

Not really interested in the Simpsons LEGO to start out with, and I have no plans to get any....simply because it's not my thing. But I don't get it about the big head comments.... these ARE based on LEGO minifigs who's proportions are wacky anyways. I see nothing wrong with the heads and actually think they enhance the Simpsons aspect of the minifigs.

It's kind of what @CupsHalfEmpty was saying about Squidward - some cartoon characters don't translate well into LEGO unless certain liberties are taken, as with the heads.

However those Futurama minifigs are the cat's meow......

Bosstone100

I like the heads. Simpsons heads are elongated. Can't make it look right in the height that a minifig head gives you.

Gooker1

As a Simpsons fan, I am glad they look as close as possible to the cartoon. Seeing them lego-ized would be weird to me.

Now if you're bigger lego fans than the show, then yea, the heads are out of place.

legomason

To me it looks weird that Flanders' eyes are flat. His eyes were round. Milhouse's eyes were flat.

jdylak

legomason said:

To me it looks weird that Flanders' eyes are flat. His eyes were round. Milhouse's eyes were flat.

And his sweater should be a darker shade. (I'd do an "eye roll" but don't know how)

oceanangel

I'm will on the fence about these but I'm hoping they dont take a CMF series but I guess if they do and I decide to buy some they won't be hard to find

Marshallmario

I understand where you're coming from. I'd have much preferred this kind of approach.




Yes Thats what I had in mind! I guess I'm a bigger minifigure fan than a Simpsons fan.

sweetness34

^ i like these figures better, look more like Lego.

mdelleman

This will be the first CMF series I will try to pick up. Im not as concerned as some about the size of the heads. Love that LEGO has another iconic license to sell me!