Tom & Jerry debuted in February 1940 and has delighted generations, with countless iterations since. The pair celebrated their eighty-fifth anniversary this year, and to commemorate it, LEGO released 40793 Tom & Jerry in January.
Now, to celebrate the recent International Animation Day and National Cat Day, let's finally take a closer look at this bickering duo!
The BrickHeadz double-pack 40760 Adventure Peely & Cuddle Team Leader is a gift with purchase at LEGO.com at the moment, free with purchases over £115/$130/€130 until the 11th of August.
Transformers are an interesting addition to the BrickHeadz range, suiting the format extremely well. The characters' distinct colours and vehicle-based features should be easily identified, even at the scale of BrickHeadz figures.
40803 Optimus Prime Robot & Vehicle satisfies that need in robot mode, though I am probably more curious about how Prime's vehicle mode translates to BrickHeadz form, which is a new concept for the theme!
The latest in the long line of BrickHeadz is a duo from the forthcoming Captain America: Brave New World film that premieres in February next year.
40668 Captain America & Red Hulk features the eponymous superhero and a character being played by Harrison Ford...
Commander Cody has received some attention recently, between his minifigure in 75337 AT-TE Walker and the lovely 75350 Clone Commander Cody Helmet last year. 2024 has introduced the commander in BrickHeadz form.
40675 Clone Commander Cody definitely looks good and Cody's vibrant armour bodes well for an interesting figure.
Brite Bomber is a rare outfit in the Fortnite video game which first made an appearance in season two during 2017. It can also be found in LEGO Fortnite, and it was the most prominent outfit used in the game's promotional material.
The colourful outfit and flamboyant hair-do should lend themselves to an interesting blocky character.
40750 Wednesday & Enid are BrickHeadz numbers 252 and 253 and, surprisingly, they're the first of the blocky characters that we've reviewed this year.
It is also perhaps surprising that the divisive theme seems to have become an evergreen one, now in its 7th year.
Other than introducing new franchises to it, innovation is rare, but there is one aspect of this set which is unique and which may signal a change in direction for future ones.
The reaction to 40627 Sonic the Hedgehog has been decidedly mixed, while 40628 Miles 'Tails' Prower has attracted a more positive response on the whole.
That seems deserved, as the bushy tails which give Miles his nickname certainly look effective and the construction of this figure is interesting as well, in relation to the ears.
In addition to the minifigure-scale Sonic the Hedgehog sets, Sega's famous hedgehog has also joined the BrickHeadz range this summer. The character's spiky hair and striking colours appear suited for this format and 40627 Sonic the Hedgehog does look good.
However, there was substantial criticism of the figure when it was unveiled, focusing primarily on the unusual eyes.
40617 Draco Malfoy & Cedric Diggory completes the quartet of Hogwarts houses represented in their colourful Quidditch robes, joining 40616 Harry Potter & Cho Chang. Those figures were unexpectedly enjoyable, so hopefully these are satisfying as well.
Draco and Cedric lack the complex hairstyles or other unique features which distinguish certain BrickHeadz. Nevertheless, these two characters should complement Harry and Cho perfectly.
40616 Harry Potter & Cho Chang introduces the third BrickHeadz iteration of the Boy Who Lived, now wearing his Quidditch robes. However, this figure represents a dramatic improvement over the two previous models, reflecting the growing complexity of BrickHeadz.
Cho Chang looks superb as well, but is arguably more appealing because of her warm tan elements. Before now, this colour has been limited to minifigure and mini-doll parts, so the availability of some new plates and tiles is important.
An impressive variety of Harry Potter characters have already appeared in BrickHeadz form and now the series is expanding with lesser-known characters, which is promising. 40618 Kingsley Shacklebolt & Nymphadora Tonks seems to fulfil that promise.
These two members of the Order of the Phoenix are instantly recognisable and present some creative building techniques, which distinguish them from other BrickHeadz. I think that distinction is these figures' most significant quality.
BrickHeadz have portrayed Star Wars characters since 2017, although various favourites from the saga have never been represented. 40623 Battle of Endor Heroes therefore looks good, providing unique BrickHeadz designs for R2-D2 and Lando Calrissian!
Wicket also joins the roster, while these versions of Luke and Leia differ considerably from the previous models. Those figures were relatively unremarkable, so hopefully these are superior.
J.R.R. Tolkien's various works set in Middle-earth are celebrated for their strong characters, many of whom are suitable for BrickHeadz recreations. 40632 Aragorn & Arwen therefore contains two famed characters, although their chosen attires are perhaps surprising.
However, the newly-crowned King Elessar offers fitting splendour and Arwen looks reasonable too, even though her dress is extremely plain.
The premature culmination of The Lord of the Rings theme was frustrating, particularly given the range of potential products which remained unreleased. For instance, the monstrous Balrog presents obvious potential, but was overlooked ten years ago.
40631 Gandalf the Grey and Balrog accordingly includes the first LEGO Balrog, although in BrickHeadz form. Nonetheless, the figure appears absolutely unique among BrickHeadz, while Gandalf is the perfect adversary for Durin's Bane.
2023 marks Disney's 100th anniversary and I think we can be sure that LEGO will capitalise on that with a range of product releases during the year.
The first set to make an appearance is a four-pack of BrickHeadz, 40622 Disney 100th Celebration, which features blocky representations of characters that are all firsts in the film studio's history.
The audience for LEGO products has expanded enormously over the past decade, providing an opportunity to revisit certain subjects that were perhaps introduced too soon. The Lord of the Rings warrants a return, given such unfulfilled potential.
A trio of BrickHeadz packs have therefore been launched this year, including 40630 Frodo & Gollum. These characters are extremely popular, although the designs appear bland in official images. However, Frodo is better than expected.
22 memorable Star Wars characters have been portrayed in BrickHeadz form, including classic Original Trilogy heroes alongside those created more recently. 40615 Tusken Raider is perhaps an unexpected addition to the range, although appears remarkably detailed.
Moreover, those details are actually assembled rather than relying on printed elements, which often distinguishes the best BrickHeadz, so I expect to be impressed with this Tusken Raider.
The next BrickHeadz release is 40554 Jake Sully & his Avatar, which will be available alongside four minifig-scale models based on the forthcoming Avatar: The Way of the Water film next week.
It contains two versions of the film's main protagonist, in both his human and Na'vi guises.
The Brickheadz menagerie has been expanded following the launch two new sets, which brings the total number of pets sets to 12, far surpassing what might have been anticipated when they were introduced last year.
40546 Poodles is the fifth dog breed to be subject to the blocky treatment, while 40545 Koi Fish is the second aquatic species to be produced.