The LEGO Group’s output of licensed themes has rapidly grown just as the focus on offering sets for older builders has. There’s now a golden trio of Disney themes which offer a wide range of products from simple DUPLO sets to intricate large-scale display pieces. Marvel has become a great source of inspiration for displayable builds and the set I’m taking an early look at today is one of the biggest so far. Spider-Man remains one of Marvel’s most iconic characters. After being first introduced in issue 15 of Marvel’s Amazing Fantasy published in 1962, the webbed wonder has gone on to star in blockbuster movies, much-loved cartoons and numerous video games. Spidey is now the inspiration for a new LEGO® Art set.
Product Details
Celebrate one of the world’s most beloved Super Heroes with The Amazing Spider-Man (31209) LEGO® Art building set. This unique dimensional piece of art is made from layers of LEGO bricks in which Spider-Man breaks out from the frame and his head and fingers can be put into different poses.
Pay homage to a comic-book Super Hero
This bold artwork features several details to delight Spider-Man fans. The backdrop replicates the comic book’s Ben-Day-dot printing technique, there are 15 spiders to represent issue no. 15 of Amazing Fantasy in which Spider-Man first appeared in August 1962, and a graphic in the bottom corner with the words: “The Amazing Spider-Man”.
- Set Name: The Amazing Spider-Man
- Set Number: 31209
- Theme: LEGO Art/Marvel
- Pieces: 2099
- RRP: £169.99/$199.99/199.99€
- Number of Bags: 15 steps (multiple bags) + loose elements
- Instructions: Paper Booklet + Builder App
- Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from August 1st
The LEGO Art theme was introduced in 2019 and as further sets have been released, the style of builds it offers has evolved from simple mosaic images to unique textured pieces of art. Oddly, this set is in the same style box as other Art sets, it features an audio component as well but the packaging doesn’t actually feature the LEGO Art branding. Inside the box, you’ll find a smaller box of elements as well as numerous additional pieces including 12 16×16 green plates. The instructions also offer additional information about the Spider-Man comics along with facts about the set as you build. Something which is expanded upon with the audio soundtrack. Scanning the QR code featured on the box lets you listen to a podcast-style ‘soundtrack’ featuring Marvel Senior Editors Tom Brevort and Nick Lowe. Along with a chat with the sets designer. It’s an interesting thing to listen to as you build and expand the overall experience of constructing the Spider-Man artwork.
The build of the set is similar to other Art sets, but not exactly as expected. The first thing you build is the frame of the artwork. Previous LEGO Art sets have finished with the frame, but here it kicks things off due to the frame often being an important aspect of a comic book. The structure of the frame acts as the base for the image of Spidey, which is built across 12 green 16×16 plates. Unlike other LEGO Art sets, these aren’t the new style of thicker plates, which connect together with Technic pins. Despite this, the plates connect to the frame really well and the overall structure is solid. It includes a pair of the Technic hook elements, which allow it to be hung on a wall.
The inspiration for the image is the classic 60s styles of comic artwork, which used a printing technique called Ben Day Dot. This used layered dots in different colours to give images texture and detail despite a limited colour palette. This technique has been partly replicated by using different-sized and coloured round tiles. Three different shades of green elements make up the background and really help to make the image of Spide-Man stand out. The background of the artwork also features a spiderweb which is made up of various flexi-rods, smaller solid rods and flexi-strings. They are connected in such a way so the curve as a natural web would and they also stand out against the green background.
The section of the art which is focused on adding Spider-Man is far more textured compared to the background. It uses sections of plates which help to create the unique organic shape of Spider-Man. Creating curved, natural-looking shapes with LEGO elements isn’t easy but the mixture of build techniques and elements used to create them really captures the dynamic pose chosen for Spider-Man. Thanks to his spider-like powers, Spider-Man has the ability to move around by crawling on walls. This ability is captured in this set, with Spider-Man appearing to crawl out of the frame. His hands are grasping the edges of the frame, with each finger being articulated at each joint. It looks great, but does mean you’re limited in how you can display the set. It’s obviously meant to be hung on a wall, which doesn’t make the fingers an issue but they also mean you couldn’t stand in on a flat surface as easily.
To really help enforce the dynamic pose of Spider-Man, the shoulders and head are raised beyond the flat area of the background. The head is mounted onto two ball joint elements which are built into the frame section of the set. This gives you the option to tilt the head at different angles, although the movement is limited to having the head sitting to the left or right. You’ll notice the graphic detail on the set is rather limited but they are all achieved without stickers. Printed pieces include webbed material on plates on the mask and the yellow boxout in the bottom right corner of the frame. This is another nod to the heydays of comic book art.
With the image complete, the finishing touches include the placement of 15 spiders. The number of these 8-legged bugs is significant in two ways. Firstly, it’s the largest number of spiders to be included in any LEGO set and the number also represented the issue of Amazing Fantasy in which Spider-Man made his debut.
Overall
The style of build really sets this piece of brick-built wall art apart from other LEGO Art sets. It also makes the build experience a little more exciting compared to some of the earlier similar sets. At first, I thought the random smooth sections clashed with studded surfaces, but it actually makes it feel more like a style of classic comic illustrations. The background is also really well done, it can get a little tricky to place pieces, but the instructions do a good job of offering different angles to build steps. I’ve been impressed with the Art sets ever since it was introduced. Anything which can attract a different fanbase should always be welcomed. That being said, the first few sets didn’t offer much in terms of variety beyond the image they showed. This set offers so much more, with an interesting and varied build experience, along with an impressive piece of artwork that really stands out. I also enjoyed the little snippets of information dotted about the instructions, some were a little cheesy but others provided genuinely interesting facts about the build.
Coming Soon: UKIrelandUSCanadaGermanyDenmarkAustraliaNew Zealand
This set was provided to BricksFanz by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Disney. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
