LEGO Marvel
As mentioned in my review of
That's exactly what I set out to do in my custom expansion for
After rewatching the movie scene a few times over, the first task was determining which parts would be right to capture the steel structure of the bridge seen in Spider-Man 2. Support 1x6x5 Girder Rectangular was the best choice upon first glance, easily recreating the overall shape of the crossed frame, but with little to no room to add any additional details.
Its minimal impression meant that it was time to look in more experimental directions, but the prototype at least helped refine the track (with 1x1 slopes to stop
This decision led to a dark brown and reddish-orange colour scheme, emphasising rust as well as wear and tear, while being more eye-catching than the grey in comparison to the track above. A trio of black bases attached to the legs also help to amplify that this is a display-forward diorama, since the legs would need to be much longer in reality.
While you're welcome to modify my design for height-accurate legs, it also means that you'll need a hefty budget. Shorter legs make the build just as impactful on a shelf but easier to display overall. This second prototype also provided an opportunity to include a reference to the PlayStation Spider-Man games through a LEGO backpack collectable.
This prototype would need one more set of amendments before it was time to build, though. Fence 1x2x1 2/3, w/ 3.2 SHAFT, No. 1 is limited to 10 copies per order on Pick a Brick. Their introduction was intended to expand on the grid-like nature of the bridge that was trialled with the larger girder pieces. This design looked a bit too busy in person, thanks to the window frames being mixed in with the fence pieces.
I didn't want to abandon the element entirely, but I was concerned that I was relying on it too heavily. This assembly was kept for the middle leg, but with standard 1x2 pieces between the fences instead of frames for a sturdy yet varied appearance. Physical trials with incorrect colours revealed that this new design was much stronger, able to be picked up without worry of breaking. This would need to be a requirement moving forward.
I therefore added stronger diagonal beams to the legs at either end of the bridge using sloped pieces and plates, as well as pearl gold lattices for the frames to add a splash of colour to the otherwise brown build. This maintains the rusted aesthetic, but broadens the colour scheme beyond brown and orange.
These final adjustments also included inverting the orange sections of the steel structure to emphasise the strong nature of the bridge while segmenting them with more brown parts. With that, the bridge design was finally complete, and the parts could be ordered on Pick a Brick.
A couple of weeks later, the physical bridge expansion was built, confirming that the colour combination works as well in person as it does digitally. I also discovered that four of the grey slopes on the track could be safely removed to allow
This additional height helps to complete the scene suggested in
The changes made throughout the design process of this expansion helped me to appreciate the limitations and requirements that LEGO designers are subject to with every release, striking the perfect balance between play, display, strength and available elements.
My 332-piece expansion of
Add a pair of LEGO buildings, and you'll have a complete scene for
Click here for a closer look at the official LEGO Marvel set, available now for £44.99 / $54.99 / €49.99.
This LEGO set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes, but the additional pieces were purchased by Brick Fanatics.
Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using our affiliate links. Thanks!
Comments
Be the first to comment!