"I'll Be Back!"

Aaron Newman April 10, 2020

I designed this version of the eponymous character from James Cameron’s landmark movie The Terminator (1984) in collaboration with Build Better Bricks (B3). When B3 initially approached me about recreating the famous cyborg in bricks, I’d actually never seen any of the Terminator franchise films… and, embarrassed as I am to admit it, I still haven’t seen the original movie all the way through!

Read more to learn about all the design choices I made on this model.

However, I didn’t have to watch more than a few clips of the original T-800 Terminator to refresh myself on just how iconic of a design I was dealing with. Of course, I already knew Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accented catchphrase from the movie, “I’ll be back,” and would’ve recognized the Terminator’s distinctive metallic endoskeleton anywhere. But there’s something beyond just fame that sets this character apart and captures the imagination. Its menace, its strength, its doggedness, its humanoid teeth… The Terminator is just intimidating, no question about that!

The First Toa: A New Beginning

Aaron Newman November 14, 2019

Growing up, one of my favorite LEGO themes was BIONICLE, a story of mythological proportions populated by heroes and villains who were equal parts mechanized and alive, and in possession of fantastical powers. The very first characters of the franchise (indeed, the characters that drew me into BIONICLE in the first place) were the 2001 Toa, six elemental heroes.

Tahu, Kopaka, Lewa, Pohatu, Gali and Onua are icons in their own right. So—in the interest of breaking new ground—when I decided to recreate these legendary characters, I opted to eschew BIONICLE’s traditional building scheme in favor of “standard” LEGO system parts. I think that my approach has resulted in some pretty cool-looking figurines!

Read on to learn more about the design of these 6-7” (17-18cm) figurines.

"Throw a Little Hot-Rod Red in There."

Aaron Newman September 9, 2019

When I first saw Iron Man in 2008, I left the theater enraptured and amazed by the film I’d just seen. I imagine most audiences felt similar enthusiasm; after all, for more than ten years, Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark served as the foundation upon which the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the most lucrative film franchise in history—was built. In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, as we had to say goodbye to this character, it truly felt like the end of an era.

After seeing Endgame, I wanted to create a brick-built homage to Iron Man. However, rather than opting to build the nano-tech suit that comprised the hero’s final iteration, I chose to recreate the form in which this character captured the imagination of the world eleven years ago. I’ve assembled Iron Man in his first and—I’d argue—most iconic form: Tony’s Mark III Armor, the first suit to sport his signature gold and “hot-rod red” color scheme.

Read on to learn more about the design of this 10” (25cm) figurine.

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stranger

Aaron Newman July 3, 2019

Since it first aired in 2016, Netflix’s sci-fi/mystery/horror show Stranger Things has become something of a cultural phenomenon… enough so that The LEGO Group produced a Stranger Things set, and hosted a Stranger Things building competition. I designed this model to answer that competition’s prompt, which asked its contestants to present what they thought to be the most “iconically Stranger Things.” To me, nothing better captured the iconography of the series than one of its signature monsters: the Demogorgon.

Read on to learn more about the design of this 10” (27cm) figurine.

"I'll Be Back!"

The First Toa: A New Beginning

"Throw a Little Hot-Rod Red in There."

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stranger

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