Tolkien wrote a few times about his character, especially in letters to those who asked. In one such letter to Peter Hastings he says in part,

“I don’t think Tom needs philosophizing about, and is not improved by it. But many have found him an odd or indeed discordant ingredient. In historical fact I put him in because I had already ‘invented’ him independently (he first appeared in the Oxford Magazine) and wanted an ‘adventure’ on the way. But I kept him in, and as he was, because he represents certain things otherwise left out. I do not mean him to be an allegory – or I should not have given him so particular, individual, and ridiculous a name – but ‘allegory’ is the only mode of exhibiting certain functions: he is then an ‘allegory’, or an exemplar, a particular embodying of pure (real) natural science: the spirit that desires knowledge of other things, their history and nature, because they are ‘other’ and wholly independent of the enquiring mind, a spirit coeval with the rational mind, and entirely unconcerned with ‘doing’ anything with the knowledge: Zoology and Botany not Cattle-breeding or Agriculture . Even the Elves hardly show this : they are primarily artists. Also T.B. exhibits another point in his attitude to the Ring, and its failure to affect him. You must concentrate on some pan, probably relatively small, of the World (Universe), whether to tell a tale, however long, or to learn anything however fundamental – and therefore much will from that ‘point of view’ be left out, distorted on the circumference, or seem a discordant oddity. The power of the Ring over all concerned, even the Wizards or Emissaries, is not a delusion – but it is not the whole picture, even of the then state and content of that pan of the Universe.”

To those wishing to read further, we recommend the “Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien”. Also, check out some great LOTR LEGO sets. A couple of our favorites are The Mines of Moria and The Battle For Helm’s Deep.

Follow the break for some amazing official imagery and full product details. [Shop LEGO Today!]

(10237) Tower of Orthanc
Ages 14+.  2,359 pieces.
Build the The Lord of the Rings™ trilogy must-have model!
US $199.99 CA $249.99 DE 199.99€ UK 169.99 £ DK  1699.00 DKK

• • Includes a Great Eagle, buildable Ent figure and 5 minifigures with weapons: Saruman with kirtle outfit, Grima Wormtongue, Gandalf™ the Grey, an Uruk-hai™ and the Orc Pitmaster
• • Features 6 highly detailed floors with lots of functions, including a folding staircase, LEGO® light brick palantir, opening entrance doors and a trap door
• • Weapons include 5 staffs, knife, sword, shield and a long axe
• • The attic features a folding staircase, the 3 staffs of the missing wizards, the 2 keys of the Two Towers, 2 maps and an Uruk-hai helmet, shield and sword
• • The library features 2 books, 2 torches, 2 maps and 2 skulls
• • The alchemy room features 2 torches, a bomb (being produced for the Battle of Helm’s Deep™), 2 potions, bottle, skull, gunpowder keg, pot, cauldron and a long axe
• • Saruman’s throne room features lamps, 2 bookcases with 3 potions, map, letter and the powerful palantir with a LEGO light brick
• • The entrance hall features opening doors, trap door, 2 large banners, chandelier, statue and 2 axes
• • The creepy dungeon features a chain, 2 bones, 2 skulls and a rat
• • Buildable Ent features poseable limbs for holding a minifigure and a cool swinging arm function
• • Attack the tower with the cool buildable and poseable Ent!
• • Swoop to the rescue with the Great Eagle!
• • Activate the LEGO light brick and make the palantir glow!
• • Set the trap door and banish unwanted guests to the dungeon!
• • Prepare the bomb for the Battle of Helm’s DeepTM!
• • Swing the Ent’s arms to smash or grab things with the poseable fingers!
• • Measures over 28″ (73cm) high, 8″ (21cm) wide and 6″ (16cm) deep
• • Ent stands over 9″ (23cm) tall

Available for sale directly through LEGO® beginning July 2013! Build your Hobbit and LOTR Collection today. [Shop LEGO Today!]

The Bridge Direct fresh off the success of their line of figures for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey are releasing some information regarding when we might see wave two. This wave will commence under The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug which hit store shelves October 15th. This wave will have the same style of figures that we saw in wave one but we will see characters we did not see as well as new characters. The Bridge Direct also announced they will once again have an exclusive figure at Comic-Con in July of this year.

Update: We just received some awesome pictures of a few of the upcoming items. So a gallery has been added to this post.

Per the info we know so far for Wave Two:

3.75” SCALE ACTION FIGURES

o    New assortment includes Radagast, Thranduil, Azog, Beorn and Gandalf

o    Each figure features 12 points of articulation and replicates the authentic facial features, clothing, weapons and accessories of the character in painstaking detail.

o    SRP $7.99 each

3.75” SCALE ACTION FIGURE BOX SETS - Three New Packs!

• Mirkwood Pack: Legolas, Tauriel, Thranduil, Fili and Kili
• Thorin Oakenshield Adventure Pack: Nori, Ori, Dori, Gloin and Thorin
• Bilbo Baggins Burglar Pack: Bifur, Bombur, Bofur, Oin and Exclusive 3.75″ Invisible Bilbo
• SRP $29.99 each

6” SCALE COLLECTOR FIGURES

• New assortment includes Radagast, Azog and Legolas
• Each collector figure features intricate details replicating the character’s facial features, clothing, weapons and accessories.
• SRP $14.99 each

To help capture that excitement, we’ve just opened up a special Flickr gallery just for this purpose. The only rules for the gallery are that you, your family, your pet or something Middle-earth-esque is featured in the photo WITH a copy of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ on Blu-Ray or DVD. Well, and of course keep it family friendly Follow the break to see folks who have already submitted their photos and join in – as and when the home entertainment release of An Unexpected Journey reaches your corner of the world! [Flickr Gallery]

Consumers will have a lot of choices when it comes to which version of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” they decide to have at home. There will definitely be an extended edition in time for the holidays confirmed by a press release from Warner Bros., but the choices are greater than just to get the theatrical version or the extended version.

Those in the U.S. can buy the film March 19, but with a variety of versions, all of which we will detail here. Besides the several formats it will be available in, there are exclusive editions at Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart. But have no fear busy potential consumer, we will make everything clear below, detailing all the versions, the available covers and the in-store exclusives. Interestingly, many theaters are still showing the film which crossed the $1 billion earnings mark over the weekend.

When the “Lord of the Rings,” films were hitting the home video market, many users were also making the late jump from VHS to DVD and those films, for many, were the incentive needed to jump to a new format. This is true now with DVD and Blu-ray although there seems to be much less push from the industry to make that happen, perhaps because of the growing all digital download market. Amazon has versions of all these films and we have the choices below linked if you wish to pre-order there. Doing so earns us a commission so support your friendly not-for-profit website if you are going to buy online. Prices range all over the place, but Amazon seems to be very competitive.  Below are all the versions available supplied to us by the studio along with the official box art. Way down we provide the non-U.S. release dates as well as a link to a useful message board page with further information. Unfortunately for some, “Return of the King,” was the last Middle-earth movie to be released on VHS!

2-disc DVD edition of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”

Still watching films old school style? Then the 2-disc special edition DVD is probably for you. It comes with both a DVD of the film and an Ultraviolet copy, which is useful for using the computer on laptops or down the road when it seems likely we will never deal with discs at all. The official information is as follows:

2-Disc Special Edition DVD

o DVD copy of the film

o Ultraviolet copy of the film

o Bonus content includes 10 production videos

2-disc Blu-ray edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

For those who enjoy the superior picture of Blu-ray, and have invested in a player, the combo pack for that format might be the way to go. But, those who will eventually watch Blu-rays, this version also comes with a DVD copy of the film. Personally, I wouldn’t touch the old format, even for the nostalgia of having all the Middle-earth movies lined up together in one packaging line, but including the DVD here makes it a non-choice. WB’s Blu-ray releases are region free, meaning they will play world-wide and aren’t specially coded for regional players. Eventually we will download and watch all movies and rarely bother with discs but for now this is the best format available and I still like to hold a product and packaging in my hands.

Blu-ray™ Combo Pack

o Blu-ray copy of the film

o DVD copy of the film

o Ultraviolet copy of the film

o Bonus content includes 10 production videos

3D Blu-ray combo pack of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

If you are really forward thinking or an early adopter of technology the 3D version of the film will also be available now on Blu-ray as well. You need a 3D television to actually use this version but what do you know, it also comes with a regular Blu-ray copy, a DVD copy and an Ultraviolet copy while the bonus material is the same. This is the one Peter Jackson wants you to buy, or at least watch, to see his personal version of the film. 3D TVs will be more and more affordable and more common. For me the best thing about this version is the fantastic lenticular Gandalf cover. Fortunately there aren’t individual lenticular editions with Thorin, Bilbo, Bombur and the rest of the company on them.
3D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack

o 3D Blu-ray copy of the film

o Blu-ray copy of the film

o DVD copy of the film

o Ultraviolet copy of the film

o Bonus content includes 10 production videos

But the choices are not over. Three big box retailers also have ways to tempt you to buy from their outlet and each definitely has its appeal. Collectors, start giving plasma now because some will want all three. Each version is for the Blu-ray combo pack, which means if you are buying the 3D Blu-ray combo pack, where you buy can be determined solely by price.

The Best Buy exclusive version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Best Buy’s exclusive comes with a documentary titled: “A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins,” and a flip lenticular with Bilbo and Gollum.  No word on who produced this documentary but I have a completely unconfirmed, baseless guess (that I believe to be true) that it comes from the same folks who produced the video blogs, which means they will be excellent. Please don’t base any purchase on my hunches, and you may not blame me or anybody else if that is wrong. TheOneRing will post a review of that content when available. The Best Buy cover is also interesting.

Best Buy – Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with Exclusive Documentary A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins and Flip Lenticular

o   Blu-ray copy of the film

o   DVD copy of the film

o   Ultraviolet copy of the film

o   Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as exclusive bonus documentary A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins

o   Includes exclusive Bilbo/Gollum flip lenticular packaging

Target’s exclusive is LEGO-centric and while I am not a “LEGO guy” and didn’t play with them as a child, these sets have won me over completely and the included Bilbo Baggins minifigure is pretty sweet booty. Those figure characters are absurdly cute but it also contains the exclusive featureete: “LEGO The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Target probably hopes to sell Hobbit LEGO sets as well as the Blu-ray and for some this will be another no-hesitation choice. It also features unique art that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Target – Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with Exclusive LEGO® Bilbo Minifigure and behind-the-scenes LEGO Featurette

o   Blu-ray copy of the film

o   DVD copy of the film

o   Ultraviolet copy of the film

o   Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as exclusive bonus behind-the-scenes featurette LEGO THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey

o   Includes exclusive LEGO Bilbo Baggins Minifigure

The Wal-Mart exclusive version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Finally, Wal-Mart weighs in with a third tempting exclusive edition that contains four bonus featurettes (titles below) and a 64-page book, “The World of Hobbits.” Unlike a LEGO figure, it is impossible to know the quality of the book and extra extras until seeing them but just a stab in the dark (a dark, underground cave) but they are probably quite good and may (MAY!) be from the behind-the-scenes team. Wal-Mart is offering a real incentive for those hungry for more information about this film. Fans of Thorin Oakenshield will appreciate him on the cover and again, like the Target edition, the art here is unique as far as I know. From the art provided it looks as if the book is the size of the Blu-ray packaging.

Wal-Mart – Blu-ray™ Book Combo Pack with 64-Page The World of Hobbits Book and Exclusive Digital Featurettes

o   Blu-ray copy of the film

o   DVD copy of the film

o   Ultraviolet copy of the film

o   Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as 4 exclusive bonus featurettes entitled The Journey Back to Middle-earth, Bilbo and The Riddle Game, Gandalf and the White Council, and Thorin and the “Song of the Lonely Mountain” accessible digitally through Vudu

o   Includes 64-page The World of Hobbits book within the Blu-ray packaging

The WBshop.com exclusive comes with a panoramic poster that features combat ready dwarves. Pretty cool! Canadians can get it in French with the same cover as Best Buy, except, you know, in French.

Thanks to message board user TheHutt, we also have a fair bit of information about foreign editions of The Hobbit.  I was going to copy it all here, but he has done such a good job presenting it all, that I suggest you simply click here.  Again, collectors, beware, because there are some pretty cool versions listed, like the UK’s Amazon-exclusive Steelbook edition with a lenticular Bilbo / Gollum. Yes, I want it and it would be precious to me.

Some foreign dates are as follows:

UK – April 8

Germany – April 19

Russia – April 11

France – April 19

Italy – April 9

Czech Republic – April 19

The 1977 animated version of The Hobbit by Rankin and Bass.

And hey, you can always get the 1977 Rankin and Bass animated version as well with John Huston!

All these choices certainly are nice for the consumer unless there are completests out there who feel like they need to own them all. (But I confess to wanting some of the non-U.S. versions too!)  Also, some will accuse the studio of “double dipping”  by having a theatrical edition and later, an extended edition with extra content. We disagree with that notion because Warner Bros. has been upfront about the eventual release of both. A true double dip, and the feeling of being ripped off, doesn’t stem from having more than one choice but from a consumer thinking she has purchased the definitive version only to find out later there is another even more definitive version. (Yes Star Wars, we are looking at you but you have plenty of company.)  In this case, we have plenty of advance knowledge of our choices. Further, there will be very likely be a rich supply of quality extras on the extended editions from Pellerin Media, the group that defined what DVD extras should be with the LOTR EEs. That extra content, hopefully wide and deep, will add value to that later release.  Does the studio want to maximize its earnings? Of course, but they are being transparent with consumers. Those wishing only to buy one version will have Netflix or Redbox or neighbors or friends to watch it with in the meantime.

Finally, some will question using the video blogs from Peter Jackson’s Facebook page as extra materials. TheOneRing doesn’t have an official position about it, but as I said and wrote to anybody who would listen as they were released, they are better quality features than most DVD extras anyway. And, chasing them down on Facebook or YouTube is a lot less satisfying for me than watching them in my man cave will be. And, I just think they are that good. I look forward to having them presented on a disc in an organized fashion where I can, if I want, watch them consecutively and really get a good feeling for the shooting of the film.

This month we’re asking questions of uber fan from Brisbane Australia, Peter Kenny.

Hi Peter and thank you for joining in

Kelvarhin:  What piece of Tolkien ephemera began your collection?

Peter: My very first Tolkien Book was a single volume paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings given to me as a gift in 1976. I still have that original copy in my collection.

Kelvarhin: Where in Australia to do you see The Shire, and where do you see Mordor?

Peter: The Shire: Near Brisbane is an area from Samford to Dayboro of rolling green hills flanked by a forest covered mountain range to its West. Whenever I have overseas visitors I always take them for a day’s drive through this area.

Mordor:  In Tasmania there’s an old mining town that I have visited, called Queenstown. The countryside which surrounds Queenstown is devoid of vegetation although it is geographically situated in a World Heritage Rainforest area. This devastation was caused by copper mining in the early days of settlement. The forests were cut down for the smelters and the sulphur fumes from the smelters poisoned all the new vegetation.

Kelvarhin: Are there any items associated with Jackson’s new trilogy that you have your eye on? (I like the Funko plush dolls myself.)

Peter: I have the Plush Dolls from The Lord of the Rings series. They have been a huge hit amongst friends and fans alike. Recently someone posted on a chat that these sorts of items are abhorrent to the works of Tolkien and should not be on the market. I wish to take the opportunity to disclose that the use of my plush dolls at different events have helped attract people to our information booth and thereby bring new members to our Tolkien Group. They are not the sole reason but they do help. People need to be more open minded about the associated merchandise as even the smallest things open people’s eyes and minds to Tolkien’s World.

I have purchased Weta’s Bilbo and Thorin polystone statues and would like to buy Thorin’s sword, Orcrist. I also wait with bated breath for the arrival of a Smaug sculptured statue.

Kelvarhin: The world is about to end! Luckily, Tolkien fans escape on board a specially designed spaceship. You can take only one piece of memorabilia from your massive collection – what would it be, and why?

Peter: I gave a lot of thought to this one and my first thoughts was to take a favourite piece, but then I thought, no, it has to be something inspiring with that will give hope for the future, so I chose The Silmarillion. A book full of despair and tragedy but it also includes, love, friendship and concludes with a new hope for future generations. Isn’t that what we wish to achieve out of the turmoil that lead to the end of the world? A new beginning for future generations.

Kelvarhin: The Hobbit has inspired many youngsters to begin reading over the generations. What other authors do you recommend to new readers through your Proudfoot Foundation?

Peter: Several authors come to mind, but the two whom I most often mention are C.S. Lewis : The Narnia Series, and J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter Series.

Kelvarhin: What are you hoping for will be released as a statue in the future?

Peter:I am really looking forward to Smaug. I also wonder if they will release a statue of an eagle and Beorn as a bear.

Kelvarhin: Why did you decide on being a Hobbit and not, for instance, the librarian in Minas Tirith?

Peter: My Alter Ego, Fortinbras Proudfoot was created a decade ago when I was doing The Hobbit as a unit of work with my Year (Grade) Seven class. All the children were given Hobbit names which were created by an online word generator. The teacher had to have a Hobbit name, so I modified mine into one I liked, which was Fortinbras Proudfoot. I have kept the name ever since and use it as my pen name for poems and stories I write, and of course it was selected for The Children’s Literacy Foundation.

Kelvarhin: What is your most precious piece in your collection?

Peter: What is my most precious item? There is the porcelain statue of Arwen and Aragorn, the leather bound ‘Children of Hurin’, Proudfoot’s personal invitation to Bilbo’s Party and several others I value and like.

The most precious item is probably my 1937 Hobbit, although I personally like the original newspaper lift out, ‘THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT’, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1937. The Hobbit Book Review…“A WORLD FOR CHILDREN”…the final sentence of the review reads, “Prediction is dangerous; but ‘The Hobbit’ may well prove a classic.”

But of course my biggest item, that everyone loves, is ‘The Hobbit Hole-A miniature Bag End’. A 102cm x 117cm Model that will soon be on display in the Queensland Museum.

Kelvarhin: You have seen a lot of the world. What is your favourite place? And what is the craziest thing that has happened to you during your travels?

Peter: I have a number of favourite places; but there is one place in Tyrol where I would like to live. A farmhouse situated on a green slope surrounded by large mountains. I stayed there for a short time in 2012. Each morning I would wake up and through the bedroom window I would see the green slopes and a distant high mountain. When I got out of bed I would step onto the small bedroom balcony and allow my senses to take in the beauty of the scenery, the freshness of the air and the absence of sound. I could only think of Middle-earth and the Shire.

Crazy: In Austria, during a role play activity, I was captured by Orcs. The biggest and ugliest stood guard over me while the others proceeded to build a fireplace and spit to roast me over. Their conversation sounded so serious about roasting a Hobbit, I began to think, “Do these blokes realise this is only role playing?”

Kelvarhin: Who were your heroes, when you were a young child?

Peter: When I was young I was not aware of the existence of The Hobbit, nor do I recall ever seeing a copy of it in a Library. My father used to bring home a few comics every Friday for me to read. One of them was always The Phantom. Some of my mates and I had a “Phantom” Club and to be a member you had to have a Phantom ring. He was our hero in my early years.

Kelvarhin: Did you ever write a letter to Tolkien?

Peter: Unfortunately I was not aware of Tolkien before 1976, so I never had the opportunity to write a letter to him. I think if I had, after reading The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I would have asked, “Are there any more stories about Middle-earth?”

Kelvarhin: And have you visited all the Middle-earth locations in New Zealand yet?

Peter: I have not visited all the movie locations in New Zealand but my last count came up to Thirty-seven, and next time I tour, there will be new Hobbit locations to visit.

Kelvarhin:  You’ve attended many conventions over the years, which one do you enjoy going to the most and what is your most memorable moment from them?

Peter: The first overseas Tolkien related Festival I attended was “Festival in the Shire” in Wales, August 2010. It was a most enjoyable three days which included Tolkien related talks by well-known speakers and writers. There was also entertainment, traders, a collectibles display and other enjoyable activities.

At this Festival I met people with whom I have forged lasting friendships and have met them again at other Conventions and Festivals over the last couple of years. Some of these people have invited me into their homes as a guest or invited me to dinners where they have shared their knowledge and passion of all things Tolkien.

In 2011, I attended my first Oxonmoot and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. At Oxonmoot I met old friends and made new friendships all of whom have inspired me to immerse myself deeper into Tolkien’s world. After Oxonmoot I attended The Tolkien Shop’s 25th Anniversary. The Tolkien Shop is in Leiden, Netherlands and is a wonderful place to visit for anyone who likes collecting Tolkien books and movie memorabilia. There are thousands of items to tempt any fan. After the Netherlands I travelled to Bonn, Germany to attend RingCon. RingCon is advertised as Europe’s biggest fantasy convention and if you are a big fan of Tolkien or any other fantasy worlds, this is a must visit event. Guests are world class and the costumes worn by fans are absolutely amazing.

In 2012, I returned to Europe for two months and built a holiday around attending events throughout Europe.

• Return of the Ring, Loughborough, England, August 16-20;

• Edinburgh International Children’s Book Festival, Scotland, August, 25;

• Austrian Tolkien Society, 10th Anniversary, September, 14-16;

• The Hobbit 75th Anniversary Festival, The Netherlands, September, 20-22;

• Ring*Con, Bonn, Germany, October, 5-7.

Also on these journeys, I had dinner with the Tyrol Tolkien Group, visited the Middle-earth Harp Maker and also visited a number of other interesting people who are well known for the following and of course I name them as friends.

• The Tolkien Library
• The Tolkien Shop
• The Hobbit Hunter
• The Middle Earth Museum

At each of these Festivals/Conventions I did presentations on varying Tolkien Subjects. Each event was different in format and the experience was was memorable. I have returned home with this experience and a wealth of ideas which I hope I can use to make our Tolkien group here grow.=

During my 2012 travels I also stayed with many friends I had met on previous visits and I can only say that Tolkien People have to be the friendliest people you could hopefully meet. Tolkien would be most impressed with the people who are following his legacy. The most memorable thing is the friendships I have made.

Kelvarhin:  What’s the most frequent question you get asked when you do your presentations?

Peter: As I do many different presentations I get asked many different questions, but one that comes up most often is related to Copyright. As you are aware copyright of works related to Tolkien’s works are a minefield for those without the knowledge of the do’s and don’ts. I have many different answers on this subject depending on what the question is related to.

Kelvarhin: What is it about Tolkien that keeps you going every year?

Peter: Each year I enjoy going back because the events I attend are always enjoyable and interesting; offering new subjects and new formats. But the thing I enjoy most is meeting all those friends whom I have met on previous visits. As I said above they are interesting and wonderful people.

Kelvarhin:  Are you planning on going to any of the Oscar Parties? And will you be attending the Premiere for Desolation of Smaug this year, like you did for AUJ?

Peter: The Oscar parties I would love to attend, but at this stage they are a little out of my budget because flying from Australia to Los Angeles is quite expensive and I am a retiree now with limited financial resources. However, I am looking at the possibility of the 2015 Party if I get an invite.

I plan to attend the Red Carpet Premiere in Wellington this year and am planning to organise a group to travel with me from Australia. I have a number of enthusiastic people here who are keen to join me.

Kelvarhin:  What’s your favourite memory from the AUJ Premiere?

Peter: The AUJ Premiere had a number of enjoyable moments. Firstly, the enthusiasm of the group who travelled on the tour was infectious (especially one group of Hobbits from Melbourne). The most enjoyable highlights were the day we visited Hobbiton, The Premiere Costume Party and attending the Red Carpet Premiere in Wellington. Once again new friendships were made and some people will never be forgotten.

Thank you again, Peter, for agreeing to speak to us this month, and sharing some of your love of Tolkien with us all.

Once again thanks to our message board regulars, Ataahua, DanielLB, Rosie-with-the-ribbons, SirDennisC and dernwyn, for this months’ questions.

If you want to ask any questions yourself, head over to our Message Boards, the sign up process is pretty painless. A lead post for questions is made on the Main Board at the beginning of each month.

 
Till next time from TORn’s resident Tiger.

Kelvarhin.

You can check out a ton of pictures from Figures.Com in their The Lord of the Rings gallery.

You can also check out videos from the booth via FBTB.Com from their The Lord of the Rings video page.

‘The Last March of the Ents’ LEGO model recreates the epic storming of Saruman’s stronghold depicted in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and directly inspired by the artwork of Alan Lee. The base of the model contains many details familiar to fans of the movie including an ent on fire, water flooding Isengard, and Treebeard leading the charge with Merry and Pippin holding on tight.

This is likely to be the last time this creation will be on display publicly. There will also be some new original LEGO creations on display from the members of OneLug, in addition to ‘The Last March of the Ents’. If you don’t want to miss seeing this incredible work of art in person or any of the other wonderful artwork that will be on display, buy a ticket to the art show today!

Join TheOneRing.net for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. All ages are welcome to attend. Celebrating The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will feature inspired art pieces — from paintings, drawings, and illustrations to prints — from a variety of artists. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street.

It’s all part of our Oscar Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party’! Tickets to ‘The One Expected Party’ are still available!

“…in the first days of the North Kingdom , they built a great watch-tower on Weathertop, Amon Sul they called it. It was burned and broken, and nothing remains of it now but a tumbled ring, like a rough crown on the old hill’s head. Yet once it was tall and fair. It is told that Elendil stood there watching for the coming of Gil-Galad out of the West, in the days of the Last Alliance.”

The Attack on Weathertop set with its 430 piece count, is a relatively easy build compared to some of the other larger sets like LEGO’s The Mines of Moria and the massive Helm’s Deep set, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. The bigger sets require a larger time commitment and sometimes it is nice to actually finish a set within a day. To watch Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies and witness Middle-earth come alive is a life long dream for most Tolkien fans, but to actually be able to hold or construct a piece of Middle-earth with your own hands is an incredible feeling.

This set comes with 4 separate bags each labeled to correspond to the actual set piece you are building. The instruction booklet contains 82 full color pages of step by step directions and pictures of some of the other LOTR sets and an advertisement for the LEGO LOTR video game. It also has some very useful extra pages as well. There is a full page parts list that shows every single piece of this set, how many are in the set and what their part number is, so if you lost one you could go to a LEGO outlet and possibly pick up the missing piece. The booklet also has 2 full pages of every minifigure from the entire LOTR line of sets and which set these minifigures can be found in. Included within the set is a LEGO brick separator, which is extremely helpful for taking apart some of the thinner bricks that are stuck together. For little or younger hands this is a must. I can not tell you how many times my children ask me to separate their bricks. Now they will be able to do it themselves. You can go to the LEGO.com website to learn how to use it.

To give you a little background, I have been building with LEGOs as long as I can remember. I think it all started when I would make fortifications for my toy soldiers out of LEGO blocks that were stolen…er…”borrowed” from my older brother’s sets. I would construct these elaborate networks of fortified foxholes, pillboxes and ramparts. In my mind I was building a U. S. version of the famed Maginot Line. That was what was so great with LEGOs, any child, teenager or adult could build anything, it was only limited by their imagination. Over the past few years I have written LEGO customer service more then once, imploring them that they were “missing the boat” on these sets and there was a huge fan base and they would be incredibly popular. I would like to think that I had a hand in getting LEGO to manufacture these sets.   Oddly enough, I still have not heard back from them thanking me for what a great tip that was.

Packaging: 5/5

Like all the other LEGO LOTR sets, the box is awesome. The front of the box has a big picture depicting what the completed set looks like with the minifigures in action. The back has more wonderful pictures showing the set builder a multitude of ways he or she can enjoy playing with the minifigures.

Minifigures: 4/5

This set contains Frodo, Merry, Aragorn,  2 Ringwraiths and 2 black horses. For these LOTR sets, I believe this is the first time LEGO has cast a one piece horse. They look great with red beedy eyes befitting them as steads of the Black Riders. Aragorn looks great and he comes with a two faced head. The one side is “Hey I am a cool Ranger”, the other side is “angry don’t you know I am Isildur’s heir” face. Merry”s head also has two faces which are, “smirking I just played a joke on Frodo” and “angry I cant believe the Ringwraith took the last of my Longbottom leaf”. Frodo’s has two expressions as well, “serious what am I doing here Frodo” and “terrorized holy crap that Ringwraith is coming at me…here…someone take the ring”. My only complaint is there are no faces on the Ringwraiths, I know they really don’t have any, but having red or white glowing eyes peering out of the hood would of looked scary and cool.

The Build: 5/5

Helping me to build the set I had secured the help of my son, Justin who is 9 yrs old, and my daughter Samantha who is 7. I normally call the mischievous duo “Frick and Frack”, but for today’s purpose and in the spirit of LEGO I will refer to them as “Brick and Brack”. Brick has been building LEGO sets since he was 6 and Brack is a comparative newbie doing it for about a year now. Just as fellow TORN staffer MrCere did with his sons on his Helm’s Deep build, we started out taking turns, letting each person finish a step by themselves.  We got thru the first bag of pieces in no time and we were halfway thru the second bag before Brick could not take it any longer and had to play with the Aragorn minifigure. Within minutes Brick was gone with Brack close behind and Aragorn was introduced to fellow LEGO minifigures Batman, Robin, Mr. Freeze, Captain Jack Sparrow, Indiana Jones, and all the characters from Star Wars. I actually think I heard Darth Vader and Yoda arguing how powerful “the force” was within the Ranger. Anyway, I finished the set myself and was done in a little over 2 hours. It was fun and I always enjoy starting to see the build resemble the pictures on the box. The set essentially is the remains of an old tower. There are two levels, with the lower chamber housing some old ruins and weapons. A set of steps lead upwards to a large platform surrounded by crumbling walls and fortifications. The design on some of the brick work is very detailed and looks great.  There is also a little outcrop piece of an old stone wall and a bush to the side. The action that takes place on Weathertop in the books and in the movies are such an integral part of LOTR. It is the closest Sauron comes to gaining possession of the ring and Frodo is almost killed. Somehow LEGO does a good job of making a set that captures that. You can envision the peril Frodo finds himself in with no where to go and Ringwraiths all around him and his friends.

The Weathertop set is also cool in a few ways. First, it has a trap door on the top of one side (not sure why Frodo would not use this to escape when attacked by the Ringwraiths). Second, the set can open and close as it swings on a set of hinges. It changes the layout and gives a child a lot more variations on how to play with it and where he can position the minifigures. It also stores easier when closed. Third, I love the spiral staircase, LEGO engineers never cease to amaze me how they can make something that could be difficult to build come out so easy. As you can see from the pictures it is not a big set but still offers a lot of play value for the money.

The Accessories: 5/5

One of my favorite things about LEGO sets are all the accessories that are included with any set. Even though this is a mid priced set, it still comes with some fun pieces for children to play with. There is a carrot, apple, a bag with a big turkey or chicken leg in it, a fire and pot to cook the food. Also included are seven swords, some spears, a rat and the coolest aspect of the whole set, 3 gold rings. It is nice that extra rings are included since it is inevitable that Frodo is going to lose a ring or two and now you wont have to hear your child cry that Frodo lost the One Ring.

Overall: 4.5/5 

I may be biased towards LEGO because I have been building them my whole life but I think they offer children and adults a lot of entertainment. This set is no different, it may be a bit pricey near $60 for only 430 pieces, but if you are a big LOTR fan like I am, it is worth it.   To me they are educational for developing young minds. To have a child look at a step in the instruction booklet, find the exact piece then put it in its correct position takes some skill and all the while it is a lot of fun for them. The minifigures really add to the value. Most kids really want to play with Frodo, Gollum or Gandalf and it is brilliant marketing on LEGO’s part not to sell the minifigures separately much to the chagrin of parents everywhere. Personally, I want the sets to go along with the minifigures, when I was a kid they did not have minifigures. I can not wait to get my hands on the new LEGO Hobbit sets.

See a full gallery of the build below.

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The LEGO® Set is available at all major retailers and the following online stores: LEGO.com | ThinkGeek.com | WBShop.com | SideshowCollectibles.com

Full review after the break.

Attention all hobbits, dwarves, elves, men, women, goblins, orcs, and so on, here is a review on the figures released for The Hobbit; An Unexpected Journey, via The Bridge Direct. They contain a high level of detail and the articulation is similar for almost every figure: ball joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, legs, and knees, along with swivel waists, hips, and wrists. Please assume this is the case unless otherwise noted.

First, we’ll take a look at the Goblin King and Thorin Oakenshield. The Goblin King is massive and quite heavy even in comparison to the 6” figure line. However, this is appropriate as he is one of the larger goblins. Plus, he’s the king! Varying from most of the other figures in the 3.75” line, the Goblin King has hinge joints at the legs and chest as opposed to the hips. The Goblin King comes with a staff that appears to be made out of the bones of what was once an animal that resembled a ram. There is also a crown with a spoke in the center that fits fairly well onto the King’s head. The dress piece is not removable.

Thorin has the basic articulation described above. He comes with a cool Dwarven sword, the famous Orcrist, and his oak shield. There is a sheath for the Dwarven sword on Thorin’s waist. Orcrist has a fancy sheath that attaches to Thorin’s back via a pin and hole. This sword comes complete with Elvish markings. The oak shield also fits with pin and hole. However, it is rather loose. I would suggest leaving the rubber wrap on to hold it in place. The leader of the Company is even has some grey hairs, which I thought was a rather nice touch.

“Mr. Baggins, I could see that you enjoy food as much as we do!” The star of our journey, Bilbo Baggins, comes equipped a satchel, binoculars, Sting with Elvish markings, a sheath, hairy feet, and a protruding tummy. Rightfully so on the last item! The likeness of the figure, while not dead on, bears enough of a resemblance to Martin Freeman that it’s worth a buy. Gollum, so much younger, but more immobile? The former Smeagol has maintained his creepiness. Gollum has standard articulation at the neck, shoulders, legs, and stomach. The biggest issue with this figure is the lack of articulation, and a lack of accessories. I know he’s practically naked, but it would have been cool if Gollum had a ring, his boat, or even a small dagger.

Fimbul, the great hunter. This orc is one mean looking mamma jamma! He comes with a wild spear, mace, and a dagger that kind of looks like the one Shakru used in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I give The Bridge Direct credit for that idea. Fimbul comes with a mangled cape that is removable. There are a few downsides to the hunter. For one, he has nowhere to store all of his weapons. I had him carry the dagger and mace while the Warg held on to the spear. That would be an interesting game of fetch! Remember, he’s a Warg rider. Yet, his skirt mail makes it very complex to get Fimbul on the Warg. You have to bend the rubber or cut it off to keep him on there. The Warg is fierce and if you work for the postal service, this is not the animal you want chasing you. There is articulation at the ankles, neck, stomach, tail, and the jaw opens and closes, which was a nice touch. Besides the fur being frayed, there are some blotches of blood on the coat. The coloring is perfect and I was very pleased with this beast.

The Grey Pilgrim rides again! Gandalf styles his usual attire and comes with his sword, staff, a sheath, and removable hat. His robe limits his movement, but why does a wizard need to do flips anyway? His face is a bit dirty, which adds to naturalization of the character. After reading the tale, we’d all be surprised if Gandalf made it out without a scratch. Bolg is a very interesting character. The son of Azog is ridiculously intimidating. Some of his armor is made from the bones of fallen enemies. I don’t even want to imagine what this fellow would use for a tie! The armor at the shoulders does limit his movement, but it’s not too bad. The detail on the face is pretty accurate. His beard appears as though it was the color of fire itself. This reminds me of an eye that we are all very familiar with… He rocks a HUGE mace and 2 swords that resemble scimitars. These items seem very fitting. Though, like Fimbul, this goblin has nowhere to store his weapons. That may be the biggest issue with any of these figures is storage space

Orlando Bloom is back as our Elf of the Wood. His robe limits his Elf-like abilities, but he still looks pretty cool. He comes with a bow with Elvish markings, and daggers with Elvish markings that all fit nicely into the quiver on his back thanks to the pin and hole. However, the arrows are all bunched together and cannot be separated. The bow does lack string which could be an issue shooting arrows. Tauriel has the same robe limitations. Like Legolas, her bow and daggers have Elvish markings. However, her quiver has no room for her daggers. Where are these blades of fury supposed to go while she’s shooting the evil forces down? Her hair also covers the quiver a bit. Finally, it is difficult to get her to stand while holding her weapons. We all know how annoying that can be. So a little work is required to get that to work

“Fili and Kili, at your service!” The youngest Dwarven members of Thorin and Company are ready for adventure! Fili comes with a nice Dwarven hammer, twin blades that look like machetes, and a sheath on his back that holds the blades nicely. He has the handles of knives sticking out of his forearm armor. Yes, those are just handles. The blades do not come out. He also has throwing axes laced into his boots. They look great, but they are apparently just for show which knocked down my rating of the figure a bit. Kili comes with a quiver that holds his bow, arrows, and sword on his back. Like Fili, he has a knife attached to his quiver that is just for show. The sleeves of his coat make it difficult to get his elbows to bend so there may be some fidgeting with them in order to achieve this. His boots are dirty, which does give the figure some additional character. Both of these figures suffer from the shirt mail getting in the way of their leg mobility.

Balin, nice beard! The Lord of Moria comes with a mace and short sword. I say short only because it is smaller than everyone else’s. Unfortunately, this figure also has a tough time finding where to put all of his weapons. The detail is amazing and he totally rocks the pointy shoes! Dwalin, the bruiser, comes equipped with a full arsenal! He has a TREMENDOUS battle hammer, his 2 axes (Grasper and Keeper), sheaths on his back to hold both axes, and a knife and sheath that stand their ground via pin and hole. Unlike Kili and Fili, this knife actually comes out. Anyway, the detail on this figure might be the best in the group. He has cuts along his forearms. No doubt, these were from epic battles. He also has the tattoos on his head. I believe this may be an up and coming trend of fans. His boots are a tad faded and he even has armor on his hands to resemble the character in the film. In my opinion, Dwalin is a must have in the 3.75” line. I hope The Bridge Direct will  eventually  make a 6” likeness as well.

Speaking of 6” figures, I also want to review the 6” version of Thorin Oakenshield. He has articulation includes all of the basic spots along with the ankles. The detail on this figure is immaculate! From the random strands of grey hair, to the fur coat, and all the way down to the mud covered boots, this Thorin does Richard Armitage proud.  He comes with the same accessories as the 3.75” Thorin. The enlarged pieces are more in depth. The legs are slightly restricted by the shirt mail. The oak shield is less of a pain to keep on the toy and has more of a real feeling than the 3.75” Thorin. The other 6” figures are similar to their 3.75” figures the same as Thorin with improved likenesses, accessories, and great paint. As of right now the 6” range consist of Thorin, Gandalf, Bilbo, Legolas, and Tauriel.

Elessar: One of the none action figures that The Bridge Direct is making for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is Bilbo’s trusty sword Sting. This mini-sword for kids to play with and have their own adventures isn’t just for kids. I can’t deny that I have also enjoyed playing with my own sword and one of my puppies have enjoyed joining me on my own adventures. Sting has the same detail that you would see in a metal replica only in plastic. It also has a button that when you push will turn the sword blue allowing you to know if Orcs are near. When swinging Sting you also get some awesome sword sounds. Sting isn’t the only item you get when you purchase this as you also get your own One Ring.

Overall, The Hobbit figures from The Bridge Direct have their ups and downs, but I feel that they are a good collection to have for any fan of Middle-earth.