We are happy to share with you our complete coverage of the happenings at Comic-Con 2013! Check out the video series below!

Meet The Hobbit Artists

Meet several of the artists who worked on The Hobbit and learn more about what they’re up to, along with several other talented folks at Weta, including Greg Broadmore and the comedic antics of Daniel Falconer! [Happy Hobbit Goes to SDCC: Meet the Hobbit Artists]

Continue reading “Happy Hobbit: Complete SDCC Coverage”

Tom Bombadil has always been the most enigmatic of characters in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. When he didn’t make the cut in the movies, despite not being central to the plot, many fans objected and wondered why. The answer is revealed below at last from the Brotherhood Workshop!

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.

Hobbit_LakeTownChaseDuring Comic-Con 2013 the folks at LEGO unvelied a brand new set for fans of Middle-earth and it comes from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The new set is called Lake Town Chase and comes with several mini-figures like: Bard, Thorin, Bilbo, a guard, and The Master of Lake Town. This set launches in December of this year with a retail price of $49.99 and has 334 pieces. Also, during the unveiling which was really cool with a glass case with misty glass was some great videos from The Lord of the Rings. LEGO has already given fans some really great sets from both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and this set is going to be another winner.

Hobbit_RADAGAST_6_TheBridgeDirect

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

Hobbit_RADAGAST_6_TheBridgeDirectTonight, The Bridge Direct sent us a couple of really great images of two figures you will see this fall in their line of 6″ figures for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The two figures we get the special look at are Radagast the Brown and Yazneg. Radagast the Brown comes looking spot on to what we saw in the film mis-matched shoes and all. The other figure is Yazneg who previously had only been released in Europe as an exclusive. Both figures will be priced at $14.99 and are due to arrive in the fall of 2013.