Traditionally LEGO gives away and/or sells a series of very limited edition sets and minifigures at San Diego Comic-Con. These items are of course very popular with collectors due to their exclusive nature and limited distribution. This year there were four sets and two minifigures that LEGO fans could get hold of during the event. While SDCC is over, it is still possible to get these sets on the secondary market, and surprisingly, the prices are not as bad as we have seen in previous years. 🙂
The four sets that were available at SDCC are all from the new LEGO Super Heroes BrickHeadz line. Each of the sets include two brick-built Super Heroes; Batman and The Joker, Doctor Strange and Black Panther, Superman and Wonder Woman, and Captain America and Iron Man. They were sold for $40 each in limited quantities. We have talked about them previous here: LEGO BrickHeadz Collection Coming!
While these sets were exclusive to SDCC and come with the San Diego Comic-Con logo, other sets in the same style will be released next year, assumedly for a similar price. I believe this scheduled wider release is why the SDCC sets are not that expensive on the secondary market. Previous Comic-Con exclusives usually went for hundreds of dollars, while the LEGO Super Heroes Brickheadz have been consistently selling on eBay in the $55-$75 range. Not bad at all, if you would like to get yourself some limited edition sets. You can find them on eBay here: LEGO SDCC EXCLUSIVES ON EBAY
The minifigures released during the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con are more unique however, and there is no mention of them being released in future LEGO sets. The LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Steve Rogers Captain America and the LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes Atom minifigures both come with full body printing and nice accessories in a blister-pack. Atom in particular has been very popular with collectors, as this is the first time we see this character in minifig form. Interestingly, they are also not nearly as expensive as exclusives from previous years, where collectors paid $300-$500 for a Comic-Con exclusive minifig. Both Captain America and Atom go for about $150 on eBay. You can find them on eBay here: LEGO SDCC EXCLUSIVES ON EBAY
The San Diego Comic-Con exclusives are the prized possessions of LEGO Super Heroes collectors who are fortunate enough to own them. They are certainly not for everyone, but if you want to possess the rarest sets and minifigures, these are the ultimate. If you do plan to get any of them, make sure you buy them in unopened packaging from USA based sellers. This way you should be able to avoid fake minifigures from sellers in China and Hong Kong, whose listings have been flooding the LEGO marketplace. In the video-player below I have included for you review of all four sets and two minifigures, so you can see them in more detail. You can use the drop-down menu in the upper left corner to select the review you would like to watch, or you can just let them play one after another.
So what do you think? How do you like the San Diego Comic-Con LEGO exclusives this year? Are you planning to get any of them? Do you have any of the previously released Comic-Con sets and minifigures? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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I’m starting to like these Brickheadz. They would make a nice collectible displayed on a desk or shelf. Looking forward to more characters coming next year. I know that the Megabloks Kubros are very popular. Heck, the two collections might even look good together!
Kubros is definitely very popular, and they are continuing to release more figures. Let’s see if LEGO will be able to catch up. It would be interesting to see them together. Mega Bloks has a very different color-scheme though.
I love these, I hope they will be part of a full release at a later stage 🙂
I guess the CW-styled Atom minifigure kinda crushes my hopes for a Legends of Tomorrow-based set, huh?
Here’s to hoping they at least pick up the Flash. There are 3 LEGO Ideas sets made by the same guy for it, picking up a decent amount of traction.
Hm… LEGO will never approve projects made on currently licenses properties. It is part of their rules. I don’t know why anybody even bothers. However if an idea is very popular, it is possible that LEGO will release something similar in the future of their own design.
It’s part of the rules not to make projects when they already have the license for them? It seems like it would actually help. Less paperwork to go through, less licenses to work on acquiring…Besides that, I’ve seen so much creations based on licensed projects in LEGO Ideas, I wouldn’t think it’s a rule at all.
There are actually a couple of LEGO Ideas rules related to licensed properties. The first is that if a LEGO Ideas project brought in a license, no other projects in that license will be accepted (i.e. Minecraft or Ghostbusters): “Once we release a licensed product through LEGO Ideas, we won’t accept any more submissions based on that license and will archive any related active projects. A licensed product is one that is based on recognizable features of another company’s products or ideas. For example, LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Super Heroes sets are licensed products.”
As far as licenses that LEGO already have (and did not come from LEGO Ideas): “We welcome projects based on current licenses like Star Wars, Superheroes, Disney, etc., However, these active licenses are likely to have similar concepts already in the pipeline. Please keep in mind that a project based on an existing LEGO license has a smaller chance of passing the LEGO Review than other projects.” – basically their chance of making it is almost nil.
All the rules and guidelines are listed here: https://ideas.lego.com/guidelines
I don’t see how “a smaller chance of passing the LEGO review” translates to “basically their chance of making it is almost nil.” Smaller chance than other projects doesn’t necessarily mean no chance at all.
But, I see what you’re getting at. Instead of getting my hopes up about the LEGO Ideas set, I should just hope that LEGO has a legitimate Flash set in the works.
I should add that if the CW-styled Flash is yet another Comic-Con exclusive I’m gonna take the nearest wall and take it apart, piece by piece. Tired of anything cool-looking being a Comic-Con exclusive, at least in the terms of minifigures in the Superheroes line.
I should note, though, that they seem just a hint lazier about Superhero minifigures in sets than in Comic-Con exclusives. It’s not big, but they generally go for the generic more often, less unique printing to do. I have 5 generic Spider-Men, no variation at all, and I don’t even buy LEGO sets often.
Yeah, Spider Man is a very under-represented character with less than ten variations. Batman on the other hand, or even Captain America got a very large number of suits. 😀
On the terms of variations, most of them are more well-equipped for their specific set, than a purpose that could be used for a variety.
Most of Captain America’s suits, from what I’ve seen, are either variations on the comics/movie suit, or altered versions equipped for water/space/etc. Batman, most of his variations are still quite generic, or, again, geared for certain tasks. Though, then again, it is hard to come up for completely original variations on Batman…
Overall, the one with the most figures has to be Iron Man. So many variations, some of which are easy to mistake for each other, but other times, we get the Hulkbuster, the Silver Centurion, the sand green one in the scuba set, the white and gold one from the Thanos set, the silver Mark 1 and 2…You get the idea.
But, what I was trying to say with the above post is…Any superhero figures that particularly captivate me end up being Comic-Con figures. For instance, this Ray Palmer one. It’s cheap for Comic-Con fig standards, but I’m certainly not paying $150 for 4 pieces(counting the hands as part of the torso, and the legs as part of the waist, nor am I counting the baseplate), no matter how cool the figure is. And the sad part is, kids will STILL beg their parents non-stop for it, not because it’s a collector’s item, but because it just looks cool. -_-
If I want a Ray Palmer minifigure that badly, I’ll just find a custom. Usually under 10 bucks, and come with a fair amount of detail(not LEGO level, but decent)
Yeah, Iron Man definitely has the most variations. And they are also very interesting. Sounds like you just have a really good taste and tend to be attracted to expensive characters. 😉
Just joking, of course. I don’t see why LEGO couldn’t release the Comic-Con exclusives in regular sets.
We actually got sets (loosely) based off of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Instead of the Comic-Con figure, we got…Another generic Spider-Man.
If Legends was getting legitimate sets, they would probably have been out before now. I mean, it’s the premier month. Might be where the show reaches it’s peak. But, then again, with the show changing locations every 2 episodes, revolving heavily around the death of an immortal, and the only consistent location being worthy of an UCS…I’d understand the problems with developing. Also helps that at least one episode took place in the U.S.S.R.
The Flash, they’ve had two seasons for. Both of which used a darker red, and one of which had a bright red emblem instead of the common white. A consistent setting of Central City, a consistent cast, and 2 really cool-looking Speedster villains that far outdo their comics versions. That one, you would think would have at least one set by now.
And, by now it’s almost a definite that Arrow won’t get a set. Ratings are lowering, any non-Felicity fan leaves nothing but complaints about every single episode, and the Felicity fans themselves tend to be…Well, a bit rabid. And there surely aren’t many Felicity fans in the LEGO community.
Okay, as you can see, ranting is generally something to expect when you find my username.
Thoughtful ranting is always welcome. After all, as LEGO fans, we have to keep LEGO to the “Only The Best is Good Enough” motto. 😉
Yeah, I think so, too… If they had different more generic packaging to differ from the Comic-Con releases, the collector’s wouldn’t be angry and the general fans could still get the figures for general usage…
Exactly! 😀
My feeling is that they are just being nice saying that. Pretty much everything that is worth making in the major licenses has been either made already, or is already in the works. If someone has some really innovative and unique idea, I could see that pass, but it is very unlikely that some generic vehicles, locations, minifigs, etc. are going to make it. It has to be something really fresh. Yes, it’s not impossible, but the chance is slim.
I felt bad for the person who had a very similar project to BrickHeadz. They didn’t have very many votes, but still, LEGO basically came up with the same idea. So yeah, it is tough to be really original in licensed themes, especially the ones that are the bread-and-butter of LEGO, i.e. Star Wars and Super Heroes. They have the most talented and brilliant designers working on these themes. Competing against them is not an easy task…