Review: 76294 The X-Mansion
Posted by CapnRex101,Spider-Man and The Avengers have dominated the Marvel Super Heroes theme to date, thanks primarily to their many popular movies released since the theme was launched. The X-Men have received very sparse coverage by comparison, hence 76294 The X-Mansion is exciting!
The model looks impressive, inspired mainly by its appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97, although various sources have influenced its interior and the ten minifigures included. These have always been an essential part of the Marvel theme and several long-awaited characters are provided, though arguably fewer than anticipated.
Summary
76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion, 3,093 pieces.
£289.99 / $329.99 / €329.99 | 9.4p/10.7c/10.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
I think the X-Mansion is stunning overall, despite its notable character omissions
- Attractive and accurate architecture
- Efficient use of internal space
- Interesting functions
- Plenty of enjoyable references
- A few long-awaited minifigures
- Some major characters are missing
- Certain rooms are hard to access
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box and Contents
I think the X-Mansion looks surprisingly good against the dark backdrop of its 18+ packaging, thanks to the splashes of vivid colour provided by the minifigures and the Sentinel. Inside are three instruction manuals and 24 numbered bags, so you could assemble the set gradually as an alternative Marvel Advent Calendar.
Two sticker sheets are also provided, featuring 54 stickers in total. These are quite similar to other Marvel buildings, as many stickers include references to X-Men characters and history, although some are relatively large and difficult to apply. Furthermore, eight of the stickers are intended to be optional, adding battle damage to the Sentinel and the mansion if you wish.
Minifigures
Professor X is one of several new characters included, although his minifigure looks familiar, using an extremely common head introduced in 2012. That would usually bother me because the design has become generic, but it actually suits Xavier very well, featuring sharp eyebrows and cheekbones. Even so, an alternative head with closed eyes would have been useful.
I am less forgiving of the torso, which returns from Michael Scott in 21336 The Office. Though the dark blue suit and patterned tie look reasonable, Xavier typically wears a green suit during X-Men: The Animated Series. That has become his signature attire, so the minifigure should be similarly dressed.
The professor's futuristic hoverchair looks brilliant though, featuring an authentic blue backrest and angular front. Yellow is an appropriate colour choice and I like the dark bluish grey accents too, highlighting ridges along the sides of the onscreen hoverchair.
Wolverine has appeared in nearly every X-Men set produced to date, which is not surprising, given his huge popularity. This minifigure returns from 76281 X-Men X-Jet, inspired by X-Men '97 and wearing his classic tiger stripe costume. The black and yellow colours across his mask and torso look superb, but the mask is printed rather than dual-moulded, hence the smudges around the nose.
Also, this version of Wolverine lacks the printed arms and dual-moulded legs of his Collectable Minifigure, which is a little disappointing in such an expensive set. The printed legs are not bad, but dual-moulding is superior. Similarly, I wish a ferocious scowl had replaced the happy design from 76281 X-Men X-Jet, as Wolverine generally only dons his mask for battle.
Much like Wolverine, Storm has appeared a couple of times before, including in 71039 Marvel Collectable Minifigures Series 2. While the torso from her Collectable Minifigure returns here, a yellow trim has been added to her complex cape, which slots around Storm's wrists to match the animated series and looks better than ever.
Moreover, the prior minifigure's mohawk has been swapped for a longer hairstyle, which also originates from her animated appearance and has the advantage of concealing an alternative expression. One side of the head displays a typical smile, while the other crackles with metallic gold energy, for when Storm uses her powers.
Storm is accordingly equipped with a pair of trans-yellow lightning pieces, connected to trans-clear angled accessory holders. Wolverine, meanwhile, comes with his claws and a black hair element to match his unmasked face. Again, the smile is an odd choice for Wolverine.
Cyclops is our third returning character, as a similar minifigure appeared in 76281 X-Men X-Jet earlier this year. However, this figure includes printed legs, complementing the yellow straps on Scott Summers' torso and reflecting his attire from X-Men: The Animated Series. Dual-moulded legs would have been perfect though, depicting Cyclops' yellow boots.
While several of the provided minifigures have appeared in standard sets before, Jean Grey was previously exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con. Her return is therefore very welcome and this figure looks marvellous, faithfully recreating Jean's animated costume. I especially like the dark blue shoulder armour, although her skin tone is rather pale, printed on a dark blue head.
Jean carries a pair of trans-clear accessory holders with trans-pink pieces attached, depicting her telekinetic abilities, while Scott wields a trans-red spring-loaded shooter missile. This is an interesting means of representing Cyclops' optic beam and a remarkably successful one, in my opinion. A dedicated head attachment would be preferable, of course, but this works well.
76281 X-Men X-Jet introduced Rogue in minifigure form earlier this year and the same figure resides in the X-Mansion. The white highlight in Rogue's hair looks excellent and her colourful attire corresponds with the onscreen heroine, even though the transition between the torso and legs is quite awkward, thanks to another instance of poor colour matching on the chest.
Iceman is a new character for LEGO and complements Firestar from 76178 Daily Bugle. The blue details on Iceman's frozen body look good and I like the jagged lines around his muscles, as though they are carved from ice. The cheerful expression is not ideal, however, considering Bobby's suitably cold personality, so perhaps another head could have been supplied.
Trans-light blue crystals represent Iceman's ability to generate and control ice, again using a pair of accessory holders. Rogue has no accessories of her own, but could obviously borrow others for her energy absorption ability, allowing her to gain other mutants' powers temporarily.
Gambit is another character making his minifigure debut and perhaps the most exciting of all! The dark tan jacket and pink shirt are immediately identifiable with Gambit and I think the dark brown hair element looks great, reflecting his hairstyle from the animated series quite well. The double-sided head is slightly paler than I would like, but his expressions are perfect.
While an important character, Bishop is perhaps the most surprising inclusion, when so many options are available. Nevertheless, this is another appealing minifigure, re-using Mordo's hair piece from 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum and distinctly dressed in dark blue. The red neckerchief and flame yellowish orange straps are common to comic and animated depictions of Bishop.
However, my favourite detail is the 'M' tattooed over Bishop's right eye. The character comes from a dystopian future in which mutants are imprisoned and forcibly branded, so I wondered whether LEGO would consider this feature too dark, but I am glad it is included. Bishop is able to absorb and redirect energy, often using futuristic weapons for the purpose, hence his large gun.
Gambit's powers are related, as he can create and control kinetic energy. He frequently uses this in conjunction with a staff, although his signature weapons are actually energised playing cards. The cards are stickered rather than being printed, sadly, but I love the trans-pink energy accessory, which originates from NINJAGO.
As the X-Men's arch nemesis, Magneto is a fitting inclusion. I am pleased to see Erik's classic costume again, complete with his famous helmet, which has not appeared since 76073 Mighty Micros: Wolverine vs. Magneto was produced in 2017. The purple decoration looks superb and complements the rubber cape.
Rubber capes have appeared in various Super Heroes sets this year and divided opinion, but I think this one suits Magneto. The moulded texture is effective and I like how the element wraps over his shoulders, much as it does in X-Men: The Animated Series. The torso looks impressive as well, although Magneto should definitely have included printed legs.
The double-sided head returns was introduced for Magneto in 76281 X-Men X-Jet and works perfectly for the character, as does the white hairstyle. The master of magnetism often hovers atop a metal platform, hence his minifigure comes with a disc to stand on, plus two trans-purple dishes to signal his metal manipulation ability.
Reference
Source - Marvel Animation's X-Men '97 Official Trailer
The Completed Model
Charles Xavier turns his ancestral home into a school for mutants and the headquarters of the X-Men, hence it is known as the X-Mansion. Much like the minifigures, the building is primarily based on X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97, which is a fitting choice because that is probably the mansion's most recognisable and consistent design.
This also has the advantage of featuring some attractive colours, as the dark orange walls and dark blue roof stand out among similar buildings, such as 10326 Natural History Museum. The recent Modular Building is actually a good point of comparison for this set, as both span 39cm and the mansion is constructed on three 16x32 baseplates, while the museum covers a 32x32 baseplate and an adjoining 16x32 plate.
Like the three previous 'Marvel Modulars', a black lamppost and fire hydrant are placed on the pavement outside. The fire hydrant is based on those seen throughout New York City and I am glad to see these familiar features again, drawing the collection together. The instruction manual shows the damaged arrangement below, but you can also repair the fixtures.
The mansion stands in Westchester County, outside New York City and in generous grounds. Even so, you can connect the model to the likes of 76269 Avengers Tower using Technic pins and one of those pins is located beneath a stickered sign, identifying Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. This is normally found beside the gated entrance, but it looks lovely here as well.
Plenty of exposed studs are available to pose minifigures and other items along the pavement, including Wolverine's motorcycle. Wolverine routinely rides a motorcycle in movies and comics, not to mention 6866 Wolverine's Chopper Showdown, so this is a welcome addition. The colour and style undoubtedly suit Wolverine.
A sticker with three claw marks is applied on the pavement, evidently made by Wolverine. The instruction manual suggests posing the bike as though the hero's claws are scraping along the ground, recreating his sudden change of direction while escaping a helicopter in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Bushes flank the entrance to the mansion and these are nicely constructed using dark green leaves. Their shape reminds me of the specialised bush piece created for the Western theme. Additionally, a pair of adjustable turrets are positioned beside the bushes, ready to defend from anything attacking the school.
The turrets could prove useful, as an intimidating Sentinel is included for exactly that purpose! The pavement includes a Technic pin to secure the Sentinel and its 17cm height seems pretty reasonable beside the building, although I can definitely imagine an even bigger model, as the Sentinels' heights tend to vary between sources.
76294 The X-Mansion was developed at the same time as 76289 Thor vs. Surtur Construction Figure, hence the similar proportions between the Sentinel and Surtur. The distinctive pink and purple colours look fantastic and the articulation is sufficient for basic poses, although I wish the knees were adjustable as well, allowing dynamic stomping poses.
A magenta 3x3x2 cylinder forms the head, with a 3x3 dish on top. This element is printed and the face is exceptionally detailed, with piercing red eyes and a vacant expression, befitting the soulless Sentinels. The energy beam emitter on its chest requires a sticker, which is never ideal on something that is likely to be handled regularly, but it looks superb.
The shoulder armour is also excellent, giving the robot a bulky appearance, without hindering articulation. Similarly, the figure is nicely finished from behind, including an adjustable Technic connector, which can be used to pose minifigures either climbing the Sentinel or flying towards its vulnerable neck, as tends to happen!
Beyond their energy beams and sheer strength, Sentinels are often equipped with hoses for restraining mutants. A flexible hose is accordingly supplied and attaches on either wrist. This weapon can wrap around minifigures and hold them in position, although I would recommend using the included trans-clear stands for extra support.
I think the legs are my least favourite section of the Sentinel, although only due to their limited articulation. The curved shaping and knee armour reflects the robots' normal design and I love the massive feet, which provide stability, while also giving the impression that the Sentinel could cause considerable damage.
On that basis, the mansion is constructed in the middle of an explosion, much like 76178 Daily Bugle. The crumbling exterior looks incredibly realistic, using a few more trans-clear accessory holders to connect pieces at irregular angles. Alternatively, all the pieces necessary to repair the mansion are provided, mounted on those accessory holders or scattered on the ground.
Dark orange masonry bricks are used on the walls, introducing some texture between the 1x4 bows mounted at each corner. That combination looks good, although the mansion's entrance features even more detail. The rounded steps, elegant portico and balcony all originate directly from X-Men: The Animated Series.
A number of 1x1 bricks with axle holes are located discretely around the mansion, so you can attach trans-clear flying effect pieces in many places to pose minifigures. These are incredibly useful for display, not only so the characters appear dynamic, but also to add splashes of colour to the exterior. There are more than enough effect elements for all the minifigures.
A sticker is applied above the school's doors, displaying its motto. 'Mutatis mutandis' is a Latin phrase that literally means 'with the things having been changed that must be changed', but is more cleanly translated as simply 'with the necessary changes'. This motto seems appropriate for a mutant school.
While the walls are predominantly dark orange, one wing of the mansion uses shades of grey around the side and back. That is mainly for the interior, although the contrasting colour works relatively well. The texture is appealing and I can certainly imagine situations where parts of the school could require reconstruction, which would explain the different stone.
The back of the mansion is fairly detailed as well. Like the previous Modular Buildings in this series, many references can be found here, across stickered posters and inside the requisite yellow dumpster, which has become another trademark of these huge Marvel sets.
A basketball adjoins the X-Mansion in various films, comics and television series, opening for the X-Jet to launch from underneath. There is not enough space for an entire basketball court here, although a hoop is included, alongside an electrical junction box. The backboard is neatly assembled in three directions, re-using a technique from 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg.
Many of Justin Ramsden's sets contain folded cardboard boxes, including 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg, as a designer signature. This example is decorated with the Trask Industries logo, in reference to the Sentinels' chief developer, Bolivar Trask.
A drainpipe is fixed to the back wall, with a pool of water collecting underneath, which is a nice detail. Moreover, an emergency exit door is found nearby and the sticker on the door has been damaged by Pyro, a usually villainous mutant capable of controlling fire.
Perhaps more notable, however, is the neighbouring poster. This originates from the Days of Future Past comic book storyline and its famous cover, which includes a poster documenting captured and deceased mutants. This recreation of the poster displays several of the included characters, plus Cable and Old Man Logan, hopefully alluding to their future appearances.
Beginning with 76178 Daily Bugle, every Modular Building in the Marvel street has included a yellow dumpster, assembled around a 3x4 crate. This one features an olive green toad on top, making reference to the troublesome X-Men villain of the same name.
Inside are Beast's fedora, Nightcrawler's cutlass, Magneto's coin and a pink 1x1 round plate, representing Jubilee's bubblegum. The coin is particularly interesting because printed LEGO coins with the same numerical value have existed for several years, incidentally matching the five Reichsmark coin Magneto uses in X-Men: First Class.
Another sticker is applied on the dark bluish grey panel beside the dumpster, featuring graffiti with references to Pixie and Wolverine, or perhaps Sabertooth. The former was introduced in 2004, so is quite a modern addition to the X-Men. The air conditioning unit controls a function inside the mansion.
Above are posters featuring Nightcrawler and Dazzler. Again, I would rather these minifigures were actually included, but the references are satisfying. Both posters are ideally designed for their respective characters, as Nightcrawler grew up in a circus and Dazzler is an accomplished singer and roller skater!
Though the exterior is impressive, there are many more details to discover inside. Fortunately, the model is designed for easy access, breaking into three segments and including removable floors and roofs, like previous Modular Buildings. This arrangement provides the opportunity for relatively simple customisation, potentially extending the mansion or adding extra levels.
The entrance hall bears a strong resemblance to the live action X-Men films, based on its dark wooden flooring, which is interrupted by a lovely rug. Red, yellow and dark blue are the classic X-Men colours and the 'X' symbol looks fantastic, constructed using simple angled tiles. Also, a couple of armchairs are found inside the foyer, plus a vase and an indoor plant.
In addition, a golden pyramid is hidden beneath the floor, doubtless in reference to an X-Men villain with his origins in ancient Egypt, Apocalypse! The panels comprising the 'X' symbol are seemingly not designed for easy disassembly, but I am pleased the available space is used for an Easter egg.
An astronaut bust stands in the corner, sporting a white Classic Space helmet. The piece has appeared in a number of recent sets, including 10497 Galaxy Explorer, but the X-Mansion will extend its availability for several years to come.
Lifts are another feature repeated between the Marvel Modular Buildings, so you can imagine characters moving between floors, without having to reserve space for staircases. The printed arrows above the lift doors look perfect and a red mug is hidden inside the lift, reappearing after 76269 Avengers Tower.
The stickered sign above the entrance looks nice, although I imagine school inspectors would have serious questions about the Danger Room, so perhaps features like that should be more discrete signposted!
A pair of stickered photos are attached to the walls. The first shows Charles and Erik as friends when the school opened, before their divergent views on the relationship between mutants and humans drove them apart.
The other portrait originates from X-Men '97, featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Angel, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman. I am impressed that the characters are identifiable even on a small sticker, although the black and white colour choice is strange, as this photograph appears in colour during the animated series.
Moving towards the classroom, we find a compact library area. The bookshelves are cleverly constructed and I like the 1x2 grille tiles representing carved wood, as well as the splashes of colour provided by the books. A couple are decorated with stickers, including a medical science book for Beast and Gambit's creole cookbook.
Space inside each room is arguably an issue, as most are fairly cramped. On the other hand, I am impressed with the amount of detail packed into this limited space, including two seats with built-in desks in the classroom, with a printed globe in the corner. Of course, a larger classroom would be appreciated, especially for play, but this one suffices for me.
One more Easter egg can be uncovered under the floorboards, where a sticker is applied on a 1x2 tile. This is one of Charles Xavier's business cards, given to his prospective students, such as Quicksilver in X-Men: Apocalypse. Moreover, a red 2x4 brick is used in the foundations of the mansion, appropriately.
The chalkboard in the classroom once showed important information for students, but that has been wiped away in favour of a drawing of Wolverine aboard the X-Jet, seemingly sketched by Logan himself, which probably suits his perspective on authority!
There is enough space for a minifigure in front of the digital blackboard, but Beast is giving a digital lesson instead. The sticker portrays his Collectable Minifigure and identifies this as the 'first class' of the day, in reference to X-Men: First Class. The screen underneath demonstrates how complicated time travel adventures can become and alludes to M-Day, a comic story, in which Scarlet Witch strips most mutants of their powers.
The other side of the black window component features another sticker, this one displaying the symbols of Mr. Sinister and Ashir En Sabah Nur, an Egyptian cult dedicated to bringing about the return of Apocalypse. A travel brochure is placed on the floor and matches the style of the brochure in 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum, although this one advertises Japan, where Wolverine journeys to find peace.
Also, the brochure doubles as a stopper for the digital blackboard, allowing it to slide along by moving the aforementioned air conditioning unit outside. Behind the board is a screen alerting students to the marauding Sentinel. I like how the sticker signals where the Sentinel is causing damage, exactly where the actual building is damaged in the instruction manual.
The entrance to the Danger Room is located on the opposite side of the foyer. The sand blue floor looks nice and I love the fire extinguisher clipped on the wall, which is a common sight in many Marvel sets. A stack of newspapers is found in the corridor too, including one with a story concerning the Mutant Registration Act, a sinister piece of legislation from the comics.
The television on the wall features yet another Easter egg from 76178 Daily Bugle and 76269 Avengers Tower, as the news reporter from those sets appears again. This broadcast queries whether the Sentinels are really a force for good, which makes particular sense, as it appears the reporter is actually a mutant, given his four arms!
A sliding door leads into the Danger Room, decorated similarly to the entrance for Cerebro in the X-Men films. The door can be opened from outside because it is attached to the electrical junction beside the basketball hoop. This is a satisfying function and one ingeniously disguised, which I always appreciate.
The Danger Room is where the X-Men train for potentials threats they could encounter in the field. This is traditionally situated deep underground and the floor in here is slightly lower than other areas of the ground level. Various lethal weapons are arrayed inside, ranging from spikes on the floor to flames and two guns sliding across the wall.
Furthermore, this level is equipped with rockets, each mounted on removable wall panels. The stickers between the rockets hide more references, as '141965' alludes to the first appearance of the Sentinels in X-Men issue 14, published in 1965. 'E92131' denotes Earth-92131, where X-Men The Animated Series, X-Men '97 and the Spider-Man series take place.
Dangers continue on the floor above, including lasers shooting from the wall and lethal circular saws. The 'E13122' sticker makes reference to Earth-13122, the LEGO Marvel universe, while 'UX 266' symbolises Uncanny X-Men issue 266, where Gambit debuted. The graphic designer has disguised these Easter eggs well, as the series of letters and numbers could equally relate to types of weapons.
You can rearrange these weapons by moving the different wall panels around, reminiscent of the function in 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum. Additionally, there are lots of attachment points on the walls, including 1x1 bricks with axle holes where you can connect flying effect elements, as Rogue demonstrates below.
A camera and observation window overlook the Danger Room, taken directly from the comics and the animated series. These look brilliant, as does the whole room, although it is obviously much smaller than it should be. Like the classroom, access is difficult and the Danger Room is clearly not designed for play, but you can still pose minifigures inside.
The observation room houses control systems for the weapons, all formed by stickers on 1x2 slopes. Another sticker is used on a black 2x2 tile, representing a chess board in reference to Professor X and Magneto's frequent chess games during the X-Men movies. The dark orange wall above the chess board looks very plain, so this was a chance for another Easter egg.
A laboratory is located in the next room. The lift doors on this level match those in the entrance hall underneath and this area is relatively spacious, accommodating the professor's hoverchair with ease. The hoverchair will navigate the entire building, as one would expect, though certain areas are a tight squeeze.
Unsurprisingly, the laboratory is equipped with various pieces of technology, including a large computer beside the lift. I like the printed tiles forming controls and a printed video cassette is stored underneath, befitting the 1990s setting of X-Men: The Animated Series.
Cerebro, like the Danger Room, is usually depicted beneath the X-Mansion, although moving Xavier's brainwave amplifier into the laboratory is sensible because the mansion would not be complete without the device. The screen on the wall monitors Cerebro's systems, while Charles' helmet worn to interface with Cerebro rests on a plinth.
In addition, the pearl silver 2x2 inverted dome can slot onto the professor's head, using a 1x1 round tile with vertical bar inside. The cable linking the helmet to the wall is superb and I think Charles looks great while connected to Cerebro, far exceeding my expectations, as I imagined the helmet would seem oversized.
The stickered screen in front of the professor shows where mutants can be found around the world. I like the minifigure silhouettes displayed, although the sticker is rather difficult to apply, on the inside of a trans-light blue 2x5x2 canopy element.
Beast also uses the laboratory for his experiments and I presume this cabinet belongs to him, given the drink on top and cookie inside one of the drawers. The rack of papers looks realistic and I like the printed petri dish, introduced last year, although keeping this dish beside a drinks can could cause problems.
The laboratory is also outfitted with an MRI machine, ready to examine mutants' sometimes unusual physiology. Its white and teal colours are shared with 4000041 LEGO MRI Scanner, designed for use with children in hospitals, so it is nice to see the scanner at minifigure-scale.
Lifting the bed reveals an X-ray on the floor underneath, belonging to Wolverine. The claws are instantly recognisable and you can see Logan's adamantium-enhanced skeleton too, which is a nice detail.
Xavier and other characters can access the balcony from his laboratory, through its trans-clear doors. The screen linked to Cerebro is attached to the wall using clips, so it can swing aside to open the doors without obstruction, as shown in the image below.
Beast's equipment extends to the neighbouring corridor, where his desk includes a computer, two beakers, a microscope and an open drawer. There has also been a coffee spillage, which only heightens my concern about the petri dish! Interestingly, the screen shows that Beast has been working on a cure for the Legacy Virus, a viroid intended to target mutants.
The bedroom adjoining the laboratory is slightly awkward, so maybe there could have been a door between them. Nevertheless, the bedroom looks excellent, housing two beds and a dark tan chest of drawers in between. Jubilee's bubblegum is placed on top and apparently contains eight pieces, hence eight pink 1x1 round plates are concealed throughout the set!
The lavender bed belongs to Wolverine, as evidenced by the bottle kept in the corner and the stickered photograph, showing Scott Summers and Jean Grey together. Wolverine lays on his bed and gazes at this image during the fourth episode of the animated series, pining after Jean, which has since become a popular meme.
You can accordingly recreate this meme, as pictured here. The katana mounted over the bed could belong to Psylocke, Wolverine's close friend, or Silver Samurai, a villain and occasional anti-hero, who frequently comes into conflict with Logan in Japan.
A small Statue of Liberty, perhaps 21042 Statue of Liberty, stands atop the bedside cabinet, in reference to the events of the original X-Men film. Furthermore, the bedroom contains a comic book based on The X-Men #1, published in 1963. A similar comic, also represented by a sticker, appeared in 76269 Avengers Tower, so this is becoming another tradition.
Wolverine is pictured on a calendar by the entrance, enjoying a barbecue and using his claws as meat skewers! Alkali Lake is highlighted underneath. This is an integral location from the X-Men films, where Wolverine's skeleton was strengthened with adamantium before his eventual escape and where Cyclops perished in one timeline.
Returning to the exterior, the mansion includes two asymmetrical chimneys, showing careful attention to the location from X-Men: The Animated Series. These include a couple more 1x1 bricks with axle holes, providing further connection points to pose minifigures.
Light bluish grey sausages form decorative carvings on the wings of the X-Mansion, while the central section features ornate scroll pieces, flanking the X-Men symbol. The date underneath refers to the X-Men's comic debut in 1963, so that seems like an appropriate year for Xavier to establish his school.
There is another Easter egg inside the roof, as disassembling the top reveals plants growing underneath. This presumably makes reference to Storm's room, which is usually found in the mansion's attic and packed with dense jungle-like foliage, where Storm feels comfortable.
The cupola is a distinctive feature of Xavier's mansion, where characters frequently retreat for contemplation, including in X-Men '97. There is not enough room for minifigures to stand on a balcony outside the cupola, as they do onscreen, but this structure looks brilliant, encircled by columns and topped with an attractive dome.
Pressing the Technic lever around the back breaks several columns and causes the dome to collapse. Again, this function is wonderfully integrated and a trans-clear panel is conveniently positioned inside, where Magneto or another character can stand to emerge from the shattered cupola!
Overall
The iconic X-Mansion provides outstanding material for a large-scale LEGO model and X-Men fans have discussed its potential for many years, much like the Avengers Tower. 76294 The X-Mansion does not disappoint, fortunately, faithfully recreating the location's most recognisable features and packing incredible detail inside, with countless references!
Admittedly, the internal layout leaves something to be desired, as some rooms are cramped or awkwardly positioned, but compromises were bound to be needed. My primary concern is with the minifigures. Most are well designed and the selection is quite good, although I think it could be better for the price of £289.99, $329.99 or €329.99. However, when the likes of Jubilee and Nightcrawler are finally released, assuming they are, the X-Mansion will provide an ideal home for them.
A separate article will be published to show 76294 The X-Mansion beside the previous Marvel Modular Buildings.
145 likes
87 comments on this article
I would love to see it compared to the Museum of Natural History. To me the building looks cramped in size and the facade looks bland.
First Gambit figure! "Wooimbouttamakeanameformyselfere"
I agree with the bland facade. It's missing a whole layer of decorations, trees, and whatnot on the front.
I’m torn on this set. It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into it, but it’s run into the same basic problem of most Lego buildings at this scale; namely, too little space to meaningfully interact with the interior. Only the Ghostbusters firehouse has managed to solve this problem so far, mainly because it has relatively few rooms and a more open structure to work with.
It might not be a problem for the target audience, but I like to think any Lego set I get could function as a toy rather than a mere display piece. This is attractive to me, but whether I can justify a purchase is something I’d need to think on a bit.
It has certainly improved from the original version which was going to be a façade similar to the Harry Potter sets and has become an 18+ modular building.
Would have liked more mansion and less front yard/back alley, but then the price would be even higher. I’m the boring chap who cares more about the architecture than the figs, so the Sanctum was more exciting to me.
Great review for a great set, thanks!
So it's 330€ for pretty bad mini figure prints and everything actually X-Men related is a sticker. That's really iconic.
Interesting. Gambit had Han Solo's hair in the lifestyle images but that bts hair in the official boxart I was curious to see which was correct, I'm happy it's the bts hair
For a set aimed at adult collectors, I'm a little surprised at who's missing. It feels like it was intended to be a bit more and then stripped down a bit. Still, a fun set. Not quite for me, but I do like it. Maybe next year we'll get a UCS X-Jet and get Jubilee and the others?
Was going to complain about the size of this set, but wow, that interior more than makes up for it! Still prefer the Bugle, though.
@bacon1986 said:
"First Gambit figure! "Wooimbouttamakeanameformyselfere""
youknowhowlongivebeenwatingforthis?
Yeah, this is going for a school in my City.
I foresee a lot of careful building to avoid all the x men exterior destruction and stickers so I can put it along side my other modulars.
I'm glad this is cheaper than 76269, it means I don't have to think about it too much. That is still stuck on my list as I collect points to spend on it instead of pounds.
nice, was expecting $499 with the way LEGO has been, including Iceman is a nice surprise for us Amazing Friends fans
I don't need the minifigures, or even the interior, but I need this building in my modular lineup, so maybe I'll bricklink the parts for the front and sides, and build my own interior for it.
Interior details indeed are nice, even when the number of stickers is....a lot. But other than that I can't say it changes much from my initial impressions: This should have been a €500 set, with the size to match. To me this just screams budget constraints, as silly as that might sound for what obviously is still a very expensive set.
It will be interesting to see this next to the other sets, as on it's own, to it just lacks the grandeur those other ones most definitely do have.
As for the stickers, those 8 optional ones with damage.....it always makes me wonder if Lego couldn't do those as static cling stickers or otherwise removable/reusable stickers. They could do more of those in general, would be especially great for kids sets.
I thought that Cyclops holding his beam looked dorky in the reveal article, but upon thinking about it, at least some depictions of him show him pushing a button on the side of his visor to open the ruby quartz lenses to allow his optic blasts to shoot out, so I'm okay with it now. Also loving the Days of Future Past sticker.
I agree with prior opinions that, given the size/parts constraints, the result is less "playable dollhouse" and more "collection of vignette-sized references to the TV show and comic." Hmm. I wonder if a less awkward compromise would *be* a group of 8x8 vignettes that clip and stack together (a bit like Modular Hogwarts), and for access can be separated.
Of course, it's LEGO: if you don't like it as-is, you can always expand it and translocate it away from the city sidewalk and back to the suburbs. But that line of thinking leads to "do I already have enough pieces and skill to build the whole thing, using these photos as inspiration? Should I consider this a parts pack, and I'll sell the minifigs I don't like?"
The printing on some of the minifigs looks really poor and the number of stickers is enormous. Along with the subpar design for the Sentinel and the cramped rooms, I have to conclude the X-Men Mansion a bit of a letdown, to be completely honest. The build looks nice, though, but not a standout among other LEGO buildings this size.
"featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman..."
AND ARCHANGEL!
The sword in Logan's room might be the Muramasa Blade.
Thanks for the many pictures and the review. However, I find it lacking comparisons.
A comparison to the source material.
A comparison to the other Marvel buildings.
A comparison to other modular buildings, chief among them the Natural History Museum.
But gladly you can find all of that
at https://www.stonewars.de/news/lego-marvel-x-mansion-76294/
And after looking at all those comparisons that they made by using only the official Lego images, it is impossible to justify spending 330€ on the X-Mansion, a building that is 2/3s the size of the Museum but costs 10% more.
Looking at this set as a whole, it feels and look to me like something thats been done on a budget, and as such, has had far too many things compromised with it. Many of the figures of off or under detailed (Poor Gambit face printing, lack of duel moulding for boots etc), the rooms are a total collection of small art peices rather then anything playable, or actually worth a pominant display, and having so many stickers for everything makes it feel like they just didn't care enough.
Then the price, for a set thats £290 and only 3083 parts... Its massively overpriced as have been the other X-men sets.
@Greshi said:
"(...)
at https://www.stonewars.de/news/lego-marvel-x-mansion-76294/
(...)"
That is an excellent link, and their sliding wipe comparison feature is superb.
Things to remember though:
- It does say in this (extensive & well-researched) review here that a comparison with the other Marvel buildings (and hopefully modulars) is coming soon.
- The 10326 Museum is very... empty. Mostly hollow space where this Mansion is packed with bricks.
- Almost goes without saying: Disney Tax.
Nonetheless, thank you for posting that link!
I have no interest (or budget) for either of these classical-looking buildings, but if I did, the Museum seems to offer better value for visual impact in a layout.
However...
For my modest city of skyscrapers, I was able to purchase 76178 Daily Bugle for HALF its retail price, brand new, by buying it without the minifigs on eBay. For those wanting this Mansion in their town, but who aren't too interested in the minifigs, this is a good-value way to do it.
SHould have open like Kevin house. It's shame not really playable space.
@Greshi said:
"Thanks for the many pictures and the review. However, I find it lacking comparisons.
A comparison to the source material.
A comparison to the other Marvel buildings.
A comparison to other modular buildings, chief among them the Natural History Museum.
But gladly you can find all of that
at https://www.stonewars.de/news/lego-marvel-x-mansion-76294/
And after looking at all those comparisons that they made by using only the official Lego images, it is impossible to justify spending 330€ on the X-Mansion, a building that is 2/3s the size of the Museum but costs 10% more."
After seeing those comparisons, this set looks less and less attractive...
The lack of Jubilee and Beast are deal breakers for me. Almost every aspect feels underwhelming. We can easily compare this to Natural History Museum. This set simply doesn't justify the outrageous price.
Clearly, they tried to include too much with a very limited budget. I grew up watching the show, and I don't feel comfortable buying this set.
@bananaworld said:
"
That is an excellent link, and their sliding wipe comparison feature is superb.
Things to remember though:
- It does say in this (extensive & well-researched) review here that a comparison with the other Marvel buildings (and hopefully modulars) is coming soon.
- The 10326 Museum is very... empty. Mostly hollow space where this Mansion is packed with bricks.
- Almost goes without saying: Disney Tax.
Nonetheless, thank you for posting that link!
I have no interest (or budget) for either of these classical-looking buildings, but if I did, the Museum seems to offer better value for visual impact in a layout.
...
"
- I'm looking forward to a real-world comparison of the sorts Stonewars have already done with the pictures.
- The 'empty' museum has about 1000 pieces more than the X-mansion
- If more people refused to pay the Disney tax, it might not be that high (of course, that's unrealistic, there are too many Star Wars, Marvel and what have you Disney fans...)
What is the record for the most photos in a review?
@JavaBrix said:
"
I don't need the minifigures, or even the interior, but I need this building in my modular lineup, so maybe I'll bricklink the parts for the front and sides, and build my own interior for it."
I also plan to build this from collected parts rather than buying the set.
I never understood the "interior" argument.
Let's be honest: once the model is build, you will never, never, never ever see those interior details ever again. So what is their point?
It only costs money and is an ideal excuse for LEGO to bump the piece count...
as for this model:
-that sentinal looks like it belongs in a 4+ set.
-the building is tiiiiiiiny
-sticker galore with horrible color matching
-horrible printjobs on the figures
-why playfeatures in a so-called 18+ set?
-those blocked off windows showing anti-stud: yikes
-this set makes me question the "premium" label of LEGO
I really like this set. I love the design, and all the references which are so cool to find in big sets. Will I get it? Maybe. Just maybe.
Also, I just started watching all the X-men films in preparation for this sets release.
It's more like the Danger Closet than Danger Room.
for that price, the "quality" of the minifigures is an insult
@Loerwyn said:
"It's more like the Danger Closet than Danger Room."
Watch out for the SentinelMop!!
@CapnRex101 I hope You got faulty set, because those printing are disgusting! Looks like some china lego copycats.
- Mansion is simple building so we couldn't expect decoration extras BUT those columns and entrance could be much better
- Sentinel should be bigger and as separate set
- There should be minifigure of Jubilee, Mystique and maybe Angel
- Lack of exclusive minifigures (Charles could have green suit, Logan daily clothes)
- All "damaged mansion" pieces are) just wasted money
Overall as X-men fan I'm sad there is nothing SPECIAL in 330€ set. Superb bishop isn't enough but I think AFOL's will buy it anyway and LEGO once again will not learn a lesson...
I was actually working on making a purist custom Professor X before this was revealed, so if anyone wants a good alternative for his head in this set, I recommend this one: https://brickset.com/parts/6097123/mini-head-no-1556
The inclusion of the "Days of Future Past"-reference is ridiculously dark. The set didn't need to go that hard.
I do like that the light-on-dark printing appears to be decent-adjacent this time around. Jean and Gambit look... under the weather, rather than at death's door. Then again, we all know they'd just return within a week or two.
I disagree with the assessment of Iceman's expression. Bobby was pretty much always the class-clown, it's okay for him to have a jocular expression. When Iceman gets serious, he freezes planets and kills people. Each day he spends just lazing about and pulling pranks on his classmates, is a day where he's not committing frosty genocide and should be considered a precious gift. I'm not disappointed with that expression; I'm disappointed with the fact that he ISN'T TRANSPARENT.
Wolverine's old hairdo is still widely available on Bricklink. Just a heads-up, considering that this set's hairdo is not, and will never be, remotely good enough.
Storm is always great, 10/10, no comments.
This looks great! I kept myself from going down the slippery slope of modulars, but I’ve got all the Marvel ones so far. I can definitely see the similarities between this and the natural history museum, but compared to the Marvel modulars it looks different enough to not be redundant. If I were to nitpick, I wish the GWP wasn’t a duplicate character or fit with the model more.
Sure it could have always been better, but I don’t know what all the complaining is about. I mean they can’t make every lego set $500+, like many of the LOTR I can’t afford or have room to display. I am personally fine with the build but best case scenario would have liked a few more minifigs. Hopefully this sells well and more will come in future sets.
I like the Sentinel but it’s just lacklustre. When the model relies on that many stickers to provide the interesting parts you have to wonder what is the point, and how Lego can justify charging that much money
I got to that stage in between the announcement and the review where I’ve looked forward to this for so long I’m probably past it as an anti-climax.
It’s great and my kid loves it but I feel the true ‘adult’ hobby is about MOC via loose bricks.
I can do without stickers, repeat minifigures and reduced designs at license prices but this will please lots of people, I just think it’s possible to outgrow the spectacle.
@Mister_Jonny said:
"I’m torn on this set. It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into it, but it’s run into the same basic problem of most Lego buildings at this scale; namely, too little space to meaningfully interact with the interior. Only the Ghostbusters firehouse has managed to solve this problem so far, mainly because it has relatively few rooms and a more open structure to work with."
Home Alone did a good job with it, by making it an unstackable dollhouse. You’ve got top and front access to every room on the two main floors, there really isn’t much in the attic to interact with, and the kitchen and basement are removable sections. The only room that’s really a bit of a challenge is the master bedroom, because it’s behind the bathroom.
@WizardOfOss:
Wow. Did not expect an “it’s not expensive enough” complaint.
@crazylegoman:
Angel was the other original member. Archangel is after Apocalypse dipped him in razors and Smurf juice.
@Ridgeheart:
They put The Killing Joke Joker in TLBM, and made a minifig of him. Don’t see how DoFP even compares.
As for Iceman, this is clearly based on his original look, when he was known as Snowman. No, seriously, he originally looked like he’d been dunked in shaving cream. Or whipped cream. Whichever one of those you find more disturbing, feel free to just focus on the other one (that’s why I gave you two options).
@Loerwyn said:
"It's more like the Danger Closet than Danger Room."
Hah! You're being too generous, it's the Danger Shoebox.
That Nazi 5 Reichsmark coin is from a super dark / disturbing scene from First Class:
Erik: 'I'm going to count to ten. Then I'm going to move the coin.' *coin proceeds to go through the villain's head*
This scene is way worse than the cover of Days of Future Past, for sure.
@darkstonegrey said:
" @Loerwyn said:
"It's more like the Danger Closet than Danger Room."
Hah! You're being too generous, it's the Danger Shoebox."
Danger Matchbox.
This is a decent set. The price isn't another super massive money black hole, but it sure ain't cheap! The play features and interior details are fun, but cramped.
However, I'm not impressed with the amount of figs, selection, and worst, the cheap color-matching. The external facade is too simple, underwhelming. The Sentinel build is uninspired.
The GWP is very tempting, but should fit better with the build and not duplicate the fig. There's a lot here. Is it worth getting for the GWP or waiting fir discount? I'm very much on the fence after this review.
What happened to the other 8 figs and prints?
The sword is most likely a reference to the Honor Sword of Clan Yashida, the sword given to Logan symbolizing that he was the consort of Mariko Yashida. See the original Wolverine mini-series by Claremont and Miller, as well as issues 172-176 of Uncanny X-men (1963)
The building's exterior looks as bland and basic as the modular buildings that are spammed onto Bricklink Designer Program but with Marvel flair tacked on to double the price.
@RoboticJesus said:
"The building's exterior looks as bland and basic as the modular buildings that are spammed onto Bricklink Designer Program but with Marvel flair tacked on to double the price."
Ouch! Harsh.
But, RoboJesus is outputting the truth.
@PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss :
Wow. Did not expect an “it’s not expensive enough” complaint."
Yup, unusual, isn't it? :-)
I wouldn't say this is too cheap for what you get (it surely isn't), but it is designed for the wrong price point to do the source material justice. This just should have been quite a bit bigger. I mean.....have you seen the comparison shots with other sets someone posted here above?
Obviously I wouldn't mind seeing this double the size at half the price, but even I understand Lego has to keep prices high to uphold the illusion of being a premium brand....
@WizardOfOss said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss :
Wow. Did not expect an “it’s not expensive enough” complaint."
Yup, unusual, isn't it? :-)
I wouldn't say this is too cheap for what you get (it surely isn't), but it is designed for the wrong price point to do the source material justice. This just should have been quite a bit bigger. I mean.....have you seen the comparison shots with other sets someone posted here above?
Obviously I wouldn't mind seeing this double the size at half the price, but even I understand Lego has to keep prices high to uphold the illusion of being a premium brand...."
BrothersBrick has a review with a real life comparison with the Modular Museum. It's not a good look.
So the mansion is small. Especially compared to the museum. But the museum is build to be just that made-up museum. The mansion needs to have the right proportions (or giving you the idea it has the right proportions) to be the x-mansion. If they had made it in the same height as the museum, they should have used two 32x32 baseplates. It would be higher, a little less cramped (because they should make it more bigger equally to the front, losing the side-walk which has nothing to do with the mansion anyways) and they should make a bigger sentinel.
So the size of the set is all about proportions. And in that regard i am actually ok with it.
Also all marvel modulars have strange proportions. The bugle has absurd high ceilings, the sanctum is giving us a four stories high building vibe but is only a three stories high building and the avengers use optical illusions because they use all those little windows to give it an effect that it looks like a very tall skyscraper (taller as it is anyways).
The build however is somewhat too simplified for being a nice detailed architectural mansion. Especially the front. It all looks a bit flat and simple. And i get that in comics and cartoons the designs are without a lot of architectural details, but the designers could have upped the front a little making less use of those bigger pieces and making nicer pediments for instance.
In order to justify the high price of this set they should have given us more minifigures to go with it. The dumpster containing the stuff of jubilee, beast and nightcrawler is letting me to believe that they were included at some point, but disregarded in the process along the way. Thrown away with the dumpster. Funny for the lego team that worked on it, but not funny for us.
Either way, i am eager to own this set, but feeling a bit salty because of the high price and the amount of minifigs that is missing. I do hope they make that Sentinel a set as well, so i can have three of them to attack the mansion.
@Brickodillo said:
"So the mansion is small. Especially compared to the museum. But the museum is build to be just that made-up museum. The mansion needs to have the right proportions (or giving you the idea it has the right proportions) to be the x-mansion. If they had made it in the same height as the museum, they should have used two 32x32 baseplates. It would be higher, a little less cramped (because they should make it more bigger equally to the front, losing the side-walk which has nothing to do with the mansion anyways) and they should make a bigger sentinel.
So the size of the set is all about proportions. And in that regard i am actually ok with it.
Also all marvel modulars have strange proportions. The bugle has absurd high ceilings, the sanctum is giving us a four stories high building vibe but is only a three stories high building and the avengers use optical illusions because they use all those little windows to give it an effect that it looks like a very tall skyscraper (taller as it is anyways).
The build however is somewhat too simplified for being a nice detailed architectural mansion. Especially the front. It all looks a bit flat and simple. And i get that in comics and cartoons the designs are without a lot of architectural details, but the designers could have upped the front a little making less use of those bigger pieces and making nicer pediments for instance.
In order to justify the high price of this set they should have given us more minifigures to go with it. The dumpster containing the stuff of jubilee, beast and nightcrawler is letting me to believe that they were included at some point, but disregarded in the process along the way. Thrown away with the dumpster. Funny for the lego team that worked on it, but not funny for us.
Either way, i am eager to own this set, but feeling a bit salty because of the high price and the amount of minifigs that is missing. I do hope they make that Sentinel a set as well, so i can have three of them to attack the mansion.
"
I do agree with most of what you say. A 250-280€ price for what this is would have been ok.
Look, we're all in it for the minifigs anyway, let's be honest here.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @RoboticJesus said:
"The building's exterior looks as bland and basic as the modular buildings that are spammed onto Bricklink Designer Program but with Marvel flair tacked on to double the price."
Ouch! Harsh.
But, RoboJesus is outputting the truth."
print(amen)
Oh, I just watched video review and noticed something awful which I missed on photos here: depth of the building. Seriously half of the baseplate is empty!!!
This will be the slimmest modular ever...
Am I crazy or was there an Ideas set of this more than a few years ago?
Also I agree it is very slim
I’m still buying it
I'm loving all the posters & easter eggs dotted around.
I noted the comment about Bobby Drake being quite a cold personality - I'm assuming this is from the animated series as he was quite a joker in the early comics.
Not sure my budget will stretch to the set but there's a couple of the minifigs I'll be picking up
Haven't picked up an X-men anything in over thirty years so I have ZERO skin in the game.
Is it just me or are these minifig prints decidedly...crappy? Seriously, I'm SURE I've seen better quality bootleg X-men minifigures (and I'm not talking recently - like years ago). I'm sure all the X-fans will be lining up to lap at TLG's teat upon release but this set, to me at least, feels like a huge let down to those who HAVE been waiting for it forever.
Am I wrong on this?
@Copper999 said:
"Am I crazy or was there an Ideas set of this more than a few years ago?
"
...and here we go!
In all seriousness, that was rejected in 2015, so it's unreasonable to think this was ripped off from Ideas (before anyone starts THAT again): https://ideas.lego.com/projects/88bdd125-2c99-4fd7-8537-9bceccd10aef
By no means a rip-off, and which one looks more authentic probably mostly depends what you compare it to. But that one sure looked a lot more detailed and interesting...
When compared to the other big Marvel sets, it's too small. I do like the figures but I'll wait for a sale or at least double VIP points. Maybe someone on Rebrickable will come up with a MOC using this set as a base.
@Brickodillo said:
"So the mansion is small. Especially compared to the museum. But the museum is build to be just that made-up museum. The mansion needs to have the right proportions (or giving you the idea it has the right proportions) to be the x-mansion. If they had made it in the same height as the museum, they should have used two 32x32 baseplates. It would be higher, a little less cramped (because they should make it more bigger equally to the front, losing the side-walk which has nothing to do with the mansion anyways) and they should make a bigger sentinel.
So the size of the set is all about proportions. And in that regard i am actually ok with it.
Also all marvel modulars have strange proportions. The bugle has absurd high ceilings, the sanctum is giving us a four stories high building vibe but is only a three stories high building and the avengers use optical illusions because they use all those little windows to give it an effect that it looks like a very tall skyscraper (taller as it is anyways).
The build however is somewhat too simplified for being a nice detailed architectural mansion. Especially the front. It all looks a bit flat and simple. And i get that in comics and cartoons the designs are without a lot of architectural details, but the designers could have upped the front a little making less use of those bigger pieces and making nicer pediments for instance.
In order to justify the high price of this set they should have given us more minifigures to go with it. The dumpster containing the stuff of jubilee, beast and nightcrawler is letting me to believe that they were included at some point, but disregarded in the process along the way. Thrown away with the dumpster. Funny for the lego team that worked on it, but not funny for us.
Either way, i am eager to own this set, but feeling a bit salty because of the high price and the amount of minifigs that is missing. I do hope they make that Sentinel a set as well, so i can have three of them to attack the mansion.
"
It sounds like you want it to be bigger AND cheaper? That is a bit impossible isn't it?
@SirRobin said:
"It sounds like you want it to be bigger AND cheaper? That is a bit impossible isn't it?"
Nothing is impossible if you complain enough! Or at least that seems to be the expectation.
@PurpleDave said:
" @SirRobin said:
"It sounds like you want it to be bigger AND cheaper? That is a bit impossible isn't it?"
Nothing is impossible if you complain enough! Or at least that seems to be the expectation."
Now, that's the spirit!!!
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Copper999 said:
"Am I crazy or was there an Ideas set of this more than a few years ago?
"
...and here we go!
In all seriousness, that was rejected in 2015, so it's unreasonable to think this was ripped off from Ideas (before anyone starts THAT again): https://ideas.lego.com/projects/88bdd125-2c99-4fd7-8537-9bceccd10aef"
That's a lot more of what most of us were probably expecting.
@SirRobin said:
" @Brickodillo said:
"So the mansion is small. Especially compared to the museum. But the museum is build to be just that made-up museum. The mansion needs to have the right proportions (or giving you the idea it has the right proportions) to be the x-mansion. If they had made it in the same height as the museum, they should have used two 32x32 baseplates. It would be higher, a little less cramped (because they should make it more bigger equally to the front, losing the side-walk which has nothing to do with the mansion anyways) and they should make a bigger sentinel.
So the size of the set is all about proportions. And in that regard i am actually ok with it.
Also all marvel modulars have strange proportions. The bugle has absurd high ceilings, the sanctum is giving us a four stories high building vibe but is only a three stories high building and the avengers use optical illusions because they use all those little windows to give it an effect that it looks like a very tall skyscraper (taller as it is anyways).
The build however is somewhat too simplified for being a nice detailed architectural mansion. Especially the front. It all looks a bit flat and simple. And i get that in comics and cartoons the designs are without a lot of architectural details, but the designers could have upped the front a little making less use of those bigger pieces and making nicer pediments for instance.
In order to justify the high price of this set they should have given us more minifigures to go with it. The dumpster containing the stuff of jubilee, beast and nightcrawler is letting me to believe that they were included at some point, but disregarded in the process along the way. Thrown away with the dumpster. Funny for the lego team that worked on it, but not funny for us.
Either way, i am eager to own this set, but feeling a bit salty because of the high price and the amount of minifigs that is missing. I do hope they make that Sentinel a set as well, so i can have three of them to attack the mansion.
"
It sounds like you want it to be bigger AND cheaper? That is a bit impossible isn't it?"
Bigger, yes. Why not? Cool. Cheaper? I didn’t say that, but if possible, yes please!
@SirRobin said:
" @Brickodillo said:
"(...)
"
It sounds like you want it to be bigger AND cheaper? That is a bit impossible isn't it?"
Bigger AND cheaper you say? Buy the Natural History Museum instead! ;-)
What's the deal with the red cup in these sets? I have the Sanctum and it has a hidden one too
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Copper999 said:
"Am I crazy or was there an Ideas set of this more than a few years ago?
"
...and here we go!
In all seriousness, that was rejected in 2015, so it's unreasonable to think this was ripped off from Ideas (before anyone starts THAT again): https://ideas.lego.com/projects/88bdd125-2c99-4fd7-8537-9bceccd10aef"
Marvel being an active license at the time, that was never going to be approved.
@merman said:
"I would love to see it compared to the Museum of Natural History. To me the building looks cramped in size and the facade looks bland. "
There you go!
https://jaysbrickblog.com/reviews/adding-the-lego-x-men-x-mansion-into-the-marvel-modulars-collection/
@RoboticJesus said:
"The building's exterior looks as bland and basic as the modular buildings that are spammed onto Bricklink Designer Program but with Marvel flair tacked on to double the price."
This should have been the review, all that needs to be said.
Annoyed that the battle damaged wall isn't on the second floor so the Sentinel can reach into the building to have a grab at mutants, like they so often do in the show and comics.
@GirlWoman said:
"Annoyed that the battle damaged wall isn't on the second floor so the Sentinel can reach into the building to have a grab at mutants, like they so often do in the show and comics."
If only there were SOME WAY where we could just rearrange the bricks, and do this ourselves. If only. Maybe there'll be an episode of "What If...?" about that on Disney+ some day.
Fingers X-ed!
Having seen the comparison to other modulars I may stock up on supplies and add some height to this... If Lego gets round to shipping my orders, I've had a brick order stuck in he Warehouse for over a week now and complaining got me nowhere.
@daniellesa said:
"Having seen the comparison to other modulars I may stock up on supplies and add some height to this... If Lego gets round to shipping my orders, I've had a brick order stuck in he Warehouse for over a week now and complaining got me nowhere."
Is it Bestseller or Standard? Bestseller usually ships within one week, while Standard has sometimes taken six weeks to arrive.
I'm surprised little mention is made of just how small this 'mansion' is in comparison to other modulars / marvel buildings. Its just not in the same scale which is a massive problem IMO. Looks more to the scale of Lego city buildings from the 80s and 90s. This is a set that should have been substantially bigger if it were to be done properly. And take the minifigs and props away and you are left with what looks like a rather bland building to me. If I was keenly waiting for this set I would be hugely disappointed. There are now competitors producing some well designed sets for much less, Lego can do better than this, in fact they NEED to do better.
@monki said:
"I'm surprised little mention is made of just how small this 'mansion' is in comparison to other modulars / marvel buildings. Its just not in the same scale which is a massive problem IMO. Looks more to the scale of Lego city buildings from the 80s and 90s. This is a set that should have been substantially bigger if it were to be done properly. And take the minifigs and props away and you are left with what looks like a rather bland building to me. If I was keenly waiting for this set I would be hugely disappointed. There are now competitors producing some well designed sets for much less, Lego can do better than this, in fact they NEED to do better."
I have been taking the comparison photos for an article about exactly that today and I fully agree. For me, the X-Mansion does not work as part of a Modular Buildings street.
@CapnRex101 said:
"I have been taking the comparison photos for an article about exactly that today and I fully agree. For me, the X-Mansion does not work as part of a Modular Buildings street."
Well, I mean, it _is_ supposed to be smack in the middle of an expansive country estate, right?
@CapnRex101 said:
"I have been taking the comparison photos for an article about exactly that today and I fully agree. For me, the X-Mansion does not work as part of a Modular Buildings street."
Look forward to it, thx.
Scale issues aside the facade and the front lawn look disappointingly lacklustre. I'm leaning towards skipping this one.
The botanical ideas set is build on two 32x32 baseplates. That is what they had to do with the Mansion as well. Just look at the botanical house and imagine you see the mansion there. It would have been so much better scale wise
@crazylegoman said:
""featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman..."
AND ARCHANGEL!"
And that's not Iceman in the original pic - that is Morph as seen in X-Men '97 as that shows that portrait on the wall many times. Iceman was not a founding member of the original team.
@CapnRex101 said in the article:
"The other portrait originates from X-Men '97, featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Angel, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman. I am impressed that the characters are identifiable even on a small sticker, although the black and white colour choice is strange, as this photograph appears in colour during the animated series."
Black and white instantly conveys that it's from a long time ago and not a recent photograph, which underscores what it is a reference to. If it had been up to me, I would probably have chosen to make it in black and white too.
@vjl said:
" @crazylegoman said:
""featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman..."
AND ARCHANGEL!"
And that's not Iceman in the original pic - that is Morph as seen in X-Men '97 as that shows that portrait on the wall many times. Iceman was not a founding member of the original team."
It is definitely Iceman. If you are referring to Morph being on the team in the first episodes of the animated series from 1992, that is correct, but that was not the original team. The original team in the series is the same as in the comics.
@Galactus said:
" @CapnRex101 said in the article:
"The other portrait originates from X-Men '97, featuring the original team of Professor X, Beast, Angel, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Iceman. I am impressed that the characters are identifiable even on a small sticker, although the black and white colour choice is strange, as this photograph appears in colour during the animated series."
Black and white instantly conveys that it's from a long time ago and not a recent photograph, which underscores what it is a reference to. If it had been up to me, I would probably have chosen to make it in black and white too."
True, but the photo in the show is in colour. Black and white was obviously a stylistic choice on the graphic designer's part, but it is not accurate to X-Men '97.