#441 BLOCKS September issue - Magazine review

Soon after my first introduction to the LEGO community back in 2015, I noticed BLOCKS as one of the only providers of a LEGO magazine. I’d considered subscribing many times before but never pulled the trigger, so I was thrilled when they reached out to me last week. They were kind enough to sign me up for monthly issues to review but this is not a sponsorship so I’m not receiving any profit from their sales. Therefore you can be sure this will be an unbiased and balanced review.

So let’s get straight to it, put simply this magazine is a high quality magazine, jam packed with LEGO goodness. The contents are made up of various sections such as fan letters, Month in LEGO, Top Ten’s, reviews of recent sets, LEGO

Ideas Showcase, Month in MOCs, Q&A with a LEGO designer and Brickpicker; yes, a lot of content for every builder. These topics were all pretty engaging, with my favourites being the Brickpicker with discussions such as the decline of Star Wars set sales and the Month in MOCs where some truly inspiring models were shown. The Brictionary at the end was also a great read, which described and defined the terminology used among AFOLs.

However, what really caught my attention were the others sections of the magazine; ‘Build’, ‘Techniques’ and ‘Piece Perception’.

‘Build’ features a breakdown of a Ninjago Movie themed model, and although it is Part 3 of the series, I wasn’t lost at all when reading it. The writer, Steve Guinness goes into incredible detail about his thoughts during the building process, as well as breaking down the techniques he used. This was really interesting to see, and he provides a full guide so that you could make a similar model if you so wish.

Next up was the ‘Piece Perception’, which much like the Favourite Brick Friday on this page featured a unique part use. Depicted on a beautiful 2 page spread, this month’s piece the X-Pod container has its history revealed and it’s uses uncovered; making for a highly enjoyable read.

Lastly, we move over to ‘Techniques’. Much like the ‘Build’ section, this provided a detailed guide, and discussed how you can use string to enhance your MOCs. Everything was covered in an easy to follow format, such as how to attach the string in numerous different ways and some awesome examples of where you can use them. This was definitely my favourite part of the issue; as I can absorb all the useful information and appreciate the varied and inspiring examples.

To conclude, I’d highly recommend trying BLOCKS magazine for at least one issue; there truly is something for every LEGO fan and even if one sections not for you, there are plenty others to enjoy.

You can start your subscription or order an issue here: http://www.blocksmag.com/