{"id":8847,"date":"2010-08-20T03:55:33","date_gmt":"2010-08-20T08:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=8847"},"modified":"2012-05-17T22:24:13","modified_gmt":"2012-05-18T03:24:13","slug":"vault-review-lego-minifigures-series-2-codebreaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=8847","title":{"rendered":"Vault Review: Lego Minifigures
– Series 2 (+ Codebreaker)"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Following on the popular success of the Lego Minifigures Series One (#8683) is the next wave of awesomeness. Lego Minifigures Series 2 (#8684) is as equally diverse as the first series, but with slightly more catering towards City theme fans this time around.<\/p>\n

With another sixteen figures to add to your collection, the Lego Universe is becoming more diverse than ever before. But these new characters aren\u2019t the only thing to get excited about, because there\u2019re also a handful of new and unique accessory elements to accompany them. I do have to mention that my biggest complaint about the last set still exists. There is a lack of detail on the back of these figures. Most of the time this isn\u2019t a problem, but on a couple of the figures it is entirely noticeable. This is probably most noticeable on the Surfer, who seems to be mooning everyone since the back of his shorts weren\u2019t painted on. It\u2019s still early in the making of these figures, and I\u2019m hoping that little issues like this work their way out. But like the first wave, for $2 a figure, these are still a great deal.<\/p>\n

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Click here to go directly to our Printable Decoder<\/a><\/p>\n

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Unless otherwise noted, the figures below all have new heads, torsos, and legs.<\/p>\n

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#1 Mexican Hombre<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis Hombre is one of my three favorite figures in this series. Although he is wearing a plain gray shirt, he comes with plenty of other unique accessories to cover it up, literally. First there\u2019s a large green sombrero with little gold tassels printed along the edge. Then there\u2019s his poncho, which is actually made of two separate cape pieces that rest over his front and back. Last, there\u2019re the new maracas to make sweet music with. Strangely he comes with three maracas. I\u2019m not really sure what he\u2019s going to do with that extra one.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#2 Spartan<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nTHIS IS LEGO! C\u2019mon, you know I had to do it. This Spartan warrior is a good representation of King Leonidas himself. I love his angry face with its burly beard and twitchy eye. I love his armor and the fact that they printed sandals on his feet. And I really love the new shield, long spear, and Spartan helmet with its vibrant red crest. This is my favorite figure in the second series. Now how do I get a hold of 297 more?<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#3 Ringmaster<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDecked out in classic circus garb, the Ringmaster is one snazzy guy. Top hat, red suit, and white gloves, this guy is surely dressed up to put on a show. I\u2019m also a big fan of his long and curling mustache. Not only does this make for a good carnie boss, but it can double as a 1920\u2019s villain just like the Magician from Series 1. Even though the Ringmaster doesn\u2019t come with any new pieces, he does have a bent whip which appears for the first time in white with this set.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#4 Witch<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Witch doesn\u2019t include any new accessories or parts, but she does represent the first time that a classic green Witch has been made into a minifigure. With a couple of warts on her face, she gives me a strong impression of The Wizard of Oz. I wish I had a Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man now so she could terrorize them. Or maybe even a Lego flying monkey, which would be truly scary.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#5 Vampire<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis is my second favorite figure in the series. The Vampire doesn\u2019t have any new pieces, but he does have a very different look from the old Studio\u2019s Vampire figure. I like that they gave him his more classic widow\u2019s peak hairpiece. I also like his newly printed tuxedo chest with its clich\u00e9 medallion. Then there\u2019s the face, which can only be described as cute with those giant red eyes and smiling fangs. You almost forget that he\u2019s an undead hell beast.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#6 Highway Patrolman<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Lego Highway Patrolman seems just a bit too cocky for me. With his handcuffs and speeding ticket at the ready, I have the feeling he\u2019s either just made an arrest or the Lego State a lot of money. The cool thing about the ticket is that it actually has real words printed on it. Most of them are too small to read, but you can make out a couple. It\u2019s pretty rare for something so small to have real words and not just lines printed on it. I\u2019m impressed.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#7 Jungle Explorer<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDressed in his finest khaki outfit, pith helmet, and monocle; our intrepid Explorer looks like he would fit in perfectly journeying into the uncharted regions with fellow adventurer Johnny Thunder. But with a pair of binoculars and a magnifying glass that really works, who needs that braggart Thunder? Our Explorer can discover his own lost treasures and dinosaur islands. Heck, he\u2019s so self confident, I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll even make an arch nemesis before the day is up.\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#8 Lifeguard<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nBaywatch anyone? Although I\u2019m slightly disappointed in the absence of a brick Hasselhoff, brick Pam Anderson makes up for it. She\u2019s built for one thing, and one thing only: to run at the slowest speeds possible while trying to save your Minifigure\u2019s lives from beach stuff. A job this important requires a brand new piece. Miss Brickwatch here gets a lifeguard float that can be held from the back and both sides. Don\u2019t you feel safer already?\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#9 Mime<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Mime has this great monochromatic look that\u2019s unique among all the yellow. I also like his chest piece, which seem like it could double for a prisoner\u2019s striped outfit. The Mime is the first in the series to have multiple heads: happy, sad, and scared. Maybe it\u2019s just me, but they actually seem French somehow. He also has a unique piece in the form of his French beret. The most difficult thing about this figure is posing him in a convincing mime caricature.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#10 Weightlifter<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nBeads of sweat falling off his brow, teeth clenched in determination, you can see it all over the Weight Lifter\u2019s face that he\u2019s beginning to feel the burn. The barbell he\u2019s using is actually made up of three pieces: A short bar like the wand from the Magician, and two new weight pieces that fit on the ends. I\u2019m not sure where that neon green suit comes from though. Maybe he\u2019s on off-duty Power Miner?<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n


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#11 Pop Star<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nOur Pop Singer looks like a reference to American Idol I think. With her eye catching pink attire, you would almost think she belonged in a Paradisa set. I do like the addition of a beauty mark on her cheek, but I think she may have gone a little overboard with the makeup. The Singer has been given a new hair piece though, and I can\u2019t wait to see it in multiple colors. There\u2019s also a new microphone piece that she gets two of.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#12 Downhill Skier<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI like the fantasy themes more than City, so I didn\u2019t realize until now that there have never been normal ski accessories. Well this sporty guy makes up for that oversight. Equipped with a couple of unique ski poles and skis, this guy is totally ready to\u2026 ski. But he\u2019s got to keep warm on that mountain, so the Lego gods also saw fit to include a brand new beanie hat. It\u2019ll be nice to finally see the pirate cap used a little less.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#13 Disco Stu<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI can\u2019t look at this guy without think of Disco Stu from the Simpsons. With his flashy polyester suit, gold medallion, stylin afro, and groovy chest hair; the Disco Dancer is ready to boogie down the greatest hits of Lego 70\u2019s. Why, he\u2019s even on the way back from the record store with the newest Brick Fever album. He\u2019s even got a twinkle in his smile for all the brick chicks that like the swagger of his walk.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#14 Karate Master<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nHave you ever noticed Lego figures have an overabundance of confidence? This guy doesn\u2019t just practice Karate, he\u2019s a Champion in the sport. We know this by the two trophies he comes with. I really love this new trophy piece: a tiny gold minifigure on a pedestal, it\u2019s a great little accessory to have. The Martial Arts Champion must think so also, why else would he have that smirk on his face?<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#15 Surfer<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWith his bleach blonde hair, scruffy stubble, and slacker look on his face, I don\u2019t think this minifigure has much ambition beyond surfing. I guess it\u2019s good that he gets a brand new surfboard piece then. The surfboard is nicely detailed with a sunset scene that adds some realism to the piece. But the most important aspect to this figure is his naked yellow chest. There have been a few naked flesh colored chests, but this is the first one produced in yellow. <\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#16 Pharaoh<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nRuler of the ancient Egyptian Lego Kingdoms, can we assume this was the first ruler to truly exploit the use of the mighty brick? I like the Pharaoh\u2019s simple and stoic face, with the uniquely Egyption eyelashes. His golden jewelry shines in the light, as does his headdress. His snake stalf shows his power, but I wish it were the same color gold as his hat. Oh well, even the builder of the pyramids can\u2019t have everything perfect.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\nClick for Printable Version<\/em><\/caption>\n
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While<\/a> Lego decided to blind box these figures, they also gave each package a second, unique bar code. Now, if you don’t read bar code, that’s okay because this gives any Lego enthusiast three options when buying the minifigures:<\/p>\n