Category: Collectibles

The Mega Sized Stormtrooper Bust: Completing the Trio

Toy Review · Purchased March 4, 2022 · $150.00 CAD via Lightake.com

Mega Sized Stormtrooper bust brick build
Stormtrooper Mega Figure body, MOC-87398. Photo: LesDIY

The Setup

The last of the three same-day mega-figure busts, MOC-87398 is a 1,581-piece body built to hold an official-scale LEGO Stormtrooper helmet on top, rounding out a matching set with the Darth Vader and Boba Fett busts from the same order.

The Review

Of the three, this is the simplest design — the Stormtrooper’s smooth white armor doesn’t give the build much surface detail to work with, so it leans more on overall silhouette and proportion than on fine plating like the Boba Fett bust managed. It still reads correctly from a normal viewing distance, and at 1,581 pieces it was the quickest of the three to put together.

Lined up together, the three busts make a genuinely fun little display — three of the most recognizable Star Wars helmets, all at the same oversized scale, for a fraction of what a licensed set of busts that size would cost from LEGO directly (if LEGO even made one, which they don’t). The compromises are the same as the other two: PDF instructions, clone bricks, and a helmet you have to source separately.

What I Liked

  • Quickest and simplest build of the three mega-figure busts
  • Completes a genuinely striking matched trio on the shelf
  • Good value relative to what a licensed set this size would cost

What I Didn’t

  • Smooth armor gives the design less to work with than the other two busts
  • Same clone-brick and PDF-instruction compromises as the rest of the line

The Verdict

Rating: 3/5

The simplest and least distinctive of the three busts on its own, but a satisfying way to complete the set.

Where to Buy

  • Discontinued/varies by reseller — search “MOC-87398 Storm Trooper Mega Figure”

The Mega Sized Darth Vader Bust: A Bootleg Build That Makes the Real Helmet Look Small

Toy Review · Purchased March 4, 2022 · $150.00 CAD via Lightake.com

Mega Sized Darth Vader bust brick build
Darth Vader Mega Figure body, MOC-88104. Photo: LesDIY

The Setup

This is the first of three “mega figure” busts I picked up from Lightake in the same month, all sold under different storefront names for the same underlying fan design. This one, MOC-88104, is an 1,888-piece oversized torso and shoulders built specifically to hold LEGO’s own official Darth Vader Helmet (75304) on top, turning a small collectible helmet into a full mega-scale display bust.

The Review

The concept is clever — rather than trying to design and sell an unofficial helmet too, this build is engineered around slotting the genuine LEGO helmet set on top, so the one piece of the display that actually matters for likeness is real LEGO. The body itself is a competent, chunky piece of design that reads well from a few feet away, and at 1,888 clone-brick pieces it’s a genuinely substantial build, closer to a weekend project than an afternoon one.

Up close, the compromises of a bootleg kit show: color matching between the clone bricks and the genuine LEGO helmet isn’t perfect, and like most of these third-party big-brick sellers, it ships with a PDF manual rather than a printed one. But as a display centerpiece next to the two other Star Wars busts, it does exactly what it’s designed to do — makes a small official helmet set look like a genuine collector’s statue.

What I Liked

  • Clever design that lets the genuine LEGO helmet do the heavy lifting on likeness
  • Substantial, satisfying build at 1,888 pieces
  • Turns a small helmet set into a genuine display centerpiece
  • Reads well as a display piece from normal viewing distance

What I Didn’t

  • Color matching between clone bricks and the genuine helmet isn’t perfect up close
  • PDF-only instructions, no printed manual
  • Requires buying the official LEGO helmet separately to complete the look

The Verdict

Rating: 3.5/5

A smart, budget way to turn a small official helmet into a genuine mega-scale display piece, with the usual bootleg-kit caveats.

Where to Buy

  • Discontinued/varies by reseller — search “MOC-88104 Darth Vader Mega Figure”

A Mega Construx Master Chief Helmet, LEGO’s Halo-Shaped Blind Spot Filled by Someone Else

Collectibles | Bought May 1, 2021 | $50 CAD from Toys R Us

Mega Construx Halo Infinite Master Chief Helmet replica
Photo credit: eBay listing photo

Why I Bought It

After the Iron Man helmet proved my shelf could handle more than Star Wars, I went looking for a Halo piece to match, and ran straight into a gap: LEGO doesn’t make one. Mega Construx does, though — the 414-piece Halo Infinite Master Chief Helmet replica (GVN33) is basically the brick-built answer to the LEGO helmets, just from a different company. I picked it up at Toys R Us right on the heels of the Iron Man build, mostly out of curiosity about how a non-LEGO brand handles the same idea.

Living With It

Mega Construx’s bricks are compatible-ish with LEGO but noticeably less refined — the clutch power is looser and the tolerances aren’t as tight, so the finished helmet has a slightly less premium feel in the hand. That said, the sculpting on the visor and the angular Mark VI plating is genuinely well done for the piece count, and it captures the Halo Infinite look better than I expected from a third-party set. It’s earned a spot right next to the Iron Man helmet as proof my collection isn’t a one-franchise operation anymore.

The Good

  • Fills a real gap — there’s no official LEGO Halo helmet to compete with
  • Good detail on the visor and plating for a 414-piece set
  • Affordable relative to the LEGO helmets at a similar piece count

The Bad

  • Looser clutch power than LEGO — pieces don’t feel quite as locked in
  • Plastic quality feels a notch below LEGO and I’d worry about yellowing over the years

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. Not LEGO-quality, but it’s the only game in town for a brick-built Halo helmet, and it looks great once it’s on the shelf.

Grab One Here

Nerf’s Halo Mangler, a Pull-Back Blaster That Nails a Weirdly Specific Gun

Collectibles | Bought January 16, 2021 | $80 CAD from Amazon

Nerf Halo Mangler blaster
Photo: Hasbro/Nerf

Why I Bought It

The Mangler is a Nerf dart blaster modeled after an actual in-game Halo weapon, with a pull-back priming handle and a rotating 6-dart drum. I’m a sucker for anything that turns a video game prop into a real object, and this one came bundled with a redeemable in-game code, which sealed the deal.

Living With It

It’s a genuinely fun replica that gets the Mangler’s silhouette right, and the pull-back priming means no batteries to worry about. It’s on the smaller/lighter side compared to the premium Halo blasters Hasbro has put out, and there’s no rapid-fire motor, so it’s more of a display-and-occasional-plink piece than a serious Nerf war weapon.

The Good

  • Accurate-looking replica of an actual in-game weapon
  • Simple, reliable pull-back priming, no batteries needed
  • Bonus in-game digital unlock code at launch
  • Decent 6-dart rotating drum capacity for the price

The Bad

  • No motorized/rapid-fire function
  • Smaller and lighter than the premium Halo blasters
  • Digital unlock code is long expired by now

Final Call

Rating: 3/5

Grab One Here