Looking Ahead to the 'Star Wars' Lego Sets

The next generation of "Star Wars" Lego hardware includes two sweet throwback scenes that will tempt any fan of the sci-fi series, as well as a cluster of exotic early-trilogy ships, according to images and information garnered from past toy fairs and a recent update on Lego's official site.



Jabba's Palace, pictured above, appears to be the easy winner in the summer 2012 collection with an all-star cast of nine characters including Leia as Boushh the bounty hunter and a captured Chewbacca. While the $119 tag might turn off some buyers, the charm factor appears high. We love Jabba's ridiculous form factor, his hyena-like minion Salacious Crumb, and the foreboding Han frozen in Carbonite. While the play area appears limited, other views indicate the 717-piece set offers far more detail than first meets the eye.
Who could forget the chaotic scene at the Sarlacc pit from "Return of the Jedi"? The must-have Lego version ($24.99) features a skiff, Sarlacc, and a nice pack of characters. Now you can save Boba Fett from falling into the mouthy tentacles of a creature that takes a thousand years to digest its victims.
Meet the other mega item -- Malevolence, General Grieveous' heavy cruiser flagship from "The Clone Wars." The $119.99 behemoth 1,092-piece double-hander actually offers a detailed interior (via removable open panels) in the rear with a cargo bay. The overall aesthetics look sharp, especially up front. Just don't drop it.


A keen assortment of four other Lego "Star Wars" vehicles debuting with the summer collection consists of Pre Vizsla's Mandalorian Fighter ($39.99), Jedi Saesee Tiin's Jedi Starfighter($29.99), a Republic Striker ($44.99), and a Fury Class Interceptor ($89.99). Each of these fliers (and swimmer) fires missiles and come with a small handful of "Clone Wars"-era characters.