Set Review - Little Eagle 30185

Continuing on our eagle theme from last week, this polybag has a similar story.  I went to TLG to try to get $75 worth of stuff and my holiday box.  I outlined that story earlier.  However this was a lucky grab.  Since I had beelined for the PaB wall I missed everything else in the store.  While filling my cup I heard "98c".  I looked up and saw a lady purchasing this very Eagle polybag.  My interest piqued, I laid my cup aside to have a gander at where it came from.  She had gotten the last eagle.  With an intrepid spirit I asked the cashier if I could have the polybag under the display case.  My wish was her command.  So I got the last, LAST eagle polybag for 98c.  I'm not much for the Creator line or for Animal builds but being a mini I was smitten.

Would that I had spent a little more time perusing the store perhaps.

Anyway, another employee working there took out the display model that he himself had built.  He was showing me the articulation in this tiny model and boy was I impressed.  The head moves up and down, as do the tail feathers.  The wings can move up and down but they also have an elbow joint to tuck or extend the wings.  The legs move up and down at the hip and the whole build is well balanced.  I even bumped it a few times and it wobbled but did not fall.  The only drawback in the articulation is that the wings cannot tuck enough for the bird to stand on its own feet.  It ends up looking like some sort of knuckle dragging troglodyte.  Overall though it was well done.

This polybag offers 48 pieces plus 4 extras.  At 52 pieces in total this is (was) a good value at $4.99.  Not only that but it's full of lots of little bits that are useful to micro builders, especially in reddish brown.  Of note are the nine 1x1 flower plates (TLG bracelet) in brown that are used for feather texturing.  This is not a highly common color for this piece.  Furthermore, it is only available in higher priced sets, $40 and up.

For 2014 TLG is offering some more animal builds in the Creator line.  While I haven't been impressed before I would have to say that the builds are becoming more complex and realistic.  I'm sure this has very much to do with the new mini ball and cup connections that are coming out.  Get them for yourself using the image links below: