As much as I enjoy LEGO's super hero offerings, sometimes they put out characters that I just don't really care about. It's not that I don't like Doctor Strange, I just really never cared about him at all. When I first saw this set, I was struck with how interesting it looked. It's kind of like the Big Bang Theory set, but more interesting. You know, because of a giant Cthulu monster popping out of the wall. This set is exclusive to Target and to LEGO Shop at home, or LEGOLAND shops. This is the only set made for the forthcoming Doctor Strange film. It's much like last year's Ant-Man set in that regard.
REVIEW: SET DETAILS
Set #: 76060
Name: Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum
Theme: Marvel Super Heroes
Parts: 358
Price: $29.99
BOX CONTENTS
Some people may wind up picking up a set that is open box or, want to verify the box contents before beginning a build. For this set, there are 3 numbered baggies, a sticker sheet, a comic book, a large plate and 2 instruction books.
BUILD AND EXECUTION:
BAG 1: Well, as with all sets that contain minifigures, the first piece that you make in any bag is the minifigure. Check out the exclusively decorated disks. He's got 2 of those nifty handles that they designed to allow characters to hold items directly in front of them.
Strange: Hello, I am Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic arts and Sorcerer Supreme. Welcome to my Sanctum Sanctorum. What's that? you can't see my home, well I shall have to unravel the spells hiding it to allow the uninitiated access.
You begin building the façade for the sanctuary. Lots of arch pieces in this set, and here we see the first 2.
Strange: You may wonder what makes me a Master of the Mystic arts, well I received a double major from Cornell University in surgical medicine and tarot reading. I had a minor in hand waving and table thumping, then I banged my head when I slipped coming out of the shower and BANG . . magic.
You add tiles and a large slope. Your first sticker appears fairly early on, and it's a big one. we need mystic symbols for a magical doorway.
Strange: In my time as the Sorcerer Supreme, I have helped many of my fellow heroes when they run into problems. Why hello Captain.
Cappy: Hey Doc, the Red Skull did something with his cosmic cube thingy, and now I feel a little strange. Can you un-strange me?
Strange: I am Strange, instead I will SUPER-STRANGE you!
Cappy: Yeah ok.
You expand the dimensions of the play area to about 3X the previous size. Plus, you start stacking mail.
Strange: Your form has been restored.
Captain America: Thanks man. I gotta get back to kicking Red Skull's tail up to his shoulders.
Strange: You know, if you need help fighting the evils of the world, I am always here.
Captain America: Yeah, sure, I'll do that.
You continue to build up the wall. Here, we have created pivot points for play features. You can use the clear pieces to make your minifigures appear to fly or jump or whatever. Also, we see that Doctor Strange is a bit of a slob. First it was piles of mail, now it's piles of ancient documents.
Strange: Now that my house is becoming visible, I see that Wong is really falling down on the job. This place is nowhere near as clean as he keeps telling me. I wonder where he is. I hope he doesn't make me find him again. I'll have to feed him a bowl of spider webs if he's hiding.
BAG 2: You create a new circular portal, I'm actually not sure why I took a picture at this point in the build, except to introduce Wong.
*THUD*
Wong: Oof!
Strange: Oh there you are, laying down on the job again. This place is a mess.
Wong: Master, quickly, there's something evil that I am fighting.
Strange: I hope it's the dust bunnies in the corners.
I really kind of dig the use of the big blades to create the interesting pattern in the "window." Using large wall pieces to build up the walls is kind of a cheat I think. Although, just stacking 1x6 bricks would have been boring.
Strange: Poor Wong doesn't understand that using a broom would be so much more effective at getting rid of dust than his fans.
Wong: Master, the peril is nigh!
Strange: The only peril I know of is how much you will suffer if you don't find the rest of my mail.
You begin building the horrific creature here. using several gears and a bunch of tentacle pieces, you start to have a pretty sweet play feature. I am not a fan of play features, but this one really made me happy. The disk with the eyes is interesting because it is freewheeling. You can spin it independently and it will rotate somewhat as you spin the cog in back to make the center and the dark red cylinders on bottom spin.
Wong: Master, it appears!
Strange: See, Wong, I told you that if you just put a little elbow grease into it, the old shine will return to everything. Good man.
You have to finish off the wall that holds the portal to another universe. It doesn't look like much right now.
Strange: Past Due, final notice? Perhaps keeping my home and all the objects within invisible is a bad idea.
Wong: Begone foul thing!
Strange: That's right Wong, begone foul debt collectors, I banish you to the trash can of perdition.
You finish building the creature here. I really like it a lot. Sure, it's kind of simple, but it's got some real personality. The longer tentacles twist in their mounts while the mouth rotates. It's just fun, and I hate play features usually.
Wong: Master! Help me!
Strange: If I wanted to clean this place myself, I never would have hired you! Now quit making such a big deal out of doing your job.
I'm not entirely sure why this particular play feature was added. Is it some kind of a lever for a secret door that's not included. Otherwise, it's just a hovering ball.
Mordo: Worry not Wing, I shall save you.
Wong: Actually its Wong sir.
Strange: Actually, it's "going to be out of a job" if he doesn't find my important letters soon.
It's time to fill space and make it look less plain. To that end we build a nice little bookcase,
Strange: Oh, my bookcase, Is it possible you put that letter from Tony Stark here?
Mordo: grab onto my staff Wang and I shall pull you free.
Wong: It's pronounce Wong sir, but If you can save me from this horrible thing, I'll let you call me whatever you like.
So, Doctor Strange has another bookcase. It's basically the same as the first one.
Strange: I completely forgot that I had another bookcase here. Hey Wong, remember when I was pulling rabbits out of hats?
Mordo: Back foul beast! Back to the depths from which you arose!
Wong: Oh thank you sir. I thought for sure that I would be eaten.
You build a few more details like a table and candles along with another pile of mail. Place a bottle and cup and other stuff, and we're all done.
Strange: Finally, there's my table with my important letters. . . By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth! What is that foul beast?
Wong: I was trying to clean out the old Tupperware from your mini fridge and this was inside one.
Strange: My guacamole!!!!!
Mordo: Seriously man, you need to clean that stuff out more often.
REACTION:
I actually really liked the playset and facade. As I built it, I kept thinking of how boring the Big Bang Theory Facade is in comparison to this set. I enjoyed the messiness of his lair and even the play features. Usually I am not a fan of play features, but these were just fun. I'm not a fan of the character or even the minifigures, but that's just a personal thing. The figures look good enough.
All 3 figures have dual sided torsos and deco on the front of the legs. Doctor Strange and Mordo have dual sided faces and Wong has some kind of decoration on the back of his head. I definitely don't understand the lines on his head. Mordo's using that hairpiece that they designed for Finn last year. Strange has painted details on the temples of his hair.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
For the most part, Super Hero sets are stinkers. People generally purchase them for the minifigures and the knock-off market has ruined the aftermarket for most of them. This set does have a few things going for it. It's an exclusive. Not all exclusives are winners, but it doesn't hurt. It's also unlikely that we'll see these 3 figures in another set anytime soon. If the Doctor Strange movie is popular, there will be more demand. We've seen what happens with a one off set from a marvel movie that gets limited distribution. It's too soon to compare this set to Ant-Man, but there are similarities. Keep a weather eye out for shortages.
(NOTE: I realized after I finished that it is not Wong, but the Ancient One. However, all of my jokes that I set up were dependent upon it being Wong. So, sorry folks.)
EXTRA PIECES:
Lots of little pieces including a flame and a key and a red tooth piece. There is also another one of those new gripper pieces.
If you like Super Hero sets, please check out these other reviews:
76065 Mighty Micros Captain America Vs. Red Skull
76037 Rhino and Sandman Supervillain Team-up
76053 Batman: Gotham City Cycle Chase
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