This year's Halloween seasonal sets revealed
Posted by Huw,
Two Halloween sets are due to be released on 1st August:
- 40497 Halloween Owl features the titular bird of prey and a couple of pumpkins on a rounded-corner 12x12 plinth to match 40462 and 40463 that were released earlier in the year.
- 40493 Spider & Haunted House contains two hanging ornaments, but unlike last year's 854049 Pumpkin & Bat Duo, it's packaged in a regular square box.
I'll be publishing my reviews shortly: I'm sorry to say that I've not built them yet. It's been an unusual couple of weeks, so I'm a bit behind on things. I was away for a few days last week then came back to the server playing up which preoccupied me somewhat.
On top of that we've been basking in 30c/86F here on the south coast of England which I appreciate is somewhat cooler than temperatures on the west coast of the USA recently, but it's hot for us, particularly as we don't have air conditioning. Consequently, I've been outside making the most of the weather rather than sweating over a hot keyboard or LEGO build table.
It's set to cool down here at the weekend and the server problems appear to be behind us now, so normal service will be resumed shortly!
You can view pictures of both sets after the break.
The back of the box image of the owl at LEGO.com has revealed a matching set for Christmas, 40498 Penguin:
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33 comments on this article
I haven't been enamoured with the previous seasonal animals but I'm rather keen on this one.
Yeah I’m not usually excited for these but that owl is speaking to me
That’s one angry owl
This is not the Haunted House re-release many were hoping for!
That owl looks like somebody stole its Tootsie Pop.
That's a grumpy owl; love it.
The micro haunted house is really neat!
I like them, although still miss the seasonal vignettes. Btw, what is up with that angry owl?
I am scared of that owl.
Very scared.
@Huw does the box for the owl show the Christmas penguin that is doing the rounds?
I’m really sad they’re not continuing the Universal Monster BrickHeadz!
The owl looks like Blathers when you give him a bug.
I wonder if the owl will have a hidden message or image in the base, like the Easter and valentine’s ones this year
Are sets like this typically available in non-LEGO stores?
@Daveismyhero said:
"Are sets like this typically available in non-LEGO stores?"
Not usually. My best luck finding these in-person have been in Bookstores, surprisingly.
I’m going to have to get the first one just for the mini haunted house.
Our friends on IG also have photos of the penguin for Christmas (similar to the style of the owl).
@PixelTheDragon said:
" @Daveismyhero said:
"Are sets like this typically available in non-LEGO stores?"
Not usually. My best luck finding these in-person have been in Bookstores, surprisingly.
"
Thank you for the insight. I appreciate it!
I don't mind if you wait another few months with those reviews, seems odd to review Halloween sets in the middle of the summer (which has been very hot in Sweden too).
I'm hoping they still have a Halloween Brickheadz, especially if it's a Universal Monsters one again.
Love that penguin! Like others here, I'm not usually huge on the seasonal animal sets either, but that one catches my interest for sure; they were my favourite animals (under a loose definition of animal I guess) as a little kid, and I still have something of a soft spot for them.
Really like, too, that this one appears to be based off a rockhopper penguin with the yellow tufts behind its eyes; it's a nice touch ^^
(Though I don't consider penguins very Christmassy, but that's a whole different topic...)
@Soupperson said:
"I’m really sad they’re not continuing the Universal Monster BrickHeadz!"
Yup... like what?
I still like these, but I think last year's were much better. The hayride was an awesome little build, those ornaments seemed more polished, and the Universal Monsters making an entry as Lego was fantastic... and I guess they're not doing any more of those
@MrClassic said:
"I don't mind if you wait another few months with those reviews, seems odd to review Halloween sets in the middle of the summer (which has been very hot in Sweden too)."
Ironically, I've noticed some stores here have already started discounting summer items; and making way for Halloween candy; which is stocked at two stores I frequent.
The angry face make sense. Imagine a scary scene in a movie where someone is walking through the woods. An owl turns it’s head around. Does it look happy?
I rest my case. :p
These are so great; I love anything Halloween related as it's my favorite holiday. I'll definitely be picking both of these up.
However, I think I'll always prefer minifig-scaled seasonal sets such as 40260 or 40423 . Hopefully they'll do more of those in the future!
A Christmas penguin! Very traditional...
The box art is oddly nostalgic with the little crafts and the construction paper background, it makes me want to go out and create something. Aside from that, I've never really associated penguins with Christmas and the builds of these don't really interest me in general... bar one. That miniature haunted house is awesome, I don't care that the tiles are stickered, I want it. The fact that it looks like the Monster Fighters one from 2012 (which I didn't have the chance to get) helps.
Nice builds and I will most likely purchase them but I much prefer the vignettes with minifigs.
I wish LEGO made larger Halloween sets, in the same league as the winter village. I’d love a pumpkin farm, or apple orchard, hay maze, a smaller haunted house attraction, or even just a Series of spooky houses that you set up like a neighborhood and they each come with trick or treaters and decorations to place around town. There’s so many options for Halloween sets that I feel aren’t being leaned into enough.
The Christmas penguin is very cute. But the owl looks so angry.
Owl and 40498 actually look great.
I like the raised rounded bases on those sets, very nice to decorate with DOTS tiles out of the season.
I like those more then brickheadz, the only brickhead I have is the 40351 ghost actually.
Sticking a couple of pumpkins with an owl doesn't make it a halloween set. This is more of a autumnal set in my mind. The owl looks great though !
The spider is the real winner here !