LEGO® Hero Factory sets ⁽²⁾

LEGO® Hero Factory: building heroes for the real world

LEGO® Hero Factory appeared in 2010 and took a very different approach from a classic LEGO® set with bricks and minifigures. Buildable action figures take center stage here: robots and other characters with movable limbs, armor elements, weapons, and striking colors.

The name already gives away part of what it is about. The heroes of Hero Factory face villains and other threats in various missions. As a result, the sets often had a distinctive action and science-fiction style. So you are not simply building a figure to put on a shelf; the construction is specifically designed to allow different poses and action scenes.

The original LEGO® Hero Factory sets were released from 2010 through 2014. The theme has since been discontinued, so today you mainly come across these models as older new, used, or assembled examples.

From Von Nebula and Nitroblast to Brain Attack

Hero Factory regularly changed its story and style throughout its run. For example, the first series from 2010 featured heroes such as William Furno, Preston Stormer, and Mark Surge facing villains like Von Nebula. A year later, Ordeal of Fire introduced new adversaries, including Nitroblast.

The theme continued to evolve after that. Brain Attack from 2013 revolved around mysterious Brain creatures and once again introduced updated versions of familiar heroes. In 2014, Invasion From Below concluded the series with a different scale, in which smaller Hero figures piloted large machines and faced underground beasts.

Those different generations are precisely what makes LEGO® Hero Factory fun to rediscover. One builder may be looking for a specific hero from their childhood, while another may be particularly interested in the distinctive villains, weapons, or construction parts.

Hero Factory is also regularly mentioned in the same breath as LEGO® BIONICLE. That is understandable given the size and construction style of the action figures, but they are two separate LEGO® themes with their own characters, stories, and sets.

Buying LEGO® Hero Factory: it pays to check carefully

If you want to buy LEGO® Hero Factory, it is wise to check the set number and version first. Many characters have specific armor parts, weapons, helmets, and other components that are important for the original build.

When considering an older example, therefore, take a close look at the product description and the stated condition. At De BrickPlaats, products may be offered as new, used, assembled, or in another clearly stated condition, for example. This way, you know in advance which parts and any extras you will receive with the set.

For collectors, the main appeal lies in the recognizable characters and the different series from the theme's short run. And for anyone who built Hero Factory themselves in the past, a name like Furno, Von Nebula, or Nitroblast may be enough to instantly take them back a few years.