This weekend will see one of the biggest pop culture events of the year, San Diego Comic-Con, returning as an in-person for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There will surely be plenty of exciting announcements at Comic-Con for fans of comics, movies, and TV, as per usual, but the event will also have a treat for fans of both Nintendo and LEGO to enjoy as well, courtesy of the giant Bowser statue that will be on the show floor.Few video game villains have left as big of a cultural impact as Mario’s longtime nemesis. Over nearly 40 years, the King of the Koopas has been many things: a major antagonist, an occasional ally, and, on several occasions, even a playable character. And soon he will be an official LEGO figure courtesy of the Mighty Bowser set that will let fans put together a 12.5 inch version of him made out of 2,800 pieces.That’s quite a hefty figure by itself, but the Bowser that Nintendo and LEGO are bringing to Comic-Con is much, much bigger. Nintendo teased the statue in a post on its Twitter account, and it is impressive to say the least. Standing at 14 feet in height, the giant Bowser is made up of a whopping 663,900 LEGO bricks. That would be impressive by itself, but on top of that, the LEGO statue boasts mechanized parts that allow it to move its arms, hands, head, and eyes, and it’s also able to unleash a fittingly menacing roar.
This king-sized Bowser will be present from July 21 to July 24, meaning Comic-Con attendees will be able to experience the statue for the entire duration of the event. Being a promotional piece, and given its sheer scale, it’s not likely it will ever go on sale for the public, though it’s safe to say that it would be far more expensive than the $269.99 the Mighty Bowser set will be going for when it launches in October.
Video game fans have been treated well by LEGO in recent times. This year alone has seen the toy brand release new sets based on Sonic the Hedgehog and Horizon Forbidden West, giving players a new way to enjoy those franchises. Of course, it has also been continuing to expand its line of Super Mario sets as well, adding new characters like Luigi to the mix, and next month will see the introduction of new LEGO sets featuring Princess Peach. That should give fans plenty to entertain themselves with while they wait for the Mighty Bowser set to arrive this fall.