The Joker

Name: LEGO The Joker 40428
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 40428
Rating: 4.79 (102 reviews)

82 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A2020170 pcsHigh agreement · 98%

Expert reviews

3analyzed

Owner ratings

102

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"The Joker Brick Sketches earns its Highly Recommended BrickScore of 82.4 as one of the most visually striking sets in the format: three expert reviewers praised its expressive design and clever 3D relief techniques, and 100% of LEGO.com buyers recommend it, though the short build time makes the $16.99 price a fair debate."

The Joker Brick Sketches (40428) earned a BrickScore of 82.4 and a Highly Recommended tier, with three expert reviewers from Jay's Brick Blog, The Brothers Brick, and Brickset converging on its outstanding display design and surprisingly clever build techniques. Owners agree: 102 ratings average 4.79 out of 5, and 100% of LEGO.com respondents would recommend it. The main reservation across both critics and buyers is pricing, with the $16.99 retail cost for 170 pieces ($0.10 per piece) described by multiple reviewers as a touch high for the build time involved.

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LOVED (7)

01Highly expressive face with striking eye and eyebrow design that appears to track the viewer from multiple angles
02Vibrant, comic-booky color scheme with red lips, yellow teeth, and white face creating strong contrast
03SNOT and unconventional building techniques in the mouth, chin, ears, and collar that add genuine 3D relief
04Green curved horn pieces serving as expressive eyebrows
05Removable eyebrows enabling three distinct facial expressions
06Dual display options: folding stand for shelf display or coupling plate for wall hanging
07More detailed and complex than the companion Batman Brick Sketch

CRITICIZED (3)

01Price point of $16.99 felt high relative to the short build time, noted by multiple buyers and Brickset
02No minifigures, as expected for the format but noted by some buyers
03Build completes quickly; experienced builders may find it too brief

What reviewers are saying

"The Joker drew me in with his highly expressive face and bright colours. His eyes and eyebrows are bang-on and I love how vibrant and comic-booky he looks, with a splash of malice and insanity."

Jay's Brick Blog

"The Joker is a more satisfying build. There are a lot of fiddly detail bits, and a bit of SNOT building in the mouth and chin."

The Brothers Brick

"It's a quick, easy and satisfying build, seeing the picture take shape as you add the layers of plates."

Brickset Reviews

Ecosystem

40385 Batman — The Joker is much more vibrant, expressive, and engaging than Batman; recommended to get both as they look good as a pair

40386 Brick Sketches: Batman — The Joker has higher part count (166 vs 115) and better price-per-part ratio (12 cents vs 17.4 cents). The Joker is a more complex and satisfying build with fiddly detail bits and SNOT techniques, whereas Batman is straightforward. The Joker offers more visual interest, customization potential, and a better range of reusable parts. Both are designed in Animated Series style and complement each other well as a pair.

LEGO BrickHeadz — Brick Sketches are different enough to stand on their own with more photo-realistic character approach than BrickHeadz; positioned as wall-hanging/shelf art rather than traditional building toys.

BrickHeadz — Brick Sketches are similar in packaging to the BrickHeadz product line and will likely become a new collectible series.

Brick SketchesTier 2Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 3

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

BUY

"The Joker drew me in with his highly expressive face and bright colours. His eyes and eyebrows are bang-on and I love how vibrant and comic-booky he looks, with a splash of malice and insanity."

Key Pros

✓Highly expressive face with bang-on eyes and eyebrows
✓Bright, vibrant colors that are comic-booky
✓Excellent mouth and teeth design

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The Brothers Brick

Expert Video Source

BUY

"The Joker is a more satisfying build. There are a lot of fiddly detail bits, and a bit of SNOT building in the mouth and chin."

Key Pros

✓More satisfying and complex build than Batman
✓Fiddly detail bits add engagement
✓SNOT building techniques add dimension

JUMP TO REVIEW

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"It's a quick, easy and satisfying build, seeing the picture take shape as you add the layers of plates."

Key Pros

✓Quick, easy, satisfying build
✓Picture takes shape visually as layers are added
✓Captures character likeness excellently

Key Cons

✕$20 price point seems high relative to piece count
✕No minifigures

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (1)Wait for sale (0)

Exclusivity

Jay's Brick Blog: LEGO-exclusive

The Brothers Brick: Licensed DC property; part of first-wave Brick Sketches release.

Resale

The Brothers Brick: Being part of the first wave of Brick Sketches will likely be a plus; iconic character status suggests good long-term collectibility.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Green curved horns (eyebrows)
Super expressive and can be flipped to create three very different facial expressions; allows for easy customization
Cut bow plates (eyes)
Used for inset eye design so eyes don't 'bulge out' when seen from an angle
SNOT building (mouth and chin)
Unconventional stud placement adds depth and dimension to facial features
1x1 round eye tile
Reviewer initially thought it was a new print but notes it has been used in a couple of Star Wars sets

What Owners Say · summarized from 12 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners overwhelmingly praise the Joker Brick Sketch for its creative design, satisfying build, and excellent display appeal, with only minor concerns about the small build size and price point.

COMMON PRAISE