The Daily Bugle has been a staple of the Marvel Universe since 1963, and this LEGO set brings that building to life. It’s the tallest LEGO Marvel set to date and features a wealth of action-packed elements.
It’s a challenging build, but the result is worth it. It’s also modular, which means that you can remove the facade and floors to get at all the details inside.
The Set
A towering landmark from the Marvel comic-book world, LEGO 76178 Daily Bugle LEGO is a massive building with a whopping 3,772 parts and 25 minifigures. Despite this massive count, it is still easy to build and fun to play with.
The set features a high-rise Daily Bugle LEGO tower with a water tower on top and a large sign. The tower’s facade can be removed for access to four floors of interior space. The top floor contains the offices of J. Jonah Jameson and Peter Parker, along with a newspaper stand and a New York taxi cab outside.
One of the most interesting aspects of the set is that each side of the tower can be built to look a different way. This is something that we rarely see with modular buildings, but the designers have done a really good job here.
This allows us to create different scenes that would otherwise be difficult to build. For example, the front wall can be removed to make a giant billboard that advertises the radio show ‘Just the Facts’ with J. Jonah Jameson or to access the office of Peter Parker.
Likewise, the top floor can be separated from the rest of the tower, so that we can display Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson in their respective offices, with a nice bird’s nest to boot.
Another interesting feature is the cracks in the walls, which can be re-positioned to recreate some of the most famous Spider-Man moments. The first two styles of destruction are quite simple to correct, while the Green Goblin scene is a bit more challenging.
In terms of Minifigures, the Daily Bugle is stacked with a lot of characters we all know and love. But it also includes some that we may not have seen before, such as Fire Star and Blade.
There are also a number of characters that are more obscure than we’re used to seeing in LEGO Marvel sets, including Mysterio and Sandman. These are both excellent additions to the set, and it’s great to see some of these less common heroes included in a Marvel set.
The Minifigures
Spider-Man is one of the most famous Marvel superheroes and LEGO is getting in on the action with their own set. 76178 Daily Bugle is the biggest Marvel set ever in both size and piece count, and it comes packed with plenty of minifigures to keep fans happy.
There are 25 characters in total, including Fire Star, Doctor Octopus, Betty Brant, Venom, Miles Morales, Green Goblin, Gwen Stacy, Carnage, Punisher, Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen, Black Cat, Robbie Robertson, Ben Urich, Mysterio and Sandman, among others. There are also some new characters for this set – Blade, J. Jonah Jameson, the owner of the Daily Bugle LEGO, and Black Cat – all of whom add some extra depth to this huge set.
As well as Marvel heroes and villains, 76178 Daily Bugle also features several members of the newspaper’s news team. It’s a team that includes Robbie Robertson, who grew up in New York and was inspired by Tombstone when he was young to pursue stories, regardless of cost.
He’s the toughest reporter on the Daily Bugle staff, and he’s always on the lookout for the latest news. A grin on his face and a light brown jumper show this minifigure isn’t afraid to get into trouble for the sake of the news.
The set also contains three “civilians”, Bernie the cab driver, Amber Grant and Ron Barney. They’re based on characters from various other LEGO licenses, but they all have specific roles in the Marvel universe which means they could potentially appear in a future LEGO Marvel set or movie.
Finally, there are some of Spider-Man’s main supporting cast in this set – Aunt May, Spider-Gwen, and Black Cat. The latter two have a lot of potentials to make appearances in the LEGO Marvel movies, so they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Another notable character in this set is Daredevil, who’s been a fan favorite among builders for some time. In fact, he’s the only Marvel character in the entire set that contributes more than 7% to its overall value. He’s a tough-guy hero who’s been in a number of comic adventures, and this LEGO version is a great representation of his classic comic look.
The Build
The Daily Bugle is an iconic Marvel building that a lot of fans associate with Spider-Man. The LEGO Marvel Spider-Man Daily Bugle (76178) takes this relationship to the next level by bringing 25 classic Spider-Man characters together in a gigantic build-and-display construction project for adults that is sure to be a hit with any fan of the Marvel comic series.
With an incredible volume of parts, the Daily Bugle is the largest LEGO set ever released. The tower is over 32 inches high and comes packed with all the recognizable details that make this a must-have for any Marvel fan.
Inside the building, you can find J. Jonah Jameson’s office, and Peter Parker’s desk, along with the distinctive yellow cab that is synonymous with the Spider-Man universe. The interior also features three “historic” issues of the Daily Bugle LEGOon the wall, comfy chairs, and even a photocopier.
Aside from the offices, there is a bullpen where writers such as Ben Urich ply their trade. The area is well-detailed, with two workstations, each with a keyboard and monitor. A central pillar houses a ring of stickered TVs, and a folding ladder that can be attached to the wall is a great feature for allowing the mini figures to reach the ground level.
There is a small alleyway behind the building, which features a trash can and some other minor details. A manhole cover and stack of boxes add some grit to the scene, while a fire hydrant and power box round out the streetscape.
The building’s first floor incorporates the offices of J. Jonah Jameson and Peter Parker, along with a few other recognizable details such as a yellow cab and a newspaper stand. The facade of the building is decorated with a dark bluish-grey tile broken paving slab, which gives the model an authentic
New York appearance
For the second floor, the designers have included a variety of interesting features. A newsstand at the front of the building, a planter, and bins at the back, plus a rat that was revealed to be a secret cameo in Avengers: Endgame.
The Daily Bugle has become a firm fixture in Marvel comics, movies, and TV shows, so it’s no surprise that LEGO has recreated the iconic building. It’s also the largest Marvel set to date, which means that it’s a lot of fun to build.
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The set is well presented, albeit at the expense of some color scheme and branding. The packaging, which is printed on dark paper, reflects the comic setting and features the all-important Minifigures across the top.
Inside the box, you’ll find 36 bags numbered one through to sixteen, alongside another which contains larger elements. There’s also a 376-page instruction manual and two sticker sheets.
The Presentation
To get you started, the baseplate is made up of 1×2 Technic bricks, which will connect 76178 Daily Bugle LEGO to any modular building (or modular building-inspired set, like 80107 Spring Lantern Festival). There are also tiles for the pavement and alleyways, as well as the entrance and foundations for the ground floor.
Once the building is built, it’s time to start adding the details, including a reception desk and newsstand. There are also planters at the front and bins for the rear.
There are many other features to admire, too, such as the water storage tank and tower adorned with satellite dishes. It’s a very detailed set, which is perfect for fans of the Spiderverse.
As for the mini-figures, there are 25 of them in total, with five being new to the LEGO Marvel range. These include Blade, J. Jonah Jameson, the owner of the Daily Bugle LEGO, and Black Cat. The latter has a double-sided head, which suits her perfectly, while the rest of the mini figures – Doctor Octopus, Venom, Miles Morales, and Spider-Ham – are all familiar to LEGO Marvel fans.
It is also worth noting that the Green Goblin comes with a couple of expressions, which convey deranged anger and cheer. He can also ride his goblin glider, which is connected to the Daily Bugle building. This makes him a fantastic addition to the collection, while his appearance alone is enough for some to consider picking up this set.
