What could have been: LEGO Krusty Burger with classic The Simpsons box art

10352 The Simpsons: Krusty Burger steps in line with the wider LEGO Icons range with dull black box art, but what if it actually used the same packaging as its predecessors?

Both of the previous Simpsons sets arrived in an era when creativity still coursed through LEGO packaging, even in bigger and more expensive builds clearly intended for adults (long before the advent of the 18+ label). The box art for 71006 The Simpsons House and 71016 Kwik-E-Mart reflects the general aesthetic of the show, from the bright yellow banners to the blue-sky-with-clouds backdrop.

The latest addition to this theme – which arrives a full decade after the last one – misses the chance to continue that series artwork and instead plumps for the same plain black background as most other LEGO Icons (and wider 18+) sets. It doesn’t really feel fitting for 10352 The Simpsons: Krusty Burger in the same way that you wouldn’t expect to see a Batmobile arrive in a bright pink box.

Redditor rustynutbun has now shown us what could have been by mocking up 10352 The Simpsons: Krusty Burger with the classic LEGO The Simpsons box art, and it’s bittersweet: this packaging does a much, much better job of showing off the set by actually placing it within Springfield and, crucially, the aesthetic of the source material. It’s a box even those of us who recycle our packaging would find difficult to discard. The official packaging is going straight in the bin.

What really matters is of course the pieces in the box, but we’d still love to see the LEGO Group taking more opportunities to offer up individual art for specific sets where it makes sense – just as it’s already done with nostalgic sets like 10320 Eldorado Fortress and 10497 Galaxy Explorer. The homogenised black box art often feels antithetical to the creativity that the LEGO Group champions, and it’s tough to think of a more relevant recent example than 10352 The Simpsons: Krusty Burger.

But hey, if you’re only going to recycle the box anyway, it’s probably a moot point. And it doesn’t change what’s inside the packaging: 1,635 pieces, seven minifigures and the first return to LEGO Springfield since 2015. 10352 The Simpsons: Krusty Burger launches June 1 for LEGO Insiders for £179.99 / $209.99 / €199.99. Early adopters will receive a free The Simpsons Living Room gift-with-purchase through June 7 (or while stocks last).

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