Loot Crate - May, 2015 - Unite

Heya, peeps! Mike here, and yes, I'm on time with my Loot Crate review this month! To be honest, I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to post until June since nothing had arrived yet as of Tuesday. Luckily, my box finally showed up yesterday, so here I am!

For those of you who haven't heard of Loot Crate, it is a monthly subscription box that caters towards "nerds" and "geeks". Each month, subscribers get a themed box of 6 to 8 items. What's interesting is that Loot Crate has different subscription programs. Here's a breakdown:

1 Month Plan - $19.95 USD / $29.95 CAD per month

3 Month Plan - $57.75 USD / $84.00 CAD per 3 months

6 Month Plan - $113.70 USD / $162.00 CAD per 6 months

1 Year Plan - $215.40 / $312.00 CAD per year (includes Bonus Gift)

MAY - UNITE

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is one of my favourite things ever, so when I first saw the announcement for the May theme for Loot Crate, I was ecstatic. Power Rangers and Marvel in the same box? Heck, YES! Now that I have my box, did the theme live up to my self-produced hype? Let's find out! Here's what I got:

- Loot Crate Mini Magazine ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Crate Theme Pin ($0.75 CAD)

- Power Rangers T-Shirt ($15.00 CAD)

- Loot Crate Exclusive MAD Magazine ($5.00 CAD)

- Rick and Morty Puzzle ($5.00 CAD)

- Team Fortress 2 Buttons ($10.00 CAD)

- Bravest Warriors #1 ($4.50 CAD)

- Avengers Decal ($3.00 CAD)

- Marvel Shoe Laces ($5.00 CAD)

- Marvel Ice Tray ($12.00 CAD)

Loot Crate Custom Box

I don't think it's a surprise anymore that Looters receive a custom box. This month, we got a creative locker room design, complete with a bench you can cut out of the cover flap. Oddly enough, despite its simplicity, it's one of the better designs to date in my opinion.

Loot Crate Mini Magazine

This month's mini magazine has a so-so cover design, but a really good article inside about comic book teams. A nice, much appreciated read.

Loot Crate Theme Pin

Okay, so I've been calling this a pin every month. Do you call this a pin or a button? Bah, who cares? It's neat getting one of these every month. I just wish this particular pin had a nicer design. Props for being thematically good, though.

Power Rangers T-Shirt

Wow! What a design! I love this Tommy Oliver shirt! I'm definitely going to wear this very often.

Loot Crate Exclusive MAD Magazine

You know I love the mini magazine. Well, this exclusive MAD Magazine should start becoming a monthly perk. Awesome!

Rick and Morty Puzzle

Do you remember when Kinder Eggs used to have cool toys you could build? Do you remember the disappointment you felt when they started putting those stupid puzzles in their eggs? That's NOT how I felt when I got this... This... Um... What's a Rick and what's a Morty? See what just happened there? Loot Crate introduced me to a series I didn't know about using a cool product. Nice!

Team Fortress 2 Buttons

Now, I'm going to call these buttons. Yes, buttons. Awesome buttons. Onto the cork board they go!

Bravest Warriors #1

I love comics and I love variant covers. Loot Crate gave me both for a series I've only heard of, but never actually checked out. Sweet.

Avengers Decal

I don't use decals, but this "Avengers: Age of Ultron" decal is pretty cool.

Marvel Shoe Laces

When I first pulled these out of my box, I was only moderately excited since I don't use custom shoe laces. But, after further thought, I realized they would look awesome on my black Chucks. So, these laces get a thumbs up from me.

Marvel Ice Tray

This is easily one of the most practical items I've ever received from a subscription box. Now, I can throw Cap's shield or Hulk's fist or Thing's face into my pop. Love love love!

(It must be noted, though, that I question the logic in having 3 Avengers and then 1 Fantastic Four member represented on the tray... Wouldn't it make more sense for the 4th design to be Mjolnir? And, what's with putting Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Thor on the box when none of them are on the tray? Come on, Marvel! That's misleading!)

OVERVIEW

Honestly, this month's Loot Crate was one of the worse I've received. Sure, the theming was good and lots of series / brands were represented, but the combination of items just didn't do it for me. Put another way, I would be happy to receive each and every one of these items, but just with other stuff.

Next month, the theme is going to be CYBER. That, to me, sounds extremely dirty... But, hey, we all know they're talking about "Transformers" and other tech-y stuff, right? Right? Anyway, if you're interested in learning more about Loot Crate, check out their web site at This Link. To get a $3 discount off a new subscription, use this code: SAVE3

Thanks, as always, for checking out my blog. See you again soon!

~ Mike

Marvel Collector Corps - 2015 - Box 1

Heya, True Believers! Mike here, and I am very excited to be starting a brand new series of reviews! A few months ago, Funko, the company best known for their Pop! vinyl figures, announced that they had joined forces with Marvel Comics to start a subscription box called the "Marvel Collector Corps". They promised to give us $50 worth of awesome swag in each box, including an exclusive Pop! figure. After a long wait, Jess and I finally got our first box at the end of April!

Before I move on to what was inside that amazing-looking box, here's some vital pricing info about this new subscription program:

Bi-Monthly Subscription 

$31.95 USD to the US / $39.00 USD to Canada (Shipping Included)

Yearly Subscription

$191.70 USD to the US / $234.00 USD to Canada (Shipping Included)

As you've probably figured out, this isn't a monthly subscription. Instead, Funko sends a box out every 2 months, thus the higher price compared to programs like Loot Crate and Nerd Block. If you get the yearly subscription, you get an 8" bonus figure each year on the anniversary of your subscription.

Okay, with business out of the way, let's get to the pleasure. Here's what met our eyes when we opened the box!

Ta da! Yes, that looks awesome. Here's a list of what you're looking at, along with estimated pricing:

- Collector Corps Pin ($5.00 CAD)

- Collector Corps Patch ($5.00 CAD)

- Avengers T-Shirt ($15.00 CAD)

- Guardians Team Up #1 ($5.00 CAD)

- Ultron Dorbz Vinyl ($15.00 CAD)

- Hulkbuster Pop! Vinyl ($40.00 CAD)

Collector Corps Box

You've seen how excited I get over Loot Crate's custom boxes. Well, this Collector Corps box may not have a custom design, but it's ridiculously cool. I'd be happy to get this same box every 2 months. Love love LOVE it!

Collector Corps Pin

When you first open the box, the pin and the patch are stuck to the protective flap, which is a neat little extra touch. The pin features a vintage-looking Captain America and looks great. I can't wait to pin it to my cork board!

Collector Corps Patch

The exclusive patch looks just as cool as the pin. I love the Ultron design. The only problem I have is that I don't know what to do with this thing since I don't collect patches. Maybe I'll stick it next to my pins?

Avengers T-Shirt

What an amazing design for an exclusive T-Shirt! I love that it's Retro Iron Man facing off against Ultron. I also love that it's like a boxing poster since "Age of Ultron" is coming out the same weekend as the Pacquiao / Mayweather fight.

I have to mention that other Collector Corps members may have received different designs. My friend Ryan got Hulk vs Ultron. I'm sure there is a design for each member of the Avengers team. I wonder if there are shirts for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, though. If you know the answer to that, please drop us a line. Thanks!

Guardians Team Up #1

I'm behind in the Marvel Comics Universe, so I really appreciate getting the first issue of a new series, complete with awesome exclusive Variant Cover. My only complaint is that my comic came damaged on the top left corner. :(

Ultron Dorbz Vinyl

OMG, this exclusive Ultron vinyl figure is so adorable! With the release of "Age of Ultron", this was a great addition to the box. I can't wait for the other figures in the Dorbz line to come out.

Hulkbuster Pop! Vinyl

Here is the item that all fans of Pop! figures have been drooling for months to get. Yes, Peeps, that is an exclusive Hulkbuster Pop! Vinyl! It's huge, it's heavy, and it's so friggin' cool! The price of this item alone makes up most of the $50 Funko promised! Absolutely phenomenal!

OVERVIEW

I have to hand it to Marvel and Funko. They have clearly learned a lot from their experience providing items for Nerd Block and Loot Crate. Collector Corps' first box was a home run. I am beyond impressed and cannot wait to receive the next shipment. Here's hoping it will be just as good as this one, if not better.

If you want to learn more about Marvel Collector Corps, go to www.collectorcorps.com

Thanks so much for keeping up with our blog. See you again soon!

~ Mike

Loot Crate - April, 2015 - Fantasy

Heya, Peeps! Mike here, and yes, I know, this entry is late. Jess and I actually just got back from a one-month vacation in Vietnam and Cambodia. If you've never visited those two countries before, we highly recommend them. They're beautiful, there's lots to do, and the food is quite cheap (and incredibly delicious!). Want some tips if you're going? Feel free to drop us a line. Jess is quite the travel guru. But, enough about the trip. Let's talk about the wonderful little box we came home to find in our mail box! Check out this month's Loot Crate!

For those of you who haven't heard of Loot Crate, it is a monthly subscription box that caters towards "nerds" and "geeks". Each month, subscribers get a themed box of 6 to 8 items. What's interesting is that Loot Crate has different subscription programs. Here's a breakdown:

1 Month Plan - $19.95 USD / $29.95 CAD per month

3 Month Plan - $57.75 USD / $84.00 CAD per 3 months

6 Month Plan - $113.70 USD / $162.00 CAD per 6 months

1 Year Plan - $215.40 / $312.00 CAD per year (includes Bonus Gift)

APRIL - FANTASY

I was very excited when I first heard about the theme for April. As a huge fan of anything Fantasy, I had my hopes set high, especially for Game of Thrones and D&D swag. Did things pan out? Let's see what was inside the box:

- Loot Crate Mini Magazine ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Crate Theme Pin ($0.75 CAD)

- Dungeons & Dragons T-Shirt ($15.00 CAD)

- Black Tie Geek Bow Tie ($10.00 CAD)

- Inflatable Gold Crown ($5.00 CAD)

- Game of Thrones Magnets ($10.00 CAD)

- Game of Thrones USB Key ($12.00 CAD)

- Princess Bride Playing Cards ($10.00 CAD)

- Harry Potter Bag Tag ($15.00 CAD)

Custom Loot Crate Box

Once again, Looters were treated to a custom box, though the Fantasy-themed design was less creative than usual. Honestly, though, I don't mind. I have a huuuge pile of boxes in my closet that I keep hesitating to recycle, so a slightly less awesome design makes it easier for me to put the box in the blue bin. Now, if only I could summon the will to do the same to the rest of my box collection...

Loot Crate Mini Magazine

Like the custom box, the cover for the Mini Magazine had a somewhat generic-looking Fantasy design. Once again, I don't mind. For me, it's what's on the inside that counts, and there is a great article about Fantasy shows and another about Dungeons & Dragons. Nice!

Loot Crate Theme Pin

As expected, the theme pin was bland. Unlike with the box and the magazine, I do mind that the pin design was lame. I proudly display my all Loot Crate pins and having a crappy one on the wall sucks!

Dungeons & Dragons T-Shirt

YES! I expected a D&D item and that is what I got! This t-shirt has an awesome design and isn't black! Woohoo!

Black Tie Geek Bow Tie

I love bow ties because bow ties are cool. This red and gold D&D-themed bow tie blew me away.

Inflatable Gold Crown

This isn't a D&D item, but I could definitely imagine myself wearing it while playing D&D or watching "Game of Thrones".

Game of Thrones Magnets

Speaking of "Game of Thrones", YES!, there were items from that series in the box! The first was a sheet of magnets with House signs on them. These will look great on my freezer door. :)

Game of Thrones USB Key

This "Game of Thrones" House Stark USB key is not only the coolest item in the April Loot Crate, but also my favourite. I only hope that it won't start killing files I store on it.

Princess Bride Playing Cards

"The Princess Bride" is one of Jess' favourite movies, so as soon as she saw this deck of playing cards, she claimed them. I also love "The Princess Bride", so I'm currently planning a secret mission to extract the cards from Jess' clutches.

Harry Potter Bag Tag

Another item now in the possession of my nemesis wife is this wonderful "Harry Potter" luggage tag. Man, I wish we got it before leaving for Vietnam and Cambodia. Oh, well. Next time, Gadget, next time.

OVERVIEW

I had hoped for items from "Game of Thrones" and D&D and I got items from "Game of Thrones" and D&D. They were awesome, too! I have to say, Loot Crate continues to impress with its consistently great theming, fantastic items, incredible value, and clear effort put into giving Looters a reason to be excited each and every month. Despite the lacklustre design of the custom box, magazine cover, and pin, "Fantasy" was one of my favourite boxes to date. Well done, Loot Crate Gurus!

The Theme for the May Loot Crate will be "Unite", which I am quite excited about since it is being advertised as having items from one of my favourite series of all time, "Power Rangers"! If you're interested in learning more about or joining Loot Crate, please check out their web site HERE. You can get $3 off a new subscription by using the code SAVE3

That's all for April. Thank you as always for reading our blog. See you again soon! :D