Minecraft Mini-Figure Netherrack Series 3

Hi! Mike here, and for the past few months, I've been seeing cute little Minecraft figures for sale at Walmart that come in blister packs and blind boxes, the latter of which are definitely of interest to me since I'm a fan of the game and I certainly love blind boxes. But, the $3.49 + tax price tag made me hesitant... until today!

I bought 2 of these suckers and brought them to the office with me to take photos during my break. Here are a couple more pics of the box, showing what figures are in Series 3... Wait! There were 2 other series before this? Wow, I definitely didn't pay close enough attention to these toys.

Based on the non-random 3-packs they also sell at Walmart, I already knew the size of the figures in these blind boxes. Considering their size, I honestly wondered how many figures there would be in them. I mean... they're kind of big. They wouldn't use such big boxes for single figures, right?

Yes. Yes, they would. Here's another shot of the Iron Armor Zombie I got in front of the large-ish box.

Despite the wasteful size of the packaging, I have to admit that the box design is very nice. I also like how, according to some web sites I found, you can tell what figure is inside the box if you look at the code underneath...

Yeah, that's apparently the code for an Iron Armor Zombie underneath the bar code numbers. Just Google "Netherrack Series 3 Codes". It's ridiculous how these are false blind boxes.

Moving on, the Mini-Figure itself is pretty nice. I like that it's designed as a "chibi" version of Minecraft. The plastic feels sturdy. The paint job is mostly good with some smudging on the helmet. I'm impressed.

In my second box, I got a Skeleton Horse.

I love the details on this figure, especially the vertebrae.

I also like putting the Iron Armor Zombie on its back.

Adorable! I'm having a cuteness overload right now!

The thing, though, is that in the end, I honestly don't feel that the toys, cool as they are, are worth the price tag. LEGO Minifigures are just $0.50 more and you get multiple pieces, articulation, and... It's LEGO. I know Minecraft is super popular right now, but I feel like they're charging $1.75 for the figure and $1.75 for the box. These Mini-Figures should cost $2.00 plus tax each at the most.

All in all, the Minecraft Mini-Figure Netherrack Series 3 blind boxes are pretty awesome toys, but a big waste of packaging and not worth the price. Get them on sale or if you don't mind spending that kind of money.

Thanks for reading and I'll be back soon with more reviews!

~ Mike

Marvel Munnyworld Micro

Heya! Mike here, and I'm excited to be writing about the Marvel Munnyworld Micro set. I've seen these blind box toys online and finally tracked one down at Silver Snail Comics.

I love the box design and appreciate that Kidrobot put some effort into it. Too often these blind box type toys get boring or downright ugly boxes. I like to keep at least one box from each series I buy and this Marvel Munnyworld box will be one that I display.

The sides of the box show the 8 figures this series has. I love Silver Surfer and the Thing. My least favourite is the Punisher, who looks like a monkey. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE monkeys. But, Punisher should look like Punisher, not an angry simian.

Inside the box, I found 2 sheets of stickers and a silver Kidrobot package. Let's see what was inside it.

WOOHOO! I got the figure I wanted most - Silver Surfer! Now, let's take a look at the stickers.

Aside from being cute and fun, the stickers are also sturdy. They're made of a stretchy foam-like material that makes them a little harder to remove from the backing, but also harder to ruin. When I was trying to put the red shorts on Silver Surfer, for example, I was able to reposition several times without issue. The variety of stickers was also very much appreciated since I could make my Surfer look the way I want and it would probably look different from someone else's Surfer. Here's my finished Silver Surfer.

I love him! My Surfer is adorable and reminds me of when Silver Surfer found peace amongst a group of surfers at a beach and refused to help the heroes battle evil in a major Marvel crossover event. (If anyone can remind me of which series that was from, it would be very much appreciated. I have been looking through my comics for months and can't find the scene!)

Overall, I'm really impressed with Kidrobot. Assuming the quality of all the other figures in the series are the same, this Marvel Munnyworld Micro set is great! It's fun for kids and adults, and it results in unique figures for display. For more info, check out the Kidrobot Web Site.

Thanks for dropping by. See you again soon!

~ Mike

Dragonball - Capsule R

Mike here, and for 2 months, I had been eyeing a box at 401 Games in Toronto that contains a bunch of Dragonballs. The price of $12.99 for a single ball containing a mini vinyl statue made me hesitate, but I finally gave in to temptation and bought the Number 5 ball. Check it out!

Opening the Capsule R ball was easy. All I had to do was pull open the label along the perforated line and pop the ball open. Inside, I found a sealed package containing 3 pieces that I had to put together to make the vinyl mini statue and then a fourth piece that is used to build a special statue. More on that below.

I was thrilled to discover that I had gotten the statue I wanted - Goku chasing Bubbles. The statue itself was not hard to put together since each peg and its corresponding hole is a different shape and size. There is no mistaking where each piece goes. I found that the plastic is tough and of seemingly good quality. The paint job was what really sealed the deal for me, though. It's great for something this small. Here, take a look.

I am absolutely impressed by the quality of this mini statue and have no doubt that the other ones in the series are equally good.

You've probably noticed that the blue dragon tail piece is not part of this statue. As mentioned above, each statue comes with an extra piece. If you collect all 7 statues, you will have all the pieces necessary to make a statue of Son Goku as an angel flying over Serpent Road. Here's a scan of a Japanese product sheet found on www.kanzenshuu.com.

Man, I would definitely like to get all the statues to make the special one, but to be honest, I don't have the funds to do so. $12.99 is expensive and I can't justify buying more Capsule R balls, especially since getting a double would be a huge blow to my wallet and I'm sure I'd get one along the way. Interestingly, I noticed that my Number 5 ball came with what seems to be the Number 5 set. Look at the packaging in this picture.

The big question I have is whether this means that the number of the ball corresponds to the number of the statue, making it easier for me to get all the pieces to make Angelic Goku since all I'd have to do is buy the other 6 balls. If you have bought a Capsule R that is not the Number 5 ball, please let me know which statue you got. Thanks!

Overall, I love the Capsule R mini statues. I would have been happy regardless of which statue I got since they're all really cool. The price is a little high, but nowadays, a lot of vinyls are expensive and not all of them are made as well as a Capsule R statue. If you're a Dragonball fan, I would definitely suggest getting at least one of these. It'll look great on display.

Thanks for checking out this entry. I'll leave you with one last picture. :)

~ Mike

Disney Vinylmation - Marvel 3" - Series 1

Hey, everyone! Mike here, and thank you for checking out this first "In Box with Mike & Jess" entry about a blind box toy product! Today, I am going to be sharing my thoughts about the relatively new Disney Vinylmation Marvel series. If you haven't heard of Vinylmation, it is a line of vinyl figures by Disney. Each figure is shaped like Mickey Mouse and painted to look like a character from the series it belongs to. They are also able to have their heads and arms rotated.

Since Disney bought Marvel Comics, I have been waiting for a Vinylmation series based on its characters. It took a while, but the announcement finally arrived and I was extremely excited. Well, that was until the launch day here in Canada. A friend of mine showed up at the Disney Store near his house before it was open and there was a huge line outside the door. When the store opened, several people at the front of the line were allowed to buy a whole case of the Marvel Vinylmations each, selling them out in a matter of minutes. Needless to say, my friend didn't get a single figure. What's worse is that those people who bought the cases would stand near the Disney Store afterwards and try to sell individual figures to shoppers at a ridiculous premium. That deserves a huge "WTF?!?!?!" Anyway. my pal soon discovered one store that is out of the way that still had some Marvel Vinylmations for sale and drove out there to get some for himself and for me. (THANKS, BUDDY!)

Okay, on to the review. The first thing people will notice about these new Vinylmations is the box. It's the same height and depth as the old boxes, but it's thinner. Personally, I like this new box because it's less wasteful. Plus, for people who like to display their boxes, these take up much less space. The Marvel box has some really nice art on the sides. One side has Iron Man and the other has Captain America. The back of the box has the usual listing of available figures. As can be seen, this series comes with the following characters:

- Iron Man
- Thor
- Captain America
- Hulk
- Black Widow
- Spider-Man
- Vision
- Black Panther
- Doctor Strange
- Spider-Woman
- Nick Fury

The Chaser Figure for this series is (SPOILER) Ultron. There are also a couple of variants. The first one is a bearded Thor and the second is a translucent version of Vision.

So, which Marvel Vinylmation figures was I lucky enough to get? Captain America and Vision! I was thrilled when I opened my first box and Cap's shield fell out. He's one of my faves and getting him made my day. The figure itself is very well designed. I was a little sceptical about the Mickey ears at first since I felt that they should have been painted with the feathers from Captain America's helmet/mask. However, seeing the figure in person, I think the "explosions" work. Vision is also designed quite well. He even has a cape on his back, adding to his really cool look. My brother-in-law drove out a few days after my friend did and got himself the Variant Vision and now I'm envious. It looks a lot cooler than the original. But, hey, getting ANY Marvel Vinylmations is a good thing, so I'm not going to complain about what I got.

As for the rest of the figures, I only question the decisions made on one of them - Spider-Man. Of all the version of his costume Disney's designers could have picked, I think the Future Foundation version was one of the worst. I didn't hate it too much in the comics, but as a Vinylmation, it just looks cheap. Plus, there's no Variant with the Classic costume, making the FF version the only version at this time. It's truly a shame. The least they could have done was given us a Variant with the Iron Spider costume or Spidey's stealth outfit. But, no. Disney went with only one costume. Well, here's hoping we get Classic Spider-Man in Series 2.

I honestly really like the new Disney Vinylmations Marvel series. The designs are fantastic, the selection is great, and the figures are also very well made (unlike series such as Robots 2, which seem to be on the cheaper side). If you actually find some Marvel Vinylmations, I highly recommend you buy a figure or two because, even now, they are selling at insane speeds. Don't miss out on this awesome set, True Believers!

~ Mike

Nerd Block - December, 2013

Hey, everybody! Mike here and I received the latest Nerd Block from Canada Post yesterday, which is very strange since we don't normally get mail on weekends. But, hey, I'm not going to complain when something awesome is left at my door! In case you didn't know, Nerd Block is a monthly subscription box and each month, people receive all sorts of products from "nerdy" franchises. Here is some information:

NERD BLOCK

- $19.99 USD plus shipping per month

- $30 CAD total per month in Canada

- arrives around mid-month in Canada

December, 2013

I was very excited about this month's Nerd Block since I got an e-mail not long ago saying there would be a "high value item" that "retails over $45". Plus, it's Christmas / Holiday season, so I figured there would be some awesome, gift-worthy items. Well, let's see if Nerd Block's claim and my own expectations were met. Here's a list of what was in the box with approximate retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Legend of Zelda Triforce T-Shirt ($15)

- The Hobbit Gandalf Pop! Figure ($10)

- Samurai Inferno Watch ($25)

- Gogo's Crazy Bones Series 1 Pack ($2.50)

- Monster Marbles Pack ($2.50)

- Marvel Grab Zags Pack ($1.50)

T-Shirt

I absolutely love the T-shirt that came with this month's Nerd Block. I admit that I'm not as big a fan of the Zelda games as most of my friends are since I have never actually beaten a single one of the games in the franchise (blasphemy, I know), but I can't help but appreciate the fantastic design of the shirt. As with the previous months, the shirt is well made and fits me perfectly. Plus, the shirt is navy blue, putting it in the "not black" category. This is good since, as you may remember, I had been worried back in October that Nerd Block would be sending more black shirts than other colours. But, it seems we will be getting a good variety. Here's hoping next month's T-shirt will not be black or a shade of blue. :p

Gandalf Pop! Figure

Over the past year or so, I've become quite a fan of Pop! Figures. I don't have that many, though, so I'm happy Nerd Block is helping me expand my collection. This month's box has a figure from The Hobbit and I received Gandalf. I am so happy Jess wasn't home to see the nerdy dance I did around the living room when I saw the figure. Gandalf is my favourite Tolkien character, so getting a Pop! Figure of him is a real treat. My friend Ryan received Invisible Bilbo, which looks pretty awesome. There are other figures in the series, but I'm not sure if Nerd Block included them as well. If you received someone other than Gandalf or Invisible Bilbo, please Comment. I'd love to hear what you got. Thanks!

Samurai Inferno Watch

This is the big one! This is the highly anticipated "high value item". Guess what? Nerd Block wasn't entirely honest. The Samurai Inferno Watch is a LED wristwatch from the peeps over at Gadgetsandgear.com. It's made of a metal-like material and has a face that shows the time or date in red LED lights when a button is pressed. If you go to Gadgetsandgear and look up the watch, the suggested retail price is $49.95. However, right now, it is selling for $24.95. Some of you may point out the fact that the watch is on "Cyber Sale", so normally, it would sell for "over $45". BUT, WAIT! Have you tried looking at Amazon.com? No? Well, you should, because the watch sells for a whopping $10.99... Now, I'm going to be fair about this watch. It looks pretty awesome, is solid, and I'm actually wearing it right now. I love it. So, I'll go with the Cyber Sale price from the manufacturer as the true value. It's definitely NOT the "over $45" claimed by Nerd Block, but still good enough for me.

Gogo's Crazy Bones

I've seen Crazy Bones on shelves at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us for quite a while. Kids seem to really like these. In fact, there are web sites dedicated to people's collections of these things. Personally, I have very little interest in them and this single pack of 3 Gogo's Crazy Bones is the only one I'll ever own unless Nerd Block sends me more. However, they're a popular toy and I'm sure that it would be more appealing to other subscribers. Hmmm... Is that a toy drive across the street? ;)

Monster Marbles

Prior to this month's Nerd Block, I had never heard of Monster Marbles. After receiving a pack, I decided to look it up. Basically, Monster Marbles are collectible monster figures that roll around on metal ball bearings. Normally, you purchase a box that contains 3 single monster packs and a stick of chalk. You draw the suggested designs on pavement and then play various games with the monsters. The idea is that the monsters are supposed to take the place of traditional marbles in old-school schoolyard marble games. I've been able to find a small number of YouTube videos reviewing Monster Marbles and a few posts here and there talking about them, but nothing more. Their inclusion in Nerd Block is definitely a method of spreading the word and considering how much research I've done since getting a pack, I think it's kind of working.

Marvel Grab Zags

Now, we come to the seemingly obligatory super-cheap item in the box. Marvel Grab Zags are blind packs that come with a mini figure, a mini pen, or a mini light-up projector. I'm a huge Marvel fan, but this item is definitely not for me. It's a great little treat for kids, though, which is why my niece will be getting my Grab Zag pack in her stocking this Christmas.

Overview

Okay, so the December Nerd Block definitely had no holiday feel to it. I'm a tiny bit disappointed, but I understand. Christmas is not for everyone. I won't fault Nerd Block for that. What I will comment on once again is the watch. They hyped up this item quite a bit and, as it turned out, their claims were off by quite a bit. Honestly, Nerd Block needs to do their research before making claims in their e-mails. I mean, come on! The price is wrong and, aside from the name, the watch isn't even nerdy! Sure, I love the item and am thrilled to have received it, but that doesn't mean I am okay with exaggerated claims. But, it is what it is and, in the end, this month's Nerd Block was still worth the price of subscription. Will I continue with this box? Yes, I will, but with a new wariness when it comes to e-mails and Facebook posts by Nerd Block's staff.

And, that's it for this month. Stay tuned for more posts from Jess and my Marvel Vinylmations post!

JULEP - November, 2013

My first monthly subscription box! So exciting! I have been intrigued by this idea since Michael got his Nerd Blocks and, when I went looking for one I could order (as a nerd, I love the idea of the Nerd Block but there is no point in ordering two) , found out there was the same concept out there, but for beauty products! I am what Jenna Marbles would call a Goo Hoarder (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1usT9C04Foc *WARNING* Swearing*) so this whole idea was magical to me. Plus, I am not an expert in makeup, just the basics, so I thought this might be a good way to find new products and therefore new techniques. Anyway - to the box! This box is from Julep.com. When I signed up for their monthly subscription box (Which costs $19.99 US including shipping) I used a code to get an intro box for free! (current code FREEBOX). Already love the company just for offering a great deal right off the bat.

So this is the intro box I received, which took around 6 business days to arrive.

I took their intro quiz and they told me I was "Classic with a Twist". Now, if you don't like the style they give you, you can choose another one if you want to and have the option to change your style every month but I really liked the "Classic with a Twist" box.

I received two polishes - Myrtle  and Zora. I really like both colours. All Julep nail polishes do  "not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP" which I'm guessing is a good thing. They are also made in the US which I like. Both polishes are $14 or $11.20 Maven Price, which is the 20% discount they offer to subscribers.

I also received Luxe Repair Skin Serum ($28 / $22.40 Maven Price). I tried it last night and it went on nicely and didn't burn but there was a slight tingle. I can't say for certain after only one use but my skin did seem nice and fresh in the morning.

(Update: Have used this a few times.  No adverse skin reactions, and, maybe it's just my imagination, but I feel like my skin looks tighter [in a good way] after using this at night. I have lines on my forehead and between my eyebrows from frowning/squinting and they seemed a lot less visible after using this)

Julep also offers add-ons at checkout on any order for a discount so I ordered their Freedom Polymer Top Coat ($18 / $14.40 Maven Price) and  Julep Acetone-Free Conditioning Nail Polish Removal ($14 / $11.20 Maven Price). I got both for $4.99, a pretty great deal! 

I liked the remover, it worked well and not a strong scent but I found the dispenser a little finicky.

(Update: Really like the nail polish remover, and the dispenser is actually really practical. Its worked pretty well so far and I even used it to take off glitter polish [it took some work but I did it], so I'm very happy with this)

The top coat is supposed to work like a gel but goes on like a polish and using only natural light. I don't have any experience with top coats except at the Nail salon but I think it works pretty well. My nails really shined after application. They did chip after a few days but  only slightly. I didn't use a base coat and don't have the best application techniques yet so I'm not going to hold against the top coat just yet. I'm going to try a few more times and see.

So, I'm really happy with my first Julep box. I paid $12 and received a box worth  $88 or $70.40 Maven price. Julep also threw in a small reusable shopping bag as a bonus. Not bad! I'm excited to use what I got more and see what I get in my first actual monthly Julep box.

If you would like to sign up for your own Julep box, please consider using my referral link: http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/442026/ and don't forget to use the code FREEBOX to get your intro box free!

Nerd Block - October, 2013

Welcome back for another entry. Mike here and today I'm going to be talking about Nerd Block's October, 2013 box. In case you didn't know, Nerd Block is a monthly subscription box and each month, people receive all sorts of products from "nerdy" franchises. Here is some information:

NERD BLOCK

- $19.99 USD plus shipping per month

- $30 CAD total per month in Canada

- arrives around mid-month in Canada

October, 2013

In September, we were told that the October Nerd Block would be "killer". My buddy (and fellow subscriber) Ryan and I both thought they meant something along the lines of giving us horror movie products. However, when the box arrived, we were wrong. "Killer" just meant the products would be pretty good. Well, let's see if the claim turned out to be true. Here is a list of the Nerd Block contents with approximate retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Star Wars Darth Vader T-Shirt ($15)

- Portal 2 Sentry Turret Figure ($7)

- DC Universe Mystery Minis Vinyl Figure ($7.50)

- Spawn Mini Trading Figure ($7.50)

- Adventure Time Finn-Ominoes Game ($7)

- Marvel Erasers Series 1 Spider-Man ($1.50)

- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pad ($1.50)

I absolutely LOVE the T-Shirt. The Darth Vader design is fantastic. I wore it the day I received my Nerd Block, and when I visited Ryan, he very nearly had his on, too. But, the man was smart. He knew I'd be wearing it and decided against a "Who Wore It Better" situation. :p I didn't mention this regarding last month's box, but the T-Shirts have both been very good fits for me and of good quality. I would like to emphasize the second point since I occasionally buy shirts from "Design a Day" web sites and some of them print onto shirts I can find for a buck or less in Toronto's Chinatown. So, to have a nice quality T-Shirt sent to me by Nerd Block is a huge plus.

My wife bought me a Portal Sentry Turret blind box figure last Christmas as a stocking stuffer and I found myself taking photos of it in funny situations for weeks afterwards. So, when one showed up in my Nerd Block, I was thrilled. These figures are based on the Sentry robots from the sci-fi puzzle-solving video game "Portal", which I highly recommend. Each figure has a fun design and comes in "open" or "closed" position. The figure I got has a neat orange-red design that I think will look great on the dining table this Christmas... if

Jess will let me put it there. You will, right, honey? Please?

The DC Universe mystery figure was a bit of a surprise since I never knew this series of toys existed. I was really hoping to get one of the various Batman figures, but I got the Penguin instead. I really like the figure, which is quite solid and has a good paint job. My only complaint about the Penguin is that he looks... kind of Asian. I know it's a strange thing to get hung up on, but every time I look at my figure, all I can see is Ken Jeong from "Community" in a Penguin costume... Well, he'd make an interesting Penguin. He'd certainly pull off the nasally voice. Yeah... MOVING ON!

I didn't take a photo of the Spawn figure, but I really, really didn't like the figure I got. The series has quite a few designs and the only ones I would have wanted are all of Spawn himself. But, even if I did get a Spawn, I seriously would not have been happy since I just don't like this series of figures in general. I can't give my figure to my niece since she wouldn't know what to do with it. I can't trade with Ryan since he got a figure he likes. And,

I doubt I can sell the thing since it's so darned ugly. So, I'm stuck with a... demon... knight... thing? Just look up a picture of the back of the box, look at Row B, and it's the furthest one on the right. Anyone want to give me a quick synopsis of Spawn? I've only seen the movie.

Finn-Ominoes looks like a fun little game, but I'm going to give it away as a gift to my niece or a friend who likes Adventure Time. I have only watched a couple of episodes, and although I liked them, I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of the show. I do know that there are a lot of hardcore Adventure Time fans out there, especially after seeing the number of people in Finn or Jake costumes this Halloween, so I think the inclusion of Finn-Ominoes was a good idea.

The Spider-Man eraser is cheap. Very, very cheap. But, I'm both a Marvel fan and a Spidey fan, so I was all smiles when I saw the eraser. My Friendly Neighbourhood Mini Spidey is now sitting on my desk ready to take on the endless hordes of the Pencil Mistakes army. :D

Finally, we have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles... What on Earth is that? A coaster? One of those sticky pads you put on your dashboard to hold your phone in place? A decoration? A wrist rest for when you're using a mouse? Who in the bloody heck thought it was a good idea to include a flat piece of rubber that says "NYC Sewer" on it? Technically, there's no indication that it's even a TMNT product. But, judging from the ooze-like design and the somewhat turtle-shell-

looking design of the sewer lid, it must be from TMNT. I've been using the pad as a coaster, so I guess in the end, it was a good idea after all, right?

I felt that the October Nerd Block was definitely a weaker showing than the September box. Although I like what was included overall, I would never have bought most of the products had I seen them in stores. Actually, I wouldn't have bought any of them except the Sentry, and even then, I already had one, so I would have bought none of these items. Having received them in my Nerd Block, however, means I "did" buy them, and to be honest, I don't regret it. That is why I didn't cancel my subscription. I did, however, tell myself that if things don't improve in November, I'm done.

To find out about the November Nerd Block, please stay tuned. It's coming soon!

~ Mike Chan