Nerd Block (Adult) - March, 2014

Heya! Mike here, and what a month this is for Nerd Block! Not only did they gain a new partner in Ubisoft, but they also launched their new kids boxes under the Nerd Block Jr. banner and 20% larger "adult" boxes. As a subscriber of the adult box, I was excited. I've been disappointed for the past two months and the bigger box seemed like a great opportunity for Nerd Block to fix things and give its subscribers better stuff. Here, check out the e-mail I was sent:

Who wouldn't be excited by that, right? Plus, I figured that with the kids boxes coming out, the somewhat cheaper, smaller items found in previous boxes would end up in those, leaving room in the adult box for some hefty real deal nerd awesomeness. Did Nerd Block live up to their own hype? I received my new, 20% larger Nerd Block yesterday, so let's find out!

The New, 20% Larger Nerd Block

Now, 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:

- $19.99 USD plus shipping per month

- $30 CAD total per month in Canada

- arrives around mid-month in Canada

MARCH, 2014

New Box (Bottom) compared to Old Box (Top)

Bigger box. Ubisoft. Two consecutive previous months of disappointment. Did Nerd Block break out of the slump? Here's a list of what I received in my box this month with approximate Canadian retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Darth Vader T-Shirt ($15.00)

- Assassin's Creed Action Figure ($16.00)

- Topps Wacky Packages Stickers 8-Pack ($2.00)

- Legend of Zelda Capsule Figurine ($5.00)

- Star Trek Skele-Treks Miniature Figure ($2.00)

- Simpsons Guest Stars Miniature Figure ($2.00)

DARTH VADER T-SHIRT

Wow... Just... Wow... When I saw the colour of the shirt, my heart sank. You've heard me criticize Nerd Block for its lack of variety in T-shirt colours and now, I will do it again. I get that black is probably the most "universal" colour, but getting a black shirt almost every month is unacceptable. As I've stated before, other possible "universal" colours / shades are white, light grey, and dark grey. But, no. Nerd Block has once again chosen the lazy route and given its subscribers a black shirt. Oh, and the design? I personally find it to be plain and uninteresting. This shirt is by far my least favourite shirt I've received from Nerd Block and it's now going in my "rag shirts" pile.

ASSASSIN'S CREED ACTION FIGURE

As mentioned, Ubisoft has joined the Nerd Block family, and its first offering is an action figure from the game "Assassin's Creed: Black Flag". I got the character Edward Kenway, but although I own the game, I haven't played it yet, so don't know who he is. I like action figures, and I especially like action figures that come with perks like the free in-game item that comes with Edward Kenway. I'm sure some could argue that the inclusion of such a figure is not a good thing because not everyone is into "Assassin's Creed", and making the most expensive item in a Nerd Block game-/brand-specific would make the box less worthwhile to some than to others. They aren't wrong, but at the same time, when it comes to subscription boxes, I think the risk of getting such an item is part of the game. I mean, the T-shirts are usually the most expensive items, and not everyone is into what's on them, right? This should also apply to a non-T-shirt item.

TOPPS WACKY PACKAGES STICKERS

When I received a pack of Topps Wacky Packages stickers in the first Nerd Block, I wasn't interested in them. Now, 7 months later, I still have no interest in them. I'm sure others may like Wacky Packages, but they are just not my kind of thing. What bothers me, however, is that the pack I received from Nerd Block is from Series 7. After some digging, I discovered that Series 7 came out in 2010... That's almost 4 years ago! It seems Nerd Block is trying to sell off overstock from Topps. Ridiculous!

LEGEND OF ZELDA CAPSULE FIGURINE

The final three items in my Nerd Block are all a bunch of cheap plastic miniature figures. The first of those is from the "Legend of Zelda" series. Something I've noticed at my local dollar store lately is that they are receiving Nintendo-themed capsule miniatures. Right now, they have "Mario Kart" cars and "Super Mario Galaxy" figures. I honestly won't be surprised if the Zelda-themed capsule figures start popping up a couple of months from now. The thing about these toys is that I have never seen them for sale anywhere else in person. I can find them online, but never in the stores I shop at. What this tells me is that they aren't all that popular, so they're likely in the same boat as the Wacky Packages - Overstock that needs to be sold off quick. Apparently, that's where Nerd Block comes in. Sigh.

STAR TREK SKELE-TREKS MINIATURE FIGURE

Oh, boy. This one's bad. A couple of weeks ago at the comics and collectibles shops I visit, I started seeing 5" figures of Star Trek characters whose heads were designed to look like the skull decorations from Mexico's Day of the Dead. They were called "Skele-Treks" and I thought they were cool. Not cool enough to pay $15.99 for, but still cool. When I found a Skele-Treks package in my Nerd Block, I got really excited. Sure, it said that the figure was a miniature and the packaging was definitely smaller than the $15.99 ones. But, it couldn't be "that" small, right? And, its quality "should" be good since it's a Skele-Treks figure, right? Right? As Lex Luthor said in "Superman Returns"... WROOOOOONG!!! Here, have a look:

Ridiculously Tiny Figure

You see that? That's a 2" figure in a 5" package. Do you know where I've seen this kind of thing before? You guessed it! At the dollar store! Remember the extremely disappointing "Hunger Games" figure Nerd Block gave its subscribers not too long ago? This is the same thing. I find it absolutely ridiculous that NECA made these cheap, wastefully-packaged Skele-Treks figures and even more ridiculous that Nerd Block has included them.

SIMPSONS GUEST STARS MINIATURE FIGURE

The last of the three cheap figures is from the "Simpsons: 25 of the Greatest Guest Stars" series. Just like the Skele-Treks miniatures, these Simpsons figures are based off of larger, higher quality 5" figures. Also like the Skele-Treks miniatures, these Simpsons figures are tiny 2" pieces of plastic that are misleadingly packaged. This is yet another item I expect to find in dollar stores soon. Ignoring the packaging issue, I can understand why such figures exist. Not everyone can or want to pay $15 to $20 for a collectible. Smaller, cheaper figures based on larger ones are a decent solution. However, I personally don't feel they should be placed in subscription boxes with a price tag like that of Nerd Block. I'd rather get a single $15 figure over getting 3 dinky, poorly-made toys. Quality counts more than quantity for me, and I feel Nerd Block is sacrificing the former for the latter.

OVERVIEW

I am severely disappointed and somewhat ticked off with Nerd Block. What started out as a great subscription box with mostly high-quality and relevant products has degenerated over the months into what I honestly consider to be a place for companies to dump their unwanted / overstocked items. Bargain bin products, in my opinion, have no place whatsoever in a subscription box. But, there's more to the problems that are plaguing Nerd Block. Let's take a look at their "bigger" box, for example. You saw the size comparison above. Well, let's take a look at this month's items inside the new box:

My items in the new bigger box.

That's what my box looked like when I opened it. I was really surprised to see so much empty space. But, wait! The products are bigger, right?

My items in the old smaller box.

Uh... Are those... Are those this month's items fitting perfectly inside an old, smaller Nerd Block box? Why, yes. Yes, they are. Oh, and here's a photo to drive home just how bad the situation is:

Yes, those are my items inside an old Nerd Block box placed inside the new Nerd Block box. This is the kind of B.S. that has made Nerd Block such a colossal rip-off. They are so focused on "looking" like a good product that they have completely lost sight of what it means to actually be good. They exaggerate and sometimes even lie, like when they claimed that an item worth over $40 would be in their December box, yet the watch that was that item was actually being sold in most stores at around $25. They hype themselves up and fail to deliver. And, what they do deliver is mostly piles of bargain bin trash.

I cannot justify continuing to subscribe to Nerd Block. Neither can my friends. So, we have all cancelled our memberships and are moving over to the competition - Loot Crate.

Loot Crate is a subscription box that costs around the same as Nerd Block, but instead of throwing in a bunch of random nerdy items, they have a theme each month and include items based on the theme. I think it's a grand idea and something worth at least checking out. Here's a LINK.

Thus, we come to the end of what is the final Nerd Block entry from us. Moving forward, we hope you will enjoy our thoughts and comments on Loot Crate! Thanks and cheers! :)

~ Mike

Nerd Block - February, 2014

Hey, everyone! Mike here, and I am just a tiny bit late this month with my Nerd Block post due to work and multiple viewings of "The Lego Movie". I swear this film is my "Titanic". I'm probably going to end up seeing it a hundred times in theatres. LOL

Okay. Nerd Block. February. The shipment arrived just before the middle of the month as usual, which shows a good amount of consistency in the 6 months that Nerd Block has been around. The only difference this time around, however, is that the box arrived a little beaten up. I'm going to blame that on Canada Post. They have been pretty bad lately with my other shipments as well. *Shakes Fist at Canada Post*

Now, 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

February, 2014

Last month, I was extremely disappointed with my Nerd Block. I felt I didn't get my money's worth, and considering it was the first Nerd Block of 2014, I expected much, much better. Could the Gods over at NB HQ have been waiting for Chinese New Year to unleash the awesome? Well, let's find out. Here's a list of what I received in my Nerd Block with approximate Canadian retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Metroid / NES T-Shirt ($15.00)

- Smurfs Tag-A-Thon Figure ($4.00)

- Halo HeroClix 3-Pack ($4.00)

- Spider-Man Minimates ($9.00)

- Marvel Mash'ems Figure ($4.00)

- E.T. Miniature Figure ($1.00)

- 80's GelaSkins Stickers ($5.00)

T-Shirt

Right off the bat, I'm going to state that I am absolutely disappointed in Nerd Block for giving people yet another black shirt. That's 4 black shirts in 6 months. I get that this particular shirt looks pretty bad ass in black, but they could have just saved it for another month. Maybe August? You know, after several months of shirts in other colours. Hey, Nerd Block! You do realize there are other colours out there, right? Red? Yellow? Green? There are shades, too, like light grey, white, and dark grey. Actually, I would have liked this month's Metroid shirt in dark grey just as much as in black. So, come on, Nerd Block! Give us some friggin' variety! *Grumpy Cat Glower*

Smurfs Tag-A-Thon Figure

Growing up in the 1980's, I watched the Smurfs. A lot. To this day, I am a fan of that show. However, am I going to play a game featuring miniature Smurfs? Nope. Am I going to collect miniature Smurfs figures? Nope. However, I can see others doing it, especially kids. With that being said, if you haven't heard, Nerd Block now has a new subscription box called "Nerd Block Jr." that starts shipping out next month. I'm hoping that the inclusion of items such as this Smurfs Tag-A-Thon figure in the "adult" Nerd Blocks will cease in March. I think I have enough gifts for my niece to last a couple of years at this point. ;)

Halo HeroClix 3-Pack

Not surprisingly, we have a second item from WizKids, a company that makes games featuring collectible miniature figures. You may have noticed above that the price I put down for the Halo HeroClix 3-Pack is the same as the single Smurfs figure. That's because the Halo series of HeroClix has been around for a while, while the Smurfs game is brand new. So, don't be fooled by the 3 figures in this pack of HeroClix. They are not worth 3 times the Smurf! Still, I'm a fan of Halo and know enough about the rules of HeroClix in general to know that I can probably add the figures from this 3-Pack into some kind of multi-series HeroClix mega battle game. Unfortunately, the Smurf is not a HeroClix, so it can't be blasted away by my new red Master Chief. Why, WizKids, WHYYY?!

Spider-Man Minimates

I am a huge fan of Minimates figures. Their concept is similar to Lego's Minifigures in that they are figures that are all based on a single mould except for the accessories and paint jobs that make them different. Unlike Lego, Minimates have more articulation, more series, and more nerd cred. Yes, I said "nerd cred". LOL Oh, and the holes on the bottom of their feet can fit Lego pegs! Awesome, right? Anyway, I'm happy to see some Minimates in this month's Block, despite the actual included figures being a little lame. This could mean more Minimates in the future, and as long as I don't keep getting crappy ones, I'll be happy. :p

Marvel Mash'ems Figure

This is yet another item that I feel belongs in Nerd Block Jr. It's cheap fun for kids and I'm sure that when my niece gets it, she'll be throwing it around her room in utter glee. Me, I have no interest in this line of toys. There probably are adults out there who would have a great time with it, though, especially ones with kids, but right now, it's not worth the money for me.

E.T. Miniature Figure

Wow, this is the second month Nerd Block has given its subscribers something that can be found at the local dollar store. I had a very hard time understanding the inclusion of last month's Hunger Games miniature, and this month's E.T. figure is making me scratch my head even harder. I mean, come on! I love E.T. and all, but do I seriously want a cheap plastic figure on my shelf? Nope. And, I can't even give this thing to my niece... because she has no clue what E.T. is... (Note to Self: Educate niece on what is awesome.) 

80's GelaSkins Stickers

This is the second time Nerd Block has included a sheet of stickers from GelaSkins. Last time, I questioned the logic since GelaSkins are supposed to be for the decorative protection of mobile devices and the included stickers were just characters' heads, which meant they were only good for decoration and not protection. Well, here we are again with more character heads, and this time they're awesome 80's characters! You will definitely not find them useful for protecting your phone or tablet, but you can certainly stick them on the back of stuff or maybe on your guitar case. They look awesome, much more so than the Ninja Turtles ones from a few months back. This simple sheet of stickers is, surprisingly, my favourite item in this month's Nerd Block. O___O

Overview

The February, 2014 Nerd Block had a lot of stuff, but not much that really made it worth the price for me. There are certainly people out there who would appreciate more of the items than me, but looking at the value of each individual item, it's really disappointing. Coupled with the fact that Nerd Block seems to be obsessed with black shirts (DARKNESS. NO PARENTS. CONTINUED DARKNESS. MORE DARKNESS. GET IT?) and we seem to have a deterioration in the quality and value of items over time. I honestly am considering cancelling my subscription, but for the sake of nerdom and this blog, I'm going to keep going for a couple more months to see if things improve. I honestly hope it does.

Nerd Block - January, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Mike here! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and had a great time ringing in 2014. I think you'd be happy to hear that my family, friends, and I survived Icepocalypse 2013. If any of you were affected by the ice storm, I hope you weren't without power for too long and that you were able to stay warm. Now it's January and that means I have a brand new Nerd Block to review! 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

January, 2014

Being the first Nerd Block of the new year, I was extremely excited and had high expectations. As a business, although every single Block should be mind-blowingly awesome, I think it makes sense to open a year with a bang. Well, let's see if that happened. The following is a list of what I received in my Nerd Block with approximate Canadian retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Batman T-Shirt ($15.00)

- Star Wars Luke Skywalker Pop! Figure ($10.00)

- My Little Pony Mystery Mini ($8.00)

- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splat Flyer ($6.00)

- Hunger Games Catching Fire Figurine ($2.00)

T-Shirt

I love most things Batman, so this month's T-shirt was right up my alley. The design is also really, really cool. For those of you who are wondering, the Japanese text says "Ninja of Justice", or at least that's what my friends who know Japanese tell me. My biggest concern, however, lies in the fact that Nerd Block has been around for 5 months and this is the third black shirt I've received. The other two shirts are two different shades of blue. So, as of right now, I can rightly say that there is very little variety in the shirt colours. However, I will give Nerd Block points for having different franchises. None have been repeated in the shirts yet. Now, if they can give me a red, green, white, orange, yellow, or anything-but-black-or-blue, I'll be truly happy.

Luke Skywalker (X-Wing Pilot) Pop! Figure

Speaking of a lack of variety, subscribers have received yet another Pop! figure. Now, I myself am a huge fan of these cute "Chibi" style toys, but not everyone is. I wouldn't be surprised if some people are getting frustrated with receiving more and more of these things. Nerd Block really needs to branch out a bit more in the non-blind-box figure department. As for this month's figure, it is from the Star Wars collection. I got Luke Skywalker, which is awesome. My buddy Ryan, however, got Jabba the Hutt and is quite disappointed. Which figure did you get?

My Little Pony Mystery Mini

Bronies rejoice! Yes, a My Little Pony product finally made it into Nerd Block. I am not a Brony, but I don't dislike My Little Pony either, which is why I opened my Mystery Mini. I honestly think that the figure I got looks really cool. Some of you may notice, however, that this is the third Mystery Mini Nerd Block has included in their boxes. Thankfully, unlike the shirt colours or the Pop! figures, at least with Mystery Minis, different brands have distinctly different figure types. There is variety! So, I'm good with this.

TMNT Splat Flyer

Right off the bat, I'm going to say that I personally find this product to be stupid. It's Raphael's head made of a material resembling that used on Schticky products. You throw the thing onto the floor or at a wall and it flattens and sticks to the surface. This thing gets dirty really quickly and can be washed clean in warm water. But, seriously, who would pay $6 for it? I certainly wouldn't. And, judging from the lack of sales of this product at stores I frequent, not very many other people will either. I understand that Nerd Block is meant to introduce people to new products, but this is one toy that will be... tossed aside.

Hunger Games Figurine

The most disappointing item I have ever received from Nerd Block is this month's Hunger Games figurine. I've seen this product at the local dollar store being sold for $2 and have been mildly curious. The packaging is quite large, leading one to believe the figure inside is also on the larger side. $2 for a blind box figure sounds pretty good, right? Well, not for this. The figure, as it turns out, is TINY! Just look at the picture! What an absolute waste of packaging! And, what a horrible bit of trickery! I wouldn't pay $2 for this. It's worth $0.25 tops! WTF, Nerd Block?

Overview

Wow. Just... wow... And, not a good wow. This is a really bad wow. If you add things up, the products included in this month's Nerd Block are worth more than the cost of the subscription, but not by a lot. Also, there were only 5 products, 2 of which were ridiculous, 2 of which makes me worry about variety, and 1 of which was pretty cool, but was not for everyone. Overall, I was quite disappointed. Nerd Block should have opened 2014 with a bang, but it just ended up being a splat.

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 - November, 2013

All right! We are finally caught up! Today, I will be talking about the most recent Nerd Block. 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

November, 2013

After a great start and a decent second month, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the third Nerd Block. What I expected was the usual shirt, blind box figures, and small doodads. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to get no blind boxes at all and some decent stuff. Here's a list with approximate retail prices in brackets next to each item:

- Adventure Time T-Shirt ($15)

- Nightmare Before Christmas Oogie Boogie Pop! Plush ($12)

- Iron Man 3 Boxos Papercraft Set ($17)

- Super Mario Star Stress Ball ($3)

- DC Comics Originals Little Mates Batman Key Chain ($7)

- Zombie Splat ($2)

I've mentioned before that I'm just a casual fan of Adventure Time, but I really like the T-shirt this month. It's not a particularly clever design or something that will catch the eye of every passing person. But, it's dynamic and the shirt isn't black. Whew! The fit, as before, is great. As a reference, I normally wear Men's Large T-shirts since I'm a 44R. This month's shirt fit me perfectly. Also, the quality is still good like before. I'm glad since I would hate to see the people at Nerd Block start cheaping out on its subscribers.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Pop! plush is my favourite item in the box. I have to say, however, that this was one month too late. I feel that Oogie Boogie would have been perfect for the October Nerd Block since it was Halloween month. But, hey, Christmas is coming, so I'll give the Nerd Block people a pass on this one. The Pop! plush is one of the items this month that varies. My friend Ryan received a plush of Jack Skellington in his Santa Claus outfit. I admit that I'm extremely envious of him for that, but I love Oogie Boogie, so I won't go and try to steal Ryan's plushie. Or, will I?

A couple of years ago, Jess introduced me to the world of papercraft. We bought some card stock, downloaded some very nerdy papercraft patterns, printed them, and then made enough paper creations to fill an entire shelf. We also made papercraft gifts for friends that year. Unfortunately, we never kept up with the hobby since we got extremely busy at work, which is why we were quite happy to receive the Iron Man 3 papercraft set in this month's Nerd Block. It doesn't require printing or cutting. We just have to put the pieces together. Plus, there are so many different items in the set. Jess and I never made scenery or accessories for our papercraft figures since it was very time consuming. We would only make a single accessory if needed, and that's it. The inclusion of so much... stuff!... in the Iron Man set is very much appreciated.

Despite by recent disappointment in the writing coming out of DC Comics, I am still an eternal fan of the Dark Knight (even with the upcoming Batfleck). So, when I found the Batman key chain, I could not help letting out a girlish squeal that I immediately blamed on Jess. (Sorry, honey!) This is the other item this month for which Nerd Block subscribers can receive different versions. I've only seen a Joker key chain on Instagram so far, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were others. I'm very happy to have gotten Batman, and in "old school" colours to boot! If you have received someone other than Batman or Joker, please let me know in the Comments section. I'd love to see what others have gotten and how common each character is. Thanks!

The Super Mario Star stress ball seems like a cheap item to include, but I personally like it. I've never actually bought a stress ball before, but I have a bunch of free ones. This star is honestly now my favourite stress ball. I guess it wouldn't be as loved by those who are not a fan of the Super Mario series, so to be objective about this item, I'll say that it is definitely a bit on the cheap side. The star is well made, though, and from a famous video game series. So, for a smaller item, it's pretty good.

The final item is Zombie Splat, which is basically a very cheap slingshot toy. Honestly, I am a bit disappointed with this item. I understand it's fun for kids. Heck, Jess and I are going to give it to our niece as a stocking stuffer this Christmas and we are certain she will have a blast. But, it's really, really cheap and the zombies are not really zombies. They're designed more like rag dolls. Personally, I think Toysmith is trying to take advantage of the recent popularity of zombies in pop culture, and it's shame. They could have designed "zombies" that actually look like zombies, but they now have a product that looks more like one of those misnamed knockoffs you find in Chinatown. It's a stupid move by this toy maker and I am surprised Nerd Block actually included it. I would have taken another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rubber pad over this.

Overall, the Novermber, 2013 Nerd Block is the best box to date. Not only did I like most of the items, but I feel that I got more bang for my 30 bucks this time around. I don't expect Nerd Block to keep giving me more and more worthwhile items, but I do sincerely hope they at least maintain this month's level of quality going forward. Now, it's time for me to log off and build some paper Iron Men with Jess!

Stay tuned for Disney Marvel Vinylmations and Jess' first entry!

Nerd Block - September, 2013 (Here we goooooo!)

Hi, everybody! Welcome to "In Box with Mike & Jess". Mike here, and I'm happy to start off our blog by sharing with you the September, 2013 Nerd Block.

I am admittedly quite the nerd. My brain is filled with useless facts about fictional characters who wear their underpants over their spandex bodysuits and attach blankets to their backs. If you're anything like me, then you'll really appreciate Nerd Block. It is a monthly subscription box of nerd goodies that began back in September of this year. Now, as much as I'd love to show you what my November box has, I'm going to save it for an entry in the near future because I really want to start at the beginning. So, here we goooooo!

NERD BLOCK

- $19.99 USD plus shipping per month

- $30 CAD total per month in Canada

- arrives around mid-month in Canada

September, 2013

I was extremely excited to receive the first ever Nerd Block back in September. The box you see in the picture arrived packed in a brown shipping box that felt sturdy and survived the trip to my house with very little damage. The Nerd Block's box was surprisingly nice as well. I really liked the design when I first saw it. I also appreciated that it was the slide-out type of box since it is easier to open.

On to the good stuff! When I opened the box, I got the following items, with rough prices next to them in brackets:

- Gremlins T-Shirt ($15)

- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Leonardo Pop! Figure ($12)

- The Big Bang Theory Funko Mystery Minis Figure ($8)

- Galactic Guardians HeroClix Single Figure ($6)

- Topps Wacky Packages Sticker Pack ($3.50)

- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Stickers by GelaSkins ($5)

The T-Shirt was just "okay". I'm a fan of Gremlins, but for a "First Shirt Ever", I felt Nerd Block somewhat dropped the ball. I have worn the shirt since getting it, though, so I guess that's a good thing. But, it's not a shirt I would have bought if I saw it in a store. Honestly, I think the shirt will eventually become a shirt I wear at home while doing various chores, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. This means I don't have to buy another shirt to replace my beaten-up "Slap Bet Commissioner" shirt.

I LOVE the Leonardo Pop! figure. I'm a huge fan of the Pop! series and to get a Turtles figure in the box really made my day. I wish I had gotten Michelangelo, though, since he is my favourite. But, Leo will do. I just have to wait for a sale at my local store to get Mikey to add to my collection.

My other favourite item in the Nerd Block was the Big Bang Theory figure. I didn't know they had vinyls for that show, so I was pleasantly surprised. I ended up getting Amy, who is one of my favourite characters. SWEET!

I collect HeroClix, but was still surprised to see one included. In case you didn't know, HeroClix is a collectible miniature figure game by WizKids. You and your friends build armies with little figures and then battle it out on a game board. Unless you already play HeroClix or are a collector, including a single HeroClix figure in a NerdBlock is almost useless. From a marketing standpoint, I guess it makes sense since I'm sure WizKids thinks that by including a single figure, some Nerd Block subscribers will think it's cool enough to look into and maybe even purchase the game. But, I feel a single figure is not enough, especially since it's a blind box and people might get a figure they don't like. I think a better idea for including HeroClix is to either go with a starter set or one of the packages that includes multiple figures. This way, people start out with an army and can play with people who own the game or friends who also subscribe to Nerd Block. This is a better way to generate interest than giving people a single figure.

The final two items ended up being quite useless to me. I have no interest in collecting Wacky Packages stickers and the Ninja Turtles stickers claim to be for mobile devices, but I have no use for hexagons that fit nowhere. The only thing I can think to do with the Wacky Packages stickers is give them to my niece. As for the Ninja Turtles, I may also give them to my niece. However, I can see them being put onto the backs of laptops or tablets by Nerd Block subscribers who do that to their devices. (The receptionist at my office has Snow White on her Macbook.)

All in all, the stuff in my very first Nerd Block were worth the price of admission. The shirt, Pop! figure, and Big Bang Theory vinyl on their own already cost more than the whole package with shipping. Although I was personally disappointed with some other items, I can see the logic behind having them. I'm sure others probably liked them more than me. Did I continue to be a Nerd Block subscriber after the first delivery? You bet! More entries are to come!

Aaaaaaand, that's the first entry to "In Box with Mike & Jess". We both hope you enjoyed the read and found the information helpful. Stay tuned for Nerd Block October, 2013 and a review of Disney's new Marvel Comics Vinylmations.

~ Mike Chan