Marvel Tsum Tsum - Series 1

Have you seen those cute, 4-legged plush versions of Disney characters they're selling at the Disney Store? You know, the ones that come in different sizes so you can stack them all over your house? Well, they now have hard plastic versions that come in blind packs! Plus, these versions come with display stands! I picked up a couple of Marvel packs over at Toys R Us and made a review video so you can all share in the awesomeness. Check it out!

I hope you enjoyed that. More is coming, so stay tuned!

~ Mike

The Lego Batman Movie Limited Edition Minifigures

"The Lego Movie" was awesome. In fact, it was the best DC Comics movie of 2014. I watched it at least twice in theatres and many more times on Blu-Ray. So, when "The Lego Batman Movie" was announced, I was more than excited. I was squealing like a Jonas Brothers fangirl. Obviously, this kind of enthusiasm was eventually going to lead to me buying Lego Batman Movie products, and that is exactly what I did the other day at Toys R Us. Please now enjoy my review of the limited edition Lego Batman Movie Minifigures.

(Note: I mistakenly stated in the video that Tim Drake is Red Hood. In fact, Jason Todd is. My apologies.)

Alrighty, that's all for now. But, much much more is coming soon, so stay tuned!

~ Mike

Captain America: Civil War Mystery Minis

Hey, peeps! Mike here, and now that Jess and I are back in Canada, it's time to get back to reviewing things in boxes. ^_~

So, I was at Silver Snail Comics in Toronto just the other day when I happened upon a case of Mystery Minis featuring characters from "Captain America: Civil War". As I was quite blown away by that movie, I just had to pick up one of these blind boxes!

On the back of the box were the possible characters I could get. 

I really wanted Black Panther, Winter Soldier, or Agent 13 and quickly opened the box to see who I got.

What I found was the black packaging shown above. I think it's there to protect the figure's paint job, which I appreciate. So, who did I get once I opened the bag?

Oh, phooey! It was Iron Man. Here's a closer look.

First off, the figure looks great. I love overall "chibi" design of it and the pose is classic Iron Man. The plastic has a sturdy feel to it and the paint was applied quite well. I didn't find any misaligned paint anywhere on the figure. The head is attached via a spring that isn't easy to pop off the body. My only criticism is that if you turn the head, the spring "pops" from position to position instead of allowing for a smooth turn. This is a little annoying because when I tried to align the head to an angle I liked, it took turning it around over and over and over again until finally, after about 5 minutes, I got it just right.

Overall, despite not getting any of the figures I wanted, I was still quite impressed with the quality of the one I got. I can definitely recommend picking one up if you're into Mystery Minis.

~ Mike

Marvel Collector Corps - 2016 - Box 1 - Deadpool

Heya, peeps! Mike here, and WOW, this is one very late review of a Marvel Collector Corps box! I don't know what happened, but while most people got their boxes in February, mine only arrived a few days ago. Weird. Thankfully, I'm patient, so I wasn't upset when this awesome-looking box arrived at my door:

Before I move on to describing what was inside the box, here's some vital pricing info if you're new to this program by Marvel Comics and Funko Toys:

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 may have noticed above, this isn't a monthly subscription. Instead, Funko sends a box out every 2 months, thus the higher box 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.

Alrighty! Now that we have business out of the way, let's take a look at what I found when I opened my Deadpool box.

Looks nice, yes? Here's a list of the items themselves, along with approximate Canadian pricing:

- Collector Corps Pin ($5.00 CAD)

- Collector Corps Patch ($5.00 CAD)

- Deadpool T-Shirt ($18.00 CAD)

- Deadpool #001 Comic ($5.00 CAD)

- Deadpool Dorbz Vinyl ($15.00 CAD)

- Deadpool Mopeez Plush ($13.00 CAD)

- Deadpool Pop! Vinyl ($15.00 CAD)

Collector Corps Box

Normally, I love the design on the inside of Collector Corps boxes, but this Deadpool design seems a little less dynamic. I mean, it's still nice, but there's just something... missing.

Collector Corps Pin

Like the box design, there's just something a little off with the pin. I love Deadpool and the pin does capture his likeness well, but I like this pin less than most of the other pins. It's better than the Iron Man one, though.

Collector Corps Patch

Here's something interesting - This patch design kicks the crap out of all other patches that have come before it. I'm surprised since the box and pin were kind of "blah". Good job, Marvel / Funko!

Deadpool T-Shirt

Oh, boy! Another black T-shirt! LOL Despite my preference for receiving non-black shirts, I like this one overall. It's not as good as the other shirts I've gotten from Collector Corps, but it's still a shirt I'm happy to wear.

Deadpool #001 Comic

I absolutely love the variant cover design on this comic. Plus, it's a #001 issue, so I can start at the beginning. This is especially important since Marvel recently "rebooted" their comics universe.

Deadpool Dorbz Vinyl

I don't collect Dorbz and I feel Funko is going a bit overboard with its multiple collectible vinyl figure lines, but this Cowboy Deadpool Dorbz is too adorable to criticize. I love it. On the side of the box, there are 2 other designs - a pirate and a chef. I'm not sure if other subscribers got one of those instead of the cowboy, so if you did get one of them, please comment below!

Deadpool Mopeez Plush

Now, Funko also has plushies?! Oh, geez! I've seen the regular Deadpool Mopeez on Amazon.com, and although it's cute, I much prefer this Reverse Deadpool one. Still, I'm not really all that excited about getting this plushie. Maybe it's because the overall design is a little boring?

Deadpool Pop! Vinyl

A Deadpool-themed Collector Corps box wouldn't be complete without a Pop! vinyl. The one I received has Deadpool jumping. I would have preferred some of the funny designs shown on the back of the box, but Jumping Deadpool is still good. Did you get a different Pop! vinyl? Comment below if you did.

OVERVIEW

Deadpool has long been one of my favourite Marvel characters, and with the movie coming out, I was expecting big things from an official Marvel subscription box. Instead, Marvel and Funko delivered products that were great, but inferior in comparison to what was given to subscribers of other programs like Loot Crate. Go have a look at the reviews. Seriously, Collector Corps dropped the ball here.

On top of that, I need to mention something that happened to my good friend Ryan. Back in January, he contacted me because he had not received his Guardians of the Galaxy box yet and he wanted to know if I had. I told him that my box had already arrived, so he should contact Collector Corps, which he did. What he discovered was that due to his decision to subscribe using PayPal instead of a credit card, an error occurred where although Ryan was charged for the box, an order was never actually created. The solution? Collector Corps gave him a refund. Normally, that would be a happy ending, but the story didn't end there, unfortunately. See, Funko told Ryan that in order to receive the Guardians of the Galaxy box, which had items his family really wanted, he would have to order the Deadpool box and buy the Guardians box as an add-on. Here's the thing - Ryan did NOT want to get the Deadpool box. He was in fact going to cancel his subscription after receiving the Guardians box. When he informed Funko of that, they refused to allow Ryan to order the Guardians box on its own. Frustrated, he asked why Funko couldn't have just sent him the box instead of refunding. They said that because an order was never created, they couldn't send anything. When asked why they couldn't just create an order, they said that their system just "couldn't do that". Seriously. Funko, the world's current leader in collectibles, has such an antiquated order system that they can't just create a new order not attached to a subscription? Really? I find that hard to believe. What I do believe is that they have horrible customer service. I already dealt with them myself when I encountered billing problems early on in my subscription. Did you know that Funko and their Collector Corps division operate in the same building, but their customer service departments are completely different? You can't call Funko to get help. You have to call... Oh, wait! Did you know that Collector Corps only handles customer service requests over the Internet? That's right. If you call Funko's customer service department, they cannot help you with Collector Corps! They'll help you with any other Funko product, but NOT Collector Corps. They will, however, direct you to the Collector Corps web site and tell you where to find their e-mail. Wow. Just... WOW...

With that said, I am not surprised that the Deadpool Collector Corps box was a bit of a let down. I get the feeling that Marvel and Funko have kind of given up on this program. Sure, they're happy to make money, but they're lazy about putting things together. So, I can no longer recommend this program. Other subscriptions like Loot Crate and ZBox are just so much better. Of course, if you still want more info on Collector Corps, you can find it at their web site HERE.

And, that's it for now. More will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

~ Mike

ZBox - July, 2015 - Ghosts & Ghouls

Hi, hi! Mike here, and I couldn't help myself after receiving the awesome June ZBox, so I ordered the July one as well. Today, I finally received my long-awaited shipment! Here's a first look at what's inside:

For those of you who haven't heard of ZBox, it's associated with a web site called Zavvi, which sells all sorts of media and memorabilia. This isn't really a "subscription box". There's no actual subscription. Instead, each month, you have to go on their web site and pre-order the box for the next month. The advertised price is ₤19.99 with free UK delivery. Being Canadian, this means I had to pay extra for shipping. What's convenient about Zavvi's site is that it allows you to browse in Canadian Dollars, so I could see exactly how much I would be paying before ordering. My order came to $36.57 CAD with shipping included.

JULY - GHOSTS & GHOULS

I know the photo above looks awesome and you're just dying to know exactly what was in the ZBox, so I'll get right to it. Here's a list:

- ZBox Mini Magazine ($2.50 CAD)

- Lost Boys T-Shirt ($20.00 CAD)

- Ghost Rider Keychain ($10.00 CAD)

- Pac-Man Magnets ($10.00 CAD)

- Build Your Own Zombie ($12.00 CAD)

- Rivers of London #1 Comic ($5.00 CAD)

- Ghostbusters Postcard ($1.00 CAD)

- Ghostbusters Titans Vinyl ($15.00 CAD)

- Black Jack Candy ($0.25 CAD)

ZBox Box

This is my second ZBox and it has a custom box like the first one I got. I love the Bram Stoker's Dracula quote in it. I rate this box 5 Keanus out of 5.

ZBox Mini Magazine

As you probably know, I love getting themed magazines in my nerdy subscription boxes. This little guy has some great articles, including one about vampire movies that don't suck. There was a lot of hard work put into this magazine, so I thank the ZBox peeps for that.

Lost Boys T-Shirt

I admittedly have never watched the movie "Lost Boys", but I know it's supposed to be good. This shirt's design I definitely like. It's subtle, so one wouldn't know it's a nerd / pop culture shirt unless they knew the reference. Plus, I love that the shirt is grey.

Ghost Rider Keychain

This is a very cool old school Ghost Rider keychain. I love the design! Apparently, it's a ZBox exclusive based on the sticker on the back of the packaging, which makes this even better.

Pac-Man Magnets

"Hello, my sweet, little boy. Look how big you've grown." ^_~ I can't wait to put these magnets on my freezer door!

Build Your Own Zombie

Okay, wow. This is something new and unexpected. Inside the box you get some "dough" with which to build a zombie, or whatever else you may think to make with the stuff. It's basically like Play-Doh, except that when the stuff dries, it hardens. Extremely cool and one of the best items in this box.

Rivers of London #1 Comic

I have never heard of this comic before and that's great! I appreciate being introduced to something new. Oh, and is that an exclusive cover? Why, yes. Yes, it is. Thanks, ZBox.

Ghostbusters Postcard

I love postcards and this one rocks. Sure, it's simple, but I like that.

Ghostbusters Titans Vinyl

You may recognize this from the San Diego Comic Con edition of Loot Crate, but there is one very big difference. Whereas the Loot Crate figure was just a random one, ZBox was able to get us an exclusive red Stay Puft Marshmallow Man! This is easily my favourite item in this box and one that I am happy to display on one of my bookshelves.

Black Jack Candy

Ah, what a great way to cap things off. If you like black licorice, you'll love this candy. If you don't, just pretend you didn't get one. :p

OVERVIEW

I have to hand it to ZBox. I thought their June box was going to be a one-off in terms of awesomeness, but they hit another home run with this Ghosts & Ghouls box. Every item fit the theme well and was something worth getting. Plus, several of the items were exclusives. Even better. I'm really impressed with ZBox and can definitely recommend it. So, if you're interested in learning more about or signing up for ZBox, just head on over to their site HERE.

And, that's it for ZBox for now. Unfortunately, my budget really can't allow me to keep ordering from them. But, if a theme comes along that really calls out to me, I'll be sure to pre-order and then let you all know what I get.

In the meantime, please stay tuned for my upcoming Marvel Collector Corps review! And, as always, thanks for reading!

~ Mike

Marvel Collector Corps - 2015 - Box 2

Hi, True Believers! Mike here, and I have to let you all know that Jess and I have quit Loot Crate. Was it because we had a bad experience? No. Was it because we got bored with it? Nope. Was it because we only had room in our budget for one nerdy subscription? Ding ding ding ding! That is correct! We loved Loot Crate, but being huge Marvel and Pop! Vinyls fans, we had to make the very difficult decision of continuing on with Marvel Collector Corps and dropping Loot Crate, at least for the time being.

With that said, we were incredibly impressed with Funko's first subscription box in their new collaboration with Marvel Comics, so we waited for 2 months with great ANTicipation, pun intended, for our second shipment from them.

Before I move on to what was inside that amazing-looking Ant-Man box, here's some vital pricing info about this brand 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 I mentioned above, 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.

Now, with the businessy stuff out of the way, let's get on to some actual reviewing! Here's what met our eyes when we opened our box.

MAN, that looks awesome! Here's a list of what's there, along with approximate pricing:

- Collector Corps Pin ($5.00 CAD)
- Collector Corps Patch ($5.00 CAD)
- Ant-Man T-Shirt ($15.00 CAD)
- Ant-Man #5 ($5.00 CAD)
- Ant-Man Mystery Minis x 2 ($24.00 CAD)
- Ant-Man Pop! Vinyl ($17.00 CAD)

Collector Corps Box

As before, the inside of the Collector Corps box has a super cool comic book design. I love how it looks retro. Plus, I appreciate that it's not some random Marvel comic. Funko and Marvel themed the box to match the included Ant-Man products.

Collector Corps Pin

One of the items I was really excited to receive each month when I was a Loot Crate subscriber was the pin. I'm so happy that my new subscription box gives pins as well. What makes Collector Corps extra awesome is the high quality of the pins they send out. They've definitely kicked Loot Crate's butt in this department.

Collector Corps Patch

This patch confirms that Collector Corps members will be getting a patch with every box. I love the Ant-Man design on this one, but as before, have no clue what to do with a patch.

Ant-Man T-Shirt

This is such a simple T-shirt design. Yet, it's pure genius. I love it!

Ant-Man #5

Collector Corps exclusive variant cover? Fantastic! Starting people off at Issue #5 instead of Issue #1? Bad, Marvel, BAD!

Ant-Man Mystery Minis x 2

They gave us not one, but two of these! Wow! Jess and I haven't opened ours yet, but here's hoping we don't get doubles.

Ant-Man Pop! Vinyl

The highlight of the box is this exclusive unmasked Ant-Man Pop! Vinyl. What makes it extra special is the bonus mini Ant-Man figure it comes with. I wasn't planning on purchasing any Ant-Man Pops, but I'm definitely happy to add this one to my collection!

OVERVIEW

I was never a fan of Ant-Man, but this Marvel Collector Corps box still made me one very happy subscriber. There is a lot to love here, with only a tiny negative for the comic issue number. This was definitely a great follow-up to Funko / Marvel's debut box, pushing this program one step closer to being something I could recommend without any reservations.

To learn more about this amazing subscription program or join in on the fun, check out the official Marvel Collection Corps web site HERE.

Thank you as always for checking out our blog. We'll see you again soon!

~ Mike

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