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

MeUndies - February, 2016

Hi! Mike here, and this is going to be a somewhat odd review. Why? Because it's going to be about underwear. No, you didn't read that wrong. I said "underwear". More specifically, MY underwear. 

Now, don't run away screaming. Give me a chance here! Last month, I was Googling comfortable underwear when I was directed to the web site of a company called "MeUndies". I liked the designs they had and decided to look up some reviews. As it turned out, their products are supposed to be some of the best on the market. Plus, they have a subscription service that sends 1 pair of underpants per month for $16.00 USD. My usual brands cost more, so I went for it.

Fast forward to a couple of days ago and here is what I got in the mail:

When I first signed up for MeUndies, I was expecting my deliveries to arrive in plastic shipping bags like the T-shirts I order from Ript Apparel or Tee Fury. What I wasn't expecting was a box. But, it was a blessing in disguise since it met the box criteria for this blog, so now I'm here reviewing it for you. LOL

Here's what I found when I opened up the box:

Ooooookay... Is that a baseball cap?! Yes, it's a baseball cap. And, it has the MeUndies logo on it. Here's a closer look:

I am definitely not going to be wearing this hat, but at least the quality is nice.

What's more shocking than getting a baseball cap with an underwear order is what was under the hat. Have a look:

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

*Cough*

Moving on. Here's what I found once I stuck my finger in the hole and pulled:

Man, all this packaging for a hat and a pair of boxer briefs. Here's what they look like in all their underwear-y glory:

I personally love the cartoony design. The material is very soft and feels like it's pretty high quality. After having worn them, I can confirm that the reviews on other sites are correct - These boxer briefs are extremely comfortable.

All in all, I'm very happy to have ordered from MeUndies and can't wait for the March pair, which will probably arrive in early April. If you're interested in buying a pair of comfortable underpants, go to www.meundies.com and see if anything suits your fancy.

And, that's it for now. Stay tuned for more In Box with Mike & Jess coming soon!

~ Mike

Loot Anime - January, 2016 - Episode 3: Equip

Heya, peeps! Mike here! Do you remember when I criticized Nerd Block a while back for going crazy and creating a whole bunch of different themed subscription box programs? Well, it looks like others have decided to join the madness, and Loot Crate is among them. Behold... LOOT ANIME!

So, if I'm not a fan of a ridiculous amount of genre-specific subscriptions, why did I go and order myself a Loot Anime box? Honestly, I just wanted to see if I'm the one who's actually nuts. LOL

Before checking out what my box had inside, let's get some business out of the way. If you're new to Loot Anime, it's a subscription program that sends you a box every month filled with Anime-related goodies based around a theme. Here are the different subscription options they have:

Monthly - $34.95 USD

Every 3 Months - $101.85 USD

Every 6 Months - $197.70 USD

Yearly - $383.40 USD

All prices include shipping and handling to Canada. Also, payments are recurring until you cancel. I decided to keep the pricing in US Dollars because the Canadian dollar conversion keeps changing (mostly for the worse as of late). I recommending checking the current rate to make sure you have the funds for this or any other subscription box program.

OKAY! Let's move on to the good stuff. 

JANUARY - EPISODE 3: EQUIP

You may be wondering why the title says that this is the January box when it's already mid-February. That's because this is how long it took for my box to arrive! It was quite the wait, so let's see if it was worth it. Here's what I was greeted with when I opened my Loot Anime box:

And, here's a list of the items themselves, along with approximate Canadian pricing:

- Loot Anime Charm ($3.50 CAD)

- Loot Anime Poster ($5.00 CAD)

- Hi-Chew Candy ($1.50 CAD)

- Steins; Gate #1 ($13.00 CAD)

- Monster Hunter Pen ($12.00 CAD)

- Dragon Ball Z Scouter ($17.00 CAD)

- Akame Ga Kill Tote Bag ($8.00 CAD)

- Kill La Kill T-Shirt ($18.00 CAD)

Loot Anime Custom Box

I am a sucker for custom boxes and this one is by far my favourite ever. It's so friggin' cool and something I am more than happy to display. Good job, Loot Crate peeps!

Loot Anime Charm

I loved the pins from Loot Crate, but this? This is genius. This "charm" can be placed on your keychain or plugged into the headphone jack of your cell phone. Its metal backing also makes it sturdier than it looks. I can see that a lot of thought has been put into designing this charm, which is something I appreciate very much.

Loot Anime Poster

I can't pinpoint why a poster just feels very appropriate for an Anime-themed subscription box to me, but it does. This one has an awesome design. I'm not sure where the design is from and the items list on the back of it doesn't mention anything about it, but I don't care. I like it.

Hi-Chew Candy

I had never heard of this candy before, but now that I have and have tried it... I WANT MORE. The cherry flavour is delicious! Other Looters could have gotten different flavours and I want to try them all. Can someone please direct me to where I can buy some more? Thanks!

Steins; Gate #1

Wow, another thing I hadn't heard of until now. Thankfully, Looters were given the first volume of this manga so I can start from the beginning. Splendid.

Monster Hunter Pen

Back in 2014, Loot Crate subscribers were given a custom "Dead Rising" pen. I'm pretty sure the company that made that pen also made this incredible "Monster Hunter" one. The attention to detail is phenomenal.

Dragon Ball Z Scouter

Looters could have received one of 2 variations of this awesome "Dragon Ball Z" wearable Scouter. It's lots of fun going around with it on and screaming at people about how their Power Levels are over 9,000 (8,000 if you're referring to the manga).

Akame Ga Kill Tote Bag

What-a-what Kill, now? When I saw this tote bag, I thought the design was from "Kill La Kill" and the title on it was some kind of joke or reference I didn't get. I mean, look at the scissors! But, as Google has informed me, "Akame Ga Kill!" is a completely different, absolutely unrelated series. Well, then. More for me to watch!

Kill La Kill T-Shirt

We now come to my favourite item in the box. Yes, it's only a T-shirt... But, it's not black! And, it has a "Kill La Kill" design on it that's actually pretty cool! And... and... I just love it. Period.

OVERVIEW

For all my complaints about subscription box companies branching out with specialized programs, I have to hand it to Loot Crate for putting together an excellent Anime-themed box. The items were great and were definitely worth the price of admission (at the current USD to CAD conversion rate). I'd say that at least with Loot Anime, if they can keep up the good work, it'd be worth considering. I wouldn't say it's better than Loot Crate, especially if you're not all that into Anime or are not looking to only get Anime-related items. But, if you are in the market for an Anime box, then I think this one's pretty good, especially considering what I've seen from its previous months on other blogs.

If you're interested in learning more about Loot Anime, check out their web site HERE. Also, if you look up "Loot Crate" on Facebook and join their Page, you can get discount codes for money off a new subscription.

And, that's all for Loot Anime. I wasn't interested in more than one box, so I didn't renew. But, I do have more reviews coming soon for other boxes and toys, so stay tuned!

~ Mike

Marvel Collector Corps - 2015 - Box 5 - Guardians of the Galaxy

Heya, peeps! Mike here, and there are less than 6 hours before 2016 here in Toronto. What a perfect time for a final review before 2015 ends! And, what box happened to show up right before Christmas so that I could give Jess something extra special from it? Why, the Guardians of the Galaxy box for Marvel Collector Corps, of course!

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.

Okay, now that the business is out of the way, here's what my box looked like when I opened it:

That looks very promising, yes? Well, here's a list of items with their approximate Canadian pricing:

- Collector Corps Pin ($5.00 CAD)

- Collector Corps Patch ($5.00 CAD)

- Guardians of Infinity #001 Comic ($5.00 CAD)

- Pop! Bobblers Christmas Ornaments ($25.00 CAD)

- Star-Lord Pop! Mug ($15.00 CAD)

- Guardians of the Galaxy Scarf ($30.00 CAD)

Collector Corps Box

As with previous months, the inside of the Collector Corps box has a comic panels design. This time around, the panels are from "Guardians of the Galaxy" and they're very dynamic. Nice!

Collector Corps Pin

This is honestly my favourite pin to date. Groot looks amazing here!

Collector Corps Patch

This Rocket Raccoon patch is not only pretty badass, but it also complements the Groot pin quite well. Also, this is my favourite patch to date!

Guardians of Infinity #001 Comic

My buddy Ryan and I had a conversation recently about receiving comics in subscriptions boxes. We've come to the agreement that although it's awesome to get comics, neither of us are ever encouraged to read the rest of the different series being promoted. This "Guardians of Infinity" comic has a fantastic Variant Cover and all, but I'll be honest when I say it's wasted on me. I've kind of lost interest in Marvel comics lately due to their "reboot", so this issue will probably just sit in one of my comics boxes collecting dust. Still, for anyone who is still into Marvel comics, it's a good item.

Pop! Bobblers Christmas Ornaments

Not only is this set of Pop! Christmas Ornaments ridiculously awesome, they're also very appropriate for the season. They're my favourite part of this box!

Star-Lord Pop! Mug

Finally, something that doesn't have Groot or Rocket Raccoon on it! LOL Seriously, this is an awesome mug. It'll definitely be use quite a bit!

Guardians of the Galaxy Scarf

This is the item that I gave to Jess as part of her Christmas Gift Package. I'm pretty sure it was her favourite present from me. Thanks, Funko and Marvel!

OVERVIEW

This was honestly one of the best Marvel Collector Corps boxes so far. I'm sure my opinion was obvious from how many times I used the word "favourite". Great items, incredible value, and amazing fun. I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store!

If you want more information on this subscription box program, check out the Collector Corps web site HERE.

And, that's all for 2015. Thank you for supporting this blog and have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

~ Mike

GameStop Funko Mystery Box 2015

Do you remember Black Friday this year? I remember Black Friday this year. It's when I went to EB Games early in the day to pick up a Funko Mystery Box and discovered they were sold out of their very small stock of boxes pretty much when the store opened its doors.

If you hadn't heard of the Funko Mystery Box, it was a Black Friday exclusive at GameStop / EB Games that contained 1 of 5 Pop! figures, a random Pop! keychain, a random Pop! pin, and 2 random ReAction figures. For the price of $20 USD / $25 CAD, you couldn't go wrong.

Fast forward to yesterday. I was at the EB Games next to the Eaton Centre in Toronto with my pal Rob checking out some XBOX One games when something shiny caught my eye. I turned around and, OMG, there was an entire pile of Funko Mystery Boxes near the back of the store! Long story short, I bought one!

And, this is what I was greeted with when I "unboxed" it:

Awesome, right? Now, let's take a closer look at the items themselves.

Batman Pop! Vinyl

As I mentioned, there were 5 possible Pop! vinyls and I got Batman. I love the "old school" outfit! The other 4 possible Pop! vinyls were Batgirl, Blackest Night Superman, Claptrap, and Fallout Power Armor.

Elsa Pop! Keychain

I saw this keychain on several blogs and now I have one, too. It seems like Funko put Elsa in quite a few boxes. I'm not a huge fan of "Frozen", so I'll probably end up giving this to someone as a gift.

Deadpool Pop! Pin

This is definitely a way better find for me than the Elsa keychain and a very welcome addition to my growing collection of pins.

Breaking Bad ReAction Figures

I love "Breaking Bad" and I'm developing a love for ReAction figures. My Mystery Box gave me the best possible "Breaking Bad" figure combo, in my opinion - Heisenberg and Jesse Pinkman. There's only one giant problem, though... I already own both of these figures!!!

I am in shock at my horrible luck with these! But, hey, if anybody else got this combo, congrats!

OVERVIEW

The thing about boxes with random loot is that sometimes, you'll get stuff you have or don't want. I got smacked in the face real hard with my box, but I honestly can't say that the box is bad. The combined value of the items is well above what I paid, which is fantastic. I guess in the end, I now have a lot of great gifts that I didn't pay full price for, and that's definitely worth it for me.

And, that's all for now. Stay tuned for yet another review coming soon. Thanks!

~ Mike