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

Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio - Bianco - Wine (Video)

Mike and Jess here, and we bought a bottle of wine in a tiny grocery store in Salerno, Italy today that we just had to tell you all about despite it not being in a box. The name of the wine literally means "Tears of Christ" and we got it for 1.99€. You did not read that wrong. That's less than 2 Euros!

Please excuse Mike's constant use of "I mean" and his blunder on our web address. Believe it or not, he had no alcohol prior to making this video. LOL

If you want to watch some wine reviews that are actually good, visit Brunchosaurus HERE. Caryl is the real deal.

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

~ Mike & Jess

Tavernello Juice Box Wine (Video)

Heya, peeps! Mike and Jess here, and we are currently in Positano, Italy! Recently, we were at a grocery store and found wine in juice boxes for 1.00€ each. Of course, we just had to review it for you! So, without further ado, here's the video!

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Action Vinyls - Stealth Edition

Hey, everyone! Mike here, and on a recent visit to Hot Topic, I came across something that got me very, very excited. Here, have a look.

That there is a Hot Topic Exclusive Power Rangers Action Vinyl by a company called The Loyal Subjects from Los Angeles. I had never seen a Power Rangers blind box toy before, so I just had to pick it up. Here's a better look at the design on the front of the box.

On the sides of the box, I was shown that there are 8 possible figures I could get. Here they are.

Personally, I really wanted either the Yellow Ranger or the Green Ranger. However, I would have been happy with anyone.

When I opened the box, I found a silver bag with great Power Rangers designs on both the front and back. Check'em out.

So, who did I end up getting? Here's what I found when I opened the silver bag.

YES! It was the Green Ranger! Woohoo! Here's the figure with all the accessories laid out.

Yes, Tommy's ponytail is removable. Ha ha! And, here's a better look at the figure from the front and the back.

The details are phenomenal for such a small vinyl figure. The black parts that make up the "Stealth Edition" components look great. The build quality is also pretty high as the figure and its accessories feel quite sturdy. I especially love that the helmet actually fits on the figure's head and is not just another head, making it an actual helmet for the figure.

My only criticism is that despite there being quite a few points of articulation, which is great, I found the knee joints to be a little poorly thought out. They just allow you to turn the bottom half of the legs horizontally, but do not allow for any bending, making it awkward when trying to stand the figure up. This is very evident in the shot of the back of the figure above.

All in all, this is an incredible collectible vinyl figure and I would highly recommend you get one if you're a fan of Power Rangers.

~ Mike

Loot Crate - May, 2016 - Power

Heya, peeps! Guess who’s back, back again? Mikey’s back - Tell a friend! Okay, that was a pretty outdated reference, but it’s still true! After a small hiatus, I am back with another Loot Crate review! “But, Mike, didn’t you quit Loot Crate?” Why, yes. Yes, I did. But, due to the promise of some insane loot in this month’s box, Jess and I just had to jump back into the rabbit hole for a month! And, boy, just look at what we found when our Crate arrived!

In case some of you haven't heard of Loot Crate, it’s a monthly subscription box that caters to "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 with shipping to Canada included:

1 Month Plan - $29.95 USD / $41.00 CAD per month

3 Month Plan - $84.00 USD / $114.00 CAD per 3 months

6 Month Plan - $162.00 USD / $219.00 CAD per 6 months

1 Year Plan - $312.00 / $423.00 CAD per year (includes Bonus T-Shirt)

As some of you who have read this blog in the past have probably noticed, the cost for this program has gone up significantly for Canadians, probably due to our weak dollar at the moment. Regardless of the reason, this hurts. One can only hope the items are still worth the price tag.

MAY, 2016 - POWER

I’m a huge “Dragon Ball Z” fan and an even bigger fan of Marvel Comics. So, when it was announced that this month’s Crate would have items from both, re-subscribing was a given. Was it worth it in the end? Let’s start looking into that with a list of the items in the box and their approximate Canadian prices:

- Loot Crate Mini Magazine ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Crate Theme Pin ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Crate Membership Card ($0.50 CAD)

- Warcraft T-Shirt ($18.00 CAD)

- Dragon Ball Z Plush Keychain ($10.00 CAD)

- The Hulk Q-Fig ($20.00 CAD)

- Infinity Gauntlet Oven Mitt ($17.00 CAD)

Loot Crate Custom Box

When Loot Crate first started making custom boxes, I was incredibly excited. Now that it’s become something I expect to get, the novelty has worn off quite a bit. Or, maybe this month’s box design is just boring. What do you think?

Loot Crate Mini Magazine

Unlike the custom box designs, I don’t think I could ever get tired of the mini magazines. This month, there’s an interview with “Warcraft” star Robert Kazinsky, a recipe for muffins, a code to unlock stuff in Loot Crate’s “Word Gush” mobile game, and much more. The Loot Crate gurus definitely put a lot of work into this one. Bravo!

Loot Crate Theme Pin

Wow, they’ve changed the Theme Pin from a button to an actual metal pin with a design that isn’t taken from the mini magazine cover! Plus, if you log onto the Loot Crate site, you can redeem an in-game perk for “Battleborn”. Wow! My only wish is that the pin design was a tiny bit better. It’s cute and all, but just not my cup of tea.

Loot Crate Membership Card

I found this item to be thoughtful. I mean, the dent in my bank account is reminder enough of my Loot Crate membership, but a card is nice. LOL

Warcraft T-Shirt

It’s not black! LOL I’m quite excited about the “Warcraft” movie, and now I have a shirt to wear to the theatre when I go see it! The design is just a tad bit too simple, but still quite nice.

Dragon Ball Z Plush Keychain

Honestly, this wasn’t what I expected when they said there would be a “Dragon Ball” item. But, it’s pretty cool and definitely something I’m going to gift to a friend.

The Hulk Q-Fig

When I saw the Deadpool Q-Fig that I missed from before, I was, like…

I’m glad I didn’t miss this awesome Hulk one, though. I love the design and the statue is actually pretty heavy for something of its size. This one’s definitely going on my shelf!

Infinity Gauntlet Oven Mitt

THIS! Just… THIS! O______O

OVERVIEW

I am incredibly happy I re-subscribed to Loot Crate this month. The items were phenomenal and the value was unbeatable, even with the exchange rate. Admittedly, I will probably skip a month here and there since our house is filling up with stuff. But, man, if you subscribe to only one program, this should definitely be it!

If my hyping has piqued your interest in Loot Crate, click HERE to visit their web site and use code SAVE10 to save 10% on a new subscription!

Alrighty, peeps. That’s another review in the can. (I can use that phrase for non-film stuff, right? LOL) Thanks for reading and see you again soon!

~ Mike

Star Wars Science Kylo Ren Mini Lightsaber Lab

Hello! Mike here, and not so long ago in a Toys R Us not far, far away from my home, I came across the Star Wars Science Kylo Ren Mini Lightsaber Lab by Uncle Milton.

Being a huge Star Wars fan, I was very much interested in the build-your-own aspect of this toy since Jedi and Sith generally build their own sabers and I have always wanted to do that myself.

What you get in the box is an assortment of parts to build the Kylo Ren lightsaber and a cool little "poster" that talks about the "science" behind how this toy works. Here's a photo of the parts:

I am rather impressed with how sturdy every piece feels. Considering the $24.99 CAD price tag for this set, I'm quite relieved about that.

Putting the lightsaber together is simple, which is good since this set is mainly for kids and you wouldn't want it to be too complex. Here's a video of how to build the saber:

Once the saber is complete, it looks fantastic. I'm especially impressed with the details in the hilt. For something of this size, getting this much detail is unexpected.

Another unexpected detail is the light blades are shaped to reflect the "unstable" nature of Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Uncle Milton could have just put standard round blades in this package and people would have still bought it. But, this extra detail shows that they are willing to go the extra mile to bring us a truly great product.

My one criticism is something you probably noticed in the video. The LED's used to light the blades are extremely weak. Sure, they light up in 2 stages and have a cool pulsing effect, but what's the point of all that if you can't see them under normal lighting? Still, when you can see the light effects, they are actually quite cool.

And, you can do some fun stuff with the lightsaber, like take pictures of yourself as a Sith.

Yep. That's me as Kylo Ren... *Cough*

All in all, I really like this build-your-own lightsaber set. Although the price is steep, what you get is a sturdy, awesomely detailed toy that you can easily carry around and maybe even use to up your nerd cred by telling people that you made your own lightsaber. So, go out to Toys R Us and pick one up so we can have miniature lightsaber battles!

~ 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