Nerd Block November 2015 Review

Nerd Block: November 2015 Review, 'Tis the Season'

Link: www.nerdblock.com

November's Nerd Block was themed 'Tis the Season', in preparation for the festive season. Spoilers hinted at Firefly, Star Wars and Sherlock items being included in this month's box.

My first impressions of this box were very good!

'Back to the Nightmare' T-Shirt

I absolutely love this crossover between Back to the Future and the Nightmare Before Christmas. I absolutely love the look of the design and the background is navy, which also looks great. 

Sherlock Titans Vinyl Figure

I don't enjoy the Titans figures as much as the Funko figures, but they're still a really nice item to see in a box. Thanks to Nerd Block, I now have a fun little collection of these guys building up. I love Sherlock as well, so seeing a Sherlock item in a box is always a treat for me.

A closer look:

This guy even comes with a little magnifying glass to hold, which is completely adorable.

Firefly Ornament

I'm not overly excited by the inclusion of a Firefly collectible because I was never able to really get into the show - it's just not my thing. The ship itself is well made though and really quite solid. This would be a lovely thing to receive if you were a fan of the show, so I can't fault Nerd Block for including it. The box that it came in was also beautifully decorated and put together, which is great if you want to use it for presentation or storage.

Star Wars Calendar

It's only fitting that subscription boxes are including the odd Star Wars item at the minute, with the new film coming out this month. Having said that, I'm really not a fan of the franchise and have no use for merchandise like this. It seems like a great calendar for a fan though, and it's a 16 month calendar rather than a 12 month calendar. I'm also relieved that the Star Wars item was quite a small thing in the box, as I don't feel so bad about not getting so much use out of it.

Griswold Moose Shot Glass

This was a lovely little item to receive (if incredibly frustrating to photograph) and I'm sure I'll get some use out of it over the holidays! It's really detailed for such a little glass and I love the antlers on each side.

The announcement for next month's theme was a little bit disappointing for me, because December's box is going to be 'Star Wars'.

I'm a little annoyed, because I do think that this box would be best suited for the sci-fi subscribers, rather than those who subscribe to the classic block. I'm going to be giving this one a miss, but I will be reviewing an arcade block next month instead of this one.

Overall:

I liked this month's Nerd Block! It wasn't my favourite box from them ever, but there were still some really charming items and I did love the t-shirt. I will be skipping the December block, but I'll be back to reviewing as usual in January.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Nerd Block Classic or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of November's box!

If you want to see more of my Nerd Block reviews, please click on the following link:

Nerd Block Reviews

ZBox October 2015 Review

ZBox October 2015 Review, 'Time Travel'

Link: http://www.zavvi.com/offers/zbox.list

ZBox isn't one of my regular subscription boxes, but I couldn't resist the teasers for an exclusive Funko Pop! Vinyl in this month's items. 

ZBox is produced by Zavvi, so I have high expectations for a box being sold by such a big, well known company. I was really pleased with the last one that I purchased from them so I was definitely excited for this unboxing.

The design on the inside of the box was absolutely beautiful and included loads of fab time travel references. October was such a significant 'Back to the Future' month that most of the sub box services really went for the time travel theme.

Marty McFly Funko Pop! Vinyl (Exclusive)

This Pop was fantastic and was made all the more so by the fact that it was the second half of the exclusive Back to the Future set - and LootCrate sent me the first half (Doc Brown) earlier in the month! You can see that review - here -. 

He differs from the regular Marty McFly Pop in that he is wearing his iconic jacket from the second film, and he is standing on a hover board.

Blink Time Watch

ZBox included a watch in this month's box! It was a pretty good idea for a time travel themed box and seemed to be a relatively high value item. The watch is really rubbery - it seems pretty resilient - and displays the time when you press down on the face of it. The watch appears blank unless you press it. I quite like the concept, but I can't wear watches because of eczema on my wrists, stopping this item from being all that useful to me unfortunately.

Doctor Who Tardis Socks

I really like these socks - they come all the way up to my knees, which makes them really warm and cosy! They are a bit large on my tiny feet but they are definitely wearable. I don't think that you can have a time travel box without having at least a nod to the Doctor, so I approve of this item.

Chrononauts Comic

I always love the inclusion of a comic book in a sub box, especially one that I have never come across before like this one. Things like this are so much more fun and involving than small, crappy items that are easily dismissed.

The ZBox Magazine

I love that ZBox include a magazine like this - it includes loads of info about the items and the theme. It's basically the best version of an info card, and I think info cards in these boxes are extremely important.

Overall:

I thought this was a good box. I was over the moon with the Pop and I thought everything was really well selected for the theme of the box. It was unfortunate that the watch wasn't particularly useful to me, as that was definitely one of the highest value items, but I was generally impressed.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about ZBox or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

If you want to see my last ZBox review, click on the following link:

ZBox July Review

Arcade Block October 2015 Review

Arcade Block: October 2015 Review

Link: www.nerdblock.com

This month's Arcade Block contained a real mix of items. I wanted to give the block another go though, because I really loved the Legend of Zelda box that they did for September.

There didn't appear to be a huge number of items, but there were some quite sizeable things included in the box. The box was also rattling when it arrived, which initially had me quite worried for the safety of the items, but it turned out that there was a good reason for that.

Call of Duty T-Shirt

I can't fault the design or fit of the t-shirt in any way (besides it being yet another black t-shirt), but I have never been into Call of Duty - meaning that this was a bit of a miss for me. It's a great t-shirt for an Arcade Block though, it's purely unfortunate that I happen to not be into the franchise.

Atari Cap

I love the retro design of this - I love a good throwback to old style gaming. I also love hats but, having said that, I cannot pull off a cap in any way shape or form. Caps are not a good look for me. I might hang on to it for comedy value, but I could never wear this and be taken seriously as a human being.

Retro City Rampage

It was so cool that Arcade Block actually included a retro game like this, and included enough formats for it to be accessible to basically anyone! This is a great item - I love this.

Fallout Funko Mystery Mini

I was really excited for this item because this was actually my first ever mystery mini! I also love the Fallout series, so this was probably my favourite item in the box. I wasn't expecting the mini to be quite as big as it was either - it's nearly as tall as a Pop. The style of the figures is fantastic though.

The mini that I received was 'The Mysterious Stranger'. I'm not sure what role he plays in the other games, but I remember him as a perk that you could gain in Fallout 3 - where he would appear out of nowhere during combat and help you out. I was hoping for a more high profile character, but I still love this guy.

Titanfall K'Nex

This was, of course, the item that I could hear rattling in the box! I haven't played the game, but this is a really fun item. Okay, it might be a bit childish, but it will probably give me something to do on a rainy day. This also seems a relatively high value item to receive in a box like this, so this (along with the game and the mystery mini) more than made up for the clothing items being a bit of a miss.

Like last time, Arcade Block included a great info card to give you all the details about your new video game merchandise.

Overall:

This was a good Arcade Block and I was pretty pleased with what I received. I wasn't a fan of the wearables, which was unfortunate and purely down to taste/interests on my part I think. Otherwise, everything was perfectly selected for a video game themed box.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Arcade Block or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

If you want to see last month's Arcade Block review, follow the link below:

Arcade Block September Review

Infinity Crates October 2015 Review

Infinity Crates: October 2015 Review, 'Plague'

Link: www.infinitycrates.co.uk

The Infinity Crate for October had a vaguely spooky feel to it, with the theme for this month being 'Plague'.

Upon opening the box, it immediately looked like there was a generous number of items in comparison to previous months.

Time Lord War Council T-Shirt

I'm a massive Doctor Who fan, so this design was right up my street. This is actually one of my favourite sub box t-shirts in recent months. The shirt is a light grey and features both the weeping angels and the silence - two of the scariest Doctor Who villains ever!

Pumpkin King Funko Pop! Vinyl

As always, Infinity Crates included a Pop in the box and this was the perfect Pop to receive near Halloween! I'm a big fan of the Nightmare Before Christmas, so this was a big win for me.

A closer look:

He's particularly detailed for a Pop - Funkos are sometimes a little over-simplified, so I was very impressed in that respect.

Zombie Apocalypse Notebook

I was really pleased with this as an additional extra. The design on the front is cute and it's the perfect size to be really useful and portable.

The inside cover has some really lovely details too, which you wouldn't necessarily expect from a simple extra item.

Walking Dead Keyring

I still haven't watched the Walking Dead (I know, I'm terrible), but this was still a great item. It's a great quality, rubber keyring and it appears to be official merchandise as well.

Vinyl Stickers - Resident Evil and Gears of War

These are a fun extra and I particularly like the Resident Evil umbrella sticker.

Horror Poster

Infinity Crates have done some great posters but this one wasn't really for me. It looks a bit too much like an advert for the company, rather than something quirky and fun to hang on the wall.

As per usual, Infinity Crates included a fab info card to let you know a bit about the items in the box and what was on offer to subscribers with different interests.

Overall:

This was another great month for Infinity Crates and they did a great job of keeping to the theme. There was a real spooky feeling to this box and some great items.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Infinity Crates or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

See all of my previous Infinity Crates reviews by clicking on the following link:

Infinity Crates Reviews

Nerd Block October 2015 Review

Nerd Block: October 2015 Review, 'Trick or Treat'

Link: www.nerdblock.com

The theme for October's Nerd Block was 'Trick or Treat', so I was expecting there to be a bit of a Halloween/spooky twist on the items in this box.

Nerd Block had promised two vinyl figures in this box, but other than that there weren't many clues about what kind of things we were going to get.

Gremlins T-Shirt (glow in the dark)

I really liked the t-shirt that they included this month. It had a distinctly spooky feel and I love the Gremlins design. The glow in the dark aspect is a fun novelty - when dark, the design changes to a Gremlin that has gone bad and it actually looks really good.

Alien and Ripley Titans Vinyl Figures (exclusive twin pack)

I think this was a fantastic addition to the Halloween theme - a collectible from a classic scary film has to be appreciated. I also think that it's nice to get a bit of a break from the Funko products every now and again and see something a bit different.

Jem and the Holograms Annual

It might not be for everyone but I love getting comic books and graphic novels in these boxes and discovering new things. I've never read any Jem and the Holograms before, so I'm looking forward to getting into this. I also appreciate how well packaged this was - nobody wants to receive crumpled products.

Bob's Burgers Mad Libs

This is the kind of thing that can feel a bit useless unless you a specific time where you can use it, like an upcoming road trip or something. Even so, it's a fun item and I am a huge fan of Bob's Burgers, so it's nice to see the show getting some recognition in such a popular subscription service.

Zombie Hunter Dog Tags

Again, these are a bit of a novelty item but I can see them coming in handy for Halloween parties and any other occasions that call for scary dress up. I will probably hang on to these because I can see myself finding some obscure use for them at some point.

Moe's Tavern Coaster

I'm always a fan of a decent coaster and this one is actually pretty well made - I'll definitely be finding a use for this around the house. It's also nice to see a nod towards such a classic show in a relatively subtle way.

As always, Nerd Block included some great info cards that tell you a little more about the items that you've been sent that month. 

They also included these spoilers for November's Nerd Block Classic. I'm excited for the Sherlock Exclusive, but I can't help being slightly annoyed at the inclusion of Star Wars and Firefly items now that they have started an independent Sci Fi box - I feel like that genre of items should be kept to one box.

Overall:

I was impressed by the October Nerd Block Classic. There was a nice mix of useful and novelty items and, even though they were a little mix and match, everything tied in quite nicely with the theme. There was nothing that I disliked in this box!

(It was also quite nice that they didn't join every other subscription service in jumping on the Back to the Future bandwagon this month)

Look out for my review of November's box next month.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Nerd Block or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

Click on the following link to see my past Nerd Block reviews:

All of my Nerd Block Classic Reviews

Loot Crate October 2015 Review

Loot Crate: October 2015 Review, 'Time'

Link: www.lootcrate.com

After the amazing contents of last month's Loot Crate, I decided that I was going to give them another chance with October's box. 

The theme was time - presumably to celebrate the fact that 21st October 2015 was the date Marty McFly travelled to in Back to the Future 2.

For the second month in a row, I think they did a fantastic job:

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure T-Shirt

I love this t-shirt! The faded blue is a really nice look and not a colour choice that I have seen in any other box. It's really nice quality and the design is fab - I'm really happy with this.

Dr Emmett Brown Funko Pop! Vinyl (Loot Crate Exclusive)

An exclusive Pop is always an exciting thing to find in a sub box and this one is bloody fantastic. I don't have a Doc Brown Pop so this is a great one for the collection. This is a great way to celebrate Back to the Future!

Back to the Future 2 Model Hover Board

Continuing the Back to the Future vibe was this amazing replica of the hover board that Marty McFly rides in the film.

This is a really cute display item for anyone who is a fan of the films and it's a great reference to an iconic scene.

Doctor Who Sonic Spork

How could a 'Time' box not feature The Doctor? I thought this was a really original and potentially useful item to include in homage to one of the greatest British television shows of all time. I absolutely love it and I love that it isn't just a display item!

Overall:

I think Loot Crate did a great job with this box! They have definitely upped their game over the past couple of months and I am suitably impressed. In fact, I'm so impressed that I'm going to order my 3rd box in a row! 

Look out for my review of November's box next month.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Loot Crate or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

Click on the following links to see my past Loot Crate reviews:

Loot Crate May 2015 Review

Loot Crate September 2015 Review