Nerd Block August 2015 Spoilers

Nerd Block: August 2015 Spoilers, 'Summer Mix Tape'

Link: www.nerdblock.com

Nerd Block have now released 3 spoilers for their August 2015 'Summer Mix Tape' box! This theme seems to be a bit of an odd one - it doesn't bring a lot of obvious things to mind and I think we can probably expect to see a bit of a mash up of items. I'm unsure about it, but willing to give it a chance. 

The item spoilers that have been released are:

• A Ghostbusters Exclusive

• A plush from Monster Factory

• Awkward Family Photos

These all sound to me like potentially great items. I personally love receiving plush items, though I know that some people aren't too keen. I've only ever seen Awkward Family Photos on an online blog or in book form, so my best guess would be that we're going to get some sort of book in the box. I'm excited about the Ghostbusters Exclusive. We saw a Ghostbusters item in the last box and it was a little disappointing (a basic fold wallet), so I'm hoping that they make up for it with something more substantial for August.

I'll update this post if any more spoilers are released. Otherwise, look out for my review towards the end of next month :)

Infinity Crate July 2015 Review

Infinity Crate: July 2015 Review, 'Time & Space'

Link: www.infinitycrates.co.uk

It's Infinity Crate time! The box arrived a little later than usual this month, but I think that was down to the way the weekends fell. As always, the box was sent via the Royal Mail 48hr service and reached me in perfect condition.

Once again, Infinity Crates really nailed it with the big items this month! I don't always think much to the filler items but the ability to specify your interests with infinity crates seems to make for fantastic Pop/t-shirt choices. First up:

Funko Pop! Vinyl 'Dalek'

I hadn't let myself be excited about the possibility of Doctor Who Pops in the 'Time & Space' theme because these Pops are really new. I am so unbelievably happy with this Dalek Pop! I've already pre-ordered the 'Dalek Sec' Pop, so they'll be a great pair to have in my collection. This Pop alone made me thrilled with my Infinity Crate this month - it's completely perfect for me. A close up:

Other Pops available this month appear to be 'Predator', 'Stormtrooper', 'Hoban Washburne' and 'Nebula' - a pretty decent selection all round.

Time Travel T-Shirt

I love the t-shirt design this month, I think it might be my favourite from a sub box yet! The design shows a mixture of iconic images from various time travel related shows and film, including Doctor Who, Hot Tub Time Machine and Back to the Future. I'm always pleased when I get a t-shirt that isn't black as well. Other t-shirts available this month were Transformers, Guardians of the Galaxy and an adorable Wall-E t-shirt!

Yoda Light Up Keyring

At first glance this is a cute little filler item - a sweet looking yoda figure to dangle from your keys. However, like so many battery operated novelty toys, this is a thing of pure evil.

This picture accurately captures the demonic glow of the eyes but it cannot convey the soulless, high pitched, maniacal laughter this keyring emits.

SO MANY NIGHTMARES.

Star Trek 'Starfleet' Badge/Bottle Opener/Keyring

I've never seen such a multi-purpose badge before - I can always appreciate a portable bottle opener. Even so, I'm not at all into Star Trek so this item really isn't for me. It is far more useful than a standard badge though, so Infinity Crates get points for that.

Millenium Falcon Sticker

Probably fun for fans of Star Wars but I really can't stand those films, so this is unfortunately a 'bin' item for me I think.

Space and Time Poster

Normally I hold onto the Infinity Crates posters - they've had some interesting things on in the past. I'm not really taken with this one though. It seems more like an advert for the box theme than anything that I might want to display. I probably won't be keeping this either.

Fizz Wiz Popping Candy

I'm a big fan of popping candy, this is a nice way to top the box off!

Info Card

Every box needs an info card! It annoys me so much when they don't include one. The one that Infinity Crates provide is especially useful because it shows you the alternative items that were sent out to subscribers with different interests to you.

Overall

Another fantastic month with Infinity Crates! The biggest downside to these boxes is the filler items - they don't tend to be overly useful and can just lead to annoying clutter if you don't like the theme that much. However, for £17 you're getting a Funko Pop! Vinyl and a T-Shirt that are geared specifically to your interests. It's a relatively small and simple box, but I really like that about it. There's definitely a personal touch to the items you receive. It won't be everybody's cup of tea, but if you want a fab figure and a new t-shirt to brighten your month (at relatively little cost) then I think this is the box for you.

Next month's theme is 'Unity'. Hints dropped so far have included Pokemon, Fantastic Four, Assassin's Creed and Halo. I'm not sold on it, but I'm feeling pretty loyal to Infinity Crates at the moment and I can't see myself unsubscribing just yet!

Nerd Block July 2015 Review

Nerd Bock: July 2015 Review 'Humanity's Last Hope'

Link: www.nerdblock.com

Nerd Block is here! I originally was not going to order this month's box because 'humanity's last hope' wasn't a theme that appealed to me straight off the bat. Even so, I'm glad that I kept my subscription going in the end.

Karate Kid Cobra Kai T-Shirt

Unfortunately the t-shirt did underwhelm me this month. I had to google what it was because I had no idea what it was from - I've never seen Karate Kid! The design is cool though, so if you like the film then I reckon this is a neat t-shirt to get. It is also black though, which is another mark against it in my book.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 'Spike' Titan Vinyl Figure

I love this! I was sooo excited for a Buffy item, so I had braced myself for it being a bit rubbish - but this is fantastic. I don't really collect the Titan Figures, but they are still a great little collectible. He also comes with a fab prop, from the ep where they have him chained up in Giles' bathtub:

Spike is one of my favourite Buffy characters, so I'm over the moon with this inclusion.

Mad Max Comic (Exclusive)

I don't really know much about Mad Max if I'm being honest, but I am really looking forward to reading this. I love a comic, even if I'm not familiar with the story or characters, and it can be a great way to get into something new. I also really like that it came bagged and boarded - nobody wants a mangled comic!

Iron Man Pocket Pop Keychain

Everyone knows I love a Funko product! This is my first Pocket Pop too, so I was really excited to see this. The only thing that bothers me is that it doesn't seem particularly sturdy - I'm worried he's going to get a bit bashed about on my keys. He is adorable though.

The only ideal for me would have been if it were a different character - I already have the full sized version of this and another Iron Man Pop.

Ghostbusters Wallet

I don't really use 'wallets' of this kind of design really, but I'm sure it could come in useful as a card holder for various excess bits that don't fit in my purse. It looks really cool when you open it up though:

It's a bit of a filler item really, but it has the potential to be pretty useful so I'm happy with it.

Transformers Danglers

I hadn't heard of these, but I do find the word 'danglers' hilarious. It seems to be a cross between a keychain and a phone charm, which makes it pretty versatile I guess. I think it's a 'mystery bag' type thing, so you could have got a variety of characters. This is the one I got:

Again, it seems like a filler item but it's cute and will probably go on my keys with Iron Man.

Finally, the info card (front and back):

Overall:

Despite not being excited for the theme and not really 'getting' the t-shirt - I loved this box! I think Nerd Block have been doing an excellent job recently and I sincerely hope that it continues. I'm really enjoying all of the things they send me, even the smaller 'filler' bits, and the value always seems to be there too. It remains as one of my favourite sub-boxes, even after 3 months!

I'll do a 'spoilers' post for August once they've revealed a little more information ;)

Popinabox July 2015 Review (Part 2)

Popinabox: July 2015 Review (Part 2)

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk

It turns out that Popinabox had some real issues with their system this month, meaning a lot of people ended up getting only part of their subscription. They now seem to have resolved the problem and it looks like they're on top of things again. I received the second part of my subscription today:

Harley Quinn with Mallet (Underground Toys Exclusive)

I love this Pop! I'm a huge fan of Harley Quinn and was looking forward to maybe getting one of the many Pop versions that are available. The Pop is in great condition and has the 'Exclusive' sticker, which I'm very happy about. I just need more DC Pops to add to the collection now :)

The first Pop I received this month (metallic, bloody Dean Winchester) was also an Underground Toys Exclusive, meaning I've been sent two relatively high value Pops this month. I don't know if I just got lucky, but I'm very pleased!

My Geek Box July 2015 Review

My Geek Box: July 2015 Review, 'Nemesis'

Link: www.mygeekbox.co.uk

Yesterday, I received my My Geek Box for July, which is themed 'Nemesis'. I haven't been to excited about this box because the theme wasn't overly appealing to me, but I think that they have done a good job with this one.

The box was in great condition this month and well packaged with a bright blue plastic bag covering the outside. The bag was great for me because I do prefer subtlety when I get these boxes and the bag did that without compromising the design of the box.

Everything was really well packed and looked like an intriguing collection of items! The box was also seriously heavy this month, due to one item in particular.

Resident Evil 'Umbrella Corp' T-Shirt

I love this t-shirt! I reckon this will please any Resident Evil fan - the blood slashes and splatters are great and the Umbrella Corp logo is really subtle. It's a great t-shirt, I think I will wear this a lot.

Transformers 'Autobot' Mug

This was the largest item in the box, but by no means the heaviest! This is a really great mug and and I'm relieved that it got to me in one piece. I love collecting quirky mugs, but they are so rarely delivered in good condition. The one downside for me is that it isn't dishwasher safe, but otherwise I am very happy with this.

I wanted to give you guys a better look at it - it is a very strange shape. The front side is completely flat while the rest of it is curved. I can see myself spilling tea everywhere due to the shape but I don't think that will stop me using it!

'Davros' Doctor Who Collectible

This was the super heavy item weighing the box down! It is crazily heavy for its size - I'm not entirely sure what it's made out of to be honest. I'm a big fan of Doctor Who, so this is a nice piece to have for my shelf. I think it would be a bit of a let down for anyone who isn't into the tv show but I think it was a nice fit for the theme.

Breaking Bad 'Los Pollos Hermanos' Notebook

I'm a big fan of Breaking Bad and notebooks so this should have been a win for me - unfortunately, season 4 was my least favourite and the 'Los Pollos Hermanos' storyline was incredibly boring. It's a really nice notebook though, very well made, and has the Breaking Bad logo on the corner of each page. I think this will be donated to my mum, who is a big fan of the show.

Terminator 'Skynet' Card Holder

I was really pleased to see this in my box, mainly because I've needed a card holder for absolutely ages. The design is great though and probably something that only a Terminator fan would instantly recognise. It's a good little filler item to include for this theme, particularly with the new film coming out soon.

The Hobbit 'Azog' Coaster

Who doesn't love the Hobbit? Again - a great filler item. Both filler items this month have been weirdly useful, which I very much appreciate. This coaster was being used almost straight away on my desk.

Overall:

I was pleasantly surprised by My Geek Box's efforts this month. I was worried that the theme would lend itself to a boring supervillain-fest, so it was nice to see that they did things a bit differently. Once again, they didn't include an info card so I was really relieved that I knew what everything was. They could definitely improve this box with an info card. In terms of the value, I think that it was pretty good this month, but that might be because all of the items will be of use to me.

I definitely liked the July box -what did you guys think?

August's theme for My Geek Box is 'Toons', so I'm assuming that we can expect to see a lot of animation related items in the next box.

Popinabox Funko Pop SDCC Exclusives

Popinabox: Funko Pop SDCC Exclusives

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk

Popinabox are now allowing people to preorder San Diego Comic Con exclusive Funko Pops from this year's SDCC!

There are some amazing Pops on offer this year, covering a bunch of different great shows and films - Supernatural, Breaking Bad, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Who (just to name a few!)

I'm in love with Funko Pops of any variety, but the SDCC variants are always very special. I'm treating myself to the 'French Mistake Castiel' and the 'Eleventh Doctor SDCC Exclusive' this year. I can't wait 'til they start sending them out!

N.B. I know that this isn't strictly subscription box related, but hopefully it's of some use to the Funko Pop fans among you :)

Popinabox July 2015 Review (Part 1)

Popinabox: July 2015 Review (Part 1)

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk

I came home from work today to find this box waiting for me. I was fairly sure it was from Popinabox, but unfortunately they don't put any identifying information in/on their boxes so it can be hard to confirm if you receive a lot of deliveries.

I was also surprised to see such a small box - my subscription is for 2 Pops, and this was definitely only the size of 1 Pop. I've seen on their Facebook and Twitter pages that a lot of other people have received fewer Pops than they subscribed for, and I have definitely been charged for 2, so hopefully I will receive my other Pop in a few days!

This Pop was amazing though! I am very, very happy. Popinabox really indulged my love of Supernatural by sending me this guy:

'Dean Winchester' from Supernatural (Underground Toys Exclusive)

He is both metallic AND blood splattered - I couldn't have asked for more! I only have one other limited edition Pop in my collection (Grey Wind from GOT), so it's great to be sent a ltd. edition from a fandom that I really love.

I do already own the 'standard' Dean Pop, but in this instance I am more than happy to have the two of them in my collection - especially as I will probably keep the ltd. edition in his box. Here is a pic of the two of them together for comparison:

So, I don't know what my 2nd Pop is yet - or what is going on with that - but so far I am thrilled with this month's efforts. Make sure to check back for Part 2 if/when the next Pop arrives!

Noob Cube Spoilers - August, September and October

Noob Cube: Spoilers for August, September and October 2015

Link: www.noobcube.co.uk

Noob Cube has announced the themes for each of their boxes, all the way up to October! I opted not to go for the July 'Bad Robot' box (which should be shipping any day now), but the upcoming themes sound very exciting indeed - right now I can see myself signing up for all 3 of the released themes!

August

The theme for August is 'Ghosts 'N Stuff'. I signed up for this box as soon as it became available. I can't wait to see what they do with this theme - there are so many great possibilities for spooky and supernatural type items.

September

The theme for September is 'Nature's Finest'. I'm intrigued by this one, partly because I can't really figure out what direction they would go with this box. 'Nature' is such a broad topic and could be open to interpretation here, so I definitely think that this is the most mysterious sounding of the boxes.

October

The theme for October is '7 Deadly Sins'. This is probably the most exciting, as Noob Cube have announced that they will be giving us one item for each sin. I'm hoping that they get really creative with this one! They have suggested that one of the items is a t-shirt and that they -may- allow customers to vote to have more of a say in what the t-shirt design is (this has only been suggested on Facebook though and is in no way confirmed).

I love that they've released a few themes at once like this - hopefully it will encourage a few more subscriptions for these guys. I really like all three themes and I hope you guys do too :)

NerdBlock July 2015 Spoilers

Nerd Block: July 2015 Spoilers, 'Humanity's Last Hope'

Link: www.nerdblock.com

The theme for the July 2015 Nerd Block is 'Humanity's Last Hope'. I was considering not purchasing this box because the theme didn't really grab me at first, but the spoilers released so far have been very promising.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Both the Classic and the Horror Block will include a Buffy the Vampire Slayer item this month. The item is apparently the same in each, but with a variation of the item in the Horror Block (I believe). To me that would suggest either a comic or a figure of some kind, but that is purely speculation at this stage. I am really happy to see a Buffy item being included in the box - it was one of my absolute favourite shows growing up.

Ghostbusters

The Classic Block this month will contain an Exclusive Ghostbusters item. There's no suggestion of what the item might be, but I'm excited to find out. Ghostbusters is always a good choice for a box like this - there aren't many who don't really love that film.

Both 'spoiler' items sound perfect for me so I am now a lot more excited for this month than I was previously. I can't wait to see what else they include in this box. What do you guys think?

EDIT:

Mad Max

Nerd Block have announced that there will be a 'Mad Max' themed item in this month's box. I have never seen Mad Max, but hopefully this is exciting news for a lot of people!

Fan Mail June 2015 Review

Fan Mail: June 2015 Review, 'Fantasy'

Link: www.myfanmail.com

My Fan Mail box arrived yesterday, which was a lovely way to end June :) I've been seriously excited about finding out what these guys have to offer.

The box was full to the brim and looked very, very promising! The first thing that fell into my lap was this:

A 'Legends & Lore' Info Sheet

This lists a load of upcoming tv and film releases, book releases, video game releases and cons in the next month. I thought this was a really nice touch. The things that they list are diverse, so it should be of some use to most people.

'Toothless' T-Shirt - Created by Fan Mail

I'm a big fan of 'How to Train Your Dragon', so this put a big smile on my face. Even though black t-shirts aren't my favourite, I absolutely love the design on this. My only bugbear is that the sizing is awful. I thought that a box aimed specifically at women would actually put out clothing that felt feminine and flattering, while still looking geeky and fabulous. Apparently that remains to be a pipe dream. I ordered a 'small' but the t-shirt is huge and completely shapeless - although I guess it is possible that maybe they thought I meant 'small' as in 'a small rhinoceros'.

Something tells me that I am not the only one with this complaint, as Fan Mail have sent around an email in the past couple of days announcing that they now do a greater variety of t-shirt sizes and styles.

'Philosopher's Stone' Soap (Note: I refuse to call it the Sorcerer's Stone. Just...no)

Again, love Harry Potter and loved the idea of this. It's really cute and makes a great geeky item while being functional and smelling incredible. Seriously, it smells really good! It's so nice that I almost don't want to use it. It's really authentic looking. I may have to just use it for display.

'Legend of Zelda' Necklace

This was a really nice addition to the box - who doesn't love Legend of Zelda? The string is maybe a little shorter than I would normally like, but it still looks really cute on. I really like that we got some jewellery - that's something that I've always missed in unisex boxes.

'The Hobbit' Thranduil Brooch

I'll be honest, I had no idea what this was until I looked it up. I'm a fan of the Hobbit, but apparently not that much of a fan! It seems like a relatively obscure reference. It is beautiful though, I really like it as a brooch. 

Harry Potter Nail Decals

These are awesome! I've never tried nail decals before, but now I have a reason to. I really like these, they're very subtly geeky.

Game of Thrones 'Purple Wedding' Invitation

I absolutely love this, because I am Game of Thrones mad. I guess there's not that much you can do with it, but I think it makes a really nice wall piece for anyone who is a fan of the books or the show. It's not flimsy either, so it's definitely nice enough quality to display.

'Once Upon a Time' and 'The Hobbit' Badges

Yaaaayyyyy...more badges.

Info Card

The info card for this box was really good - with a full pic and description of each item. I love it when boxes have these in.

Overall:

I honestly thought this was a great first box. They kept firmly to the theme and represented a handful of wonderful fantasy fandoms with great quirky items - and it definitely had a more feminine feel to it than other boxes. As soon as the t-shirts are sorted out then I think this box will be a total winner for the discerning nerdy girl. 

The biggest problem for us Brits is the price. Do I think it has a good value for the American prices that they charge? Absolutely. Do I think that it has good value once you've paid for international shipping? Sorry, but no. I think that more than £30 a month for a sub box, even a really good one, is way too much.

I may still buy one of these boxes from time to time because I think that they have some really good stuff to offer and I love their overall mission. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until I'm feeling a bit richer.