Infinity Crates August 2015 Review

Infinity Crates: August 2015 Review, 'Unity'

Link: www.infinitycrates.co.uk

This month's Infinity Crate looked a little worse for wear when I received it this morning! I was surprised because I don't usually have this sort of issue with Royal Mail and I thought I was going to have to put in a complaint. Thankfully nothing inside was damaged, but it is worrying when parcels are delivered with so little care.

The theme for this month is Unity and I honestly was unsure what that meant, so I wasn't overly excited. However, I ended up loving what was inside!

Fire Alarm Minion T-Shirt

This isn't the strongest of the t-shirts that I've had from these guys but I do think it's adorable! I think it's fantastic as a pyjama top. I've had a glance at the other t-shirts available this month and I think this was probably the best choice for me because the others really don't match my interests at all.

Eleventh Doctor Funko Pop! Vinyl

I was so thrilled to see this in my box! A glance at the info card had me a bit worried, because the only Pop pictured that matched my interests was Charlie from Supernatural who I already have. I was really relieved to see the Doctor there instead.

A closer look:

The Eleventh Doctor is one of my favourite Doctors so I'm very grateful to Infinity Crates for adding this to my collection.

Despicable Me Spring

This is such a fun filler item - a slinky with minions on it! It's a really different item and that's what I love about it; I would never have expected to receive one of these in a million years. 

Adventure Time Lanyard

I'm not sure how useful this filler item is to me, but I can forgive them because I love anything that is Adventure Time related.

Zipper Pull

Honesty time: I have no idea what this is from! Anybody able to tell me? It looks cool, I've never really thought of decorating my zippers before.

Poster

Last month's poster was a bit disappointing and I didn't hold on to it, but I really like the one they included this time. It's better quality than previous posters and a really good size - as well as a great design!

Info Card

Infinity Crates provide the best info cards in their boxes - they give you information about all of the items in your box and give you a glimpse of all the potential alternative items. 

Overall:

I still haven't seen a box from Infinity Crates that I haven't loved! They're consistently one of my favourite subscription companies and I think the fact that they shape the box around your interests is the biggest factor in that. I always end up with a new Pop for my collection, a t-shirt I'm going to wear a lot and some fun extras that are the icing on the cake.

Next month's theme for these guys is 'Fantasy' and I am so, so excited! I can't wait to see what they pick out for my September box.

My Geek Box August 2015 Review

My Geek Box: August 2015 Review, 'Toons'

Link: www.mygeekbox.co.uk

I need to apologise for this review being slightly late - this box arrived last Friday but I've been insanely busy this week.

This is the last box of my 3 month subscription and the theme was 'Toons', which I was looking forward to far more than the previous 2 boxes.

The box was pretty full and very colourful - these guys always seem to do a good job of providing plenty of items, which makes it fun to unpack.

'Everything looks better in 2D' T-Shirt

I love this t-shirt so much! It's really simple but, for someone who loves animation as much as I do, it is really perfect. The sizing of the t-shirts these guys send out always seems to be exactly right and the quality is great.

Adventure Time Inflatable Sword

This makes me feel like a big kid but I secretly love it. Adventure Time is an amazing show for grown ups and children alike, so this is a really fun item.

A pic of the sword inflated:

I don't know how I'll ever explain to anyone why I own this item but I do really like it.

The Simpsons Donut Cushion

This is a really cute cushion and a really original way of incorporating one of the most classic animated shows ever into the box. I love things like this - subtle and functional, but nods towards something that I really enjoy.

Family Guy Socks

I love Family Guy, but this item really annoys me. Did they have to send out such an obviously gendered item? What was the point in sending enormous men's socks to a girl who ordered a women's small t-shirt? These will never fit me and I don't have any guys in my life who like this sort of thing. If they had to send out something with 'MENS SOCKS' emblazoned on it, then they should have checked on the gender of their customers beforehand. When it comes to wearables it should always be unisex or the company needs to ask in advance. I'm not comfortable with these because it reinforces the stereotype that women couldn't possibly want geeky items and therefore shouldn't be catered for. Not happy.

Adventure Time Festival Wristbands

These are so cute as a filler item. As I said before, I love Adventure Time so I'm pretty happy that there are two items in the box that relate to the show.

Minions Keyring

I know a lot of people hate the minions right now (because they are literally everywhere), but I am not one of those people and I think this is really cute. I like the design of this keyring and it seems surprisingly sturdy.

Gobstoppers

I actually never ate these as a child so I'm not 100% on what they are like, but I do always appreciate getting some sweets in a box.

WarHeads

I'd never had one of these either, but I love sour sweets so I ate it straight away. I was a bit too cocky and didn't think it could possibly be that sour - but they really are!

Overall:

This was my favourite My Geek Box out of the three that I had. I loved everything except the socks and thought it was really fun. Generally, with these boxes I get the feeling that they are aimed at a slightly younger audience than I am perhaps in the market for. I think this would be a great box to get if you have kids that you're trying to introduce to different geeky things.

Personally, I haven't been blown away by this subscription. The boxes have all been good, but none of them have been fantastic or overly memorable. Although I like a few fun items, I think I prefer boxes that cater to a more mature audience and skew more towards collectibles and comics than sweets and novelties.

My subscription has ended now, so this is my last My Geek Box review - for now at least. I'll keep an eye out for exciting exclusives or themes to review in the future, but I won't be resubscribing to this one.

Popinabox August 2015 Review (Part 2)

Popinabox: August 2015 Review (Part 2)

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk

The final part of my August Popinabox subscription arrived on Friday! It sounds like they've made some pretty major programming changes to the website this month, which will hopefully resolve the issues that people have been having with receiving parts of their subscription so far apart.

Lemongrab Funko Pop! Vinyl

I was really happy to see this guy in my box this month! I was a little disappointed with the first part, because I received one that I had thumbed down too late (completely my fault). I am collecting the Adventure Time Pops though, so this really made up for it.

A closer look:

Overall:

I'm loving this subscription - I think it is one of my favourite. I really enjoy being able to say which Pops I do not want to receive and the fact that you can choose how much you want to spend.

Nerd Block August 2015 Review

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

Link: www.nerdblock.com

My Nerd Block arrived this morning! The theme was 'Summer Mix Tape' and I was really unsure about how they were going to make that work. In honesty it seems to be a real mash-up of items this month and I don't know how well it all came together ultimately.

'Ghostbusters' T-Shirt

I really liked the t-shirt this month. It says 'who you gonna call?!' in a comic strip style. It's a really unusual/fresh way of bringing the Ghostbusters into a box like this. The t-shirt itself is brown as well, which I have never had in a sub box before! It might not be the most exciting colour but thank god it isn't another black t-shirt.

'Ghostbusters' Lunch Box

This took up most of the space in the box this month. I was really unsure at first - mostly because I would never ever legitimately carry this around as a lunch box! Since then though, I have discovered that I can use it as a really cool storage solution for a load of notebooks and things on my desk. I'm not in love with it as the 'big item' this month, but I will get some use out of it. (I'm also not completely sure how a lunch box is 'summer mix tape' related in any way?!)

'Slimer' Plush (Nerd Block Exclusive by Monster Factory)

Opening the lunch box revealed this fantastic Ghostbusters plush. I love this guy! I think he might have been my favourite item in the box.

Awkward Family Postcards

I like Awkward Family Photos...but they are widely available for free on the internet, which stops this from being a particularly impressive item. I also don't like the postcard format really - I would much rather have a book. There's quite a few of them, they're good quality and they're sort of amusing, but that's all there really is to say about them.

Rubik's Cube Stress Ball

This is a cute filler item. I don't have a stress ball so this will probably get some use. The only downside for me is that it's too large for my freakishly small hands, so it is difficult to squeeze. It looks good on my desk though!

'A Coaster of Kings', Game of Thrones Coasters

I was really excited when I saw these, but disappointed when I got them out of the packaging. The designs are fantastic but the quality is terrible - they are essentially four cardboard discs and I have a feeling they will be ruined by the first water ring that hits them.

A closer look:

It's a shame because I like them a lot. I might try laminating them so that they'll actually be useful.

As usual, Nerd Block included a really good info card to tell you about this month's items.

Overview:

I did like most of the items in the box, but I didn't love it. I think I might have liked it more if they had marketed it more honestly - because I don't for a minute understand how any of this stuff can be grouped under the heading 'summer mix tape'. I didn't get the theme at all. I really enjoyed the Ghostbusters items though, and the filler items were better than you'll find in a lot of other subs.

The biggest downside of this month was receiving this in my box:

Because this means I'm going to have to skip a month! I might replace it with a Horror Block or Arcade Block review for you guys, but I definitely will not get this box. The theme is 'Hyperspace' and I know that there will be nothing in there to interest me in the slightest.

Noob Cube August 2015 Review

Noob Cube: August 2015 Review, 'Ghosts N Stuff'

Link: www.noobcube.co.uk

My August Noob Cube arrived today! This month's theme was 'Ghosts N Stuff' and there was a guaranteed Funko Pop! Vinyl included.

The box was pretty full and they provided cards with information on the theme and upcoming events in August. Unfortunately, they don't include an info card on the items in the box.

'Scream' T-Shirt

I wasn't too sure whether this was a reference to Scream or to the comedy spoof 'Scary Movie', but I labelled it as a Scream t-shirt because of the iconic knife and mask imagery. It's a cool design and a good quality shirt. My only criticisms are the colour and the size of it - I ordered a small and it almost reaches my knees! I'm not the biggest fan of black t-shirts but I also can't really fault it because of the theme - black works well for horror.

'Twisty' Pop! Vinyl

I have only seen the first 2 seasons of American Horror Story (because I'm too much of a wimp to watch more), so the character isn't familiar to me. The Pop itself is amazingly detailed though and really scary looking! It's inspired me to find some courage and actually watch the rest of the show.

A closer look:

Even though I don't know the character, a Pop! Vinyl is always a win for me and I thought that this was a fantastic fit with the theme.

Stay Puft Marshmallows

I love these! It's a really original way of including Ghostbusters in the box (especially when every box is including Ghostbusters items at the moment). I love marshmallows as well, so these will be greatly enjoyed!

Beetlejuice Playing Cards

I don't play card games a lot these days, but I'm always really taken with cards that have cool designs. These are awesome and I'll definitely be holding onto them. Again, great for the theme as well.

Ghostbusters Vinyl Stickers

These are cute as a filler item. Stickers aren't overly useful but I like them better than badges.

Theme Badge

Just a little extra badge, nothing too exciting.

Overall:

I really liked this month's Noob Cube. I'm not completely sold on the t-shirt, but the rest of the items were great and they did a fantastic job of executing the theme.

This box is definitely comparable to Infinity Crates in terms of value and content. Noob Cube costs £3 more, but I think that is reflected in slightly higher value extras like the playing cards. I like both boxes but, if I had to pick, I think Infinity Crates have the edge due to the fact that they base contents on your interests, guarantee a Pop! Vinyl every month and cost slightly less.

Having said that, Noob Cube are doing a great job of delivering what they promise and they have some fantastic themes in the pipeline. I'm planning on ordering at least the next 2 boxes!

Next month's theme is 'Nature's Finest' and Noob Cube are allowing you to choose whether you wish to receive a Pop! Vinyl or Funko ReAction figure in your box.

ZBox July 2015 Review

ZBox: July 2015 Review, 'Supernatural'

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

I signed up to a box I have never bought before for July - ZBox from Zavvi. I was mainly tempted because of the theme, which is 'Supernatural'. I was warned well in advance that the box would not arrive until August, but it is a long time to wait for a British July box!

The ZBox costs £20 per month, including p&p.

The box was inside a bag, which was nice and subtle. There wasn't a scratch or dent on the box, but some of the contents were loose enough to rattle and I was a little worried!

Thankfully, everything was in perfect condition. I took all the items out so you could see the box design on the inside:

The commitment to the theme was really great in this box - I was impressed.

'Lost Boys' T-Shirt

I've never actually seen Lost Boys, but my parents inform me that it is a really scary vampire film. I love the design on this t-shirt, so it had probably inspired me to see the film! It's great quality and a fun design, as well as being dark grey rather than black, so I'll probably get a lot of use out of this.

'Ghostbusters' Titans Vinyl Figure

I believe that this item is a ZBox Exclusive - everyone received the same special figure rather than the different ones listed on the side of the box. I don't collect Titans figures, but I do have a couple of them and I like them. A collectible is always a nice treat in a sub box. 

The figure looks like this:

I like this coloured Stay Puft variant - he has a home on my shelf already.

'Rivers of London' Comic

I think that this is a relatively new comic and I believe the cover is a ZBox Exclusive. I really like this - I love getting different comics in these boxes because it's an easy way of discovering new comics that I haven't heard of. I'm going to enjoy having a read of this. My only criticism is that the comic was not bagged or boarded, so there was a slightly higher risk of damage during transit.

'Pacman' Magnets

I love these! I have a magnetic board on my wall and these went perfectly on display there. They're really fun and, with Pacman being such a classic game, they're recognisable and enjoyable for just about everyone.

Build Your Own Zombie

This is one for the more creative types. This item invites you to build a zombie figure out of mouldable dough. I'm not sure how bothered I am about trying it out if I'm honest, but I think the idea is really fun and different - I can't say I've seen anything like this in another box.

'Ghost Rider' Keyring

This is a nice filler item - it's a popular brand (official Marvel product as well!) and it fits the theme really well.

'Ghostbusters' Postcard

This is a cute filler item - I think I'll put it on my wall.

Black Jack Sweet

Fantastic addition - I absolutely loved these things as a kid! I used to eat them until they turned my tongue grey.

ZBox Magazine

The magazine includes information about the items in the box, as well as featured unboxings and articles that relate to the theme. This is a really good feature of the box and it makes it feel like a lot of thought has gone into the whole process.

Overall:

I was really impressed by the ZBox for July. I felt like I got really good value for my money and good quality items that I can actually use. The theme was great and they did a fantastic job of keeping the items close to it. I don't know if it's one I'll get every month, but I'll definitely be on the lookout for more themes that appeal to me.

August's theme is 'Renegade' and it looks like it will feature Harley Quinn.