By Mark Rodriguez
I decided to look back at some of the blind boxes I have gotten over the years and compare them to what happened to them now. Some have changed formats, or owners, and some are just not around anymore. I'll be going back in time to the first ever videos in which I first got my hands on one of each box. Let's stroll through memory lane, which for me started in 2014 with Nerd Block. Oh, Nerd Block.. what happened to you.
Nerd Block (and by association Arcade Block/Gamer Block and Grab Block)
I decided to try out Nerd Block to try something different that wasn't Lootcrate. At the time the boxes has random nerd items with no set theme, but wow, my first box came with two awesome shirts that I still wear to this day. I did an article that describes Nerd Block and all it's boxes along with its eventual fate. Their website is over at- https://www.nerdblock.com/ but as of right now their attempted comeback is still on hold and it's still a wonder if it's going to happen.
This video was for the June 2014 Nerd Block and it'll always be a fond memory because it was my first ever sub box.
TMNT Box-
This box changed a bit over the years. When I first heard of it, it had the option of if you wanted the items to solely related to the 80's TMNT, the 2012 TMNT or a mix of both. I went with both. Over the years they changed their format a bit, usually one big item and one or two smaller items like buttons or refrigerator magnets. Recently they got an arrangement with independent artists to release more exclusive shirts. The box is monthly and rather inexpensive. I'm curious if they will add Rise of the TMNT items into the mix eventually. I did get some cool TMNT cups from them, so I can't complain too much. Their website is at- https://www.tmntbox.com/
This was the box for March 2016, so apparently it took me a year and a half of Nerd Block and Arcade Block before I decided to venture out to try other boxes.
Funko Pop in a Box
Pop in a Box sends you Funko Pops by mail and you can control if you want one Pop, 2 Pops, 4 Pops, and more. The site includes a checklist so you can check off all the Funko Pops that you already own to avoid repeats and select the Pops that you wish you want. In a way, it's kinda like a blind box but you know you're getting Pops that you want. I started with one but moved on to two boxes per month for a while. Paige would usually get more of the ones she wanted, so it worked out for her. This is also monthly. To check them out go to- https://www.popinabox.us/
This was a box I got on April 2016. It seems 2016 was when I started experimenting with other boxes.
Marvel Collectors Corps-
This box would come bi-monthly and would be owned by Funko. Most of the items would be exclusives (looking at you Spider-Man Homecoming shirt I also found at Hot Topic), and you would get exclusive Funko Pops, figures, shirts, pins, patches, comics and so forth. I love this box and got plenty of cool shirts and Funko Pops from them. Nowadays this box had moved to Amazon, so you can search for Marvel Collectors Corps over at Amazon and subscribe there.
Funko also had a DC version caled Legion of Collectors which also would end up working alongside Amazon. Unfortunately, while the Marvel box has released the 'Deadpool', 'Venom' and 'MCU- The First Ten Years' themed boxes already via Amazon, but there is still no signs of the DC box making a comeback just yet.
Graze Box-
Graze Box is a box with different kinds of healthy snacks, including different kinds of nuts, chocolate and even other things like tea, popcorn and whatnot. It's pretty tasty stuff, you can usually get the first box free, and you can control if you want this to come every week, every month, every two weeks, whatever works for you. The site has a huge catalog of the kinds of snacks you want to get in the box, and some of them change depending on the season. Now they also have a shop in case you want to buy the snacks in bulk. To check them out go to- https://www.graze.com/us/
Super Geek Box-
Super Geek Box is another monthly box full of geeky goodies which is also decently priced and follows a different theme each month. I've gotten some cool shirts from them among other things. Lately though they changed to a bigger quarterly box called Super Geek Box Prime. I haven't gotten this bigger box yet but I'll be sure to let you know if I ever take the plunge to this new and improved version. To check them out go to- https://www.supergeekbox.com/
Geek Fuel
This was another monthly geeky subscription box that was decently priced but usually had random items without a set theme. Similar to Super Geek Box, they also went quarterly (though Geek Fuel did it first) and the box is now called Geek Fuel EXP. I love this box too, I got some cool shirts from them, cool retro stuff and free Steam games. To check them out here is their site- https://www.geekfuel.com/
Pro Wrestling Crate-
Now this is my favorite crate of all time and other than Nerd/Arcade/Gamer Block, this has been the one that I've been subscribed to for the longest time. The box deal with wrestlers from WWE, Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground and other indies. The Cheap Heat box gets you an autograph, a DVD and some small items like pins and magnets. The Mid Card Box gets you a shirt and an autograph. The full box gets you two shirts, the autographs, the extra goodies and the DVD and is well worth it. I've gotten amazing shirts from this box and autographs from guys like Papa Shango, Candice LeRea an Cody Rhodes to name some examples. To check them out go to- https://www.prowrestlingcrate.com/ and they're currently run by the same guys that run the site- https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/ where you can get more cool shirts
I have gotten the Cheap Heat and the Mid Card boxes before, but this video was the first time that I've gotten the full box, and I was very happy.
Snacky By Akibento-
This is a Japanese and Korean snack box that includes interesting flavored candy, chips and even sodas. It's decently priced and full of interesting things to snack on.
Umai Crate-
Part of Japan Crate, Umai Crate is shipped straight from Japan to your doorstep with all sorts of yummy Ramen. I got a 3-Crate discount deal from a coupon Paige got a FYE. The box is packed with at least 8 types or Ramen and an extra things or two, like chopsticks or a figure. Keep in mind that since the box came from Japan, it might take 6-8 weeks to arrive. Also, while the Ramen is fancier than the typical noodles you buy in the store, to get the full effect of a Ramen restaurant, it's up to you to add the extras like veggies, hard boiled eggs, bacon and whatever else. To check them out go to- https://www.japancrate.com/umai
Loot Crate-
Wow, it sure took me long enough to finally get into the ever-so-popular Lootcate. The new Loot Remix combines items from their different crates, which by now has boxes related to horror, gaming, anime, Marvel clothes, WWE, Harry Potter and whatnot. Lootcrate is the original and longest running subscription box company thus far without going down, or going quarterly, or changing websites. To check them out go to- https://www.lootcrate.com/
And so these are all of the sub boxes that I have subscribed to so far, at some point or another. It was a shame, but I never a chance to check out Comic Block, which since it was part of Nerd Block, it went down with the ship. I was also curious about the 1Up Box, another geeky themed box, but it went down. Paige was subbed to Lootcrate, WWE Slam Crate and J.K Rowling's Wizarding World, which was also from Lootcrate, as well as Owlcrate, a sub box that related to different books and book-related items, that despite the word 'crate' in the name, has nothing to do with Lootcrate.
I have stopped with the sub boxes for a while but plan to hop right back into them either this month or December at the latest. I can't wait to see what other goodies I might get.
I decided to look back at some of the blind boxes I have gotten over the years and compare them to what happened to them now. Some have changed formats, or owners, and some are just not around anymore. I'll be going back in time to the first ever videos in which I first got my hands on one of each box. Let's stroll through memory lane, which for me started in 2014 with Nerd Block. Oh, Nerd Block.. what happened to you.
Nerd Block (and by association Arcade Block/Gamer Block and Grab Block)
I decided to try out Nerd Block to try something different that wasn't Lootcrate. At the time the boxes has random nerd items with no set theme, but wow, my first box came with two awesome shirts that I still wear to this day. I did an article that describes Nerd Block and all it's boxes along with its eventual fate. Their website is over at- https://www.nerdblock.com/ but as of right now their attempted comeback is still on hold and it's still a wonder if it's going to happen.
This video was for the June 2014 Nerd Block and it'll always be a fond memory because it was my first ever sub box.
TMNT Box-
This box changed a bit over the years. When I first heard of it, it had the option of if you wanted the items to solely related to the 80's TMNT, the 2012 TMNT or a mix of both. I went with both. Over the years they changed their format a bit, usually one big item and one or two smaller items like buttons or refrigerator magnets. Recently they got an arrangement with independent artists to release more exclusive shirts. The box is monthly and rather inexpensive. I'm curious if they will add Rise of the TMNT items into the mix eventually. I did get some cool TMNT cups from them, so I can't complain too much. Their website is at- https://www.tmntbox.com/
Funko Pop in a Box
Pop in a Box sends you Funko Pops by mail and you can control if you want one Pop, 2 Pops, 4 Pops, and more. The site includes a checklist so you can check off all the Funko Pops that you already own to avoid repeats and select the Pops that you wish you want. In a way, it's kinda like a blind box but you know you're getting Pops that you want. I started with one but moved on to two boxes per month for a while. Paige would usually get more of the ones she wanted, so it worked out for her. This is also monthly. To check them out go to- https://www.popinabox.us/
Marvel Collectors Corps-
This box would come bi-monthly and would be owned by Funko. Most of the items would be exclusives (looking at you Spider-Man Homecoming shirt I also found at Hot Topic), and you would get exclusive Funko Pops, figures, shirts, pins, patches, comics and so forth. I love this box and got plenty of cool shirts and Funko Pops from them. Nowadays this box had moved to Amazon, so you can search for Marvel Collectors Corps over at Amazon and subscribe there.
Funko also had a DC version caled Legion of Collectors which also would end up working alongside Amazon. Unfortunately, while the Marvel box has released the 'Deadpool', 'Venom' and 'MCU- The First Ten Years' themed boxes already via Amazon, but there is still no signs of the DC box making a comeback just yet.
Graze Box-
Graze Box is a box with different kinds of healthy snacks, including different kinds of nuts, chocolate and even other things like tea, popcorn and whatnot. It's pretty tasty stuff, you can usually get the first box free, and you can control if you want this to come every week, every month, every two weeks, whatever works for you. The site has a huge catalog of the kinds of snacks you want to get in the box, and some of them change depending on the season. Now they also have a shop in case you want to buy the snacks in bulk. To check them out go to- https://www.graze.com/us/
Super Geek Box-
Super Geek Box is another monthly box full of geeky goodies which is also decently priced and follows a different theme each month. I've gotten some cool shirts from them among other things. Lately though they changed to a bigger quarterly box called Super Geek Box Prime. I haven't gotten this bigger box yet but I'll be sure to let you know if I ever take the plunge to this new and improved version. To check them out go to- https://www.supergeekbox.com/
Geek Fuel
This was another monthly geeky subscription box that was decently priced but usually had random items without a set theme. Similar to Super Geek Box, they also went quarterly (though Geek Fuel did it first) and the box is now called Geek Fuel EXP. I love this box too, I got some cool shirts from them, cool retro stuff and free Steam games. To check them out here is their site- https://www.geekfuel.com/
Pro Wrestling Crate-
Now this is my favorite crate of all time and other than Nerd/Arcade/Gamer Block, this has been the one that I've been subscribed to for the longest time. The box deal with wrestlers from WWE, Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground and other indies. The Cheap Heat box gets you an autograph, a DVD and some small items like pins and magnets. The Mid Card Box gets you a shirt and an autograph. The full box gets you two shirts, the autographs, the extra goodies and the DVD and is well worth it. I've gotten amazing shirts from this box and autographs from guys like Papa Shango, Candice LeRea an Cody Rhodes to name some examples. To check them out go to- https://www.prowrestlingcrate.com/ and they're currently run by the same guys that run the site- https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/ where you can get more cool shirts
I have gotten the Cheap Heat and the Mid Card boxes before, but this video was the first time that I've gotten the full box, and I was very happy.
Snacky By Akibento-
This is a Japanese and Korean snack box that includes interesting flavored candy, chips and even sodas. It's decently priced and full of interesting things to snack on.
Umai Crate-
Part of Japan Crate, Umai Crate is shipped straight from Japan to your doorstep with all sorts of yummy Ramen. I got a 3-Crate discount deal from a coupon Paige got a FYE. The box is packed with at least 8 types or Ramen and an extra things or two, like chopsticks or a figure. Keep in mind that since the box came from Japan, it might take 6-8 weeks to arrive. Also, while the Ramen is fancier than the typical noodles you buy in the store, to get the full effect of a Ramen restaurant, it's up to you to add the extras like veggies, hard boiled eggs, bacon and whatever else. To check them out go to- https://www.japancrate.com/umai
Loot Crate-
Wow, it sure took me long enough to finally get into the ever-so-popular Lootcate. The new Loot Remix combines items from their different crates, which by now has boxes related to horror, gaming, anime, Marvel clothes, WWE, Harry Potter and whatnot. Lootcrate is the original and longest running subscription box company thus far without going down, or going quarterly, or changing websites. To check them out go to- https://www.lootcrate.com/
And so these are all of the sub boxes that I have subscribed to so far, at some point or another. It was a shame, but I never a chance to check out Comic Block, which since it was part of Nerd Block, it went down with the ship. I was also curious about the 1Up Box, another geeky themed box, but it went down. Paige was subbed to Lootcrate, WWE Slam Crate and J.K Rowling's Wizarding World, which was also from Lootcrate, as well as Owlcrate, a sub box that related to different books and book-related items, that despite the word 'crate' in the name, has nothing to do with Lootcrate.
I have stopped with the sub boxes for a while but plan to hop right back into them either this month or December at the latest. I can't wait to see what other goodies I might get.
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