Unboxing November's Super Geek Box: Legacy

November's Super Geek Box theme was "Legacy," and if it wasn't obvious, Star Wars played a big part in it. We were told on their Facebook page that it would contain a "Premium Funko POP" and a T-shirt, amongst other things. My immediate thought was that it would have one of the new Episode 7 figures and some sort of Star Wars T-Shirt. I was happy to see that I was right in my assumption.

When I pulled it out of my mail box, I was excited to see that it was still sealed. Last month's box arrived opened and missing items, so this was automatically better than the last one. The box contained six items that were all pretty awesome, which is rare as the subscription boxes I receive are hit or miss affairs. When that happens, I find myself giving the stuff that I don't want to friends that would appreciate it more. This time, however, I'll be keeping/using everything in the box.

The big win here for me was the Kylo Ren POP! figure. I hadn't picked him up yet, so that was a very nice surprise. He was one of six other possible figures including Yoda, Captain Phasma, BB-8, First Order Stormtrooper, and C-3PO. Other Star Wars items inside the box were an exclusive Sith/Nike-themed T-Shirt, a Star Wars/The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed magnet and a Star Wars/Super Mario Christmas Card. The last two items were equally as awesome; a Doctor Who/TARDIS drawstring bag and an Adventure Time "Nyan Dog" lanyard.

Inside this month's box:

- Kylo Ren Funko POP! Figure
- Time Traveler Drawstring Bag (SGB Exclusive)
- Nyan Dog Adventures Lanyard (SGB Exclusive)
- Traditional Christmas Greeting Card (SGB Exclusive)
- Just Do Passion T-Shirt (SGB Exclusive)
- "That's No Moon!" Fridge Magnet (SGB Exclusive)

eigoMANGA Releases The Latest Installment To The Game 'Vanguard Princess'

eigoMANGA has released a DLC (downloadable content) for the game 'Vanguard Princess' starring the playable character, Kurumi. The DLC known as 'Vanguard Princess Kurumi' is available on the digital distribution platform, Steam.

'Vanguard Princess' is a 2D fighting game for the PC that features an all-female cast each with their own unique fighting style. Players can choose from ten girls with unique fighting skills and pair them with a younger assistant partner.

'Vanguard Princess Kurumi' features the cheerful teenager, Kurumi Mirumati. Kurumi appeared from the wreckage of a plane crash without any memories of her past. As the sole survivor with no memories or known relatives, she was sent to live in an orphanage. Despite her tragedy, she has an upbeat and positive outlook on life.

A government experiment accidentally triggered a shock wave that inexplicably gifted her with mystical powers. Shortly after receiving her new abilities, Kurumi began to hear voices. The voices promised to uncover the mysteries of her past and unveil her life's destiny. That was enough motivation for her to leave the orphanage and purse a new world of wonders for herself. 

The 'Vanguard Princess Kurumi' DLC is an updated and uncensored version of 'Vanguard Princess' that revises the game's single player mode and features new gameplay modes which are "Team" and "Streak".

Team Mode is a game mode where the player faces off against a team of two (or at times three) opponents at the same time. Streak Mode is a game mode that's set as a series of one-on-one battles in an uninterrupted session. The player must face a sequence of opponents one after another until the player or all of the opponents in the sequence are defeated. 'Vanguard Princess Kurumi' also contains additional battle stages, alternate story-lines, and endings.

Visit the 'Vanguard Princess' website

Visit the 'Vanguard Princess Kurumi' Steam website

Adapt or Die on ‘Venus’

Adventuring into an unknown frontier, discovering something new, and facing impossible odds are the framework of some of our favorite stories. This December, creator Filip Sablik (Last Mortal), co-creator and writer Rick Loverd (Berserker), and artist Huang Danlan bring us Venus, a new original mini-series from award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios that evokes the history of great adventurers from the pilgrims to the Western pioneers, from deep-sea explorers to polar trailblazers, all of whom searched for a new beginning.

 

While Venus is a work of science fiction, Loverd is writing this with some scientific plausibility in mind. After all, he is currently the Program Director for the Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), whose mission is to inspire better science in Hollywood by introducing entertainment professionals to great science communicators. Since its launch in 2008, The Exchange has completed more than 1,300 consults, including Iron Man 2, Tron: Legacy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Star Trek Into Darkness.

 

In Venus, it’s the year 2150. Earth’s resources are depleted, and countries race to outer space to mine what they need from other planets. China has laid claim to Mars, so the U.S. and its allies have to make do with getting what it needs from the inhospitable world of Venus. But for a group of Americans making its way there, survival has become all too real. After their ship crash-lands on the planet, the scrappy crew is forced to do whatever it takes to navigate the harsh landscape in their journey to find the science base they were flying toward. In the vein of great adventure survival stories like Lost and The Martian, there’s only one reality on Venus—adapt or die.

 

“Survival stories have become a hallmark of pop culture, and Venus is a survival story in one of the harshest environments you can imagine,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Rick and Huang have constructed a harrowing thriller that’s about a group of people pushed well past their limits, on a planet where the average daily temperature is 864° Fahrenheit. It’s a powerful, intelligent miniseries about the enduring spirit of humanity—and how far a person will go to ensure their own survival.”

Incentive Cover by Steven Thomas

Venus #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on December 23rd with a main cover by W. Scott Forbes (Arcadia, Effigy) for the price of $3.99. Also available in a limited quality is a 10 Years incentive cover by Felipe Smith (All-New Ghost Rider), and a retailer incentive cover by acclaimed illustrator Steven Thomas. In addition, each issue of the mini-series will contain a backmatter essay written by a different scientific authority, including Randii R. Wessen of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Phil Plait of Slate's Bad Astronomy Blog.

McFarlane Toys' Medieval Spawn Resin Statue Is On Sale

Ripped from the pages of the record breaking Spawn Comic, comes the return of Medieval Spawn ready to destroy all forces of darkness. 

 McFarlane Toys founder and legendary artist Todd McFarlane and his award-winning McFarlane Toys design group, are excited to bring the comic hero, Medieval Spawn to life in this limited edition, highly detailed, hand-crafted cold-cast resin statue.

 This hand painted, stunningly detailed resin statue stands over 17 inches tall, showcasing Medieval Spawn in full glory after his triumph over The Violator. Designed by Todd McFarlane and his McFarlane Toys design group, the grandest Hellspawn of the past 20 years steps out of the Spawn comicbook in this spectacular resin statue.

 Each etched illustration on his armor references not only past issues of the Spawn comic book but gives a historical nod to the inaugural Spawn toy line from McFarlane Toys in 1994. 

•Limited edition, only 1,500 produced

•Individually and sequentially numbered

•Stands over 17 inches tall and comes with Helmeted Head and Sword.

•Cold-cast, hand painted resin statue

•Certificate of authenticity hand-signed by Todd McFarlane

•Certificate of authenticity highly decoration Marquee Display

•Alternate "Hamburger" Head

•Alternate Battle Axe Hand

As an added bonus, each statue includes a sculpted Certificate of Authenticity (COA) display that is individually and sequentially numbered (under the base.). Fans will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity hand-signed and numbered by Todd McFarlane himself. This statue is extremely limited, with only 1,500 painted statues and 50 artist proof statues being produced worldwide.

 This limited edition Medieval Spawn statue retails at $295.00 with FREE Shipping (U.S. 48 and Canada only; ground shipping) and is open for pre-orders now at McFarlaneToysStore.com. The statue is slated to start shipping around mid-December.  Customer's credit cards will not be charged until the order has shipped.

McFarlane Toys™ is giving fans a chance to win one of the sold-out Medieval Spawn Statue Artist Proof. Enter today at McFarlane.com , the contest ends Tuesday, November 24, 2015.   Stay tuned to www.McFarlane.com for more info on this statue, along with news on all the awesome upcoming McFarlane Toys products.

Unboxing November's ZBOX: Time Travel

When word got out that November's ZBOX was going to include an exclusive Funko POP! figure of Marty McFly on a hoverboard, fans went crazy. We already new that Loot Crate was giving us an exclusive figure in the form of Doc Brown, so getting my hands on a Marty was a must. ZBOX is the UK equivalent of Loot Crate here in the United States. There was no word on if/when/where the figure would be available in the states, so I obviously had to have one imported. Fans found out later, after many of us ordered from the UK, that fun.com would carry the POP! exclusively here in the U.S. The total, including international shipping for November's ZBOX, came to roughly $30.00.

The main item, Marty, came with a ZBOX exclusive sticker for all of you in-box/sticker collectors. The detail on the POP! figure  is amazing. Marty sports his futuristic Nike's and is standing on his hoverboard. The reason I ordered ZBOX was for the POP! figure, but it also came with some other cool time travel themed goodies. Next up was the monthly ZBOX Magazine and a Blink Time wrist watch; Looters on this side of the pond got the same watch earlier this year in black. Also included was a pair of Doctor Who TARDIS socks. I don't usually go in for these types of socks, but I'll definitely be sporting them because TARDIS. Last, but not least, we got the "Cosmonauts" graphic novel from Image Comics, "From the mischievous minds of Mark Millar and Sean Gordon Murphy." Overall, it was a solid box for the price. Would I continue getting it? If it wasn't so much extra for shipping, yes. As a one time deal, I'm totally happy with it.

Inside this month's box:

- ZBOX Exclusive Marty McFly Funko POP! Figure (Funko)
- Doctor Who Socks (BBC)
- Cosmonauts Graphic Novel (Image Comics)
- Blink Time Watch (50Fifty Gifts)

A peek under the lid

Doctor Who Socks and Blink Time Watch

ZBOX Magazine and Graphic Novel

Exclusive POP! Figure

'Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Dragons' Features Fiery Tales from Rising Stars

From Jim Henson’s classic television show to the comic series, The Storyteller and his faithful dog have delighted and thrilled us with myths, legends, and stories from all over the world. Last year, Archaia, an imprint of award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios, teamed up with The Jim Henson Company to explore four different stories about powerful witches, both good and evil, from a collection of talented writers and artists. This December, we curl up by the fire once again for the four-issue limited series Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons.

 

Dragons have taken on many shapes in different cultures, and each issue of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons will feature creators exploring these legendary creatures in their own unique styles. In the first issue, Fabian Rangel Jr. (Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard) and artist Daniel Bayliss (Translucid) bring us “Son of the Serpent,” inspired by Native American stories about the Horned Snake and the Thunderbird. Then newcomer Nathan Pride revisits the classic Celtic tale of the Lambton Worm, while Hannah Christenson (Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard) presents a gender-swapped retelling of the Russian folktale following a knight and her squire whom challenge the three-headed dragon, Tugarin. Finally, Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award-winner Jorge Corona (We Are Robin, Feathers) presents his take on the Japanese legend of a young girl facing the dragon Yofune Nushi.

“Giving up-and-coming creators a chance to shine is a big part of what makes The Storyteller comics so great,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “We want to celebrate storytelling with each issue and showcase the unique styles and perspectives that all of our creators bring to the series. The Storyteller remains one of the most exciting venues in comics to explore rich themes within self-contained stories.”

Incentive Cover by David Petersen

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons #1 arrives in comic shops from Archaia on December 2nd with a main cover by Daniel Bayliss for the price of $3.99. Also available in limited quantities is a Jackpot incentive cover by Cory Godbey (Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard), a 10 Years incentive cover by Kyla Vanderklugt (Toil and Trouble), and a retailer incentive cover by David Petersen (Mouse Guard). Subsequent issues will be released on a monthly basis thereafter.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Exclusives at Toys R Us

The Force is in full swing and my wallet is damn near empty because of it. Hundreds of Star Wars items have been released since Force Friday, and things don't seem to be slowing down! Every time I walk into a store, there seems to be more and more new merchandise to entice fans. In fact, and this 100% truthful, I'm typing this post while standing in a long line, waiting to buy a Star Wars hoodie and shirt. I'm the type to buy all the Star Wars things, and because I have no self-control, I may have to put myself on a budget.

It doesn't help that Toys R Us currently has the following awesome exclusives on their shelves. They taunt me every time I walk down the Star Wars aisle and so far I've resisted. I don't know how much longer I can hold out, though. I imagine once I see the movie, I'll want to get them all. Luckily, Christmas is coming up. Santa's going to be getting a pretty long list this year. Will you be adding any of these to your wish list?

Stormtrooper Interactive Figure

Star Wars Black Snowtrooper

TIE Fighter

Luke & Vader Lego Buildable Figures

Ollie Masters and Tyler Jenkins Uncover a Father's Secret in 'Snow Blind'

Family ties run deep, but sometimes family secrets run deeper still. In the tradition of unconventional crime thrillers like Criminal, Scalped, and 100 Bullets, acclaimed writer Ollie Masters (The Kitchen) and artist Tyler Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust) don’t pull any punches in Snow Blind, a new original mini-series from award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios that Warren Ellis calls, “An elevated crime story that feels like it should be the best indie movie of the year.”

 

High school teen Teddy has never seen eye-to-eye with his dad, but he never suspected that he might not be the man he thought he was. His life in a sleepy Alaskan suburb turns upside-down when he innocently posts a photo of his dad online that quickly goes viral, only to learn he and his family are in the Witness Protection Program. But what if his dad’s reasons for going into the program aren’t as innocent as he says?

 

“How much do you really know about the pasts of your parents?” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “In Snow Blind, Ollie and Tyler have crafted a tense, intimate mystery that plays with that very question. This suspenseful narrative, paired with beautiful hand-painted watercolors, make for a thrilling Alaskan crime story that’s one of the most unique titles we’ll publish this year.”

 

Snow Blind #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on December 9th with a main cover by series artist Tyler Jenkins for the price of $3.99. Also available in a limited quality is a 10 Years incentive cover by Felipe Smith (All-New Ghost Rider), and a retailer incentive cover by Matt Taylor (Wolf).

Funko 'Best of Anime' Prototype Figure

I'm a big fan of the anime Black Butler. The anime is about a boy who makes a deal with a demon in order to avenge his family's death. The demon takes the form of his butler and serves and protects him when needed. When Funko announced that they were producing a line of Mystery Mini's that included the two main characters, Ciel and Sebastian, they had my monies. 

Not really wanting the other characters and spending tons of money trying to acquire them, I resorted to eBay to pick up a Sebastian figure for $10.00. Then, Gemini Collectibles started selling prototypes for Mystery Mini's, which is something they hadn't done before. I held off picking any up because they ran $40.00-$50.00 with shipping, which is a bit rich for my blood for such a small figure. About two weeks later they had a sale on some of them and I quickly snatched up the Sebastian prototype for $24.00 total. It's my first proto, and hopefully not my last.

Unboxing October's Super Geek Box: Chaos

I had cancelled my subscription to Super Geek Box because I had too many boxes coming in every month and wanted to cut back. Super Geek Box was more hit and miss for me compared to the others that I was receiving, so that was the one that got dropped. When I got the e-mail touting a Funko item for the month of October, I decided to order it for one more month. October's theme was "Chaos" and included six items relating to it. Unfortunately, I received my box opened and missing two of the six items. Needless to say that I was disappointed. According to others on Facebook, mine wasn't the only one that was found tampered with.

The Funko item was one of three Nightmare Before Christmas Mopeez plush. I received the Oogie Boogie Mopeez. Next was a package of strawberry flavored Pop Rocks Candy and an exclusive "Dead Pixels" air freshener. The last item in the box was an exclusive "Fractured Funny Bone" T-Shirt featuring the Joker, Batman and Robin. The two items that were supposed to be included were two more exclusives- a "Villainous Cloak of Chaos" and "Zombie Shredder 5000." I have an e-mail in to Super Geek Box and hopefully they'll send my missing items.

Inside this month's box:

- Pop Rocks Candy
- Exclusive Villainous Cloak of Chaos (Super Geek Box)
- Exclusive Zombie Shredder 5000 (Super Geek Box)
- Oogie Boogie Mopeez (Funko)
- Fractured Funny Bone T-Shirt (Super Geek Box)
- Dead Pixels Air Freshener (Super Geek Box)

Opened box with missing items. Not cool.

The missing items

The Wattersons Get Medieval in the First 'Amazing World of Gumball' Original Graphic Novel, 'Fairy Tale Trouble'

Hear ye, hear ye! The town of Elmore has always been home to wacky adventures, but this November, things get downright magical in The Amazing World of Gumball: Fairy Tale Trouble, the very first original graphic novel about Gumball and his pals coming from KaBOOM!, the award-winning all-ages imprint of publisher BOOM! Studios, and Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing and merchandising arm of the network. The creative team of Megan Brennan (Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz) and Katy Farina (Adventure Time) dive into the mixed-media world of The Amazing World of Gumball for this full-length story starring Gumball, Darwin, and Anais, with a back-up story by Jeremy Lawson (Prez).

 

“We’ve had such a great time with the Wattersons in comics, and now we’re very excited to present the first original graphic novel for The Amazing World of Gumball,” said BOOM! Studios President of Publishing and Marketing Filip Sablik. “Gumball has always had a penchant for getting into mischief, and Megan and Katy are the perfect team to capture that with a dash of magic.”

 

It’s a beautiful day for a Renaissance Faire, and the Watterson family is having a blast taking in ye olde fun and games...until a magician’s illusion turns into a real spell, and all of Elmore is cast into a fairy-tale world of quests, danger, and magical adventures! Can Wizard Darwin, Knight Anais, and Jester Gumball save Richard from his everlasting, turkey-leg-induced sleep, or will the citizens of Elmore remain trapped in the Middle Ages forever?

 

Created by Ben Bocquelet and produced by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe, The Amazing World of Gumball has received high critical praise since its debut in 2011, having won several British Academy Children’s Awards and earning nominations in the Annie Awards.

 

The Amazing World of Gumball: Fairy Tale Trouble original graphic novel (6" x 9", 160 pages, full color, softcover) arrives in comic shops on November 25th and in bookstores December 1st with a cover by Katy Farina for the price of $14.99.

Unboxing October's Marvel Collector Corps: Villains

Marvel Collector Corps spotlights the villains of the Marvel Universe in October's box. Being the month of October, it seems like the perfect time to do it. For those that don't know, the Marvel Collector Corps subscription service focuses on a theme for each box they release. Past boxes have been Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and Secret Wars. Each box comes with exclusive collectibles, including an iron-on patch, a pin, T-Shirt, a Funko POP! figure, a variant cover comic, and one or two other collectibles which has been different with each box. All for roughly $31.00 (shipping included).

This month's box included all of the regular items and added a Dorbz figure and a mini POP! keychain.The Dorbz figure was Loki and the keychain, which was my favorite item, was Venom. Next were the pin and patch, those featured Green Goblin and Red Skull and both were pretty awesome. The variant comic was for Invincible Iron Man #1. When it came to the T-Shirt, I loved it! The only problem was, Funko shirts tend to run on the bigger side, so the large that I ordered fits more like an X-large. Normally, I would just change my order to a medium, but different companies have made the shirts in their boxes. Unfortunately, this  means at one point I'll end up with a medium that will be too tight.

Finally, the item most of us order the box for, came the POP! figure. A lot of ire on social media has been made over this figure. It's mostly due to the fact that for one, people are unfamiliar with the character. The other reason is that we've been totally spoiled by Funko/Marvel. The first box shipped with a hefty 6" Hulkbuster POP!, while the second came with an Unmasked Ant-Man, and the last box gave us two POP! figures in Miles Morales' Spider-Man and Jane Thor. This box's exclusive POP! was Morbius the Living Vampire, which came in one of two versions- regular and zombie. I received the regular version of the character and personally, I totally dug it.

Inside this month's MCC box:

- Funko Dorbz Loki
- Funko POP! Venom Keychain
- Red Skull iron-on patch
- Green Goblin pin
- Villains T-Shirt
- Invincible Iron Man #1 variant comic
- Morbius Funko POP! Figure

Worth every penny.

A look at the two different figures.