Marvel Collector Corps Unboxing: Spider-Man

This month's Marvel Collector Corps featured my favorite character, Spider-Man! When it was announced that everyone's favorite wall-crawler would be the subject of his very own MCC box, I could not wait! My earliest memories of reading comics involve Spider-Man going toe-to-toe with The Vulture. I've been waiting for this box ever since they started the Marvel Collector Corps. I tried my hardest to avoid all spoilers because I wanted to be surprised; unfortunately I couldn't. Despite that, it didn't kill the excitement of opening the box when it arrived at my door.

The first items in the box were an awesome Spider-Man pin and patch. I'm a big fan of the MCC pins and patches, but over a year in and I still have no idea how to best display them. Next was a copy of 'The Amazing Spider-Man' #16. This issue has an exclusive Collector Corps variant cover featuring a Funko-style version of Spider-Man.

Instead of a T-shirt this month we got a new item, a Marvel POP! Tops hat! This one features Spidey with a POP! logo on one side and a spider symbol on the back. The bottom of the bill is plastered with the Marvel and Funko POP! logo's. The colors they chose (grey and blue) were perfect, ensuring the hat will pretty much go with anything you wear. According to Funko, Marvel POP! Tops will only be available through Marvel Collector Corps.

Personally, because I wear hats on a regular basis, I LOVED it. I know there have been a lot of complaints online from fans who are saying that they'd rather have a shirt. Every time a box comes out there is some sort of complaint over what's inside. But honestly, where else can you get all of this cool exclusive stuff for $30? You can't walk into a store and score a deal like this anywhere. Don't like something? Give it to someone who does. Most people ordering are just after the POP! figure anyway.

This month's box was BIG because it needed to accommodate the next item inside; a Spider-Man Fabrikation plush! Apparently they saved this Fabrikation from their original line because they "thought it would be the perfect addition to this box!" They had to "reconfigure the size of the box several times" to get this bad boy to fit inside. I don't necessarily dislike the line, but I didn't own any of them until this box. Mainly because they take up a lot of space. But if Spider-Man were released in stores I'd definite have one, so getting him here was a score for me.

Finally, we get to the POP! figure. I was hoping they'd do something really cool and give us a Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy two-pack. But that's my wishful thinking. What we got was a leaping Spider-Man. Funko has been giving us a lot of POP! figures in action poses, so a Spidey one is a no-brainer. I love it, though I do wish that we could've gotten a Spidey swinging from his web instead. Still, it was an awesome figure, so I'm not going to complain!

Inside this month's box:

-Spider-Man Patch
-Spider-Man Pin
-Spider-Man Fabrikation
-The Amazing Spider-Man #16 Variant Comic
-Spider-Man #160 POP! Figure
-Spider-Man POP! Top Hat

Mouse Guard Movie in the Works

A movie based on David Petersen's long-running Archaia fantasy series, Mouse Guard, is in the works! The film will be written by Gary Whitta, the screenwriter of December's hotly anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and produced by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Cloverfield director Matt Reeves along with BOOM! Studios' Ross Richie and Stephen Christy.

Launched in 2005, Mouse Guard is the epic series created, written, and illustrated by David Petersen about an elite group of warrior mice who are sworn to protect mousekind from their enemies and to help keep order within the mice territories. The series has sold almost a million copies combined and has been translated into 10 languages. Publications include Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, and three volumes of Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, in which a host of writers and artists contribute Mouse Gaurd short stories. Recent releases include The Art of Mouse Guard: 2005 - 2015 and Mouse Guard: Art of Bricks, with the Mouse Guard Coloring Book coming in October, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Vols. 1-3 Box Set coming in November, and Mouse Guard: The Weasel War of 1149 expected in 2017.

Unboxing August's Loot Crate and Loot Wear: Anti-Hero

I've been getting Loot Crate for over three years now, and I'm a huge fan of this particular subscription box. I love it so much that I decided to also give their Loot Wear a shot this month. When I say that I think that this was the best crate ever, that's no small compliment. When the theme, 'Anti-Hero,' was announced along with the franchises that would be included, I had a feeling that we'd see some awesome swag. This month's theme was timed to coincide with the theatrical release of DC/Warner Bros. Suicide Squad. The franchises included were World of Warcraft, Hellboy, Kill Bill, Harley Quinn, and Archer.

This month's box came with some of the coolest items ever included! The first was an exclusive 2016 election-themed Archer T-shirt. My one and only issue with the shirt is that I wish that it came in white, making the tee red, white, and blue. Next up was an exclusive pair of Kill Bill socks! Yes, they're a bit silly, but guess who's going to have just a bit more swagger in their step wearing these?

Hellboy's "Right Hand of Doom" ceramic bank was the next item in the crate. This thing is just flat out awesome! It may not be a big bank, but I'll definitely be saving my pennies in this. Loot Crate Magazine also included a recipe for "Hellboy's Hot Wings & Anti-Potato Salad."

This month's World of Warcraft Loot Pin also came with an awesome DLC package! Included in the bundle were all six expansions (World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, and Warlords of Draenor). Also part of the package was an 30-day subscription/game time for new WoW accounts.

Finally, my favorite item in the box, an exclusive Harley Quinn Q-Fig figure from Quantum Mechanix. Loot Crate has given out several of these in previous boxes (Deadpool, Aquaman, Hulk, and Batman), but this is by far my favorite. Harley with her hammer and one of her pet hyenas is just adorable! Also in this month's Loot Crate magazine was a preview of Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 featuring Harley and the rest of the Suicide Squad. And in keeping with the Harley theme, this month's crate transforms into Harley's Hammer! All in all, a solid "A+" crate in my book.

There are several options you can choose from Loot Wear. There's Loot Socks, Loot Tees, Loot Wearables (Men's or Women's), and Loot for Her. I went with the Loot Wearables for her, knowing it was going to be a Harley Quinn item. This month's wearable was an exclusive Harley skirt from Bioworld. Definitely worth the purchase price, I'd possibly be interested in trying the guys' version next month.

Inside this month's box:

-Exclusive Archer T-Shirt (Ripple Junction)
-Exclusive Kill Bill Socks (Loot Crate Labs)
-Exclusive Hellboy Coin Bank (Zak Designs)
-World of Warcraft Loot Pin/DLC (Loot Crate Labs)
-Exclusive Harley Quinn Q-Fig (QMx)

This month's Wearable:

-Exclusive Harley Quinn Skirt (Bioworld)

BOOM! Studios Returns to Baltimore Comic-Con!

Award-winning comic book publisher BOOM! Studios is excited to announce it will exhibit at the 2016 Baltimore Comic-Con, which will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland, during the weekend of September 2-4.

BOOM! can be found at booth number 2001 and will host writers and artists Cory Godbey (Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Tales), James Asmus (Kong of Skull Island), Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Hope Larson (Goldie Vance) and Matthew Daley (Lantern City) all weekend.

The publisher will have two convention exclusives available for purchase at its booth: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #6 and Kong of Skull Island #1. Both covers are illustrated by Dominike “Domo” Stanton, who is a guest of Baltimore Comic-Con.

In addition, the convention will have two BOOM! Studios exclusives available for sale at its merchandise booth: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Special with a cover by Eric Powell, and Skybourne #1 by Frank Cho. Both artists are also guests of the convention.

Other BOOM! Studios creators also appearing at Baltimore Comic-Con include Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Veronica Fish (the upcoming SLAM!), JG Jones (Strange Fruit), Paul Jenkins (Fiction Squad), Justin Jordan (Sombra, John Flood), Jerry Gaylord (Bill & Ted’s Most Triumphant Return, Fanboys Vs. Zombies), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Matthew Dow Smith (Last Sons of America), Charles Soule (Strange Attractors), Brian Stelfreeze (Day Men), James Tynion IV (The Backstagers, The Woods), and Mark Waid (Irredeemable).

BOOM! will also host the following panels at Baltimore Comic-Con:

BOOM! Studios: Discover New Worlds

Saturday, 9/3/16, 2:45-3:45pm, Room 343-344

Love reading compelling, forward-thinking comics? Interested in finding out how multiple-award-winning top 10 publisher, BOOM! Studios, has spent over a decade committed to telling great stories and nurturing talent? Moderator Filip Sablik (BOOM! President of Publishing & Marketing) discusses with creators Hope Larson (Goldie Vance), Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Warlords of Appalachia), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), James Asmus (Kong of Skull Island), and Frank Cho (Skybourne) how they explore the ever-changing comics landscape, their newest stories, and the types of projects needed in the industry.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: It’s Morphin Time!

Sunday, 9/4/16, 1:30-2:30pm, Room 343-344

In January, BOOM! Studios launched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a new comic book series based on Saban Brands’ hit ’90s live-action children’s TV series about a group of ordinary teenagers who “morphed” into superheroes to save the world from evil. Join Moderator Filip Sablik (BOOM! President of Publishing & Marketing), cover artist Goñi Montes, and Editor Dafna Pleban as they talk about the series, the spinoff Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Annual, and the everlasting popularity of these “teenagers with attitude.”

BOOM! Studios and its creators are nominated for 19 Harvey Awards, whose winners will be announced during a ceremony and banquet held during Baltimore Comic-Con on Saturday evening, September 3rd.

For tickets and more information on Baltimore Comic-Con, visit their site at baltimorecomiccon.com.

Custom Target Bullseye Funko POP! Figure

I love making Funko POP! customs. It's my jam. I may not be as creative as others, but I love to have fun with it. As soon as I got a hold of one of the Target exclusive Bullseye dogs, I knew what I had to do.

I have a bunch of spare parts and extra Pop figures hanging around just in case I get an idea like this. If someone that didn't know me saw my box of parts, they'd probably be terrified to see all of the heads and bodies that I have. I had purchased a bunch of 21 Jump Street figures on clearance at Toys R Us because I love to use the bodies for fun customs like this one (and at $3.00 each, I couldn't pass them up!).

After removing the heads of both Pop figures I simply painted the white suit red and the hands white. Then I added Bullseye's head to the body and BLAM! a custom of Target's mascot turned into the cold-blooded assassin known as "Bullseye." His true origin unknown, Bullseye recently joined the Suicide Squad, taking the place of Deadshot after he was sent back to Belle Reve.

Mondo Inside Out Posters Now Available

Mondo has partnered with Cyclops Print Works to offer the remaining stock of limited edition Inside Out posters by Phantom City Creative that were available at last month's SDCC. The posters are based on the cover artwork for Mondo's 7" single series. There are five in all: Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness, and Joy. Each poster has an edition size of 420 and are priced at $45.00 You can get your posters here and 7" singles here.

Funko Figure Display Cases

For the most part, my collection of Funko figures stay in their cases. But there are some that NEED to be freed from their cardboard confines. For those, and for my collection of custom figures, I like to display them in cases. Since my space is limited, I prefer display cases that can hang on the wall.

For my custom POP! figures, I like to use baseball bat cases. These cases are available in-store and online at Michael's. Each case can hold up to 13 POP! figures inside and even more on top. I like to display some of my in-box ones on top of the case. The cases can run a pretty penny at $59.99 each, but with sales and coupon stacking, I've been able to pick them up for as little as $24.99.

I also collect Funko Dorbz and Mystery Minis. I've found the best way to display these is in shot glass cases. Each case can hold 28 figures inside and, like the bat cases, you can display even more on top. The shot glass cases are the same price as the bat cases, but can also be purchased at a more reasonable price if you keep an eye out for sales and coupons.