With the amount of high quality geekery toys in this TeeFury grab bag of sorts, Nerd Block is the Cracker Jack box prize of the 21st century.
The concept of Nerd Block is simple: Pay $20 a month, and get sent multiple figurines, a graphic tee, and a trading card folio pack.
In a cheeky instructional video, Nerd Block talks the wonders of receiving mail in the 21st century.
Most of products we were sent to review stood higher than our expectations. What follows is an in-depth look at each product (click each image for a closer look).
‘Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag’ Edward Kenway McFarlane Toys figurine
Right off the bat, this McFarlane Toys vinyl figure impresses in its details.
Edward is able to stand up on his own, with some fandangling on the foot and leg joints.
He’s fully poseable, and comes with two swords, mini hidden blades, and full-length hidden blades.
His hand sockets are a little tight, but a good push sets his swords in, while his hidden blades simply click into holes in the forearm.
The level of care taken to make sure that every stitch is molded the right way is amazing.
His belts, pockets, and robe all move, and were given extreme care. All of the materials look weathered and worn in all the right places.
His eyes have an omniscient, life-like quality. The way his hood half covers his face gives off them impression that he’s in the middle of stalking his prey.
Each figurine in the Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag set also comes with a neat weapon unlockable code for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game.
Product review: 9.5/10
Darth Vader ‘Join Me’ cotton t-shirt
A parody on the OBEY Clothing brand, this Star Wars t-shirt is a must-have for any Jedi. The Gildan heavy cotton pre-washed black shirt is comfy and as beefy as “heavy cotton” implies.
The graphic seems to be able to stand quite a few washes, in that it doesn’t seem as fragile as the ones TeeFury prints onto.
Product review: 10/10
’The Simpsons’ NECA Tom Hanks figure
The “greatest guest stars” series one The Simpsons figures feature fun characters such as Hugh Hefner and Kid Rock. Unfortunately, the molding and coloring on the Tom Hanks figure based on his The Simpsons Movie appearance disappoint.
Nearly all that can be wrong with a figure is with Tom Hanks. His hairline has yellow areas intermediately, and his hand has an odd greenish-blue tone. His raised right arm looks poseable, but is actually a gap in the product.
Random bumps and disfigurements litter the Castaway’s The Simpons Movie figurine. The only basic thing done right on Tom is his ability to fit in his stand nicely.
Thankfully, this was the only product of such low quality in the pack.
Product review: 4/10
‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D’ young Princess Zelda TOMY figure
While its hard to be harsh on any figure that comes in a coin machine plastic ball, this young Ocarina 3D Zelda has some painting mishaps that prevent her from truly reaching legendary status.
Zelda’s pose is wonderfully dramatic, adding a fantastic life-like feel to the mini figurine. Her expression matches the drama of a great moment frozen in time.
Zelda’s flaws come from “fuzzy” paintmanship. Her pupils are vague blobs in her eyes, and the coloring on her dress adornations fade in and out of their lines.
Zelda fits perfectly on her stand, which has a nifty little logo sticker on the front.
Product review: 8/10
’Star Trek’ Klingon Skeletreks NECA figure
The last figurine in the package is made much better than its sister The Simpons standee. With an effectively cute chibi art style and clean lines, this early Star Trek Klingon knocks it out of the park.
As simple as this Klingon is, it does everything fantastically. Not a single painted line or molding is out of place, perhaps benefitted from its round, cutesy design.
He stands fairly short, but makes up for what he lacks in height in eye appeal.
Product review: 10/10
’Wacky Packages’ series 7 Topps stickers
Any fan of the grotesque Garbage Pail Kids trading cards of yesteryear will find themselves pleasantly surprised at the creativity of Topps’ Wacky Packages series.
The pack comes with a total of eight double-sided sticker-cards, which includes two infomercial parody cards and a holo.
The parodied brands are immediately recognizable, but not to the point of TM dilution.
With a smart use of fonts, colors, and graphic placement, Topps has created a card series sure to entertain any 10-year-old.
The jokes on the stickers almost always rely upon bathroom humor. Depending on your maturity level, you may or may not find Topps wisecracks entertaining.
While definitely designed for a younger crowd, Wacky Packages get brownie points for creative illustrations and graphic placement.
Product review: 9/10
Package review
With minimal disappointments, the March edition of the Nerd Block will have you running for your mailbox every afternoon all over again.
If you’re looking for a unique gift for anyone under the age of 16, you’d be hard pressed to find a better overall package than the Nerd Block.
Package score: 8.5/10
For more information about Nerd Block, check out the company’s official website.
Subscription basics:
-$20 per month subscription
-Ships out the 15th of each month
-Comes with four figurines, one t-shirt, and one trading card pack
-$9.50 standard shipping to anywhere in the U.S. (company is based in Canada, but still, ouch)
-Recommended for ages 12-16
-Hot competitor is the less expensive Loot Crate
-Child’s version “Nerd Block Jr.” suggested for ages 11-16 (available for both boys and girls)