Three subscription review posts in a row? I know, I know. Despite my recent content- I assure you all that Legally Redhead is not being changed into “What’s in Ashley’s Mailbox Today?,” and I promise I’ll feature different posts within the coming days (apart from what’s been arriving in the post-) but most of you know that Loot Crate is the box I simply love receiving the most! So much that I wanted to share September’s box, with a “GALACTIC” theme- before I head off on an Autumn adventure this crisp, chilly afternoon!

I always start off with the usual items I receive every month- the mini-magazine and collector’s pin. September’s issue, featuring a breakdown of all the stuff in the box, games, and puzzles- also included a fun little article for ‘Firefly’ fans (I’ll get to that in a minute,) that breaks down the best character items from the show- and an interview with Julian Higgins- the director and mastermind behind Loot Crate’s fun, creative theme videos.

I was also happy to find a blast-from-my-past in the form of a packet of Pop Rocks in September’s box- which were promptly ripped open and devoured as soon as I finished taking the photo above. The only flavor that is even worth paying attention to is green apple (same thing applies to Jolly Ranchers hard candies- end of discussion,) so a good thing was made even better.

Okay, so I’m just going to go ahead and revoke my own “geek” card by fully admitting that I’ve never watched ‘Firefly’ before (I think I can hear some of my friends reading this blog actually screaming and recoiling in horror right now.) Somewhere among Joss Whedon’s infinite other projects- this one-season wonder simply slipped by me. It’s a shame, too- because I do love me some Nathan Fillion. Regardless, this stack of bank robbery money, inspired by the show- will be gifted to someone who will fully appreciate it, as it’s completely lost on me.

What isn’t lost on me is this month’s Bonus Digital Loot- codes to get a look at Dark Horse Comics’ “Halo Escalation” series. My love of Halo has transcended from my days many, many years ago- spending hours upon hours mercilessly destroying my ex-boyfriend on his XBox while he fought, in vain- to beat in me “Halo 2.” Needless to say, I’m excited to read these comics and take those days of glory to a whole new level.

And although I can never have enough magnets in my place- I think I’ll be gifting this Star Wars Retro Arcade one to a friend who will undoubtedly enjoy the throwback to simpler times and even simpler video game graphics. Oh, Intellivision, how I miss you.

I actually cackled when I unfolded this 9 x 27″ poster that had been carefully placed in the bottom of my Loot Crate. Although I would love to keep this poster of one of Star Wars’ most iconic images/scenes someplace where company can get a good look at it (my bathroom, for instance-) I think I’ll be gifting this to one of my friends who is a huge Han Solo fan. I’m not sure if giving this photo to them could technically be considered cruel or not, since it does capture Han in quite the predicament- but I’m sure they’ll find a place for it!

Before Hollywood had them showing up in countless sequels or battling Predator for some inexplicable reason- there was simply ‘Alien,’ and it was terrifying. Try to recall when and where you were the first time you ever saw the infamous “chest-burst” scene and then think about how your face probably looked immediately following it. Awesome, right? Of course it was! September’s Loot Crate featured this classic style ‘Alien’ action figure- which will find a happy home among my other collectibles I refuse to take out of their boxes.

Oh, Funko- you’ve gone and done it again and you’ve given me an adorable figurine of Nathan Fillion’s character, Captain Malcolm Reynolds, from ‘Firefly.’ The hair! The coat! The gun! It’s just all so perfect. Unfortunately, since I’m now an admitted non-watcher of the show- I’ll be gifting this along with the bank robbery money pictured earlier in this post!

Lastly, and maybe one of my favorite items in September’s box- OH MY GOD I GOT A TRIBBLE! It’s so cute, and furry, and isn’t multiplying all over the place! It’s just a fun little ball of hair that sits comfortably in the palm of my hand and can be displayed in it’s adorable “Please Do Not Feed” carrying container.

Once again, I had so much fun unboxing and playing with September’s Loot Crate. “GALACTIC” is a hell of a theme to take on- but I think they tackled it brilliantly! Now with October approaching, as well as Halloween- I’m hoping we get a horror-themed box chock-full of bloody, gory, terrifying goodness!

While July’s Loot Crate was all about giving some beloved baddies their due credit with the “Villains” box, August was all about celebrating the good guys. “Heroes,” the theme for August- arrived at my door a few days ago- and although “Villains” still remains one of the most fun Loot Crates I’ve received to date, this month’s collection of items didn’t disappoint. I was thrilled with every single thing I received- and the stuff that I gift will be appreciated and adored, too!

Let’s get right to it!

First up, the usual items: my monthly collector’s pin and the mini-magazine included in every crate. This month’s issue featured the usual games and puzzles- as well as a brief summary of the origins of some of the comic world’s most iconic good guys- including Superman, Batman, The Ghostbusters- and my favorite- Rick Grimes. There was also a fun write-up about the history of heroes: how they’ve evolved and how they’re defined today.

When it comes to my car, I do my best to keep it as clean and as neat as possible- because my friends are always in it and I don’t want them to be uncomfortable or grossed out while we drive. For that reason, I almost always have a lightly scented air freshener hanging from my rear view mirror or tucked away in the side compartment next to my seat. I am loving this Proto-Man air freshener, which smells delicious to the point of making me hungry- and it’s replacing my long-since-faded “Clean Cotton” air freshener this weekend when I go to pick up my mom and cousin for a day out.

In July’s Loot Crate, I had received a pair of cozy Deadpool socks. The most fun of anti-heroes, I was glad he made a reappearance in this month’s box, too- this time in the form of a fun little “Chimichang’Os Cereal” magnet that will find it’s way onto my refrigerator sooner rather than later.

I was floored when I saw these “The Flash” inspired shoe accessories in August’s Loot Crate. I’ve owned the same pair of black Chuck Taylor high tops since high school, and although they are far from being in mint condition like they were when I bought them- they’ve still held up nicely. I think these bolts will liven them up a little- although I’ve been tempted to lace these onto my combat boots, too- once the Fall is here!

When I was a kid, I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles FANATIC. The cartoon? The 1990 movie? Figurines, clothes, stickers, a cassette of Vanilla Ice’s “Ninja Rap”- you name it- and I owned it. My love of all things pizza-eating sewer dwellers has seemingly been passed on to my five-year-old niece, who might be a bigger fan now than I ever was back then. She’s obsessed- so when I saw these cute sunglasses that look like Michelangelo’s mask, and this Donatello figurine- I knew exactly who I was going to give them to.

Also: I’m just glad I didn’t get anything inspired by Michael Bay’s version of TMNT.

I had heard there was going to be an exclusive Funko figurine in August’s Loot Crate, and was trying to guess which hero it could have possibly been. My heart melted when I opened the box and saw this adorable, glow-in-the-dark Groot figurine staring back at me. He’s currently sitting in between my Alcide figure I picked up at San Diego Comic-Con, and one of many Daryl Dixons (specifically: the season two figure with the arrow through his side.)

WAY too cute!

Lastly, August’s Loot Crate came with a card for “Bonus Digital Loot,” too. This card had codes on the back of it that can be used for a couple of different games to try. I plan on giving “Defense Grid: The Awakening” a go this weekend when I have some down time.

Overall, August’s Loot Crate was a blast. I’m 99.9999% sure I say it every month, but I have so much fun opening this subscription service. There’s always just a great assortment of items and I never know exactly what I’m going to receive.

Also- much like July- the box itself was specially decorated, too. Villains can’t have all the fun, after all. Check out this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles design!

One of my favorite things about Loot Crate are the themes. Instead of just throwing together an assortment of random items, clothing, or collectibles with no rhyme or reason- LC carefully curates each month’s box around the given theme, be it movies, cartoons, a new video game release, etc. I may not always be “into” every single item I receive (looking at you, MineCraft stuff!) but gifting them to friends is fun, and overall I enjoy opening each month’s Loot Crate very much. It has quickly become one of my favorite subscription boxes.

When I heard that July’s theme was “Villains,” I knew I was in for a treat. Ever a fan of the bad guys in movies, games, and comic books- and having whispered “Hail Hydra” in friends’ ears on more than one occasion- I couldn’t wait to receive mine. Sure enough, Loot Crate didn’t disappoint- and made July’s crate hands down one of my all-time favorites so far.

First and foremost, can we just appreciate how great the Joker-ized interior of the box is? Very, very clever.

But the fun didn’t end there!

With my monthly collector’s pin and magazine, which included the usual games and puzzles, featured an interview with Marvel artist Skottie Young, and a breakdown of the five top video game villains (I’m glad my boy Albert Wesker made the list!) I also received this 3×3 Bowser magnet, which is currently holding my San Diego Comic-Con itinerary in place on my refrigerator until I depart on Tuesday morning.

I was beyond giddy when I saw this awesome Darth Vader key chain in July’s crate. I had mentioned in a past entry that I have a habit of collecting key chains from different places/events I go, and am constantly rotating them in and out of my everyday set of keys. I’ve already attached this one to my main key ring- and I have a feeling it’s going to stay there for a while.

I’m going to be popping in this DVD at some point within the next couple of days (possibly on my flight to California) as the content promises to be interesting. Narrated by Christopher Lee, this documentary delves into the history and creation of the villains in the DC Comic Universe. I’m hoping my favorite, Poison Ivy, makes an appearance.

Okay, so I am so. so. SO. excited for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie that it’s not even funny. The entire premise is just so campy and fun. A walking, talking, giant tree man? A crude raccoon that can shoot a machine gun? Michael Rooker in blue body paint? I’m in. I’m so in. This perfectly packaged copy of Rocket Raccoon #1, with art by the aforementioned Skottie Young, will be read in no time at all.

And what better way to relax and read some comic books than to throw my feet up while wearing these socks featuring the likeness of one of my favorite anti-heroes? I love Deadpool, and I’m glad the character made an appearance in this month’s Loot Crate. My feet are going to look so cool.

My love of Poison Ivy is only matched by my love of her BFF, Harley Quinn. With Harley comes the Joker, and together- the two make one of the most interesting, diabolical, insane(ly fun) pairs in comic book history. These posters are beautifully (and kind of creepily in the best way possible) illustrated, and are the perfect size where I’m sure I can find a spot to display them proudly.

Lastly, I am loving this Joker/Loki mash-up shirt designed by Zack Finfrock exclusively for Loot Crate. The fabric is soft and the shirt fits nice and loose on me, making this my new go-to when I’m out running errands and want to be comfortable (but still appear dastardly.)

I cannot say enough good things about July’s Loot Crate. It was a blast to open, I loved everything I received- and the features in the enclosed magazine were a lot of fun. I wish every month could have a “Villains” theme, but even though I know that’s not likely- I would like to see it make an appearance again at some point in the future!

Growing up, I was the only girl in a neighborhood filled with boys, and as a result- many rainy days during my childhood were spent indoors with my guy friends rigging up stunt tracks for Hot Wheels cars, playing with G.I. Joe’s- or running around with Transformers figurines. While the boys almost always had a disagreement over who got to play as Optimus Prime, I relished in stomping all over their figurines (and hopes and dreams) as Megatron. Much like my enthusiasm for all things HYDRA in the Marvel Universe, I’ve rooted for the bad guys, the Decepticons, from the get-go.

With another (and unnecessary) Michael Bay ‘Transformers’ sequel set to be released in a few days, June’s Loot Crate “rolled out” with the theme “Transform!” which was actually a nice shot of nostalgia.

With my monthly collector’s pin, I also received a few Warheads candies (I haven’t had those in ages!) and a print of the monthly Loot Crate Magazine, which had been digital last month. Inside this month’s edition were games and comics- as well as an article detailing the creation of, and the rise of popularity, of the ‘Transformers’ toys, cartoons, and movies. There was also a Q&A with Jonathan Cathey of The Loyal Subjects, who make some of the coolest, cutest collectibles around.

A Loot Crate just wouldn’t be a Loot Crate without some stickers included. I received a sheet of these logos detailing different teams involved in the MLG (Major League Gaming,) as well as the Autobot insignia. I might be a Decepticon girl at heart, but the insignia is pretty cool and will act as a nice replacement to my Star Trek Communicator Badge sticker, which has long since faded and fallen off of the back of my trunk.

Speaking of the MLG, this wrist-band came in June’s Loot Crate (as well as a gift certificate to gain a month’s worth of premium access to their official site,) which I may or may not wear when I sit down to catch up on the agony and heartache that is Telltale’s “Walking Dead” game. The fabric of this wristband will do nicely when I have to wipe away my tears.

I also received this Bumblebee HexBug Transformers toy, which can apparently be flipped up into a little fighting bot. This might go to my brother, who although is a few years older than me- was also a big ‘Transformers’ fan when he was a kid and will undoubtedly get a kick out of it.

Although I’ll be passing Bumblebee along, I’m keeping this adorable Soundwave figurine from The Loyal Subjects for myself. You have to love a Transformer that is so out of date considering 90% of kids nowadays don’t even know what a cassette player does, let alone looks like. Poor little Soundwave. If only you could transform into an iPhone.

Lastly, I cracked up at this great “Transformers/Back to the Future” mash-up shirt- which I’ll be wearing when I lounge around my place or at night to sleep in since it’s a tad too big on me. The design is brilliant.

Thanks for another great box, Loot Crate! It hasn’t- and probably will never- encourage me to watch Mark Wahlberg struggle to act his way through “Age of Extinction,” but it was fun nonetheless!

May’s Loot Crate, after a minor delay, arrived yesterday afternoon, where it was feverishly opened before I even glanced at the rest of my mail. This month’s box, themed “Adventure,” a collaboration with various creative curators and gamers- might be one of my favorite crates to date. Oh, that rhymed. Look at that.

Instead of mailing out the traditional mini-magazine included in each box, Loot Crate opted to publish the pamphlet electronically, e-mailing it to subscribers days before their boxes arrived. In it was a a spotlight of some of the curators involved in this month’s box, as well as a brief history of the “Minecraft” phenomenon, a Q&A with the author of the “Peter’s Panels” web comic, and a nice nostalgic write-up about what makes “The Legend of Zelda” a timeless classic.

Of course, I received my “Adventure” themed monthly collector’s pin- but I also received this ‘Legend of Zelda’ inspired bottle opener key chain. My BFF4EVA, Sean, is one of the biggest ‘Legend of Zelda’ fans I know, and I’m having a crisis while I decide whether or not to give this to him as a gift- or keep it for myself because it’s just so damned adorable.

May’s crate included a soundtrack from the YouTube series, ‘The Friend Zone,’ which I’ve never watched but plan on checking out. Described as a “YouTube show centered around a bunch of friends and awesome guests talking about things going on today in geek culture,” the CD is apparently a collection of music from the show.

I also received two temporary tattoos inspired by YouTuber Markiplier, whose game-playing videos ALWAYS make me laugh- and while people outside the gaming/”Let’s Play” community may not recognize the pink mustache and glasses- these are actually really cute out of context and something I’d wear for fun.

In May’s crate, I definitely got my share of stickers, these two sheets featuring logos for the curators involved in putting together this month’s box. I’ll be giving these to my niece, who may not be old enough yet to understand YouTube- but definitely understands stickers and will surely find a place for these.

I don’t play ‘Minecraft.’ The temptation has been great, especially since a lot of my friends love it so much, but I haven’t given in (yet.) I received this cute, blocky hanging cow figurine in May’s crate, which will find a home with one of my aforementioned friends who collects little ‘Minecraft’ themed things like this.

I absolutely LOVE Funko figurines, and I fully admit I actually squealed a little when I saw this Adventure Time/Ice King tin in May’s box (with a little Gunter inside!) This is something I’m shamelessly keeping for myself, because I have about 10,000 uses for the tin, and the Gunter figurine will look rather cute alongside my collection of ‘Walking Dead’ and ‘Winter Soldier’ Funko dolls I’ve been accumulating around my place.

And lastly, my favorite part of May’s Loot Crate: this exclusive typography-built Link t-shirt designed by Zen Monkey Studios! While I’m on the fence about handing over my ‘Legend of Zelda’ bottle opener to Sean- this shirt is absolutely and 100% mine (I’m wearing it right now!) It’s soft, comfortable, and fits perfectly. I love it!

I had so, so much fun un-boxing May’s crate, and I’m anxiously waiting for the announcement of June’s theme!

I have so much fun with Loot Crate. Subscribers learn the coming month’s theme fairly early on via e-mail announcements, but there’s rarely sneak peeks or spoilers- so you never know what you’re going to get until it arrives in the mail. It’s always a surprise.

April’s theme was “Dragon,” and while I suspected there would be something ‘Game of Thrones’ related inside (it just goes without saying-) I had no idea what else I’d receive, and couldn’t wait to tear the box open when I came home from work yesterday and saw it sitting at my door. This month’s mini-magazine featured a brief history of the folklore of dragons- from the Middle Ages to more modern interpretations in video games, television shows, and movies. The mini-mag also included a Q&A with YouTube’s Panser, and a review of Elder Scrolls Online.

With my mini-magazine and my monthly collector’s pin, I also received two 20-sided die- one, an actual “Dungeons & Dragons” polyhedral dice which I plan on giving to my friend Stef (it’s an ongoing joke and reference to one of our favorite movies, “Wet Hot American Summer.”) The other, a larger, squishier 20-sided dice shaped stress ball, has already found a home at my desk at work.

I did a double-take when I first saw the package of (GREEN!) beef jerky in this month’s crate. I’ve eaten plenty of jerky in my life (New England has more than enough fairs and farmer’s markets, after all,) but it’s never looked so reptilian before. I plan on bringing it to the office to chew on with my co-worker within the next couple of days, although part of me wants to save it for just a little while longer because it’s so damned cool looking.

And although I’ve never slayed a dragon outside ‘World of Warcraft,” I thought the ‘Dragon Slayer’ dog tag was a fun addition to April’s box. I’m thinking I’m going to give it to one of my friends, who have undoubtedly become used to my passing along various knick-knacks and odds & ends over the years.

Finally, and maybe the most useful item in the crate, was the dragon shield microfiber screen cleaner. I have a smartphone, and no matter how careful I am, the screen is always getting smudged and smeared with my fingerprints throughout the day. This washable and re-usable cleaning pad conveniently sticks to the back of my phone for whenever I need it, and re-sticks right back into place after I get my screen looking brand new again.

As I had predicted, April’s Loot Crate did feature something GoT-related in the form of one of these mystery mini vinyl figures from Funko. I received The White Walker, which I know is supposed to be scary and everything- but I cannot stop squealing for the life of me over how cute it is. I love Funko figurines, and this one is definitely joining my collection.

The last item I received in my April Loot Crate was this exclusive “The Nord” Elder Scrolls figurine with removable helmet and weapons. I never made it particularly far whenever I played ‘Skyrim,’ mainly because I ran around picking fights and murdering everyone and everything I could instead of actually attempting to accomplish goals in the game (kind of like when I play ‘Grand Theft Auto-‘) but it was still a lot of fun. This figurine, much like the Funko one, is pretty adorable- and I’ll be passing it on to my friend Sean, who will surely appreciate it as he is a big fan of ‘Skyrim.’

Another month, and another Loot Crate that was a blast to unbox. I really enjoyed April’s ‘Dragon’ theme, and I’m looking forward to getting my next e-mail as May approaches to learn the theme of the next one.

Want a chance to win 3-months worth of Loot Crate for yourself? Enter my Spring Giveaway!

For March, Loot Crate teamed up with EA Games and Respawn to bring subscribers the “TITAN”-themed box, just in time to go hand-in-hand with their recently released and widely popular “Titanfall” game for Xbox (which looks awesome, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet!)

I’ve already gushed over how much fun I think Loot Crate is, and how I’ve come to look forward to it every month- so let’s just get right to it!

March’s booklet featured a Q&A with Respawn Entertainment’s Abbie Heppe, a review of “Attack on Titan” (currently available on Netflix,) a glimpse into the “Official Titanfall Premium eGuide” included in this month’s crate (but not pictured,) as well as an article detailing Respawn Entertainment’s creation and how ‘Titanfall” came to be one of the most anticipated games of 2014. It was an interesting read!

And with my commemorative pin this month, I also received a couple of pieces of taffy for St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t think they have anything to do with the Titan theme- but taffy is pretty good, so it’s completely fine.

I had been informed early on via e-mail that March’s Loot Crate would include a t-shirt. Last month’s tee had been a hit, so I was excited to receive this one. This “Titanfall” shirt, worn by the game’s development team, was a little softer feeling and more fitted than the February shirt, which was nice. The design is bad ass, and it’s is definitely something I’d wear out and about. I’m adding this one to my collection.

In high school, I had two wristbands. One was black and white checkered, and the other was bright blue and featured a large stitched Pac-Man on it. To this day, I still don’t know what purpose they served or why I owned them other than I thought they looked cool. This “Scouting Regiment Wristband’ brought me back to those confusing and questionable times. I’m unfamiliar with “Attack on Titan,” which is what the stitched logo on this wristband is based on- but I admittedly liked it, and would probably wear it (and still not know what the purpose of it is.) Some things just don’t change.

Treading back into the “Titanfall” theme, this specially designed lanyard is most certainly going to come in handy when it’s time for me to head to San Diego Comic-Con this Summer. I’ll need a convenient way to keep my badges together and on my person so I don’t lose or misplace them.

The well well-done illustration that graced the cover of March’s booklet was shrinked down to magnet size in this month’s crate. My refrigerator is a collage of lists, appointment reminders, and photographs- so anything that can help me keep it all in place is greatly appreciated.

And lastly, as I had already mentioned, I’m unfamiliar with “Attack on Titan,” but even though I’m less than a novice in the world of manga and anime, I thought the way this book read- from back to front instead of front to back- was pretty interesting. I have a couple of friends who are more knowledgeable and appreciative of things like this, so I’ll be gifting this book to one of them instead of holding onto it.

And with March’s Loot Crate un-boxed, unwrapped, unfurled, and currently spread out all over my coffee table- I really, really want to go play “Titanfall” right now.

xx