Writing and drawing comics for the sheer joy of it - that’s real bliss - George Perez
While they were once seen as the sole purview of adolescents and “nerdy” adults who refused to accept the role that society expected them to, in the last decade and a half, due in no small part to the global box office success of superhero movies, comics have become big business.
The whole world and its dog now want to read comics, plunge headlong into the four color universe and lose themselves in the exploits of caped crusaders and the adventures of sword-wielding barbarians, and the cosmic quests of intergalactic heroes.
But wanting to read comics and actually knowing where to start your journey isn’t as easy as it might seem. Do you want to make yours Marvel?
Or do you want to venture down the dark alleys of Gotham with DC, be thrilled by Dark Horse’s continuing supernatural escapades of Hellboy, or hitch a ride with Titan Comics Tank Girl as she protects the future from all manner of evil corporate skullduggery?
If you haven’t set foot in a comic book store and don’t know which genre, hero, or world your heart belongs to, trying to navigate the choppy waters of comics can feel like a Sisyphean ordeal.
Fear not though, as Comic Block, the four color subscription box from Nerd Block is here to fill in the blanks, tick all the comic boxes, and help you to find your one true comic book destiny.
What Is Nerd Block?
Nerd Block is a monthly subscription box that’s filled to bursting with geek-centric, mystery surprises.
Each box, or block as it’s called by the Nerds (we prefer the term “geek” but we’ll get to that later on) who pack it contains one tee-shirt in your size and between four and six other geeky goodies that are purposely chosen to send your inner fan radar into absolute overdrive.
For a monthly fee, that’s charged when your box is dispatched, you’ll be sent all of the goodies that we mentioned, and you’ll never know what’s going to arrive as each month the best of the best geek gifts are chosen and sent out at random.
So What Is Comic Block?
Comic Block is Nerd Block’s full throttle, all guns blazing foray into the world of comics and everything that entails. Unlike its parent box or block, Comic Block focuses solely on the four color universe without declaring its allegiance to a single publisher.
It revolves around sourcing, finding, and supplying you with the very best that the comics world has to offer on a monthly basis.
Think of it as a New Comic Book that arrives at your doorstep and that you don’t have to venture to the comic book store for, that brings all of the action, adventure, and excitement that you crave into your home without you having to leave your front door. It’s a service that’s tailor-made for geeks everywhere!
How Does It Work?
It’s easy, you just sign up with Nerd Block or one of the other subscription services that they work with online, and they’ll do the rest. Because they want to try and tailor your blocks to you, and what you’re interested in, they’ll ask you a few questions on the sign-up form, so make sure that you answer honestly if you want to get the kind of books that you can completely submerge yourself in for a couple of hours at a time.
They’ll also ask you for your tee-shirt size, and again, be honest, as you don’t want to end up with a wardrobe of shirts that don’t fit when you want to wear your geek colors with pride.
So remember, when you sign up, be like Clark Kent and tell the truth, and every month your block will be guaranteed to make you smile.
What Do You Get And Is It Worth It?
Every month you’ll be sent a mystery selection of comics from the biggest publishers (that’s Marvel, DC, and more) in the comic industry, some comic-related geeky goodies, and a tee-shirt in your size.
Each block also includes a booklet that explains what’s in each box and tells you a little about what to expect from the books that are included in the box.
The number of comics and goodies varies from month to month, and sometimes your box might be packed with books, and in other months it might only include a few but will be filled with other collectibles instead.
The only item that you’re absolutely guaranteed to receive in each box, whose quantity and quality won’t alter, is a tee-shirt. Your Comic Block will always include a tee-shirt in your size.
As far as it being valued for money is concerned, it won’t break your pocketbook and certainly won’t shatter the forefield around your bank account, as every Block contains at least forty bucks worth of books and merchandise, and will only cost you three-quarters of its value including postage. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
What We Didn’t Like
We’re not fans of the mystery box concept, even less so when it means that we have to leave our choice of comic books, and what we’re going to read in the hands of someone else.
While it’s fine for the first three or four months, by the time that you’ve discovered what you do and don’t like as far as comics are concerned, the “surprise” factor will start to wear a little thin.
And, we’re not exactly enamored by the “Nerd” box concept either. The word nerd has always been used negatively, and while we appreciate that the company is trying to take it back and empower it, paying money to a firm that’s so blase about using that nerd feels a little disingenuous.
Comic Block - The Final Verdict
As an introduction to the world of comics, and a medium to help you find your footing in it, it’s exemplary and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Comic Block.
But its long-term appeal is limited, as, after the first six months or so, you’ll know the books you want to read and will probably have your own pull list at your local comic book store and will have consigned Comic Block to the pages of history.
