Dino Drac's Fun Pack June Unboxing.

Among a trio of packages that arrived from jolly New England this afternoon is something we haven't talked about in quite some time, a subscription box. Obviously it's been a while since our last unboxing and I've missed the spice it can add to life, especially during these humdrum days of summer. Plus I like to get one of these things around my birthday as sort of a weird extra gift. With that in mind I turned to a service I'd been meaning to try for a very long time, Dino Drac's Fun Pack. This one's a little different than our usual mystery crates, now let's see if it's worth it.

If you don't know what Dinosaur Dracula is, then by god what are you doing here? You've been using the internet all wrong! DD is the delightful blog of Matt, formerly of X-Entertainment fame. I've been reading his work for... god, like fourteen years or something though I didn't interact in any form until three or four years ago. The guy's a huge inspiration towards the creation of this spot and has entertained so many for such a long time, growing a surprisingly decent little community along the way. If you have any interest in nerdy nostalgia, junk food, weekend trips to flea markets, basically a bunch of the stuff I do here, but it's even better there. You should really go check it out, but please do come back, I need all the hits I can get.

A few years ago, Matt created his own monthly fun pack. Instead of doing this as a business he uses it as a means of supporting his website. Think of it like a Patreon only with more old toys and trading cards. The thing you have to keep in mind is that this shouldn't be judged by the traditional cash-value standards of a mystery box as it's more of a thanks for supporting his work. In an effort to make the whole process more welcoming he also reveals nearly everything that will be included in advance. Because of that you can consider this more of a reaction than a traditional unboxing.

You might be wondering why if I'm such a fan o Matt's work, did it take me so long to subscribe to the fun pack? In general it's been a combination of finance and circumstance. Most of the time my money is dedicated elsewhere and as you all know I have to be careful about timing something extra like a mystery crate. It has almost always been the case that when Matt had stuff I really wanted in the box, I couldn't afford it. Then when I was flush with cash he'd have stuff that held zero interest for me.

There is another reason I've been more cautious towards this fun pack than others, and it's honestly because this isn't something from a faceless company. Usually it's pretty easy to judge a box if it turns out to be disappointing because you don't know the people involved. I've been a fan of Matt's work for so long, what do I do if the box experience turns sour? Hell; what if I open the box only to discover he leaves a horrible smell on everything he touches?

Thankfully the initial steps of the process have gone very smoothly. The price is a flat $25, and shipping is fast so when you subscribe to the June box, it actually arrives in June. Compare that to something like Cryptocurium where the August edition didn't arrive until late September. For those interested I believe this is the sort of service where if you wish to unsubscribe, you have to block further payments via paypal. Somebody please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. With all that preamble outta the way, let's dig in.

Starting off with some smaller items we've got stickers, one being particularly nice with the Cruel Summer art from Matt's current seasonal motif. I'll at least pop that one onto my record players dust cover, it'll look good hovering over my Cobra Verde soundtrack. There's also a sealed pack of Marvel Superhero stamp stickers I'm assuming from the nineties. We've also got a postcard photo which is a regular feature to these boxes. This month we see My Pet Monster vegging out one some hot summer night as he feasts on Planters Cheese Balls. Lastly is that baggie which contains two old Jurassic Park pins. It's been a long while since I've added anything to the lampshade and I'm rather impressed how well these have held up over the past two decades. The one with the T-Rex will have to go on the far side of the lamp. Don't need that thing staring at me when I'm trying to sleep.

Trading cards are a mainstay of these packs with some pretty weird series often included. This month is no different with themes like Ronald MacDonald, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Weird-Ohs Baseball, Valiant Comics, and Disney's Dinosaur. For a fairly unpopular Disney flick they sure went all out on the trading cards. Matt warned us these were big I didn't expect something like this. The package is bigger than my credit card bills! I'm a little hesitant to open these packs up just yet since there's probably a whole posts worth of entertainment contained within. Look forward to that one.

No subscription box would feel complete without some toys. First up is a little plush Pilsbury Doughboy. I swear someone in my family had one of these exact plushies so it's odd to encounter it again. At least this one's still in the original packaging. The other toy is the real draw however. Each subscriber got one of two figures from the Spanish Super Monstruos line. I've been reading about these guys for years but never saw one in person until just now. They're much bigger and heavier than I imagined them to be, pretty impressive for a brand of knock-off monsters. I had my fingers crossed for the Bruja but ended with the still awesome Simio. It may not be as cool as an old-fashioned witch, but I ain't complaining. Thing's damn cool.

Wrapping up there's an exclusive newsletter and article just for these boxes and some foodstuffs. Usually my inherent germaphobia makes me wary of mystery box food but nothing keeps me from Herr's Ketchup Chips. Truly one of the finest crunches in all of North America and a rite of passage for any self-respecting foodie. Also in tap is a packet of Jamica Kool-Aid. This is apparently a regularly available flavor though I could swear it's never been in any nearby stores. While the temptation is there to turn it into one of my Kool-Aid pies, I'll do the normal thing and just drink this one. Really looking forward to mixing up a batch to pair with Saturday night horror flicks.

And that's what Dino Drac's Fun Pack is all about. It may not be some mind-blowing box full of exclusive items but it is a fine thanks for supporting a great website. All things considered there is a lot here to keep you entertained be it reading material, Spanish toys, or good old fashioned drink mix. Would I buy another one? Absolutely. Can I buy another one? Probably not for a while. Money's tight until funding for my return to college starts to roll in. My recommendation is for anyone who's never visited Dinosaur Dracula to go visit, and maybe try a box for yourself down the road.

On a far more serious note; while writing this article I heard the news about Roger Barr from I-Mockery. While not the biggest influence, he also provided some inspiration towards the creation of CosmicSparky and has provided plenty of entertainment through his yearly Halloween antics. He's going through an incredibly difficult situation so if you can spare a few minutes to read his post and share some good vibes and positive words, please do so. Lord knows he could use it.