Marvel Comics Vinyl Album, Series 1 Blind Bag Keychains

I first found out about these keychains when they turned up in a list of search results on Ebay. (I can't remember now what specifically I was searching for.) I don't remember ever seeing these blind bags in stores, and there's no date that I could find on the packaging, so I have no idea what year they originally came out. However, due to the themeing, I'm willing to bet that these keychains were first available for purchase around the same time that vinyl record albums were making their big comeback and Marvel superhero films were all the rage.

According to the packaging, these keychains were "manufactured and distributed by MB Wolverine LLC". Seems to me like a very appropriate name for a company distributing Marvel products, though I doubt that the name is a deliberate X-Men reference. Then again, you never know. I wasn't actually able to find out anything about the company online, except that they were involved in a copyright infringement suit with Hog Wild, LLC. However, I couldn't find any information on that subject that wasn't written in legalese.

Anyway, when these Marvel Comics themed vinyl album keychains first turned up in my search results I was intrigued. I mentioned my fascination with 'retro tech' like record players in a previous post. Also my best friend, as well as more than one of my siblings, are fans of the Marvel film franchise. As you can see from the photo at the beginning of this post, I purchased a set of two blind bags online. According to the packaging, there are 8 different keychains in this series to collect. So, let's open them up and see what I got.

Here's what was inside the blind bags. Each record keychain came with a sleeve made from what feels like poster board. As you can see, I ended up with Captain America and Black Widow. I gave the former to my best friend, who is a huge Captain America fan, and kept Black Widow for my personal collection.

(Note: This post has been in draft for a while. I haven't actually seen my best friend in person since before the Corona virus reached the U.S., and I wouldn't put us both at risk by visiting when local government officials are issuing stay-at-home orders.)

My overall opinion is that these keychains are really fun. The combination of themes is unusual, and I think I've mentioned here before that I'm often drawn to quirky things. I do have some minor concerns over the durability of these keychains. The sticker labels on the records might not wear well. Also, the plastic itself, though it seems to be a decent thickness, does have a rigidness to it that feels as though it would crack if too much weight was applied to it.

However, these types of blind bag keychains seem to be manufactured more as collector's items, rather than as something intended for heavy use. The companies who make these products want consumers to collect a complete set. And let's face it, most people these days don't need eight different keychains to hold their keys. So by evaluating these blind bags the way they were intended, as collectables, it's harder to find fault with them. And I certainly don't regret buying them either.

Signed, Treesa

Nintendo Controller 'Blind Box' Keychains By Tomy

Let me start off by stating that I'm not a gamer, never have been. My cousin S.V. liked to show off his skills playing Street Fighter (or was it Mortal Kombat, I could never keep those two straight), and one of my blind dates tried to get me interested in an immersive, world-building game. But gaming never really appealed to me for some reason. I think part of it may be that I know I don't have quick enough reflexes to be a gamer. My family does have a Wii gaming system, but I've never used it.

I started buying the Nintendo controller 'blind box' keychains for two reasons. One is that I have a weakness for miniatures. The second reason was that when I saw the pictures on the wrapper of what keychains were available in the assortment, I noticed that one of them looked like this.

As I wrote in the last post, I'm nuts about 'retro tech'. And this keychain, with its gold and maroon color scheme and its 'boxy' shape, appealed to me for that reason. I had to have one.

Of course, the thing about blind boxes is that you never know for sure which item in the assortment you're going to get until you open it. And once you open it, it's too late to take it back to the store if it's not the one you wanted. Consequently, I didn't get the keychain above on my first try, or even on my second. I ended up with two different Wii controller keychains before I got what I really wanted.

The reason I was able to get the keychain I was looking for was due to a very specific set of circumstances. First, the controller I wanted was the only one in the assortment that was maroon in color. The second factor had to do with the way the 'blind boxes' were designed. Every one of these Nintendo keychains came in a red container like the one pictured below.

It might be hard to tell from the picture, but these red containers feature a number of small 'air holes'. I'm not really sure why. Anyway, the third contributing factor to my getting the keychain I wanted was that the craft store not far from where I live had taken their remaining stock of Nintendo controller blind boxes and dumped them into a clearance bin in a corner of the store. I spent quite awhile in that corner, peering through the 'air holes', searching for a tell-tale glimpse of maroon. It was difficult, and time consuming, but it worked. I found what I was looking for, and on clearance too.

Of course, I couldn't really be sure until I opened it. I was so nervous and excited that I ripped the wrapper off as soon as I got back to the car. When I saw that I'd gotten exactly what I was looking for I was ecstatic. I don't think the rest of my family understood what the big deal was. It was a little embarrassing trying to explain to them why I wanted a game controller keychain when I didn't even play video games. But in spite of this, I still felt the thrill of finding something that I'd spent so long looking for.

Doll collectors use the term 'grail doll' to describe any doll that they desperately want to add to their collection and that they've spent a good deal of time and energy searching for. So I guess you could say that this particular Nintendo controller was one of my 'grail keychains'.

Signed, Treesa

Update: I managed to purchase the controller keychain pictured above from the same craft store where I'd found the maroon controller keychain. I realized that the pictured keychain was one I didn't already own after spotting the colorful 'buttons' through the 'air holes' in the packaging. There were only two keychains in the assortment that had similar 'buttons', and both of them were ones I didn't already have. The keychains were also still on clearance, so I figured I might as well buy this one. There's now only one keychain from this assortment that I don't have in my collection. However, the chances of me being able to find this one remaining keychain at a reasonable price are not very good. Not only are the controllers no longer available in stores, but both the base color and the 'buttons' on the last keychain I need are quite similar to my previous purchase.

'Retro Tech' Keychains

For some reason, I'm really drawn to items that feature designs based on older technology. Typewriters, record players, audio cassette tapes - if there's a piece of clothing or a home decor item that features one of these motifs, I'm going to stop and look at it. I bought the keychain pictured below solely because it has an audio cassette design on it.

 (According to my online research, Denon is a Japanese electronics company.)

I can't really explain my fascination with this 'retro tech'. Maybe it's because I still remember some of these older technologies. I had a toy typewriter when I was a kid. I still remember how hard I had to pound on the keys to get it to work. I also had a Rainbow Brite record album when I was very young, and I definitely remember my first audio cassette. (It was Trisha Yearwood. Long story.)

Anyway, just to make the point how obsessed I seem to be with 'retro tech', let me tell you a little about the keychain pictured below.

I bought this keychain, not because it's also a pencil sharpener (which admittedly is a handy thing to have), or because I like The Flintstones (which I don't, not really anyway), but because it's shaped like a record player. True, it's a cartoony, 'stone age' interpretation of a record player. But it's still recognizable as a record player.

I've wanted one of these World's Coolest Polaroid camera keychains ever since I saw a photo posted on a doll collector's blog. The camera doesn't actually take pictures, but it does have some moving parts. The 'simulated film' is partially ejected from the camera when you push a button. Just so you know, I did replace the original clip 'finding' with a split ring, because I'm nitpicky like that.

Speaking of cameras, this souvenir keychain from Niagara Falls is shaped like a roll of film. Inside is a paper 'film strip' with photos printed on it. The back of the strip is designed so that it can be used as both a ruler and a telephone directory. (Unfortunately, because the strip retracts it was impossible for me to photograph. But I tried.)

One thing that I'd really like to add to my collection someday is a keychain shaped like a typewriter. I've tried looking for one online, and while I've seen a number of keychains that have pictures of typewriters on them, finding one that's actually shaped like a typewriter has been more difficult. Still, as someone who shops secondhand venues a lot I know that there's always a chance one will turn up at the next flea market I attend.

Signed, Treesa

A Spring Clear-Out And A Resolution (My Blogging Plans)

According to my online research, the idea of spring cleaning has several possible origins. Some think it originated from a custom associated with Persian new year. Others have cited the practice of cleansing the home before Passover. Regardless of how it started, spring has culturally become a time for both cleaning and organizing. And I've come to the conclusion that my draft files are in serious need of both.

I have so many posts for this blog that have been languishing in draft form for one reason or another. I know for a fact that some of the content has become dated, showcasing older products that are now hard to find retail. Normally January and New Year's are associated with making resolutions. However, I'm resolving now to try and get the bulk of my draft posts finished and posted in the coming months, in an effort to clear out the backlog. So stay tuned for, hopefully, a lot of new content.

Signed, Treesa

Keychain Goodie Box From Heathersmoo

I know I've said something like this before on this blog, but keychain collectors with an online presence seem to be few and far between. At least I've had trouble finding anyone on the web who shares this hobby. So I was beyond thrilled when I was able to make contact with Heathersmoo. Heather is behind Keychain Of The Day over on Livejournal. I especially enjoy seeing her posts showcasing the keychains she's brought back from her many trips abroad.

Heather and I have been exchanging emails now for awhile. I also found some keychains with the name 'Heather' on them at my local thrift store that I was able to send to her. When I found out that Heather and I both have December birthdays, I sent her a few more keychains as a combination birthday and holiday gift. So, when Heather took a trip to Africa earlier this year, she offered to bring me back a keychain or two for my own collection. She also offered to send me a few of her spare keychains. I wanted to share what she sent here, now that I've gone through the package and have finally gotten everything photographed. A big shout-out and a big thank you to Heather for her thoughtful gift.

Here's a look at the box Heather sent before I unpacked it.

And here's a photo of all the fun goodies that were inside. Along with the keychains, Heather also included a very nice letter, as well as two rooibos infusion packets. Apparently rooibos is steeped in hot water to make a beverage like tea. However according to Heather rooibos comes from the redbush plant, which isn't actually related to the tea plant. This is a good thing to know, since traditional tea is too bitter for my taste. Anyway, let's take a look at the keychains Heather sent me.

Here are the two keychains that Heather brought back from Africa for me. The letter she sent along says that the Protea flower pictured on the one keychain is the national flower of South Africa. Even though over the years I've managed to collect a lot of keychains from places I've never visited, I haven't found many Africa keychains for my collection. So these were really nice to get.

According to the letter Heather sent, she knit this letter T monogram keychain herself. She called it a "T-ring". She even used my favorite color, purple.

Here we have two Webkinz Kinz Klips, a 'Cocoa Dino' and a Dalmatian. Heather made a point of asking me if I already had any Webkinz in my keychain collection, so I sent her a list of what I owned. It's funny, but when I first opened the package I thought the dinosaur was supposed to be a dragon. The Dalmatian makes me think of one of my sister's best friends, who happens to be a big fan of Disney's 101 Dalmatians. I'll be replacing the plastic clips with split ring 'findings', because I'm very particular like that.

Last we have this Rainbow Dash My Little Pony. Heather's letter says that this line of My Little Ponies was originally sold in blind bags at Target stores. Once again, I'll be replacing the clip with a split ring.

I want to say another big thank you to Heather. It means a lot to me being able to share this hobby with someone, even if we never get to meet in the 'real world'.

Signed, Treesa

Walt Disney World Vacation: 2019 (Keychain Souvenirs Haul)

I posted back in March of last year that my family was planning to take a trip to Walt Disney World near the end of 2019. Back then I had this crazy idea that I could save some cash in the long run by shopping for used Disney parks keychains online beforehand. The plan was to buy only secondhand keychains that were priced more reasonably than regular retail, in the hopes that I wouldn't be as tempted to purchase more souvenirs once I actually got to the park. I was also hoping that, if I was tempted at all, seeing the full retail price would send me into sticker shock and I'd put things back without actually buying them.

That was the plan anyway. In reality I not only went a bit overboard with my online 'shopping spree', but I also ended up buying several keychains at the park anyway, though not as many as I was tempted to buy. However, my admittedly limited willpower wasn't entirely due to sticker shock. I was very disappointed by how cheaply made some of the keychains sold at the park were, especially considering how much Disney was charging for them.

Three keychains in particular stand out in my mind. One was a Buzz Lightyear keychain with a battery operated, light-up 'laser'. The proportions of this keychain strongly reminded me of the 'mini Buzz' fast food toy character from the Pixar short Small Fry. However, when I took a closer look I noticed that most of the keychains were already broken, with one arm snapped off and dangling by the wire used to power the light-up 'laser'. There was one keychain that did seem to have an intact arm, but it also had a chipped helmet. Even if I had managed to find one that wasn't damaged, by then I didn't see the point of buying a keychain that was all but guaranteed to break.

The second keychain that disappointed me was based on the ride vehicles from the Alice In Wonderland themed Mad Tea Party attraction. The keychain looked nice, but the plastic used to make it was so thin that I was worried it would crack. The most disappointing moment for me, however, came when I saw the Disney autograph book keychains in person for the first time. I'd seen these keychains before online, and I'd had my eye on them for a while. But when I was looking them over at the park I noticed that the shiny 'plating' on the keyring was already flaking off, on all of them. These keychains weren't cheaply priced either. You'd think that if Disney was going to attach their name to something, and charge so much for it, that they could at least sell a quality product. If nothing else, you'd think they'd want to maintain a good reputation for the company.

As I stated earlier in this post, I did pick up several keychains on my trip. The prices ranged from $3.99 to $9.99, not including sales tax. Half of the keychains I bought were actually from the World Showcase pavilions in EPCOT, and weren't technically Disney themed.

For example, I bought this keychain from the Canada pavilion. Priced at $9.99 before tax, this little black bear with his plaid printed hoodie was one of the most expensive keychains I got on the trip. However, he and his 'brothers' at the store were just so cute that I couldn't leave without getting one.

This keychain came from Epcot's China pavilion. As you can see, it has my name in both English and in Chinese characters. I'm always happy when I find a keychain with my name on it, because this particular spelling seems to be less common. From what I've seen, most keychain manufacturers spell my name without the letter H.

To fully appreciate this next keychain from Epcot's Japan pavilion, here's a little background information. One of the most prominent attractions at the Japan pavilion when I was there was a large store called Mitsukoshi. This store was made up of a series of interconnected rooms, and it took up a good sized chunk of real estate. Because the store was so big, there were multiple register locations strategically placed at different points throughout the building. And at each checkout counter there was a basket of 'lucky cat' figurines for sale. From what I understand, these cat figures with their one raised paw are supposed to bring good fortune. When I found the keychain pictured above of Godzilla in the 'lucky cat' pose, it amused me so much that I bought it. I'm often drawn to things that are quirky, and I'm a bit of a pop culture junkie as well.

Here is yet another keychain from Epcot. This one is based on the Figment character from the Journey Into Imagination attraction. Figment has become a Disney icon of sorts with, I believe, a rather large fan following. I would've preferred a keychain that showed Figment's full body, but this was the only Figment keychain the park seemed to carry.

Speaking of classic Disney attractions, this keychain is based on Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The figure's mouths can actually open and close somewhat. This Tiki Room keychain was also my other most expensive keychain purchase of the trip, since it was the same price as the black bear keychain I bought at the Canada pavilion.

This last keychain was in fact the first one I bought on the trip. It came from The Lego Store in the Disney Springs shopping district. It was also the least expensive keychain I purchased, priced at $3.99 before tax. Some of you may remember that I already have a different Lego Star Wars Princess Leia keychain, which I showed off in my February Shopping Spree post. This version of Leia has her white Senate robes and her 'iconic' side buns hairstyle.

Well, I guess that wraps it up. All in all, I think I got a good haul on this trip.

Signed, Treesa

Oh My Disney Mystery VHS Keychains (An Update)

Just a quick post here. Apparently, Disney launched another wave of their Mystery VHS 'blind box' keychains. (I reviewed a keychain from the first wave back in January of 2019.) It looks like this newer wave is already sold out on the Disney website though. It also looks like Disney upped the price from their first wave. My guess is they were using the initial run to test the market. The first assortment did sell out fairly quickly, if I remember correctly.
Signed, Treesa