Although I ultimately went with Quarterly’s Maker Box, my search for a subscription led me to discover some companies offer their remaining, previous boxes as one-time purchases.
When I first came across FanMail, my inner geek was thrilled. Owned and operated by two fellow geeks, Rose and Jenny, FanMail prides itself in delivering high quality goods covering a wide swath of fandoms on a bimonthly basis centered around a theme.
FanMail was a top contender in my original subscription search, but I found I liked every other box. It turns out I’m super picky about my fandoms… which really shouldn’t surprise me given how long I spend scrolling Netflix and Amazon to find the perfect show to binge.
So, I was thrilled to see a number of FanMail’s past boxes for sale. Especially their “Ladies of the Con 2.0” San Diego Comic-Con 2016 Exclusive Mystery Bundle. I’ve never been to a con, but this would have been a solid purchase to get a lady geek through one.
The box’s items are both fun and practical. Had I received one at SDCC, I could have easily ditched the box after putting everything in its Christy Hartman-designed Game of Thrones tote, featuring a quote by Daenerys:
“All men must die, but we are not men.”
Then there’s the Con Survival Kit. Within a long, rectangular cosmetic bag (with the same GoT quote), you receive the following:
- Spider-Gwen portable power bank
- Mad Max: Fury Road AquaCola flexible water bottle
- Harry Potter “Mirror of Erised” pocket mirror
- Hand sanitizer spray
- Band-Aid dispenser
- Pen
I’ll admit the power bank only ended up working twice, but it was a lifesaver when I needed it. The cosmetic bag became my new accessories pouch, being the perfect size for carrying my laptop and phone chargers.
After the Con Survival Kit, I absolutely loved the Legend of Korra waterbender infinity scarf. Frankly, the scarf first drew me in, because scarves are one of my (few) fashion accessory staples. The color, I discovered, complements most of my wardrobe.
All in all, I’m satisfied with my first purchase and I’ll think I’ll keep an eye out for future boxes.
※ Subscription details:
- Theme: A geek-themed mystery box geared towards ladies.
- Announced 6 – 8 weeks prior
- Items include art goods, books/bookmarks/notebooks, jewelry, clothes/clothing accessories, etc.
- Some are FanMail exclusives
- FanMail supports small woman-led businesses and artists
- Delivery: Bimonthly
- Ships on even-numbered months: February, April, June, August, October, and December
- Price: Dependent upon clothing size
- Sizes S – XL: $21.99
- Sizes 2XL – 4XL: $23.99/box
※ Costs:
- Price: $75
- Shipping: $10
- Total: $85
Laurel, Annotated 
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