Whenever I go shopping, I like to hit the trading card, blind bag and blind box sections. Usually I pick up one or two items because the kid in me still loves the surprise. And with Easter around the corner I kinda got nostalgic about blind boxes and surprise items in general. In fact, when I was growing up I really dug Easter, almost as much as Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, like any other kid I loved Christmas, but with Christmas, there was always a list, so I always had a good idea of what I was getting. But Easter, Easter was the maverick. Every Easter my mom would make us baskets, loaded with candy and toys only this time there were no lists. My mom probably got a few ideas from my other siblings but mostly everything in that basket was a wild card. I remember one year I get these Soma Wrestlers, which were probably the catalyst for my love of mini figures, but that's a story for another day.

So anyway when I was at the store I spied these in the blind box section and I picked up a few bags of Marvel Grab Zags.

At two bucks a pop I didn’t feel too dirty about snagging a few. I was little hesitant though after looking at the back and seeing not only was I not guaranteed to get a mini figure, but there were two other possible prize, so there was a chance for a mini-figure, a pen and a light-up projector. So of course I did a feel test, it was pretty difficult to discern any kind of shape. So I just grabbed three hoped for mini figures or at least one of each type and headed home with my goodies.


While I looked at the package I was checking to see what I really wanted, in terms of figures. And I would have to say that Cyclops figure looks pretty bad ass. Really, though I would be happy with any of the figures, except for maybe Wolverine. As a kid I liked the character, but I was an 80’s brat and I fell for the whole gritty anti-hero hook line and sinker but as I got older that whole speil kinda left a bad taste in my mouth, but I digress. So with my top three preferences in place, Cyclops, Green Goblin and then either Iron man or Spider-Man, I opened my first package.


I got a Captain America pen, my least desired of the three available prize types. I would have even been happier with a Wolverine figure, especially now that I look a little closer, and I think he’s actually standing on skull, damn, now I see why the ladies love the bad boys.

The pen is a simple ballpoint and has blue ink. The cap has a hole right were the tip would sit for whatever reason. This bugs me to no end. I remember having to use ballpoint pens and I always hated when the ball would stop rolling or if dust or debris got into it and caused blotches, so why wouldn’t they cover the tip to prevent that? But then again this is a two dollar novelty item so I’m sure there weren’t thinking about making the pen to end all other pens. I will say this, it does write nicely and glides over the paper pretty easily (for now) and it can extend to give you a little more to grab onto as you scribe.





After opening the package I can see why I could feel a shape properly. There is a “Collector Guide” which is really just the same art from the front and back of the package and another piece of cardboard on either side of the prize, I guess to prevent people from feeling for only the figures.





So being a little bummed by my prize I decide to open another package, (I originally wanted to hold ‘em off for another time, but I am a very weak man and I have very little self control) I opened the second package only to get another Captain America pen. Argh! I then tear open the last package and get a Wolverine pen. Really? Wolverine? He better write good, because he’s the best at what he does and what he does ain’t pretty. Or so I’m told. I see he writes just as well as the Cap and also is in blue. It immediately strikes me that it would have been pretty cool if each character wrote in different colors. Ah well, now I’m just looking for reasons to complain.

I look at the insert for the possible prizes again and notice that while the pens all have figure counter parts, the light-up projectors do not. I always liked when companies did that, when they have this big bank of possible characters and different types of items for merchandise, they don’t just pick four or five characters and use them for all the items. On the other hand, I’m sure some people see these other characters used for the projectors and are disappointed that there aren’t any figures of them. We can hope though, this is labeled “Series 1”. I know I wouldn’t mind a Ghost Rider sitting on my desk…or any figure for that matter. Really, Grab Zags? Three bags, three pens?
I’m not so sure if I’m the biggest fan of these but I know me well enough to know that I’ll probably be picking up another package or two to try and get a figure. After that, though, I guess it depends on how cool these figures are in hand.