Loot+Crate+Magazine+January+2016

L C M A G A Z I N E
HOW TO SURVIVE AN
ALIEN INVASION
X-FILES QUICK
START GUIDE
Q&A WITH JANUARY’S
T-SHIRT DESIGNER
DETAILS ON
THE LOOT
INVADING
YOUR CRATE
THIS MONTH!
INVASION JANUARY 2016

THE LOOT
IS OUT THERE
CONTRIBUTORS
Jenni Villarreal,
Editor-in-Chief
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
They Live
Nicole Campos,
Mega
Crate Khaleesi
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Battlestar Galactica
Kevin Mahadeo,
Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
The Faculty
Lola Binkerd,
Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Independence Day
Zack Finfrock,
Crate Design
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing: Mars
Attacks, the movie
and the Topps cards
Ash Mahtani,
Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Transformers
Beast Wars
Jack Westerkamp,
Product
Description Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Invasion of the
Body Snatchers (1978)
Tamara Brooks,
Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Young Justice: Invasion
Lauren Jeong,
Mini Mega
Crate Fairy
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Sarah Rodriguez,
Editor
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Mass Effect 2
Gabriel Silveira,
Cover
Illustration
Favorite Invasion-
Themed Thing:
Kang and Kodos
from The Simpsons

INVASION
We’re kicking off 2016 with an Invasion of extraterrestrial loot for our extra terrific
Looters! This month’s crate has a wide variety of items celebrating pop culture
classics from the 1951 to 2016 and many years in-between.
After a 14-year break, The X-Files is infiltrating our TVs once more. To mark the
occasion, we partnered with Threadless to find the perfect shirt design. And speaking
of shirts, there will be t-shirts in every Loot Crate going forward.
This month’s magazine is just as diverse as the crate, and it will help you get caught
up for The X-Files’ return, provide you with a few fun diversions and give you a reallife
invaders science lesson, too.
Here’s to another lootiful year!
Team Loot Crate
1
LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

THIS MONTH’S CONTEST
WE LAUNCH A NEW CONTEST ON THE 1ST
OF EVERY MONTH AT loot.cr/contest
FEATURED LOOTERS
WANT YOUR PHOTO IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE?
USE THE HASHTAG #LOOTCRATE ON
YOUR PHOTOS AND WE MAY PICK YOU FOR
OUR NEXT ISSUE!
Follow us on social media for more details:
/LOOTCRATE

4 ft.
tall!
3
LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

LC EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
H O W
T O
:
SURVIVE
A
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE
(FOR GEEKS AND GAMERS)
By Ash Mahtani
WARNING! Aliens have invaded the Earth. Follow the steps outlined
below to survive. Any deviation from these steps could result in:
CAPTURE
ENSLAVEMENT
LASER BURNS
BEING EATEN ALIVE
THE EXTINCTION OF THE
HUMAN RACE
LOSS OF SPINE AND/OR
SKULL
PROBING
“THE CLAW”
RIBS BROKEN FROM
THE INSIDE
DEATH
INVASION 4

SNEEZE OFTEN
Hygiene is no longer a priority. Sneeze
with reckless abandon. Cough in the face
of danger. It is a well-documented fact
that aliens do not have immune systems
capable of resisting human bacteria. As
the invaders may have already taken
over the bodies of your friends and
family members, it is your duty to the
human race to get your disgusting germs
all over everyone you see.
NOTE: This is not acceptable
behavior in non-invasion scenarios.
Get a tissue and hide your mucus
like the wet shame it is.
The alien invasion force may, at first,
appear benevolent. Envoys of your
extraterrestrial attackers may even
present you with ambiguously titled
books about serving mankind. In all
likelihood, these are cookbooks and the
invaders plan to eat you. For your own
safety, treat all books as hostile.
SCRUTINIZE ALL
LITERATURE
TRASH
Alien invaders will first strike at our
major cities and landmarks. They seem
to be particularly fond of any buildings
and/or monuments that appear on
currency. Scientists speculate that this
may be a commentary on money as a
controlling force in our lives. Regardless,
you are strongly advised to avoid anything
that resembles: the White House, the
Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore,
the Empire State Building, the Statue of
Liberty, all eagles.
AVOID
MONUMENTS
NOTE: The Grand Canyon is secure as it
already looks destroyed.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

MEMORIZE WEAR A HELMET PATTERNS OF
ATTACK
Aliens tend to be very organized, a
necessary skill for mounting coordinated
planetary assaults. You are advised to
use this to your advantage. While most
invasion waves tend to strike in rows
and columns, picking up speed and
alternating directions as they descend
towards the Earth, there can be some
minor variations. Memorize these
patterns to the best of your ability in
order to maximize your efficiency when
shooting down their ships.
WEAR A HELMET
Protective clothing and gear is very
important during any invasion event. At
the very least, you are advised to wear
a helmet. Aliens tend to leave many
objects behind that attack the face or
head of passersby. As a general rule,
if it looks like a spider, it’s probably
bad and you should avoid it (practical
advice for ordinary life as well). If you
can’t avoid it, wear a helmet and move
as quickly as possible. DO NOT allow
the spider creatures to touch you!
They are gross.
PICK A SIDE
There are generally two varieties of
alien invader: the round, humanoid
types and the angular, insectoid types.
Often, these two factions will be at
war and have chosen Earth as their
battlefield for reasons that do not hold
up to much scrutiny. When faced with
both, support the humanoid types.
They are our friends by virtue of being
much less scary to look at and will
likely not destroy humanity should they
win the war. Touching bonds may even
be formed.
INVASION 6

During cataclysmic events, everything
happens for a reason. It is unclear why
this is the case, but our skepticism may
serve some larger purpose anyway.
Despite their far superior technology,
alien invaders are hilariously inept when
faced with very simple things like glasses
of water, birds and music appreciated
only by the elderly or infirm. If you
find yourself surrounded by something
seemingly insignificant, it can be used as
a weapon.
NOTE: Incompetent allies or sidekicks
cannot be used as weapons. They will
just return, more annoying than ever.
EXPLORE EVERY
COINCIDENCE
AS A FINAL RULE: When in
doubt, surround yourself
with furry animals and make
sarcastic comments. Aliens
tend to avoid destroying “cute”
lifeforms and “plucky” hero
types.
THIS MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU
BY THE LOOT DEFENSE FORCE OF
THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

LC EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
CATCH UP ON THE
TRUTH OF
By Kevin Mahadeo
The X-Files get reopened this month with an all-new sixepisode
limited series centering on FBI Agents Fox Mulder
and Dana Scully’s continued quest for “the Truth,” which
“is out there,” somewhere. With 9 seasons and over 200
episodes, there’s a lot to discover for first-timers. But in case
you ran out of time—or lost some after a mysterious bright
light descended from the sky upon you—here’s a quick catchup
on what you need to know.
This is Fox Mulder. He’s a believer in
aliens, ghosts and all elements of the
paranormal. He’s pretty convinced
aliens kidnapped his sister.
FOX MULDER
This is Dana Scully. She believes in
science and logic and always looks for
a rational explanation to things.
DANA SCULLY
INVASION 8

WALTER SKINNER
They both work for the FBI investigating
X-Files, strange, unusual and otherwise
supernatural cases. They’re overseen by
this guy, Assistant Director
Walter Skinner.
The show mainly focused on Monstersof-the-Week,
single episode stories that
saw Mulder and Scully investigating
mutants, ghosts, monsters and more.
SHARK BOY
ALIEN BLACK OIL
The other part of the show centered
on the series’ main mythology, which
focused on the government’s coverup
of extraterrestrial life and their
attempts at colonizing Earth.
MULDER & SCULLY
After many seasons of will they/won’t
they, Mulder and Scully finally formed a
romantic relationship…
...But are now separated at the start in
the new series.
FILMS
There have also been two feature films:
the first took place between seasons
five and six and the second took place
after the series ended. You should
watch the first and can totally skip
the second.
There’s a number of binging guides online of key episodes to watch,
including ones by The Huffington Post, Reddit, and WIRED.
There’s also a ton of podcasts out there, including The X-Files Files
by Kumail Nanjiani, a huge fan of the series who appears in the
upcoming revival.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

MEGA CRATE
ONE LUCKY
WINNER GETS
WORTH OVER $2,000
ASTRO TR A40 Wireless Headset , MixAmp Pro, Mod Kit
(including A40 TR Noise-Cancelling Ear Cushions, 1 Voice
Isolating Mic, A40 TR Padded Headband, 2 A40 TR Closed
Back Speaker Tags), Scout Back Pack, Mission Bag
WAR MACHINE MARKETING Custom 3.75” Action Figure that
looks like YOU! War Machine will make you into a fully posable
character from your favorite pop culture show, movie, comic
book, etc with removable accessories! NO 3D printing, casting
or molds. Totally unique! Certain restrictions apply.
NECA Alien Egg and Facehugger Life-Size Foam
and Latex Prop Replica with LED Lights
THE X-FILES Complete Series BluRay
Collector’s Set
EPSON EX3220 SVGA 3LCD Projector
SAMSUNG HT-J4100 5.1 Channel Blu-Ray Home
Theater System
15 Lucky Winners!
Retro 51 Space Invaders Ballpoint Pen
Crafted by Retro 51, respected manufacturer of finer writing
instruments, this limited-edition, numbered Artist Proof is decorated
with 8-bit icons inspired by our favorite retro arcade games.
Packaged in a graphic tube keepsake, the pen’s trademarked
Tornado design is sleek and timeless.
INVASION 10

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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

LC EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
EVERY
DAY
INVADERS
By Tamara Brooks
Most think about invaders
as coming from space or
another dimension but there
are hidden marauders all
throughout nature. Some have
gained some notoriety (like
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis,
aka the Zombie Ant Fungus,
which inspired the infected in
The Last of Us), but there
are far more among us than
we realize.
Various Ivy
Hedera Helix (aka English Ivy) and
Kudzu are the two most famous
examples of these rapidly growing
encroachers. They grow fast (about
1 foot a day) and high (up to 100
feet), often blanketing trees and
buildings in addition to covering a
lot of ground. What makes them
so dangerous is that, in addition
to outgrowing native plants and
hindering them immensely, they can
take root in trees, weakening them
against storms and diseases as well
as blanketing them or forming a
canopy, effectively blocking out the
sunlight they need to grow.
INVASION 12
Silver Carp in the Great Lakes
One of nine fishes known collectively
as Asian carp, silver carp were

first imported in 1973 by a private
fish farmer in Arkansas. By the
late ‘70s, they had been stocked at
several private and governmental
water-related facilities to help
control algae growth. Twenty years
later, the fish spread to 12 different
states including Michigan and
Illinois via the Mississippi River and
today is causing a huge problem
environmentally.
Silver carp eat a tremendous
amount of food, primarily plankton,
which means there’s not enough
for native creatures, and they have
no natural predators which has
allowed their population to explode.
They can also launch themselves
out of the water when startled
(earning the nickname “flying fish”)
which has lead to many injuries to
assorted water-goers. Unsuspecting
people have received broken noses,
jaws, and vertebrae as well as
concussions by these agile invaders.
Electric fences have been installed
along the Great Lakes to prevent
them from spreading further but,
like any good invader, even that may
not be enough to contain them.
Castrator Barnacles
This little creature not only affects
the mind of a crab, it changes its
body! The female larva finds a weak
joint and injects itself into the crab’s
body and hijacks its reproductive
system, nesting and forming a
sac on the underside of the crab’s
rear thorax where its eggs would
normally be. Then the male comes
and fertilizes the barnacle eggs,
triggering the crab’s maternal
instinct causing it to care for and
hatch the eggs.
If you’re wondering how it got its
name, when one of these barnacles
infests a male crab, it will change its
body chemistry to make it a more
welcoming host. It triggers a shift
in hormones that sterilizes it and
shifts its body and mannerisms to
more closely mirror females - it will
even perform mating dances These
barnacles also prevent crabs from
molting, depriving them of nutrition
and stunting their overall growth.
They also lose the ability to regrow
severed claws, thus making it
harder to protect themselves.
Influenza Virus
Now we may know why people
who get sick rarely stay home
when they’re supposed to. In 2010,
Biomedical Anthropologist Chris
Reiber of Binghamton University
in New York headed a study that
suggested the flu makes people
more social.
Reiber and her colleagues found
evidence that people with the flu, in
this case immunization recipients,
interacted with more people in
larger groups in the 48-hour period
immediately after exposure than
before. Which means the virus has
a greater opportunity to infect more
people before it dooms its host to a
cold-medicine-induced quasicoma.
Devious!
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

OUR NEW YEAR’S
RESOLUTION: A T-SHIRT IN
EVERY CRATE!
New pins every month,
giving you access to
exclusive DLC!
INVASION 14

MIX & MASHUP
MATCH THESE INVADERS WITH THEIR SHIP!
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
E
5
F
6
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

THE WORDS
ARE OUT THERE
Fill in the crossword to
receive a secret message
from Agent Mulder. 1
9
7
13
M U
B
2
O
P
3
E X T R A T E R R E S T R I A L
G
E
E
4
D
E
F
A
6 L
A
T
O
10
C 5 O
11 F O
X E N O M O R P H
A
L
I
E
N
H U
U L
G T
G I
E P
D E R A 8
14
S B
I N V A S I O N
12
O
M
15
E
C L O V E R F I E L D
Q
U
E
E
Q
S C U L L Y
E
G
Vertical
1. They will assimilate you.
2. Get to the chopper before he gets
you.
3. Nickname, you can’t pronounce her
full name.
4. You do not want this type of hug.
5. “Yes, she knows it’s a ____. Anyway,
we’re in love.”
6. Dead dog. RIP.
7. Sigourney Weaver is not a fan.
8. Luckiest dog on the fourth of July.
Horizontal
9. The long version of that Katy
Perry song.
10. Greek: strange, shape.
11. Unidentified flying object.
12. Does not think it
was aliens.
13. Thinks it was aliens.
14. The theme.
15. Shaky cam, found
footage, monster movie.
Mulder needs you to
B E L I E V E
INVASION 16

THE
INVASION
IS NOW
By Lola Binkerd
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT
STORIES OF ALIEN ATTACKERS
INVADING ANOTHER PLANET ARE
ONE OF THE BASIC FOOD GROUPS
OF THE SCIENCE FICTION GENRE.
WHILE EARLY BOOKS BY AUTHORS
LIKE HG WELLS INTRODUCED US
TO FLYING SAUCERS AND RAY
GUNS, THEY ALSO STARTED THE
LITERARY TRADITION OF THE SCI-
FI PLOT TWIST. OUR FAVORITE?
THAT THE ALIENS WE FEAR ARE
ALREADY AMONG US.
17
INVASION OF THE BODY
SNATCHERS
Who hasn’t referred to a co-worker
or door-to-door salesman as a
“pod person” at least once in their
life? Thanks to Jack Finney, the
concept of people being replaced
by politely sinister clones entered
the public consciousness. Originally
published in 1954, his novel told the
tale of a town overrun by spaceseeds
that soon begin replacing the
local Earthlings with home-grown
replacements. The idea was so
popular it spawned four movies,
including a chilling moment from
the 1956 original film where our
LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

hero runs onto a crowded state
highway, screaming at drivers
who swerve around him without
stopping to listen that “They’re here
already! You’re next! You’re next!”
WILL THE REAL MARTIAN PLEASE
STAND UP?
While there are certainly more
popular episodes of the Twilight
Zone featuring invaders from
another planet (“To Serve Man”
comes to mind) the DOUBLE plot
twist found in “Will the Real Martian
Please Stand Up?” stands as one
of the show’s strongest stories.
Two state troopers following the
footprints from a crashed UFO are
led to a snowed-in diner where a
stranded bus driver and seven very
human passengers are waiting
out the storm. The problem? The
driver swears there were only six
people on the bus. Watching the
passengers try to discover which of
them is an imposter from Mars is
exciting, but even more shocking is
discovering that the Martian visitor’s
plans for conquest are soon to be
foiled...the fry cook is not exactly
human himself, and the Martian
war is over before it’s even started.
(Spoilers: Team Venus for the win.)
THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT
Like the Twilight Zone, Doctor Who
has no shortage of alien invaders,
but the prize for hidden opponents
has to be the eerily formal army
known as The Silence. Introduced
in “The Impossible Astronaut,” the
appearance of these mouthless
monsters was inspired by Edvard
IT’S TERRIFYING TO WATCH
OUR HERO SCREAMING AT
DRIVERS WHO SWERVE
AROUND HIM WITHOUT
STOPPING TO LISTEN THAT
“THEY’RE HERE ALREADY!
YOU’RE NEXT! YOU’RE NEXT!”
Munch’s painting “The Scream”
(as well as the “Men in Black” and
classic “grey” aliens). And they
are everywhere. How have these
aliens infiltrated every corner of our
planet (including the Oval Office)
without being detected? It’s simple:
Once you look away from one of
The Silence, you forget you’ve ever
seen them. The problem is, you’ll
still follow whatever directions
you were given without knowing
why. While these sinister suited
figures pull the strings on human
politics, Amy and Rory rely on
audio-recorded memories and
some magic-marker alien tallies
to help the Doctor expose The
Silence’s plan to the millions of
people on planet Earth who have
just discovered these monsters
(seemingly) for the first time...
standing right behind them.
The universe is a big place full
of mysteries (and hopefully,
somewhere, intelligent life) but
how well do we really know our
own hometown? Couldn’t our
own backyards contain as many
mysteries as the surface of Mars?
At the end of the day, what if we’re
afraid of something arriving that’s
already here?
INVASION 18

THE ART IS
OUT THERE
The X-Files is back! To celebrate, Loot Crate teamed
up with Threadless for a t-shirt design challenge. The
winning design by Francis Minoza is on this month’s
T-Shirt, and the designs by the runners-up Raymond
Escarpe and Tom Burns are printed here for your
enjoyment, along with a little info on Francis Minoza
and Raymond Escarpe. Unfortunately, Tom Burns
was not available to interview.
First-Place Winner: Francis
Minoza
Q: Can you explain in one or
two sentences the thought
process behind your design?
A: Seeing the Pilot episode was
awesome! The idea is to create
an intense abduction scene for
agents Mulder and Scully. Adding
the giant aliens behind also
reinforced the idea and added a
spooky feel for the viewer.
Q: How does it feel to have your
design chosen as a winner?
A: I was so pumped when I
got the email. The design will
be distributed to Loot Crate’s
subscribers and we get Loot
Crate for all of 2016. That is
pretty rad!!!
Q: Are you a Mulder (believer)
or a Scully (skeptic)? Why?
A: I’m a bit mixed. But mostly I’m
a skeptic like Scully. Seeing or
having evidence first makes me
believe something.
Q: Is the truth out there?
A: Yes, the truth is out there --
and the lies too.
Q: Anything else you’d like to
share?
A: Thanks so much to Threadless
and Loot Crate for having the
contest. Thanks to those who
voted and supported the artwork.
You guys are all awesome!
Check out Francis Minoza’s
design on the shirt in
your crate.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

Runner-Up: Raymond Escarpe
Q: Can you explain in one or
two sentences the thought
process behind your design?
A: Art is a big part of my life and
I am inspired by a lot of artists,
so I revised my old art for this
competition.
Q: How does it feel to have your
design chosen as a winner?
A: First of all I would like to
say thank you for choosing my
design as a winner, I am very
proud and happy, at the same
time I can’t believe I won because
there is so much beautiful
artwork in this competition.
Q: Is the truth out there?
A: Yes the truth is out there. It
takes special gadgets and time
to really find out if Aliens exist.
The Universe is too big.
Download
Artwork at:
http://loot.
cr/xfiles-a
Q: Anything else you’d like
to share?
A: I would like to share to all: use
something or someone as their
inspiration and be determined to
do the things they really want to
do in life. Be positive and never
lose hope -- and be humble.
Opposite page: Raymond
Escarpe’s artwork.
Next page: Tom Burns’ artwork.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

Download
Artwork at:
http://loot.cr/
xfiles-b

ITEMS
EXCLUSIVE X-FILES THE DAY
HAS COME T-SHIRT
(THREADLESS)
The FBI’s most wanted t-shirt can only be found in your Loot
Crate! The result of a design contest collaboration with Loot Crate
and Threadless, the winning submission is by the artist known as
“nicebleed” and celebrates the return of The X-Files to network
television. Remember, the truth may be out there, but it’s also in this
month’s Loot Crate!
GALAXY
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE ALIEN FACEHUGGER PLUSH
(KIDROBOT)
Invading movie theaters 30 years ago, ALIENS has a fanbase that
has multiplied faster than the xenomorphs themselves! While the
big screen facehugger wasn’t all that friendly, our cuddly, new plush
version has a somewhat mellower disposition. Includes our elastic
“Facehugger Band” for those of you wanting to re-create some
movie memories of your own.
INVASION 24

EXCLUSIVE SPACE INVADERS
VINYL FIGURE
(A CROWDED COOP)
Here at Loot Crate, we never stop innovating. We took a classic twodimensional
shooter game and ... zap! ... re-imagined it as a threedimensional
vinyl figure! Invading your crate in one of three cool color
combinations, you’ll want to collect them all!
LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE THE FIFTH ELEMENT
PROP REPLICA MULTI PASS
(QUANTUM MECHANIX))
Well, if that jolly bearded guy in the red suit failed to deliver this past
holiday, we’ve got one more present you’re sure to love: a neverbefore-offered,
officially licensed prop replica of Leeloo Dallas’ Multi
Pass from one of our favorite sci-fi flicks, The Fifth Element. Authentic
in its detail, the card holder is fully functional letting you swap out
your own credit card-sized I.D. Includes a handy chain so that you
can clip it to bags & backpacks and take it wherever you go.
INVASION 26

EXCLUSIVE “INVASION” MINI
ART PRINTS
(QUANTUM MECHANIX)
As we ring in the new year, Loot Crate salutes a couple of timehonored
oldies with these awesome 9” x 6” art prints. Featuring
movie one-sheet art from 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still and
1953’s The War of the Worlds, the stunning invasion-themed designs
represent a cinematic pinnacle from the Atomic Era.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE X-FILES LED FLASHLIGHT
(LOOT CRATE LABS)
Scully & Mulder might’ve solved a few more cases had they been
carrying this super strong, high-projector beam LED flashlight!
Water-resistant with an anti-shock switch, it’s officially licensed and
helps you re-enact your favorite show scenes or lead your very own
alien investigations. And guess what ... we’ve even thrown in
the batteries!
INVASION 28

BRAND NEW AND EXCLUSIVE
JANUARY 2016 LOOT PIN
Beginning this month, you’ll see a new and improved, cloisonné style
collector pin in every crate! Each pin unlocks something epic, but
you’ll need to go to lootcrate.com/pins to unlock the surprises.
Unlock the digital download for Letter 44
at lootcrate.com/pins
Letter 44 Issue 1: A free comic brought to you by your friends at Oni Press and comiXology
Written by acclaimed comics creator Charles Soule with art by Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque.
On Inauguration Day, newly elected President Blades is ready to reverse course on the previous
President’s reign of terror. But in a letter penned by the outgoing President, Blades learns that
the wars he was elected to end were just a cover to prepare for an imminent alien invasion.
A stealth mission crewed by nine astronauts has been sent to make first contact, and they’re
getting close – assuming they survive.
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LOOT CRATE MAGAZINE

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