As you know, I’m a bit of a fan of (non sports) trading cards. And since hardly anyone releases any of worth these days, I occasionally pick up old boxes. Or five at the same time, as I did for my birthday!
Such things are cheap these days, and for boxes shown here, almost a song. None of these were over $20, some under $10 🙂
Fantasy art trading cards were big business in the early 1990s, and it seemed everyone that had ever done a game or novel cover had their own set. Including this guy I’ve never heard of – Lee Macleod – who got his 50 card set released by Cardz in 1994.
The art isn’t great, and the ‘tekchrome bonus card in every pack’ is a bog-standard chrome card. There are no other chase cards in the packs. But the cards have artist commentary which is nice, and with such a small set size I should certainly complete at least one in the box.
I know virtually nothing about Venus Swimwear Model Search (Star, 1994) and apparently neither did they, since nowhere on the box or pack does it list how many cards in the set or if there are chases. I bought it since it was only $7 for the box!
As it turns out, it’s 100 cards (all bikini shots of ‘professional’ models) with no chase. Pretty mundane set, compared to today where at the very least autographs and the like would be included. At least the copy on the backs of the cards is silly 🙂
I’m not really a fan of gambling but I believe the theory that trading cards are successful in part due to the gambling urge. “Will I get that rare chase card in this pack?” This must be why it can be fun to open even a box of cards for a show I’m not remotely a fan of, like Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Pro Set, 1992)!
This was another very cheap box and to be honest I was won over by the 3D card in every pack! Spoiler alert: they’re crap 🙂
It seemed that FPG and Comic Images competed in the fantasy art card market and both had many solid licenses (and truth be told, I bought many packs back then). Both produced high quality sets with desirable chase cards but once they had exhausted the ‘big guns’ the sets came from less famous guys like James Warhola (FPG, 1995).
While I’ve not really heard of this guy, the art is high quality, the comments on the back readable and the set includes metallic chase cards! I haven’t opened one yet, but there should be a few in the box and knowing FPG they will be high quality.
Everyone knows Frazetta (II; Comic Images, 1993) and unsurprisingly given his lifetime of work he had multiple sets back in the day.
What needs to be said about his art? He’s one of the kings of fantasy and was very likely an inspiration for every other fantasy artist that ever got a card set. The cards are beautiful, there’s two types of chase card, and I know I’ll have fun tearing into these!
Incidentally as you can see I have lots of packs! If you want some, let me know.