2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE PART 2

 DAY ONE OF THE CARD FRENZY WAS ALL ABOUT BEING FOCUSED AND PICKING UP CARDS I ACTUALLY NEED FOR SETS. AFTER THAT IT WAS TIME FOR SCREWING AROUND AND MAKING DISCOVERIES. AND NOT BUYING ALL THAT MUCH, THIS IS HALF MY HAUL FROM THE 25TH TO 27TH. THIS WAS WISE AS PRICES GOT SLASHED AGAIN ON THE ACTUAL BLACK FRIDAY. THE OTHER STUFF I GOT:

A 2016 STAR WARS CARD OF GRAND MOFF TARKIN
1961 POST JERRY LYNCH
2014 TOPPS TEK JASON HEYWARD
1981 DRAKE'S GEORGE HENDRICK
A LADD MCCONKEY ROOKIE CARD

ALL FIVE COST LESS THAN THE NEXT CARD

1933-34 NATIONAL CHICLE SKY BIRDS EDWARD C PARSONS

THE STORY BEHIND THIS ONE IS I WAS SCREWING AROUND ON BLUE SKY WHEN THE SABR BASEBALL CARDS ACCOUNT DID SOME ENGAGEMENT FARMING BY ASKING 'WHO HAS A FAVORITE NON-GOUDEY SET FROM 1933'. THERE WERE LOTS OF GOOD BASEBALL ANSWERS SUCH AS DELONG, TATTOO ORBIT AND GEORGE C. MILLER. I WAS ABOUT TO GET CUTE AND SAY INDIAN GUM, BUT REMEMBERED WHOOPS, THAT'S GOUDEY. SO INSTEAD I LOOKED THROUGH COMC LISTINGS FOR A COOL NON-SPORTS SET TO SHOW OFF AND CLICKED ON THE NATIONAL CHICLES BECAUSE THEIR SHIT IS ALWAYS QUALITY. I DID A DOUBLE TAKE WHEN SEEING THIS CARD. DECADES AGO ONE OF THE BASEBALL CARD MAGAZINES DID AN ARTICLE ON NATIONAL CHICLE SKY BIRDS AND THIS CARD OF AN ABSOLUTELY DERANGED LIEUTENANT EDWARD C. PARSONS GOING DOWN IN FLAMES WAS ONE OF THE CARDS PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED IN THE ARTICLE.  I THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER COOL AND THEN FORGOT ABOUT IT BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THESE CARDS IN REAL LIFE. AND THERE THERE IT WAS, JUST WAITING FOR ME TO TAKE IT. SO I TOOKED IT. THAT LOOK ON EDWARD'S FACE CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT. DON'T WORRY, HE WAS FINE

1975 TOPPS PETE ROSE

UGH. I HATE BUYING OVERPRICED PETE ROSE CARDS. BUT I AM TRYING TO COMPLETE THIS DAMN SET AND PETE ROSE IS UNFORTUNATELY IN THE SET. THIS ISN'T EVEN AN INTERESTING LOOKING CARD LIKE THE 76 ROSE. BUT IT'S KNOCKED OFF THE LIST. JUST NEEDED A COUPLE MORE DAYS TO PSYCH MYSELF UP TO PULL THE TRIGGER AFTER MY SET BINGE ON THE 24TH. PETE FOR ONCE IS NOT THE LAST CARD I NEED AS I'M DOWN TO FIVE NOW, WITH CECIL COOPER BEING THE BIGGEST STAR OF THE BUNCH. I COULD HAVE PICKED THEM ALL UP FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE BUCKS BUT I GOT MAD THAT THE MINIS WERE CHEAPER THAN THE BASE CARDS AND FOOLISHLY PASSED

1961 NU-CARDS FOOTBALL STARS PETE CASE

THE MAKER OF THE WARREN SPAHN SCOOPS CARD IN THE LAST POST ALSO TRIED THEIR HAND AT A FOOTBALL SET FOCUSING ON COLLEGE PLAYERS. FOR A LONG TIME I THOUGHT THERE WASN'T A GEORGIA PLAYER IN THE SET AND HALF HEARTEDLY HAD MY EYE ON A GEORGIA TECH CARD. THEN I DISCOVERED THAT COMC HAS AN OPTION TO SEARCH BY TEAM AND LOOKED UP GEORGIA BULLDOGS BY CARD NUMBER AND THERE WAS OL' PETE. I MANAGED TO BE PATIENT AND WAITED FOR THE SALE AND GOT THIS ONE FOR UNDER THREE BUCKS. GOOOOOO DAWGS! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF

NOW I GET TO BE A NERVOUS WRECK ABOUT BAMA TODAY

1995 FLEER AERIAL ATTACK JERRY RICE

MY OBSESSION WITH 1995 FLEER SETS IS LONG DOCUMENTED AND I RIPPED A TON OF PACKS IN ALL FOUR SPORTS AT THE TIME. I HAD REALLY GOOD INSERT LUCK IN FOOTBALL AS I PULLED FIVE OUT OF SIX OF THE ONE-PER-BOX FOIL AERIAL ATTACK CARDS AS WELL AS ONE MISPRINTED ONE WITH DAN MARINO'S PICTURE AND ANDRE RISON FOIL STAMPING. NEVER PULLED THE JERRY RICE CARD THOUGH. IT'S A GREAT LOOKING CARD AND ANOTHER INSERT SET COMPLETE

1983 TOPPS 1952 REPRINT SERIES GEORGE CROWE

SO WHEN THIS REPRINT SET WAS RELEASED IN 1983, THE ORIGINAL 1952 TOPPS SET WAS THIRTY-TWO YEARS OLD. THIS SET IS NOW FORTY-TWO YEARS OLD. THAT'S VINTAGE ENOUGH FOR ME, I'M FILLING OUT MY TEAM SET WITH THESE NOW VINTAGE REPRINTS. I MIGHT NOT DO THIS FOR ALL THE CARDS I NEED AS SOME OF THE SEMI-HIGH NUMBERS ARE STILL THEORETICALLY AVAILABLE IN MY PRICE RANGE BUT THE HIGH NUMBERS CAN GO JUMP IN A LAKE. OR A RIVER AS THE CASE MAY BE

2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE - PART 1

OH HEY LOOKIT ME JUST COMING BACK LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. FOR YOUR INFORMATION PLENTY'S HAPPENED, THAT'S WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING. BUT I'M TWO YEARS BEHIND ON POSTS NOW AND WANT TO SHOW OFF SOME COOL STUFF AND I'M NICE AND RILED UP AT THE MOMENT SO I'M FINALLY TYPING

AS USUAL I SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON COMC FOR THE BLACK FRIDAY SALE AND I COULD HAVE SPENT A LOT MORE. THE PLAN WAS TO DO A TOP TEN PICKUPS POST BUT I PICKED OUT 13 CARDS. INSTEAD OF ADDING ONE MORE CARD AND SPLITTING THE POST IN TWO, I CHOSE THREE AND SPLIT IT INTO THREE POSTS. THIS FIRST FIVE ARE ALL CARDS I ALREADY HAD MY EYE ON AND POUNCED UPON THEM DAY ONE WHEN THE PRICE WAS RIGHT

1973 TOPPS CARL YASTRZEMSKI

CAN YOU BELIEVE I'D NEVER OWNED THE CARL YASTRZEMSKI WITH THE BIG SIDEBURNS BEFORE NOW? PRETTY SHAMEFUL, I KNOW! 1973 TOPPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN WAY ON THE BACK BURNER FOR ME BUT I'M GETTING RIDICULOUSLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE FIRST COUPLE OF SERIES SO I'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THE ONES I NEED. THE FRANK ROBINSON WAS ACTUALLY MT FIRST PICKUP OF THE BINGE. I'M NOT CONCIDERING THE HIGH SERIES UNTIL SOME OTHER COLLECTING GOALS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BUT A NICE MISCUT SIDEBURNS CARD IS FUN

1967 TOPPS VENEZUELAN JOSE HERRERA

I HAVE A HANDFUL OF VENEZUELAN CARDS I PICKED UP WHEN I WAS A KID BACK WHEN NO ONE CARED ABOUT WEIRD RARE ODDBALLS LIKE THAT. A COUPLE 1962, A FEW FROM 1964 AND SOME FROM 1966. THOSE CARDS MOSTLY LOOK LIKE THE US VERSION THOUGH, THE 62'S HAVE SPANISH ON THE BACK, THE 64S HAVE BLACK INK ON THE BACK AND THE 66S LOOK ALMOST IDENTICAL EXCEPT THEY ARN'T GLOSSY. THE 67S ARE A LOT DIFFERENT - ESPECIALLY THE BACK - AND I'VE WANTED ONE SINCE I SAW THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LEMKE CATALOG. THIS ONE HERE WAS PERFECT. FIRST IT WAS THE CHEAPEST ONE AVAILABLE AT UNDER THREE BUCKS. IT'S BEAT TO HELL BUT THAT'S HOWS I LIKE EM. I LOVE THE PHOTO, GREAT COMPOSITION AND IT'S NEAT TO SEE SO MUCH OF THE STADIUM. I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO GET A CARD FROM TIBURONES DE LA GUAIRA AS THAT'S THE VENEZUELAN TEAM RONALD ACUÑA JR. PLAYS FOR IN THE OFFSEASON. THEIR LOGO IS FANTASTIC, I WANT A SHIRT WITH THAT SHARK. I HAD A HELLUVA TIME LOOKING UP THE PLAYER BECAUSE HIS BIRTH YEAR IS 1942 BUT ALL HIS CARDS SAY 1944 ON THE BACK. JOSE PLAYED WITH THE ASTROS AND EXPOS AND HAD A TOPPS CARD IN 1969

1961 NU-CARDS BASEBALL SCOOPS WARREN SPAHN

A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SOME FOLKS WERE CHATTING ABOUT THIS SET ONLINE AND I WENT TO LOOK AT MY BRAVES TEAM SET AND REMEMBERED THAT I ONLY HAD ONE OF THE TWO WARREN SPAHN CARDS IN THE SET. I CORRECTED THAT. SUCK IT YANKEES. THIS COST UNDER A FIVER TO COMPLETE AN ANCIENT TEAM SET. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THESE ALL TOGETHER ONCE I SCRAPE UP THE CASH FOR SHIPPING

1972 TOPPS HIGH NUMBER FRANK ROBINSON TRADED 

FRANK ROBINSON IS THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN ANY SPORT. THIS IS A HALL OF FAME HIGH NUMBER SUPERDUPERSTAR AND I GOT IT FOR UNDER EIGHT BUCKS. PREPOSTEROUS. THE ROTTEN JOE MORGAN TRADED CARD IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY COST ME FOUR TIMES THAT AND FRANK'S TWICE THE PLAYER HE IS. GRUMBLE GRIPE GRRR. I HAVE BEEN KICKING ASS AT PICKING UP 72 HIGH NUMBERS NOW THAT I'VE FINALLY GOTTEN REAL AND STOPPED INSISTING I ONLY PICK THEM UP FOR A COUPLE BUCKS. ONCE I GET THESE CARDS IN HAND I WILL BE DOWN TO NEEDING UNDER FORTY CARDS TO COMPLETE THE SET. I STILL NEED THE NOLAN RYAN SO IT MAY AS WELL BE A MILLION, BUT STILL!

2021 BOWMAN'S BEST JULIO RODRIGUEZ

I THREW Y'ALL A SLURVE ON THIS LAST ONE, EH? ALL THOSE LOVELY VINTAGE CARDS ALL BEAT UP AND RIDDLED WITH MOLD AND NOW I SHOW OFF THIS SHINY MESS. DO YOU REMEMBER THE KERFUFFLE OVER THIS THING? PRE-TAKEOVER TOPPS WAS BUTTHURT OVER THE WHOLE FANATICS THING AND "ACCIDENTALLY" LEFT OFF THE PROSPECT DESIGNATION ON THE PROSPECT CARDS IN BOWMAN'S BEST MAKING THIS JULIO'S ONE AND ONLY TRUE ROOKIE CARD. OF COURSE EVERYONE ONLINE COMPLETELY LOST THEIR MINDS, AT LEAST UNTIL ALL THE NEW SHIT CAME OUT WITH ACTUAL RC LOGOS. FOUR YEARS LATER AND NOBODY CARES, EVERYONE WANTS HIS SUPER SHORT PRINTED OR AUTOPGRAPH CARDS AND I GOT THE FOR TRUES ONE AND ONLY LEGITIMATE JULIO RODRIGUEZ ROOKIE CARD FOR A BUCK AND A QUARTER. AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA

ALWAYS BE PATIENT IN THIS HOBBY FOLKS

2025 Playoff Preferences

 9 MONTHS IS A GOOD BREAK I THINK

YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, THE PLAYOFFS ARE HERE AND I FEEL COMPELLED TO RANK MY PREFERRED TEAMS FROM "ROOTING FOR EM ALL THE WAY" TO "I'D RATHER GET A ROOT CANAL". WHAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE IS ONE OF THESE POSTS WITHOUT THE BRAVES ON TOP. WITH ALL THE STRESS GOING AROUND MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING?? AT ANY RATE WE GOT SOME NEW TEAMS, LET'S GOOOO

Milwaukee Brewers

1976 Topps Darrell Porter - blue dots variation

GHOST UECKER SHALL LEAD THE BREW CREW TO THE SERIES. NEW PILOTS MAKE IT TO THE BIG DANCE. MASSIVE CELEBRATORY DRINKING IN WISCONSIN, EVEN MORE THAN USUAL. OR MORE LIKELY THE WINNER OF THE 84 NLCS REMATCH GETS HOT AND KNOCKS EM OUT RIGHT AWAY. RIGHT THIS MOMENT THERE IS STILL HOPE SO I SHALL DREAM OF NICE THINGS

Seattle Mariners

1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr.

I REALLY REALLY NEED BIG DUMPER IN THE WORLD SERIES. JUST THE MARINERS THERE AT ALL. GOOD LORD I NEED SOMETHING DECENT TO HAPPEN IN THIS ROTTEN WORLD. JUST ONE NICE THING THIS YEAR. PLEASE UNIVERSE, I BEG YOU. ALL THE COOL KIDS WANT THAT BREWERS - MARINERS SERIES. OF COURSE I'VE JUST CURSED BOTH FRANCHISES EVEN MORE THAN THEY WERE ALREADY CURSED, BUT THEY CAN'T GET BOUNCED IN THE WILDCARD AT LEAST

Chicago Cubs

1954 Red Heart Dee Fondy

I FREELY ADMIT THE CUBS ARE TOO HIGH ON THIS LIST. THEY'VE WON A RING IN THE  PAST DECADE AND DANSBY GETTING A SECOND CHIP WOULD MAKE ME NAUSEOUS. I'M MENTALLY STUCK IN THE 80S THOUGH AND THEY'RE STILL LOVABLE LOSERS IN MY MIND. PLUS THEIR PITCHING STAFF SINGLE HANDEDLY DRAGGED MY ASS TO A THIRD PLACE FINISH IN MY FANTASY LEAGUE SO I'M FEELING SOME GOOD VIBES TOWARD THEM RIGHT NOW. GET NICO HOERNER A RING

Cincinnati Reds

2006 Cracker Jack Ballpark Legends II Johnny Bench

I'M STUCK IN THE 80S BUT THEY WON IN 1990 SO IT DOESN'T REGISTER WITH ME. THE'VE BEEN SO CRUMMY ALL CENTURY I'M JUST HAPPY THEY'RE IN THE PLAYOFFS AT ALL. ESPECIALLY WITH WHO GOT LEFT OUT. REDS IN THE WORLD SERIES WOULD BE OBJECTIVELY HILARIOUS, BUT IF THEY WIN THE THING THEY BETTER VOTE JOEY VOTTO  A WORLD SERIES SHARE

Cleveland Guardians

1987 M&M's Star Lineup Joe Carter

JOSE RAMIREZ WOULD BE SO FUN TO WATCH IN A SERIES. HONESTLY I'D BE SUPER HAPPY IF ANYONE IN THE TOP SIX WON THE PENNANT. CLEVELAND DESERVES IT JUST FOR THE NAME CHANGE. PLUS THEY HAVEN'T WON ONE IN A BILLION YEARS AND I ROOT FOR UNDERDOGS. THERE'S JUST A WHOLE LOT OF UNDERDOGS IN IT THIS YEAR

Detroit Tigers

1968 Topps Game Al Kaline

THEY TRIED TO BLOW IT BUT THEY DIDN'T. THE TIGERS GOT A GOOD TEAM WHEN THEY DON'T SUCK. IT'S A NEW SEASON NOW SO MAYBE THEY'LL GO BACK TO BEING THE FIRST HALF TIGERS. I'M NOT SUPER HAPPY MY TOP THREE AL TEAMS ARE ALL IN THE SAME BRACKET BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE THERE IS GUARANTEED TO BE A TEAM I LIKE IN THE ALCS. PLAYING A HORRIBLE EVIL BASTARD TEAM THAT MAKES ME SAD

Philadelphia Phillies

1981 Topps Coca-Cola Phillies Pack with Mike Schmidt on the back

ANOTHER TEAM THAT IS WAY TOO DAMN HIGH ON THIS LIST. TREA TURNER DON'T NEED NO MORE RINGS. HOWEVER, YOU CAN DO A HELL OF A LOT WORSE THAN SEEING BRUCE HOOPER IN THE WORLD SERIES. PHILLY COULD BRING A LOT OF CHAOS TO OCTOBER AND I'M OK WITH THAT. HAIL ERIS AND THE PHILLIE PHANATIC

San Diego Padres

1991 Score Tony Gwynn All-Star

I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY'RE NOT HIGHER?? THEY'VE NEVER WON A DAMN THING, SAN DIEGO'S SPORTS CURSE MAKES CLEVELAND LOOK LIKE THE YANKEES AND THEY'VE GOT SOME FUN PLAYERS. HOW ARE THEY NOT ON THE UNDERDOG SIDE OF THE RANKINGS? MAYBE I JUST FORGOT ABOUT THEM. MAYBE I COULDN'T FIND A NEAT PADRES ODDBALL CARD IN THE BOX I RAIDED FOR PICTURES TO ADD TO THE POST. I'M TOTALLY COOL WITH THEM WINNING THE PENNANT, I'M JUST COOLER WITH SOME OTHER TEAMS BEATING THEM. JUSTICE FOR YU DARVISH THOUGH

Toronto Blue Jays

1991 Starting Lineup Kelly Gruber

ANOTHER TEAM THAT SHOULD BE AT LEAST TWO SLOTS HIGHER. AN ACTUAL FUN TEAM WITH SOME GREAT PLAYERS! ANOTHER UNDERDOG FRANCHISE! THEY ACTUALLY BEAT THE FUCKIN YANKEES! ON THE OTHER HAND I'M SALTY THAT GAUSMAN DIDN'T PITCH LIKE THAT FOR THE BRAVES AND I'M NOT PLEASED WITH ONE OF THEIR WORLD SERIES APPEARANCES. I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THEM IN THE SERIES BUT I'LL BE THE BIGGEST BLUE JAYS FAN IN THE ALDS

Los Angeles Dodgers

1966 Topps Rub-Offs John Roseboro

BIIIIG DROP OFF HERE. SHOHEI SCHMOEHEI, THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A DECADE IS OBNOXIOUS. THEY CAN WIN ANOTHER ONE IN 2032, GIVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE. AS MY LEAST FAVORITE NL TEAM, THEY'RE A DEAD BOLT LOCK TO WIN THE PENNANT. GET THOSE WAGERS IN NOW KIDS

Boston Red Sox

1953 Bowman Tom Brewer

EVER SINCE THEY DISPELLED THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO I'VE HAD NO USE FOR THIS FRANCHISE. HOW THE HECK DID THEY MAKE THE PLAYOFFS ANYWAY AFTER ALL THE UNNECESSARY DEVERS DRAMA. AT LEAST THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD AT BEATING THE YANKEES

New York Yankees

1956 Topps Irv Noren (altered)

YUCK THE FANKEES. BASTARD JUDGE IS GONNA STEAL RALEIGH'S MVP AND THE DAMN YANKEES WILL BULLSHIT THEIR WAY TO THE SERIES. I DON'T WANNA HEAR THE NUMBER 28 IN MY LIFETIME. BOOOO HISSSS BLECCCCCH. I CAN'T EVEN ROOT FOR MAX, WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SIGN WITH THE DODGERS LIKE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO

YOU MADE FREDDIE SAD MAX

THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST WORLD SERIES FOR A WHILE, I HOPE IT'S A GOOD ONE (but we all know it'll be the goddamn dodgers and yankees again)

Dodgers over Yanks in Seven

2025 Topps

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 23: BIG SCHMIDDTY

THE WRITER'S BLOCK IS REAL YO

THIS IS WHY I DUG IN THE DRAFT FOLDERS INSTEAD OF DOING SOME CHRISTMAS POSTS. I STILL DON'T WANNA WRITE ANYTHING SO HERE IS A POST WITH A MINIMAL OF WRITING AND A MAXIMAL OF CARDS

1983 DONRUSS ACTION ALL-STARS MIKE SCHMIDT

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS SO OF COURSE IT WAS THE LAST CARD I NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE SET. I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THESE PACKS BACK IN 83 AND THEY WERE WELL LOVED AS YOU CAN NOW SEE BY THE CORNERS. I ALMOST GAVE THEM ALL AWAY TO A COUSIN BUT AT THE LAST SECOND I COULDN'T DO IT, LEADING TO MY LIFE AS A CARD HOARDER. I PICKED UP A BUNCH LATER ON BUT NEVER QUITE TRACKED DOWN THE SCHMIDT. I EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO BUY A COMPLETE SET FOR FIVE BUCKS BUT I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO FIND THAT DAMN SCHMIDT. YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING ONLINE THOUGH SO WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR THE COMC BINGE I WENT FOR IT

AND THEN I BOUGHT OVER TWENTY PACKS OF THE STUFF AT A LOCAL CARD SHOP THIS SUMMER LOOKING TO BUILD A SECOND MORE MINTY SET. I STILL HAVEN'T PULLED ANOTHER SCHMIDT

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DESIGN IS ATTRACTIVE. THE BORDERS THAT GO VERY WELL WITH THE PHILLIES UNI AND THE GRAY BACKGROUND WITH THE TEAM NAME LOOK GREAT TOGETHER. I LOVE THE HUGE PORTRAIT AND THE ACTION SHOT THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PASTED IN A SCRAPBOOK. EVEN THE BACKS ARE FANTASTIC, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT MANY STATS ON THE BACK OF A BASEBALL CARD? HIT BY PITCH! TOTAL BASES! FIELDING PERCENTAGE! YOU'D HAVE TO BUY AN ALMANAC TO GET ALL THOSE STATS IN 1983

I DIDN'T COMPLETE ALL THAT MANY SETS IN 2024 BUT I COMPLETED THIS ONE. ENJOY THE CARDS AS YOU RING OUT THE OLD YEAR OR RING IN THE NEW OR STUMBLE UPON THIS POST IN JULY

1953 Topps Smoky Burgess

I BLEW IT YESTERDAY AND I'M ABOUT TO FALL ASLEEP TODAY SO HERE'S A 1953 TOPPS CARD OF SMOKY BURGESS

FIREMAN! DAMN I LOVE THIS SET

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 22: OBLIGATORY RONALD & TRAE ROUND 2: T-MINUS TAROT

 MOAR COMC PICKUPS BECAUSE LONGER DRAFT POSTS ARE INTIMIDATING ME TODAY. HAVE SOME RONALD AND TRAE. THESE ARE TWO WEIRD ONES THAT REFLECT THINGS I LIKE

2021 TOPPS QYSPY GUEEN - TAROT OF THE DIAMOND RONALD ACUÑA JR

QYPSY GUEEN TRADED FORTUNE TELLER CARDS FOR TAROT CARDS IN SOME OF THEIR LATER SETS (HECK, THEY MIGHT'VE DONE BOTH, THAT BRAND IS ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF MY RADAR) AND WHILE I THINK THEY ARE PRETTY COOL, I DID NOT THINK THEM COOL ENOUGH TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO COLLECT THEM. UNTIL I FOUND A RONALD CARD FOR SIXTY-SIX CENTS, THAT IS. THE DESIGN IS... OK. IT FITS WELL WITH THE NEWER STYLE OF ART DECO GQ AND LOOKS GOOD ENOUGH. MOST OF THE CARDS ARE ONES THAT CAN BE FOUND IN AN ACTUAL TAROT DECK. THE THREE OF CUPS MEANS CELEBRATION, WHICH THE BRAVES CERTAINLY DID SOME OF IN 2021 

I LIKE THE BACK. INSERT BACKS ARE USUALLY GARBAGE ANYWAY SO JUST MAKE IT LOOK SOMEWHAT LIKE A FANCY PLAYING CARD AND CALL IT A DAY. TAROT CARDS HAVE HAD SOMEWHAT OF A RESURGENCE RECENTLY AND CAN BE FOUND IN A TON OF POPULAR CULTURE, INCLUDING ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMIC BOOKS AND VIDEO GAMES. EVERY BOOKSTORE NOWADAYS HAS A DISPLAY OF DECKS FOR TWENTY BUCKS A POP WHICH MAY PARTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THEIR RENAISSANCE. HOORAY FOR MERCHANDIZING! TEN YEARS AGO I WOULD BE HOARDING THESE THINGS TRYING TO BUILD MY OWN TAROT DECK OUT OF THEM BUT I'M TOO OLD AND TOO BROKE TO BE TRACKING THEM DOWN ANYMORE

2022-23 PANINI DONRUSS OPTIC - T-MINUS 3, 2, 1 TRAE YOUNG

A T-MINUS INSERT WAS ONE OF THE TRAE CARDS IN A PREVIOUS RONALD AND TRAE POST. WHILE I PREFER THE OTHER ONE DUE TO THE ACTUAL SPACE SHUTTLE ON IT, THIS ONE IS REALLY NICE AS WELL. ALTHOUGH I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TRAIL OF SMOKE THERE, THAT LAUNCH LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE GONEA LITTLE WONKY. NEVERTHELESS, SPACE TRAE RULES AND THE CARD WAS SUPER CHEAP

THE BACK EVEN HAS A BUNCH OF LIGHTS AND SWITCHES LIKE THE LAST ONE! THAT'S BOTH TRAES FROM THIS INSERT SERIES AS HE WASN'T IN THE 2019-20 AND 2020-21 SETS. IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE 2019-20 BACKS ARE CRAZY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A WHOLE 50S SPACESHIP COCKPIT ON THERE. PANINI DIDN'T MAKE A T-MINUS 3, 2, 1 SET IN 23-24 SO I WILL HAVE TO BE CONTENT WITH THESE TWO EXAMPLES OF SPACE SHUTTLE THEMED TRAE YOUNG CARDS. I GOT ANOTHER PAIR OF TRAE AND RONALD IN THIS YEAR'S COMC BINGE SO YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST TWO MORE OF THESE POSTS COMING ASSUMING I EVER GET CAUGHT UP