Now, I know Obama is not universally loved and some people are just not into politics and don't want it mixed in with their card fix. So, to make everyone happy and to try to keep the trolls from wandering in and whining about how this isn't what the blog is all about and they'll never come back ever blahblahblah this is what I'm gonna do for you:
Before every Big O post I am going to post a random card from the image vault:
And also post something wicked cool. In this case, a 13 year old girl playing Rush's YYZ on the drums. Warning: There's a big obnoxious flash ad full of bouncing mammaries on that page, but Rush played epically by a girl cancels out the blatant sexism. The 3000 hits that site just got because of that description... well I can't do anything about that sexism.There, you got your dose of coolness. If you don't like Obama or don't care about his cards, please go away now.
Pack 1:
79 Economic Team Takes the Field
The striking thing about this card is that Topps was able to turn around an event from 11/24/08, Obama announcing his economic team, and have it ready on a card for release by 1/20/09. The design is very simple, but effective. No foil, no nonsense, just a full bleed photo with a small blue band at the bottom with the card name and red stars on either side. The back is well designed too:
A photo takeing up about a third of the card on the left, the title at top in a red stripe, a paragraph about the photo on the front and the card number and legalese on the bottom. Very well designed card for something that had to bave been slapped together really quickly. Imagine this design on the 2010 Topps base set? Hmmmm?7 Loving, Nuturing Grandparents
This card makes me sad and I don't want to talk about it.54 Bill Lends A Hand Inauguration Day foil stamp
This card is actually a parallel, although it's almost impossible to tell from the scan. In the bottom left corner above those three stars there is a gold foil stamp that says "Inauguration Day *2009*". I massively tweaked the scanner settings to get the best image I could of it.
It's a parallel. Not a particularly necessary one. They are one in three packs and for the purposes of my set, I just don't see that foil at all. Foil, what foil?Sticker 17 of 18
Here's the one per pack sticker. It's die cut around the white border so you can just slap that part on your notebook. The backs are kind of cool:
Each back has an environmental tip and some history behind it. This back advocates cleaning up pollution and references Lady Bird Johnson's "Keep America Beautiful" campaign. Again, for a set that had to have had a really quick turnaround, this is very well designed.81 The First Granny
I don't quite understand this photo. The card is supposed to be about Barack's mother in law, Marian, but it's got her out of focus looking at her daughter on the front of the card. There's a really nice picture of her on the back though, not sure why they didn't use that one.12 The Newlyweds
Awwww ain't they cute.3 From Hawaii to Washington
Here's Barack in full blown MIB bad ass mode. Why can't Topps get a picture of Derek Jeter or Jimmy Rollins as good as this one? Oh yeah, this was taken by a professional campaign photographer.Up soon: Desert Storm pack. Then packs 2 and 3. I'm going to spread 'em out so you don't get Obama fatigue.
4 comments:
Very cool stuff here. Love the one with Obama and the Big Dog.
I'm an Obama fan, I'm happy we've got him, but I won't get into politics here.
These cards look good. Very simple and not overstated. It'd be nice if Topps could give us a baseball release that looks as classy.
if the collation is anything like Topps' other non-sports cards.... you won't get anywhere near a set.
Topps could learn a lot from companies like Inkworks and Rittenhouse....
Remember that Topps did JFK cards with a similar personal-history approach (although in B&W, not color) during his presidency. A little bow to the past here, maybe.
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