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Saturday, May 8, 2010

National Chicle Pack 4 - Favorite card

There were no nifty short print cards in my fourth pack of Chicle, but one look and I knew which one was my favorite out of the pack:

NO. 106 Todd Helton


This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it kicks ass. The beard, the shades, Todd's focus on the batter on an impending bunt... I need about three more cups of coffee to properly describe the awesome in this card. I wanted to honor Tod and the artist who painted him in this post but.....



Thanks Topps, now I hate Bazooka Joe. Every time I flip a Chicle card over and see his smarmy mug smirking at me I want to punch him right in his good eye. I hope that freak friend of his with the turtleneck up to his eyeballs snaps and strangles Joe one day. Didn't see that fortune coming, didja buddy? I have no idea who painted this so Helton's victory is deferred. Here's plan B:

NO. 140 Javier Vazquez


I swear I scanned the Helton and Javy at the same time. I've got to figure out how to get rid of these stupid lines. It shall be my Quest! This is another one where the background makes the card. The black wall behind Vazquez, the blood red sky and ominous cloud make it look like he's pitching in Mordor. Poor little Javy Hobbit had a nice cushy job pitching in the Atlanta Shire, and relaxed his way to a career year. Then the mean ol' Wizard Wrendalf sent him to the Bronx where the all-seeing Eye of the Media is scrutinizing his every move. With his 9+ ERA Javier is desperately trying to book a ticket to the Grey Havens. So much for Javy's contract year, at this rate he might have ended up making more money in the long term by just telling Frank Wren that he would work for free this season to stay in Atlanta and keep that sub-3.00 ERA. And the artist behind this dark and forboding work? Why it's...


Jeff Zachowski. Excuse me, I have to have a fanboi moment real quick.

OH MAH GAWD THAT BOB GIBSON CARD IS TEH BESTEST EVAR LOOKIT THOSE SIDEBURNS WHOLLY CARP I NEEDA BUYA CASE NOW



*ahem* Sorry, but it had to be done. I also got pretty nice cards of Ubaldo Jimenez and Evan Longoria painted by Jeff in the pack, but I had obviously to go with the Mordor reference with this post.  Besides, the Evan card perplexes me - but that's a topic for another post. Heck, Jeff may have painted the Helton too for all I know. THANKS BAZOOKA JOE. This set needs an artist checklist. All you New Yawk fans will enjoy Jeff's sports blog Hot Stove New York. Good stuff from Jeff in this set even if it is an awkward lamb.

9 comments:

Jonathan @ RGB Cards said...

I don't understand the decision to put Bazooka Joe on the backs of cards, just for the sake of having "short prints." If anything, the crappy useless card should be the base and the informative one more highly prized.

ernest of canada said...

Dave, does the software for your scanner include a 'descreen' option? that may help eliminate those lines.

dayf said...

It does - I just used the descreener on that Dave Ricketts card I scanned. it must have gotten unchecked for Javy. I'll experiment tonight when I get home.

dc said...

Todd H.: eh.

Todd H's Chicle card: +10

Andy said...

dayf:

is this the first Chicle set for baseball?

also where can we buy boxes of 2010 at reasonable prices? my target still doesn't have blasters.

dayf said...

Andy:

is this the first Chicle set for baseball?

Yes, although the 2007 Upper Deck Goudey design is heavily influenced on 1934-6 Diamond Stars. There was a 2009 National Chicle Football set that was also all hand painted.

where can we buy boxes of 2010 at reasonable prices?

Blowout has one box left at $73.95. Atlanta Sports cards is $82.99.
MLB.com has retail boxes for $71.99 but there's no guaranteed hits and 6 cards a pack.
Retail isn't out yet, at least not by me.

madding said...

Wait... did they turn the Arch into a rainbow?

fullman said...

Farr painted the Helton card. Agree, it's three-e sweeet.

Anonymous said...

Beards are glorious.

Bazooka Joe is not.

That's all for now.