I DON'T PLAY THE MAGIC: THE GATHERING GAME BUT I DO LIKE COOL FANTASY ART AND I REALLY LIKE COLLECTING TRADING CARDS AND I REALLY REALLY LIKE DIME BOXES. TODAY I DIDN'T HAVE TO RUSH BACK TO WORK AFTER THE GYM BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO BLOW A LOT OF MONEY AT THE CARD SHOP SO I WENT TO SECOND AND CHARLES TO SCROUNGE AROUND IN THE FREE BINS
PROBLEM:
IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AND THE FREE BINS WERE REMOVED SO THEY COULD PUT UP SOME HOLIDAY AND CALENDAR DISPLAYS. NO FREE CRAP FOR ME. I WANDERED AROUND ANYWAY TO KILL SOME TIME AND NOTICED THAT THE 50 CARDS FOR FIVE DOLLAR BOXES FULL OF TRASHY LOOSE CARDS THEY HAVE NEXT TO THE OVERPRICED GAME CARD PACKS HAD SOME MAGIC CARDS IN THEM AMONG THE POKEMON AND YU-GI-OH. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CHEAP MAGIC CARDS FOR SALE SINCE THE SHOP NEAR MY WORK CLOSED DOWN LIKE, I DUNNO, IT'S BEEN LIKE 6 YEARS NOW? LONG STORY SHORT, I SCROUNGED THROUGH THE CARDS AND FOUND SOME THAT PLEASED ME. HERE THEY ARE
EDITOR'S NOTE: I HAVE USED SCANNED CARDS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON HERE BECAUSE THEY LOOK BETTER THAN PHONE CAMERA PHOTOS. THEY ALSO TAKE 10 TIMES AS LONG TO DO AND INVOLVE DRAGGING OUT AN OLD LAPTOP THAT BARELY WORKS ANYMORE. THIS IS A NOTE TO SAY I'M USING SHITTY PHONE PHOTOS OCCASIONALLY NOW BECAUSE IT'S EASIER AND MOAR EASY = MOARER POSTING
EVERY DIME BOX PURCHASE STARTS WITH THAT ONE CARD THAT MAKES YOUR EYES POP WHEN YOU SEE IT, RESULTING IN FRANTICALLY LOOKING THROUGH EVERY OTHER CARD IN THE BOX TRYING TO RE-LIVE THAT RUSH. THIS WAS THAT CARD IN THIS BOX. IT HIT THE TRIFECTA: 1) IS A RARE CARD (LOOK, THERE'S A HOLOGRAM!) 2) IT'S NOT COMPLETELY TRASHED (LIKE THAT WOULD STOP ME!) 3) IT'S A MOTHERFUCKING DRAGON
ONCE I SAW THIS CARD I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO FIND 49 MORE
WHEN I STARTED COLLECTING THESE THINGS IN 1998 (FIVE YEARS TOO LATE!) THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE. THERE WERE ONLY A COUPLE OF OLD STYLE BORDER CARDS IN THE BOX AND I FELT DRAWN TO THIS SPOOKY SHADOW MONSTER.
GHOST KNIGHT. I VERY MUCH ENJOY THE PARANORMAL SHIT BUT THE REASON I PULLED THE TRIGGER ON THIS ONE IS BECAUSE OF THE SET LOGO. THAT'S THE LITTLE SYMBOL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BAR THAT SAYS CREATURE - SPIRIT. IN MY MISHMASH OF A HALF-ASSED M:TG COLLECTION I WOULD LIKE TO SOMEDAY HAVE AT LEAST ONE CARD FROM EVERY SET. I HAVE NO 2021 BAT LOGO SET CARDS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A MAGIC CARD IN TWO YEARS. PLUS: BATS!!!
SKEERY DEMON POUNCING ON YOU. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE NEW GAME MECHANICS AND BY NEW I MEAN 'FROM THIS CENTURY'. LOOKS LIKE THIS CRITTER IS 1/2 BLACK AND 1/2 RED TYPE? WHICH GIVES IT A GOLD BORDER? I DUNNO ABOUT ALL THAT IT'S A SCREAMY DEMON
SHIIIIINY. I LIKEY THE SHINY. THERE'S A WEIRD GHOST LAZER ON THIS CARD ALONG WITH A WEREWOLF CAMEO. IT'S GOT A WEREWOLF SET LOGO AS WELL! A LOT OF SETS NOWADAYS ARE FULL HOLOFOIL SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A BASE CARD OR AN INSERT, I JUST LIKE WEREWOLFS
WE'VE GOT A NICE LITTLE RUN OF CARDS HERE SO THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO EXPLAIN MY MAGIC: THE GATHERING COLLECTING TENDENCIES. MOST OF THE CARDS I REALLY LIKE FIT INTO FIVE MAIN CATEGORIES:
1) DRAGONS - I LIKE DRAGONS
2) COOL MONSTERS - THIS CAN BE ANYTHING FROM AN ELDRICH ABOMINATION TO A RUN OF THE MILL GOBLIN. IT'S 100% SUBJECTIVE AND A CARD I DEEM UNCOOL MIGHT BE COOL THE NEXT DAY OR VICE VERSA. THEY ARE ALL COOL THE MOMENT I BUY THEM HOWEVER
3) FUN ANIMALS - IF I SEE A CAT OR AN OWL ON A MAGIC CARD I USUALLY GRAB IT. I'M ALSO FOND OF BADASS BIRDS AND BIG MEAN CRITTERS
4) HORSIES - HORSIES!!!
5) THE CATEGORY THE PREVIOUS EIGHT CARDS BELONG TO WHICH IS BEST DESCRIBED AS "WHO IS SHE??"
I LIKE ARTWORK OF PRETTY GIRLS AND MAGIC HAS SHITLOADS OF CARDS FEATURING JUST THAT THING. PRETTY VAMPIRE GIRLS GET BONUS POINTS
GARGOYLES ARE COOL. SEE: CATEGORY #2. THIS IS AN UNCOMMON CARD AS WELL. YOU CAN TELL BY THE SET ICON WHICH IS SILVER
THE DEATHLESS HORSIE!!!! I'M JUST NOTICING NOW THAT THERE IS A NEW NEW BORDER DESIGN THAT IS SUBTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES THAT REPLACED THE SHADOW MONSTER'S BORDER FROM BEFORE. THIS SHOULD TELL YOU HOW OUT OF THE LOOP I AM ON MAGIC CARDS, BUT THE FACT I AM GIDDY OVER A BUNCH OF TRASH COMMONS MIGHT HAVE TIPPED YOU OFF ALREADY
BATS ARE COOL AND THIS ARTWORK IS AMAZING. NOT SURE WHAT THE LITTLE SUN SYMBOL NEXT TO THE NAME IS THO, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CARD BACK
OMG WHO IS SHE??? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS A STEALTH VAMPIRE CARD. HELL YEAH. ONLY PROBLEM IS I DON'T KNOW WHICH SIDE TO DISPLAY NOW. HONESTLY THE BAT SIDE KINDA LOOKS COOLER
I TOLD YOU I LIKED OWL CARDS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF MONSTER WOULD KICK AN OWL THOUGH
THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN VAMPIRES ARE VAMPIRES INTO THE GOTHIEST SHIT IMAGINABLE. JUST LOOKIT THOSE HORNS. AND THAT CRAZY KLINGON SWORD. BRILLIANT
I DON'T HAVE TO ASK WHO THIS IS, IT IS OBVIOUSLY LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AS AN ADULT...
...WHO APPARENTLY JOINED THE OTHER SIDE. YOU GO, GIRL. GOBBLE UP THEM GRAMMAS
I DON'T THINK DRAKES ARE TECHNICALLY DRAGONS ACCORDING TO OFFCIAL D&D TAXONOMY BUT SCREW THAT, BIG SCARY DRAGGIE
NEVER PISS OFF A FIRE ANGEL, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A SWORD
BABBIE DRAGGIE!!!!! SQUEEE! SO CUTE
IF A CROCODILE IS BIG ENOUGH IT'S BASICALLY A DRAGON
HORSIE!!! WITH WINGS!!! i like horsies
ROBOT DRAGON!!! THIS ONE'S ALL SPARKY TOO, YOU CAN SNEAK IT INTO A GAME OF POKEMON AND USE IT AS AN ELECTRIC TYPE
I REALLY LIKE ARTWORK WITH THE SWIRLY GLOWY STUFF GOING ON. WIZARDS SPECIFICALLY HAVE A LOT OF THIS HAPPENING ON THEIR CARDS
YOU KNOW I LOVE THE SHINIES!!! IMAGINE IF THIS WAS A FOIL CARD, YOU'D HAVE SHINY ON SHINY
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE FUNCTION OF TOKEN CARDS ARE OTHER THAN MAYBE BEING SOME EXTRA FILLER IN THE PACK. THEY MUST DO SOMETHING SINCE THEY HAVE THAT DAMAGE COUNTER ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. AT ANY RATE, THE TOKEN CARDS ARE USUALLY FULL ART CARDS AND THIS ONE IS OF A MAGICAL ELECTRIC SABER-TOOTH CAT THAT JUST TOOK A CHOMP OUT OF A DUDE. HELL YEAH
THE BACK OF THE TOKEN IS AN AD FOR A WEBSITE BUT I THINK THAT LITTLE EYEBALL DUDE DESERVES HIS OWN CARD
I WAS RUSHING THROUGH THE CARDS WHEN I PICKED THEM OUT SO I KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET A DUPLICATE EVENTUALLY. NOT MAD ABOUT HAVING AN EXTRA PONY
SKELEMAN WITH MOOSE HORNS. THE THING ABOUT BLACK BORDER CARDS IS THEY ARE USUALLY EITHER SUPER COOL OR REALLY GROSS. A SKELETON DIVINING BONES IS DEFINITELY IN THE FORMER CATEGORY
ELVES WERE MY FAVORITE D&D TYPE WHEN I WAS A KID AND THERE ARE TONS OF 'EM RUNNING AROUND IN MAGIC THE GATHERING JUST ELVING ALL OVER THE PLACE
MORE VAMPIRE LADIES. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL VAMPIRE LADY CONTENT I SUGGEST THE MOVIES THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, TWINS OF EVIL AND VAMPIRE CIRCUS. LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER GOOD BITEY FILMS
YET ANOTHER VAMPIRE BUT THIS ONE IS SHINY AND ALSO A CLERIC SOMEHOW. VAMPIRES THAT CAN SHOOT MAGIC AT YOU SEEMS A LITTLE OP IF YOU ASK ME BUT MAYBE THEIR RELIGIOUS ICONS WEAKEN THEM
A FLYING ANGEL SURROUNDED BY DOVES AT MAGIC HOUR, HOLY SHIT. THESE CARDS CAN HAVE SOME FRICKIN AMAZING ARTWORK AT TIMES. AND THIS IS A COMMON CARD TOO!
WHOOPS. A SECOND DUPLICATE. A PROBLEM I HAVE IS IF A CARD IS COOL BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT BLOWS MY SOCKS OFF I'LL FORGET ABOUT IT AND BUY MULTIPLE COPIES. I DO THIS ALL THE TIME WHEN PICKING CARDS OFF MY WANTLIST FOR SETS AT CARD SHOWS. I'LL KNOW IMMEDIATELY THAT I ALREADY HAVE A MARK LEMKE CARD IN MY PILE. GILBERTO REYES, NOT SO MUCH
KITTY! EVIL ZOMBIE KITTY CAT IS STILL BABY. JUST PICK UP SOME BRAIN FLAVORED FRISKIES AND YOU'RE ALL SET
SWINGING AROUND LIKE SPIDER-MAN USING WONDER WOMAN'S GLOWY LASSO IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DOPE-ASS ART MAKING IT ONTO A COMMON CARD. IF TOPPS WAS MAKING THESE THIS ART WOULD BE ON A SUPER SHORT PRINTED VARIATION THAT WOULD ONLY BE FOUND THREE DAYS AFTER RELEASE BY A MASSIVE GROUP BREAKER
SWIMMY DRAGGIE!
SERRA ANGEL IS ONE OF THE OLD-OLD SCHOOL CARDS I REMEMBER FROM THE 90S. IT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE MORE ICONIC MAGIC CARDS OUT THERE
AAAAW YEAH THIS IS THE STUFF. CHOMP! ANOTHER COMMON CARD, THERE WERE ABOUT 30 OF THESE IN THE BOX AND I WANTED TO BUY IT EVERY TIME BUT I KNEW FOR A FACT I ALREADY HAD ONE IN MY PILE. I MIGHT GO BACK AND GET A WHOLE PAGE'S WORTH FOR THE NEXT COOL BINDER
THIS IS WHAT I MEANT BY TRASHED RARES WAY UP AT THE TOP OF THE POST. WATER DOES DASTARDLY THINGS TO CARDS, ESPECIALLY PLAYING CARDS. THAT'S FINE WITH ME BECAUSE I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT CONDITION, THIS IS A BAD ASS LOOKING SPHINX MAN, AND THE PAPER LOSS ISN'T ON THE ARTWORK ANYWAYS
I DID CATCH MYSELF TRYING TO BUY THIS CARD TWICE. WHO CAN BLAME ME. IT'S A FRIGGIN FIRE BREATHING SPACE MANTICORE. THIS COULD BE THE COVER OF AN EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER ALBUM
THERE ARE MORE FURRIES IN MAGIC: THE GATHERING THAN YOU WOULD INITIALLY EXPECT. THE LONGER I LOOK AT THIS PICTURE THE MORE CONCERNED I GET BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE ONESIE ON THE DUDE THE CATBOY IS STRADDLING APPEARS TO BE MADE OF THE SAME STUFF AS THE MANTICORE
BIG GIRL! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. EVEN THE FLAVOR TEXT ON THE CARD IS LIKE WHO IS SHE
IF I WAS A DRAGON AND SOME JERK WAS TRYING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO I'D SNAP TOO
OK DINOSAUR. THEY'RE JUST SUPER OLD DRAGON ANCESTORS. MAY BE WHY IT'S A GHOST
A GRIFFIN WITH AN OWL FACE IS ONE OF THE COOLEST DAMN THINGS I'VE SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME AND THIS CARD IS A SHINY FOILY AS WELL
ANOTHER DAMAGED CARD BUT THIS ONE'S UNCOMMON AND THE ART IS OF A PURPLE BUG ELF SO WHO CARES ABOUT A LITTLE PAPER LOSS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S UP WITH THAT ARMOR AND WEAPON, IT LOOKS LIKE SHE RAIDED THE CLOSET OF MIDNA FROM LEGEND OF ZELDA
LAST CARD IN THE BUNCH IS ANOTHER RARE CARD WITH BITS MISSING OFF IT. I DON'T KNOW WHY DOCTOR STRANGE IS FIGHTING WITH SHOVEL KNIGHT BUT IT LOOKS COOL
BETWEEN SCROUNGING THROUGH THE BOX AND WRITING UP THIS POST I'VE GOTTEN TWO OR THREE HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT SO FAR AND I HAVEN'T EVEN SORTED THE THINGS INTO MY BOX OF MAGIC STUFF YET. DIME BOXES REALLY PROVIDE A GOOD BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
