BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 72 CREEPY CAVE

THE GRAND FINALE, AKA THE LAST CARD I FOUND WITH THE LAST MONEY I HAD. IT'S A GREAT ONE THOUGH

2020 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER WHERE MONSTERS LIVE MINI A CAVE

I FRIGGIN LOVE ALLEN & GINTER'S WHOLE THING AND WHILE I HAVE RESIGNED MYSELF THAT I WILL NEVER OPEN ANOTHER PACK OF THE STUFF AGAIN - LET ALONE A BOX - I STILL WANT TO COLLECT IT IN SOME WAY EVEN THOUGH BUILDING SETS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN ANYMORE. THE FRANKENSET(S) IS STILL GOING STRONG AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS WITH MINIS IN THE DRAFT FOLDER I NEED TO FINISH ONE OF THESE YEARS. AT THE END OF LAST YEAR'S BINGE I HAD A HANDFUL OF CHANGE LEFT AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO SPEND IT ALL ON. NO PENNIES LEFT IN MY WALLET! THIS IS SLIGHTLY TRICKIER THAN YOU'D THINK, IF YOU JUST TRY TO SEARCH ON EVERYTHING HOPING TO GET TO YOUR PRICE POINT THE SITE BOMBS AFTER 100 PAGES. YOU HAVE TO SEARCH FOR SOMETHING REASONABLY SPECIFIC SO YOU DON'T GET 82 MILLION RESULTS. I SEARCHED FOR ALLEN & GINTER AND STARTED LOOKING FOR SOMETHING COOL AND THIS LITTLE MINI POPPED UP AT ME. I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE CREEPY GLOW IN THE DARK MONSTER SET! IT DIDN'T COMPLETELY DRAIN MY ACCOUNT BUT IT WAS TOO COOL TO PASS UP. MORE CARDS SHOULD HAVE GARGOYLES AS A DESIGN ELEMENT

THIS CARD REALLY HIT HOME WITH ME AS I HAD RECENTLY WATCHED THE SERIES HELLIER ON YOUTUBE EARLIER THAT YEAR. IT'S A SERIES ABOUT SOME PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS THAT GO CHASING AFTER GOBLINS IN KENTUCKY CAVES AND THEY GET MIXED UP IN A BUNCH OF WEIRD SHENANIGANS. PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION TV SHOW IS SYNONYMOUS WITH FAKE HOOEY SCHLOCK THANKS TO CRAPPY REALITY TV, BUT THIS SHOW IS VERY THOUGHTFUL AND IS SHOT BEAUTIFULLY. EVEN IF YOU DON'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT LITTLE MONSTERS IT'S SOME GREAT EYE CANDY. IT IS STILL A LARGE DOSE OF HOOEY BUT SUPER CLASSY HOOEY THAT BOUNCES ALL OVER THE CRYPTID CONSPIRACY LANDSCAPE FROM GOBLINS TO MOTHMAN TO INDRID COLD AND ULTRATERRESTRIALS. WHEN I WAS A KID I PICKED UP A COPY OF CHARIOTS OF THE GODS AT A GOODWILL BOOKSALE AND THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY NEAT. THE NEXT YEAR I PICKED UP MORE ALIEN BULLSHIT BOOKS AT THE SALE INCLUDING CRASH GOES THE CHARIOTS BY CLIFFORD WILSON WHICH DEBUNKED A LOT OF THE CHARIOTS NONSENSE AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS EVEN COOLER. THE PLANET WEIRD FOLKS ARE MORE IN THAT LATTER CATEGORY AND ARE NOT AFRAID TO CALL OUT THE BULLSHIT WHILE STILL HAVING A LOT OF FUN WITH THE COOL WEIRD PARANORMAL STUFF. IF YOU LIKE HELLIER OR JUST PARANORMAL STUFF IN GENERAL I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEIR SHOW THE HAUNTED OBJECTS PODCAST WHERE GREG AND DANA SHOW OFF SOME OF THE STRANGE HAUNTED TCHOTCHKES THEY'VE COLLECTED IN THEIR MUSEUM. IT'S SUPER FUN AND OFTEN HILARIOUS

I'M DEFINITELY COLLECTING THIS ENTIRE SET AND HAVE ALREADY PICKED UP A FEW MORE CARDS INCLUDING A SECOND CAVE FROM NIGHT OWL. SERVES ME RIGHT FOR TAKING AN ENTIRE YEAR TO POST THIS CARD BUT REALLY YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY CAVES. AND GLOW IN THE DARK CAVES AT THAT!

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 71: SCULLY

IT'S STILL HALLOWEEN IN OUR HEARTS, JUST IGNORE THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC

2016 TOPPS GARBAGE PAIL KIDS PRIME SLIME TRASHY TV OPEN SCULLY

GARBAGE PAIL KIDS WERE ANOTHER THING I SEARCHED FOR IN VAIN ON COMC BUT I WAS LOOKING AT FIRST SERIES CARDS AND THEY WERE ALL TOO RICH FOR MY BLOOD. OH WHY COULDN'T I HAVE FOUND THESE THINGS AT KAY-BEE TOYS TWO SERIES EARLIER. SUPER LATE IN MY BINGE I HAD SOMETHING LIKE 89 CENTS LEFT IN MY ACCOUNT AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING TO SPEND ALL OF IT, EVERY PENNY, AND HAVING NO LUCK.THERE NEEDS TO BE A SEARCH OPTION FOR A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WILL PULL UP JUST CARDS OF THAT EXACT PRICE. I STARTED SEARCHING EVERYTHING I EVER LIKED TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING PERFECT TO CAP OFF THE SPENDING. X-FILES WAS ONE SUCH SEARCH, AND I WAS HOPING TO FIND A NICE CARD OF DANA SCULLY. THAT DEFINITELY HAPPENED, JUST NOT IN THE WAY I THOUGHT IT WOULD

I LOVE THE X-FILES. IT'S GOT A NICE MIX OF GOOFY MONSTERS AND MIND BENDING CONSPIRACY NONSENSE. I WAS A FAN OF WEIRD POP-CULTURE OCCULT STUFF LIKE IN SEARCH OF AND CHARIOTS OF THE GODS AND THOSE TIME-LIFE MYSTERIES OF THE UNKNOWN BOOKS WHEN I WAS A KID AND THIS WAS THE COOL 90S VERSION OF ALL THAT NONSENSE. ALIENS AND CRYPTIDS AND SEXY COPS, OH MY! IT WAS A FUN WATCH AND NOT SO PLOT HEAVY THAT YOU COULDN'T GO OUT DRINKING WITH YOUR FRIENDS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND MISS AN EPISODE WITHOUT GETTING COMPLETELY LOST. I ESPECIALLY LIKED THAT SOME EPISODES WERE MYSTERIES, SOME WERE HORROR AND SOME WERE JUST GOOFY. THERE WAS A LOT OF VARIETY THERE. I SAW THIS CARD AND KNEW I HAD TO GET IT JUST BECAUSE THE ALIEN FROM JOSE CHUNG'S FROM OUTER SPACE WAS THE ONE HIDING IN THE SCULLY SUIT

MY VINTAGE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS COLLECTION IS PRETTY GOOD, ESPECIALLY AFTER GRITZ DROPPED A LARGE LOAD OF HIS DOUBLES ON ME EARLIER THIS YEAR. NEWER GPKS ARE A BIT MORE HIT AND MISS. I GOT ONE COMPLETE SET BY ACCIDENT IN A NON-SPORTS LOT AND BOUGHT ENOUGH PACKS TO COME CLOSE TO COMPLETING A COUPLE OTHERS BUT MOSTLY I'VE JUST GOTTEN SOME RANDOM PACKS HERE AND THERE AND NONE AT ALL IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS. I THINK WITH NEW GPKS I SHOULD FORGET ABOUT THE SETS AND JUST PICK UP ONES THAT REALLY SPEAK TO ME. A WHILE BACK I NABBED THIS COOL FRANK ZAPPA STICKER. THIS CARD IS CERTAINLY ONE THAT IS RELEVANT TO MY INTERESTS. I SHOULD ALSO PROBABLY TRADE OR SELL ALL THE OLD DOUBLES I HAVE SO I CAN GO GET SOME OF THOSE NEW CARDS. BUT THAT WOULD TAKE WORK AND WHO'S GOT TIME FOR THAT

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 66: BELA TREAT

MOARER HALLOWEENY CARDS! I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS ONE FOR A WHILE

1991 IMPEL TRADING CARD TREATS DRACULA

I ALREADY SHOWED OFF PETER CUSHING, CHRISTOPHER LEE AND CHENEY SENIOR AND JUNIOR, NOW IT'S TIME FOR BELA LUGOSI OR A REASONABLE FACSIMILE. I FRIGGIN LOVE BELA LUGOSI AND I ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL OF HIS CARDS. HE'S ONE OF MY FIRST NON SPORT SEARCHES EVERY TIME I GET ON COMC. THIS CARD IS FROM A SERIES OF HALLOWEEN CARD PACKS THAT CAME OUT IN 1991. INSTEAD OF CANDY, YOU COULD BUY A BAG OF 24 CARD PACKS TO GIVE AWAY TO THE KIDDOS. THERE WERE SIX DIFFERENT SUBJECTS: ARCHIE COMICS, INSPECTOR GADGET, MARVEL SUPERHEROES, NINTENDO, UNIVERSAL MONSTERS AND SOMETHING CALLED WIDGET. I FOUND A NINTENDO CARD AT THE FLEA MARKET ONCE A LONG TIME AGO AND WAS SAD WHEN I FOUND OUT THERE WERE ALSO UNIVERSAL MONSTERS CARDS AS I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I COULD FIND THEM. DUH, EVERYTHING'S ONLINE NOW. WHILE LOOKING FOR BELA CARDS I SEARCHED FOR DRACULA AND THE HALLOWEENIE CARD POPPED UP IN THE RESULTS. HOORAY! NOW TECHNICALLY THERE IS NO MENTION OF BELA LUGOSI ON THIS CARD BUT LOOK AT THE ILLUSTRATION. THAT'S TOTALLY BELA. CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME AT LEAST. IT'S A PRETTY NEAT LOOKING SET, I KINDA WANT THAT LEGEND OF ZELDA CARD. THIS KIND OF THING DOESN'T GET MADE ANYMORE BUT YOU CAN FIND SIMILAR HALLOWEEN TREAT BAGS OF POKEMON PACKS THIS YEAR

I TRIED REALLY HARD TO FIND A GOOD CARD OF BORIS KARLOFF TO COMPLETE THE CLASSIC MONSTER ACTOR LINEUP BUT DIDN'T FIND ANY THAT WERE LESS THAN ABOUT THREE BUCKS AND I WAS BEING CHEAP. I NEED TO GET ONE NEXT TIME AND MAYBE ALSO LOOK FOR BASIL RATHBONE AND JOHN CARRADINE. I WONDER IF TOR JOHNSON HAS SOME TRADING CARDS? OMG I ALSO COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT VINCENT PRICE. THERE ARE TOO MANY HORROR MOVIE ACTORS! AT LEAST I ALREADY FOUND A PETER LORRE CARD A COUPLE YEARS AGO. HALLOWEEN IS ALMOST HERE SO ENJOY SOME SPOOKY MOVIES AND HAVE SOME FUN

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 65: LAUGHING LONS

 WE HAVE A SCARY DOUBLE FEATURE TODAY, PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN SEASON

1973 TOPPS YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING - REMEMBER... ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES

I'VE ALREADY SHOWN OFF MY PETER CUSHING AND CHRISTOPHER LEE CARDS, IT'S TIME FOR THE CHENEYS. I LOVE THE YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING SERIES FROM TOPPS, THEY ARE THE PERFECT MIX OF SKEERY MONSTERS AND CORNY JOKES. IT'S A GREAT GIMMICK, TAKE STOCK PROMO PHOTOS FROM CREATURE FEATURES AND ADD A STUPID CAPTION. MANY COMPANINES USED THIS FORMULA, BUT TOPPS GOT THE UNIVERSAL LICENSE SO YOU GET A LOT OF STARS ON THE CARDS INSTEAD OF PEOPLE IN RUBBER MONSTER SUITS. LON CHENEY JR. WEARS HIS ICONIC WOLFMAN MAKEUP AND SKULKS IN THE WOODS IN THIS PHOTO FROM THE ORIGINAL THE WOLF MAN FILM FROM 1941. I'VE SEEN THIS PHOTO A THOUSAND TIMES AND WAS HAPPY TO SEE IT IN TRADING CARD FORM. THE CAPTION WRITER SEEMS TO THINK LON IS A BEAR AND NOT A WOLF HOWEVER. THE JOKE'S ON HIM THOUGH, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S A SOUND STAGE AND NOT A REAL FOREST

THE ORIGINAL 1959 YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING SET WAS ILLUSTRATED BY THE GREAT JACK DAVIS AND HIS ART LIVES ON WITH THESE MONSTER CARICATURES  ON THE BACK. THIS IS A SECOND SERIES CARD AND I'D LOVE TO COLLECT THE ENTIRE SET BUT I KEEP DOING STOOPID SHIT LIKE BUYING BOXES OF JUNK WITH MY LIMITED FUNDS. AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE CAPTION ON THE FRONT THE JOKES ON THESE CARDS ARE VERY HIT OR MISS BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES. EVEN MONSTER KIDS ARE PICKY EATERS

1980 TOPPS YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING - THOSE DARN WEIGHT-REDUCING PILLS!

ONCE I FOUND JUNIOR I STARTED LOOKING FOR SENIOR. THE 1980 VERSION OF YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING IS MOSTLY THE SAME AS THE 1973 VERSION WITH THE ADDITION OF A COLORFUL BORDER. THIS BORDER IS SO ODD, IT TOOK A MISHMASH OF SPOOKY STUFF AND CRAMMED IT ALL TOGETHER. BATS, SKULLS, AND WOLVES ON A GOTHIC COLUMN WITH CARVED WOOD TRIM FOR SOME REASON? THE BORDER MAKES NO SENSE BUT IT'S UNIQUE AT LEAST. THIS PHOTO IS FROM PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, SPECIFICALLY THE SCENE WITH LON DRESSED UP AS THE RED DEATH AT THE BALL. THAT SCENE IS IN COLOR IN THE FILM, BUT ONCE AGAIN THIS IS A PROMO PHOTO. THIS CAPTION ALSO READS MORE LIKE A PSA THEN AN ACTUAL JOKE. DON'T BE CARELESS WITH FIRE IN THE WOODS AND STAY AWAY FROM DIET PILLS, KIDS. THEY'LL KILL YA

THE BACK OF THE CARD IS BASICALLY A REHASH OF THE PREVIOUS VERSION JUST WAY MORE COLORFUL. I'M NOT A PRINTING GUY BUT THREE COLORS FOR THE BACK OF A NOVELTY NON-SPORTS SET SEEMS EXCESSIVE BUT CREEPY GREEN, BLOOD RED AND MOON YELLOW IS A GOOD LOOK. THE JOKE/LIMERICK ON THE BACK SUCKS. PUNNING ON THE DUAL MEANINGS OF A COUPLE OF THE NAMES FOR SEASONS IS MILDLY CLEVER AT BEST AND CONFUSING AT WORST. ALSO RHYMING FALL WITH FALL? C'MON. A BIG IMPROVEMENT IN THIS SET IS THE EXTRA LINE EXPLAINING THE CONTEXT AND THE FILM FOR THE PHOTO ON THE FRONT. THIS KIND OF CARD SET JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE, THE LAST ONE I CAN REMEMBER WAS THE 1988 TOPPS FRIGHT FLICKS SET WHICH INCLUDED MORE RECENT AND GOOPY HORROR FILMS. HORROR THEMED TRADING CARD SETS ARE USUALLY FOCUSED ON ONE SINGLE FILM AND ARE DEADLY SERIOUS NOWADAYS. WE COULD USE A GOOD SILLY HORROR SET NOW BUT I THINK THEY MAY SIMPLY BE A PRODUCT OF THE 60'S AND 70'S. WE'RE NOT DONE WITH HORROR ICONS, OCTOBER SPOOKY SEASON AIN'T OVER YET BY A LONGSHOT

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 64: THE RETURN OF PETER CUSHING, KINDA

IT WAS REALLY LATE IN THE GAME, I WAS ALMOST OUT OF MONEY AND I STARTED MAKING SOME REALLY WEIRD PICKUPS. THIS ONE WAS INSPIRED BY A TWEET I SAW. APPROPRIATE, SINCE IT'S A BIRD

1939 OGDEN'S BRITISH BIRDS AND THEIR EGGS SKYLARK

ALL RIGHTY THEN. THIS IS A BIRD. THIS BIRD LAID AN EGG. GOOD LORD LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT EGG. THAT BIRD WENT THROUGH A ROUGH TIME. THE BIRD LOOKS HAPPY ABOUT IT THOUGH. MAYBE THERE'S SOME FORESHORTENING GOING ON HERE AND THE EGG IS ACTUALLY MORE BIRD-SIZE APPROPRIATE. CAN YOU TELL I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS CARD

THIS IS ANOTHER OGDEN'S BRITISH TOBACCO CARD. IT'S A LITTLE BEAT UP AT THE TOP  BUT IT'S OVERALL IS PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. SKYLARK IS A POPULAR SONG BIRD AND ALSO A JAZZ SONG SUNG BY ELLA FITZGERALD AND ARETHA FRANKLIN. IT EATS BUGS AND WORMS AND CRAWLY THINGS. IT'S A PERFECTLY CROMULENT BIRD. SO WHY THE HELL AM I WRITING A WHOLE-ASS POST ABOUT THIS RANDOM-ASS BIRD. I LIKE BIRDS, AND SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW AT THE CARDINALS AND JAYS FLITTING ABOUT ON THE TREES IN MY BACK YARD. MAYBE SOME SKYLARKS? MY EXPERTISE IN BIRDWATCHING CONSISTS OF SEEING SOMETHING FLYING AROUND, POINTING AT IT AND SAYING 'BIRD!'. AND THERE'S TONS OF OLD TOBACCO CARDS WITH BIRDS AS SUBJECTS AND BETTER YET, THEY'RE CHEAP! NO ONE CARES ABOUT WHICH SET HAS THE TURTLE DOVE'S ROOKIE CARD, A BIRD CARD IS A BIRD CARD. BUY WHY THIS PARTICULAR LARGE EGGY BIRD? 

IN BETWEEN COMC SEARCHED I WAS HOPPING ON AND OFF TWITTER BACK WHEN IT MERELY SUCKED AND WASN'T A FULL BLOWN DISASTER YET. I FOLLOW A BUNCH OF CLASSIC HORROR THEMED ACCOUNTS AND MY BOI PETER CUSHING IS A FREQUENT SUBJECT. IN ADDITION TO BEING A CLASSIC HORROR ICON, PETER CUSHING IS A BIG FUCKING NERD WHO LOVES TO COLLECT THINGS AND PLAY WITH TOYS. IF HE WAS AROUND TODAY HE'D TOTALLY BE INTO WARHAMMER. THIS PICTURE OF HIM SHOWING OFF SOME BIRD FIGURINES POPPED UP IN MY TIMELINE AND I NOTICED THE TOBACCO CARDS IN THE BACKGROUND AND FREAKED OUT. I WANTED A PETER CUSHING BIRD CARD. I COULD NOT TELL A DAMN THING ABOUT THOSE CARDS FROM THAT PHOTO SO I HAD TO GO INTO CSI MODE. ENHANCE!

I ZOOMED AS MUCH AS I COULD AND YES, THEY WERE TOBACCO CARDS, AND YES, THEY WERE BIRDS. AND THERE WAS ALSO A ROUND EGGY LOOKING THING ON THE CARD. NO CHANCE AT SEEING ANY TEXT BUT 'TRADING CARD SET WITH BIRDS AND EGGS' WAS A GOOD START. HONESTLY THE EGGS PROBABLY SAVED ME BECAUSE THERE ARE TONS OF SETS WITH JUST BIRDS BUT EGGS ARE A BIT MORE RARE. AFTER SOME DIGGING I FOUND SOME AUCTION LISTINGS FOR OLD TOBACCO SETS AND FOUND THIS IMAGE OF A PAGE OF OGDEN'S BRITISH BIRDS AND THEIR EGGS CARDS FOR SALE. COMPARE THE CIRCLED CARDS WITH THE RAVEN AND RAZORBILL AT THE TOP LEFT

THE BLOBS IN THE PETER CUSHING PHOTO WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THESE CARDS FOR ME. TIME TO HUNT MYSELF AN EGG. LUCKILY COMC HAD SOME CARDS FROM THIS SET AND THIS SKYLARK LOOKED SORTA LIKE THAT THIRD CARD ON THE BOTTOM ROW SO I DECIDED THAT THIS WAS PETER CUSHING'S ACTUAL CARD FROM THIS PICTURE (THE TOP WAS DAMAGED IN A PARTICULARLY FIERCE BATTLE OF HIS TOY SOLDIERS) AND SNAPPED IT UP. YOU CAN'T PROVE HE DIDN'T OWN IT SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HE DID. MY OWN PETER CUSHING HOLY RELIC! IF YOU WANT YOUR OWN TRY TO HUNT DOWN THAT FIRST ONE ON THE BOTTOM ROW, IT LOOKS TERRIBLY MISCUT AND YOU'D HAVE A BETTER ARGUMENT THAN I HAVE THAT IS WAS REALLY HIS. SADLY NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER, TWITTER IS A GHOST TOWN HAUNTED BY BIGOTS AND BOTS AND GOOGLE IS ALL IN ON AI SO SEARCH RESULTS ARE MISERABLE AND HAVING A COOL LITTLE SCAVENGER HUNT LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH HARDER NOW. OH WELL. IF YOU NEED A BLUE SKY INVITE LET ME KNOW, THE BASEBALL CARD FOLKS ON THERE HAVE A LARGE PILE OF EM READY TO HAND OUT 

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 69: REGGIE

GOTTA HAVE MY REGGIE CARDS. THIS IS STRANGELY ENOUGH ALSO A WANTLIST PICKUP

2013 PANINI HOMETOWN HEROES REGGIE JACKSON CURTAIN CALLS

STARTING OCTOBER COMC POSTS WITH MR. OCTOBER. REGGIE JACKSON CARDS ARE VERY HIGH ON THE LIST OF 'THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY'. I AM TOO LAZY TO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF ONES I DON'T HAVE BUT INSTEAD ENJOY RANDOMLY SNAGGING COOL LOOKING ONES AS I FIND THEM. THIS COUNTS AS A COOL ONE. BIG REGGIE SWING FRAMED INSIDE A CIRCLE WITH A BANNER AND SOME WAY TOO BIG LOGOS EXCEPT FOR THE TEAM WHICH IS GENERIC AS HELL AND FEATURING A SOMEWHAT ODD COLOR PALLETTE OF RED, ORANGE AND LIGHT BLUE. THIS SET WAS WEIRD AS HELL. I LIKE WEIRD THOUGH. THE BACK TEXT COMMEMORATES REGGIE'S THREE HOME RUNS IN A WORLD SERIES GAME IN 1977, A FORMATIVE INCIDENT IN MY SPORTS LIFE. THIS CARD KICKS ASS

2013 PANINI HOMETOWN HEROES WAS A FAIRLY POPULAR SET AMONGST THE BLOGOSPHERE AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE BELOVED IF NOT FOR ALL THE SHORT PRINTS. I HAVE A WANTLIST FOR IT SOMEWHERE AND I THOUGHT I WAS MISSING ABOUT THREE BASE CARDS AND  SEVERAL HUNDRED SHORT PRINT. AFTER THE FACT, I DUG UP THE WANTLIST AND DISCOVERED I NEEDED SEVEN BASE CARDS AND THIRTY-SEVEN SHORT PRINTS. I ALSO PUT TOGETHER A WANTLIST OF INSERTS. IT SEEMS THAT I LOOKED THROUGH THE CHECKLIST AND PICKED OUT MY FAVORITE CARD (OR CARDS) TO CHASE DOWN. UNDER CURTAIN CALLS WAS LISTED: REGGIE JACKSON. HELL YEAH, I KNOW WHAT I LIKE. I MEAN, I SHOULD, I AM ME AFTER ALL, BUT IT'S NICE TO GET CONFIRMATION. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I AM CHASING DOWN SHORT PRINTED CARDS FROM A TEN YEAR OLD ODDBALL SET ANYMORE BUT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO TRACK DOWN THE BASE CARDS. AND MAYBE ANOTHER INSERT OR TWO

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 68: JESSIE

ONE LAST CARD FOR THE PLAYER COLLECTIONS. THIS IS A BIGGUN

1997 TOPPS GALLERY JESSIE TUGGLE PLAYER'S PRIVATE ISSUE

THIS WAS A LAST-DAY OF THE SALE PICKUP. I FOUND THIS PLAYERS PRIVATE ISSUE VERSION OF TUGGLE'S GALLERY CARD WHILE TRYING TO BOOST MY TCDB RANKING. IT WAS A GOOD PRICE BUT WASN'T ACTUALLY ON SALE SO I LEFT THE TAB OPEN TO THINK ABOUT IT AND THE NEXT MORNING I SAW THAT THE PRICE HAD GONE FROM BLUE TO GREEN WITH A RED DISCOUNT PERCENTAGE NEXT TO IT AND HAD NO MORE EXCUSES. PRIVATE ISSUE CARDS TRADE GALLERY'S USUAL PICTURE FRAME DESIGN FOR THIS BLACK STEEL STAIRCASE KINDA THING THAT LETS YOU KNOW PRECISELY HOW OFF-CENTER THE CARD IS. IT WORKS WELL WITH THE BLACK IN THE FALCONS' UNIFORMS AND WAIT, IS THAT A JERRY RICE CAMEO IN THE BACKGROUND?

THE OTHER FUN THING ABOUT PLAYER'S PRIVATE ISSUE CARD IS THEY ARE LIMITED TO 250 TOTAL CARDS ISSUED. SO NOT SUPER RARE, BUT NOT TERRIBLY COMMON EITHER. THANKFULLY IT'S NOT ACTUALLY SERIAL NUMBERED BECAUSE 90S CARDS + SERIAL NUMBERS = $$$ NOW THAT DEALERS HAVE CAUGHT ON THAT NOT ALL 90S CARDS ARE JUNK. IT'S NICE TO FIND ONE OF THESE ODD 90S PARALLELS AT ALL AND ESPECIALLY NICE TO FIND ONE FOR A PLAYER YOU ACTUALLY COLLECT. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY NEW TUGGLE CARDS SINCE THIS ONE (OR UPDATED TCDB PLAYER COLLECTIONS IN A WHILE FOR THAT MATTER) BUT MY CURRENT TUGGLE COUNT IS 103 CARDS OUT OF A TOTAL 276. BUT! 33 OF THOSE ARE FROM 2020 OR LATER AND MOST OF THOSE ARE AUTOGRAPHS OR SERIAL NUMBERED UNDER 100 OR BOTH. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 37.3% OF POSSIBLE TUGGLE CARDS I'M WELL OVER 40%. WHICH, TO BE FAIR, AIN'T GREAT BUT IT'S STILL GOOD ENOUGH FOR #1 ON TCDB. PLUS I'VE STILL NEVER PLUNDERED MY SORTED FOOTBALL SETS FOR MORE TUGGLES. I COULD BE OVER 50% IN NO TIME! MEANWHILE THERE'S PROBABLY A DOZEN HARDCORE FALCON FANS WITHIN 50 MILES OF ME WHO HAVE THEIR COLLECTIONS IN ORDER THAT HAVE EVERY ONE OF TUGGLE'S CARDS FROM HIS PLAYING DAYS. BUT THEY'RE NOT ON TCDB

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 67: META HORSIE

DECIDED TO POST OUT OF ORDER FOR THEMATIC PURPOSES. I ALWAYS ALLOW MYSELF ONE COMPLETELY STUPID CARD PICKUP PER ONLINE CARD ORDER. IT'S ONE OF MY RULES, AND I FOLLOW MY RULES

2022 TOPPS X METAZOO WILDERNESS UNICORN

YA KNOWS I LOVES TEH HORSIES

SO WHAT THE SAM HILL IS THIS, LITERALLY EVERYONE WHO READS, HAS READ, OR EVER WILL READ THIS BLOG IS ASKING RIGHT NOW. WELL LEMME 'SPLAIN. NO. WILL TAKE TOO LONG. LEMME SUM UP. IN 2020 THERE WAS A KICKSTARTER FOR THIS GAME WHICH IS KINDA LIKE POKEMON WITH CRYPTIDS. THE KICKSTARTER WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WITH 2020 BEING 2020, THE INITIAL CARDS WERE SUPER HOT AND EXPENSIVE. I AM A FAN OF CRYPTIDS AND X-FILES AND WEE BEASTIES KINDA STUFF AND WAS INTERESTED BUT PRICES FOR THE GAME CARDS ONLINE WERE NUTS AND THE ONLY PLACE I EVER SAW THEM IN THE WILD WAS A NEWER CARD SHOP IN CARTERSVILLE THAT HAD A PILE OF MONSTER BOXES FULL OF THEM WITH NO PRICE TAGS TO BE SEEN. NO BEASTIES FOR ME. THEN TOPPS GOT IN ON THE ACTION AND PUT OUT A TRADING CARD SET OF THE STUFF WITH NO GAME ELEMENTS. THIS WAS ALSO STUPID EXPENSIVE ONLINE. MY LOVE FOR WEIRD CRITTERS WAS UNABATED AND I SEARCHED METAZOO IN COMC AND FOUND A BUNCH OF CHEAPO COMMON CARDS IN MY PRICE RANGE. AND I MEAN, I KINDA HAD TO GET THE UNICORN. I HAVE A BRAND TO UPHOLD HERE

METAZOO IS A REALLY NEAT IDEA FOR A CARD GAME. A LITTLE BIT LIKE MAGIC:THE GATHERING WHERE YOU CAST SPELLS AND SUCH WITH A TOUCH OF POKEMON WITH CUTE CRITTERS WITH TYPE BONUSES ALL WITH A SUPERNATURAL CRYPTID THEME. YOU CAN PLAY WITH BIGFOOT AND MOTHMAN AND ALIENS AND CHUPACABRAS AND DRAGONS IN YOUR DECK AND ALL THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE REALLY CUTE AND CARTOONY. THE FUN ART STYLE REALLY HAMMERS HOME HOW NOT-SERIOUS THIS GAME IS WHICH AS A VETERAN OF SEVERAL 90S CARD GAMES WITH CONSPIRACY THEMES I GREATLY APPRECIATE. WEIRD MONSTERS IN THE WOODS SHOULD BE FUN! WHEN LOOKING UP THE ARTIST OF THIS CARD I DISCOVERED SHE ACTUALLY HAD AN APPEARANCE AT THE SHOP IN CARTERSVILLE WITH ALL THE METAZOO STUFF LAST YEAR. I'M JUST MISSING OUT ON EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SET, AREN'T I

 I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE SOME HARSH CRITIQUES ABOUT THIS CARD SET'S MINIMALIST DESIGN BUT WEIRDLY ENOUGH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY RED-BORDERED ODDBALL NON-SPORTS MONSTER CARD I BOUGHT IN THIS ORDER. AND THERE ARE HONESTLY A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO CARDS. SO INSTEAD I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS A PEFECTLY CROMULENT NON-SPORTS CARD OSTENSIBLY AIMED TOWARDS KIDS EXCEPT WEIRD OLD GEEZERS LIKE MYSELF PROBABLY BOUGHT IT ALL INSTEAD. AT LEAST THOSE OTHER GEEZERS WERE SMART ENOUGH TO FLIP IT, THIS CARD WILL END UP IN MY NEXT CHAOS BINDER. I HAVE MY FUN

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 63: SHINY SET

OH YEAH, THIS IS A BIG ONE. THESE PICKUPS REALLY MADE ME HAPPY AND KIND OF KICKSTARTED MY CURRENT PUSH TO COLLECT ALL THE 90S INSERTS. PREPARE THYNESELVES FOR SOME EXTRA SHINY HOLOGRAM GOODNESS

1993 UPPER DECK CAL RIPKEN JR THEN & NOW

1993 UPPER DECK IS FANTASTIC. IT'S SO GOOD THERE'S A WHOLE BLOG DEDICATED TO IT. AS GOOD AS THE BASE SET IS, THE INSERTS ARE JUST AS GREAT. WILLIE MAYS HEROES, FUTURE HEROES, REGGIE JACKSON HEROES, HOME RUN HEROES. SO MANY HEROES. WALTER IOOSS FANCY PHOTO CARDS, ON DECK NON-BRANDED FANCY PHOTO CARDS, FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPRINTS WITH CHIPPY BLACK BORDERS. SO PRETTY. THERE'S EVEN SEASON HIGHLIGHTS AND TRIPLE CROWN CONTENDER CARDS INSERTED INTO SPECIAL LIMITED BOXES TO GIVE YOU THE RARE JUNK WAX CARD THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYWHERE. THE BEST INSERT SET THOUGH IS THE THEN & NOW CARDS WITH AN OLD FASHIONED PHOTO OF A SUERSTAR ON TOP OF A NEWFANGLED HOLOGRAM OF THE PLAYER. THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST LOOKING CARDS OF THE DECADE AND SINCE THEY WERE INSIDE ONE OF UPPER DECK'S "LET THE PRESSES RUN WILD" PRODUCTS THEY'RE NOT TERRIBLY HARD TO FIND. AS USUAL CAL RIPKEN JR. IS ONE OF THE CARDS I WAS MISSING AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO FIND IT ON COMC FOR UNDER A BUCK. I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AS I FOUND NOLAN RYAN'S THEN & NOW CARD FOR TWO BUCKS AT A CARD SHOW LAST YEAR AND IF ANYONE'S GOING TO BE OVERPRICED IT'D BE HIM. STILL! PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!

I REALLY LIKE THE 1992 UPPER DECK VIBES ON THE BACK. AS GOOD AS 1993 IS, UPPER DECK HAD A VERY SPECIFIC LOOK FROM 1989-1992 AND THAT WENT COMPLETELY OUT THE WINDOW IN 1993, NEVER TO RETURN. IT'S A PETTY GRIPE, ESPECIALLY SINCE EVERY OTHER CARD COMPANY ON THE PLANET THREW THEIR SIGNATURE LOOKS RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW AROUND 1992 IN FAVOR OF FOIL AND UV COATING AND FULL BLEED BORDERS BUT THAT CLASSIC UD LOOK JUST HITS ME IN THE NOSTALGIA A LITTLE BIT. I ALSO LIKE HOW THERE IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PHOTO OF THE PLAYER ON THE BACK FOR  A BACKGROUND. UPPER DECK TOOK THE TIME TO PICK OUT A NICE PHOTO JUST TO BE ALMOST COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY TEXT. PANINI SHOULD'VE TAKEN NOTES BUT IT'S TOO LATE NOW. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

1993 UPPER DECK MICKEY MANTLE THEN & NOW

WITH CAL KNOCKED OFF FOR CHEAP, I CHECKED THE REST OF MY WANTLIST AND LO AND BEHOLD, HERE'S THE MICK. MICKEY MANTLE CARDS ARE WEIRD NOW BECAUSE HE WAS EXPENSIVE AS ALL HELL BACK IN THE DAY BUT THEN TOPPS PRINTED APPROXIMATELY SEVEN BILLION NEW MICKEY MANTLE CARDS STARTING IN THE MID-90S AND THE FLOOD OF NEW MANTLE CARDS DROPPED THE PRICES A BIT. I STILL RECALL THE DAYS PEOPLE WERE RIPPING PILES OF 1988 PACIFIC LEGENDS BECAUSE THE MANTLE CARD WAS SELLING FOR TWENTY-FIVE BUCKS SO I'M A LITTLE PRICE AVERSE WHEN LOOKING AT MANTLE CARDS. BUT THIS SUCKER WAS ALSO LESS THAN A BUCK. SOLD!

THEN I LOOKED AT THE REST OF MY WANTLIST AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THERE. 29-YEAR OLD INSERT SET COMPLETE!

AND HERE'S THE ENTIRE SET

IT'S SO PURDY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU ALL FIND A 90S INSERT SET THAT SPEAKS TO YOU AND TRY TO COMPLETE IT. IT'S A GREAT FEELING AND NOT TOO SPENDY AS LONG AS YOU DON'T PICK ONE THAT DROPS 1:720 PACKS OR ONE WITH MICHAEL JORDAN IN IT

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 62: GOLDEN

UPPER DECK HAS A LOT OF WILD ODDBALL SETS NOW AND FULFILLS E-PACK PULLS THROUGH COMC SO THERE IS A TON OF INTERESTING DIRT CHEAP CARDS ON THERE. THIS WAS A NO-BRAINER

2020 UPPER DECK JAMES BOND VILLAINS & HENCHMEN CHRISTOPHER LEE AS FRANCISCO SCARAMANGA

I'VE BEEN ON E-PACK GETTING MY FREE PACK A DAY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW AND I STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW ANYTHING WORKS. I PROBABLY HAVE ENOUGH CARDS FOR TWO SETS OF 2021 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS BUT HAVEN'T FIGURED HOW TO TRADE YET SO I KEEP OPENING PACKS. I'M STILL TOO SCARED TO ACTUALLY BUY A PACK BECAUSE IF I SPEND ACTUAL MONEY ON THAT THING AND GET A PACK WHERE I CAN'T GET REAL CARDS I WILL BURN THINGS. IT HELPS THAT THE ONLY PRODUCT I'M SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN ON THERE IS THE METAL UNIVERSE BASKETBALL SET AND THAT THING COSTS THIRTY BUCKS A PACK. I THINK I SPENT THIRTY BUCKS ON CARDS TOTAL IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO. LUCKILY THIS JAMES BOND SET ISN'T ON THERE BECAUSE HOO BOY WOULD I BE SUPER TEMPTED TO BLOW MY CASH ON FAKE CARDS. THE CHECKLIST OF ALL BADDIES IS FANTASTIC WITH ALL MY FAVORITE EVILDOERS. ROSA KLEBB, JAWS, MAY DAY, MR. HINX, BARON SAMEDI, MR WINT AND MR KIDD, A HALF DOZEN BLOFELDS. I WANT ALL OF THEM. THE ONE I WANTED ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY BUY IS THE GOAT CHRISTOPHER LEE AS SCARAMANGA

IT SEEMS THAT THE ROGER MOORE BOND FILMS ARE NO LONGER COOL BUT SCREW THAT, THEY'RE AWESOME. ALWAYS ENTERTAINING AND GOOFY AND FUN. ESPECIALLY GOOFY. SO MUCH GOOFY STUFF IN THE MOORE BOND FILMS. BUT THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GOOD! BOND HIT PEAK COOL ON THE SECOND FILM IN FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. THERE IS NO COOLER, SO WHY NOT HAVE FUN WITH IT. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN IS ADMITTEDLY GOOFY. THE BAD GUY IS TRYING TO GET A MONOPOLY ON SOLAR POWER. CHRISTOPHER LEE HAS THREE NIPPLES. TATTOO FROM FANTASY ISLAND IS RUNNING AROUND CAUSING MISCHIEF. THE CLIMACTIC SCENE IS IN A FUNHOUSE. IT'S GOOFY! BUT CHRISTOPHER LEE HAS A GUN MADE OF ACTUAL GOLD AND IS A TOTAL BADASS WITH HIS MANY NIPPLES AND IT'S A FUN WASTE OF TIME. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT JAMES BOND, I MEAN REALLY THINK ABOUT HIM, AN EXTRA-LEGAL MURDERER GALAVANTING THE GLOBE TO STEAL A NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BRITISH CROWN IS PRETTY HORRIFYING, AND THIS AIN'T EVEN THE ONLY MOVIE WITH THAT PLOT. MAKE IT A LIL SILLY WITH A RAPIDLY AGING ROGER MOORE WITH EVERY SINGLE MODEL FROM THE SEVENTIES AND THAT'S SOME GOOD TURN YOUR BRAIN OFF ENTERTAINMENT RIGHT THERE

PLUS A CHRISTOPHER LEE CARD WAS AN IMPORTANT GET FOR ME TO PAIR WITH THE PETER CUSHING CARD. SPOILER: THIS IS NOT THE LAST PAIR OF HORROR ICONS WE WILL SEE

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 60: RONALDS

WHILE I HAD CHOICE PARALYSIS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH TRAE YOUNG CARD TO PICK UP, I DID NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM WITH RONALD ACUÑA JR. I KEYED IN ON THREE CARDS I REALLY LIKED AT SUPER CHEAP PRICES. AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO BUY THEM, ONE HAD ALREADY BEEN YANKED OUT FROM UNDER ME. I REGROUPED AND CHOSE A DIFFERENT CARD THAT WAS PRICED LESS  AND IT ENDED UP ALLOWING ME TO PICK UP A REALLY COOL CARD LATER. SILVER LININGS, EH? PLUS I HONESTLY CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER WHICH CARD IT WAS ANYMORE. MAYBE IT'LL POP UP AGAIN THIS YEAR. HERE ARE THE THREE RONALDS THAT MADE IT IN MY ORDER

2021 TOPPS 582 MONTGOMERY CLUB SET 4 RONALD ACUÑA

THIS WAS THE ALTERNATE RONALD. I STILL CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME REMEMBER WHICH ONE I MISSED OUT ON. MAYBE IT WAS THAT SUPER SEVENTIES SET WITH THE MASHUP OF 70S DESIGNS? AT ANY RATE THIS CARD WAS FIVE CENTS CHEAPER. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 582 CLUB EXCLUSIVE CARDS YOU HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN ORDER TO EVEN BE ALLOWED TO BUY THE CARDS SO YOU CAN DUMP THEM FOR UNDER A BUCK A YEAR LATER. I SURE THEY GOT SOMETHING ACTUALLY COOL AND RARE THAT US PLEBIANS CANNOT HAVE BUT I'M FINE WITH THE DREGS. THIS IS AN ODD LOOKING CARD BUT IS BASED ON THE 1951 TOPPS TEAM CARDS SET WHICH IS ALSO HORIZONTAL, BLACK AND WHITE WITH 1991 FLEER BORDERS. I'VE ONLY ACTUALLY SEEN ONE OF THOSE CARDS TWICE IN PERSON SO EVEN A FACSIMILE IS PRETTY COOL TO ME. RONALD IS DOING THE 'STRAW THAT STIRS THE DRINK' CELEBRATION THE BRAVES USED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS IN 2021. IT'S NICE WHEN CARDS CAPTURE LITTLE MEMORIES LIKE THIS

THE BACKS ARE KINDA BORING. JUST AN AD FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE BIG RICH WHALES CLUB AND ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION OTHER THAN THIS IS A LOST DESIGN FROM THE VAULT. IT'S NOT LOST! IT'S JUST A SCARCE ISSUE! FROM A YEAR THAT TOPPS HAS DISAVOWED SINCE THEY HAVE TO HYPE UP 1952 TOPPS ALL THE TIME!

2020 PANINI PRIZM RONALD ACUÑA INSTANT IMPACT

WHO NEEDS LOGOS WHEN YOU GOT ALL THIS OTHER SHIT GOING ON. RONALD IS THROWING AND SWINGING AND THE USS ENTERPRISE IS GOING INTO WARP 10 IN THE BACKGROUND AND THERE'S GIGANTIC TEXT WITH THE INSERT NAME AT THE TOP AND MY SENSES ARE OVERWHELMED. IF THIS WAS A REFRACTOR PRIZM CARD I MIGHT NOT SURVIVE THE AWESOME. GOOD THING I'M CHEAP. NOT GONNA LIE I'M GOING TO MISS PANINI INSERTS WHEN THE FANATICS OVERLORDS MURDER THEM OFF FOR GOOD

THE BACKS STILL AIN'T GREAT BUT AT LEAST THERE'S SOMETHING ON THEM UNLIKE THE CLUB CARDS

2020-21 TOPPS 582 MONTGOMERY CLUB SET 1 RONALD ACUÑA

OK SO I THINK THIS SET IS ON AN ALTERNATE UNUSED DESIGN FOR 1979 TOPPS. I REMEMBER READING AN ARTICLE WITH A COUPLE TEST CARDS WITH THIS DESIGN A FEW YEARS AGO AND THINKING, WOW, THAT'S REALLY COOL. THEN I SAW THIS CARD AND THOUGHT, WOW THIS IS REALLY COOL AND PUT THE CARD IN MY CART. NOW, I GO SEARCHING FOR THAT ARTICLE, OR ANYTHING AT ALL THAT EXPLAINS WHAT THIS DESIGN IS AND THERE IS NOTHING TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE. OR, MORE LIKELY, IT'S THERE BUT BURIED UNDER A MOUNTAIN OF AI GENERATED CRAP IN THE SEARCH RESULTS. SO IT'S A COOL LOOKING CARD, WITH A NEAT STORY THAT I CAN'T TELL BECAUSE TOPPS COULDN'T BOTHER TO PUT A LINE OF TEXT ON THE BACK EXPLAINING JUST WHAT THE HELL THIS IS

UPDATE: THANKS TO A TIP FROM THE SHLABOTNIK REPORT THIS DESIGN IS FROM A 1979 PROTOTYPE. RIP TO MY LARRY HISLE PLAYER COLLECTORS OUT THERE

MAN, THESE 582 MONTGOMERY BACKS REALLY ARE DOGSHIT AREN'T THEY

WAIT. I JUST REALIZED I MIXED UP THE BACKS. THIS IS THE BACK DESIGN FOR THE 1951 TEAM SET CARDS AND THE OTHER ONE IS OBVIOUSLY THE 1979 TOPPS ALTERNATE DESIGN. SO THEY DID PUT A TINY BIT OF EFFORT INTO IT! TOPPS IS STILL LAZY FOR THIS AND NOW I'M AN IDIOT ON TOP OF IT ALL. STILL, THREE NICE ACUÑA CARDS FOR ABOUT TWO BUCKS! WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE MUCH, MUCH HARDER TO FIND THIS YEAR WITH THE SEASON HE'S HAVING

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 59 - SHINY UNITED

ATLANTA UNITED SOCCER IS WAY DOWN ON MY INTERESTS LIST AT THE MOMENT AS MY BANDWIDTH FOR FOLLOWING SPORTS HAS SHRUNK DRAMATICALLY IN MY OLD AGE AND THE TEAM IS SHIT. I STILL ENJOY FINDING NIFTY UNITED CARDS FOR CHEAP THOUGH AND THAT IS WAY EASIER TO DO ONLINE. I SNAGGED A NICE JOSEF CARD IN 2021. HE'S NO LONGER ON THE TEAM. THEN I SNAGGED A NICE MILES ROBINSON CARD IN 2022. NOW THERE ARE RUMORS OF HIM MOVING TO EUROPE SOON. I THINK I'M PICKING UP A NICE MIGUEL ALMIRON CARD THIS FALL, HE'S ALREADY LONG GONE

2021 TOPPS CHROME MILES ROBINSON 1975-76 DESIGN

TOPPS RE-USED THEIR 1975 BASEBALL DESIGN FOR THEIR 1975-76 SOCCER CARDS AND IT LOOKED GREAT. TOPPS OFTEN RECYCLED DESIGNS BETWEEN SPORTS AND 75 WAS A REWORKING OF 1971 FOOTBALL ANYWAY. OF COURSE TOPPS REUSES ALL THOSE VINTAGE DESIGNS IN EVERY SET AND IN 2021 WE GOT THIS THIS ONE. THE DESIGN ITSELF ALREADY LOOKS GREAT BUT THIS ONE IS ALSO A SHINY REFRACTOR

MILES IS MY FAVORITE UNITED PLAYER NOW THAT MY OTHER FAVORITE PLAYERS WERE DUMPED LIKE OLD GARBAGE. HE'S THE FIRST PICK IN FRANCHISE HISTORY AND A USMNT MEMBER. I WAS SUPER BUMMED WHEN HE GOT HURT RIGHT BEFORE THE WORLD CUP, I REALLY WANTED A PANINI STICKER OF MILES. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT ATLANTA UNITED ANYMORE I THINK SELLING MIGUEL ALMIRON PUT A CURSE ON THEM. OR MAYBE TATA MARTINO WAS A MUCH BETTER MANAGER THAN WE GAVE HIM CREDIT. AT LEAST ARSENAL ARE DECENT AGAIN

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 57: LOG ART

AFTER THE KITTY CAT, THIS IS MAYBE MY SECOND FAVORITE OF THE UNEXPECTED PICKUPS FROM MY BLACK FRIDAY BINGE. ONCE AGAIN THIS IS A RANDOM FIND FROM ENTERING IN SOMETHING I LIKE IN THE SEARCH BAR, SETTING THE SORT TO LOWEST PRICE FIRST AND ROLLING THE DICE. WHY THIS WAS SO CHEAP I'LL NEVER KNOW

2019 RITTENHOUSE TWIN PEAKS ARCHIVES ORIGINAL STARS OF TWIN PEAKS - CATHERINE COULSON AS MARGARET LANTERMAN

TWIN PEAKS IS PRETTY MUCH MY FAVORITE TV SHOW IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE ABC'S SABOTAGE AND CANCELLATION* DESTROYED MY TRUST IN MODERN TELEVISION AND I NEVER ALLOWED MYSELF TO GET INVESTED IN ANY DRAMA AFTER THAT UNLESS IT HAD ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR RUN**. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PICK UP A COMPLETE SET (WITH AUTOGRAPH!) OF THE 1991 STAR PICS TWIN PEAKS SET FOR CHEAP AT THE FLEA MARKET BACK IN THE DAY BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO TRACK DOWN ANY OF THE RECENT SETS AS I DON'T HAVE AN LCS THAT DOES MUCH NON-SPORT. BUYING ONLINE IS A GREAT WAY TO PICK UP STUFF YOU CAN'T FIND AND A SEARCH FOR TWIN PEAKS GAVE ME THIS GEM. THIS IS AN INSERT FROM THE 2019 ARCHIVES SET AND IT LOOKS GREAT. IT'S A 27 CARD SET FEATURING GIGANTIC PORTRAITS OF THE CAST FROM THE FIRST TWO SEASONS ON CANVAS TEXTURE CARD STOCK. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD IN HAND AND THE WHOLE SET WOULD LOOK GREAT IN PAGES. I WILL NOT BE COLLECTING THE COMPLETE SET UNLESS I FIND A GOOD PLACE TO BUY NON-SPORTS CARDS AS THE REST OF THE SET IS SUPER EXPENSIVE ON COMC

MARGARET LANTERMAN AKA THE LOG LADY IS SO ICONIC SHE'S PRACTICALLY TWIN PEAKS' MASCOT. SHE'S THE EPITOME OF AN ODDBALL QUIRKY CHARACTER WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS WAAAAAY MORE THAN SHE'S LETTING ON. I'M SO HAPPY SHE WAS ABLE TO DO A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT PART IN SEASON THREE. THE SHOW ISN'T THE SAME WITHOUT HER. COULSON ALSO DID A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE CAMERA. SHE WAS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ON ERASERHEAD AND WORKED A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES WITH LYNCH ON THAT FILM. SHE WAS ALSO AN ASSISTANT ON MANY OTHER MOVIES INCLUDING A COUPLE OF MY FAVORITES WRATH OF KHAN AND NIGHT ON EARTH. I DO HAVE A COULSON CARD FROM MY STAR PICS TWIN PEAKS SET BUT I'M HAPPY TO PICK UP ANOTHER ONE, ESPECIALLY ONE THIS NICE LOOKING

* MY BELOVED AUDREY HORNE GOT BLOWED UP IN A CLIFFHANGER ENDING AND THEN YOU CANCEL THE DAMN PROGRAM??? FUCK YOU ABC

** THE X-FILES IS A NOTABLE EXCEPTION, BUT THAT SHOW WORKED AS A STAND-ALONE MONSTER OF THE WEEK PROGRAM THAT YOU COULD HOP IN AND OUT OF AND STILL ENJOY. THIS IS ALSO SOME FORSHADOWING FOR A FUTURE BLACK FRIDAY POST

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 58: THE 72S

FINALLY SOME REAL CARDS AFTER ALL THE RANDOM COMC NONSENSE. I DROPPED THE BALL ON FINISHING THE 1976 SET BUT I DID NOT NEGLECT 1972. NO HIGH NUMBERS OR BONUS ARTWORK ON THE CARDS BUT I STILL MANAGED TO CHIP AWAY AT MY WANTLIST. HERE'S 0.5% OF THE SET

#486 JOHN LOWENSTEIN

THE ONE SERIES FOUR CARD I PICKED UP IS JOHN LOWENSTEIN'S FIRST SOLO CARD. HE SHARES A DUAL ROOKIE IN 1971 WITH VINCE COLBERT. JOHN IS WAY TOO CLEAN CUT ON THIS CARD I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM AS THE SAME GUY WITH SHAGGY HAIR, GLASSES AND A STACHE ON ORIOLES CARDS FROM THE 80S. WITH THIS CARD I'M DOWN TO NEEDING A JOHN NASH CARD I ALREADY HAVE IN A TEAM SET AND BENCH AND MUNSON TO FINISH UP SERIES FOUR. THIS CARD DID COMPLETE A PAGE IN THE BINDER WITH SOME EXPOS ROOKIES AND SCRUFFY LOOKING CHILDREN

#613 MIKE FERRARO

A NICELY AIRBRUSHED CARD OF PILOTS ALUMNI MIKE FERRARO FROM SERIES FIVE. THIS IS MIKE'S LAST PLAYING DAYS CARD BUT HE HAS A MANAGER CARD IN THE 1983 TOPPS TRADED SET. I GOT MY SERIES FIVE NEEDS DOWN TO UNDER 20 WITH THIS LOT BUT THE BIGGIES LEFT ARE BROOKS ROBINSON AND (AS USUAL) NOLAN RYAN. THIS ONE ALSO COMPLETES A PAGE

#638 KEN WRIGHT

THE MIDDLE OF THREE TOPPS CARDS FOR KEN WRIGHT. ALL THREE ARE FROM HIGHER SERIES, POOR KEN WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT AT TOPPS. HE PITCHED IN THREE GAMES FOR THE YANKEES IN '74 BUT HAD TO WAIT FOR THE 1992 THE WIZ SET FOR THAT TO BE MEMORIALIZED. THIS CARD SADLY DIDN'T COMPLETE A PAGE, I'M STILL MISSING BILL LEE AND JOE COLEMAN

#649 PETE RICHERT

THIS ONE'S THE OPPOSITE OF LOWENSTEIN'S CARD, I HAD NO IDEA THIS GRIZZLED MUG WAS THE SAME GUY AS THE FRESH FACED PETE ON  HIS 1962 ROOKIE CARD THAT I'VE HAD FOR FOREVER. THIS IS THE MOST BEAT UP CARD OF THE BUNCH WHICH IS APPROPRIATE. PETE ALSO HAS A NICE RUN OF MODESTO A'S MINOR LEAGUE MANAGER CARDS IN THE 80S AND 90S. PETE ALSO COMPLETED A PAGE WHICH IS MUCH APPRECIATED

IF MY WANTLIST IS CORRECT (WHICH IS PROBABLY ISN'T) I NEED 75 CARDS TO COMPLETE THIS MONSTROSITY. AT FOUR PICKUPS PER YEAR I'LL HAVE THIS SUCKER COMPLETE IN 2041. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT I STILL NEED RYAN AND ROD CAREW, LET'S CONSERVATIVELY REVISE THAT ESTIMATE TO 2489