Exclusive Peek at KISS 360 Quad Autograph from Press Pass

KISS 360, Press Pass' second set based on the legendary band, is set for release next month. This will mark the first time autographed KISS cards will be inserted in packs. The recently released KISS IKONS had redemptions for autographed photos, but no cards.

Here's a peek at the instant-classic quad cut signature card that will be limited to five copies. It includes autographs from Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss (please note that while I've seen one side of this card posted online, I think this is the first time both sides have been shown). There will also be single cut signatures.:

The 90-card base set will include several subsets with such intriguing names as The Demon Speak, Unmasked, Behind Starry Eyes, Welcome to the Show and Road Stories (presumably the PG version).

Inserts include several more levels of hits including Rock Star Relics featuring authentic memorabilia cards with items from Gene Simmons (autographed leather pants), Paul Stanley (autographed vests and a jumpsuit), and Eric Carr (autographed drumheads). There will also be a dual memorabilia card with Simmons and Stanley.

 

Additional inserts include Transformations, a six-card lenticular set that I'm really looking forward too and Snapshots, plastic cards with classic photos. KISS 360 will also have several exclusive parallel cards such as Blood-Spitting and $ in hobby packs, Dr. Love at Wal-Mart and Kissed from Target.

 

 

Vacation Time

When this post goes live, I'll be about eight hours into a 14-hour drive. School's now officially done and it's time to hit the road. I'm off with the family to the lake, to the Stampede without actually going to the Stampede, up to a conference and then all the way back out west for the annual family visit. Although we have no specific timeline past July 10, the calendar's looking like we'll be gone exactly a month.

While I won't be without the Internets for much of the trip other than the next week, I'll likely be very quiet as the collection isn't making the journey. I might check in while I'm gone, and I might not. It'll probably be lurker mode as I wait to see what's in store for Allen and Ginter.

Enjoy the sunshine and the baseball games!

Breygent's Dexter Goes Out on a Limb

I've been looking forward to Breygent's Dexter set ever since it was announced several months ago. The first three seasons have been quirky, creepy and highly addicting. The touchy subject matter would make it seem like a risky venture into the realm of trading cards, but Breygent's gone all out for the realease, offering an autograph checklist that covers most of the first two season's main characters, 21 costume cards, beautiful sketch cards and some great prop cards including the two below:

 

  

We now have prop cards featuring body parts. They're fake limbs used in the show, but limbs nonetheless. For example, if I'm opening packs and I get the first one (DPC1) I'd probably yell, I got the card with the foot on it. 

On the hand card (DPC2), the lines of the hand make for one creepy look. Both of the above prop cards are limited to 95 copies. Only a couple have shown up on eBay so far without any completed sales. Buy It Now prices are asking a minimum of $250.

Dexter was just released this week but it appears to be a strong seller. It's limited to 275 cases, which will likely mean that unopened boxes will quickly dry up and send prices north. Boxes are currently going for about $60 plus shipping.

In Case You Were Wondering What Happened to the Rest of Inkworks' Stock

Since non-sport manufacturer Inkworks closed up shop a few months ago, much has been speculated about their remaining inventory. There was a noticeable upturn in the number of eBay listings, particularly from a couple of sellers. Then there was Razor's grab bag release Ink Archives that had one random Inkworks autograph per pack.

Factory Entertainment has now launched InkworksArchives.com, which should answer a lot of questions about the leftovers, particularly autographs, Pieceworks costume cards and sketch cards. There's also a lot of promo cards and uncut press sheets, which were an Inkworks staple.

I've only done a quick browse through what's available but it should give an indication as to what there was lots leftover on. For example, there's lots of Golden Compass cards, but very little for either of the Alien vs. Predator set. Of course, this could change if more items are listed on the site, but it's a good first look.

Upper Deck Sticks It to Topps One More Time

In light of the whole Upper Deck paying homage to Topps O-Pee-Chee lawsuit, including the 2009 O-Pee-Chee parallels that were supposed to mimic the 1971 design, I find this card from 2009 SP Legendary Cuts a little funny:

So do you think the card containing the disappearing ink penmanship to be from 1971 Topps Baseball or 1971 O-Pee-Chee Baseball?

Holy cow is that one ugly card. Ugly signature. Face cut off to protect image rights. Blech. The "new" part of the card has Martin on the Yankees but the not-so-obvious "inner card" has him on the Tigers. I love the clean stamp look of this year's SP Legendary Cuts but this card is pretty bad. But it can be found on eBay for a penny less than $175.

Gallery: Michael Jackson: Series One (O-Pee-Chee, 1984)

It still hasn't sunk in yet that Michael Jackson's dead. He was a man who transformed the music industry by making music videos more like big-time mini-movies. A trend-setter and a showman, Jackson's impact on the world of entertainment will never be forgotten.

So here I found myself this afternoon, basking in the glow of the end of another school year, looking forward to some big changes in September, kicking back and have good chats with my co-workers. Reading the story as it unfolded, it was interesting to see the various stages of reports, overlapping, all quoting the tabloids as their source. Heart attack, not breathing, coma, dead at the age of 50. Those were the headlines I was reading. And while there have been many urban legends and rumors of his death in the past, just like Stephanie from Full House, Paul from The Wonder Years and your choice of Brady Bunch child, he was still alive. But this time it was real. He's gone. I will not meet a life goal of seeing him live in concert. Damn.

I spent the evening dealing with my shock listening to the thunder outside and scanning my set of Michael Jackson: Series One cards released by O-Pee-Chee in 1984. They're almost exactly like the Topps set except you've got the traditional English/French text and the puzzle cards are not stickers. Both the base set and the puzzle cards have 33 cards in them.

Below is a sample. Click here to see the entire set.

Base Set

Puzzle Cards:

There's no doubt this is clearly an 80s set. The borders are nasty but there's something about the variety of images that's, well, interesting. You've got the superstar Michael in all of his singing and dancing glory. Then there's the crying clown and the llama patter. I love that the set recognized his turn as the Scarecrow in The Wiz.

I haven't checked today, but under normal circumstances, this set has been available online for less than $10. The combination of plentiful stock and ugly design has left it historically not too enticing.

RIP MJ.

Topps Red Hot Rookie #3 Announced - Andrew McCutchen

Topps has announced that Andrew McCutchen is the subject of Red Hot Rookie Redemption #3. The Pirates outfielder joins Fernando Martinez and Gordon Beckham as the other players announced thus far.

The Red Hot Rookie Redemption program consists of ten cards inserted in 2009 Topps Series Two Baseball. Each hobby box has one redemption card.

 

In the two years that Topps has been running this program, this is the first horizontal card I've seen. And while some might be turned off by the lack of McCutchen's face, I'm really digging the unique angle of this shot. The shadow makes me think Tusken Raider.