Marvel Masterpieces 1992-2020

[FAN4LIFE]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Nice video -- you did a great job providing information on the artwork.

One little issue I have is you said the Spider-Man artwork depicted the symbiote suit -- it actually just depicts his black suit. He hadn't worn the symbiote suit since 1984.

Good point! Is it possible the art is of him back when he was wearing the Symbiote suit? It’s a 1990 set but it includes characters from different time periods.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by FAN4LIFE

Good point! Is it possible the art is of him back when he was wearing the Symbiote suit? It’s a 1990 set but it includes characters from different time periods.

Could be. The back of the card gives a history on the symbiote suit. He stopped wearing the black suit a little over year before.

[fabiani12333]

I know people are rightfully pissed about the Marvel Masterpieces book still not being delivered yet, and how FPG has handled the delays. But something Joe Jusko said in the book stood out to me. He speculated that maybe one day there would be a reprinting of his 2016 artwork on mass-produced trading cards.

I think that's a great idea. Maybe Upper Deck could create a special retail product for MM 16 that could be sold online and in stores. Maybe a 10th anniversary edition. Kids could finally could enjoy it. What do you guys think?

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

I know people are rightfully pissed about the Marvel Masterpieces book still not being delivered yet, and how FPG has handled the delays. But something Joe Jusko said in the book stood out to me. He speculated that maybe one day there would be a reprinting of his 2016 artwork on mass-produced trading cards.

I think that's a great idea. Maybe Upper Deck could create a special retail product for MM 16 that could be sold online and in stores. Maybe a 10th anniversary edition. Kids could finally could enjoy it. What do you guys think?

Upper Deck has actually released quite a few retail versions of Marvel sets the last few years but I don’t think they are making inroads with kids. I would guess the bulk of the recent Marvel blasters are sold online to adults. And if UD created an MM16 anniversary product with rare chase cards it would be bought up by adults as well.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

And if UD created an MM16 anniversary product with rare chase cards it would be bought up by adults as well.

Yeah, but without the limited serial numbering, an anniversary set could have a much higher print run and be more accessible to kids. They could reduce the "hits" and focus more on the base cards. Lower the MSRP. Make it a fun rip for end-consumers. It could be a good way to promote Marvel cards to the next generation of collectors.

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Yeah, but without the limited serial numbering, an anniversary set could have a much higher print run and be more accessible to kids. They could reduce the "hits" and focus more on the base cards. Lower the MSRP. Make it a fun rip for end-consumers. It could be a good way to promote Marvel cards to the next generation of collectors.

At what store though? I just think society has changed in the 2020s vs the 1990s that it will be tough to sell that type of product to kids today. Maybe if they use the art as part of a collectible card game or something.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

At what store though? I just think society has changed in the 2020s vs the 1990s that it will be tough to sell that type of product to kids today. Maybe if they use the art as part of a collectible card game or something.

Yeah, a new card game from Upper Deck would be a good idea. Mass produce it with rare shiny cards mixed in like Pokemon.

[BJohns015]

Was there a rainbow foil variation of some of the 2008 MM inserts? These images from a recent eBay sale look different (more shiny/foil) than others I am seeing elsewhere. I believe in 2007 the base set had a foil parallel, that's almost what this looks like to me - a foil parallel of the insert sets. I am just not seeing that documented on some of the checklists I have found.

[JeffG1954]

[QUOTE=BJohns015;19243043]Was there a rainbow foil variation of some of the 2008 MM inserts? These images from a recent eBay sale look different (more shiny/foil) than others I am seeing elsewhere. I believe in 2007 the base set had a foil parallel, that's almost what this looks like to me - a foil parallel of the insert sets. I am just not seeing that documented on some of the checklists I have found.

They are all holofoil, have seen some even call them refractors, but there is no parallel....it's just the way the light is hitting them, or it's possible the seller touched up the exposure to make the characters pop.

[BJohns015]

Originally Posted by JeffG1954

They are all holofoil, have seen some even call them refractors, but there is no parallel....it's just the way the light is hitting them, or it's possible the seller touched up the exposure to make the characters pop.

Cool, thanks. First thing I did was check COMC and even there (where I would assume standard-ish imaging) I was seeing some pretty apparent variation on some these, so that is what got me wondering. The owners even have the foil-y looking ones priced at a premium.

Example from COMC -> Moon Knight

Good to know there is just something funny going on with lighting in some of these photos and not an additional parallel to add to the wishlist.

[DynaEtch]

Above poster is correct, they are all foils for the 2008MM inserts, there is no parallel.

The 2008MM series 3 bronze Marvel Knights are a straight foil.

The 2008MM series 2 Marvel Heroines have a sort of patterned/lined foil pattern.

On the other hand, the 2007MM Spider-man and X-men insert sets do have a rainbow foil parallel, but that is well-known (9 card regular set, 9 card foil set, for both Spiderman and X-men).

But yea it's the way the light is hitting the card. As a rule of thumb, scans show foil differently than pictures. Pictures usually capture the rainbow effect best. Pictures can vary too. I've seen some listings of say 1992MM Battle Spectra cards that I could've sworn looked like they were no-foil errors, even in some cases buying them, but then once they came, just a regular foil insert.

[DynaEtch]

Those COMC ones look different because the bottom two are elite-processing scans (seller has to pay extra for), and the top two are standard scans. You can tell because elites have the black background. The elite scans are better quality/resolution, and show off foil more apparently. All 4 are the same rainbow foil card.

[DynaEtch]

Some miscellaneous pick-ups.

First this Cloak MM22 base error with no serial number. All MM22 base are hard numbered, so this one must have somehow missed it. Outside of the emerald green error fiasco, you don’t really see many true MM22 errors- this is just my second next to the mirage error above in thread.

Front:


Back:


Next, a 1993MM Hulk 2099 partial no-foil with no name band at bottom.


This would barely be worth posting, as it’s a fairly minor error…except this is the back!


A promo error is quite the rarity.

Finally, on my never ending quest to bookend the 1992MM boxes, I found a top-end one that is going to be very hard to beat:



This is .99995 into the run. Extra interesting since these were 20-box cases, and also consecutively numbered boxes within a case….so this would have been from the very final case of 1992MM, as it’s within 20 from the final box. It is a super tantalizing fact the omega box 350,000/350,000 would have also been inside this case- my oh my- but I don’t think the seller that sold this had others. That omega box may not even exist if someone simply opened it.

I suspect these numbered boxes aren’t of much interest to many others except me. But for 1992 the bookend so far looks like this:


Am interested to know if anyone has seen a box lower than 000535/350,000, or higher than 349981/350,000 out there. The latter is quite unlikely but you never know.

[DynaEtch]

Also they are rolling out those Hildebrandt comic variant covers it by bit. Here are some so far.



There are also ‘virgin variants’ without the logos for each, which are more expensive. Probably gonna wait time before going for those.

[BobCollects]

Those comic variant covers look nice.

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Also they are rolling out those Hildebrandt comic variant covers it by bit. Here are some so far.



There are also ‘virgin variants’ without the logos for each, which are more expensive. Probably gonna wait time before going for those.

On Collect Forever when you buy a comic you get an opportunity to get the ratio variant instead. I’ve pulled both the Vision and Wolverine Virgin variants but they won’t be live for awhile.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

On Collect Forever when you buy a comic you get an opportunity to get the ratio variant instead. I’ve pulled both the Vision and Wolverine Virgin variants but they won’t be live for awhile.

That's a cool concept...making comics like cards in a sense with the randomness and a chance for a hit in a pack.

Now hold up a second...you mean Wolverine like the 94MM Hildebrandt Wolverine? I had no idea they were using that one, I dont recall seeing that in the checklist. Does anyone have a complete checklist of these Hildebrandt variants? That wolverine would be a stunner in virgin variant. Any idea when it goes live?

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

That's a cool concept...making comics like cards in a sense with the randomness and a chance for a hit in a pack.

Now hold up a second...you mean Wolverine like the 94MM Hildebrandt Wolverine? I had no idea they were using that one, I dont recall seeing that in the checklist. Does anyone have a complete checklist of these Hildebrandt variants? That wolverine would be a stunner in virgin variant. Any idea when it goes live?

Image doesn’t show yet but here is title…
WOLVERINE: MADRIPOOR KNIGHTS 2 GREG AND TIM HILDEBRANDT WOLVERINE MARVEL MASTERPIECES III VIRGIN VARIANT
Comic Book

Preorder cutoffs are 2/13 and comics usually takes 2 weeks after it hits comic stores to be live on ePack (they give an estimated date of 4/10)

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

Image doesn’t show yet but here is title…
WOLVERINE: MADRIPOOR KNIGHTS 2 GREG AND TIM HILDEBRANDT WOLVERINE MARVEL MASTERPIECES III VIRGIN VARIANT
Comic Book

Preorder cutoffs are 2/13 and comics usually takes 2 weeks after it hits comic stores to be live on ePack

Ah, Im seeing it now. Im not really familiar with Collect Forever, so just now learning how to use it.

Looks like it says Release Date 3/20 for this one, and shipped 4/10, that's probably why I havent seen it yet- I think the preview articles just included the ones up until Feb. Now the comic title being Wolverine, you'd *think* the cover would be the 94MM Wolverine, but I guess it's not guaranteed. But likely, and what a nice one to get in virgin variant! Probably my fav painting in the base set.

[Gambit C10]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Ah, Im seeing it now. Im not really familiar with Collect Forever, so just now learning how to use it.

Looks like it says Release Date 3/20 for this one, and shipped 4/10, that's probably why I havent seen it yet- I think the preview articles just included the ones up until Feb. Now the comic title being Wolverine, you'd *think* the cover would be the 94MM Wolverine, but I guess it's not guaranteed. But likely, and what a nice one to get in virgin variant! Probably my fav painting in the base set.

Search for key word of "Masterpiece" in collect forever to see what is upcoming. There are some great characters upcoming such as Venom and Thanos.

These comics looks great even with the minimal labeling. A virgin would be ideal, but the labeling as is still allows for the art to breath.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Gambit C10

Search for key word of "Masterpiece" in collect forever to see what is upcoming. There are some great characters upcoming such as Venom and Thanos.

These comics looks great even with the minimal labeling. A virgin would be ideal, but the labeling as is still allows for the art to breath.

Agree, Im liking these. Even with the small banner it at least still looks like a trading card. The Hildebrandt art in large size is great- sort of like the 10x6 prints that came out with the set way back. Maybe it'll encourage some comic people to look into the old marvel card sets (I'd say current ones, but...yea, $800/box Masterpieces...)

Im looking at that list...the Cap should be a neat one too. I was hoping that Fantastic Four 18 would be Thing since I love the art, but it looks like Human Torch (still a nice one).

[finfangfan]

I just ordered 5 Cap and 5 Venom through CF and lucked into the VENOM 31 GREG AND TIM HILDEBRANDT VENOM MARVEL MASTERPIECES III VIRGIN VARIANT!

Should be cool!

[DynaEtch]

Not bad, that’s what, a 1:10 chance with a purchase of 5 to land a virgin variant? That should look awesome on the Venom, can’t wait to see the pics!

[finfangfan]

You asked about turnaround of the Collect Forever slabs… this one just went live today…



And is dated with the street date of January 3, 2024 (listed on back of slab)..

[DynaEtch]

Good stuff. Love this cover, it turned out really well. It's true it's been out for a little while now and I picked one up a couple weeks ago. Im learning about this Collect Forever- if I would have known about it, probably wouldnt have bothered buying these up individually on ebay....Im ok with waiting a few weeks.