Marvel Masterpieces 1992-2020

[exotechktx]

Just absolutely marvelous!!!

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

But im much more interested in the no foils because the error aspect and needle in a haystack type thing. It is something to chase and collect.

Those are gems -- I'm jealous of your collection.

[Watchmee]

Originally Posted by Mahomie

Yeah, no foil all day errday.

Unrelated, but do you still own a complete 1996 base set?

Acquired my base MM'96 a few months back -- some of the cards have minor "snow" from cards sticking which allow me to get a good deal, but that's definitely the "Holy Grail" of the 90's Marvel sets

Alex H

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Mahomie

Yeah, no foil all day errday.

Unrelated, but do you still own a complete 1996 base set?

Yepper…96MM is complete. One goal of mine is to have a true base of every MM card released (so for example epic purple wouldn’t count). I have it complete for everything up until MM 2022. Then UD just HAD to squeeze in the 2024 Grego set right before losing the license…resulting in having to pick up yet another tier 4 base set which will be very expensive but haven’t even started with yet.

1996MM I picked up several years ago before Covid when prices were a bit softer. Easily one of the best sets.

Originally Posted by Watchmee

Acquired my base MM'96 a few months back -- some of the cards have minor "snow" from cards sticking which allow me to get a good deal, but that's definitely the "Holy Grail" of the 90's Marvel sets

Alex H

Nice…big set to check off! It is certainly becoming prohibitive trying to complete it these days. I feel like master sets are going over $3k now.

[Mahomie]

Originally Posted by Watchmee

Acquired my base MM'96 a few months back -- some of the cards have minor "snow" from cards sticking which allow me to get a good deal, but that's definitely the "Holy Grail" of the 90's Marvel sets

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

1996MM I picked up several years ago before Covid when prices were a bit softer. Easily one of the best sets.

That's awesome, guys. Yeah, the 1996 Marvel Masterpieces set is my favorite. Hands down. The artwork is simply sublime.

I have a few loose singles, but I'm trying to decide if I want to complete the base set.

[Mahomie]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

I feel like master sets are going over $3k now.

I would immediately pay $4000 for a master set in decent condition right now.

In fact, if anyone is lurking and has a master set that they'd be willing to part with, feel free to message me.

[Watchmee]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

. . . I feel like master sets are going over $3k now.

active atm eb listing for MM'96 100 Base + 6 Gold Galery + 6 Double Impact is asking over 5.7K so ...

[exotechktx]

I humored selling mine 6 months back and I think the market was around 4-4.5k then

[Watchmee]

in Nov. 2024 I declined MM'96 discounted offer of 2,280.00 (listing was for 2400) because of earlier eBay comps I saw:
Oct 24, 2024 -- $1400 -- https://www.ebay.com/itm/186746129915
Aug 19, 2024 -- $1800 -- https://www.ebay.com/itm/186640313709
Luckily managed to pick my "slightly snowed" set in December, otherwise I was going to be kicking myself for being so picky...

[Mahomie]

This is my favorite card that I own from the 1996MM set:




Truly amazing artwork throughout the entire set.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Mahomie

This is my favorite card that I own from the 1996MM set:




Truly amazing artwork throughout the entire set.

That card is awesome. I kinda regret not sending this Gambit in for the Boris and Julie CGC signature series signing a few months back. One of the top cards in the set I agree

[DynaEtch]

I found the analogue of the 92MM error described below

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Not to keep the suspense going, ha

Front


Back



Generally the more egregious the error, the cooler it is….and this one’s pretty weird!

Here’s the error I just found, the front is a checklist front.



Back-


It is the opposite of the first error, and obviously arose from the same flipped sheet mistake (possibly could have even originated from the same sheet). Not a bad pickup for $15!

Both of these errors are immediately explained by a quick glance at the uncut sheet, where the sheet was rotated 180 degrees printing the front vs the back.

[fabiani12333]

Dyna, I don't know if you're aware, but the original prelim sketch of the 1992 Spider-Man vs Venom card is listed on eBay: link

Here's also a t-shirt produced by Comics Images in 1994 featuring the 1992 MM base card Hulk artwork: link

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Dyna, I don't know if you're aware, but the original prelim sketch of the 1992 Spider-Man vs Venom card is listed on eBay: link

Here's also a t-shirt produced by Comics Images in 1994 featuring the 1992 MM base card Hulk artwork: link

That shirt is awesome…always cool to see MM on random stuff. Comic images also was putting some 92MM images on cardboard stand-ups in 1994, so apparently that was the year they were doing that (interesting since it’s not skybox/fleer which made 92MM. But it’s licensed by marvel and I guess that’s why they could).

That Spider-Man vs Venom prelim is a very neat piece…I did see that…and it’s also way out of my range First time I saw that image was in the FPG Kickstarter book. A little mixed since it’s not the iconic image we’re all familiar with…but it’s a very cool one either way.

[Xazark]

I actually like the original sketch better than the other image, I always felt the spidey was a little off but also understand why they changed it, having Spidey front on is probably better for the value and draw of the card

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Xazark

I actually like the original sketch better than the other image, I always felt the spidey was a little off but also understand why they changed it, having Spidey front on is probably better for the value and draw of the card

(From eBay listing)




I’ll take the opposite stance…I like the finished card better (and there is no right or wrong answer here!)

I can see what Jusko’s original intent was, and I can also see why the editor at skybox insisted it not be like that, their best and most iconic character turned away. But I think in a rare case here it actually turned out even better than the original artist intent. Spidey is being ambushed in the final one, but it also gives a vibe of he’s aware of it, from the Spidey sense perhaps. It creates a sense of anticipation. Having spidey facing the viewer also makes for a more iconic trading card imo. Nothing against the original…it’s arguably a more interesting scene…I just think the final one works better on a card.

On a side note, I used to own a sketch from MM16 (where they did “legacy sketches” after original Jusko artworks). I had one based on the 92MM Spider-Man base card. But instead of Spidey perched in the webbing facing us, the sketch was a viewing angle from the reverse. You see him perched in the webbing but from behind, his back turned. Sort of like the prelim here. It was a very unique and well done sketch, and one I regret selling.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

I can see what Jusko’s original intent was, and I can also see why the editor at skybox insisted it not be like that, their best and most iconic character turned away. But I think in a rare case here it actually turned out even better than the original artist intent. Spidey is being ambushed in the final one, but it also gives a vibe of he’s aware of it, from the Spidey sense perhaps. It creates a sense of anticipation. Having spidey facing the viewer also makes for a more iconic trading card imo. Nothing against the original…it’s arguably a more interesting scene…I just think the final one works better on a card.

I totally agree, Dyna -- I think it's an improvement over the original art. It almost has a 3D effect, with Venom's big claws extending outward and hovering over Spider-Man -- it would make for a cool hologram. I wonder if the editor was Bob Budiansky.

One nitpick, though -- Eddie Brock's Venom didn't trigger Spider-Man's Spidey sense. This is because Spider-Man wore the black alien suit first, presumably allowing the suit to adapt and counteract Spidey's warning system while Brock wore it. This is one of the reasons why Venom was such a formidable and potentially deadly foe for Spidey.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

One nitpick, though -- Eddie Brock's Venom didn't trigger Spider-Man's Spidey sense. This is because Spider-Man wore the black alien suit first, presumably allowing the suit to adapt and counteract Spidey's warning system while Brock wore it. This is one of the reasons why Venom was such a formidable and potentially deadly foe for Spidey.

Hmmm good point. That would nullify the spidey sense since it’s Venom. Of course it does beg the question…did the artist (Jusko) or editor know that detail though Possibly I suppose. It does look like Spidey is just reacting to what’s going on above him…right after the ambush perhaps.

[DynaEtch]

Been awhile…but picked up and framed this 95MM canvas uncut sheet, one of my grails.







What’s cool about this sheet is it’s actually a canvas sheet (it is canvas stock…like one big canvas card). An interesting property of pretty much all uncut sheets is that they take on the texture/tech of the card itself.

But the most interesting thing about the sheet to me is what it reveals- the 10 canvas that are *not* those 12 shown in the bottom right corner in the last pic….are shortprinted at a 4:5 ratio in the set. Whether the market has picked up on that slight shortprintjng ratio is unclear. This is not new info- I’ve seen a pic of the sheet long before acquiring it, and already knew this- but still very neat to see an uncut sheet reveal that info.

[DynaEtch]

This is probably my fav MM related pickup of all time- I do not think I will ever see anything like this again.

1993MM Dyna Etch uncut sheet


I know some are thinking…DynaEtch picked up a dyna etch sheet…ho hum, we’ve seen this sheet before. Alas…..we have not!

Here it is next to a dyna etch sheet.


It may be hard to tell from the pic compared to in person, but here’s the closer detail.

Regular sheet


Compare to


Regular sheet


Compare to


This is a no-foil uncut sheet of the dyna etch’s. Like catching error cards being made in the printing process, and combining my two fav things- error cards and uncut sheets- into one. I have above been seeking out the needle in a haystack “no-foil” errors of this chase set, and have accumulated 6 of them (still need 2). Welp here is that whole set on a sheet.

A no foil error sheet on its own is interesting, but one could wonder what happened to the foil. Perhaps the sheet went through the presses without being applied the etched foil treatment at all. That is not the case here…we have our answer turning over the sheet:








The foil was applied to the back of the sheet instead of the front (also upside down).

Will do a deeper summary of this error situation of the DynaEtch’s in a subsequent post.

[DynaEtch]

Here is a deeper look into the DynaEtch errors (that probably no one ever wanted or asked for ). I have separated what I consider distinct error genres associated with this chase set, many pulled from upthread. Should be noted that whatever is shown for one genre will happen to the entire set (even if I don’t have the cards), as errors affect entire uncut sheets.

Error Genre 1: Foil on back right side up
The only example I have is this Cerebra.

Front has no foil


Next to regular foil on left



The back has the foil of the Krystalin card.


This is easily seen by the uncut sheet:



Take the foil of the top sheet, apply it exactly as oriented to the turned over sheet below it, and voila, Krystalin’s foil is on the back of Cerebra, exactly aligned with the card.

Note, like all these Dyna errors...this Cerebra will be out of minimum /4.

As a side note, this Cerebra error was the most I’ve ever spent on an error card.

Error Genre 2: Foil on back upside down

Same as the above- no foil front, the foil is on back. But this time the back of the sheet was upside down in relation to the foil, and the back of the Cerebra would look like this ugly card, if you cut out the card from this sheet.


This is the error the uncut sheet in last post describes: I do not know if any actual cards of this exist and made it into packs. None have been observed, just this sheet.


Error Genre 3: No foil

Pretty self explanatory- no etched foil applied to the card, front or back.













Error Genre 4: Misaligned Foil on front

A minor shifted foil layer




Error Genre 5: Over-Foil

Parts of the foil on the card were overlayered creating an over-foil look.



Error Genre 6: Blank back

Normal card on front, white blank back. Skybox simply didn’t print the back of a sheet.



Error Genre 7: Major shifted foil

A drastically shifted down foil on front creating a strange card.



I think that about sums up the DynaEtches

[jdandns]

Great overview of the possible misprints, and I really like seeing the Larkin art without the foil.
These characters may not have caught on yet, but just wait until 2099!

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by jdandns

Great overview of the possible misprints, and I really like seeing the Larkin art without the foil.
These characters may not have caught on yet, but just wait until 2099!

Never know by then I think it’ll be funny after 2099 when these “futuristic” characters are in the past.

Im still annoyed they picked the X-Men 2099 for this set….soo many possibilities for Larkin’s awesome art combined with skybox’s wonderful etched foiling….sigh.

[fabiani12333]

That's so awesome, Dyna -- congrats on the huge pick-up.

Even though I had no idea who the characters were, those Dyna Etch cards looked great when I was a kid -- and they still do to this day.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

That's so awesome, Dyna -- congrats on the huge pick-up.

Even though I had no idea who the characters were, those Dyna Etch cards looked great when I was a kid -- and they still do to this day.

Thanks…probably not big to most marvel people but big to an error nut like me, hah. I wonder if for most, they would think the foil mishap even takes away from the sheet…for me it’s the opposite.

Totally agree on them looking great despite the poor character selection. Bob Larkin has some insert sets in 94 Fleer Ultra X-Men with some more standard X-men characters (Greatest Battles and gold team Triptych)…and unsurprisingly I like those a lot also. He’s really had some nice ones in 90s marvel cards.