Upper Deck secures DC license

[SouthEastCards]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalk...-and-villains/

Several new releases announced including Skybox Metal Universe Batman, Fleer Ultra Superman, DC Unbound, and DC Masterpieces. A new superman set around the time of the movie is coming too and a preview card has gone live featuring Superman on ePack.

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by SouthEastCards

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalk...-and-villains/

Several new releases announced including Skybox Metal Universe Batman, Fleer Ultra Superman, DC Unbound, and DC Masterpieces.A new superman set around the time of the movie is coming too and a preview card has gone live featuring Superman on ePack.

In a DC fan so this is a fun one for UD to add.

[nabzy28]

Well, let's see how it goes I guess. I wonder if Crypto has a bunch of CZx autos from that second set that was strongly reported/rumored, yet never surfaced. Either way, glad someone will do something with the license.

[Brobocop]

As much as I don't like Upper Deck, it's nice to see the license get used. Should be a net positive and I'm excited for some PMGs in the DC world, not excited to see the insanely high box prices that will come though.

[bloodwings19]

Love to get some Batman cards.

[DynaEtch]

Wow this is big news. A whole bunch of DC based art-based sets would be interesting indeed. I can foresee a DC glut much like that of Marvel in the near future lol.

PMGs of Batman and Superman I can already see going for outrageous amounts. Whereas in Marvel Spiderman holds the top dog spot alone (Wolverine close but not quite), DC will likely have the top dog spot shared between Superman and Batman.

DC Masterpieces! As a Marvel Masterpieces homer I am in an awkward position of deciding whether to collect that or not….leaning towards going for it. Presumably staying true to the Masterpieces brand of only original painted art….but with a whole new host of characters. I like it a lot

[1992UDFootball]

Guessing Masterpieces will be similar to the old 90s DC Master series?

[hermanotarjeta]

This is great news!

[ThatGuyPal]

Big news.

If Annual is chrome that would be pretty awesome and Skybox is gonna be big even though the price will match lol I doubt they can but since they have both now a DC Vs Marvel set would be insane.

I know it comes down to money but it's kind of surprising how these big atheletes or licenses slip through the cracks and have them spread across the three companies, you'd think a Fanatics would pounce on a license like this

[DynaEtch]

I think this is just what UD needs tbh.

Too many Marvel sets, it can get old and tiring with the same characters on so many sets each year. This is an opportunity for fresh rejuvenation of things…new life into the hobby (and I have little doubt many of the collectors of marvel cards will carry over to UD’s DC cards. Same type of sets just different universe).

I can imagine new character collectors forming- Batman character collectors, Wonder Woman, etc. We should see more DC sketch cards now also. Picture a “DC Premier” set.

I wonder if eventually we’ll even see a Marvel vs DC set again like back in ‘95, but that might not happen due to ownership of the properties.

[nabzy28]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyPal

Big news.

If Annual is chrome that would be pretty awesome and Skybox is gonna be big even though the price will match lol I doubt they can but since they have both now a DC Vs Marvel set would be insane.

I know it comes down to money but it's kind of surprising how these big atheletes or licenses slip through the cracks and have them spread across the three companies, you'd think a Fanatics would pounce on a license like this

They may have tried. I could imagine a presentation to reps from DC...

UD - here's a decade, plus, worth of high end artwork, sets, autographed cards of nearly every top talent in the films, inserts, low to high end sets for every collector and fan base that we've worked with Marvel on producing.

Topps - here's, uh, Star Wars Masterwork that first year we made it in 2015.

[Marvel Card]

I’m happy to see them get the license. My fear would be if they got this in anticipation of dropping the marvel license, which I’d have to believe is getting more expensive by the year. The increase $ from the actors cut of the MCU set autos I’m sure is cutting into profitability.


That stuff aside and back to DC cards, I would imagine the initial aftermarket will be crazy on these due to pure speculation. They’ll eventually come back down to earth with Marvel. I just don’t know how nostalgic this is going to be for some adult collectors, but it’ll surely bring card collectors over in adjacent genres. It is good timing though with Gunn restarting the universe.

I think the entertainment market is pretty stretched as it is, so my gut feeling is this will siphon into the marvel market and eventually will decrease aftermarket singles even further for marvel and DC.

I just am curious as to the star power a fleer ultra Superman set would have, unless they bring over justice league characters, which is almost what I feel like they have to do.

[finfangfan]

They are selling the preview cards on ePack… beginning with Superman. $4.99 for one card with chance to hit 1:25 and 1:50 parallels.





Not a fan of this format but did buy 3 (no parallel hit). I agree that DC added to the mix is a good thing for UD.

EDIT: at least 1k of the Superman base in the market already… so looks like it is selling well. Card is available print to order for one week (thru 6/20).

[cmixer]

Cryptozoic is heavily advertising their next DC trading card set, so it appears two companies will have the license at the same time.

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by cmixer

Cryptozoic is heavily advertising their next DC trading card set, so it appears two companies will have the license at the same time.

That Tweet is from March tho… so maybe once current wave of their DC releases hit, it moves 100% to UD? Who knows though?

[LittleJimmies]

Bought 2 packs and got a blue! Very happy to pull it and very happy to see UD breath some life into DC.

[PurplesaurusRex]

So Cryptozoic can use the Metal license? How does that work?

[BobCollects]

There's also Hro's DC Unlock the Multiverse hybrid trading cards. So that's three different companies with some sort of license for DC trading cards.

I'm not a DC fan so I don't expect I'll be buying any of the upcoming DC sets but I'm always thrilled to have more non-sports cards released. I do fear Upper Deck is going to release too many sets, too quickly. We're already facing a glut of Marvel sets. There's got to be a decent amount of overlap between Marvel and DC fans. How much can the market handle?

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by Marvel Card

I’m happy to see them get the license. My fear would be if they got this in anticipation of dropping the marvel license, which I’d have to believe is getting more expensive by the year. The increase $ from the actors cut of the MCU set autos I’m sure is cutting into profitability.


That stuff aside and back to DC cards, I would imagine the initial aftermarket will be crazy on these due to pure speculation. They’ll eventually come back down to earth with Marvel. I just don’t know how nostalgic this is going to be for some adult collectors, but it’ll surely bring card collectors over in adjacent genres. It is good timing though with Gunn restarting the universe.

I think the entertainment market is pretty stretched as it is, so my gut feeling is this will siphon into the marvel market and eventually will decrease aftermarket singles even further for marvel and DC.

I just am curious as to the star power a fleer ultra Superman set would have, unless they bring over justice league characters, which is almost what I feel like they have to do.

If I were Upper Deck, I'd drop MCU like a ten ton weight and focus solely on comic book and original art releases. But I'd imagine they can't because Marvel wants one trading card company to license all their properties.

The anticipated speculation for the new DC cards is exactly why I won't be buying them. I'll let the sports card flippers pump and dump them and then maybe -- maybe! -- I'll start collecting them, depending on where prices settle.

Some of the reports on the James Gunn DC universe have not been good. For example, the Superman film will reportedly be jammed packed with characters. This has led people to speculate that Warner Bros wants to showcase their DC characters for an eventual sale.

[nabzy28]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

If I were Upper Deck, I'd drop MCU like a ten ton weight and focus solely on comic book and original art releases. But I'd imagine they can't because Marvel wants one trading card company to license all their properties.

The anticipated speculation for the new DC cards is exactly why I won't be buying them. I'll let the sports card flippers pump and dump them and then maybe -- maybe! -- I'll start collecting them, depending on where prices settle.

Some of the reports on the James Gunn DC universe have not been good. For example, the Superman film will reportedly be jammed packed with characters. This has led people to speculate that Warner Bros wants to showcase their DC characters for an eventual sale.

The problem with Marvel is that no casual collectors that might be interested in these products even know they exist. Their distribution system that adds in a dozen restrictions, etc. on who can even sell or have access to product chops off a massive market before it's even released. eshop, ecard, eUD or whatever isn't the answer. The existing customer base is there. Maybe I'm way off on this, but I highly doubt random new collectors are entering the market through there and then super excited to have to pay to have cards shipped to them that they already paid an insane amount for. They, literally, create barriers to entry for their own market growth potential.

[CicadaMound]

The distribution system is a major issue for all trading card companies. Giving them out with gum worked for sixty years and they never should've stopped. I'm only half joking about this.

I'm looking forward to any animation stuff they manage to get out, despite WB's disdain for the genre.

[BobCollects]

Originally Posted by nabzy28

The problem with Marvel is that no casual collectors that might be interested in these products even know they exist. Their distribution system that adds in a dozen restrictions, etc. on who can even sell or have access to product chops off a massive market before it's even released. eshop, ecard, eUD or whatever isn't the answer. The existing customer base is there. Maybe I'm way off on this, but I highly doubt random new collectors are entering the market through there and then super excited to have to pay to have cards shipped to them that they already paid an insane amount for. They, literally, create barriers to entry for their own market growth potential.

Upper Deck has made a significant effort to have blaster boxes for many of its Marvel sets in big box stores like Target and Walmart and potentially other retailers as well. So there is a slight possibility casual Marvel fans are stumbling upon trading cards they otherwise wouldn't know about. That said, the blaster boxes don't advertise hobby boxes or e-Pack so if there are random fans buying blaster boxes, they probably aren't becoming serious collectors.

[Marvel Card]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

If I were Upper Deck, I'd drop MCU like a ten ton weight and focus solely on comic book and original art releases. But I'd imagine they can't because Marvel wants one trading card company to license all their properties.

The anticipated speculation for the new DC cards is exactly why I won't be buying them. I'll let the sports card flippers pump and dump them and then maybe -- maybe! -- I'll start collecting them, depending on where prices settle.

Some of the reports on the James Gunn DC universe have not been good. For example, the Superman film will reportedly be jammed packed with characters. This has led people to speculate that Warner Bros wants to showcase their DC characters for an eventual sale.

I agree, the MCU cards just do not have the love that the comic and OA sets have - the product inventory is ridiculous too. Like you said, it’s probably a stipulation marvel has with upper deck that it has to take on all lines of product to even secure a license at all.

I have a feeling we will know where upper deck stands fairly soon. As I mentioned earlier, I believe this may be a signal for upper deck losing or not retaining the marvel license to make its cards…if I was looking at this from a strict business and financial standpoint. The fanboy side of me wants to believe this is a grand plan to eventually bring us a marvel vs dc card set.

Jumping away from cards for a minute…you bring an interesting point up about DC showcasing to sell. If Disney really wanted to go into the comics world, they would buy DC film rights just as they did marvel. The heads at Disney have to know marvel movies are flailing (because they’ve relied too much on obscure characters) and buying DC at a discount would make sense on paper. A buildup to another avengers is one thing, but a buildup to marvel vs dc would be another thing entirely.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Marvel Card

I have a feeling we will know where upper deck stands fairly soon. As I mentioned earlier, I believe this may be a signal for upper deck losing or not retaining the marvel license to make its cards…if I was looking at this from a strict business and financial standpoint. The fanboy side of me wants to believe this is a grand plan to eventually bring us a marvel vs dc card set.

I also wondered about this, if this signifies the marvel license might be in jeopardy. I really hope not, as I’m pretty sure UD is the only company that could make the beloved Marvel Masterpieces I collect. If it did come to this, I would likely see myself transitioning solely to DC masterpieces (which don’t get me wrong I am super, super excited to see) and consider marvel masterpieces a thing of the past. Best scenario would obviously be a Masterpieces from both at the same time (also a scenario in which I would be the most broke ).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Marvel Card]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

I also wondered about this, if this signifies the marvel license might be in jeopardy. I really hope not, as I’m pretty sure UD is the only company that could make the beloved Marvel Masterpieces I collect. If it did come to this, I would likely see myself transitioning solely to DC masterpieces (which don’t get me wrong I am super, super excited to see) and consider marvel masterpieces a thing of the past. Best scenario would obviously be a Masterpieces from both at the same time (also a scenario in which I would be the most broke ).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On my part, it’s pure speculation. I would enjoy it if UD retained both since I do like their inserts. It’s just I know how expensive licensing rights can be and to have two major entertainment properties like this must cost them a fortune. Business must be good if they can keep both. I’m a Batman fan, not so much a DC fan (never was) but I’ll surely be looking at their DC masterpieces. As for pmg collecting for Batman or Superman, I think that’ll be a pass for me.