Random Wax: 2023 Topps Baseball

2023 Topps:  Stretch run in baseball.  The San Diego Padres and the Yankees' Juan Soto will play big parts of the postseason.  Soto is having maybe his best season in the big leagues and will get a yuge payday come the offseason.

These guys will all get to enjoy playoff baseball this fall.  Darvish and Cole were limited this year due to injuries.

Georgy Kirby has been solid with Seattle and has double-digit wins along with an ERA just under 4 this year.

I really like this photo on the Dodgers' team card.  Lots of happiness for whatever just occurred.

Not sure about the Greatest Hits design but I like how the cards highlight achievements from the season.

I feel like I've pulled this card a lot.  And more than happy to do so.  I think Ozzie is close to returning and the offense really needs him.

Fan favorite Stars of MLB.  I like the 2023 design and love my pull in this pack.

Soto already has 39 home runs and 100+ RBIs on the season.

I like this design and the pull was a good one.  Bryce Harper and the Phillies might be the best team in baseball.  It's easy to think we could see them in the World Series for the second time in three years.

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Total Cards

8 – RC

2 – Stars of MLB

2 – Team Cards

1 – Future Stars

1 – Greatest Hits

1 – Chrome Stars of MLB

2023-2024 Topps Chrome Basketball Hanger Box

23-24 Topps Chrome:  Topps jumps back into the basketball card game with Topps Chrome.  We'll kick it off with Paul George who's taken his game to Philly.  Health, including George's, will be key to any success that team has.

The design isn't bad.  Simple but I like the basketball and the player position.  Obviously not having the team logos is big and very distracting.

My parallels came in the form of this Green Topps Refractor (Strawther) and Orange Basketball Refractor (Robbins).  I prefer the Orange Basketball but I like seeing "Topps" highlighted in the background of the Green Topps Refractor.

Very simplistic but affective.  It is missing blocks per game but I'll take seeing career stats any day.

Both of these are fine with me.   The Grant Williams inclusion is unexpected.  The top left and bottom right of Film Study has a weird space that looks like scotch tape.  Maybe that's what it is supposed to be.

Photos like Gordon's make it look like they are wearing practice jerseys.

We get retired greats and career stats for each!  Including my favorite all-time player in Nique.

Drexler is another fun pickup.  Two for two in pulling retired greats from my teams.  Jason Williams seems to be a fan favorite, but I have to admit, while I knew he was good, I was never thought he was as good as he probably was.  I know I didn't get to see him play much back in the day which probably helped shape my thoughts then.  Fun box.  I won't pick up more.  I think.  Wemby rookies are the big draw to 23-24 basketball, so I'll never say never. 

BREAKDOWN:

20 – Total Cards

6 – RC

4 – Retired Greats

1 – Film Study

1 – Sudden Impact

1 – Green Topps Refractor

1 – Orange Basketball Refractor

1996 Donruss Football 5 Packs

1996 Donruss:  These packs were a recent eBay purchase.  Jerry Rice is the GOAT receiver, right?  And until Tom Brady came along you could have had him as the GOAT, period.  No matter what you think this guy is nothing short of great.  Watched him shred so many teams in the day.

I like this design.  I think the logo and lettering could maybe do better in one of the corners but really it probably doesn't matter.  The player's name at the top feels different but it isn't so obtrusive that I'm concerned about it.  It's a bit muted and it could be bolder in its colors.  Photos are pretty good too.

The backs are a win for me.  We see all of the player's stats, a brand-new photo and even a bit of a write-up.  Solid for sure.

I'm really happy with my rookie pull which was highlighted by these three.  None are in the Hall of Fame but there are 13 Pro Bowl and 5 All-Pro selections amongst them with Mike Alstott being the most decorated.

I'm a big fan of the creamsicle unis as well as Alstott.  These backs are another win.

Three really good receivers all wearing number 81 on their jerseys.  Tony Martin led this group with 593 career receptions, just over 9,000 yards, and 56 touchdowns.

Checklist cards are sweet.  More greats of the games, some stats and on the back is a second photo of the player in black and white with the checklist printed over it.

Selected #1 overall out of Penn State, Ki-Jana Carter injured his knee in the first preseason game prior to his rookie season.  I would have loved to see what he could have done if he hadn't been injured.  He rushed for 1100 yards in his career.

I've been looking for some older football and I enjoyed these cards which I'd never seen before.  These were only $16 shipped and I'm on the hunt for some more cards from years past.  

Greatness.  'nuff said.

We get to see those great Rams unis on a nice Jerome Bettis (HOF) card.  As you can see, this was the year he was traded to Pittsburgh.  Brent Jones would make the Pro Bowl four times while winning three championships with the 49ers.  Mark Carrier was a stud too.

I was always a fan of those Cowboys unis.

I still can't believe how good my pull was in these packs.  The set is 240 cards so it's not small.  This was so much fun.  Can't wait to find some more fun cards to show off.  We'll end it with my all-time favorite player, John Elway, who somehow was never named an All-Pro.  A big part of that is the crazy good quarterbacks of the era, but still.

BREAKDOWN:

50 – Total Cards

6 – Rookie

2 – Checklist

1 – Rated Rookie

1991 Impel Marvel Universe Series II

1991 Marvel Universe:  Should have shared this one when Deadpool Wolverine was released but it's still relevant.  

I don't know if I've seen these in hand before but the design seemed familiar.  It's not bad and growing more on me.  Firestar is my favorite here.  Always thought she'd get more play as guys my age fondly remember the 1981 to 1985 Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.  Not many superhero offering back then.  I know she's not a big part of the Marvel Universe but I did think she'd get more opportunities.  I like Nightcrawler as well.  The character, powers and costume are something I like.

Some horizonal offerings on Arch-Enemies cards.

The backs are good.  Sometimes wondered about the ratings but that is part of the fun.

I never really read Fantastic Four so the backs do a good job of filling in some gaps of comic knowledge.

I do like that they do a card that explains the ratings.  I really like the Archangel design when I first saw way back when.  Not as excited about it now but I do like it.  

I like the art they used for these.  Mostly classic representations but I thought they did a good job choosing each.

That is a Hulk hologram insert.  These cards are fun and it's hard to pass up opportunities to see comic characters on cardboard.  I just wish older comic wax packs were cheaper.

BREAKDOWN:

12 – Total Cards

1 – Hologram

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Baseball

2024 Topps:  The Kid was an amazing player and has his own insert set, Celebration of the Kid, in 2024 Topps.  I like this set, and he makes this 1989 design look good.

Jacob DeGrom is finally healthy but it's too little too late for the Rangers.

I really like this card.  The photo, design, colors and that cap really work for me.

Mariners Team Card.

RC representation.  Gavin Williams has a 4.12 ERA across 29 starts while the others are still working to make a mark in the majors.

Backs of the Team Cards are good but the lack of totals in the Team Leaders section is a head scratcher.

With 20'ish games left it's that time of the year where we talk playoffs.  The Braves have struggled of late and let the surging Mets takeover the final NL Wild Card spot.  Plenty of baseball to play but I'm still worried Atlanta could be on the outside looking in come October.

Love League Leader cards.  Not only because a couple of Braves highlight the card.  Also hurts to see as that offense isn't there this season in Atlanta.

I always think I'll do those Home Run Challenge but I don't do it.  Enjoy seeing retired greats in the set but I do think seeing more of them would be better.  Nice stars of MLB Goldy insert.

No complaints here.

Fun cards and I do like this year's design.  Looking forward to the stretch run in baseball.  Good luck to your team...unless you're Met's fan.

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
7 – RC
2 – Team Cards
2 – Stars of MLB
1 – Grand Gamers
1 – League Leaders
1 – Celebration of the Kid
1 – Home Run Challenge