Random Wax: 2023 Donruss NASCAR with Autograph

 2023 Donruss: We'll kick off this pack with NASCAR three-time Cup Champion Tony Stewart.  Stewart had 49 wins over his career.  He never shied away from saying what he thought and had a temper but was well liked by fans.  NASCAR is in Darlington today.

William Byron is only 26 and finished in the top 10 in standings the last two seasons.  In 2024 he already has three wins and has to be one of the favorites to take home the championship.

Greg Biffle raced until age 52 and was top-10 in the Cup standings five times.  We have a Carolina Blue and Silver Parallel here.

Joey Logano has struggled some this year but he's a two-time champion at the Cup level.

Always enjoy pulling a auto no matter who it is.  Aric Almirola is no longer racing but had three wins and one top-ten in the standings.  This is an Optic Retro 1990 card.

More retro 1990 cards which are the highlights for me.  I'm 1990 Donruss fan and I like the take here for NASCAR.

Bubba Wallace is a favorite of mine.  He's not as consistent as I would like though but made the playoffs last season.  Kevin Harvick ended a Hall of Fame career and is now an announcer. 

Ross Chastain is one of pop's favorite drivers and famous for the Hail Melon.  A must watch as he just floored it in a video game move using the wall to get into the playoffs.  Crazy.

These Race Kings aren't my favorite design.  I like the car appearance but still a little bland.  Always fun seeing retired Great Jeff Gordon on new cardboard.  Felt like a lot going on in this pack which was a good thing.  We end it with current Champion Ryan Blaney on a Carolina Blue Parallel.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
6 – Retro 1990
4 – Race Kings
3 – Carolina Blue Parallels
2 - Elite
2 – Optic
2 – Rated Rookie
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Under the Lights
1 - Unleashed
1 – Silver Parallel
1 – Checkers Parallel
1 - Optic Retro 1990 Auto

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

 Godzilla x Kong: Got to see this one with the grandsons a few weeks back.  I really enjoyed it.  I thought the fights scenes were done really well and were very entertaining.  They've gone all in on the Godzilla and Kong universe.  I'm not saying this is a great movie but it is entertaining.  I think it'd be easy to nick pick the details but it's easy to watch.  There are some key players missing from Team Godzilla to include Millie Bobby Brown.  My favorite movies in the series are their solo movies as well as the Godzilla vs Kong that focused on those two.  That said it's obvious they'd have to advance the story and they did just that.  We'll see where it goes from here.  And for the record the nine-year old grandson really enjoyed it while the six-year old wasn't as dialed in but I think that was more of a him thing.

2021 Gypsy Queen Hobby Pack

2021 Gypsy Queen:  I like this Gypsy Queen offering.  A bit more color adding to the appeal.  Vlad is struggling this year.  I'd like to see him and the Blue Jays get to the playoffs but that is a big ask right now.  They have some nice young players and it would be fun to see them see some success.

Neither of these two are still in the league.  Ryan Braun outpaced Michael Brantley, barely, for his career with a .296 average and 1963 hits.

I always liked Jackie Bradley Jr. but he just never could find his hitting stroke.  Kyle Wright is a Royal now and started the season on the 60-day IL but a won a championship ring with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

I had one Bazooka Gum Back parallel.  Fun pack of cards I picked up in early 2021.  Probably something I threw in with an online purchase.  Still have hope Vlad can turn his season around.

BREAKDOWN:
8 – Total Cards
2 - RC
1 – Bazooka Gum Back

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Donruss Basketball Blaster

22-23 Donruss:  Nikola Jokic is the likely MVP which would be his third.  Just an amazing player who is so much fun to watch.  In the second round he and Nuggets are already struggling with the Timberwolves who are having a great year and playoff thanks to their stifling defense.

Domantas Sabonis is one of my favorite players but he and Kings struggled this year and were eliminated in the play in round.  Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant were both eliminated in the first round.  Both teams have lots of questions around them.  The Sixers need more depth and for Embiid to be healthy during a playoff run while the Suns need their three stars to gel.  It can still happen and it better because they have almost no path to making that team much better.  

Smith and Nembhard are solid players for their teams playing big roles.

More favorites of mine.  DeRozan was taken out in the play in round while Kawhi suffered again from injuries.  Clips have to get Paul George and James Harden resigned and hope the trio can get healthy.  They were the best team in the league for a stretch this year which gives LA fans hope.

Anthony Edwards is the early star in the playoffs.  He's giving no quarter and playing so well.  Franchise Features are okay.  KD is not a Phoenix Sun.  Shaedon Sharpe is only 20 years-old and he will be key to Portland moving forward.

One of the five Holo Green Laser Parallels.  Randle is injured and not in the playoffs while Trae Young and the Hawks are trying to figure out how to get better.  And maybe that means without him on the team.

The backs are nice.  Very colorful and plenty of information though sans all the years of stats we really want.

Paul George didn't sign an extension with the Clippers this season like running mate Kawhi Leonard did.  LA seems stuck paying whatever Geoge wants as it's almost a given teams like Philly will do whatever it takes to get him on their team.  Fun box of cards and I'm really enjoying the NBA playoffs this year.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

12 – Rated Rookie

5 – Holo Green Laser Parallel

3 – Franchise Features

1 – Bomb Squad

1 – Complete Players

1 – Great Expectations

McFarlane Alan Scott Green Lantern Platinum Edition Figure

It's my birthday and couldn't be happier to show off this guy.  I love Green Lantern and Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, is one of my favorites.  This McFarlane Alan Scott figure is just too cool so it's a perfect way to start the day. 

I purchased three of these figures from Amazon and one was this platinum variant.  The non-variant is here.  As you look at photos you'll see some extra green paint on the Alan Scott's right arm and torso.  That is the difference between the original and this chase figure.

The figure comes with accessories including this flame piece.  At first I didn't know what to think of it but I'm really liking it after having it on him more.

His eyes are white which is true to how we see the character the majority of the time.

The figure really is solid.  The cape is plastic but I like it.  The collar works though it can be a nuisance when taking photos.

You also get a DC card stand which I like as well.  The art is by the great artist Alex Ross.

Alan Scott is a prominent figure of the Justice Society of America and the father of Jade, also a Green Lantern.

McFarlane also has an Alan Scott Dread Lantern figure.  It's from a specific comic arc where the Earth-2 Green Lantern volunteered to be a demon's herald to save his planet.

The last accessory is his lantern.  Simple but effective.  I'd been okay if it was darker, but it is still good.  I love this figure.  I'll end it with the Green Lantern creed as he recharges his ring:

“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might beware my power…Green Lantern’s light!”
  

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

 Tales of the Jedi: I was looking forward to this one.  The Bad Batch recently ended, and this was a fun release yesterday.  Again, we get more background on characters from the Star Wars universe.  In 2022, Tales of the Jedi was released.  This is a good compliment highlighting characters within the Empire and are prominent in the Star Wars universe today.  We also see others who deserved more screen time.  No spoilers but they did a really good job on both of the stories which focus on Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth and former Jedi Barriss Offee. 

2023 Zenith Football

2023 Zenith: Some new cards I recently found on the local shelves.  2022 Zenith was different and one I'm not sure I like.  This one has a better design but still might not appeal to everyone.  Keenan Allen is one of the top receivers in the league and is now catching balls for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.

The base card design is one I'm liking the more I see of it.  The football leather at the bottom and the spotlight behind the players works for me.

Both my inserts were a Behind the Numbers.  The card backs spell out why the players have the jersey numbers they do.  This Derrick Henry card is a red parallel.

The Rookie cards are a bit different in design.  I like the big logo in the background at the bottom of the card.  The rest doesn't really work for me.  The Tank Bell card is a Red Zone parallel where the foil on the card is red.

I do like the backs.  Always want more stats but otherwise the color and information provided is fine.  Would have also preferred a different photo but a cropped version of the front is very standard nowadays though a lazy choice by card companies.

Jalen Carter was #88 in high school and in college at Georgia, swapping to #98 when he went to the NFL.

Glad I picked these up and I don't doubt I'll grab another pack if available.  Something about them has an appeal to me.  They are very different than what we normally see.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

6 – RC

2 – Behind the Numbers

3 – Red Zone Parallel

1 – Red Parallel

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season Three

Star Wars: The Bad Batch:  I'm a huge Bad Batch fan.  This series has been so much fun and Wednesday's episode was the series finale.  First making an appearance in The Clone Wars this team has lived up to the hype.  It's a series that has had many appearances from characters from other corners of the universe and not spared the action or tears.  Season three did well in ending the series.  There were some episodes that felt like filler and didn't advance the plot as much as you'd like but the 50-minute final episode helped pay it all off.  Plenty of action and lots of moments where you really didn't know what was going to happen.  Overall, a great series and continuation of the outstanding animated Star Wars series we've seen.  Can't wait for what is next.  The ending definitely left the door open to see the characters again, but I'll be happy with whatever is on the horizon.  So many great Star Wars stories left to tell.  May the fourth be with you!   

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2024 Baseball:  I love Mike Trout.  Who doesn't?  Just want him to stay healthy after getting off to a good start to the season.

Alvarez and Freeman have had good starts while Verlander is coming off an injury.

I pull the guy everyone wants here with Elly De La Cruz.  I really enjoy the energy and speed he brings to the game.

The man is so consistently good.  Hard not to be a fan of Freddie Freeman even after he left the Braves.  Or more to the point had to move on when the Braves decided to go in a different direction.

Those Yellow Parallels are hanger box exclusives.

I like the League Leader cards.  Hits the marks for these.

Another Elly De La Cruz appearance alongside of Ronald Acuna Jr. and Aaron Judge.  These are nice looking cards and these three are a great pull.

Fun photo on this Cincinnati Reds Team Card.  The dark jerseys and card colors really help make this a good card.

That first card is a Checklist card.  I do like how they do those.  The 2023 Greatest Hits look pretty good and the Topps 1989 Baseball cards are good in short doses.  I was okay with that design back in the day but I wasn't thrilled with it.

This is the back of a team card.  Why don't we have numbers for those team leaders?  I want to know the numbers.  A fail here for Topps.  Otherwise, I do like the backs.

Strider is already out for the year after undergoing UCL surgery this month.  <sad face emoji>

Great photo on that Adbert Alzolay card.  Good cards, nice variety and a design I like more and more.   You'll see more of these from me.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
13 – RC
4 – Stars of MLB
2 – Team Cards
2 – Future Stars
2 – Yellow Parallel
1 – Checklist
1 – Blue Parallel
1 – Rainbow Foil
1 – League Leaders
1 – 2023 Great Hits
1 – 1989 Topps Baseball