Random Wax: 2022 Fleer Ultra Avengers Blaster

2022 Fleer Ultra:  This set is one I like.  This Mockingbird photo stood out to me.  In the comics she was tied closely to Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and were even married.

The art is strong on these cards.  Some classic looks as well as updated versions of many of the favorite characters.

Medallion, First Appearance and Ultra-Stars inserts.  First Appearances are pretty cool.  Wish the photo was a bit bigger.  That grey background on each side feels unneeded and the bottom area is clunky.  Stature is the daughter of Scott (Ant-Man) and Maggie Lang.  First I've heard of her. 

Jim Cheung Artist Spotlight card.  I like his art.  Another card where it feels like the photos could take up more of the card.

Silver Age Avengers inserts along with more ladies going deep into Avengers lore. I like adding the classic look for team members.

That War Machine looks like a Red Parallel but it is an Orange Parallel #/549.  Wonder Man is a Green Parallel.  My only complaints about this set is the ultra thick card stock and price point.

Another Green Parallel of one of the great comic artists, George Perez.  We'll end it with an Ultra Power Thanos insert.  The name feels very appropriate.  These cards are always fun.  I like Marvel as much as the next guy.  The grandsons will enjoy these as well once they see them.

BREAKDOWN:

3 – Green Parallel

2 – Artist Spotlight

1 – Medallion

1 – Ultra Stars

1 – Ultra Power

1 – First Appearances

1 – Silver Age Avengers

1 – Orange Foil Parallel #/549

2022 Fleer Ultra Avengers Blaster

22 UD Fleer Ultra Avengers: I was looking forward to this set and grabbed a blaster when I saw them hit the shelves.  War Machine gets to lead us off.  Rhodey is a great partner for Iron Man.  Pretty good look at the armored hero though there is a lot going on.

The design on these really is nice.  It's simple and the art takes center stage.  These are on very thick stock.  Feels like wood they are so thick. I'm okay with it but it doesn't feel needed.  Would have appreciated more cards for my money as opposed to the card stock this thick.  Only 18 cards in a blaster.

The backs are simple but I like the info they provide on the character.  That with the color and comic image make this a win for me.

Here we have an Ultra Stars and a Medallion insert.  I like the Ultra Stars card but the Medallion is an all-foil background that doesn't do much for me.  Think silver and not the black look the scan makes it look like.

My Artist Spotlight insert.  This is a nice pull.  I really like Alex Ross so this hit the spot.

These are both green parallels.  Nice classic look at Thor while the Gamora art is not a look I'm familiar with.

My grandsons are getting into DC and Marvel trading cards but they aren't easy to find at friendly prices.  The older stuff isn't cheap nor are newer offerings.  I have found a few that aren't bad but wish it was easier to find affordable hero cards.  Good look at Hawkeye on this horizontal offering.

A couple of key X-Men cards.

Another green parallel in the form of a Greatest Battles insert.  This was a big story arc for Marvel and I think they had considered using it as the basis of a movie at some point.

This is the back of the Silver Age Avengers cards.  The front is below.  That Speed card is a Orange Foil parallel #/549.

I like both of these.  That Spider-Man really looks nice while I enjoy seeing classic comic covers so the Earth's Mightiest Spinoffs inserts is a nice pull.  The Checkmate Iron Patriot below isn't bad for a diecut.  Fun box of cards.  Not sure if I'll pick up more blasters but I'll definitely look for some singles.  

BREAKDOWN:
18 – Total Cards
3 – Green Parallels
1 – 3X3
1 - Medallion
1 - Checkmate
1 – Ultra  Stars
1 – Orange Foil #/549
1 – Artist Spotlight
1 – Greatest Battles
1 – Silver Age Avengers
1 – Earth’s Mightiest Spinoffs

 

Basement Find: 1995-1996 Ultra Fleer Basketball Cards

We've lived here now for eight years.  Our house has no garage so our unfinished basement is pretty full with boxes of stuff that hasn't ever been unpacked.  We've started working on cleaning up the basement this week and this is part of the fun I've found.  I have no clue where these 1995-1996 Fleer Ultra basketball cards came from but they are are a fun find and they are in good shape which is never a given.  There were three of these Kevin Garnett rookie cards in the lot which is great.  I've recently added him as PC guy but honestly don't have many cards of his and this is my first rookie card of his.  

The base card design gives plenty of room for the photos but I can't say all the photos are that good.  That Payton is a good one but Hakeem does not look like a dream.  Seems like they could have zoomed out a bit on many of their pictures.  Only thing missing in the design would be the team logo.

 Again many of the photos just don't click for me.  Eddie Johnson is an all-time favorite of mine so I enjoyed finding him in the stack.  I'm sure Glen Rice is about to drain a three.  Could you imagine him in today's game?  He hit quite a few threes back in the day but I think he'd have quite a few more opportunities today.

The Encore subset are my favorites cards from those I found.  While the photos are in the same mode as the base cards these work better for me.  Maybe it is the background being muted in black and white.  I didn't have the base card for PC guy Detlef Schrempf but I'm happy with this Encore of his.

That Hardaway really sticks out.  Camera guy was able to get a full body shot.  Whose Hardaway yelling to?  Mullin?  Richmond?  Sprewell?

These were all inserts.  I like that USA card.  I may chase down more of those.  Stackhouse's Scrapbook seemed an odd choice for a insert set to me but I know he was a big name coming out of college.  Just don't see him scrapbooking...

The backs have not one, but three different photos from those on the front.  They take up a ton of space so the stats are minimized but still I've seen much worse backs.  These are colorful and we get a nice logo.  Speaking of, we see logos on the fronts of the expansion Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies cards which are different in style from the normal set base cards.  Not a bad design and I like how they are differentiated within the set.  The Damon Stoudamire card I really like showcasing that sweet uni.  This was a fun find.  I'll show off some other cards I found later.  Now I'm excited to get back into the basement.  Who knows what else I'll find?

BREAKDOWN:

99 – Total Cards

31 - Encore
24 – Rookie
5 – Toronto Raptors
3 – Vancouver Grizzlies
1 – USA
1 – Jam City
1 – Stackhouse’s Scrapbook