Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones:  Finally got to watch this one which I did with a Blu-ray set I purchased.  I thought I'd enjoy it and I really did.  So much drama, chaos, and surprises all played out so well over eight seasons.  Whatever you've heard about the series is probably true.  I really appreciated was how there were so many surprises.  Or shocks?  Trauma?  You never knew what was just around the corner.  

The beginning is a lot to take in.  So much to learn but it's all paid off in short order as you settle in for a great uncomfortable watch.  So many amazing characters, storylines and actors and actresses.  Over the eight seasons so much is developed to help get us to the end.  There's been criticism about the final season which I had heard way back in 2019 when it all ended.  I get it.  There are plenty good moments in season eight, but the ending is soft.  I won't give away major plot points, but it felt disjointed and some of the plot choices were questionable.  I understand the writer, George R. R. Martin, hadn't written anything past what we see in season 7.  A shame as you'd have to assume it'd land better.  One thing it is, is it isn't for the faint of heart.  The violence, language and sexuality are something that will turn some off of the series. 

That all said, it was a great series and deserves all the accolades it received.  I really looked forward to seeing how plots played out and was rarely disappointed.  It's one of the few series I think I'd enjoy taking in a second time, knowing what is to come and better understanding what I'm watching.  I won't ever have time to do that, but I'd do it if I could.  There are two spin-offs which I'm sure I'll watch at some point.  Always curious what others think of the series.

Random Wax: 2026 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

 2026 Topps: Garrett Crochet is injured and a big loss to the struggling Red Sox.  Their pitching is the lone bright point for Boston.  Injuries aren't new to Crochet, but he had an amazing season in 2025, his first with the BoSox - 18-5 2.59 ERA 205 innings 1 shutout 255 strikeouts.  He led the league in innings pitched, strikeouts and batters faced.

Looking to lead the league in triples for the 4th consecutive year, Corbin Carroll currently leads the league with 10.  Max Fried hasn't pitched since early May due to injury but has a 4-3 record with a 3.21 ERA across 10 games.

Somehow Corbin Carroll snuck into a second scan of cards.  Shea Langeliers was just named an All-Star for the first time and already has 20 dingers on the season.

Us Braves fans do miss Max.

Jac Caglianone is having a solid sophomore season with KC. 

Diamante, Pink Holo Foil, and Holo Foil inserts.

I do enjoy League Leader cards.

I think we get good photography again this season.

1991 Topps Baseball and Profiles by Ken Griffey Jr. inserts.  Not a huge fan of either but no complaints either.

One of my 3 Combo Cards.

Nice looking Texas Rangers Team Card.

More good photography with probably the best card in the set, in Clayton Kershaw.

Nice horizontal Diamante Parallel which are exclusive to hanger boxes and I like them.

More inserts to end this post.  Stars of MLB and Titans of the Game.  I'm good with though I wish the Titans of the Game inserts said "Titans" more in the design.  Not sure how you pull that off though.  Another good box of cards from this set which I enjoy.

BREAKDOWN:

59 – Total Cards

11 – RC

3 – Combo Card

2 - Diamante

2 – Team Cards

2 – Future Stars

2 – Stars of MLB

2 – Titans of the Game

1 – Holo Foil

1 – Pink Holo Foil

1 – League Leaders

1 – All-Star Rookie Cup

1 - 1991 Topps Baseball

1 – Pro Profiles by Ken Griffey Jr.

  

Random Wax: Kayou Hero Series Battle Series 1 Legend Booster – 3 Packs

Kayou Hero Battle S1:  Happy 4th of July!  Captain America is a great way to start of the day, right?  He was a character I liked but wasn't a big fan of when reading comics, but I really enjoy what Marvel did with him in the movies.

I really like this set which is a game.  It's licensed by Marvel and made in China. The writing is in Chinese so it's tough to say what is written on them.  Checklists for Kayou Marvel cards can be found here.

Purchased my boxes off AliExpress in 2023.  The cards are very thin like actual playing cards.

In order of the tiers of cards you can pull they go R, SR, SSR, HR, SGR, LR, UR, MR, and CR in that order from most common to the rarest.  Finding information on these cards isn't the easiest to find, but a decent overview can be found here.

These are always fun.  I enjoy this era of Marvel movies, and these cards help you relive the characters in the movies.

BREAKDOWN:

18 – Total Cards (3 Packs)

6 – SR

3 – SSR

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Donruss Basketball

23-24 Donruss:  De'Aaron Fox caught grief during the NBA Finals, and deserved for the most part, but he's really good.  He has career averages of 21 PPG and 6 APG.

Great pull in this pack.  KAT is now a Knick and a champion!  This is a pack I picked up two years ago.

Brandon Miller had another good year with Charlotte averaging 20/4/3 in his 3rd season.  The Hornets seem like they are ready to go to the next level.

Wow, did this pack hit.  I like that SGA photo.  He won his second MVP this past season.

I'm a big fan of New Zealander Steven Adams and that's a great looking Green Laser Holo Parallel.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
3 – Rated Rookie
2 – Green Laser Holo
1 – The Rookies

1993 Bowman Football (Affordable Breaks)

1993 Bowman:   This Jim Kelly is a foil card from this set.  It's not a parallel.  It's the only Jim Kelly card but has a different design from the majority of the cards.

These are from an Affordable Breaks break in 2021 and I'm just getting around to sharing.  The design isn't bad but does feel a bit lacking.  What you see here is the majority of the cards as opposed to the foil cards.  Lots of room for the photos, and the photos are solid, so no complaints there.

1993 would be the year Buffalo went to their 4th straight Super Bowl and the 4th straight year us Bills fans went home crying.  This time they lost to Dallas 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII.

Nice Melvin Jenkins photo.  I'm not posting every card I pulled from the break.  Lots of fun memories from this set including The Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert.

The foil cards seem to have gone to the star players on each team.  Kelly and Thurman Thomas for the Bills while Andre Rison is the only Falcon Foil.  Rison would go on to lead the league in touchdowns in 1993 with 15 and set a career high in receiving yards with 1,242.

BREAKDOWN:
I didn't get a full set of either team but was only one card away from the entire Falcons team set.

1989 Topps Batman Movie Trading Cards Series 2

Topps Batman S2:  Batman took a beating in the 1989 Batman movie much like he does in today's movies.

Scenes like this really hit well.  Bruce Wayne, the only one not cowering while watching the Joker walk away after causing chaos.  Series 2 is identical to series 1 except for a yellow border.  I like the addition of color.

In this series we get some cards that show off inspiration and movie designs.  Nice photo of the batmobile coming down the alley.

Vicki Vale and Batman hanging on for dear life!

A blockbuster in its day, it delivered with plenty of great visuals and affects in an era when hero movies weren't a thing yet.

The stickers (below) were full page stickers.  Not die cut which was the norm for Topps sets during that era.  These are lots of fun and I'll have to do a rewatch sometime soon.  Or maybe in 2029.

BREAKDOWN:
10 Total Cards
1 – Sticker

1986 Fleer Baseball

1986 Fleer:  Sweet Lou was Rookie of the Year, a 5X All-Star, 4X Silver Slugger and 3X Gold Glove selectee.  He won a Championship with the 1984 Detroit Tigers.  He played his entire 19-year career in Detroit and turned 1,527 double plays with shortstop Alan Trammel, an MLB record that will probably never be broken.

This design is one I've always liked for some reason.  Very simple but works for me though more action shots would have been appreciated.  Bill Madlock won 4 batting titles, 2 with the Cubs and 2 with the Pirates, and won a championship with the 1979 Pirates.  Cecil Cooper was a career .298 hitter and Jerry Royster is one of the random favorite all-time players of mine.

The backs have tons of stats which is great.  Not the most visually appealing but I'll take stats any day.  The back of the sticker is solid with fun famous feats.  

Greg Gross hit .287 and had a .387 on base percentage over 3,745 at bats but only hit 7 dingers.  Five of those in one season.  Power was definitely not his thing.

Ron Washington with the great look rocking the hair and Twins uni.  John Franco was a 4X All-Star and twice the Rolaids Relief pitcher of the year.  Fun pack of cards and we'll end it with the always fun sticker.

BREAKDOWN:
15 – Total Cards
1 – Sticker