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Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
posted Hide Post
In terms of future collectability on these, the issue isn't really how few sets are made, but rather how few people are actually watching the show.

Episode 3 had a 0.68 rating with the all important "adults 18-49" demographic and 1.75 million total viewers overall. That's down from the 0.80 (18-49 demo) and 2.08 million total of episode 2 which was down from the 0.90 demo and 2.38 million total posted by the series premiere.

The numbers are still fine by the lower cable threshold needed to be considered successful, but if they keep shedding 300,000 viewers per week, come episode 10, the people posting in this thread will be the only people watching the finale.

In the supply and demand arena, the supply IS low, but so, too, is the demand, obviously.
If "Preacher" ends up being a one-and-done bust, these cards aren't going to mean a whole lot to anyone, and be valued accordingly.

I'm still pulling for it, but what it's missing is the language of the comic series, and by that, I don't mean only the swear words that filled the comic's pages, but rather the rhythm of the dialogue itself. This book is famed for the snappy patter. While we've seen flashes of it on the TV series, they've yet to translate the "feel" of a Preacher comic to the small screen. If they end up being unable to do that for the rest of this season, I think it'll be a short run for this show indeed.
Luckily, there's still time to get it right, and they certainly have the actors to do it.
Fingers crossed.

____________________
Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Diamond Card Talk Member
Picture of Raven
posted Hide Post
From what I understand, at least from a critic's perspective, the show is well received. I'm not sure how much that means with this type of property though. Maybe instead of being taken as an endorsement, it is turning away the original Preacher fans.

I don't think it's just a matter of tone or language CPF. They have altered the Preacher story to make it less anti-God. It is offensive material, but they don't want to offend. The graphic violence is fine because everyone is used to that, but it is tripping over the dogma.

It's hard for the writers to win here in my opinion. They can't abandon the story or characters because that is the source material, but if they do it justice, it's not mainstream. In the better graphic novels the creators can get away with a lot of things that, when translated to a live action production with good special effects, either seem too ridiculous or just too disgusting. They are only 3 episodes in. It will get harder to carry this plotline to a mass audience as it goes along and if they try to adjust it, they will turn off the core fans. Can't win for losing.

As for the cards, true Preacher fans who also collect cards should be happy to have a set with such a low print run. If TOPPS truly never reprints it in any form, you are down to 184 complete sets. That number will be even lower by the last installment I'm sure. It's a highly limited base set for fans of a particular title and that is what was promised. Limited supply is not the key to a profitable card set, it is a component. First and foremost you need the demand.

Which goes right back to what I said in the beginning of this thread on page 1. This experiment by TOPPS in non-sports cards was run out too fast to assess demand and on a brand new title that not only didn't have a track record, but is a cult property. If the idea winds up failing it will be because of the execution, not the idea in MHO.
 
Posts: 10353 | Location: New York | Registered: November 20, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
posted Hide Post
They may yet have the trio go on the mission to find and hold God accountable (using the power of the "Word", which apparently would work on God Himself), and are using the first season to draw the characters in a detailed way before they set them on the quest. Pretty smart to introduce the more controversial stuff gradually, if that's what they're doing. (I wonder if they'd dare depict, in the same capacity, the very important person the Grail is protecting should we be introduced to them. Humperdumperdo!!!)

The beauty of the comic is that the road trip began immediately and the mission was clear very early on. Producer Seth Rogen did rightly point out that in the comic, Jesse is a preacher for about the first 5 pages of the first issue and then never again. The producers then made the command decision to let him be a preacher for a while, since that was what the show was called after all.

The show is obviously different from the comic where the narrative is concerned and I'm fine with that, but the show needs to up the zany, anything-can-happen feeling to the comic's level. There's a lot of ways to do that. I trust they're working on it. AMC is pretty good at giving shows a chance to develop, and this TV man working with Rogen and Goldberg on this one made him name on "Breaking Bad", I think it was, so he knows the business and the network.

Even though I remain a buyer of the cards, I'm secretly hoping Topps will release the whole set, with no discernable differences, for a nice low, price when it's all over. Reading the outrage alone would be worth the money I'd be out on the set, haha...
Big Grin

____________________
Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bronze Card Talk Member
Picture of Kryten67
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Something is WRONG.....

Order is processing....

I usually Get my Cards on Saturday after the Monday Order.

I think Topps just Blinked.....

Are We Done?

So confused........

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Today is a Good Day to Buy!
 
Posts: 692 | Location: Columbus, OH | Registered: April 14, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
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I can't help but think that if this was released as a complete 50 card base set covering the entire season, limited to say 200 or 250 sets made, and with a price tag of $200, it would be scoffed at by virtually everyone. But allow a payment plan of ten $20 payments and that changes things somehow? Confused
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bronze Card Talk Member
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quote:
Originally posted by Logan:
I can't help but think that if this was released as a complete 50 card base set covering the entire season, limited to say 200 or 250 sets made, and with a price tag of $200, it would be scoffed at by virtually everyone. But allow a payment plan of ten $20 payments and that changes things somehow? Confused

Umm, yeaahhh... this.

I am enjoying the show so far and hope that AMC does continue to let it develop. I haven't read the comics, although CPF's comments above intrigue me, so I may have to. Wink But $20 for five base cards? Lol, lol, lol. Just because something is "rare", doesn't make it desirable to me. My opinion, of course (for what that's worth - again, lol. Big Grin)

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Debi

Reliving my childhood one piece of painted plastic and slab of cardboard at a time.
 
Posts: 971 | Location: San Diego | Registered: July 21, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
Picture of Ryan Cracknell
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Kryten67:
Something is WRONG.....

Order is processing....

I usually Get my Cards on Saturday after the Monday Order.

I think Topps just Blinked.....

Are We Done?

So confused........


Because of a pattern set by two previous Preacher orders? Doubtful. More likely they were either mailed a few hours later than normal or the postal system is being a little slower. Either way, don't think sky is falling.

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Posts: 1176 | Location: Nanaimo, BC | Registered: November 17, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Logan:
I can't help but think that if this was released as a complete 50 card base set covering the entire season, limited to say 200 or 250 sets made, and with a price tag of $200, it would be scoffed at by virtually everyone. But allow a payment plan of ten $20 payments and that changes things somehow? Confused


Based on the initially low and steadily-declining-from-there sales figures, I'd say it IS being scoffed at, haha.

____________________
Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by dcole:
quote:
Originally posted by Logan:
I can't help but think that if this was released as a complete 50 card base set covering the entire season, limited to say 200 or 250 sets made, and with a price tag of $200, it would be scoffed at by virtually everyone. But allow a payment plan of ten $20 payments and that changes things somehow? Confused

Umm, yeaahhh... this.

I am enjoying the show so far and hope that AMC does continue to let it develop. I haven't read the comics, although CPF's comments above intrigue me, so I may have to. Wink But $20 for five base cards? Lol, lol, lol. Just because something is "rare", doesn't make it desirable to me. My opinion, of course (for what that's worth - again, lol. Big Grin)


The best thing is, you can get a full set of the 75 issues comprising the entire story (in trade paperback form) for about $100 or so, about half the cost of a little stack of cards covering the first season of the show. You can see why these cards are such a tough sell.

____________________
Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Diamond Card Talk Member
Picture of Raven
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by chesspieceface:
The best thing is, you can get a full set of the 75 issues comprising the entire story (in trade paperback form) for about $100 or so, about half the cost of a little stack of cards covering the first season of the show. You can see why these cards are such a tough sell.


I don't think these cards are even meant to cover the show. The text on the backs is like the descriptions you get in the TV Guide when they tell you what the episode is about, very general.

This concept, which TOPPS Now apparently used on baseball cards already, just reminds of a real time Kickstarter campaign without the premium hits and the extended wait time.

I have no desire to participate in a Kickstarter custom release, but at least the Mars Attacks cards produced looked good.

The Preacher cards look barely average, have no hits, are priced as a premium product, on a marginal title with undetermined demand. Tough sell is an understatement.

The idea is still interesting if done with the right popular property, including premium hits and not rushed out there with two weeks notice. In other words, everything opposite of what you have here. Wink
 
Posts: 10353 | Location: New York | Registered: November 20, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
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Everyone I know who's seen the show likes it, so that's something. Hopefully, tonight's episode will be a good one.

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Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post



Bronze Card Talk Member
Picture of Kryten67
posted Hide Post
Hit the Darth on Twitter asking if Preacher Now is Cancelled because my Order still shows Processing...

His response didn't thrill....

" Please Contact Customer Service between 9-5 M-F E.S.T."

& Watch the Exciting Episode tonight....

not feeling the love...going back to RA.

I'll wait for Buffy

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Today is a Good Day to Buy!
 
Posts: 692 | Location: Columbus, OH | Registered: April 14, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
posted Hide Post
Good episode tonight. They need to picture Odin Quincannon on one of this week's cards, for sure.

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Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
Picture of Jason00
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Kryten67:
Hit the Darth on Twitter asking if Preacher Now is Cancelled because my Order still shows Processing...

His response didn't thrill....


Ep 4 is up now, so this was not cancelled.

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"For a universe that's supposed to be half Chinese, Firefly sure doesn't have any Asians." -- The Uncomfortable Truths Well
 
Posts: 1562 | Location: Milwaukee, WI | Registered: November 27, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Titanium Card Talk Member
Picture of wolfie
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Having started this are Topps under any obligation to release the whole set or can they just stop at anytime?

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Posts: 28997 | Location: wolverhampton staffs uk | Registered: July 19, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
Picture of Jason00
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quote:
Originally posted by wolfie:
Having started this are Topps under any obligation to release the whole set or can they just stop at anytime?


They have never done this before for a TV show, so it's anyone's guess really. My thought is that this is a test run for Walking Dead and maybe Doctor Who.

They do Topps Now for baseball, where they make 2 or 3 cards a day for 'important' events that happen each day, but some of those cards sell thousands. The recent card with Ichiro Suzuki sold almost 3000. As far as I can tell though, no single card has sold as few copies as last week's Preacher set sold. Is there a point where the print run is too low for them to make money?

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"For a universe that's supposed to be half Chinese, Firefly sure doesn't have any Asians." -- The Uncomfortable Truths Well
 
Posts: 1562 | Location: Milwaukee, WI | Registered: November 27, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Diamond Card Talk Member
Picture of Raven
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by wolfie:
Having started this are Topps under any obligation to release the whole set or can they just stop at anytime?


I don't think it's an issue at all. TOPPS Now said it was doing five cards on all ten episodes. The only thing that could stop that is if Preacher gets cancelled mid-season and that won't happen on a short run cable show. It may or may not be renewed next year, but I'm sure they will at least complete the first season.

No one is obligated to keep buying if they sour on the cards, but I would be shocked if TOPPS backed out. I'm not even sure how late mail becomes cancellation rumors. Big Grin
 
Posts: 10353 | Location: New York | Registered: November 20, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Administrator
Picture of H_Toser
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Raven:
I'm not even sure how late mail becomes cancellation rumors. Big Grin


Agreed!
 
Posts: 12994 | Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA | Registered: November 29, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of chesspieceface
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Just got the Topps email reminder for the new set, offer good until 12pm on June 21st.

Still no Quincannon card, and there really should have been one, as he was key to this week's action. The other cards range from good to excellent, making this my favorite weekly batch yet. Let's see if they can at least keep the orders around the 184 level.

The show is moving along pretty well, too, but wow, "Game of Thrones" and "Outcast" have rightfully garnered most of the attention for weekly genre material lately. Both are generally spectacular. Imagine how well "Game of Thrones" NOW cards might do, especially if Topps had full access to images from last night's blockbuster episode.

The return of the "real" Walking Dead can't come soon enough for AMC, I'm sure.

____________________
Everywhere around this burg they're running out of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Everywhere around this town, they're running out of nouns.
 
Posts: 3316 | Location: California | Registered: December 23, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Set #4 numbers are in, 149 another drop from last week.. Personally I think the series is getting much better so for now will continue buying.
 
Posts: 457 | Location: Raleigh | Registered: April 21, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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