My first case:

Had all the prerequisite numbers of A and B evolution cards. I got one full set with extras of the B, and two full sets of the A.

There was the right number of Stained Glass cards--I got two full sets plus extras.

Sketches(sorry, no scans):
Jeff Chandler Colored Wormtongue Level D (on site)
Randy Martinez Shelob Level A
Brent Woodside Dark hair Guy Level B
Otis Frampton Treebeard Level A
Sarah Wilkinson Orc Level D
Dennis Budd Arwen Level E
Tom Hodges Elrond Level A
Cynthia Cummens Wormtongue Level D (on site)
David Fabbri Witch King Helm Level A
Jake Myler King of Dead Army Level C
Howard Shum Female Elf Level A
Tom Mandrake Gollum Level C
James Hodgkins Colored Big-chin Blond Elf Level A
Mike Duron Legolas

14 total sketches per this case--almost on cue!
The Chandler colored Wormtongue is nice but a bit cartoonish. My favorites are Cummens' Wormtongue and Mandrake's Gollum. "on site" means that the exact card is on the artist's part of the LOTR sketches site.

My second case report to come later.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Paradoc,

Ahhh! man why did Topps have to have a Hobby version and a retail version of this product. Hobby will have sketch cards and Retail version will have memorobilia cards. I wonder which version I'm getting tonight.

Kilika, out of your case I really like the Mitchell & the Ramos - in fact, I LOVE that Ramos
The Dalla Vecchia is also pretty cool as is the Parsons

Heck, they're all starting to grow on me, except for that Woodside - can't tell who that's supposed to be.

Paradoc, VERY cool pull with that Cummens! I'd love to see scans if you get them...

WOW... I love Topps for its Star Wars cards, and I have enjoyed their LOTR releases, but the evolution sketch cards suck. I can't believe the number of sloppy sketchs released w/ this set. Where was quality control? When you can't even identify who the sketch is supposed to represent you know its simple about the money and not the Card Fans.
I have to give Topps a D- on the Hobby release.

quote:

Originally posted by TK421:
WOW... I love Topps for its Star Wars cards, and I have enjoyed their LOTR releases, but the evolution sketch cards suck.

Send your sketches to me

Posted March 01, 2006 09:25 AM
WOW... I love Topps for its Star Wars cards, and I have enjoyed their LOTR releases, but the evolution sketch cards suck. I can't believe the number of sloppy sketchs released w/ this set. Where was quality control? When you can't even identify who the sketch is supposed to represent you know its simple about the money and not the Card Fans.
I have to give Topps a D- on

-What a load of rubbish!! -I have opened 10 cases and not found 1 sketch that I didnt know what was represented by it.Obviously some are better than others but the overall standard is far better than that of the Star Wars sketch card sets!
Watch the films a couple of times again and refresh your memory-you might then recognise the characters.

quote:

Originally posted by TK421:
WOW... I love Topps for its Star Wars cards, and I have enjoyed their LOTR releases, but the evolution sketch cards suck. I can't believe the number of sloppy sketchs released w/ this set. Where was quality control? When you can't even identify who the sketch is supposed to represent you know its simple about the money and not the Card Fans.
I have to give Topps a D- on the Hobby release.

I think this conversation has been had already in the 'Aftermarket?' thread. (Take a look its quite interesting if you've got the time... )

Whilst I'll tell anyone I'm not the biggest advocator of Topps products, looking at everyone's breakdowns I think people got more value than they actually realise. With SW Hobby there is uaually only one or zero chase levels just ONE sketch, with many dud boxes that don't even have that.
Now with this LOTR Evolution has an all foil base set, 3 Levels of interesting chase cards and the chance of two sketchs in each box! Then the Retail version (although always annoying by definition) has costume cards, not just afew different foils.

So even though I'm not buying, this set looks like a definate improvement on Topps' part.

And using Kilika's scans as first example, it shows 14 sketches from 14 different artists, most of which ARE easily recognisable characters, so it looks promising for the rest who are purchasing this product. THere will always be lame sketches but how can you be dissapointed with this in compariosn to Star Wars?

Broke a case - got 13 sketches out of it.

Not terribly thrilled. Got a few gems, but mostly got monsters and the requisite Martinez.

I cannot identify one of the artists, so here's what I can tell :

Mandrake Frodo

Woodside Something (card says NIHM, but I've seen others that say that too that look nothing like my sketch - thought for a sec, maybe Gimli?)

DeLiz Frodo and Ring - MY FAVORITE of the bunch

Martinez Someone

Gutierrez - Something and Someone (two different sketches)

Hodgkins with Female Elf

Ryan Benjamin Orc

Ray Dillon - Merry

Monte Moore - Uruk Hai

Tom Hodges - Orc

Teranishi - Wormtongue

Dalla Vecchia - Can't recall

Will post scans later so y'all can help me identify the unknowns

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Over_Worked_Mom,

quote:

Originally posted by Over_Worked_Mom:
DeLiz Frodo and Ring - MY FAVORITE of the bunch

Did you see this one?

quote:

Originally posted by Over_Worked_Mom:
Broke a case - got 13 sketches out of it.

How did the chase cards break-down?

MMM - That one is very similar to the one I pulled - probably why I like it so much.

Hammer - uh... there were other chase cards OTHER than sketches? Hmm Who knew? Truly I haven't collated sets (Base, A or B) or the Stained Glass plastic cards. I'll get to them in time. I'm still sorting Serenity and Lost cards *lol*

quote:

Originally posted by Cardvault:
Posted March 01, 2006 09:25 AM
WOW... I love Topps for its Star Wars cards, and I have enjoyed their LOTR releases, but the evolution sketch cards suck. I can't believe the number of sloppy sketchs released w/ this set. Where was quality control? When you can't even identify who the sketch is supposed to represent you know its simple about the money and not the Card Fans.
I have to give Topps a D- on

-What a load of rubbish!! -I have opened 10 cases and not found 1 sketch that I didnt know what was represented by it.Obviously some are better than others but the overall standard is far better than that of the Star Wars sketch card sets!
Watch the films a couple of times again and refresh your memory-you might then recognise the characters.

I see what you mean Richard, you have a few nice ones, I like the Rood Frodo, but I guess just "nice" won't compensate for all the loses on many of the others - dealers "need" a few really special cards just to earn out of their cases.
how many cases did you go for?

I have taken 50 + cases but I have had many presold- how many I will spilt I do not know but I know that supplies WILL dry up very fast and thus prices for sealed product WILL increase.You can quote me on that!!
I did a search of that website and there is not 1 case currently up for sale- that is 1 day after release-Unheard of in trading card situations!

I'd just like to note here that I use a col-erase pencil for all of my unde5rdrawings, so the presence of colour lines desn't make the cards any more special

I'm glad someone pulled one of my gimlis, though, Gimli is awesome.

it's here!



To break - or not to break - that is the question -

MMM - go ahead and send it to me I'll break it for you and only send you the "good" stuff - that way you won't have a million single cards floating around your house.

Chris, did someone try to Jack you for that case? It looks like you have bullets holes in your back wall. Or are those Fang Marks......hmmm a Wolf?

Open, so I can drool at your sketch cards!

quote:

Originally posted by dlpn1fan:
Chris, did someone try to Jack you for that case? It looks like you have bullets holes in your back wall. Or are those Fang Marks......hmmm a Wolf?

Open, so I can drool at your sketch cards!

LOL - it's my card dungeon - I'd have to clean it out to patch & paint the walls - that ain't happening any time soon.

The in-laws are in town for a week. I can't break till after then

My case won't arrive until at least Friday and maybe not until the middle of next week but I stopped by the local card/comic shop and they had 1/2 a box left so I snapped all 12 packs up thinking there was a chance there was still 1 sketch left but to my surprise 2 were left. The first one is Norton but I can't make out the artist in the 2nd, it's signed in gold metallic ink.



Quite happy with these, while not the super premium sketches they are both much better than average.

I got my first box today - the second should arrive tomorrow. This is the first card set I bought 2 boxes of, and i did this before i knew there could be 2 sketches per box.
I got:
1 base set of 72 cards
58 extras towards a second set
6 Evolution A cards
2 Evolution B cards
4 Stained glass cards - 2,6,7,9
2 sketch cards
Cynthia Cummens "Faramir"
David Fabbri - "Ring Wraith"

also, there is a poster in the box to hang in the store window.

I like the base cards, nice head shots of the characters, there is also a subset with various races and types of monsters seen in the films.

Stained glass cards are nice, it would have been nice to see them done like a church window, so that you could see the light through the figures, but the figures are opaque.

I was pleased with my sketches. I know Cynthia visits Card talk, her sketch of Faramir is excellent - worth the price of the box. The Fabbri sketch is nicely done, but the Ring Wraith has no face and there is little detail compared to the other drawing. Still - I'm happy with these - thanks Ed!

Will post the second box tomorrow or Fri.