quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

...the Walking Dead....is a depressing, ugly world that they created and once the plot got established, I don't see who would want to keep coming back to watch the misery.

You could say that about "Game of Thrones" itself, plus "Mad Men", "Breaking Bad", "The Sopranos", and on and on, but people keep/kept watching them and I think it may have to do with that universal notion that a weed is just a flower out of place...

My order is for a single box, but a check list is important to me for budgeting reasons.

While my financial focus will be this set, I like to know how many autographs I am chasing etc and how much I am likely to spend.

That allows me to roughly fit it into my budget because although the set is a financial priority, it's not the only thing I need to spend money on at the same time.

quote:

Originally posted by WarriorBabe:
My order is for a single box, but a check list is important to me for budgeting reasons.

While my financial focus will be this set, I like to know how many autographs I am chasing etc and how much I am likely to spend.

That allows me to roughly fit it into my budget because although the set is a financial priority, it's not the only thing I need to spend money on at the same time.

That's exactly my point of liking to have a checklist. First and foremost we want to know exactly what's in the set(so far it's only been a rough guide and with no ratio rates for everything), and with GoT there's so many autographs it's nice to know which are in the set and the style, and also which are more limited to gauge the price that things might be(to buy rather than to sell, for me). And some people on evilbay don't always list things correctly and get the season wrong so you're not sure what's new and what isn't. We don't all have a trading card database in our brains to compare things as they appear and automatically know. Nor do we all have the time to keep checking lots of websites and forums to see what people are opening to get an idea of content.

Wanting a checklist with this particular product has nothing to do with popularity of product or continuing to watch the show or not as most fans will buy it anyway, it's just a basic(and fast) function for a collector to make up their mind what parts they want to collect and where to spread their budget. Especially as RA seem to have so many parallel chase cards these days.
In the case of GoT or James Bond the checklist is quite important to some of us who have a budget to work around.

I haven't seen the Rewards Catalog special GoT card yet either.
I've only seen 2 promos as well. Isn't there usually 4? Not sure what they all look like.

Maybe we do expect too much and perhaps have taken it for granted that RA always produce a checklist. If so then I apologize for expecting to see one again as in the previous 3 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Hedgehog Witch:

I haven't seen the Rewards Catalog special GoT card yet either.
I've only seen 2 promos as well. Isn't there usually 4? Not sure what they all look like.

The rewards card for GoT has never been posted until release day. But you can bet it's the Q40 quotable card.

Yes, every year has had a promo from the Philly card show, but apparently there wasn't one this year because the show already happened. Maybe there's only 3 this year (with P3 being the binder promo).

quote:

Originally posted by ctacker:

The rewards card for GoT has never been posted until release day. But you can bet it's the Q40 quotable card.

Yes, every year has had a promo from the Philly card show, but apparently there wasn't one this year because the show already happened. Maybe there's only 3 this year (with P3 being the binder promo).

Yeah I heard that there should be a binder one which is usually P3. So P1 is the normal distribution and P2 is NSU, then? Perhaps there isn't 4 this year.

I'm expecting the quotable to be Q40 if they follow previous years. Should hopefully see it later in the week then.

quote:

Originally posted by chesspieceface:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

...the Walking Dead....is a depressing, ugly world that they created and once the plot got established, I don't see who would want to keep coming back to watch the misery.

You could say that about "Game of Thrones" itself, plus "Mad Men", "Breaking Bad", "The Sopranos", and on and on, but people keep/kept watching them and I think it may have to do with that universal notion that a weed is just a flower out of place...

This part is off topic, but the difference between WD and those shows is the unrelenting sense of loss. The other shows may have flawed heroes, but you still want them to succeed and there are villains that you love to hate. There are also multiple stories going on, especially in GOT. WD is just down to survival at all costs and, although the breakdown of civilized society may be the point, there also comes a point where it is unpleasant to watch as an entertainment.

All of the non-hobby people I know who started watching WD because of the hype have either quit altogether or just tune in every few episodes to keep up. I stopped buying the cards because even the sets are too grim for my taste. It has run it's course for me, but that's just for me.

WarriorBabe, I understand your point and didn't mean to dismiss it, but a checklist doesn't really help that much. I too generally buy a single box, although I usually try to get about three boxes for GOT. That's to get the set and try my luck at pulling a tough card. There are some EL cards in every GOT season that I won't touch. There are also some pricey cards that I just can't see even wanting, like that Oona Chaplin last year. But you don't know that from the checklist, you find out after the product is released and the pricing starts.

I just estimate what I spent last year and budget for that much this year. I try to pick up the low hanging fruit first and don't expect to get it all at once.

Checklist is up

The main theme of "Walking Dead" is for the survivors is to not just survive, but to reboot society and make a world that's worth surviving in. It's hard for me to imagine something more hopeful than people for whom it would be the easiest (and often most understandable) thing to just give up, instead not taking the easy way out and choosing to fight on for a better tomorrow.

It's kind of what we do in this life, although, luckily, our zombies are only metaphorical and don't bite as much.

quote:

Originally posted by ctacker:
Checklist is up

Good looking list! There are a lot of the people on there who haven't signed since Season 1, so that's good for people who were a little late to the, ahem, game.
I'll be getting all of the new signers and any repeats who are on the bordered design this time.

quote:

Originally posted by chesspieceface:


WarriorBabe, I understand your point and didn't mean to dismiss it, but a checklist doesn't really help that much. I too generally buy a single box, although I usually try to get about three boxes for GOT. That's to get the set and try my luck at pulling a tough card. There are some EL cards in every GOT season that I won't touch. There are also some pricey cards that I just can't see even wanting, like that Oona Chaplin last year. But you don't know that from the checklist, you find out after the product is released and the pricing starts.

I just estimate what I spent last year and budget for that much this year. I try to pick up the low hanging fruit first and don't expect to get it all at once.

Oh I totally agree with the last paragraph. I like to shop mainly when it all comes out (once i've opened my box) because quantity does sometimes lower the pricing.

But I only just completed my S2 parallel base set a few months ago (last 2 cards which I ordered with more S3 I needed) , so I certainly don't intend to be looking for everything at the start.

I was pleased with the list, some good new additions.

Still not sure about Beautiful death chase, i've seen the artwork on FB and it is very good but...

If I've found the right cards online then I'm not overwhelmed by the Beautiful Death cards I've seen. They almost feels a little out of place in terms of style for the set. Oh well, we'll see when the cards are actually in hand.

Pleased with the autograph list, nice lot of new people and return signers.

I wish there weren't quite so many parallel sets, but that seems to be RA's thing these days. It would have been nicer to have had another type of chase set than essentially doubles of what is already there. But that's being picky...overall RA sets are great.

I'll mostly concentrate on picking up the autograph cards for this set I think.
Excited to get opening those wrappers.

Well this checklist is not complete yet.

The autograph cards are there, all 52 of them, including the gold incentives. However the checklist is missing the format type (B, FB, Blue) and also the number range issued (L, EL, etc.)

By my count this would make the number of autograph cards issued for all 4 seasons to be at exactly 200, which includes all case incentives.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Well this checklist is not complete yet.

The autograph cards are there, all 52 of them, including the gold incentives. However the checklist is missing the format type (B, FB, Blue) and also the number range issued (L, EL, etc.)

By my count this would make the number of autograph cards issued for all 4 seasons to be at exactly 200, which includes all case incentives.

I'm not seeing any one (potential) EL that sticks out. The last 2 years the cases seemed to run in 3 parts having certain ELs together. I think the prices may be generally low on most autos with repeat signers and no blockbuster new star.
IMHO,
VinnyH

I think the Harrington will be popular since he hasn't signed since the first set. His card seems to have outpaced all of the other pack-issued main cast members in value, save Dany, and while that's surely due somewhat to his having signed less that the others previously, I think it's also a reflection of the importance of Jon Snow to the show. Martin has said the story ends with two people fighting in the snow. It seems likely one of them will be Jon.

Also, the new Oona should be a good one, and the sketches will be a hot ticket, once again, I have no doubt.

This set is ideal for those who prefer to buy on the aftermarket, especially if you aren't a sketch enthusiast.

From the checklist, it sounds like a lot of what I pull from my four boxes will be up for trade since I don't collect full bleeds and only want one of each actor's cards - just not a lot of new blood. Maybe I can finally pull a Dinklage though

Crud! I was so hoping for Liam Cunningham to sign. Maybe for Season 5..........

"Rackin' frackin'......."

quote:

Originally posted by VinnyH:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Well this checklist is not complete yet.

The autograph cards are there, all 52 of them, including the gold incentives. However the checklist is missing the format type (B, FB, Blue) and also the number range issued (L, EL, etc.)

By my count this would make the number of autograph cards issued for all 4 seasons to be at exactly 200, which includes all case incentives.

I'm not seeing any one (potential) EL that sticks out. The last 2 years the cases seemed to run in 3 parts having certain ELs together. I think the prices may be generally low on most autos with repeat signers and no blockbuster new star.
IMHO,
VinnyH

I think Sean Bean will be an EL, his first season only autograph was a 3 case incentive. The usual Lannisters will be ELs and maybe Chaplin again.

Not a bad line up, but the ladies are getting under represented. No Dormer, Clarke, Christie, Williams or Turner. I was really hoping for a Rigg, but that was always a long shot.

I'm assuming the ELs will be Sean Bean, Kit, Lena, Nikolaj, Peter Dinklage and possibly Oona or Indira Varma. We'll find out soon I'm sure.

Kit Harington is an actor on the rise and with the popularity of Jon Snow it explains the prices for his previous cards. His movie Pompeii was an awful movie unfortunately, but he was great in 'Testament of Youth' and looks good in the new 'Spooks' movie. He certainly has that 'star' quality about him. Really nice guy too.

I don't think Liam Cunningham will ever sign cards now. I'd love one from him and from Pedro Pascal and Diana Rigg. But some actors don't believe that they should sell their autograph or that it should have a secondary market value and some actors don't 'get' the whole fame thing. When I've seen Liam in interviews etc he always comes across to me as a very humble, down to earth guy and not really into fame, he just enjoys his work.
Although there was some hope for Diana Rigg as she has signed some Avengers cards.

With Harry Potter there were never autograph cards for Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman or Ralph Fiennes.
So if RA haven't managed to persuade Liam Cunningham yet for the 4 previous GoT sets, then it's not looking good for any at all. A shame, but it is what it is.

For the S5 set I'd love to see cards signed by Faye Marsay, Jodhi May and Jonathan Pryce. I know S4 is only about to be released, but it doesn't hurt to look at future possibilities.

The checklist has been updated with rarity, looks like this:

Extremely Limited:
Kit Harington/Jon Snow
Lena Headey/Cersei
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau/Jaime
Oona Chaplin/Talisa
Peter Dinklage/Tyrion

Very Limited:
Jacob Anderson/Grey Worm
Hafpor Julius Bjornsson/Gregor Clegane III

The rest are a fairly equal split between common and Limited... Sean Bean is surprisingly only Limited this time, which is great! I would assume Oona Chaplin/Talisa will be the most sought after again in this one...

I saw some of the autograph/sketches on eBay, all are looking good. I personally think the photos used on the autographs are generally superior to most of the previous iterations actually! Blue style seems thin on the ground, couldn't find all of the new autograph cards yet to know for sure, but seems just the Roose and Edmure cards in the blue style so far (both of which have been advertised prominently on the Season 3(!) product page for over a year now without any correction when they weren't included)

Honestly I was a little disappointed with the checklist for Season 4 - I'm not sure why though since these sets are always so loaded with great chase, but I weighed up which cards I wanted from Season 4 vs ones I'd still yet like to pick up from S2 and S3 (as I buy very sporadically) and both the previous sets seemed to make more sense for me to keep collecting for a bit before taking this one up. But as I said, the pictures on these seem generally superior this time around IMO! (Also after all of this Faith Militant business in S5, it's nice to see Lancel back in his 'Shannon from Lost' phase )

Also seriously hope at least one of Indira Varma's future cards has her with the Edvard Munch face!

I did a very small set, and after approvals, it was even smaller
here's the majority of my approved cards.
(The Screaming-Dragon on the top is my Artist Return available, message me an offer if interested).