quote:

Originally posted by sherlock2:
Krysten - U GO GIRL - tell it like it is

Orrrr...tell it like it is a little less forcefully. It's ok to have strong opinions, it's not always ok to express them everywhere loudly (and repeatedly) on other people's websites.

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:

quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Cracknell:
Here's a little more on the app and how it works (it's not much different than Star Wars): http://www.beckett.com/news/to...trader-app-launches/

Is anyone on the board doing digital cards? Just not feeling it.

No. I do not get the whole "digital card" aspect. Have no interest. I personally, will stick with the traditional tangible in-hand card dealing.

I also see that people are actually buying these "digital cards" on eBay. I, just don't understand it. But, to each is own.

quote:

Originally posted by yorkbag:
I also see that people are actually buying these "digital cards" on eBay. I, just don't understand it. But, to each is own.

Same concept as SimCity, where people bought and sold virtual items with real world money.

I have nothing against it for those who enjoy those games. It's just not trading card collecting. Most of the card collectors I've ever known, including myself, are at least slightly obsessive about owning something in their hand. That is why we all have too much junk lying around.

Add me to the list of people who do not understand 'collecting' digital 'cards'. They're not cards for starters!

Will be interested to see what Topps do with the licence, no doubt some of it will not be good: as others have said, manufactured hits and the inevitable sticker autographs.

I like Topps better than Cryptozoic, so I am optimistic about this change. Maybe now we'll get more timely releases for this series (consider that the show recently concluded it's sixth season and Cryptozoic hasn't even put out it's set for the fourth season yet).

Personally I only collect on-card autograph cards so if Walking Dead is tape autos in the future, I will skip them.

Reports from Non-Sports Show confirm The Walking Dead Season 4 Part 2 will be the Last WD Set Produced by Cryptozoic.

quote:

Originally posted by Kryten67:
Reports from Non-Sports Show confirm The Walking Dead Season 4 Part 2 will be the Last WD Set Produced by Cryptozoic.

I think that was a given, TOPPS is not paying to share.

The unknown part is whether or not this is just one expired/lost license for CZE or if it means others will follow. You could make a decent case that despite its prominence as a title, CZE has already gotten the best years out of the WD and had too many issues with resources. That whole "we can only use 12 characters per set restriction", which supposedly caused the Part 1 and Part 2 division, seems foolish to agree to when you have the license. I doubt TOPPS will have that problem.

As regards the autographs, I see posted here and elsewhere that some collectors are saying they will not sully their collection with sticker signatures. I don't know if they will stick to that, pun intended, but since all the favorite actors do have on-card autograph cards from CZE out there, only new characters after Season 4 might become a temptation.

I myself accept sticker autographs in all instances where there is no certified on-card alternative, but there is no question that I am very glad to have already gotten the on-card Lincoln, Reddus and Yeun autographs, among others. The demand and value for those cards should increase as soon as any stickers appear.

Demand won't do much for the price in this situation.... a 50% price increase won't work.

with eBay, It's always a race to the bottom.

people under cut each other all the time to get the sale.

I buy all the under Valued 1/1 , sketches & Topps Vault Blank Backs I can get...... & Resale em on Stuff I Like.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I myself accept sticker autographs in all instances where there is no certified on-card alternative, but there is no question that I am very glad to have already gotten the on-card Lincoln, Reddus and Yeun autographs, among others. The demand and value for those cards should increase as soon as any stickers appear.

Might be a good time to go back and fill in any holes in one's Cryptozoic WD collection. If traditional behavior holds, Topps will crank out much more product to fill hobby and retail cases.

I will most likely put together the first release of the Topps Walking Dead product as a contrast set but after that it will just be the standard after market autograph hunt.

Fear the Walking Dead is such a horrible show that maybe it will be cancelled before it gets a card set. :-P

Here's a comparison between Brighton Sharbino's autograph from Cryptozoic's upcoming Part 1 set and her signed stickers from the upcoming Topps set(s). What an advertisement for sticker autographs.

B. S. indeed!

I had not seen the on-card Sharbino autograph yet
very happy about that one
but I will be done with collecting these once the 2 Crypto sets are out
I do not spend my money on stickers
I am sad Topps now have the licence

Someone on another forum said it perfectly: that those 600 stickers she has signed could have just as easily been 600 cards.

The only legitimate argument for using stickers to my mind is that they are obviously nearly impossible to fake. However I would rather forego that concern if it means you get the signer's real autograph. From the pictures shown, WHO out there would prefer Sharbino's Topps signature to Cryptozoic's? This is a PERFECT example of why collectors hate sticker autos so much.

Besides, security clearly isn't really a concern for Topps as they are happy to give us 'Masterwork' sets with hard-signed cards, and pimp them in such a way that shows they know exactly what type of autograph card collectors prefer.

So all it really comes down to is convenience for the manufacturer. Because I don't see how shipping big sticker sheets (that could get easily bent) back and forth is easier than sending cards in a plastic box. I don't see how a tiny signing space makes for a more visually appealing and desirable product than on-card signatures.
But I DO see how having a stock of stickers you can just peel off, and whack on any future card in future sets, means the manufacturer does not have to put in any extra effort to secure assets down the line that may not be possible. Maybe a signer passes away or refuses to sign again?

It's shrewd, I'll give them that, but ultimately it is lazy and does those who buy their products a great disservice in terms of the quality they should be getting.

We can all theorise that Topps would surely up their game by offering on-card autos of the same quality from the previous licence holder, so Topp's cards are equally desirable. But I think we all know the writing has been on the wall with Topps for a very long time: they just don't care. If they did, they wouldn't do so many things collectors hate.
From their willingness to insert THOUSANDS of melting-face/screaming monkey sketches in Indiana Jones all those years ago, quality is a flexible term with them and Topps are clearly comfortable letting people pay them good money for garbage.

I feel almost a traitor to my own beliefs having recently added the Alien Anthology sticker auto cards to my collection, but that set was the only game in town and probably will be for a very long time. But it still rankles me that they are not on-card. At least Walking Dead collectors have had lots of much better auto cards to collect over the years, with still more to come in Crypto's last hurrah for this series.

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

How horrible that she only is signing her initials.

How horrible that she only is signing stickers.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
But I DO see how having a stock of stickers you can just peel off, and whack on any future card in future sets, means the manufacturer does not have to put in any extra effort to secure assets down the line that may not be possible. Maybe a signer passes away or refuses to sign again?It's shrewd, I'll give them that, but ultimately it is lazy and does those who buy their products a great disservice in terms of the quality they should be getting.

Card manufacturers can try to spin it anyway they want to with other extraneous excuses, the ability to use previously signed stickers on future card products that have not yet been made is the single reason why we have sticker autographs. It is also the reason why we can never be sure when someone's autograph will appear or how many of them were actually signed.

I try to keep up with most of the stories coming out of NSU but it is impossible to follow them all. Has there ever been an interview series from the celebrity perspective on autograph cards? What do they think about it? Do they have a preference between card and sticker? Do they like the idea of connecting to fans in this fashion? I remember asking Gigi Edgley several years ago and she described the process with RH, she gave some real world insight to what it is like to receive a stack of cards to sign and the younger members of her family just not quite grasping the concept. It was interesting to talk with her about it.

I think as I go to future conventions and have the opportunity I will ask the question more.