Something not good seems to be happening over at Upper Deck and I mean something besides what's normally not good at UD.

I'm seeing cards I didn't know were out. X-Files Alien Edition Paranormal just got dumped a little while back. It looks like Alien 3 ePacks may now have some connection to Alien Resurrection cards that I didn't know they made. Some long mentioned products show no signs of appearing, which is par for the course, as is the silence that comes out of UD regarding their products when you try to ask.

Still licenses may be expiring and cards are turning up with little to no notice. UD is carrying Marvel, so anybody know what, if anything, is happening over in its card division?

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Something not good seems to be happening over at Upper Deck and I mean something besides what's normally not good at UD.

I'm seeing cards I didn't know were out. X-Files Alien Edition Paranormal just got dumped a little while back. It looks like Alien 3 ePacks may now have some connection to Alien Resurrection cards that I didn't know they made. Some long mentioned products show no signs of appearing, which is par for the course, as is the silence that comes out of UD regarding their products when you try to ask.

Still licenses may be expiring and cards are turning up with little to no notice. UD is carrying Marvel, so anybody know what, if anything, is happening over in its card division?

Cards that have been long talked about are finally seeing the light of day. How is that not good?

I've not heard of the X-Files Alien Edition Paranormal, where did you see this? I'm still waiting for the Monster of the Week set to drop - it's been almost two years since I did sketch cards for it. I've also heard Chasing Amy should be coming soon.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:
Cards that have been long talked about are finally seeing the light of day. How is that not good?

I've not heard of the X-Files Alien Edition Paranormal, where did you see this? I'm still waiting for the Monster of the Week set to drop - it's been almost two years since I did sketch cards for it. I've also heard Chasing Amy should be coming soon.

It is good to get the cards out for collectors, but if they are showing up without promotion or advertising, something is wrong with the corporate structure. How are you creating demand for your products or your distributors if it just shows up one day? Or it gets thrown out with ePacks, which has a very specific and limited appeal only for some buyers? A stabile card maker knows how to market better than that. Hence my question.

As for your question Ted, don't know about any Monster of the Week, but X-Files UFO and Aliens Paranormal Scripts just turned up a couple of months ago. Looks like the cards were dumped fast because nearly all autographs are cheap and on eBay. I do see that someone has a sketch from the product, but I didn't know anything about it until I noticed the autographs and no X-File collector even started a thread here.

X-Files UFO and Aliens Paranormal Scripts is the name of the autograph subset from the first UD X-Files set that came out years ago.

There seems to be Alien Resurrection achievement cards somehow linked to Alien 3 on COMC. No idea if this is another set or just some few cards, or something to do with ePacks, but did not hear UD was releasing Resurrection or even was committed to making cards on the final film of the series. Would like that way better than Alien 3 for autograph potential on a few actors, but don't know what "achievement cards" mean.

Found the checklist for X-Files UFO and Aliens, the cut rate 2019 product. No wonder autographs were cheap. Only saw them when I picked up one auto card a couple of months ago and the Paranormal in the name didn't connect for me, sorry to confuse you Ted.

But no matter, my impression is still the same. I don't know why UD keeps playing games with people who would buy their cards if they could figure out what the titles are and when they will come out. At this point delays for certain announced titles and lack of updates have surpassed all other card makers. Even Breygent wasn't this bad when it ceased production. So again, what's up with UD?

Cloak & Dagger and Runaways are the two titles I am aware of the appeared out of nowhere.

I found both of them because I was searching to see if a specific actor had any autograph cards on the market.

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:
Cloak & Dagger and Runaways are the two titles I am aware of the appeared out of nowhere.

I found both of them because I was searching to see if a specific actor had any autograph cards on the market.

Both those titles were supposed to be full sets, but both series got cancelled while cards were in production.

So, UD cut it's losses, didn't make a full set, and released the autos and sketches on ePack. They did the same with Agent Carter ages ago.

It's a brilliant way to offload product without tying more money up making base cards nobody really wants anyway.

The one I don't understand is Black Widow, which is rumored to be ePack exclusive. Why? THAT product I could sell, even without ScarJo autos in it. Oh well...

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Found the checklist for X-Files UFO and Aliens, the cut rate 2019 product. No wonder autographs were cheap. Only saw them when I picked up one auto card a couple of months ago...

I'm no UD defender but I'm not sure what you mean by 'cut-rate'?

I think they did an excellent job on their first X-Files set. A big signing roster and ALL the major players signed. The first set to have all the main characters in the same set/on the same style of card: Duchovny/Mulder, Anderson/Scully, Patrick/Doggett, Gish/Reyes and Pileggi/Skinner.

Not to mention all the key secondary characters in William B.Davis, Jerry Hardin, Steven Williams, Laurie Holden and then a big list of 'minor' names that were important characters in the show that had never signed cards before.

All signed on card (uncommon for UD), and then some with character names and inscription variants, and image variants for Duchovny, Anderson and Patrick too. Plus dual, triple, and plate signatures (albeit on stickers) if those float your boat.


The easy autos are always cheap, particularly when the ePack flippers get involved chasing the 'money; cards.
Like I said in the bargain autos thread the other day, I picked up 11 autos from this set for under $30 and the minor names that had never signed before were the ones I wanted the most (I just add new signers with each new X-File set, regardless of what set/manufacturer).

Yes UD could be more communicative about their products in general, I agree. But I don't get why you're ragging on this set just because you missed the memo. And there were topics on this very forum about it...

I'm still trying to work out how you were supposed to collect the James Bond set. It was totally beyond me what was in it half the time and then other things kept appearing that were nothing to do with the boxes of product and it was all way to pricey for me anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by X:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Found the checklist for X-Files UFO and Aliens, the cut rate 2019 product. No wonder autographs were cheap. Only saw them when I picked up one auto card a couple of months ago...

I'm no UD defender but I'm not sure what you mean by 'cut-rate'?

Yes UD could be more communicative about their products in general, I agree. But I don't get why you're ragging on this set just because you missed the memo. And there were topics on this very forum about it...

And I don't get why parts of my posts keep getting pulled out and dissected for meanings that aren't there, so that I get negative comments about things I didn't say.

I'm talking about UD policy in general. I never ragged on this set. I don't collect X-Files cards in particular, just some autographs, and I did miss UFOs and Aliens. I expressed no opinion whatsoever about its quality, as I have only one card.

What I did say and what I meant by "cut-rate" is the literal definition, as in cut rate. The hobby boxes came out at $50 according to Cardboard Connection. Yeah, $50 as compared to $80 - $100 per box SRP is a cut-rate price. So the cards, when sold on the secondary market, should be starting at a lower price point since the whole product was cheaper.

And here's a simple question that cannot be misunderstood. Does anyone know if UD is releasing an Alien Resurrection set, or any version of any cards that may have belonged to a discontinued Alien Resurrection product?
Thanks.

I think UD licence for aliens is expiring. Alien 3 was announced as a new set available on epack and no promotion by title. The Alien Resurrection cards are limited to the epack achievement cards which is 12 cards. With the delay in release it looks like they run out of time to make a full set.

Thanks. I really was hoping for Alien Resurrection autograph cards, which have never been done in prior sets. No chance any of those achievement cards are signed, huh? Can't really follow what's happening with the Alien3 ePacks from the posts on Blowout, but sounds like more Weaver signatures are coming out anyway.

I understand what Ed is saying about UD finding a way to get something back from failed projects by using ePack distribution.

At the same time even ePack buyers don't know what's in these releases and regular card buyers have to wait for cards to show up on eBay from COMC or individual sellers. And if UD can bail on titles, or drag them out so long that the licenses expire before the series is finished, why should collectors, or even dealers, care what they announce? Its no way to run a business, but that is my own opinion.

Once the card sets hit epack there is a check list on epacks for that set on epack. The check list is in the shop with the details for the set.

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
The one I don't understand is Black Widow, which is rumored to be ePack exclusive. Why? THAT product I could sell, even without ScarJo autos in it. Oh well...

Ed

The Black Widow ePacks are coming out October 5th and I think the answer to your question is that UD got zero autographs for the product. There are Printing Plates and some sort of sketch card reward program, but I don't see mention of any relic cards either.

Without having any autographs and no guarantee of any other hits, just base and insert sets, this doesn't look like it will draw in that many card collectors. Only maybe people who really, really liked the film.

You may have dodged a bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
The one I don't understand is Black Widow, which is rumored to be ePack exclusive. Why? THAT product I could sell, even without ScarJo autos in it. Oh well...

Ed

The Black Widow ePacks are coming out October 5th and I think the answer to your question is that UD got zero autographs for the product. There are Printing Plates and some sort of sketch card reward program, but I don't see mention of any relic cards either.

Without having any autographs and no guarantee of any other hits, just base and insert sets, this doesn't look like it will draw in that many card collectors. Only maybe people who really, really liked the film.

You may have dodged a bullet.

So.....basically over priced blaster/retail packs??

Looks like the $14.99 4-card packs sold out very quickly.

Honestly I don't even know what this product is supposed to be. It is ePacks, but it's also running every Tuesday for 18 weeks. So it did sell out, but only for this week. This sounds like TOPPS Now made to order, but that's not what I understood UD ePacks to be. Also they make a point of saying all cards are physical.

So are the cards in the ePacks different each week? Do you have to buy all 18 weeks to get whatever makes up the Black Widow set? Fifteen dollars for 18 weeks puts the set at $270, if one pack a week makes the whole set. Then you are eventually going to have to get the cards shipped to you.

Sounds like there are some costume cards and printing plate hits. Sketches are on a reward basis and no autographs. Somebody's going to have to explain how this is worth the time or the money because I don't get why anyone is interested in this for 4 months, unless I'm misunderstanding the whole thing since I'm only reading forum comments.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
So are the cards in the ePacks different each week? Do you have to buy all 18 weeks to get whatever makes up the Black Widow set? Fifteen dollars for 18 weeks puts the set at $270, if one pack a week makes the whole set. Then you are eventually going to have to get the cards shipped to you.

It's one base card per pack per week and one of two Base Set SP cards per week, plus two inserts per week (one of which should be a Base Set High Series card).

Someone at Blowout worked out the math and thinks it'll cost $540 just to get the base and SP sets since you'll need to buy two packs each week and hope you get both SP cards.

Here's the post: https://www.blowoutforums.com/...7700839&postcount=28

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Johnson:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
So are the cards in the ePacks different each week? Do you have to buy all 18 weeks to get whatever makes up the Black Widow set? Fifteen dollars for 18 weeks puts the set at $270, if one pack a week makes the whole set. Then you are eventually going to have to get the cards shipped to you.

It's one base card per pack per week and one of two Base Set SP cards per week, plus two inserts per week (one of which should be a Base Set High Series card).

Someone at Blowout worked out the math and thinks it'll cost $540 just to get the base and SP sets since you'll need to buy two packs each week and hope you get both SP cards.

Here's the post: https://www.blowoutforums.com/...7700839&postcount=28

Two packs, $30 a week for 18 weeks? That's twice as much as I thought for a movie that most people wanted to like more than they did.

I think its nuts to buy into this and I wonder if collectors don't realize what they are doing yet or if they do and just really want the challenge. It does seem a little too long range for flippers, but who knows? For UD its kind of brilliant if they can sell out every week and get good money on a product where they didn't have to pay to get the most expensive hits. That's of course if ePackers don't stop the weekly buy along the way.

Thanks for the info.