Today I came across some sketch cards for sale from the 2020 Marvel Masterpieces that released a couple of months ago. When I checked back on the forum, I was surprised to see that no one had started a thread for it. So the boxes had an SRP of around $300, sold for a bit less, and the guaranteed hit was the sketch.

The sketches I saw for sale were not priced over $100 and were basically acceptable looking, if somewhat standard drawings of mainly second tier Marvel characters. A check on eBay shows a large variety available.

So for you sketch collectors, I was wondering what you thought of this product and specifically the sketch quality? Does the lack of talk here mean that it just fell victim to 2020 and the lack of new Marvel movies or that we just don't have many sketch card collectors anymore or that it was too high priced for average buyers?

I did pick up one sketch card from the bunch and cardaddict, you will never guess. Or maybe you will.

A quick check shows I have only one sketch from that set, which I would rate at maybe a 6 out of 10, on my personal scale, which is good enough for me to buy if the price is right, and it was.

I have seen some nice sketches from that set, but they were priced more than I am willing to pay.

I will take a wild guess and say the initials of the character on your sketch are both JW and SS.

She must have a body if I am going to buy a sketch of her, with very few exceptions, such as the Rhianna Owens sketch I have. A skinny woman painted green, to me, is NOT SHE HULK!!!

I also highly dislike when the frontal design on the card hides parts of the sketch. Thankfully, the 2020 design does not do this.

I don't know what JW or SS means, it's SH to me.

I don't follow the character, but I liked this portrait by Ryan Odagawa because of the shading of green with red streaks and reddish background. The facial expression is good and fierce too. I probably would not have taken a full figure. Feel the same way about Hulk. The other sketches were for Marvel characters that I already have from other sketch products, so its something a little different.

At least for the ones that remained, I didn't think the quality was especially superior to stuff that I have pulled from basic sketch products.

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

Jennifer Walters.

I abhor typos, so of course I made one. I meant SH, sheesh! And I thought I was perfect, how wrong I was!

Post a picture of your sketch, please!

Collectors of 2020 Marvel Masterpieces seem more interested in building a complete set, putting together a character rainbow of parallels, and/or collecting the new insert called Metallurgy (that’s numbered to 25) than the sketch cards.

quote:

Originally posted by cardaddict:
Post a picture of your sketch, please!

Ahh, wish I could, but I'm one of those who can't/won't be helped. I don't do enough to want to download any apps.

It's an even nicer sketch outside the holder though. Black hair, white eyes, no pupils, gritted bared white teeth and just the straps of the white tee shirt showing on the shoulder tops. A muted green with light red shadings on thick card stock with the paint covering edge to edge. Tried to find it on Odagawa's pages, but didn't see this one.

It's worth what I paid, so I'm happy, but for box value it would probably be tough unless you really dug the character.

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Collectors of 2020 Marvel Masterpieces seem more interested in building a complete set, putting together a character rainbow of parallels, and/or collecting the new insert called Metallurgy (that’s numbered to 25) than the sketch cards.

Yeah I could see that. Collectors are finding all sorts of alternatives to deal with these products that are too expensive to complete. Still the quality of the average sketch in a $200 - $300 box has to be way better than the average one in a run of the mill sketch centered product.

I don't use apps, I don't even own a cell phone or an I-pad or anything like that, just my digital camera and Imgur. Before that I used Photoshop.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Collectors of 2020 Marvel Masterpieces seem more interested in building a complete set, putting together a character rainbow of parallels, and/or collecting the new insert called Metallurgy (that’s numbered to 25) than the sketch cards.

Yeah I could see that. Collectors are finding all sorts of alternatives to deal with these products that are too expensive to complete. Still the quality of the average sketch in a $200 - $300 box has to be way better than the average one in a run of the mill sketch centered product.

Not necessarily.

Sketches aren't the big hit in this set. You have Metallurgy /25's, Tier 4 cards from the 3 base sets, signature parallels, and the lenticulars that are a case hit.

Masterpieces has lots of pieces that might be of value, it's not a "keep the sketch and pitch the rest" set by any means.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
Yeah I could see that. Collectors are finding all sorts of alternatives to deal with these products that are too expensive to complete. Still the quality of the average sketch in a $200 - $300 box has to be way better than the average one in a run of the mill sketch centered product.

Not necessarily.

Sketches aren't the big hit in this set. You have Metallurgy /25's, Tier 4 cards from the 3 base sets, signature parallels, and the lenticulars that are a case hit.

Masterpieces has lots of pieces that might be of value, it's not a "keep the sketch and pitch the rest" set by any means.

Ed[/QUOTE]

I'm sure that's correct for the type of collector that is following Marvel Masterpieces. I think you would know, but I'm looking at it from the angle of someone who might go in for a box or two for the experience. The cost becomes prohibitive if you aren't dedicated to the title and maybe that's why this product hasn't been mentioned on Card Talk until now. It's not that anything should be "keep the sketch (or any hit) and pitch the rest", but of course if you are just sampling titles that is what happens.

It's pretty much wasteful to try that with a $300 box. However picking off nice hits at reasonable prices makes sense. As for Metallurgy and the other specifics of the set, even if you aren't going to collect them. it's something that is interesting enough to hear more about just as card set information for those not getting this one.

I checked out the various forms of the green skinned beauty base(?)cards, almost bought one or two, then decided the heck with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I'm sure that's correct for the type of collector that is following Marvel Masterpieces. I think you would know, but I'm looking at it from the angle of someone who might go in for a box or two for the experience. The cost becomes prohibitive if you aren't dedicated to the title and maybe that's why this product hasn't been mentioned on Card Talk until now. It's not that anything should be "keep the sketch (or any hit) and pitch the rest", but of course if you are just sampling titles that is what happens.

My guess is that the members of Card Talk that usually post are probably not in the demographic that buys Marvel boxes at that Marvel Masterpieces price point. Generally, the more “seasoned” Marvel trading card collectors are use to paying under $100 for a box of cards.

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
My guess is that the members of Card Talk that usually post are probably not in the demographic that buys Marvel boxes at that Marvel Masterpieces price point. Generally, the more “seasoned” Marvel trading card collectors are use to paying under $100 for a box of cards.

Possibly, but I don't think I know anybody in "that demographic". I keep hearing about people who are buying these $600 and up sports card boxes at my LHS, but I never seem to run into them. I keep reading that online sales of trading cards in general are booming, but values for all but the best of the best "hits" seem to be dropping. For the ones I have anyway.

Perhaps dealers know where all these big spenders are, but I don't. I use to know quite a few non-sport card collectors on sight, but even before COVID they pretty much disappeared. I don't know who to believe, what I am told or my lying eyes.

I brought a number of boxes, nowhere near the cost you are quoting, I was here long before you were. Go figure! Have a happy thanksgiving Raven you keep things lively here at Card Talk!

You too, at least there's still football. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.