quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

The question asked was what sense does it make for a company not to get the word out if it is costing sales?

Maybe Upper Deck have pre sold the entire print run to the large case buying dealers in the USA so do not need to publicise it. I have no idea if this is true, time will tell when it all hits ebay.

Glad to finally have the checklist and see who has signed for the set.

On the one hand I am happy the list is not insanely massive and has some very nice names that I did not expect like Dominique Pinon, Charles S. Dutton, Paul Reiser and Harry Dean Stanton in particular.
That said, nearly EVERYONE in all 4 films are regular convention goers or have signed cards before so there are some very obvious names I an surprised are not in the set like John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, Michael Biehn, all the marines in fact and Paul McGann to name a few.

I would not say this set is a missed opportunity, and how could you when the auto list is so good, but it seems more of a highlights selection. Then again, Charles Dance is in this set but only on a double auto... maybe a hint there may be more sets to come?

Call me a pedant but I'll only be picking up any dog-tag cards that feature the marines from Aliens. You know, characters that would have worn dog-tags.

Can't wait to actually see some images when this stuff goes live.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
That said, nearly EVERYONE in all 4 films are regular convention goers or have signed cards before so there are some very obvious names I an surprised are not in the set like John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, Michael Biehn, all the marines in fact and Paul McGann to name a few.

Bill Paxton is there and was a marine. I too am surprised about the other missing actors you mentioned only because they all have signed for card sets before. The name I am most excited about that is there, besides Weaver, is Tom Skerritt. I would have enjoyed finding Brad Dourif and Michael Biehn as well, so that's too bad.

I don't know how many people noticed, but in the one and only ads for this product carried on several websites, there is an Ian Holm autograph card pictured. He was the only name I expected to see signing in the set. In typical UD fashion, it would seem that was a mock up not made or at least not included now. And the ad does say that the card is a mock up with a Ken Griffey signature, but it confused me anyway.

very happy to be a part of this set.
here are my sketches I contributed.
The Facehugger next to Parker is my AP available for sale.

I've been following some case breaks on this and it doesn't look to be your typical Upper Deck product... they seem to be fairly loaded with decent hits, especially the autographs and with a pretty decent spread of names!

The first Sigourney Weaver auto was $300 out the gate. Not cheap sure but could have been a whole hell of a lot worse when you consider people usually pay a premium for the first few sold.

I must say I am glad, as some of the UD Marvel film sets have eye-watering prices. Then I suppose Marvel films and fans are a different breed entirely compared to this old franchise.

Bit disappointing the double auto cards use exactly the same images as the single autos, but I see these random pairings as fairly pointless in most cases, and even more so where stickers are used. The only ones that make any sense to me are Weaver and Henn, and a Jeneatte Goldstein & Mark Rolston as Vasquesz & Drake which they didn't make!

Wasn't sure on the auto design but the 'Mother' viewscreens from Alien make for a nice idea and the stickers do not look obtrusive at all.

Haha, I noticed that Jay and Bob's Secret Stash sold a pair of sealed boxes on Ebay for $99.99 with free shipping yesterday, so basically, half price. I'm assuming Upper Deck comped them the boxes to sell by the pack in-store, but famously anti-card Walt Flanagan probably saw them and said, "Nope! Get 'em outta here!"
Wish I'd have seen them first at that price.

I'm definitely getting a Harry Dean Stanton from this set. The first was listed for $50 but sold for an offer of $40.

I have just been looking at early examples on the Bay. Random thoughts:

The autograph design makes them almost look like cut signature cards, at least on the PC. Yes on card is so much better, but when there is none, stickers will have to do.

Have no idea how many Weaver autographs there are, but $300 seems low for the best signature in the product. The only one now on ebay is asking $700.

I can understand dog tag cards for Marines, but they seem to have them for many other characters. Manufactured hits leave me cold anyway, but mis-assigned tags seem really pointless.

Have not seen enough of the base set to judge, but poster art is only so-so. Not sure I like these art based sets at all, Firefly set art overall did not please me.

The Shay sketches are terrific. I hope average sketch quality is half as good.

I do like the autograph list, some names I did not expect. Nobody thought Ryder would be in, but missing Biehn, Goldstein and Rolston was strange only because they do sign fairly regularly so I would have thought them easy to get. Maybe not so much Biehn, he can be edgy sometimes. Hurt and Holm sign cards, but maybe wanted too much. Kotto is selective, he might have refused. Just guessing, since these are sticker signatures who knows where or when anybody turns up.

Alien Anthology 2, I doubt it.

Does anyone know if the originally listed case hits are still accurate?

(6) Single Actor Autographs
(1) Dual Actor Autograph or Space Marine Dog Tag Autograph
(3) Sketch Cards
(2) Artist Autographs

I have to agree with most here about getting information out to the collectors. I have not pre-ordered from Topps or Upper Deck for years because they are so consistently bad at it. Their websites are dismal and they give no indication of the case run. A case of this was selling for up to $1300. There is no way I will blindly put that sort of money on a pre-sell. But all of this has been discussed before.


Although this set is missing many possible autographs (most have signed before) I am pretty stoked about some of the ones that are there. Sigourney Weaver, Harry Dean Stanton and Tom Skerritt are all first time signers if I am not mistaken. All in all it looks like beautiful set....that I will now collect on the secondary market. :-)

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

And Shay.....those sketches are fantastic!!!

Surprised to see Ian Holm (Ash) is not on the auto list, particularly as he was an example on the preview page, but after all these years, a Tom Skerritt (Dallas) autograph card at last.
man crush

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:
And Shay.....those sketches are fantastic!!!

Thanks very much, I really appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:
Does anyone know if the originally listed case hits are still accurate?

(6) Single Actor Autographs
(1) Dual Actor Autograph or Space Marine Dog Tag Autograph
(3) Sketch Cards
(2) Artist Autographs

I opened a case:

11 Dog Tag Cards
1 Auto Dog Tag Card /5 Paul Reiser
3 Sketches
7 Autos
1 Dual Auto
1 Printing Plate

Every Box has a tag plus a hit.

Unless the artist autos are just signed on base cards (I haven't looked at the fronts yet, but all the back are 'base' backs), I did not get any artist autographs.

Fun open. Didn't get a Weaver, but that last sealed case is calling me...

Ed

That is probably pretty close seeing that UD is also awful with case correlation. Your case had a bit more and another will be short. Given that there are only 75 auto dog tags, you got pretty lucky to also end up with the dual auto. Good job!

I believe the artist autos are signed base cards. I have seen a couple on ebay.

Based on the posted checklist on Beckett I think I have seen all of the single autographs on ebay but not even close with many of the double sigs.

I wonder how many of them are really low production numbers?

I have only seen one Harry Dean Stanton.

http://www.comicpalooza.com/

ALIENS REUNION including Sigourney Weaver

Not having ever bought anything from Upper Deck before, is it normal to see so little product a week after release?

Given that over half of each case contains autographs, those in particular seem in short supply.

Where are the cards???

UD changed its distribution policy and dealer network back in 2011. I don't know if they have had recent updates to it because, quite frankly, I rarely buy UD products. It's not that they don't have titles I like, but I don't like their standard and never changing formula for box construction with skipped hits.

Anyway the last I heard UD had a short list of approved authorized dealers and something like a 90 day restricted window right after the release date on internet sales. If you sell before you should, or an authorized dealer sells to someone who sells before they should, UD will drop that dealer. Don't quote me, it may have been tweaked, but I do believe some restrictions are still there.

I do know that, as you have observed, UD cards are generally slow to appear. However once the waiting period has passed they show up in the usual places.

First, this product was poorly advertised. Even dealers had to WANT to find out about it.

Second is the UD restrictions on sales:

Dealers have to apply for the privilge of selling UD product.

Only Brick and Mortar stores are allowed to become Authorized dealers.

Authorized dealers have to agree to certain restrictions including Minimum Advertised Price, No sales to resellers, NO internet sales, and no sales outside the US

Only Authorized Dealers can apply to become an Authorized Internet Dealer. I think there are like 4 of these

As a dealers you have to buy from a UD Authorized Distributor.

If you are a breaker, you can get approval to buy product. However, the shrink wrap MUST be removed and the box seal cut prior to delivery to you by the distributor. This is so you cannot sell sealed product if you are not an Authorized Dealer.

There are details, of course. But UD has shackled most dealers with rules that make it very hard to buy and sell their products.

Oh, I tried to argue that show dealers should have an exemption, as UD should want these dealers to have their product at the shows across the country. I was turned away without discussion.

Ed

____________________
Trading Page Now Online: http://www.scifi.cards/trading.html

Collecting Sketches of the Character Crystal

Thanks for the details guys, I now remember when this policy first popped up. All very bizarre business practices if you ask me.

I've bought a couple of cards from this we what I think (hope) are appropriate prices but with so much product obviously being held back I'm finding I don't know what to pay for things! There is no obvious 'going rate' because the sales trends are not there to see so I am being more hesitant and so not buying at all. And on the otherhand sellers, including people I have bought from don't know how to price what they have either!

So really, best to hold off I guess and let the product properly hit the market?

It's been a while since I have hung out with any dealers. Kind of forgot about all the weird rules.

You are right X....I got a bit excited about some early sigs that popped up and paid a bit more than I should have. I have since calmed myself down.

You can still make some judgment calls with the product based on case prices ($1000 to $1300) and what is being inserted on a case basis such as dual or dog tag autographs.

As best as I can figure it takes two boxes at over $100 each to complete a base set.

A case will get you a parallel silver set and at least one set of each subset. So when I was able to pick up a base set, parallel set and all three subset for $75 I was ok with that.

You would need at least three cases to complete a set of single autographs (15 at 6 per case)

Two cases to get all of the dog tags.

etc...etc....etc.