quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Maybe nothing, maybe you're smart.

In the coming years I'll bet you can pick up 90% of the autographs cheaper than they are now. After Sunday's finale you might see them for sale in droves, but probably not at good prices. Wait a few months and pick them off cheap. Only the top 10% will hold for awhile after the last set comes out next year and most of even those will reduce in time.

Yes, this is probably true. It is certainly my method for most of my autograph card acquisitions.

Still, usually when I really like a subject I tend to pick up other components of the set. It is a bit interesting that I have not picked up a single box of GoT product since its release.

I did purchase cases for the first 5 seasons. Come Season 6 I just didn't feel that the set breakdown was fresh enough to justify the outlay for a case and decided to operate in the secondary market. Most of the big cards were available at very reasonable prices and I think that overall dealers probably made next to no money on this set. I think RA's response to this was to create the exclusives in season 7 with the Dempsie and Broadbent autographs plus the scarce double relic; these autographs are now struggling to command $100 so not really a success. The VS release did draw me in and I wasted £500 on 5 boxes that just had dross in them - only decent card was a Headey autograph that I could buy on ebay at the time for £60. RA's big problem is a lack of licenses and without a big variety of product to appeal to a wider market, those of us left supporting their narrow offering are expected to stump up more for what we want in order to keep it flowing. The splitting of the rarer cards over another 250 cases after the hobby set was sold out is unforgivable.I think Inflexions was a set better left on the drawing board and I think Trek fans should ne worried about their forthcoming release if this is anything to go by - including a now almost inevitable International edition solicited very much after the fact.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gmmk1964,

I think that seasonal releases have a built in redundancy factor that hurts the title over time. It seems the two or three combined season products give the company much more to work with.

By the time I got to season 4 of the Walking Dead, there really was very little left to collect. Adding to the mess Cryptozoic's two stage release for seasons 3 and 4 ended up being six releases for 4 short seasons. Given that the show has produced dribble characters in the later seasons and that Topps still can't figure out a nice set design for them, I have not purchased any new product since season 3. I only have two Topps auto cards for my cast projects.

I believe that Buffy suffered much of the same fate as well.

I agree what was said above about RA's lack of licenses. Now that they no longer have James Bond, they have to rely upon GOT and Star Trek

X-Files and Twin Peaks card sets may have been hits, but those TV shows are both finished, unlikely to return, so what more can be done ?

I guess they have Orville and Twilight Zone

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
I guess they have Orville and Twilight Zone

Twilight Zone is literally a dying title and I don't say that as being funny, just sad. When you look down the checklist of previous autograph cards, so many of the actors have passed away. Most of the ones who are signing in the coming set are in their 80's and 90's, unless they were one of the child stars now in their 60's. I really like the next release, RA got more into it than I thought, but I wouldn't be surprised if its the last set produced.

Can't guess about the long term prospects of The Orville. Its on FOX, which is a problem right there, and I think the fan base is pretty niche. But it depends on McFarlane's draw. I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Twilight Zone is literally a dying title

I would imagine they've already secured the license for the new version though, which is why they're resurrecting (ahem) the old one. Like they did for X-Files and Twin Peaks.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Can't guess about the long term prospects of The Orville.

Problem with this one at the moment is not so much the popularity of the show - it's doing just fine, I think, and just got renewed for a third season - it's that right off the bat, 90% of the autograph cards are worth about 5 bucks each. The value in the product isn't there unless you pull one of the three autographs anyone really wants to pay money for. It's also driving up the price of a few mid-range autographs which don't really command the kinds of pricing being put on them, but dealers are desperate to squeeze some value out of it.

Unless they nail down some impressive guest star names for the second season set (Charlize Theron, Ted Danson, Patrick Warburton, F. Murray Abraham), and get the remaining main cast members who aren't in this one, I don't expect the pre-orders for that to be that strong. Then there'll be some kind of over-priced "update" premium pack release with a few left-overs/late returns in it, and that'll be that.

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

quote:

Originally posted by ravenheart:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Raven:
I would imagine they've already secured the license for the new version though, which is why they're resurrecting (ahem) the old one. Like they did for X-Files and Twin Peaks.

I didn't think of that, good point. The only thing is it has to be successful enough to warrant a set. They've tried to make newer versions of TZ and Outer Limits and several more horror based anthology series every few years and I don't think any of them stuck for even 2 seasons, usually one.

For TZ, I think the problem is that the originals are easily available in reruns for those that are interested, so younger generations do see them. So far none of these newer versions, even in color with updated stories and current actors, can hold a candle to the creepiness of the old ones.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I didn't think of that, good point. The only thing is it has to be successful enough to warrant a set. They've tried to make newer versions of TZ and Outer Limits and several more horror based anthology series every few years and I don't think any of them stuck for even 2 seasons, usually one.

This one is at least making it to two, it's already been renewed, amazingly. There's potential in a few of the stars, but honestly, there aren't many names in there anyone's going to be desperate to add to their autograph collection.

I think this is the third attempt to bring back the Twilight Zone TV show. They did it in the mid-1980s, and then again in the early 2000s, for a year or so.

I think you can add to the list of aging properties (X-Files and Twin Peaks), the Buffy cards. I know she has a new comic book, but what is the demand, really, for more cards ? I think the 1990s nostalgia may be waning.

Checklist is up! Whole lot of signers...…...

quote:

Originally posted by willgull:
Checklist is up! Whole lot of signers...…...

Check back a few posts

Anyone else notice the Star Trek InfleXions set has been renamed as Starfleet's Finest Special Edition..

Maybe that's because no one knows what InfleXions actually means or if these cards are going to look even marginally different than any of those mirror-like, foil type, shiny refrectors that have been done before.

You can't get a good idea of these sorts of cards just by screen shots or photos. The only thing you can tell from the checklist images is that they have a pretty substantial border, which only makes for smaller photos.

I'm hoping to have a few in my hand by this weekend. My sense is that the cards may be nice looking, as they should be, but probably not radically different enough to start a line of InfleXions as a bonafide stand apart production design. We'll see.

So I'll drop my review of these cards here, since I don't know how many of you are breaking.

I had one box on order and an another one was just there, so I took it. These are not being discounted and seem to be already over SRP. The boxes were numbered out of 8000, which surprised me. I thought there would have been fewer made. Also this is the regular edition, so I guess over another 4000 somewhere else.

Anyway, 3 packs per box, 5 cards per pack, 6 hits, 2 Laser Cuts, 2 Lenticular Motion, 20 base cards with 2 numbered to 75.

Laser Cuts are the same, got L27 Grey Worm and L31 Gilly, nothing much.

Motion cards were terrible for L2 and L18, that's a White Walker and Dragon Eye. I know the pictures on RA's website look fine, but these cards are nearly pure black in hand. You can hardly make out the photo, so the motion is there but has no impact. At least on these 2 Lenticulars it is extremely poor work.

Base cards had a 34/75 and 68/75 and 18 I guess regular, a few are gold, not sure if it matters. Finally there are no character cards, all are scenes, most seem new. They are smooth and very, very shiny. The shine makes it hard to appreciate the photos as the light deflects around. I think people will love them or find them annoying, take your pick.

Main event are the hits. You're guaranteed big hit is going to make or break your boxes, so know that now.

Box 1 had autos of Joseph Quinn and Donald Sumpter and the big hit was a dual of Varma/Sellers. I think these would all be regarded as pretty common. Not a good break, but at least I liked Varma.

Box 2 was better. Autos of Staz Nair and Isaac Hempstead-Wright. Big hit was VR7 Emilia Clarke relic of Daenery's Targaryen coat. This is also an all black card, It would have looked so much better if the border was in a different brighter color because the fabric and the picture is an all black outfit. Obviously this is the only more expensive card I pulled and is probably a case hit, but really the design color is just poor.

So I'm satisfied that I did get the relic, had a low level dual and yeah I got King Bran the Broken. Also had a lot of fun anticipating the break. I wish I could do more because some of big hits I've seen look really nice, but it just costs too much to try. Without the relic I'd probably have less than $100 on the other 5 hits. I never sell anyway, but when the cost is this much you have to consider the value gap.

Hope that helps you all and good luck on yours.

Whew, your VR7 relic saved the break, Raven. All the relics I've seen so far look very dark even with coloured material. Definitely needed a lighter border/background design.

I did two boxes (international version) and was incredibly underwhelmed. I had two dual autographs, the best was Meera & Bran which I liked a lot, but everything else was not worth the box. Lentinculars don't look much better than the free ones you used to get out of cereal boxes in the 1980s.
I do like the base set cards, nicely done, but I won't be collecting more of those, not deep enough pockets.

I might pick up a few of the Valyrian design autographs later on to go with the Valyrian Steel set ones.

With the diluted junk filling out this set, it doesn't warrant the premium box price. Going by average prices for the cards I got I could have bought my cards for about £100 less than I spent on two boxes. Had I seen a check list before pre-ordering I wouldn't have bought two boxes. I won't be buying any more RA premium boxes if they're arranged like this. Although I hated the metal base cards I think the Valyrian Steel set was far superior in value.

Did anyone buy the binder, with the P1 promo included in it ?

quote:

Originally posted by Hedgehog Witch:
I did two boxes (international version) and was incredibly underwhelmed. I had two dual autographs, the best was Meera & Bran which I liked a lot, but everything else was not worth the box.

Did you notice how many boxes are on the seal for the international version, regular was 8000?

What were your other autograph hits? The duals are tough because RA is counting them as your "Big" box hit, but they have more of the ones from the lesser combinations in there obviously. And if you got one of those and two other common signers as I did, and maybe you did, it hurts.

I was hoping to pull at least 1 of the 5 new signers, even if they are basically commons. Got Nair FB, Quinn FB and Sumpter V instead. Could have done without those.

I saw that Lena Headey did some inscriptions. Those would be nice to pull.

I didn't think I would say this about Valyrian Steel, but I agree with you, it felt more substantial in your hand and for your money than these cards and cost less. But I do think that there are more of a variety of hits of higher value in InfleXions than was in Valyrian, but that may not be by actual number and it's only if you can find them. Unfortunately the only way to do that is to continue breaking and 2 is my limit.

I think it was 5000 boxes for the international. I didn't pay that much attention when opening, and the boxes were flattened and put into the recycling bin shortly after.

My other dual was Aisling Franciosi "Lyanna Stark" & Wilf Scolding "Rhaegal", so big in terms of story plot point, but low in terms of value. RA would still class it as a big hit, of course.
I then got a rabble of Roger Allam "Illyrio" Gold, Esme Bianco "Ros" Gold, Sara Dyan "Bernadette" (FB) I think she's a new signer.
And I also had Ellie Kendrick "Meera" Gold...which would have been pretty good, except she was on my dual in the same box.

No other goodies aside from the expected lenticular and mirror cards.

I think I saw somewhere that Lena has three inscriptions. "I choose Violence" I've seen two examples of on evilbay.

I think that the duals in Valyrian Steel were also better in terms of character match-ups. Even though I loathed the metal cards it just felt a lot more in hand. Off the top of my head weren't there only 50-ish single autograph cards for that set? All I know is that I ended up with buying a couple more boxes of VS and had more value in each pack than I had in my whole 2 boxes of Inflexions.

I forgot to mention that don't pay silly money for the Stamp Cards.
I wasn't sure what they were, but saw one online today and laughed.
They are the actual Royal Mail stamps that were released in the UK a few months back, but you can still buy really attractive presentation packs and sets, that include all designs, from Royal Mail(can be bought from their online shop outside the UK too). They do some nice sets like that. I collect some stamp sets now and again from there.
So if you like the designs but can't afford the daft prices for each single card, give the Royal Mail website shop a visit.
Particularly nice is the postcards set, featuring all stamp designs in postcards size(6x4) for £7.20. They look great in an album.

quote:

Originally posted by Hedgehog Witch:
I think that the duals in Valyrian Steel were also better in terms of character match-ups. Even though I loathed the metal cards it just felt a lot more in hand. Off the top of my head weren't there only 50-ish single autograph cards for that set? All I know is that I ended up with buying a couple more boxes of VS and had more value in each pack than I had in my whole 2 boxes of Inflexions.

As far as signed cards goes, InfleXions is much bigger. Valyrian had a total of 74 autograph cards and InfleXions has 106. That's counting all of them, duals, cuts, auto/relics and both the regular and international exclusives for InfleXions.

There were 9 duals in Valyrian as opposed to 19 duals in InfleXions. What Valyerian did have was a large number of Gold signed cards, 29 to be exact. Valyrian had 1 cut signature and InfleXions has 6.

So InfleXions has way more signed cards, but the flip side is that it probably has more fillers and less important duals.

If I were in the UK I would go get those stamps. Sorry about you're boxes. I don't think they're awful, no Eugene Simon , but they fall short for the cost.