So, Non-Sports Cards…

I spent a little bit of time sorting through my non-sports stuff over the past couple weeks, because I picked up a few cool pieces at opening day of the flea market. Basically, I wanted to get a better idea of how much I had of each set I’ve got some cards of, so I can decide what stuff I’m going to collect moving forward, what stuff I’m going to hang onto because it’s cool, but not build upon, and what stuff I’m a crazy fool for hanging onto. I didn’t come up with concrete answers in most cases, so I’m gonna try to figure it all out here, “out loud”, as I go.

This one, I’m gonna go for it, and I’ve already added it to my want list. I’m 40 cards from the end. I don’t have any stickers. Were there stickers? I don’t see any on Trading Card Database. I actually have some unopened wax of this somewhere, I think.

This one’s been on my want list for a while, and it’s staying there until I finish it. 19 cards and 12 stickers to go. I can probably pick off the whole set relatively cheaply on eBay, but that seems wasteful somehow. We’ll see.

I got a bunch of these in a big lot I got a while back, 1992 Cornerstone Avengers (Steed & Peel, not Wasp, Ant-Man, Hulk, Iron Man and Thor). This is the only card I’m missing from Series 1, card #67, “Mrs. Peel, You’re Needed!”. I have a ton of doubles on these still, too, if I’m not mistaken. I’ve barely watched the show ever, but it’d be nice to finish the set, given that I’m so close.

Next up are Star Wars cards. I’ve got some Empire Strikes Back from a few different series, a small handful of Return Of The Jedi, and a Burger King ESB card, too. I’m pretty sure I’m not collecting them, because the checklists are huge, there’s a big market for them which means they’re getting pricey, and, frankly, I’ve spent enough money on Star Wars stuff for a few lifetimes. I’d probably make an exception for the C-3PO boner card, but really, I don’t think I’m gonna chase any Star Wars sets otherwise. I’ll keep them around, though, because I’ve had almost all of them since I was a kid, because they don’t take up much space, and because it’d be nice to perhaps someday get Mark Hamill to sign for me, I’ll keep this one handy…

I figure he probably has fun with this one.

This would take some serious work to finish, as it’s the only Planet Of The Apes movie card I have, but I’m up for it, if the opportunity arises.

The TV show, I’ve got a more respectable 21/66 on. I think I’ll probably go for it, though I haven’t checklisted it yet.

Only have 10/88 of these, but I may have to. I mean, they’re Hulk cards.

Picked up the reprint set a few years ago, but I’ve got a few originals. I won’t turn more down if they come my way, but, like Mars Attacks, I think I’ll just hang onto what I have and enjoy the reprints if I want to look at the whole set.

Fast-forwarding a few decades, here’s MOAR DIFFERENT BATMAN CARD. Used to have way more of these than I do now. I’m kind of OK with that. The print quality’s really…not so good, even by usual Topps non-sport standards. Pass. I’ll keep what’s my only Jack Nicholson card, though!

I swear, I think I’m the only person on Earth who doesn’t like this movie and never has. Come and get these, I have 21 of them.

Have a bunch of these, too, but I’m not quite ready to either collect ’em further (I don’t even have them checklisted yet, so I’ve no idea which series they are) or unload ’em. They’re kind of in card and sticker limbo. I got a few of them signed by Jay Lynch before he passed, but other than that, they’ve just kinda been hanging around for a couple decades. If anyone can give me a compelling reason to do more with them, I’m all ears!

Who was the genius at Topps who thought “Ya know what them kids love today, is that Rat Patrol!”? Cool, border/caption/logo-less pictures, but I don’t get the line existing. I wasn’t around for Rat Patrol in first run. Maybe kids did love it. I only saw it in the middle of the night on Channel 5 in New York, pre-Fox. This was not a kids’ timeslot, or, really, a kids’ show. These are weird enough to hang onto, unless you’re willing trade me something cool for ’em, but I still have to ask…why?

On the other end of the spectrum, does anyone need a card of Iggy Pop with his crotch on fire? I have extras! Once upon a time, I had cases of The Crow: City Of Angels wax. Diamond had a blowout, and I loaded up, because they were so cheap that it made sense to buy cases of it. (I think they were like $5 a case.) I didn’t crack enough to make a set or find anything “cool”, because ultimately, Iggy or no, this was a terrible movie, but I opened a little bit of it, and this card is probably the best thing that came out of the movie.

Keeping this around so I have one to scratch off right before the bomb hits.

Only have one of these. Got it recently. Wouldn’t mind more!

Strangely, I keep getting these in lots. Up to 9/66. I love the soundtrack, but I’ve still never seen this movie. I should try to get on that. It’ll help me make a decision as to whether or not I wanna build this one.

I’m sure Farrah just loved this card, if she ever saw it.

I’ve got about a dozen cards from various series of this set, which is another kinda big one like the Star Wars sets are. I’ll probably just keep accumulating them until I’m forced to finish ’em.

ELVIS NEEDS BOATS!

ELVIS NEEDS BOATS!

ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS NEEDS BOATS!

Hard pass on finishing this one, though. Awful quality, and the people I find who have them for sale are almost always what I’d describe as “typical Elvis fans”, in that they’ve probably voted against my right to exist at least once in the past decade or so.

Ditto here. Man, I miss the days when Kiss were super-heroes, instead of the trainwrecky senior citizens they’ve become.

“Draw me like one of your French girls…”

Was this shot from “Phantom Of The Park”? Been a while. To me, it looks like Gene’s hiding out in a shooting gallery. “Shoot him in the codpiece, and his wings flap!”

Now, Queen, on the other hand, they seem to get cooler by the year. Wish Freddie was around to enjoy it and get credit for it, of course. This picture’s missing Brian, though…

But holy crap, this one isn’t. Man, what a badass.

I may have to track down more of at least the Queen part of the set. The Queen and Kiss cards are from 1979 Donruss Rock Stars, if you’re unfamiliar, which featured Queen, Kiss, The Village People and The Babys (John Waite’s old band). I don’t know that I’m hardcore enough of a John Waite fan to be chasin’ down cards of the dude. I did see a Village People card at the flea market last weekend, but it was in awful shape, alas.

Speaking of badass…it’s The Mod Squad! Some might say “OK, how was Rat Patrol not OK, when The Mod Squad were?”, and to this, I say “Just go with it. They were.” Topps just recycled these card borders for an online-only baseball set that I can’t afford, didn’t they? I’ll be happy to see Peggy Lipton again when Twin Peaks returns in a couple weeks.

And yes, E.T., there’ll be time for a snack.

THE YEAR OF DICKS, PART 1220

Yep, that is indeed Dick Martin, from the Laugh-In set. Stubby sent me this card a few years ago now. Again, weird subject for a card set. Did kids watch and get Laugh-In when it was on the air? Did grown-ups collect non-sports cards? Weird licensing choices…

These were at least educational! (Also: some would argue that I shoulda saved this for The Year Of Dicks.) This is my only card from the Who Am I? Set. Nice painting, really.

Another educational card, albeit one that’s been through hell. Until I got it in a house cleanout lot a few years ago, I’d never seen a Supersisters card, and until I read the Wikipedia entry I just linked to, I’d never known the whole story behind them. They’re an imperfect set, but from what I can tell (I haven’t read the card backs on the entire set), it was a noble attempt, given the times they were made in (and I’m kinda relieved that, since they pointedly left Angela Davis out of the set, they also declined to invite Phyllis Schlafly and Anita Bryant, as well). Plus, I’ll say it: I can’t hate a card set with Buffy Sainte-Marie in it…

I don’t own this one. (Yet.) I found it, along with the rest of the set, at the University Of Iowa Digital Libraries (though I think they got a different printing than I did, as the borders and logo are very different).

ALL HAIL THE GILLMAN

This is from the 1973 You’ll Die Laughing set, which, with black and white photos, is not as cool as the 1959 set, which are fully painted and gorgeous, but it’s still pretty fun. Too big of a set for me to build from 2 cards, though, I reckon.

And, finally…

Nope, none for me, thanks. Anyone want ’em?

Long story short: I end up with some weird shit. Hope you’ve had fun looking through some of it!