All posts by dpatera

2017 Topps Fire Blaster Box Break

This is a release I wasn’t very sure about going in. I’m generally not a big fan of the gimmicky releases like this. After opening a box, I still don’t think it’s quite for me, but the online pictures don’t really do the cards justice. They do look a lot better in hand than in any pictures I’ve seen. The parallels leave something to be desired, though, as they don’t seem to match up to their names very well.

The fact that these are Target exclusives also doesn’t really appeal to me, but they seem to be easier to find than many Walmart exclusives are.

The blaster box advertises 46 cards inside (7 packs + 1 Gold Minted pack). There are no guaranteed hits.

This box contained:

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2017 Topps WWE Then Now Forever Hobby Box Break

This release again servers essentially as a second series for the flagship WWE release from earlier in the year. It is a 100 card set continuing after the earlier release as 101-200. We also get to see a familiar insert set in Finishers and Signature Moves, which we just saw in the recent Women’s Division release.

There is one minor complaint I have about the release, and now I

 

wonder if it may not be more common than I had originally thought and I just never noticed. The cover art for the hobby box/packs features John Cena, Finn Balor, and Alexa Bliss. They’re all very high profile names for the WWE, so they make a lot of sense, right? Well, they would, if they were included in the set. None of these have base cards in this release. Yes, Cena and Balor are both included in the common Finishers and Signature Moves insert set, but Alexa Bliss isn’t in that one, either. She is only featured in Kiss Cards, which are 1 in every 913 packs, and roster update cards, which are Walmart exclusives. It just strikes me as odd to put someone on the cover, who is very unlikely to be included in the box.

This box contained:

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2017 Topps Update Jumbo Hobby Box Break

This is a pretty standard end of the season release. It captures many of the late season acquisitions, but it also misses the many of the post deadline deals. It seemed like this year, there were many significant post waiver deadline deals, so you can’t really blame the set for missing those. They have to draw the line somewhere, or risk being released long after the season is over.

The set features 300 cards, and many of the normal inserts and parallels. A Jumbo box features 10 packs of 50 cards each, with three guaranteed hits.

This box contained:

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2017 Topps Star Wars Journey to The Last Jedi Hobby Box Break

This early fall set leading up to the December Star Wars release has become an annual event.   It also ends up following a familiar format.  The release features cards of all the Stars Wars movies and cartoons, as well as a few preview pics from The Last Jedi.  Once again, the design from the original vintage Star Wars series is used.  It’s starting to feel a bit overused at this point.  It seems multiple years using the same design is going to start getting confusing as years go by.

You also see familiar parallels and insert sets included in this release.  Aside from a handful of cards, it doesn’t really feel that new.  A box advertises 24 packs with 8 cards per pack, including two hits per box.

This box contained:

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2017 Topps WWE Women’s Division Blaster Box Break

Unlike the recent NXT release, this one is a true retail exclusive for Walmart.   The blaster box has a similar configuration to the NXT retail offering, with a single pack inside, but this one offering 81 cards, including one hit.   The set also follows with same base insert format with a 50 card roster set, and a 50 card Matches & Moments set, broken up between NXT and WWE.

This looks like a fun set, combining current women wrestlers and future stars from NXT, with some legends from past years.

This box contained:

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