Buzz Break: 2019 Topps The Art of TMNT trading cards

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The box: 2019 Topps The Art of TMNT trading cards
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Cards per box: 106
Base set completion: 
100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Inserts: 4 (all inserts in gallery below with some base)
Green parallels (2) – Issue No. 12, April Cornered! (/99)
Purple parallels (1) – April Cornered! (/50)
Orange parallels (1) – Surrounded by The Foot (/25)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Purple autographs (1) – Steve Lavigne (/50)
Sketch card (1) – Splinter by Darrin Pepe (1/1)

What's Buzz-worthy: When you first hold one of these boxes, you might wonder what's up -- it's a factory set that's comic-book size but is the weight of an oldschool cello card box, a dense brick that's certainly not the norm for today's releases. But once you pop the lid here then you know why -- it's a super-premium set with high-glossed 96-point stock for all cards except your sketch. The set is heavy on past comic art -- stuff seen as legendary for fans of this multimedia franchise -- and the last third includes newer stuff. The card backs detail what's seen on the fronts while also noting the subsets here -- Vols. 1-4 and then "micro & mini series" make up 73 past comic cover pieces and then "new visions" from artists who are keys to the franchise. They all get their credits on the backs, too, which adds to the information approach that's meaty here in contrast to their minimalist fronts which only have a stamped foil logo. The parallels are tucked into one corner of the box and have varying foil changes (and numbering on the backs by the card numbers) along with an autograph and a sketch card every time. Parallels seem to default to Green (not on odds panel) with Orange cards in every other box and then a rainbow that has the rarest color one in 44 sets. The autos also have parallels -- and notable creator autos can be found here in good volume -- while the sketch cards also can be found with shapes (one in nine) and panoramic versions (one in 29). I wasn't that sold on this one when it was first announced since the comic art isn't as refined in those early years, but the approach here gives it a very high-end feel without a big high-end price while also offering a solid starting point with the set and a chase with the hits. All in all, it gets a "cowabunga" out of me -- and I haven't had TMNT on my mind all that heavily since maybe the movies or the Nintendo game.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: A-
Fun Grade: B

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