Real cards in real time -- or at least the next day. It was a simple idea that became Topps Now that has helped in some ways transform collecting beginning on April 3, 2016.

Need proof?

There are 1,184 different Now cards now for MLB alone -- some with autographs and game-used memorabilia from the games that are depicted on the card. There are also Topps Now cards for last year's election and presidential debates, Now cards for WWE and for UFC and even real-time cardboard releases from AMC's Preacher and the Garbage Pail Kids taking on real-time scandals and viral curiosities. Oh, and there are other companies in on the real-time card business now for the other leagues, too.

Let's take a quick look at some of the highlights from last year's MLB releases before the 2017 Topps Now cards -- with a new look and numbering -- start soon and some basic info on every single one of the 2016 releases.

How do we knew there's a new look? Buzz checked the mailbox and found something inside. Keep reading for a first look at 2017 Topps Now.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Let's pull two ... big breaks and plenty more.

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Although the MLB Network has its share of Hall of Famers like John Smoltz, "Rookie Cards" for some of the other names who bring you the highlights begin arriving on Feb. 1 in packs of 2017 Topps Series 1 baseball cards.

A 10-card release begins a set that will continue in Series 2 and Update later this year and this series will include Lauren Shehadi (RC), Kevin Millar, Mike Lowell, Greg Amsinger (RC), Ryan Dempster, Sean Casey, Harold Reynolds, Dan Plesac and Smoltz as well as an MLB Tonight card.

A number of that crew's members already have cards as players (click to view a Buzz archives piece) -- but there will be several debuts in the forthcoming releases. Meanwhile, a number of them haven't had many autographs and all nine found in Series 1 will have ink.

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A historic World Series win for the Chicago Cubs means a historic day for Topps Now.

How historic? A mere (record) 36 different cards with a record five different signers, a Relic and 10 different base cards -- and that's just in the standard Now set. There's a completely separate Now-branded team set also available that was previously teased here.

The five signers can be seen above -- Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, David Ross and Dexter Fowler. The World Series MVP, Ben Zobrist, gets a Relic.

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The biggest Chicago Cub in the hobby has the biggest autograph deal ever signed by Topps.

Kris Bryant has reportedly signed a seven-figure, exclusive autograph deal to only sign for Topps.It's the biggest deal in Topps' 65-year history of making baseball cards, which has only included certified autographs since the 1990s.

“We are beyond excited to secure this exclusive deal with Kris Bryant.” said David Leiner, VP and General Manager of North American Sports & Entertainment for Topps. “Never has The Topps Company executed such a long-term deal with any athlete. Kris is one of the elite players currently in Major League Baseball and we look forward to working with him as his career continues to flourish.”

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It's still real.

The Chicago Cubs are still your World Series champions -- and there is another Topps commemorative set to be had celebrating the team's dramatic extra-inning rain-delayed victory in Game 7 Thursday morning in Cleveland.

In addition to its Topps Now set teased early this morning, Topps will be making a traditional boxed set of baseball cards that will be larger than the online offering.

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The Chicago Cubs are headed back to the World Series and Topps has the cardboard to prove it.

Less than 24 hours after the team clinched its first National League pennant since 1945, Topps Now cards are on the way documenting the big win -- but for only 24 hours via Topps.com.

There are Kris Bryant autographs -- a first for the player in the line -- along with Relics and standard cardboard as part of today's 16-card lineup.

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