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TMDSIK: 1996 Topps Laser

(The days are all blending into each other. That can mean only one thing. I'm spending my summer like a teacher! Only problem is with my job it lasts for only one week. Speaking of defective jobs, here is another one of The Most Defective Sets I Know).


3. TMDSIK: 1996 TOPPS LASER

There is a down side to being innovative.

Sometimes it doesn't work.

The '90s were filled with innovative sets -- some succeeded, some didn't.

Topps decided to take the diecut phenomenon of the '90s and take it to the extreme. The Laser set was filled with intricate cuts that were meant to illustrate flames and light fixtures.

There were two problems with this. First, the cards were ugly. The flamethrower cards are pretty nice, but that's as far as I'll go. The rest is awful.

The primary problem, though, is storing these cards in pages. It is dangerous work. Every time you slide one in or out of a pocket, you're risking damaging the card. And it doesn't matter how careful either. I've been very careful, only to bend something here and dent something there.

If one of those light fixtures gets bent over, it looks uglier than the most severe crease on a card.

(Scanning this card was no picnic either).

That's the chance you take trying something new. Bravo for trying Topps. But all you got for your troubles was a defective set.

Comments

Oh man totally agree. Cool and risky idea by Topps but it turned out badly. I've ruined a few of the cards with the light fixtures by accidentally bending and ripping them off.
Fuji said…
Another set that I really like... mainly because it's very different. But you're absolutely right. These cards are a pain in the bottom when it comes to putting them into penny sleeves or 9-pocket pages.