It's a living thing

This is my first card from Topps' Living Set.

I think by now everyone knows about this year's online tactic by Topps. Every so often, it issues three cards of current players on the 1953 design for an outrageous price and we're all supposed to whip out our debit cards before the LIMITED SUPPLY DISAPPEARS!!!!

I'm too old to play that game.

I haven't done it for Topps Now. I'm not doing it for the Living Set. I do not collect cards under a deadline.

Fortunately, Ben from Cardboard Icons sent me the Clayton Kershaw Living Set card. Ben's a Red Sox fan and he actually watched the Red Sox clinch the World Series in Dodger Stadium. Feeling extremely sorry for me (as he should) he sent me this card. ... Well, I don't know if he felt sorry for me. He's always been a good egg regardless, sending me cards when I don't expect it.

So I have one of these cards now and finally I can give you my feedback that you've been waiting for lo these many months.

We'll start with my first thought: "Well, I'm glad I didn't spend $14.99 for this card plus two cards of other players I don't care about."

But you knew that one already. As for the card itself, it's fine. I've never been a big fan of the 1953 set. It's one of the reasons I was able to resist the Living Set, I'm over the '53 design, just as I've been over the '52 design, thanks to Topps' endless odes to '52. Now, if Topps issued a Living Set with the 1975 design, I might be tempted ... might.

The card is slightly glossy on the front and features a rougher cardboard feel on the back. It's certainly not as weighty as a 1953 card. It's as thin as your average card from the 1980s, I'd say.

This is the back, true to the look of '53 Topps, although '53 wasn't 2 1/2-by-3 1/2.

You can see the signature is Kershaw's latter-day autograph, no bump for the "h" in the last name, just a straight line to the end. So many signings for stars these days, I'd say they're asked to sign more than ever.

I know I don't appreciate the cartoon very much, slapping a George Springer postseason trivia question on the back of a Dodger pitcher's card is plain rude (at least Kershaw never gave up a homer to Springer).

This happens to be my 621st Clayton Kershaw card. Ben also collects Kershaw cards and I'm guessing he has one of these already.

In the early-going of this set -- the premise is it never ends -- there is an inordinate amount of Dodgers. But I won't be tracking down any others. I've done quite well at ignoring these kinds of cards. It doesn't bother me in the least that I don't have the other 7 or 8 Dodgers Topps has created.

But I'm thrilled I have this card. If there is one Living Set card to get, it would have to be Kershaw. Nothing else makes sense.

So, there you are, the latest and greatest from 2018, shown about eight months too late.

Oh, one final thought:

"Living Set" is no less weird a name than the first time I heard it.