I think rack packs will be my modus operandi for 2010 card product this year. I've already sworn off blasters. And when you do the breakdown -- loose packs, rack packs, cereal boxes, blasters -- rack packs come out a penny or two ahead per card over the other packaging means.
I know, I know, listen to me talking about saving pennies. Isn't this the same guy who doesn't care about 5-dollar shipping charges with COMC orders? But the difference is, I am ordering cards I specifically want at COMC. I'm more lenient with things I want. With these card runs at my local big box stores, I get cards I might want or cards I might throw in a dark box until they plead for water and sunlight. Every penny counts.
So, last night, I bought a rack pack of Topps and a rack pack of Upper Deck. I'm quite pleased that my closest Wal-Mart has improved the card aisle. But it still has a long way to go to match Target.
What I'm gonna do is compare each card out of each pack, side-by-side, and give an unbiased, impartial opinion of this year's two card brands.
Oh, who am I kidding. It's going to insanely biased and shamelessly partial.
So, 36 cards for $4.98 for each rack pack. But I'm going to split this up into two posts with each post featuring 18 cards of each rack pack. I know at least a few of you have lives.
Right away you get to compare the rookie logo on each card. The Topps card features the newly sanctioned MLB logo. The Upper Deck card features some gold, loopy thing. Actually, I don't care about the logo. At all. They're both kind of dorky, but whatever.
I might as well address the basic comparison between the looks of the two cards. It comes down to whether you like design or whether you like photo. Personally, I like design AND photo. I like the package deal -- in almost every area of life. Topps gives you the package deal -- a distinct design, different every year and a quality photo that may not be as sharp as Upper Deck but is certainly more than satisfactory.
Upper Deck gives you a photo. That's it. Don't tell me that's a design there. It's not. Upper Deck hasn't had a real live card design in years, which is why many collectors can't tell the difference in Upper Deck cards from one year to the next. Do you know how annoying this is when you're organizing your collection?
But all of this is preference. The Upper Deck image is certainly bigger and sharper in many cases. So, if you like that, go for it. Me, I'm a variety kind of guy.
Topps 1, Upper Deck 0
There's the little black-and-white mug shot on the Upper Deck nonrookie cards. Mixing color with black and white is a newspaper no-no. So, I can't get past that.
Also, note what a fine job Topps, not Upper Deck, is doing hiding the logo in the photo. Yeah, I know there's a giant SOX logo in the bottom left corner, but you will see example after example of Topps hiding logos better than Upper Deck in the photographs. And that means, to me, Upper Deck wasn't really trying to hide the logos. You know when the boss you hate gives you an assignment you loathe, and you half-ass the job just to show him you did it, but not all that well? That's what Upper Deck did here.
Normally, I don't like photos that feature the backs of players, but Topps gets the point here for doing Upper Deck's logo job better than UD did.
Topps 2, Upper Deck 0
No contest. A night card over a guy who's willing to get that kind of haircut, but doesn't play in a band? Note to Swisher: there's no such thing as a lovable Yankee. It's an oxymoron.
Topps 3, Upper Deck 0
UD catches a break here because I have the Scott card already. And the Perez photo is better.
Topps 3, Upper Deck 1
Another Topps card I have already. The UD card has a real generic look. If I didn't stare at Ni's cap, I'd think he was pitching for some semipro team.
Topps 3, Upper Deck 2
Collation is killing Topps. Got this card, too. As for Upper Deck, if anyone is collecting the whole set, let me know when you get it finished. I'd like to know how annoying it is to see profile shot after profile shot.
Topps 3, Upper Deck 3
No logo in the Topps photo. No logo in the UD photo. The Kazmir photo is a little quirky and I like that.
Topps 4, Upper Deck 3
The thing that helps the Upper Deck card is Reynolds' red jersey. Most of the other Upper Deck cards look drab. A lot of the photos are taken in teams' road uniforms, which are naturally more dull than the home uniforms. And that forest green bar isn't helping. UD probably went with that color to avoid detracting from the photo. But with no logos, lots of profiles and road uniforms, I want something more colorful with the design.
UD wins the point only because the announcement of the award on the Coghlan card is in foil and extremely hard to see.
Topps 4, Upper Deck 4
The Biography set is very Documentary-like, which is not good. Also, what's with Murphy's shrunken head? Meanwhile, A-Rod needs to see a tailor.
Topps 5, Upper Deck 4
The Tape Measure insert, I believe, is exclusive to rack packs. At least it's colorful. I really don't like the Topps leaders cards. I was hoping they wouldn't reappear after last year. I can't read the foil type, which makes the card just a mish-mash of photos.
Topps 5, Upper Deck 5
That Topps card freaks me out. I appreciate Topps trying to get some goofy photos in the set. But this one is frightening and any double I get of it is headed for the incinerator.
Topps 5, Upper Deck 6
Battle of the Sawx. Would I dare pick a Toppstown card over a regular card? Yes, because at least Youkilis is doing something, showing some expression.
Topps 6, Upper Deck 6
Ugh, I have to pick between a Giant and a Yankee?
Yankee.
Topps 6, Upper Deck 7
Wow, is that an up-close shot of a face on a UD card? I still like the Kearns photo better. Nice "blast-admiration" shot.
Topps 7, Upper Deck 7
Here is another primer from Topps on how to properly hide a logo in a photo. The picture is not as sharp as the UD photo, but the profile shots are really wearing on me.
Topps 8, Upper Deck 7
Profiles all over the place here. Not a logo to be found in the Martinez photo, except for that Dominos/CitiField thing. Upper Deck meanwhile, is making no attempt to hide the Brewers' M, yet still showing the sides of faces.
Topps 9, Upper Deck 7
Fat Elvis or Jesus? I'm going with Upper Deck, because DeJesus is wearing the powder blue uniform. Nice to have some color in the picture.
Topps 9, Upper Deck 8
Wow, look at all that concrete. Some of these stadium photos seem better than others. But it beats a picture of Jurrjens in the shadows.
Topps 9, Upper Deck 9
That finishes out the top compartment of each rack pack. You didn't think it would be this close, did you?
I still think Topps, as a whole, is colorful and semi-interesting, while Upper Deck is colorless and brutally repititious. But the beauty of a rack pack challenge, is that anyone can win.
I'll be back with Part 2 in the wee hours of Super Bowl Sunday, unless this head cold completely knocks me out.
Comments
The thing about UD this year, is that they look sort of like something you would get out of a box of cupcakes or something. Generic.
verification word; sitannit
And a crummy fake stadium beat JJ??? Someone's just bitter from a Bipping.