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This. Is. Awesome.


I think you know me by now.

I don't try to break card news here (mostly because it's impossible).

I don't much go for the "here's the latest and greatest" hype that pops up on other online sites.

And I'm not really a fan of "what's new" anyway. I think the vast number of vintage posts and the nostalgia that permeates this blog prove that.

And, finally, I can not STAND it when the same card appears on 46 different blogs.

So, with all of that out of the way, I must be showing this image for a reason.

As you know, it is the design for 2013 Topps.

And the reason I am showing it is that ...

...

...

IT ... IS ...

FANTASTIC.

Good god, I love this design.

It could be the most interesting and cleverly simple design in decades. Perhaps ever.

I like it because it's in keeping with the last few Topps designs (2010 excluded) in which we seem to be in the midst of an era of simplistic baseball card designs.

Simplistic. But not simple. (or weird, like 2012 Topps).

My favorite part of the design is it has whimsy. You've got home plate and the entire diamond on the card and then the outfield opens up to display the player. It's quirky and clever. Love it. And the logo without any mention of the team name is nice, and should receive appreciation from 1987 Topps fans. It's got a slick, modern feel, but is undoubtedly "baseball."

I like white card borders, and the inner color border reflecting the respective team colors is always smart (the only saving grace of 1982 Fleer).

Yes, there's no position designation on the front. But that's quibbling.

Basically, I think it's tremendous.

And you know how difficult that's been for me to say about 2012 cards.

Well done, Topps. Well done.


(Beckett has details here. But I saw it first here).

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hopefully they'll bring back gum in 2013, and ditch the glossy backs.
Spankee said…
I'm with you, though I wish they would do one thing. Scrap the foil and used the saved money to pack 3 extra base cards in every pack. If they made 15-card packs, I would be all-in.
Captain Canuck said…
reminds me a LOT of Bowman. The chrome version will be almost identical.

But I agree, I like it as well. I just finished opening a bit of the new 2012 Topps football and me really likey that. Looks like Topps has started making an effort again!
Nick said…
Glad to see Topps finally did some sort of color-coding design, respective to each team's colors. I've been waiting for something like that the last few years.

Already looking forward to 2013 Topps!
Zayden said…
I'm definitely with you on this one. I was so surprised to see this design. I thought it would be just another variation on the previous years.

I'm already more excited about the 2013 set than I have been throughout the entire 2012 season.

Great post!
Ryan said…
Well done, Night Owl - you SCOOPED it! Your post was my first glance at '13......thank you, sir.

I think I like it (the '13 design). I would be ready for non-white borders at some point, but I like the break away from the past two years' similar design.

You make a great point about how '87 fans shouldn't say a word about the lack of TEAM names. I almost started whining.....quickly put foot in mouth :)

I'm not so sure I dig the 'rose/pink' colored parallels that I have now snooped out on other blogs but.....oh well. You can't have it all. Me thinks rainbow parallel variations are here to stay.

AND I agree VERY Strongly w/ Spankee's request for just a FEW more cards in every pack. COULDN'T agree more. You can keep the foil. You can scrape off the gloss. Give us more cardboard and some gum.

Can't wait to bust some. Is that a winter chill I feel creeping in????

Ryan
www.ryanspitch.blogspot.com
Jordan said…
Are you accepting Define the Design entries yet? It took me about 10 seconds to name this "The Breast Pocket Set".
Commishbob said…
I like it too but I wish the position was on the front. How else can I play my favorite game?

I usually but one rack hanger triple pack or a handful of regular packs of the new Topps each year and make the best possible team out of the guys I get. Been doing that in one form or another since I was a kid.

Playing positions makes it easier. So I guess I'm a quibbler (and an idiot, I know).
Anonymous said…
Great idea!
Two Packs A Day said…
disappointed in foil being used for the name on the front. I know a few years ago it would be awful in baseball and Topps' messup would be corrected by football season, but i think I saw this year's topps football cards use a different design than the baseball set. I'll find out for sure when I get my factory football set at christmas-time.

I wonder what commodity Topps has decided to over-do to boredom in 2013. It is silver or copper or corn or soybeans' time? I know we've had diamonds and gold recently.