A
few months ago,
I laid out my col-
lecting goals for
the year. One of them was
to knock ten cards off my
1985 Garbage Pail Kids
Series 1 want list. With
several months to go, I
can say goal achieved.
And I’m having so much
fun doing it I’m going to
see how far ahead I can
get. Not only did I reach
my goal, but I was able
to track down Mr. Adam
Bomb. That was the one
card that I thought would be the toughest.
That card has almost taken on a sports
feel given that it’s one that commands a
premium over others in the set. And a
fairly significant one at that. It’s kind of
like a Rookie Card.
T racking down these Garbage Pail
Kids have been some of the most fun I’ve
had collecting in recent months. There’s
the challenge of not only finding the right
card, but in an acceptable condition and
at a price that I’m willing to pay. I’m also
discovering cards I’d only seen pictures of
in the past. My local corner store didn’t
have Garbage Pail Kids until Series 6 or so.
It’s also been a reminder for me that while
the new stuff can be lots of fun to chase, it
doesn’t always have to be.
Finally, there’s the satisfaction of
crossing a goal off my list. Not only that,
but every additional card from the set I
land between now and December 31st is
almost like bonus territory when it comes
to the ultimate goal of finishing the set
entirely. It’s never too late to set goals for
your collection, so if you haven’t already, I
strongly suggest it.
This is another packed issue, filled with
articles and information on both new and
upcoming releases as well as looking back
on a few classics. On the new side, Don
Norton delves into the heavy-on-metal
offering Game of Thrones: Valyrian Steel.
This is the first spin-off release for the
show from Rittenhouse that isn’t based on
a specific season.
Not only is Mystery Science Theater
3000 back with new episodes on Netflix,
but, as hinted with the promo cards in
both this issue of NSU (four different to
collect!) and the Feb/Mar ‘17 issue, cards
are on the way. Our fearless editor, Alan
Biegel, shows what RRParks has in store
for collectors.
You’ll also learn about several other
new products ranging from reptiles to
Star Wars to Star Trek to the return of
Marvel Premier.
As the kids start heading back to
school, Rudy Panucci looks back on
the greatest television show about high
schoolers fighting vampires, Buffy the
Vampire Slayer. It’s hard to believe that
the show debuted 20 years ago. But its
impact on the modern hobby is undeni-
able. Whether it’s the original Inkworks
releases, the more recent mini sets from
Rittenhouse or the handful of interna-
tional issues, Buffy cards continue to
have some of the most passionate fans
out there.
Delving even further back in time,
both in the age of the
cards and its subject
matter, Arnold Bailey
takes a look at Look ’n
See, which was released
by Topps in 1952. Scott
Thomas is back with
another installment of
Top of the Crop. This
time he highlights some
of the greatest war-
themed trading cards
ever produced.
One thing that you
may have noticed last
issue is that the price
guide has been put back into the maga-
zine itself rather than being a standalone
piece. It has all the same content and
nothing has been removed. By keeping
things together the hope is it’ll be easier
for readers to keep things organized,
together and a more complete read.
We do understand that the price guide
as its own thing was convenient, especially
if you were heading out to a show and
wanted to slip it into your bag or binder.
But we also understand that for some,
slipping the price guide inside the main
magazine made it easier for things to fall
out and the two could become separated
around the house.
As always, we welcome any and all
feedback on this and everything else that
we’re doing. The NSU team is always
focused on pushing the magazine forward
while keeping the spirit that made it great.
So please don’t hesitate to let us know how
we’re doing. My email is always open at
[email protected]. I can make sure
that any comments get to the appropriate
people.
Thanks again for reading and your sup-
port of the magazine. We look forward to
seeing you again in a couple of months.
—Ryan Cracknell
4 Non-Sport Update
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