TF4 Topps Trading cards now out in Australia (free at some Hoyts)

[reillyd]

I received the playmat and a sheet of cards, included with the Titan AOE comic magazine. Wasn't very impressive, and the cards have zero bio information for each character. Waste of space when you turn them over

[Sharky]

I received the playmat and a sheet of cards, included with the Titan AOE comic magazine. Wasn't very impressive, and the cards have zero bio information for each character. Waste of space when you turn them over

Considering they are gaming cards like the tops trumps etc the need for bio is not there and the blank back is part of the game element so not to give anything away,

the upcoming collector cards is probably more what you are after

[griffin]

Banter sent me some samples of each to review, and the two are indeed distinctly different.

Card game - a little over 170 cards to collect and battle with opponents (the more cards you buy, the stronger your deck is).
Five cards per pack - single sided. One mirror foil every two packs (average). One rainbow foil every five packs (average).

Collector Cards (or memorabilia cards) - 170 cards, plus souvenir clothing and Optimus truck pieces (which are NOT part of the 170 numbered cards, but are individually numbered on their own).
Ten cards per pack - double sided, which is supposed to include one Rainbow Foil card per pack.
EXCEPT - if your pack has a truck panel or clothing piece, it will not have 10 cards in it. The truck panel is encased in a solid block that is the thickness of 10 cards, so no other cards will be in the pack (making it easy to find if you have sensitive fingers... like those hunting down Lego minifigures in their blind bags).
The clothing pieces are not as thick, but still takes up the space of 5 cards (so comes with 5 regular cards)... while the Optimus tail-light pieces are said to come with 1 or 2 regular cards because it is almost as thick as the panel pieces.
(Photos and review to come as soon as I get to processing the photos.)

Odds listed on the back of the packs...
Optimus truck panel (the shiny blue or red parts) - 1 in every 7 packs. (noted on the back of each one as xxxx/8070... so you can work out the total amount of trading cards Topps produced if their ratio is accurate)
Cade Yeager clothing piece - 1 in every 50 packs (probably individually numbered as well)
Shane Dyson clothing piece - 1 in every 50 packs
Tessa Yeager clothing piece - 1 in every 100 packs (probably because she wore less clothing, or, more of her outfits were "kept" by production staff after the movie )
Optimus Truck tail light piece - 1 in every 150 packs. (I'd much rather have the signature/unique shiny truck panel parts than a piece of red glass that could be anyone's tail light... making this rarest item, the least interesting of the five.)


I really hope that these movie props were duplicates that were going to be destroyed anyway, as it would be a shame to have signature costumes cut up, or an Optimus Truck stripped of its outer panels, when there are museums or collectors who would buy the entire, undamaged prop.

[UltraMarginal]

I'd rather just buy a topps trading card starter set. enough to have a little fun with on occasion.

[millhouse]

I really hope that these movie props were duplicates that were going to be destroyed anyway, as it would be a shame to have signature costumes cut up, or an Optimus Truck stripped of its outer panels, when there are museums or collectors who would buy the entire, undamaged prop.

There would be multiple costumes, and multiple sets for different scenes (based on damage, dirt, etc) to ensure all on-screen wear is consistent. Think 50 shirts from Cade and you might be remotely close.

As for the truck, there were probably a few, dependent on the requirements of the scene.

[griffin]

I'd rather just buy a topps trading card starter set. enough to have a little fun with on occasion.

I would much rather prefer a "complete set" purchasing option of these sorts of blind-pack card sets, especially the Collector Card set... because they are quite nicely done, with a lot of effort put into them, but I just don't want to be buying hundreds of packs just to track down the 4 or 5 cards that are bound to be impossible to find. (people would still buy the blind packs for the truck parts and clothing pieces)

It was nice to have 8 packs of cards and not get one double (80 of the 170 in one hit)... but so many cards will end up being wasted by being thrown away (after giving away ones that others need, because you can't make any money back on your spares) just to track down the illusive few to complete the set.

Even when it comes to a simple set of 8 TF1 capsule figurines or those 12 DOTM capsule figurines... I had to spend a lot of money to complete the set, and they aren't something you can get any money back from either.
So I won't be collecting either of these. Eight free packs may be a big saving, but I can estimate needing to buy about 30-50 more packs, just to get all the chase cards and any illusive regular cards. That's money I'd rather spend on toys.

[Sharky]

i will collect the collector cards but i have been discussing with banter where they will actually be stocked. as i will most likley try to chase the full set and by a box or 4 and if its anything like the last few series i will probably end up with multiple sets

those odds are pretty good too that is once prime card per box but you will need more then one box for the 170 card set

i am looking forward to gettting my hands on some and look forward to your review too griff

[griffin]

They sent me a Point-Of-Sale box of 10 Collector card packs (which is at the banter link you posted above), and two of them had Truck panel parts, leaving me with 80 cards from the box.
The odds are that there should be at least one Optimus truck panel in every POS box, but if you are lucky you can end up with two (as the odds are 1 to every 7 packs). But if you think about it, you can find (or avoid*) the truck panel packs if you know how to feel the pack (I hate to recommend it if Banter are watching... but if you are careful, you can feel if the cards slide inside the pack before you buy them from the store/newsagent).
*I say "avoid", because some people might only be only wanting the cards and have no interest in the souvenir movie parts... particularly if they don't have any resell value to fans (but expect to see dealers try to sell them for high prices).

For me though it is the opposite. The thing that is tempting me to consider collecting these is the surprise of finding the souvenir movie bits... rather than the cards themselves. To me, collecting the cards would actually be the bonus, not the other way around that they are being promoted. (I don't care much about the clothing bits, but a collection of Optimus bits on my toy shelf has an odd appeal to it... and I now have two on my Movie shelf)


(is it wrong to be disappointed that there was no gum inside the packs... )

[griffin]

Review of the Topps Collector Cards and Game Cards.

Review of the Loyal Subjects Series Two figures, which Banter also sent me at the same time (and I wasn't even expecting it).

[Sharky]

They sent me a Point-Of-Sale box of 10 Collector card packs (which is at the banter link you posted above), and two of them had Truck panel parts, leaving me with 80 cards from the box.
The odds are that there should be at least one Optimus truck panel in every POS box, but if you are lucky you can end up with two (as the odds are 1 to every 7 packs). But if you think about it, you can find (or avoid*) the truck panel packs if you know how to feel the pack (I hate to recommend it if Banter are watching... but if you are careful, you can feel if the cards slide inside the pack before you buy them from the store/newsagent).
*I say "avoid", because some people might only be only wanting the cards and have no interest in the souvenir movie parts... particularly if they don't have any resell value to fans (but expect to see dealers try to sell them for high prices).

For me though it is the opposite. The thing that is tempting me to consider collecting these is the surprise of finding the souvenir movie bits... rather than the cards themselves. To me, collecting the cards would actually be the bonus, not the other way around that they are being promoted. (I don't care much about the clothing bits, but a collection of Optimus bits on my toy shelf has an odd appeal to it... and I now have two on my Movie shelf)


(is it wrong to be disappointed that there was no gum inside the packs... )

i love the swatch/pieceworks/patch cards, i have the ones from movie one and optimum collection so i would be adding these to the collection when i find them on shelf

pretty awesome of banter to send you some for review!!