Topps recently released another Star Wars 3D Widevision set, Attack of the Clones. There were immediately complaints about the lack of sketch cards and the relatively weak autograph checklist. I knew that I would be getting a set anyway, so none of that really deterred me. The sets have been placed on sale during Topps' recent holiday promotions, but I paid full price for mine, pre-ordering it to take advantage of a free shipping offer that I saw on the Topps Facebook page.
The set is packed out in a box with an embossed lid. Each box contains the 44-card base set, an autograph, and a second hit which can be a patch, medallion, or another autograph. The hits all have different parallel variations.
I'm not sure if I saw the print run listed anywhere else, but my box was numbered # 1874 / 2500. I guess that means there are 2500 sets out there in the world.
The base cards feature lenticular printing, which gives the images a 3D effect. The cards follow the story of the film, with an explanation of the scene on the back. I like that Topps used a different image on the back of the cards, rather than recycling the photo from the front.
I tried to select photos for these scans to show main characters and lightsabers, as well as to show different character portraits on the card backs. I wasn't a huge fan of the prequel trilogy, but there were some good battle scenes in the films. I can forgive a lot when it comes to Star Wars, and there was a lot that needed forgiving in these films, especially when it came to dialogue.
Yoda is always cool, and it was exciting to see him putting in some lightsaber work. He was surprisingly agile during a sword fight.
My first hit is a patch card of Mace Windu. This is the Gold parallel, which is seeded 1:22 sets and serially-numbered # 03 / 10. I guess it's pretty cool, although patches and medallions aren't really my thing.
My guaranteed autograph is Bonnie Piesse as Beru Whitesun. It's not Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, or Ian McDiarmid, but it's up there as one of the other signatures on the checklist I might want to add to my collection. In the Revenge of the Sith set, the hits were packed in the center of the box, but in this set they were in the bottom of the box, and I think that contributed to some corner damage on this autograph card in particular. The rounded corners and plastic construction of the base cards make them a bit more durable than your standard cardboard, and they do better on the ends of the stack. The damage isn't extreme, but you can tell the card was squished a little at the corners.
That's it for this set. I was relatively happy with my box. I don't think I'd pay full price for another one, but at the discounted holiday sale rate you might be able to convince me. I don't know how many they have left in stock, but there are 500 more sets of this one than there were for Revenge of the Sith.
