After suddenly getting back into cards at the end of last year, I bought a Beckett Baseball. One of the reviews was of Upper Deck's Goodwin Champions. In the sidebar they mention the entomology cards; I had to have one. Sight unseen, I ordered a box, then a second when I didn't get one. I can't really afford to order two boxes in a month, but I did, because damn it, I needed a bug card.
But I also liked the cards. They are well done, classy, and have interesting other sport subjects, surfers, marathoners, and Buffalo Bill. ( I got an entomology card in the first or second pack of the second box, too. I just hope UD isn't bankrupt by the time they get around to thinking of filling my redemption.)
But it seems the hot set of '09, as far as I can tell, is Topps' Allen and Ginter. Until last week, I had never seen one in real life either. After picking up some blasters at Target, I got a look.
At first, as I mentioned in a previous post (well, the only other post at this point) I wasn't all that hooked. But as I pulled a card house builder, Native American leaders, and they guy who invented the Gatling Gun (named Gatling, interestingly enough) I began to warm to them. And since I was sitting in a cold car in the middle of nowhere waiting for my photo subject to show up, I gave them a second chance in the comfort of my living room later.
And I must admit, I kind of like them. I think the Goodwin is a nicer card, but the A&Gs are definately classy, and the way UD is heading, it seems doubtful there will be a '10 Goodwin.
I just hope this year's A&G has cool mini subsets. It is going to be hard to beat creatures of myth and hoaxes.
