Buzz Break: 2019 Gummy Arts trading cards (two packs)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2019 Gummy Arts trading cards (two packs)
Where to buy: Right here (if available)

Cards per pack: 10
Base set completion: 
19 of 75 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 1 (checklist is in every pack)

See everything in the gallery below ...

Base cards (19) – Pack 1: Jackie Robinson, RUN-DMC, Mickey Goldmill, Sadaharu Oh, Old Hoss Radbourn, Mark Mothersbaugh, Quint, Royce Gracie, Scott McGregor, checklist; Pack 2: Hector Salamanca, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Pollard, Richard Pryor, Mike Schmidt, Iron Sheik, The Raincoats, Ken Berry, checklist

What's Buzz-worthy: Yes, this break is just for fun ... but that's exactly what it was. Gummy Arts are the near-daily drawings of 40-something Chicago-based writer, editor and artist Mike Noren who has been at it with his creations in this style for several years now. The Gummy Arts Twitter and Instagram feeds are full of timely subjects revisited as pieces that are childlike but also clearly masterful in their whimsical takes on both sports stars but icons in entertainment -- all on hand-drawn Topps card designs of the past. My first pack hit many of the bases for me with Robinson, Run-DMC, Oh and Radbourn, who's captured in one of his memorable poses from a past team photo (and is a Twitter star of his own). Others from the first and second pack prompted me to get out the Googles and learn a little bit about who's who as there are some musical acts and TV characters I wasn't that familiar with. (Confession: I didn't watch Breaking Bad.) The printing here is solid -- the cards look even more detailed in hand vs. on-screen and they are all made with their edges and corners being hand-cut to go along with their aged looks. About the only thing I didn't expect was that they are on bright-white thin stock -- for some reason I had expected thick oldschool recycled stock but that would make it harder to have clean printed detail here without it being white on the fronts. The backs all have a stamped Gummy Arts logo so you know they are legit. (Or something.) The first wave of these 2019 packs literally sold out in minutes -- there is a strong following with more than 6,500 people between the two mentioned accounts -- and packs from his release last year have sold for $20 a pop with the 2018 set going for $80 and some single cards around $10. Buzz didn't buy these for that reason, though. I simply missed out on seeing what was up these last year and I jumped on the 2019s when announced earlier this week on Twitter -- and I thought John McClane was in the set. Not this time ... maybe next time. Check out the checklist in the gallery below to see who's in this one -- there are some fun subjects. That said, anybody got a 2018 Randy Poffo or Ozzy Osbourne up for trade?

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: A+ on Pack 1, B+ on Pack 2
Fun Grade: A

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