Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

LEGENDARY INK
The Card: Undertaker 2022 Panini Revolution WWE Sunburst Autographs (/99)
The Reason Graded: This cost me less than what two boxes would have when I bought it raw -- and then I submitted it to grade after seeing that some typical problem spots for cards from this brand weren't really issues. (In my view, the back corners and edges can be funky for both years.) Why grab this? Undertaker was not a regular signer for a long time and even when has signed cards in recent years he's been more limited since his signing fees are always high -- seemingly far higher than others -- based on public signing prices. I have his ink on a few items sold direct from WWE in the past, but I hadn't rally bothered with anything for cards and figured this could make for a nice slab -- even with sticker ink -- as the photo is as iconic as it gets for a legendary character in WWE history. This would be a perfect kind of auto card if it had an on-card sig ... and it's still not far off as it is with that photo. It's also a perhaps-overlooked brand in the Panini WWE portfolio.
The Grade: CGC 9

Reality Check: A nine I'm fine with -- so no worries here -- but anything less than that I would have been kind of mad at myself for trying it. Why? Generally, I don't like pricey surprises with grading, so I don't slab as much ink as I should as I own plenty of them raw. I need to do more slabs like this, but a miss on cheaper, oddball cards that are interesting aren't as risky in my book.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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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: 2023 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Intergoolactic Mayhem (collector's box)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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What: The Umbrella Academy 2024 Autograph Expansion Series 2 packs
Arrives: March 6
Box basics: 13 autographed cards per pack (A and B packs made for this format)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Another batch of ink from this hit Netflix show based on a past Dark Horse Comics series arrives soon with a pair of packs that further expand its presence on cardboard.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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Did somebody say "ThunderCats?"

They did and that one got The Boss' attention at Blowout Cards as Thomas Fish is a serious collector of original comic book art that includes the original pen-and-ink debut panels and/or covers for iconic characters such as Wolverine, Ghost Rider, X-Force and Deadpool. If you didn't know, he also owns the entire issue's worth of original artwork from Jim Lee's X-Men reboot in 1991 ... the No. 1 issue remains the best-selling comic book issue ever with more than 8 million copies sold across five variants. (He's got all of the covers, too -- click the image here to see 'em all up close.)

But ThunderCats? That one checks in as his favorite series ... which leads us to right here, right now today.

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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: 2020 Topps Star Wars: The Mandalorian Journey of The Child (aka the Baby Yoda set)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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What: Star Trek: Picard Seasons 2-3 trading cards
Arrives: March 20
Box basics: Three autographs and one memorabilia card per 24-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: This series for Trek veterans arrives for a second time on cardboard with this one taking on two seasons this time and including more than a few memorable names -- no matter the Trekker's generation.

Keep reading for more details.

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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: 2006 Inkworks Veronica Mars Season 1 trading cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking ...BlowoutCards.com for newer non-sports cards

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.

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What: The Umbrella Academy 2024 Autograph Expansion packs
Arrives: Jan. 24
Box basics: 15 autographed cards per pack (A and B packs made for this format)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This hit Netflix show based on a past Dark Horse Comics series arrives early next year with an autographs-only update and two different packs completing the release.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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What: 2023 Topps Star Wars High Tek trading cards
Arrives: Live now (previously launched at New York Comic-Con in October)
Box basics: Two serial-numbered parallels per six-card box
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here (when available)

What's buzz-worthy: Topps revives Tek for the first time in several years with boxes where the autographs are not found every time, making the show here the various textures and parallels found in the brand.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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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 pack: 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs (two packs)
Where to buy: Click here (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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What: 2022 Topps Star Wars Masterwork trading cards
Arrives: December 2023
Box basics: Four hits in every four-pack hobby box with two autos guaranteed (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' high-end Star Wars brand arrives once again by year's end packing a hit in every box and stars from throughout the galaxy on both film and television.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

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THE PERFECT EARLIER SIG
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart 2020 Topps WWE NXT Roster Blue Autographs (/50)
The Price: Less than a box these days
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: If you're a regular reader, then you know this set and this auto -- in all colors -- is high on my radar and that's why I grabbed this super-clean copy with an eye on grading. It's not totally perfect but I'm fine with that as the core reason I bit here was how clean this sig is with her original WWE ink, not the shortened one that has come about on her cards since this earlier signing. (It's not quite her pre-WWE auto, which is more of a puffy almost "tagging" writing style with big curves and loops on all letters.) A quicker auto happens for many signers as they ink more and more stuff and some styles just won't come back -- so that's another reason this one is a favorite ... plus, not that many of her WWE cards have this auto.
Grab a box right here: None for this one ... but WWE boxes are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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If you hadn't noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices right now right here as the new wave of Blowout Cards' Black November sales is here

Many of the discounts were dramatic enough that Buzz once again had to ponder the possibilities in many of the boxes and cases -- and here are five that caught this collector’s eye ... and there's far more that just might suit your tastes in the big sale.

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BLACK IN NOVEMBER
2021 Topps Allen & Ginter X Baseball Box
Most boxes in this wave of picks are ones I have personally opened in the past, but this one is the lone exception for Allen & Ginter X as in it's the only one that I missed landing since 2018. Why? I actually don't remember -- it was likely timing of arrival -- but Ginter X is a pretty safe buy as there's an autograph in every box with the ink here typically trending rarer than the standard stuff. Almost everything here is in the trademark black take on the Ginter designs and among the autos this time are Aaron Judge, Chipper Jones, Corey Seager, Johnny Bench, Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Mike Trout, Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ryne Sandberg, Vladdy Sr. and Vladdy Jr. and more from the MLB realm. From beyond baseball, there's Bobby Moynihan, Jose Andrés, Rocky Bleier, Randall Cunnignham, Sara Spain and Trevor Lawrence to start. Again, regular Ginter doesn't include ink every time and these boxes do ... and some years of X could statistically deliver two.

Keep reading for a few more boxes you should consider (and are likely to end up in Buzz's cart).

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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: 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs
Where to buy: Click here (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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If you hadn't noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices right now right here as the new wave of Blowout Cards' Black November sales is here

Many of the discounts were dramatic enough that Buzz once again had to ponder the possibilities in many of the boxes and cases -- and here are five that caught this collector’s eye ... and there's far more that just might suit your tastes in the big sale.

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LOW PRICE, BIG POTENTIAL
2022 Topps Star Wars Book of Boba Fett Hobby Box or Case
I'm not sure I watched a minute of this series -- can't keep up with it all -- but there's reason or two to pop the lid on some tins here. You get an autograph or sketch card in every box and on of the inked possibilities is Rosario Dawson, whose auto here has sold for $500 and up (a recent eBay high of $700 ... and $899 for a plate) with some strong asking prices, too. Now she won't be in every box, of course, but as a relative newcomer to Star Wars autos and a meaty resume elsewhere, it's not a bad auto to find in general and coming from a box (tin) this cheap would be a big win. Heck, at these prices, she could pay for the case and more. Temuera Morrison (Fett) and some of the multi-signed cards here are also of not and there are some sketches that can obviously deliver well if they are well-crafted. Atop all that, you get base cards are and a number of inserts and parallels, especially if you rip by the case.

Keep reading for a few more boxes you should consider (and are likely to end up in Buzz's cart).

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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: 2023 Leaf Metal Pop Century 1/1 Pre-Production Proofs
Where to buy: Click here (when available)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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What: 2023 Topps Finest Star Wars trading cards
Arrives: Nov. 29
Box basics: Two hits -- one autograph or sketch card guaranteed -- per 12-pack box (TBD boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Odds: Click here
Order: Click here (when live)

What's buzz-worthy: Early details are here for another run of Finest for Star Wars fans with a return in the familiar the mini-box format allowing fans to chase autographs, Refractor rainbows and more in a release that touches on the entire galaxy.

Keep reading for more as well as a gallery.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: A big 1/1 Prizm Draft find, World Series, NFL chatter, some collecting thoughts and inside a new Star Trek case.

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There's one autograph perhaps at the top of many collectors' want lists for any new WWE signers -- and that ink is apparently coming soon from Leaf Trading Cards.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hasn't signed a certified autograph on a wrestling card since 1998 -- not for Fleer, Topps or Panini America in all those years since, but for the short-lived Comic Images run with the WWE (then WWF) license.

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What: Game of Thrones Art & Images trading cards
Arrives: Dec. 13
Box basics: Five autographed cards per five-pack box (12 boxes per case)
Pre-order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Thrones fans will once again get an autograph in every pack with the arrival of this one with a shot at metal autos (/55) and more in every case -- and only 700 cases will be made for this one.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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What: 2023 Rittenhouse NCIS Autograph Card Expansion Pack
Arrives: Nov. 15
Box basics: Nine autographs per pack
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: This long-running franchise comes to cardboard in this one with just a dozen total cards to chase and that can be done with a pair of packs as there are just two types -- Pack A and Pack B -- for this one.

Keep reading for more details.

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What: 2023 SWAU Authenticated Autographed 8x10 Photos
Arrives: Dec. 5
Box basics: One autographed photo per box (20 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: One of the biggest players in the celebrity autograph galaxy is branching out into mystery-fueled blind boxes that pack a signed photo every time and in some instances more than just one auto.

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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 boxes: YuMe Toys Stranger Things Series 1 Upside Down Capsule Mystery Pack (two)
Where to buy: Will take some looking in toy realm ... BlowoutCards.com (for cards)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

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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: 2012 BenchWarmer Vault trading cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking to find ... See newer BenchWarmer boxes here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of everything in this box.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...

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THANKS TO OLD EL PASO ... 
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart autographed 2021 Topps Chrome WWE card (Fanatics witnessed)
The Price: $18.13 shipped (after $50 off promo)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: If you hit that link above and follow the instructions on the can when you hit a grocery store, you should be able to land a code for $50 off your order over yonder and it should be good on anything. While I pondered using this on some other things, I went back to my collecting well for a simple item that I would probably not buy at its original price as it's an aftermarket signed card but one that was witnessed and then slabbed and it says so right there on the label, which I like. It's not the best card per se for an added auto and her certified auto from this set can probably be found for less than this card's original price ... but for the delivery price here I didn't mind it. Plus, I made some tacos. I opted to stick closer to one of my collection cores with more Shotzi ink ... and as you'll see in the rest of this edition I'm still all over the place -- this is a Buzz Buys with some oddball and interesting pick-ups for this collector these days.
Grab a box right here: Chase the certified version in packs here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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