What: 2022 Pro Set Soccer
Arrives: April
Box basics: Two autographs per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Pro Set Soccer arrives with some of the world's biggest soccer stars -- past and present -- all in one spot.

Keep reading for more info on this one.

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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: New pulls, a 2022 Topps gem, thoughts from a show, business vs. buying and showing off some bigs.

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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: New releases, new breaks, new pulls, showing off color-match cards and pondering the NFL's most-athletic player.

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What: 2022 Leaf Lumber baseball cards
Arrives: Late spring
Box basics: Four premium hits per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's bats brand arrives for another season with legends from the game in play as well as fan favorites from more recent years with multi-auto and multi-mem cards to be found in this hits-only release.

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 box: 2021 Pro Set College Football (blaster)
Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: It's a retail release ... BlowoutCards.com for more Pro Set stuff

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of images.

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What: 2021 Leaf Young Stars multi-sport cards
Arrives: Late February
Box basics: One autograph per 10-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: A deep roster of young stars -- some current NCAA athletes -- are the star here with a colorful, parallel-laden release and ink every time.

Keep reading for more, a checklist and a gallery of images.

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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: Some huge NFL breaks to come, eBay authentication packing growing pains, Alvin Kamara, Philip Rivers and more.

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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: New pulls, an unusual thread, AEW blaster boxes, Tom Brady and more.

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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 ... a pretty deep mix with some pricey pieces (at least for Buzz) this time.

BIG BOOK LEADS OFF
The Book: The Amazing Spider-Man #361 -- first full appearance of Carnage
The Reason Graded: One of my goals this year -- something already under way -- is to grade a number of the notable comic books I have had stashed from back in the day (the early/mid 1990s) when I dabbled somewhat regularly with comics. Back then they were re-emerging in pop culture with a revolution of big-name artists taking on iconic characters and then branching out to make their own brands -- and they were also a lot cheaper to collect with cover prices like you see here. Also born in those years of polybags, gimmicked covers and many publishers? Big-name characters like the one making his full debut here, Carnage, who is one of Spider-Man's big villains like Venom and others before them. I picked up a couple copies of this one back then since I liked the cover art and it was a start of a run for the new character. Over time, he has become a favorite and that has made this a pricey book.
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)

Reality Check: My main reason for grading a lot of my books from this time is that many of them are rarer newsstand copies (UPC bar code) which are harder to find in top condition and can carry a premium vs. direct copies. I wasn't (and still am not) a big comic reader so my copies are as razor fresh as they were then. I liked the art and I was very picky about what I would and wouldn't buy when it came to condition. I didn't check the pop report here when subbing -- and I have sent a second one into be slabbed since getting this one back -- and it's (shocker!) a heavily graded book. A 9.8 isn't easy here and a newsstand copy recently sold on eBay for almost $1,700. This grade? Well, it's a $600 sale among completeds but asking prices for UPC copies are as high as $1,450 with several above $900. Over the long-term, I think newsstand copies are going to remain rare in top grade, though for some reason CGC doesn't break them out on its pop report. (I wish they did ... it would have to be a shocking divide.)

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

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What: 2021 Pro Set Metal baseball cards
Arrives: Feb. 25
Box basics: Six autographed cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pro Set takes to the baseball diamond for the first time with this all-autograph release that will key upon prospects and load up on parallels all in one spot.

Keep reading for more details.

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What: 2022 Leaf Vibrance sports cards
Arrives: March 25
Box basics: Two Metal autographed cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: This new and colorful brand in the Leaf lineup will include greats from around the sports world all in one spot with a number of sets to chase but ink the key to everything.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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What: 2021 Leaf Memories College Football cards
Arrives: February 2022
Box basics: Seven autographed cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: There will be nothing but ink in this one with current college stars signing on via NCAA Name Image and Likeness rules as well as current draft picks already on NFL rosters all found in one place.

Keep reading for more info and images.

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What: 2022 Leaf Stitches & Slabs Baseball
Arrives: March 25
Box basics: One autographed jersey and one buyback card per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: A new line from Leaf combines buyback cards with autographed memorabilia all in one blind-box package.

Keep reading for more.

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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: New pulls, collecting women's soccer, self-slabbing, "Galactics are overrated" and more.

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What: 2021 Pro Set Power football cards
Arrives: January
Box basics: Seven autographed cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Pro Set Power arrives as a spot to find active college players' autographs on "Amateur Rookie Cards" from Leaf as well as top guys who have already been drafted all in one spot.

Keep reading for more details.

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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: New pulls, NFL chatter, the best change in the hobby and more in this holiday edition.

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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: New pulls, a new NBA season, ripping some Pro Set and two 1/1s in a single Prizm box? (Yep.)

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What: 2021 Leaf Flash baseball cards
Arrives: Jan. 28, 2022
Box basics: Six autographs per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: One of Leaf's most-colorful -- and flashiest -- releases drops once again with nothing but autographs from young stars -- but also with a limited number of Shohei Ohtani autos in the mix.

Keep reading for more.

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Fast Five is a quick list that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection or new focus -- five things that could be fun for a beginner or a new way to add something to your stash if you're a grizzled veteran.

This time? Five collecting options on my mind ... or at least five examples of stuff I look for.

BEFORE THE BIGS (COLLECT MINOR LEAGUES)
The Card: Wander Franco 2020 Topps 206 (Series 3)
The MiLB series of Topps 206 this year dropped recently and that one will get me to bite before it's gone from Topps' site -- unless I already missed it -- but in the case of last year's release I have gone back and forth about grabbing a pack retroactively for Series 3 to add some unique MiLB cards but ultimately only bit to grab this one for about $6. Yes, part of this buy was the name power -- though the grab was before his rookie hit streak was in play -- but that bling, that pose and the fact that he was playing for a team known as the Stone Crabs ... well that's just the perfect storm. MiLB stuff is always good for some rare or different cardboard -- even with names you know well attached -- and this one adds on the tobacco-card style to hit yet another base with my personal tastes.

This was a safe pick ... keep reading for four more making up the list this time -- some weird cards in this one.

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What: 2021 Leaf Metal Draft baseball cards
Arrives: November
Box basics: Six autos per hobby box (12 per case) or nine autos and one 1/1 slabbed auto per jumbo box (six per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Metal Draft returns for another run with nothing but ink from some of biggest baseball prospects in the game today and the two-box format that lets rippers potentially add some slabs into their collections.

Keep reading for more.

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What: 2021 Leaf Art of Sport trading cards
Arrives: December
Box basics: Two autographs and two memorabilia cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf adds a new brand to its array of releases with this multi-sport product including nothing but hits when it arrives late this year.

Keep reading for more info 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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WITH CLAWS I
The Card: Wolverine sketch card by Skip Charron -- 2017 Upper Deck Marvel Annual Sketch Cards (1/1)
The Price: $24
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There are a boatload of quality sketch cards out there in the world that seem seriously undervalued right now despite the fact that everything is one of a kind. This one is nice -- a color piece of an iconic character -- but these types of cards are also really the kind of item where one can't say "go grab all of these" as they are one of a kind and they can all be so different between artists and subjects. Why does this one lead off this time? To make that point -- if you can't find boxes, don't like prices on new Rated Rookies who haven't even hit your store shelves yet or just want to try something different ... then you might check out stuff you might not have at this time a year or two ago. That's what I did here.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... see all Marvel boxes here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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What: 2021 Leaf Metal Pop Century trading cards
Arrives: October
Box basics: Four autograph or memorabilia cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's annual celebrity release is back for another Metal go with notable names from Hollywood and standouts from other areas of pop culture, too, all in one spot -- and there are some Metaled Pro Set SuperStars MusicCards to be found, too.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images.

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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: WWE and Goldin Auctions are a tag team now, new Allen & Ginter pulls, NFL breaks, Pro Set ink and more in today's edition.

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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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FLOWN IN THE FINAL FRONTIER?
The Card: 2018 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Museum Collection Aviation Jumbo Relics (5-by-7) Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-75 MLI Blanket
The Price: About $85
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This over-sized piece is one of a number of space-related memorabilia cards that you can find (as redemptions) in this past Goodwin release, and I opted for this one since it's got a lot going on with its swatch and because it's noted as being used for Mission STS-75 that went to space in the spring of 1996. What exactly an MLI blanket is I didn't know when I grabbed it, but apparently "Multi-layer Insulation" blankets help protect various pieces of equipment from heat and light while in space. I liked how this piece has a rivet hole on one side and some Velcro on another along with some striping to help make it a little more interesting than just a big plain white swatch of material. A lone drawback here is that it's not easy to store at 5-by-7 and about a half of an inch thick but it's a cool card. (I wrapped it in a sealed magazine bag and then boxed it away.) Did I need it? Probably not, but it's pretty interesting and I will have more oddities like this coming in the future. If it grabs your attention, there are a number of standard-size cards with varying pieces inside them to suit more budgets easier than this card. Other blanket swatches look like tin foil and you can find other pieces in cards, too. I may need to get one of those.
Grab a box right here: Goodwin Champions (all years)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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