Monsters From Hell-2 Feedback!
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Collector Feedback:
Waiting for it to launch to get feedback, except:
I like your products and think your the best nonsport company out there. Beautiful artwork and the limited editions make them true collectors items. I still have a set of Night Slasher cards and two full boxes. The whole story on the card backs is one of the best things about that set. I also have the Monster Movie Classics 1st series and was fortunate to have card # 39 signed on the back by Ray Harryhausen when he had an appearance at the Loews theater in Jersey City NJ. He liked the card and had never seen it before. It's one of my favorite sets. - Robert K. (New Jersey)
Thanks Robert, I really appreciate that. I always try to use the best artists, but then I also try to go all out on what I consider the most overlooked and under-appreciated aspect of Non-sports trading cards: The back stories. I love Mars Attacks, Civil War News, Battle, and Dinosaurs Attack, and as much as I love the art, I also think the detailed stories on the backs were a big reason they are such masterpieces. (Imagine how less cool they would have been with dumbed-down puzzle backs!)
I just got back from the Philly Non-Sports show, however, and my buddy (a producer of many licensed Non-sports sets) made a compelling argument that nobody reads the backs anymore. He pointed out that all the best selling sets don't bother with much text anymore either. They just want popular franchisees and valuable autographs. So I was having a bit of an identity crisis. Could I really be that wrong about something I felt so strongly about? I've been producing original art and story cards for almost 35 years, waging my own private war against mediocrity, and now I'm being told by someone who makes more money than I do publishing cards that are easier to produce, that I'm essentially wasting my efforts because no one else even notices. I was beginning to worry he was right.
So thanks for encouraging me to stay on the righteous path. It does take a lot more time, effort, and imagination to create original art and stories, but like my grandmother always said, "anything worth doing is worth OVER doing!" Now I look forward to your feedback on Monsters From Hell series 2. It's the most imaginative sci-fi story that I've ever written, and it will include an innovation never before experienced with trading cards. -Kurt
PS. Wow-- you have TWO boxes of The Night Slasher. There were only 50 of those made (containing all 300 numbered sets). Even I don't have a box of those... Congrats! (I only wish I looked as young as I did in that series.) I'm also psyched to know Harryhausen saw and liked our cards-- and that you got him to sign it!
Hello, I'm interested in the series but could I see pics of the chase cards from first series? I like what you have, so very curious to see the other items.
Thanks! (Unnamed.)
Sure. I'm sending 4 pix I just took with my phone. You'll see four groups of nine images.
The first are the last 4 cards of the set, followed by a really neat Lenticular of an alien type monster consumed by moving, licking flames. Then a Get Out Of Hell Free card of a legged snake with an apple. Thenthere are two promos and a printing plate (A different one in each box.)
Then there is a 9 card sub set about the different versions of hell throughout history (pretty interesting, actually). All 9 images are by Tim Proctor.
Then 12 "favorite fears" featuring the best sketch art by 12 different artists, as well as them talking about their favorite horror experiences, and their own personal phobias. The last three of those images bleed over onto the next 9 pocket sleeve, followed by two sketch cards, the two checklists, the credit card (stating who did what art-- all the base cards were done by Obelix Hell Art of Spain).
If you like this set, just wait till you see the sequel / conclusion set that comes out this summer. The story is amazing and it has an innovation never included in cards before (but I can't reveal details about that just yet). It's not appropriate for kids though, very violent and blood thirsty, but it also has a very cool sci-fi plot. Only 999 numbered sets to be made.
- KK
I just saw the wrapper and WOW! That really blew me away! -Todd R. (Dublin, OH)
Thanks Todd. Everything about this series is as Top Shelf as possible. That wrapper was inspired by the 1941 War Gum wrapper that had a soldier approaching the audience, ready to strike. But you couldn't see anything but the close up when the wrapper was folded. Only after you unfolded it (to retrieve the cards) could you fully appreciate the image. Yet even when folded, you get a pretty good idea of what's in store. We aimed for the same effect in this series. -KK
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