REVIEW:2016 Cryptozoic Ghostbusters Trading Cards (GIVEAWAY TOO)

These last few weeks waiting on this product to release felt like an eternity in the containment unit at GB headquarters. I gruelingly had to view teaser image after image after image on Twitter of the product and sat back excited, yet impatient.

Finally, last week the product released and today I was able to bust a box.

To let you know early, I call the box I broke a HOT BOX. Three nice pulls instead of one among other goodies. So for me, an easy 5-Star review on it.

It wasn't just the pulls however that warranted this rating, read on to see why I call this a great product.

In every box of 2016 Cryptozoic Ghostbusters are 24 packs with 5 cards per pack. Each box will roughly run you around $85 with estimate of one-hit per box. But some boxes will run with more.

The base cards capture images from the first movie. The cards are full blown picture stills (high gloss too) with a caption and Ghostbusters symbol at the bottom. There are 54 cards in the base set in which each box will most likely land you the entire base set.

 

I am probably one of the rare few that also care about base card backs. These ones are done really well and fit the theme of the product. Each of the backs tells you about the picture on the front of the card.

 

A couple more base card images to help you get a feel.

I miss Rick Moranis in movies.

 

Makes you scared and hungry at the same time.....

 

The insert themes in the product work really well and inserts fall 1-per-pack. Quotes, 1:3 packs, give us the best lines from the movie. You know the ones we all say a million times. I chose this one to show off as we all should know it by heart. 

 

In my box I was able to complete this set of 9 cards.

 

Behind The Scenes, 1:3 packs, was my favorite designed insert of the group. The design is very throwback and captures images of the movie magic behind the scenes. Also gives some insight of the scene on the back. 

 

I also was able to complete this set of 9 in my box.

 

"Sing For Your Specter", art and story by Erik Burnham fall 1:3 packs and are based on the Comic Series characters. This was another insert set I was able to complete.

 

As with every Cryptozoic product, Character Bios was included and fall 1:4 packs. Each gives a description of the main characters. I was also able to put together this 7 card set in my box too.

 

And the final chase insert set, "Tricks and Traps" puzzle, has art for the set being done by Dan Schoening. This is a 9 card set that falls 1:3 packs and once completed makes a complete puzzle. 

 

These are always fun to do and collect in Cryptozoic products.

 

Completed puzzle will give you this image..

 

There are also parallels to the product for base and inserts. Silver Foil board base cards fall 1:4 packs, Character Bio Silver Foil Boards fall 1:4 and the Traps and Puzzle parallels fall 1:4 as well.

 

This is a Cryptomium parallel with the bottom of Slimer's mouth from the puzzle. These parallels fall 1:56 packs. If you are curious what they are like, they are thick and comparable to SuperChrome technology used in the 90's.

Now onto the hits. Like I stated above, I believe most boxes will have just one hit per box but I could be wrong. You can check out another break done on video by Cryptozoic on their Facebook page, HERE to help give you more of a feel.

 

My first pull from my box was a 1/1 Sketch card of Slimer that falls 1:30 packs. The sketch itself is spot-on drawing as most of the sketches in the product appear to be. Cryptozoic has many different sketches and sketch artists included in this product.

 

The back of the card states it's a 1/1 and also comes with a artist signature. So that's bonus.

 

You can find the list of Sketch Card artists on the Cardboard Connection website, HERE.

 

My next pack I was surprised to also had pulled an autograph. These as well fall 1:30 packs and I got a good one in Ernie Hudson or as us fans know him, Winston. Sales and listings on the autographs are very high right now with the odds not being one per box. I like the odds being set that way as it adds even more value to the product especially if you are lucky enough to hit an autograph like I was. Makes the chase fun as well especially if you are aiming for a set. 

I must also note before continuing on that all of the autographs are ON-CARD!!!

 

 

This hasn't been mentioned yet, but the autograph checklist is also LOADED. Has everyone but Bill Murray and Rick Moranis (obviously Harold Ramis couldn't sign for the product) from what I see. Even though they are a tad missed, the rest of the signers more than makes up for it with such a wide variety.

 

William Atherton as Walter Peck
Dave Florek as Cop
Kurt Fuller as Jack Hardemeyer
Jennifer Runyon as College Student
Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz
Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore
Maurice LaMarche as Dr. Egon Spengler
Dave Coulier as Dr. Peter Venkman
Michael Ensign as Hotel Manager
John Rothman as Library Administrator
Harris Yulin as Judge Stephen Wexler
Larry King as Himself
Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Raymond Stantz
Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
Jason Reitman as Brownstone Boy
Ivan Reitman, Director
Ben Stein as Public Works Official
Bobby Brown as Mayor's Doorman

 

As I continued to bust, I had the biggest surprise of the box yet, it was another hit waiting for me. This time some slime. These fall at a rate of 1:200 packs so not an easy pull. These are as the card says, "totally fabricated" slime or in the card world,"manufactured". I love this addition to the product. Some may not, but I think it just adds a bit of something else to it and not something I have seen before. It would have been cool to had gotten a wardrobe piece, but if those were tough acquisitions for Cryptozoic, I think this makes a great fun replacement. Cause isn't collecting supposed to be, fun? For me it is.

And who doesn't love slime????

 

The back tells me at some point I am about to lose my mind after touching this....I think my wife would say that I already did that.

 

Other things you can pull that I didn't include, Replica Patches 1:96 packs, The Real Ghostbusters Animation Cel 1:36 packs (I really want to get one of these and may check eBay for some. Very cool authentic film cell pieces from a show I grew up watching) and Printing Plates that fall 1:378 packs.

 

Overall, I feel this is a winner from the base up and my wife who helped me bust this would also agree. Don't argue with her. The base card set looks great, you get complete sets from all inserts and base (this may not be true for all boxes but most should). You get at the very least one hit per box or have a box like this one with multiple. A solid autograph checklist and other fun stuff you can find just are the cherries on top.

 

The price at first may scare you away with only one hit, but I say don't let it. There is plenty of value here and if you are a fan of Ghostbusters you won't be disappointed. I wasn't. I am hoping the fact that Cryptozoic decided to use images from the first movie means that a second series may be in the works. But, I don't know that for sure.

Oh and by the way if you do buy the cards, you may be like me and want one of these bad boys for storage that Cryptozoic sells on their site:

 

You can find those and other info on the Ghostbusters product on their site, HERE.

Now time for the giveaway.

 

Here is how the prizes break down for this one.

1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place on the random list will win some inserts from the product. If we can reach 50 entries, a 4th winner will win the 1/1 sketch card. I know we can do it as we have before!! 

 

Now onto the small writing and how to enter.

1. MUST be a U.S. resident to enter. Shipping costs have gone haywire and I can't afford to ship everywhere. Sorry about this as I appreciate all readers.
2. Cards will be shipped PWE
3. Random winners will be chosen after 7 randoms
4. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW TELLING ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PRODUCT. Do you like it? What would you fix about it? What's your favorite part?
5. Sport Card Collectors or it's owner (person who runs the blog), WILL NOT be held responsible for lost, stolen or damaged mail. Sorry had to add this in since someone tried to scam me once about this.
6. Contest starts today, ends on Saturday, May 21st 2016. Winners will be announced in a separate post on Sunday May 22nd 2016.
7. Earn extra entries by sharing this on your blogs or RTing it on Twitter. Make sure to comment with your links of doing so or I cannot count it.
8. Please make sure to thank Cryptozoic for their generosity in sending this box to review and host a giveaway. Give them a follow on all social media sites please. Also while you are at it, check out their website HERE as well for your non-sport trading card needs!

Good luck to everyone who enters!