Topps, the most powerful Force in trading cards, returns to the popular "Galaxy" series with the release of
Star Wars Galaxy 5...a 120-card set, collecting the most spectacular Star Wars artwork ever created, with over 50 pieces of newly-commissioned artwork, and a slew of chase cards.
Sketch Cards
Shaped Sketch Cards
Galaxy Autographs
Foil Cards (15 in the series, by Randy Martinez)
Etched Foil Cards (6 in the series, by Joe Corroney and Brian Miller)
1/1 Printing Plates
The box includes 24 packs, each with 7 cards per pack, and each pack I opened contained a chase card in it. The following chase card series are randomly included in this set, and there's no way to tell what you are getting....but that's part of the fun, isn't it?
The cards themselves are broken up into different categories. The first is a "New Visions" series that, as the name suggests, features new artwork created just for Star Wars Galaxy 5 by the following artists:
Adam Hughes
David Peterson
Darwyn Cooke
Tom Hodges
Cliff Chiang
Jerry Vanderstelt
Russ Walks
Mike Lemos
Joe Corroney
Cat Staggs
Randy Martinez
Allison Sohn
Mark McHaley
Brian Rood
Matt Busch
Doug Cowan
Grant Gould
Patrick Schoenmaker
Katie Cook
Brian Kong
David Rabbitte
Steve McNiven
Frank Stockton
Stephane Roux
Adam Port
Nathan Hamill
These cards not only feature the finished art on the front, but the back also provides a glimpse at the creation of the piece...often with an alternate pose for the central character, giving a "behind-the-scenes" look at the creation of the card.
The next series is called "Art of Celebration", which reprints several pieces from the Star Wars Celebration conventions from the past, including program covers and exclusive prints.
Toy fans will want to take note of the third themed series, which reproduces the fantastic artwork from Hasbro's "Star Wars Unleashed" packaging..a much-requested series starring both main and secondary characters from across the entire saga.
Up next is the "Art of Star Wars" series which collects various illustrations from the novels, role-playing games, and illustrations from the pages of Star Wars Insider magazine.
Fans of the Japanese manga will enjoy the next series, which reprints the covers of the Dark Horse Comics manga movie adaptations from the Classic Trilogy and also The Phantom Menace.
Finally, the basic cards conclude with a series that showcases the future of Star Wars video games, with a special set that features concept art from the upcoming LucasArts video game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
From all across the Star Wars saga, there are cards in here for just about any fan. One interesting note...the cards include a dual numbering, one specifically for this set, and another for the "Galaxy" series as a whole.
I did not get a complete set in this box (I got 88 of 120, so I have extras to trade!), but what I did get is very impressive. As for chase cards, I scored 4 foil etched cards, 6 foil cards, and an autograph card...plus some doubles. But that's why they call them "trading cards"...
In addition to hobby stores, these cards are also available at Target, Walmart, Toys "R" Us and other retailers. For more information, check out the Topps website.
