Administrator CGC Mike Posted August 23, 2022 Administrator Share Posted August 23, 2022 Posted on 8/23/2022 “Avengers, assemble!” CGC Trading Cards is ready to grade your Marvel card collection. Collectors have been eagerly anticipating the day when CGC Trading Cards™ would start accepting Marvel cards, and that day is here. CGC Trading Cards is thrilled to announce that Marvel cards are now eligible for grading! The lucky first Marvel card to be graded is the legendary and elusive Spider-Man Redemption autograph card from the 1998 Marvel Creator’s Collection set. This card is signed by Stan Lee, the co-creator of Spider-Man, and features the artwork and signature of the world-renowned penciller and writer, Mike Wieringo. The card received a grade of CGC Mint 9, with sub-grades of 9 for Centering, 9.5 for Surface, 9.5 for Corners and 9 for Edges. The first Marvel card graded by CGC Trading Cards.Click images to enlarge. CGC Trading Cards is set to grade all Marvel cards from 1966 to present, with thicknesses under 5.5mm. Please be aware that Marvel trading cards have varying widths and lengths due to inconsistent factory cutting, so some cards cannot be encapsulated. CGC Signature Series services are not currently available for any cards certified by CGC Trading Cards. Additionally, at this time, CGC Trading Cards will not be grading card games that feature Marvel (such as OverPower or Vs. System). A worldwide sensation The seeds of the Marvel Universe were planted in the 1930s when Timely Comics debuted iconic characters like Captain America, the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. Later, Timely Comics became Atlas Magazines and then Marvel Comics, one of the two top companies in the industry. The rise in popularity would give Marvel the chance to release a great deal of merchandise and memorabilia to fans in the form of comics, movies and, of course, trading cards. Impel, later known as SkyBox, debuted a Marvel Universe set in 1990. Unlike prior sets that featured fan-favorite characters experiencing comical situations or with images repurposed from the comics, SkyBox’s cards expanded on the comics by featuring a wide variety of characters, stats, biographies and artwork drawn specifically for the trading cards by Marvel’s own artists. Fans were able to relate this information back to the comics, creating a renewed interest in the Marvel Universe by trading card collectors and comic fans alike. Click images to enlarge. Marvel capitalized on this increased interest by buying Fleer, another trading card company, and later SkyBox. The companies were rebranded as Fleer/SkyBox International and continued to release trading cards using its own license. Subsequently, the Marvel trading card license changed hands several times before ultimately being picked up by Upper Deck in 2012. The company continues to release Marvel sets to this day, with the most recent set being 2022’s Spider-Man Metal Universe. Click images to enlarge. Marvel cards through the ages Marvel trading cards began with featured images of popular characters offering jokes and/or witty remarks on the front, with sets like 1966 Donruss and the Topps 1976 sticker set. Around this time, the artwork on cards was usually stenciled or colored from original comic book art. Beginning in 1986, Comic Images would release many sets that were designed around the artwork of top comic book artists, including Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Mike Zeck and Arthur Adams. The cards were created by taking copies of the original art and having them hand-colored for the trading cards by Mark McNabb. It wasn’t until 1990 that Impel took over production, creating its very own set of trading cards called Marvel Universe Series I. Its creative director, Bob Budiansky, handed out trading card assignments to comic book artists such as Jim Lee, Tom Morgan and Ron Frenz, who had worked or were working on the comic books. Eventually, Joe Jusko would change Marvel cards forever with one of the most beloved sets in Marvel cards — 1992 Marvel Masterpieces. This set featured 109 entirely painted artworks, which was unheard of at the time, but soon this would become a staple in the Marvel card hobby. Marvel Masterpieces went on to feature the work of artists like Julie Bell, Boris Vallejo, Tim and Greg Hildebrandt, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave DeVries, Dimitri Patelis and others. Click images to enlarge. Marvel cards evolved with their own designs and inserts that captured the imagination of collectors everywhere. Holograms, lenticulars, prisms and other card types made the sets more interesting, and some of these elements were adopted by the sports card world. In 1997, sketch cards arrived to Marvel cards. These inserts each featured an original hand-drawn artwork right on the card from a range of artists, including titans like Stan Lee, John Buscema, John Romita Sr. and the Kubert brothers. Soon after, sets from Rittenhouse Archives would begin to standardize colored sketch cards and rare inserts, like diamond parallels, that were numbered out of 10, and comic cuts, which were cards that featured selected comic book panels that were cut down and framed into trading cards. At this point, sets like Marvel Premier, Fleer Retro and Vibranium began to be serialized and printed in more limited runs. In 2016, Joe Jusko would return to once again paint a full set of trading cards for the Marvel Masterpieces series, and with this, the hobby entered a new era of trading cards. Sets like Fleer Ultra and Metal Universe would start to be revisited and expanded upon, moving from a typical 100-card set to sets that exceeded well over 400 cards. This shift encouraged collectors to think of new ways to collect. Today, Marvel cards continue to astonish fans, new and old, with brilliant artwork and stunning inserts. CGC Trading Cards is excited to see the cards submitted by collectors now that these works of art are eligible for grading. Submit your Marvel cards today! Submit your Marvel card collection to CGC Trading Cards today! The CGC Trading Cards experts, including Fausto Barrionuevo, Marvel Card Expert and Senior Consultant, are looking forward to serving Marvel fans and collectors with a dependable certification process, including assurances that all cards are genuine, accurately graded and well-preserved. Is it your first time submitting to CGC Trading Cards? Don’t worry; it’s easy! Learn how to submit cards by clicking here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawnfreak Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 On 8/23/2022 at 12:35 PM, CGC Mike said: Posted on 8/23/2022 “Avengers, assemble!” CGC Trading Cards is ready to grade your Marvel card collection. Collectors have been eagerly anticipating the day when CGC Trading Cards™ would start accepting Marvel cards, and that day is here. CGC Trading Cards is thrilled to announce that Marvel cards are now eligible for grading! The lucky first Marvel card to be graded is the legendary and elusive Spider-Man Redemption autograph card from the 1998 Marvel Creator’s Collection set. This card is signed by Stan Lee, the co-creator of Spider-Man, and features the artwork and signature of the world-renowned penciller and writer, Mike Wieringo. The card received a grade of CGC Mint 9, with sub-grades of 9 for Centering, 9.5 for Surface, 9.5 for Corners and 9 for Edges. The first Marvel card graded by CGC Trading Cards.Click images to enlarge. CGC Trading Cards is set to grade all Marvel cards from 1966 to present, with thicknesses under 5.5mm. Please be aware that Marvel trading cards have varying widths and lengths due to inconsistent factory cutting, so some cards cannot be encapsulated. CGC Signature Series services are not currently available for any cards certified by CGC Trading Cards. Additionally, at this time, CGC Trading Cards will not be grading card games that feature Marvel (such as OverPower or Vs. System). A worldwide sensation The seeds of the Marvel Universe were planted in the 1930s when Timely Comics debuted iconic characters like Captain America, the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. Later, Timely Comics became Atlas Magazines and then Marvel Comics, one of the two top companies in the industry. The rise in popularity would give Marvel the chance to release a great deal of merchandise and memorabilia to fans in the form of comics, movies and, of course, trading cards. Impel, later known as SkyBox, debuted a Marvel Universe set in 1990. Unlike prior sets that featured fan-favorite characters experiencing comical situations or with images repurposed from the comics, SkyBox’s cards expanded on the comics by featuring a wide variety of characters, stats, biographies and artwork drawn specifically for the trading cards by Marvel’s own artists. Fans were able to relate this information back to the comics, creating a renewed interest in the Marvel Universe by trading card collectors and comic fans alike. Click images to enlarge. Marvel capitalized on this increased interest by buying Fleer, another trading card company, and later SkyBox. The companies were rebranded as Fleer/SkyBox International and continued to release trading cards using its own license. Subsequently, the Marvel trading card license changed hands several times before ultimately being picked up by Upper Deck in 2012. The company continues to release Marvel sets to this day, with the most recent set being 2022’s Spider-Man Metal Universe. Click images to enlarge. Marvel cards through the ages Marvel trading cards began with featured images of popular characters offering jokes and/or witty remarks on the front, with sets like 1966 Donruss and the Topps 1976 sticker set. Around this time, the artwork on cards was usually stenciled or colored from original comic book art. Beginning in 1986, Comic Images would release many sets that were designed around the artwork of top comic book artists, including Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Mike Zeck and Arthur Adams. The cards were created by taking copies of the original art and having them hand-colored for the trading cards by Mark McNabb. It wasn’t until 1990 that Impel took over production, creating its very own set of trading cards called Marvel Universe Series I. Its creative director, Bob Budiansky, handed out trading card assignments to comic book artists such as Jim Lee, Tom Morgan and Ron Frenz, who had worked or were working on the comic books. Eventually, Joe Jusko would change Marvel cards forever with one of the most beloved sets in Marvel cards — 1992 Marvel Masterpieces. This set featured 109 entirely painted artworks, which was unheard of at the time, but soon this would become a staple in the Marvel card hobby. Marvel Masterpieces went on to feature the work of artists like Julie Bell, Boris Vallejo, Tim and Greg Hildebrandt, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave DeVries, Dimitri Patelis and others. Click images to enlarge. Marvel cards evolved with their own designs and inserts that captured the imagination of collectors everywhere. Holograms, lenticulars, prisms and other card types made the sets more interesting, and some of these elements were adopted by the sports card world. In 1997, sketch cards arrived to Marvel cards. These inserts each featured an original hand-drawn artwork right on the card from a range of artists, including titans like Stan Lee, John Buscema, John Romita Sr. and the Kubert brothers. Soon after, sets from Rittenhouse Archives would begin to standardize colored sketch cards and rare inserts, like diamond parallels, that were numbered out of 10, and comic cuts, which were cards that featured selected comic book panels that were cut down and framed into trading cards. At this point, sets like Marvel Premier, Fleer Retro and Vibranium began to be serialized and printed in more limited runs. In 2016, Joe Jusko would return to once again paint a full set of trading cards for the Marvel Masterpieces series, and with this, the hobby entered a new era of trading cards. Sets like Fleer Ultra and Metal Universe would start to be revisited and expanded upon, moving from a typical 100-card set to sets that exceeded well over 400 cards. This shift encouraged collectors to think of new ways to collect. Today, Marvel cards continue to astonish fans, new and old, with brilliant artwork and stunning inserts. CGC Trading Cards is excited to see the cards submitted by collectors now that these works of art are eligible for grading. Submit your Marvel cards today! Submit your Marvel card collection to CGC Trading Cards today! The CGC Trading Cards experts, including Fausto Barrionuevo, Marvel Card Expert and Senior Consultant, are looking forward to serving Marvel fans and collectors with a dependable certification process, including assurances that all cards are genuine, accurately graded and well-preserved. Is it your first time submitting to CGC Trading Cards? Don’t worry; it’s easy! Learn how to submit cards by clicking here. Hi, Mike. Simple question; Impel to Skybox to Marvel. Is Impel, i.e. 1990 X-Force promo, eligible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator CGC Mike Posted August 24, 2022 Author Administrator Share Posted August 24, 2022 On 8/24/2022 at 6:23 AM, Spawnfreak said: Hi, Mike. Simple question; Impel to Skybox to Marvel. Is Impel, i.e. 1990 X-Force promo, eligible? Here is a screenshot when I started to type your request in. The best advice I can give you is, if it's listed on the online submission form, we grade it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Sketch Card Hive Posted August 24, 2022 Administrator Share Posted August 24, 2022 Hi Spawnfreak (awesome name btw), Yup, we grade those. A lot of the companies manufacturing these cards at the time would change their company name here and there, but we grade 1990 X-Force including that awesome Deadpool card. Fausto Barrionuevo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawnfreak Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 On 8/24/2022 at 8:12 AM, CGC Mike said: Here is a screenshot when I started to type your request in. The best advice I can give you is, if it's listed on the online submission form, we grade it. Thank you, Mike!, and you also, Fausto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brain Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 This is awesome!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tec-Tac-Toe Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 I'll have to look at my Marvel cards which I have not done in, approximately, 30 years. CHASEnBLUE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEnBLUE Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 On 8/24/2022 at 5:28 AM, Sketchcardhive said: Hi Spawnfreak (awesome name btw), Yup, we grade those. A lot of the companies manufacturing these cards at the time would change their company name here and there, but we grade 1990 X-Force including that awesome Deadpool card. Fausto Barrionuevo So mad...have a dozen of these that have the polybag line right down the middle of the card...ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brain Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Looking forward to a Marvel Donruss Registry. I'll request one as soon as my cards are finished being graded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aman619 Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 would sending in a sealed box of cards be worth the expense? Are unopened packs being graded yet? or best to wait a few years to see how the eMarvel card slabbing progresses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 On 9/17/2022 at 10:16 PM, Aman619 said: would sending in a sealed box of cards be worth the expense? Are unopened packs being graded yet? or best to wait a few years to see how the eMarvel card slabbing progresses? You can check the Cgc website to see if they grade boxes or packs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aman619 Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 that's too easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thethedew Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Does anyone grade 'Sketch Cards' anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator CGC Mike Posted February 16, 2023 Author Administrator Share Posted February 16, 2023 Here is a message from management: we are constantly widening our non sports acceptable submissions, although currently we are only doing Marvel, Star Wars, Pokémon Topps and a few others at the moment. We plan to keep adding major categories in non-sports in the immediate future. For sketch cards, we are currently only grading pack pulled sketch cards. We hope to have in the future a method for verifying artist proofs and other sketch cards, but that is not in the immediate future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...