Publications

Non-Sport Update - The current issue details Topps' Empire Strikes Back 3-D, which debuted in May.  Also, Heroes Archives by Rittenhouse Archives captures the ensemble cast of the popular NBC series.  Finally, Breygent Marketing offers Classic Sci-Fi Horror Collector Cards Series 2 that reproduces vintage movie posters from the motion picture genre.

The Wrapper - To subscribers, The Wrapper is a House of Cards, however its legacy throughout its 30-year history cannot be considered unstable.  The paper's structure grew slowly, brick by brick.  Each brick is comprised of knowledgeable editorial content along with interesting graphic designs. Loyal readers provide the mortar of community.

Card Collectors Conventions

Philly Non-Sport Show - In May 2009, Philly celebrated its 50th event dating back to 1984.  The semi-annual show, now located at the Merchants Square Mall in Allentown, Pa., hosts an im- pressive array of guest artists, hobby manufacturers and vendors dealing in both vintage and contemporary collectibles.

Philly Show staff     promo (2002)

Chicagoland Entertainment Collector's Expo - The CECE is the Midwest's only non-sport trading card event.  

CECE 10th Anniver-      sary promo card 

Hobby Activities, Card Shrines and Forums

Allender's House of Checklists - This tremendous repository of non-sport card titles includes selected classic sets such as Mars Attacks and nearly every major and limited-release contemporary trading card product.  It remains the Internet's most useful tool in identifying that illusive chase card from the master set you're working on.

(1962)

Amok Times Online Newsletter - A massive site that covers all Star Trek card sets past and present, with news of upcoming releases worldwide.  Features include new card finds and a comprehensive checklist guide for most, if not all, Trek sets.  The site's webmaster maintains a fan-based message/bulletin board.

Brands (1967)

Card Talk - Non-Sport Update's forum boasts over 3,000 members and has been functioning for 10 years.

The Dinosaur Fan - The prehistoric creatures have preoccupied many trading card producers since the 1920s.  The Fan's webmaster has built an extremely interesting site with animated graphic wipes that switch from scan to scan.  A listing of companies that have produced dino-cards over the decades is surprisingly extensive.

(1961)

Webjon.com -  A colleague at Non-Sport Update conceived this blog several years ago and includes en- tertaining graphics and well thought out insights regarding the trading card hobby.  Includes reviews of entertainment/collectible shows such as Wizard World, and The Chicagoland Entertainment Collectors Expo.

Star Wars Trading Cards - Forum for Star Wars enthusiasts.

Topps (1978)

Vintage Non-Sport Cards - An online forum for collectors who discuss issues dealing with pre-1970 material.

Horrors of War #240        (1938)

John Mann's Wacky Packages Page - Here is the oldest compilation of Wacky lore on the Internet.  Images of  the initial 1967 Topps die-cut series through the final issue in 1991 comprise the bulk of this Web.  Pages also contain scans of original sketches submitted to Topps by Jay Lynch, as well as new illustrations by other artists based on the Wacky premise.  Research includes the actual product names Topps parodied -- packaging that, in many cases, no longer exists.

For the advanced collector

Altered and Doctored Cards - In- valuable source material of identify- ing reconstructed vintage cards by trimming, crease and stain removal, artificial aging and other methods  used by professional "card doctors." 

Topps Archives - A blog delving into the history of numerous Topps releases from its earliest history through the 1970s.  Data include insights into production methods, release scarcity and informed speculations on Topps merchandise.  The sports collecting hobby domin- ates this Web, however an interesting lineup of non-sport topics can be found here.