2008 Topps Heroes Volume 1 is a hit-or-miss proposition where it seems every other box yields a secondary character’s uniform. However you might also find an autograph from one of the main cast members or a sketch card from Tim Sale, the comic-themed show’s primary artist.
To get a grasp on the scope of the show, look no further than the character profile cards. There’s 23 of them. And we’re not talking “second bystander from the left” here either. Each character in Heroes plays an important role in the threads of the first season. I was impressed to see such depth shown in this set.
Cards 25 through 72 recap the first season episodes. Although the backs have a pop art feel to them and lots of information, I wasn’t too impressed with the quality of the images on the card fronts. Many are blurry, murky or grainy. Given that this is a visual show, it really doesn’t do Heroes justice.
Much better are the nine cards that showcase Tim Sale’s art used in the show. These cards are sharp and show the possibilities that Heroes could have as an art-based extension set like Star Wars Galaxy or Lord of the Rings Masterpieces.
Eight special effects cards, a header card and a checklist round out the 90-card 2008 Topps Heroes Volume 1 base set. I got one full set and 69 doubles out of my box, which was just fine to me.
Topps has gone all out in offering autographs, memorabilia cards and sketch cards. It might seem a little overboard considering that it’s just the first set of the license and that should be enough to sell itself without a bunch of gimmicks. However by inserting only one of the three in each box, there is a decent chance that all except the plentiful Matt Parkman police uniform should hold some value long-term. I was really hoping for an autograph and that’s exactly what I got – Jack Coleman as Noah Bennett, the character with probably one of the best overall stories in the entire first season. While I haven’t been a big fan of sticker autographs and still don’t prefer them, Topps is doing a good job incorporating the sticker into the design aspect now. The silver sticker actually makes the signature pop out more, particularly with the dark background.
I also received eight foil cards in my 2008 Topps Heroes Volume 1 box. They’re a set of ten according to the numbering but there is no mention of them on the wrapper. Unfortunately one of my foil cards was bent and creased and will require a mail back to Topps, something that seems to be happening with a lot of my purchases lately.
Overall this is a solid first effort from Topps. While the four-month delay seems like it was a little long, I’m sure that Topps had its reasons, especially given the Writer’s Strike that has likely cut the second season in half. In an article I wrote for Non-Sport Update previewing 2008 in the hobby, the company rep I spoke to hoped for two additional Heroes sets in the coming year. Although I hopes it’s not too much of a good thing too quickly, I look forward to seeing where this license goes.
2008 Topps Heroes Volume 1 Box Breakdown:
Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 7
Total cards: 168
Cards in set: 90
Singles: 90
Doubles: 69
Triples+: 0
Inserts: 9
- Autographs (1:135): 1 (Jack Coleman as Noah Bennett)
- Sketch Cards (1:86): 0
- Memorabilia Cards (1:44): 0
- Foil Cards: 8 (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)
