Can we all agree that Van Helsing is a horrible movie? It’s certainly not worthy of a set of cards. At the time, you can’t blame someone for trying. The movie promised to have tons of classic monsters. And it starred two of Hollywood’s most bankable stars at the time, Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. As a result, we got 2004 Comic Images Van Helsing trading cards.
Like most of the company’s sets, it’s plain in the way of design and content. But if there’s one saving grace, it’s the Hugh Jackman autograph, a card that’s incredibly tough to find.
The base set has 72 cards. Fronts are as plain as can be with just a full-bleed still. They make no mention of the set or manufacturer, let alone a caption. Those are saved for the back.
Autographs and MonsterPiece Costume cards are the main chase elements. Jackman is easily the best of the six autographs. Four others highlight actors who played the movie’s iconic monsters. Director Stephen Sommers also signed for the set. Beckinsale is absent. She would eventually have autograph cards as part of Leaf’s Pop Century line, but those didn’t come out until a few years later.
Four costume cards are available in packs. Jackman is on two of them while a gown worn by Beckinsale is included with a third. A fifth was offered to UK dealers as a case incentive.
All of the autographs and memorabilia cards were included in packs as redemptions. They have long since expired.
The only other inserts in the product are six Silver Foil cards inserted 1:15 packs.
2004 Comic Images Van Helsing Checklist
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Cards per pack: 7
Packs per box: 36
Shop for 2004 Comic Images Van Helsing boxes on eBay.
Base Set
72 cards.
1 Title Card
2 Van Helsing
3 Anna Valerious
4 Count Dracula
5 Frankenstein’s Monster
6 The Wolf Man
7 Friar Carl
8 Igor
9 Brides of Dracula
10 “He’s Alive!!!”
11 In League with Dracula
12 Storming the Castle
13 Evil Takes Command
14 The Burning Windmill
15 The Valerious Method
16 Trapping a Werewolf
17 No Cage Can Hold Him
18 Hero…Or Mad Killer?
19 Cornering Mister Hyde
20 Holy Warrior
21 Mission: Destroy Dracula!
22 Armed against Vampires
23 Welcome to Transylvania
24 Verona’s Victim
25 Repelling an Invasion
26 Death of a Vampire
27 The Dwergi
28 At Valerious Manor
29 Man or Wolf Man?
30 Track of the Beast
31 Werewolf at Large
32 Anna’s Bold Move
33 Evil Takes Flight
34 Confronting The Count
35 “Save Him! Save the Monster!”
36 The Diversion
37 Aleera’s Offer
38 The Masquerade Ball
39 A Slave to His Will
40 Kiss of the Vampire
41 Escaping Vilkova Palace
42 Igor’s Prisoner
43 Through a Mirror Darkly
44 On the Other Side
45 Van Helsing’s Dark Order
46 Frankenstein’s Fate
47 The key to Dracula’s Scheme
48 Showdown with Aleera
49 Female Fury
50 “Bring Me Life!”
51 A Modern Prometheus
52 The Inhuman Dynamo
53 The Final Showdown
54 Of Sorrow and Sacrifice
55 Filming “Van Helsing”
56 “Setting” Up
57 A Director’s Vision
58 Heaven’s Avenger
59 Good against Evil
60 The Master’s Wings
61 Hellbeast Horror
62 Dracula’s Alter-Ego
63 Monarch of the Undead
64 Brides of Evil
65 Deadlier than the Male
66 Hell Hath No Fury
67 Man-Made Monster
68 Fury of Frankenstein
69 Werewolf on the Prowl
70 Monster by Moonlight
71 Pygmy Bat Attack
72 Checklist
Autographs
6 cards. All distributed via redemption. Each card has its own redemption card.
HJ Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing
KO Kevin O’Connor as Igor
RR Richard Roxburgh as Count Dracula
SH Shuler Hensley as Frankenstein
SS Stephen Sommers – Director
WK Will Kemp as Wolfman
MonsterPiece Costume Cards
5 cards. All distributed via redemption.
MP UK given as a case incentive in the UK.
MP1 Hugh Jackman: Van Helsing’s Brown Jacket
MP2 Kate Beckinsale:Anna Valerious’s Masquerade Ball Red Gown
MP3 Richard Roxburg: Count Dracula’s Masquerade Ball Costume’s Cape
MP4 Hugh Jackman: Van Helsing’s Masquerade Ball Costume
MP UK Dracula’s Brides
RM Redemption Card
Silver Foil
6 cards, 1:15 packs.
C1 Van Helsing
C2 Dracula
C3 Frankenstein’s Monster
C4 Wolfman
C5 Van Helsing
C6 Van Helsing
Promo Cards
P1 Van Helsing
P2 Van Helsing, Anna Valerious
P3 Frankenstein’s Monster
