Last Action Hero was supposed to be a big deal. How many movies make use a rocket heading into space as a billboard? This one. It turns out the world was ready for dinosaurs instead of a family-friendly critique on the action genre. A blockbuster merchandise blitz takes time so there was plenty of tie-ins, including a set of 1993 Topps Last Action Hero trading cards.
It’s a largely standard release from Topps with most of the focus on the traditional base set and complimentary stickers. Showing an evolving hobby, there is one additional insert set but it’s not particularly hard to pull.
1993 Topps Last Action Hero Checklist Overview
The base set has a modest 88 cards. It works through key plot points and highlights the movie’s main characters. A few behind-the-scenes cards are also part of the checklist.
Design-wise, the layout is a fairly standard one with black borders and the film’s logo going with a still. The caption takes on the action theme, sitting inside a strip that has a fiery explosion. It draws some attention but doesn’t really add much.
Backs have a movie theatre theme, working in a moderately extensive write-up on the action. The end result is extremely busy with thick text, logos and images all vying for attention.
Although trading cards were changing in the early 1990s, Topps’ inclusion of a sticker per pack remained the same. Eleven make up the set with backs going together to make the memorable poster art. Highlighting characters without context is standard for Topps stickers. However, the tiled police card background is definitely different.
Rounding out the 1993 Topps Last Action Hero checklist are four Holo Foil cards. These land 1:18 packs or two per box.
Cancelled Comics and More Cards
In 1993, Topps was branching out into comics as well as cards. Packs mention an upcoming Last Action Hero comic adaptation. While it was in the works, it was ultimately cancelled shortly after the film failed to be a hit.
According to wrappers for the trading card set, the adaptation would have three issues, each coming with three additional exclusive cards.
1993 Topps Last Action Hero Checklist
Set size: 88 cards
Cards per pack: 9
Packs per box: 36
Base Set
88 cards.
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1 The Last Action Hero
2 One Tough Cop!
3 Danny Madigan, Movie Freak
4 A Master Gunman
5 The Movie Magician
6 King of Crime!
7 John Practice, FBI
8 Return of the Ripper
9 Like Father, Like Daughter
10 Superstar of the Screen
11 A Sea of Police Cars
12 Slater Is on the Way
13 Rooftop Rendezvous
14 The Ripper’s Revenge
15 Slater’s #1 Fan!
16 Naptime for Nick
17 Back to School
18 Jack Slater Is … Hamlet?!
19 Heads Up!
20 To Be, or Not To Be
21 A Really Bad Day
22 Ticket, Please
23 Escaping into the Movies
24 A Crack Shot
25 Frightened Frank
26 The happy Hoodlum
27 Run for It!
28 Ka-Booom!!
29 Hi-Speed Shooting
30 Blast Off!
31 A Surprise for Slater
32 Slater’s New Assignment
33 A Cartoon Cat Cop?!
34 No, Not That One
35 The Bad Guys Are In There!
36 An Eye for Crime
37 Who Talked?
38 Screaming Teen!
39 Benedict Makes His Point
40 Freeze!
41 A Dangerous Game!
42 Another World
43 The Killer in the Closet
44 A Bomb in the Body?
45 Old Friends, New Enemies
46 Trapped by a Turncoat
47 The Cop and the Kingpin
48 Split Up!
49 He Was a Good Man
50 This Man’s Not Dead!
51 Out of My Way!
52 Hands Up!
53 Hooked!
54 Into the Goo!
55 A Quick Change of Clothes
56 A New Man
57 A Change in plan
58 Benedict’s New Scheme
59 The Direct Approach
60 Danny Covers the Killer
61 I’ll Go Quietly
62 Disappearing Act
63 Into the Real World
64 The All-Nighter
65 Do Your Duty
66 The Premiere of Jack Slater IV
67 Tough Question
68 Don’t I Know You?
69 Hold It Right There!
70 The Ripper on the Run!
71 Instant Replay
72 Slater’s Showdown
73 A Dude Called Death
74 Crash Course
75 Slater’s Ticket Home
76 Words of Wisdom
77 Home Again
78 A Sad Farewell
79 Hamlet, Take One
80 A Scene at the Cinema
81 The World Premiere
82 An Explosion in Tar
83 A Watery Grave?
84 Back Seat Drivers
85 Hanging Around
86 A Poolside Funeral
87 Police in the Trees
88 The Actors Prepare
Holo Foil
4 cards.
1:18 packs.
1 Jack Slater with Hand Gun
2 Mr. Benedict
3 Jack Slater with Skull
4 Jack Slater with Machine Gun
Stickers
11 cards.
1 per pack.
1 Danny with Popcorn
2 Jack Slater Jumping
3 Ripper with Andrew
4 Jack Slater Portrait
5 Jack Slater on Horse
6 Jack Slater Whispering to Danny
7 Death
8 Danny with Nick
9 Whitney
10 Jack Slater Kneeling
11 Mr. Benedict with Gun
Promo Cards
Jack and Danny Poster Art (ticket on back)
Movie Ticket
