2023 Upper Deck Marvel Masterpieces - Dan dos Santos

[CardCollector19]

Upper Deck just posted previews on their socials. Artwork looks amazing.

Where do we think this will stack up vs previous years of Marvel Masterpieces?

[1992UDFootball]

Looks better than the last two sets.

Also appears to have more inserts and parallels.

Surely with the print run being increased means the price will come down or at least not increase exponentially, right?

[1992UDFootball]

[1992UDFootball]

[1992UDFootball]

[CardCollector19]

Thanks for posting all the photos! I love the artwork, that Domino What If and all the preserved in amber are top notch, also that mysterio is DOPE

[DynaEtch]

Wow oh wow. It's nice to see pics of the set finally.

Is it me, or does it almost look like 'futuristic' Marvel Masterpieces? At first glance I almost thought these were digitally done works of art.....but I assume they are actual paintings, and that's pretty impressive!

Some random first impressions,

Set looks a little brighter than the previous couple- and that's good.

Not sure about the base design....it's similar to 2020MM with that ribbon. I know UD feels like it has to basically encase the whole base in a ribbon for parallels, but idk, would like a more minimal design here and there.

Jubilee gets a Masterpieces card after being absent the last 3 sets

Preserved in Amber? Ughhhhhhhhhh that's a Fleer Ultra Spiderman insert, what's it doing in Masterpieces. Out of place. UD, there are still classics from 90s MM that are unused....Holoflash, Double Impact. The thing is, the art on those looks INCREDIBLE though, particularly the Black Cat. Just dont get the insert choice.

Will be interested to see more of the set. Hopefully a release date will be posted soon.

[PumpnDumpling]

Wow - what a preview!

I like the art and absolutely LOVE the design, especially the holofoils!

Will i be priced out from busting any physical....probz, but epack will likely get a few of my Aladdin's Castle tokens

[finfangfan]

This to me is the best art of the recent MM after Jusko. I agree the “ribbon” around the base art does look a bit distracting but maybe it will grow on me.

[BobCollects]

My first reaction is the artwork looks digital.


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[hychang5]

Someone posted a letter from Upper Deck saying releasing July 2023 but that doesn’t seem possible

[Gambit C10]

Artwork looks insane and per the artist's website he does oil paintings and his other art is top knotch. Assuming these are oil paintings...just wow.

I hope I don't get priced out on this.

I dislike preserved amber cards, but artwork definitely helps on these to the point that I don'tmind them. If these are the worst insert, I'm happy.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by BobCollects

My first reaction is the artwork looks digital.


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Mine as well. I mean I think they are all actual paintings, right? As in not enhanced for the card form. The art looks so clean, but I guess some painters can do that.

Originally Posted by hychang5

Someone posted a letter from Upper Deck saying releasing July 2023 but that doesn’t seem possible

I can only wish...but yea cant see that happening.

[Gambit C10]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Mine as well. I mean I think they are all actual paintings, right? As in not enhanced for the card form. The art looks so clean, but I guess some painters can do that.

Q&A from his main website. I'd imagine there may have been some digital finishing, or maybe not. Depends on what UD wanted.

Q: Are the images on your site created traditionally or digitally?

A: The vast majority of the finished illustrations you see on my site are created traditionally, using oil paints. However, I commonly use digital techniques for preliminary sketching and for revising images to suit a client's needs.

[DynaEtch]

It did not escape my notice that Battle Spectras are not just base and Gems /99 now.

There are red, green (auto?), and gold (1/1?) versions of the BSGs, like PMGs.

[BipolarBear]

Originally Posted by 1992UDFootball

Surely with the print run being increased means the price will come down or at least not increase exponentially, right?

LOL, good one!

[BipolarBear]

Any clue when presale will start?

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Gambit C10

Q&A from his main website. I'd imagine there may have been some digital finishing, or maybe not. Depends on what UD wanted.

Q: Are the images on your site created traditionally or digitally?

A: The vast majority of the finished illustrations you see on my site are created traditionally, using oil paints. However, I commonly use digital techniques for preliminary sketching and for revising images to suit a client's needs.

I will say it does looks like it could be all traditional oil paintings...he is after all sitting in front of those Cap America and Spiderman paintings in the one pic, and they look like the card images on the sell sheet. The color and the image of that Cap painting really pop.

As for the bolded....I hope UD does not eventually incorporate digital art into its MM brand. Digital coloring and so forth. It's been used in things like their SDCC gallery sets, and I believe some other sets like FUSM and so forth. The whole point of the MM series has been physical paintings, and I like it better that way (I dont know if this makes me a purist or what....just a preference of art). When I think of digital art, I think of the art from new comic books, or things like the Topps Marvel Collect digital cards...

[Findingtime]

According to his website

"This job was a massive undertaking. Every image in the Marvel Masterpieces line is required to be a hand-crafted, traditional painting"

https://www.dandossantos.com/marvel-masterpieces

[PurplesaurusRex]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Mine as well. I mean I think they are all actual paintings, right? As in not enhanced for the card form. The art looks so clean, but I guess some painters can do that.

I thought they were digital when looking on my phone. But if you look on a larger screen or monitor, you can definitely see the brush strokes.

[sandyfrank]

Looks great but I loved David Palumbo's 2020 set and art style. Seems like alot of static head shots mixed in with some more scene filled images. Palumbo's set seemed more of an artistic set but I know alot of old school Masterpieces folks didn't care for it. Bianchi's 2018 set was really cool as well, plenty of darker themed images. But that is the point of art to each his own.

My favorite 2 - the Captain America with the kids saluting the poster and the What If Domino

[DynaEtch]

I really like the Domino as well.

Isnt there an argument that New Mutants 98 wasnt her first appearance since it was the shapeshifting Copycat, and the 'real' Domino's first appearance is X-force 8 or 11? (CGC designates 11 as it, there is solid reasoning for 8).

The canvas gallery's look like they might be all up close portrait-type shots, which is appropriate for that insert. That could be a nice set to see together as a whole.

I noticed on the Beckett page the Black Cat is flipped upside down from the sell sheet.

Originally Posted by PurplesaurusRex

Yep. This is gonna be one of those sets where the whole hobby is gonna be like, 'just take my money already, UD'. Depending on print run, I'll give it a day or two on epack, and that's optimistic. I do wonder if base is still all numbered?

[PurplesaurusRex]

I really don't see the point in numbering any cards X/2000, 1500 or even 1000. I doubt it affects the long-term value that much.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by PurplesaurusRex

I really don't see the point in numbering any cards X/2000, 1500 or even 1000. I doubt it affects the long-term value that much.

Yea it really doesnt do much. What it does do at least, is keep the set limited (if base arent numbered, who knows what the print run could be), and also base on comc are individually scanned, for anyone who cares about that.

Trying to glean from the sell sheets how the print run will creep up from the 2020 print run. Assuming the number of cards in the sets are basically the same (90 base cards, etc), and out of the same serial numbers as before..both of which arent guaranteed, the following added insert sets will increase the print run from 2020 numbers-

A new green parallel....(I remember saying in a long ago thread, wouldnt it be interesting if UD added a 'magnificent green'...well looks like they did!)

2 new Canvas gallery parallels, green and pink

Battle Spectrum gems extra color variants

Preserved in amber and possible variants.

[finfangfan]

Wonder if there will be a retail version of this set as UD seems to be trying to push back into retail with recent sets?

Although it seems like most of the recent UD Marvel retail is being sold online vs brick and mortar which to me hurts the efforts to broaden the market beyond current collectors.