A Quick Peek: 2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: Empire Strikes Back

In 2013 Topps released Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope, a set based on the NPR radio broadcast from the 1981. There were three Star Wars radio broadcasts between 1981 through 1996 and they each built on the original trilogy (A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) adding to the storyline.

Topps is set to continue their Illustrated line with the Empire Strikes Back movie with the release of 2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: Empire Strikes Back later this week on April 29th. Like the Illustrated: A New Hope release each box will contain 24 packs (@$100/box) but the pack out will be better. Each box will contain 10 parallels, 30 inserts and 2 hits.

There will be three different base card parallels not counting the artist autograph version; Purple (1:3 packs), Bronze (1:12 packs) and Gold (#/10).

 

The inserts are:

One Year Earlier (1:2 packs)- 15 card checklist; shows what was happening one year before Empire Strikes Back was released

Movie Poster Artist Interpretations (1:3 packs)- 10 card checklist; illustrators show their interpretations of the  Empire Strikes Back poster

The Mission: Capture Skywalker (1:8 packs)- 12 card checklist; outlines a major storyline and the hunt to capture Like Skywalker

Embossed Carbonite Character (1:12 packs)- 8 card checklist; foil cards that combine to create a specific scene from the radio broadcast

 

There are four different types of hits, which will come two per box
Sketch cards, three different types:

 Base Sketch Cards

 Panorama Sketch Cards- Double sized sketch cards

Sketchagraphs- Sketch cards signed by the actor who played the role

Artist Autographs- Base card parallel signed by the artist who created the art

 

Film Cell Relics- An original frame from the Empire Strikes Back movie

Printing Plates

 
With the New Hope set doing so well I was expecting this set to come along and I am glad to see that Topps followed through. At this point I am betting that Jedi is already on the drawing board and will probably hit the shelves by 2016 if not late 2015. Like other Star Wars sets you can expect a positive response from fans.