Valiant Comics trading cards

During the trading card boom of the early 90s, Valiant Comics, through licenses with the major trading card manufacturers, produced a number of trading card sets and promotional cards to highlight the comics and characters of the Valiant Universe.

Valiant Era Card Set

Valiant Era was the name of two subsequent sets of trading cards depicting characters and events from Valiant Comics produced by Upper Deck through their Pyramid line. Individual packs sold for approximately $2.95 each. The cards featured cover art from the existing Valiant comic books on the card fronts and short story synopsis on the backs.

Valiant Era Series 1

The Valiant Era Series 1 card set, which came out in 1993, featured 120 regular cards and 20 chase cards.
*Nine "First Appearance" cards (1:12 packs);
*Nine "Unseen Art Foil" cards (1:12 packs);
*One "Special - Art of Joe Quesada" which featured a foil version of the cover to X-O Manowar #0 by Joe Quesada (1:108 packs);
*One "Valiant Era Commemorative Hologram" featuring the Pyramid logo on the card front and text on the card back that reads "The Upper Deck Company Presents Pyramid. The new standard of excellence in entertainment cards. This card commemorates the inaugural Pyramid Product: The Valiant Era. A Trading Card History of the Valiant Universe July 1993".

Each box of cards contained 36 packs of 8 cards and contained approximately 2.35 common sets of basic cards per box if collation were perfect.

Additionally, the set was preceded by two types of promotional cards.

*An advance preview card showcasing the quality of the up coming card set. The advance preview card features that same art as card #73 of the basic card set.
*A set of 30 different "Comic Con" cards advertising the card set and the Upper Deck booth at the 1993 Comic Con. The card fronts feature art from the upcoming card set and the back text reads "Welcome 1993 ComicCon Attendees. The Upper Deck Company proudly presents PYRAMID, the new standard in entertainment cards. Please stop by The Upper Deck Company/Pyramid booth for new product information".

Valiant Era Series 2

The card art for the second series continued where the first series had left off, featuring cover art from the comic books that had been released since the last series of cards. Because of this the Valiant Era Series 2 basic card set starts with card #121 (Series 1 ended with card #120).

The Valiant Era Series 2 card set, which came out in 1993, featured 140 regular cards (including a 10 card subset entitled "Valiant Specials") and 27 chase cards.
*Nine "First Appearance" cards (1:12 packs);
*Nine "Promotional Art" cards (1:12 packs);
*Eight "Electric Oversized" cards which were oversized foil prism cards featuring some of the most well known Valiant comic book covers i.e. Rai #9, X-O Manowar #0, Bloodshot #0 etc. (1 per box as box toppers);
*One "Holoview X-O Manowar" card featuring X-O Manowar in a new hologram technique.(1:108 packs).

Each box of cards contained 36 packs of 8 cards and contained approximately 2.01 common sets of basic cards per box if collation were perfect.

Additionally, the set was preceded by four types of promotional cards.

*An advance preview card showcasing the quality of the up coming card set. The advance preview card features that same art as card from the basic card set (cover of Ninjak #1 by Joe Quesada).
*A four card promo sheet detailing the specifics of the upcoming card set. The promo sheet measures 7" x 10-1/4" and was included in a copy of Previews Magazine.
*A set of 36 different "Thank You" cards advertising the card set. The cards were distributed randomly at Comic Conventions in 1994 and also inserted in Triton Magazine #5, making a complete set hard to come by. The card fronts feature art from the upcoming card set and the back text reads "THANK YOU Comic Card Collector from The Upper Deck Company. PYRAMID, Setting the standard of excellence in entertainment cards. Coming Soon: More New and Outstanding Pyramid products.".
*An uncut sheet of 4 "Holoview X-O Manowar" cards measuring 12.5" x 17.75". The text on the back reads "PYRAMID BY THE UPPER DECK COMPANY COMMEMORATES THE 1994 RETAILER SEMINAR. THANK YOU FROM CAPITAL CITY COMIC RETAILERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT"

VP Cards

The marketing of the Valiant Era Series 2 card set was connected to the release of new issues of comic books. The following "Valiant Era Bonus" cards were not part of the Series 2 set and were saddlebagged in the 14 comic book issues as noted below. The "Valiant Era Bonus" cards Each card was numbered VP 1-14 featured art from the covers of the 14 issues that were published 2 months prior (immediately after the Valiant Era Series 2 card set ends). In that way the "Valiant Era Bonus" cards continue the theme of the Valiant Era Series 1 and 2 sets.

Originally the 14-card set could be sent to Valiant Comics and redeemed for a set of six "Valiant Era Bonus Chromium Cards" each depicting comic covers. Later Chromium #7 was inserted in Ninjak Issue #13 and gave a checklist for the "Rampage" comic story line.

Checklist

*VP1 Magnus card inseted in Secret Weapons #9
*VP2 Rai card inserted in X-O Manowar #28
*VP3 Archer and Armstrong card inserted in Turok #11
*VP4 Shadowman card inserted in Ninjak #4
*VP5 Eternal Warrior card inserted in Bloodshot #16
*VP6 H.A.R.D. Corps card inserted in Harbinger #29
*VP7 Harbinger card inserted in H.A.R.D. Corps #18
*VP8 Ninjak card inserted in Shadowman #25
*VP9 Secret Weapons card inserted in Magnus Robot Fighter #36
*VP10 Second Life of Dr. Mirage card inserted in Solar #33
*VP11 Turok card inserted in Archer and Armstrong #22
*VP12 X-O Manowar card inserted in Rai and the Future Force #21
*VP13 Bloodshot card inserted in Eternal Warrior #22
*VP14 Solar card inserted in Second Life of Dr. Mirage #7

Magnus Robot Fighter

Inserted into each issue of Magnus Robot Fighter, from issue #1 through issue #8, were three trading cards by various artists (Steve Ditko, Marc Silvestri, Andy Kubert, Jean Giraud aka Moebius, Adam Hughes, Joe Kubert etc.) and a coupon. Each card featured a different character in the Magnus and Valiant Universe including Tekla, Leeja and Rai - The appearance of Rai on the trading card was in fact Rai's first appearance.

The coupons could be collected and sent into Valiant Comics to redeem a copy of Magnus #0 which itself included a trading card, by Barry Windsor-Smith. A version of Magnus #0 was later offered to retailers who ordered a certain number of Magnus books but this version did not contain the Barry Windsor-Smith trading card.

The Magnus trading cards were later offered as an uncut sheet that was limited to 400 pieces. The uncut sheet has a black Magnus Robot Fighter logo in the center. There is also a poster available, which is not printed on cardstock, and has a red Magnus Robot Fighter logo in the center.

Checklist

*1 Magnus by Barry Windsor-Smith (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #0 mail away version)
*2 Rattle-Rob by Marc Silvestri (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #4)
*3 Bunda the Great by Bob Hall (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #8)
*4 Danae and her Neo-Animals by Steve Leialoha (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #2)
*5 Dr. Lazlo Noel by Bret Blevins (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #8)
*6 Elzy by Josef Rubinstein (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #5)
*7 Giant-Rob from Planet X by Rick Leonardi (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #3)
*8 H-8 Joe Kubert (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #1)
*9 Leeja Clane and Senator Zeramiah Clane (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #7)
*10 Magnus by Jean Giraud aka Moebius (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #6)
*11 Malev-6 by Adam Hughes (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #8)
*12 Mekman by Jose Delbo (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #7)
*13 Mogul Badur by Mike Harris (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #7)
*14 Nadmot by Adam Kubert (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #5)
*15 1-A by Paris Cullins and Bob Layton (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #6)
*16 The Outsiders by Kevin Nowlan (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #5)
*17 Pert Doner and Friends by Terry Austin (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #1)
*18 Rai by Art Nichols (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #4)
*19 Slagger by Michael Golden (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #3)
*20 T-1 by Dave Hoover (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #3)
*21 Talpa by Steve Ditko (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #6)
*22 Tekla by Bob Layton (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #4)
*23 V'ril Trent by Stan Drake (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #2)
*24 Xyrkol by Andy Kubert (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #2)
*25 Zypex and the Mini Robs by Paul Gulacy (included in Magnus Robot Fighter #1)