11.20.04 Upcoming plans by Upper Deck for Vs. System

"Hey Frank ... watch where you poke that thing!"

A couple of us from Pojo.com were lucky enough to attend "Media Day" at Upper Deck's HQ this past Tuesday. 

I did my best to take a lot of notes.  Maybe you've seen some of this on other sites, and maybe I have some new News for you here as well.  This news is in no particular order.  It's in the order it was presented to us.  ;-)

• There are 6 new Marvel Action Figures (Series 8) on the market now.  The action figures in this series are:  Iron Man, Captain America, Storm, Man Thing, Doc Ock and Ice Man.  Each figure comes with a Vs. Trading Card.  The cards are commons with variant art. Ex:  Iron Man's comes with "Cover Fire" variant art. 
   
• May 2005 - UDE will be making Batman Begins (the movie) Trading Cards.  (Not Vs. Cards).  But Trading Card packs will have one Vs. card in each pack with variant art of existing Batman cards.
   
• There will be Batman Begins Vs. Preview Set in Easter of 2005.  Batman related Vs. cards will have Live Action Movie images on the Vs. Cards.
   
• There will be some Vs. tie-ins with the Fantastic 4 Movie as well, but these details aren't ironed out as of yet.
   
• There will be some Vs. tie-ins with the Batman animated series in 2005 as well.
   
• Feb. 2005 Marvel Knights Vs. Expansion in 2005 will feature - Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider, Blade, Punisher, Dracula and more.  New cards for X-Men, Fantastic 4, and the Spider-Firends.

• There will be a Sneak Preview tourney for Marvel Knights
   
• Marvel Knights Product info:
  14 card booster packs
  220 card set (for improved drafts double the # of common cards)
   
• May 2005 - "Green Lantern Corps." Expansion
  14 card packs - 220 cards, double the commons (just like Marvel Knights).  Features: Green Lantern, Anti-matter Universe, Batman, Teen Titans, Fearsome Five
   
• Set Rotation is not known yet.  UDE said there probably will not be any "set rotation" until 2006.
   
• March 2005 - Batman (Revised) Starter, containing two 26 card decks.  The cards will not be too powerful.  Cards will feature all new artwork though.  (Variant art & Unique game cards) All Tourney legal.
   
• June 2005 - Fantastic Four Starter deck.  Same as the Batman Starter Concept mentioned above
   
• August 2005 - Avengers Booster expansion, with Alex Ross Packaging Art
   
• November 2005 - JLA Booster expansion, with Alex Ross Packaging Art again
   
• Holiday 2005 - Marvel & DC tins, similar to 2004's
   
• The next 5 pro circuit stops are: L.A.; Amsterdam; NY, Indy & L.A.
   
• There will be NO MORE 1st Ed. cards starting with Marvel Knights.  They have been deemed unnecessary
   
• UDE is trying to improve collation with new sets.  New software is being used at the plant.
   
• UDE has discussed giving out Vs. cards at the Batman movie - No decision from WB yet.  There are also discussions to include Vs. cards in DVD of Elektra & Blade. 
   
• There was some talk about a Commish Gordon extended art card that I didn't quite follow
   
• The Gen Con SoCal $10k event will be kind of unique.  Players will have to pick either DC or Marvel Vs. cards.
  Then play the tournament.  Finals will be DC vs Marvel.  The winner doubles the prize pool for those on his side of the fence. 

R. Hyrum Savage showing off one of his cool Vs. cards
in his office.  Aside from all these UDE guys working
an office that more resembles a Dungeon, it looks like
a fun place to work!