Card Trader Illuminerdy

Good Food, Banana Milkshakes, and Hollywood Stock Exchange Jun 25, 2021

Another day, another episode. Rhett is back into trading stocks on Hollywood Stock Exchange after a 20 year haitus. With the US opening back up, Michael gets back out into the world a little, visiting two of his old favorite lunch spots back to back. Michael shares how he once made Ernie Hudson cry. We discuss the progressive nature of the roles of Tom Hanks. But then, real controversy: Bananas in milkshakes. Thanks for listening!

Card Trader Mixed Drinks & Mischief May 26, 2021

If you've been missing discussion of collective nouns, hyper-local references you have no chance of recognizing, and two of three guys attempting to navigate the Star Wars Card Trader app for the first time in years, then today is your lucky day. Join us, Tommy, Rhett, and award-nominated podcast host Michael, as we hit record for a while and talk.

Bonus online-only content: Recipe for Michael's cocktail, the CTWhy:

1 part, vodka
Number of parts of your choosing, Dwayne Johnson's energy drink

Enjoy!

The Rise of Skywalker, Spoiled - a.k.a.: The Last Card Trader Feb 22, 2020

Well, this is it. The last of the Skywalker saga has come and gone. We go over what the advance crowd-sourced info on Reddit got right (all of it), and wax poetic about our takes on what it all means as an end to a story that has had such an impact on our lives. We compare and contrast what's happening in Star Wars with what's happening in Star Trek, including hashing out the start of the Picard series. As far as Star Wars Card Trader, we're so far removed from it now that it doesn't seem to make sense to even pretend that's what this is about. So let us know if you still want to hear from us, and we'll see if we can't find something else for the "CT" in CT Illuminerdy to stand for. Thanks as always for listening!

**The Rise of Skywalker Preview Spectacular** Dec 17, 2019
A beloved franchise, with a new historically significant episode, years in the making. An episode not without controversy, both in what's come before and what may lie ahead. Yes, it's another edition of this podcast, where we discuss an upcoming movie. We don't discuss any leaked The Rise of Skywalker spoilers or rumored spoilers, but if you've even avoided the official trailers, or cast list, or any publicity, we do mention one character that you might not automatically assume would have a presence. We discuss The Mandolorian as well, including some of the characters and dialogue up through the 6th episode, so consider yourself spoiler-warned on that as well. Also, trigger warning if you have aversions to discussion of kitten viscera, and/or the new build of the SWCT app. Other than that, it's the CTI you know and love...thanks as always for listening, and a special thanks to those who check in telling us they want to hear more...Michael's finely-honed indifference is vulnerable to the voices of the people.

**Star Wars Card Trader 4th Anniversary Special** Mar 21, 2019
It's been 4 years since the TOPPS Star Wars Card Trader app was unleashed upon the world. Since it's the reason we're here as a podcast, we give it its due. Rhett literally phones in the episode, accidentally doubling as our "from the WWII front lines" correspondent.
We discuss cards that have been under represented in the app:
- "Capes of Calrissian": when will we get this set?
- Lack of baby Ewok cards: only seen in classic art that we could find.
- Abandonment of Lott Dod base cards
- Poggle rainbow check-in (spoiler: not going well)
Other Star Wars things we're liking:
- The two-foot Super Star Destroyer expansion for the Star Wars: Armada miniatures game
- Hasbro's massive Jabba's Sail Barge
- Michael shares how he was moved to tears by the new novel, Queen's Shadow. We conjecture the collective noun for a group of handmaiden ("tale").
We also discover there are a lot of characters in the Star Wars universe that have double-g in their names.

Pig Latin Character Names and Real-life Totsicles Jul 28, 2018

"This episode has more fan service than Solo".
Topics include:
- Real-life totsicles
- When will we see a set of cards based on card trading podcasts?
- Highlights magaine
- Deleting 20,000 tweets...and if it's possible to keep tweets deleted on a rolling basis
- State of the studio discussion and speculation about Lucasfilm
- The Last Jedi characters as seen in the SWCT TLJ Characters set

SPOILERS: Post-Solo Debrief May 25, 2018

Warning! This discussion is full-on Solo spoilers. Rhett, Michael, and Tommy are joined by Earl, recording right after we saw Solo in the birthday party room of the movie theater. Bonus attendee DaveSecura walks in mid-way through and sticks around even though he hadn't seen it yet(!). We stay remarkably on topic...for us, thanks to Earl's valiant efforts. Even though it typically went back to going around in circles about how to say "Enfys Nest". What did you think of the movie? Or are you like Dave, and just like to listen to spoiler-filled discussions of movies you haven't seen? Let us know!

Pre-Solo May 21, 2018

With summer fast approaching, what better way to beat the oncoming heat than a new episode recorded when it was still winter? Complete with current-event jokes riffing on Trump being spanked with a magazine (remember that?) and discussion of the untimely passing of The Cranberries' lead singer Delores Rearden. We come up with a reality show pitch: having the lead signer of a band fend off newcomers. Also: scarf-wearing and best steaks. And finally a resolution to the cliffhanger of Michael's missing Poggle card. Most importantly, and actually timely, we discuss our feelings in advance of seeing Solo.

**Exclusive Interview: Post-Crystal-Flood Craziness** Jan 06, 2018
With Topps accidentally flooding people's accounts with millions of crystals, temporarily shutting practically all of the app's store, it raises many questions about what happens behind the scenes that leads to mistakes like it. We were able to interview someone that we hoped could give some insight. Rhett unfortunately was not able to join us until after the interview, but weighs in with his perspective on the fiasco. As a bonus, after we think we've wrapped, Michael discovers that there's a Heritage Poggle card, and a Taun We card for Rhett, and they start cracking packs like it's 2015.

**The Last Jedi Spoiler Debrief** Dec 16, 2017
We saw the movie and had to get our thoughts aired. Joining us this week, possibly from the 1940s, is our friend Earl, who some of our listeners may recognize from The Deucecast Movie Show. Don't listen if you haven't seen the movie. Even if you don't care about it being spoiled, it just won't make any sense. Maybe that's par for the course, though. We give a teat-count, coin the phrase Constable Zuvio-ed, and wax philosophical about the direction and tone of the movie as it compares to The Force Awakens. Enjoy!

**Last Jedi Holiday Spectacular** Dec 14, 2017
It's that time of year...grab your box of Canto Bites to snack on and head to the theater! Michael's under the weather, but that's not stopping us from getting out an episode. In no particular order:
- Cats that look like Wilford Brimley
- Chickens as pets
- How saving a wild rabbit could work
- What's fun to chase in the app
- App woes
- Rian Johnson said to be heading up a new trilogy
- How do the Praetorian Guards see out of their masks?
- What if anything you put in your will had to be carried out?
- Sweet potato tots
- Who talked Lucas into selling LucasFilm for just $4 billion?
See you at the movies!

**Happy Halloween!** Oct 27, 2017
Where do you get more bacteria exposure? Hotels? Airplanes? Movie theaters? Which condiments work to be consumed standalone? We address these questions and more, including coverage of raclette, and pickled foods.
We give the app some love, too. Rhett's spending is ramping up, which he's working to keep under control. He's working on completing most of the parallels of the Underworld set, and looking forward to the low-count overall award. Tommy hasn't been able to log in. And for what is probably the most exciting news of the week, Michael won an original sketch from Topps in their porg contest!

Happy Force Friday II Sep 01, 2017

Happy Force Friday II. Here's an episode to enjoy while trying not to drown in the endless retail porg-sea. Rhett gives a post-eclipse debrief, having driven to view totality. We discuss Star Trek transporters: how do they work? We compare and contrast Blizzard customer service with Topps
Series 5: we're overall not enjoying the aesthetics yet, and wanting more cards with named characters. Michael asks: how is there is no Sleazebaggano card after all this time?
The aftershow catches up on the latest of Zamphyr, and more importantly, Esteban. We hash out a good screenplay pitch based on him, and, even more viably, reality show.

Crystals, Obi Wan movie rumblings, Series 5 previews, Eclipse Aug 21, 2017

A new episode with lots to cover, both in-app and out. Not official yet, but we talk about the probably Obi Wan standalone movie. In-app, we discuss the new pay-only currency, Crystals, and what we've seen so far of the look of Series 5. Also, of course, happy eclipse day; hopefully you're able to get a glimpse of it where you are. But safely! We do not officially recommend using your 3D glasses from The Phantom Menace to stare at it.

2-for-1 Guy, British Monarchy, Logo Contest Aug 13, 2017

Logo contest: we want your logo submissions! If yours is chosen, you get a complete Commemorative set. Contact via Twitter DM, @CT_Illuminerdy. If you're not on Twitter, 1-1 LeftyTheHutt about it in the app.
We toss around some new card trading app ideas. MTV VJs? World leaders? Imagine hoarding Margaret Thatcher or Manuel Noriega. Michael shares some breaking news about the Queen of England -- she is abdicating her throne due to illness...according to the tabloid Michael saw at the grocery store.
Rhett's enjoying trading, and especially enjoys those who offer any of their inserts in exchange for any two. We discuss what we're chasing, and how we're chasing it.

**Rhett's Back in the App** Jul 21, 2017
As seen on Twitter, the Kenner marathon set has done it -- pulled Rhett back in the app. He hasn't taken out a second mortgage on his house (yet), but he's not F2P, either. Will it last?
Also, we discuss tattoo technology, and some of us are looking forward to My Little Pony: The Movie. For the kids, of course.

What's in a name? Jul 19, 2017

An NSA contractor who was arrested for leaking confidential information happened to be named Reality Winner. Does a person's name lead to a certain Destiny, or is it just being born in a socioeconomic environment where a name is common that makes it so?
What's available at the modern public library? Rhett's opinion of them moves from indifferent to hostile. And then does the same with rural volunteer fire departments.
Michael's bought into the Star Wars: Destiny collectible (physical) card and dice game, and he and Rhett have gotten to play.
Rhett still hadn't been in the app when we recorded this, just before the Hasbro inserts dropped. But that changed after they did...stay tuned for the next exciting episode!

**Star Wars Plot Twists, Star Wars: Destiny** Jul 04, 2017
Happy birthday, America! Seems like as good a time as any to release an episode.
Rhett cracks some Star Wars packs! Not Card Trader, but Star Wars: Destiny. A card and dice game that he's keen to recruit Michael into playing as well.
We discuss remote controls. Is a fake remote a good place to hide valuables? I.e., would it be taken in a robbery? Day-to-day, is the remote the most valuable item in the home?
Michael shares his new hoard in the app: credits. Not towards any purpose, just the most interesting thing for him to chase at the moment.
We also discuss the upcoming Star Wars movies, and the obsession in the Star Wars universe and fandom with plot twists.
Contest results not discussed in this episode, but are forthcoming!

May the Fourth Be With You May 04, 2017

May the fourth be with you...it's a good excuse to release a new episode. In this one we ask a lot of questions.
We go over the May the 4th bundle sales in the app, and are they good enough to tempt Rhett to update his app and open it? 105K credits for $4.99 is a phenomenal deal, and Rhett is quick to ask why would buy the 300K bundle for $24.99. And quicker still to call them an idiot.
What legitimate businesses are depicted in the Star Wars films? Cantina, Jettster's Diner, Watto's shop, the bar where Obi-Wan talks to the death sticks kid...and? Canata's Castle?
What local law enforcement is depicted in the Star Wars films? Is Bespin's ships private security? Is Naboo palace guard local law enforcement? Does Constable Zuvio actually appear in The Force Awakens?
What was the last line of toys that you worked on collecting as a child?
What fast food restaurant brings you shame? That is, the cup from what restaurant do you try to avoid carrying back with you from lunch into your workplace so others won't know that you ate there? This leads to a long discussion of Krystal, and how it may or may not compare and contrast with White Castle.
Tommy critiques the missing Star Wars sound effects in the new version of the app, especially compared to the great work that was recently done in the Batter Up game in the Bunt app.

Is it actually physically possible to consume as many beers in a day as Wade Boggs has [allegedly] claimed (107)?
What's your favorite Prokofiev piece? Rhett's: Battle on the Ice from Alexander Nevsky. Tommy's: Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet.
And the most important question: Have you entered our giveaway contest? Leave us a review on iTunes to enter!

Meeting Topps, post-Celebration glow, and a Giveaway May 02, 2017

After our last mini-episode, we come back with a whopper. An exciting opening, with Tommy on the road and a technical snag all in the first 7 minutes, but full steam ahead after that. Some points of discussion, definitely not in this order:
-We're having a legit giveaway: Leave us a review on iTunes before the end of the month to be in the running for a pack containing the SWCT Orlando-exclusive Stormtrooper insert, and physical Card Trader Illuminerdy swag physically mailed to you!
-We got to meet Topps! It took some tracking them down, but we not only met with Topps Digital's Emily, but also some fellow Star Wars Card Traders.
-App talk: A new Poggle card! Sets being chased: Fan's Choice, Might of the Empire, Attitude, Widevision
-Other convention talk: a discussion of the new Star Wars location as a "major hub in the pre-lightspeed travel era" has Rhett questioning how that would be possible. He also questions whether there will be any opportunities for...private character encounters, say, with a Kiminoan.
-Tommy talks about running into The Last Jedi actress Kelly Marie Tran.
-Michael discusses the art of standing in line for 6 hours for merchandise.
Misc:
-Is there too much content in the world? Is it even possible to consume everything that's officially canon for even your favorite B or C-level
-500 million hours of Adam Sandler movies watched on Netflix: are people out of things to watch, or is that just what people really want to watch?
-What was the first reality show? This Old House? Remote Control?
-Rhett shares memories of fan fic on theforce.net forums involving a Dragonball Z / Star Wars characters on Earth mashup, to which he and other members recorded "radio drama"-style recordings.
-What is it going to take to be able to watch Billy Ocean's "Loverboy" video on MTV again?

Food:
-Why can't I pick up a bag of crisp chicken skins in the chip aisle?
-Michael somehow got a hold of the upcoming summer special red-white-blue Mountain Dew flavor: Mountain DEW.S.A.
TL/DR: Giveaway winner selected from iTunes reviews at the end of May

For the Many, a Mini...Episode Apr 12, 2017

Rhett forgot we were supposed to record. Tommy didn't know Michael was recording the conversation about Rhett forgetting. But even though only one of us was intentionally podcasting, we still had more actual Star Wars Card Trader discussion than there's been in who knows how long. The rest of the conversation centers around the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando this weekend. If you'll be there Friday, look out for a familiar aquatic mammal on a t-shirt. Enjoy, and we'll see you on the other side of the con!

The Nature of the Force Mar 17, 2017

We discuss in-depth the nature of the Force; does it have a will of its own, and use beings to achieve it? Or is it purely something passive to be tapped into to bend to one's own will? Did Shmi really conceive through the Force itself or someone manipulating it, or was there just not good sex education for slaves on Tatooine? Rhett floats his theory on Rey's parentage and how they will reveal it...no fear of spoilers on this one.
Michael announces a contest of sorts for those who will be attending Star Wars Celebration in Orlando.
Rhett discusses how changing his iTunes funding source from a credit card to a debit card has made him less interested in geting back into the app...after having spent freely enough to pull whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it, how could a smaller budget of credits feel as much fun to pull with? Especially if trading is not enjoyable to you?
Is Slingblade a comedy? Is deer hunting a sport? What's the collective noun for a group of deer? For a group of Ewoks? We discuss the ramifications of Lumpy from the Star Wars Holiday Special now being canon.

30 Pack Fans Choice pull, Space Camp Aviation Challenge Feb 23, 2017

Michael's back in the Star Wars Card Trader app, adding a thin veneer of legitimacy back to our podcast. Tommy spends hundreds of thousands and 30 packs to pull a Fans Choice (with a 0.12% chance of that happening, it's his luckiest pull in the app). Rhett is in awe of the amazing things people can do from watching "People are awesome" compilations on YouTube. We discuss Chuck Yeager and Harrison Ford's current flight careers. Rhett discusses his experience with the flight sim software Falcon 4.0 (37 minutes), and how it led him to dominating an Aviation Challenge camp, part of the Space Camp at Huntsville, AL, even heads-up against an experienced fighter pilot. Rhett did, however, lost to this 70-year-old veteran in a foot race. He also shares how another campers narcolepsy factored into his experience (45 minutes).

"Survive" App Review, Rhett's Billions, Collective Nouns Feb 04, 2017

Nominations are up for Star Wars Podcast Awards! Nominate here!
Michael still can't get logged back into Star Wars Card Trader, so he shares his experience with a game that he's tried in the mean time: Survive - Wilderness Survival. Who knew "Wilderness Simulation" was a genre? Also, we discuss what we'd do if we had unlimited money at our disposal. And as bonus, we dig into collective nouns, starting with Jedi: what should a group of them be called? A gullible? A blind?

New Year, Micro Resolutions, Rogue One Jan 18, 2017

We come out of the gate strong in 2017! We don't have the theme music working, and thanks to Michael's micro resolution, he can't actually log into SWCT. His goal, though, is to stay with SWCT, and stay free-to-play, leaving behind the other apps. He's still the Poggle guy. Rhett still hasn't opened the app, and Tommy is not chasing much, but there's a new Star Wars movie to discuss, and other things, including Nashville Hot Chicken. Enjoy!

Base 4, Eclairs, Open Seating, Menudo Dec 15, 2016

At one time, Rhett out-pulled and out-spent almost all of us, and he knew all the cards like the back of his hand. Now, it's been so long since he's even opened the app that he hasn't even seen Base 4, so we spend time describing to him what the Base 4 cards look like: the parallels, and the variety of characters and ships that the cards feature. In a similar fashion, we also spend some time describing to Michael what an eclair is. We compare and contrast our excitement for Rogue One vs. The Force Awakens. Michael reminisces about Happy Panda's schezwan beef in Portland, Oregon. Rhett rails against open seating floor plans at an office. And we hash out a spec script for a caper film involving a fake Menudo tour bus used try to drive safely through Mexico.

Kick vs. Skate Oct 29, 2016

We break tradition and discuss heretofore verboten Topps apps as Rhett poses a hypothetical question: which would you be more likely to download first: Kick or Skate? Bunt, too, gets some air time, as the World Series is underway. And SWCT is not forgotten; we discuss the handling of the introduction of Base 4. In the post-show Michael and Rhett talk about their experience hosting a few panels at a local con.

Cards as Coded Communication Oct 26, 2016

Rhett has a man-cold, but takes his meds and powers through the episode. We discuss if it was worth giving up on Series 3 so soon. And the Highlander movies. We then discuss what amounts to using the cards as emoji, communicating in an encoded form based on the cards you offer and counter for; useful, for example, to discover if the person at the other end of the trade is in adverse conditions but the comments would be monitored. Also, Meditation Chamber update. A movie gets a mention: Turkish film that liberally steals from Episode IV and inter-cuts its own footage: The Man Who Saves the Word (can be found on YouTube).

Amaze-ing Cards Oct 19, 2016

Legal settlements and contractual hiatus obligations have finally been met so it's time for an episode! Michael shares how Google surveys have provided away to stay F2P but buy the occasional bundle as needed. We say good-bye to base series 2 and TFA series 1, and mention a few of the sets that have come and gone since..."Awaken Your Memory."

Cards & Curry Sep 14, 2016

It's a new episode! We talk about cards, the lack thereof in SWCT (the app has made a good faith effort actually since we recorded this), and expand/improvise on some of our favorite topics, not surprisingly food related. Rhett shares his experience in a Dolly Parton-shaped vacation destination (in the sense that she shaped it, not that it's shaped like her).

Limitless Ultra-Limiteds, TapJoy for Inserts, Jelly Belly History Sep 03, 2016

The Contour set gave us 9 cards covering the Three Most Iconic Star Wars Villains. The Ultra-Limited version of this set sees it grow exponentially. As Rhett says, he can't quite put his finger on it, but even though all of those dozens of cards are low count, something about that translation loses his interest. We also discuss the TapJoy-for-Inserts program, a brief history of Jelly Belly, touch on the sports apps, and a little pro (and not so pro-) wrestling discussion. Enjoy!

Topps Survey, Disengagment, Casual Dining Aug 24, 2016

It's seemed like a relatively quiet week in the app, but we find plenty to talk about. Rhett feels disengaged from the app, but after enumerating what he does chase, it turns out to be pretty much everything that doesn't require a pay bundle. Still, it's interesting that he feels that way, even while passively chasing so many cards. The drop in Kick daily credits is discussed, with the theory mistakenly floated that it's due to off-season; we understand now that it's due to something new Topps is trying to get people to "earn" all their 10K daily credits.

Olympic mania, Ultra Limited vs Open Sets, Ruby Tuesday Aug 14, 2016

We're back from a week off; life and scheduling conflicts happen, but card trading goes on. We talk about how close Rhett came to Olympic greatness, and the Olympics in general. The mediocrity of Ruby Tuesday inspires a surprising amount of passion. And the cards, of course; we discuss how both open sets and ultra limited sets may as a net effect make the original sets less valuable. And we discuss the gift credits and packs that Topps gave out, but without official apologies, the gesture may not have gone as far as it could have in restoring good will.

Card Count White-Out Jul 30, 2016

We talk about post-SDCC things, including the card-count-white-out. My example of using card counts to aid in judging value in a trade fails, though, when Rhett informs me that the 2500 count Santa Cruz I traded away was actually worth more than the 750 count Rebels Watercolor that I was offered. And there are plenty of random topics to go around. Hot dog eating contests, casket advertising. The post-show is heavy on Preacher, comic movies/shows, the dislike for walls in movies that stretch out, and unboxing videos on YouTube.

Filoni cards, Hitch in the SWCT Giddyup Jul 21, 2016

Michael talks about his enjoyment of Star Wars Celebration Europe, doing what it takes to enjoy it during a work day across the Atlantic. Rhett tries to pin down what's got him concerned about the state of affairs in the quality control and/or customer service arena at Topps. Meanwhile, though, cards keep coming, which is a good thing. Dave Filoni's set, announced by him at an SWCE panel, is a highlight. We discuss the quad sig card and where the sig count may go from here. Post-show is mostly about acute brain freeze pain, frozen yogurt, and imagining the use of Push-To-Talk in digital card trading.

WWE Slam Is Here!...WWF to come?! Jul 14, 2016

As the nation, yea, planet, is gripped in the throes of Pokemon Go, a new app emerges to vie for our attention...and succeeds, even as we record. We talk WWE Slam, and what we look forward to seeing in it action. We also talk some of the new SWCT goings-ons, like the digital badges, the new way to correct an error-ed card, optionally, via Smugglers Den. Good luck to everyone logging into Slam!

Medallion Monday Misstep, Chuchi Chase Begins Jul 12, 2016

Rhett begins the long slog that will be the chase of the Chuchi rainbow. Michael talks about his experience so far with the UFC app...and even mentions considering downloading Kick (so now is as good a time as any to shore up your doomsday supplies/fallout shelters). We discuss the Medallion Marathon bundle, and while we don't have a problem with a bundle-only Marathon in principle, asking $25 for a bundle that may only contain a leftover card from another marathon is just bad for all involved.

New Marathon Mechanics Jul 03, 2016

We have a lot to say about the changes to the way the new marathons are being released. In addition to the cost and end of stacking marathons, we touch on separating tiny Lego pieces, inserting contacts, current Star Wars comics, and how bad Independence Day: Resurgence is. You wouldn't know it from that list, but we felt a lot more on-topic than usual. Whether that's a good thing or not is of course debatable. And we were apparently hungry, because the post-show is all food, from Fruitista to donuts. Enjoy!

**Android Quidd, Where Art Thou?** Jun 29, 2016
We find a lot to talk about, some of it about cards, some of it not. Michael in particular is getting tired of being on the outside looking in at the Star Trek sets in Quidd, and is hoping the Android version drops soon. He "drones on", as Rhett says, a little about Bunt. Rhett speaks out in defense of people that advertise "1 insert for two", and the kinds of bargains that can be found trading with them. We conclude with typical randomness: the subtleties of recording on a VHS, Benson, Soap with Billy Crystal, Bob Ross, and Picture Pages.

**How the Poggle Rainbow was Restored** Jun 23, 2016
Michael's back on top of the world and tells how he was able to get the missing 1-count to fill the void in his life. We discuss roulage and the top three Most Iconic Star Wars villains. There is disagreement over whether AT-AT Driver should be among them. Warning: the post-show somehow ends up being all business. We start by joking about which walker to hoard in TWD, but then wonder how anyone hoards a specific since there's no distinguishing text on the cards. Then we talk a little Bunt contests and Huddle.

Cross-trade, Power Box-Power Up Jun 11, 2016

We discuss the rumors that there has or will be an entire month spent on re-shoots for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Michael got bored enough to download Bunt and Huddle (not Kick, of course), and gets his first taste of cross-trading. Ok, maybe it's not bored as much as deflated from still being unable to obtain the 1-count Mustafar Poggle. Rhett talks up the orange and insert load-up from the Power Box. And somehow, somehow, we still have more to say about manatees.

**Cosplay, 1-Count Poggle** Jun 04, 2016
We have a pairing suggesting for today's episode, enjoy it with a 2010 Riesling. Michael and Rhett start off discussing some of their cosplay exploits, to varying degrees of success and notoriety. We talk about ways to get trades going: being proactive vs. advertising and letting them come in. Via Bunt, we also discuss rewards for completing sets, or the lack thereof. Michael discusses his woes in trying to obtain the 1-count Poggle base variant. Rhett critiques a symphony concert featuring a program of sci-fi film music. Also, selections by Mike and the Mechanics.

Lowest Count Base Variants May 27, 2016

Tune in to find out: which of our hosts was next to sustain a head injury by walking into a stationary structure? Which was better: Air Wolf or Blue Thunder? Also, some SWCT...we discuss the market for the single-digit count base variants, and especially the one count. We also talk a little The Walking Dead Card Trader, and an old Commodore 64/Apple II/DOS game that brings back memories for Rhett: Below the Root. Rhett, you can play online here, but it probably won't have the colors you remember. I'm guessing it looked more like this:

Hyperspace base, things for a dollar May 21, 2016

What would you buy for a dollar? Rhett discusses how he'll buy anything for a dollar, a pricing weak point of his that can and has been exploited in various situations. Dollar stores are obviously his financial kryptonite, and he at least knows to avoid them. We also discuss what if anything could be done with the Smugglers Den mechanic to improve the ability to do things like meld multiple cards at once, to make things easier in the situation of having hundreds of cards to meld, like the hyperspace variants.

**8-bit & Manatees** May 12, 2016
Happy Cinco De Mayo! We wanted to wait for a more Star Wars-specific date to drop this episode,
but there didn't seem to be one, at least near the beginning of May, so we'll use this episode to celebrate something at least. Michael has said that these notes should not limit the episode in getting out in a timely fashion. So rather than withhold this one any further by typing about what you'll hear, we'll get it into your ears. At some point the 8-bit set is definitely discussed. As well as manatees. And let me just say, the opinions of the edible nature of aquatic mammals expressed by individual hosts does not necessarily represent that of the podcast itself. Enjoy!

Large Sets, New Sets, & Fever Dreams Apr 23, 2016

Michael is under the weather this week, but joins us anyway, and hangs in there like the professional he is. He may even remember some of the discussion! We keep circling back to weather the 80 card Jedi Legacy set is the largest set ever in the app (spoiler alert: No). Hope y'all have had a good week, and happy trading! Here's the airline brochure referenced in the episode:

I feel like we got gypped by ending up on the 777 pic.twitter.com/jJD6th1pjD — Tom McGrath (@TCMcG) April 18, 2016

And, of course, BabyMetal:

**Celeb-Rey-tion** Apr 16, 2016
By the time we released last week's episode, Michael's observation that Rey fervor seemed to be
dying down was already hilariously proven wrong even by our standards of mis-calls, and the 3-day celebration was just ramping up. We'd also talked about how red and blue base didn't seem to have quite the same demand with prospecting...oops. What will we have gotten wrong this week? Tune in and find out! As a special warning, in the post-show we manage to get derailed talking about breakfast cereal; you may find yourself wanting a bowl by the time all is said and done.

New Sets Galore: TFA: Portraits, TFA: Classic Art, Geo-Linear, and more! Apr 09, 2016

Plenty of cards to talk about this week as we've had a number of sets drop. We round them up, from TFA: Portraits, Geo-Linear, to the ones that have kept the good ol' tradable mechanic, like TFA: Classic Art. We also discuss the rumored "gold rush" potentially happening Sunday, so if you're a prospector, make sure you get those counts up to 100. Have a great week, and thanks as always for listening!

Untradable Apr 02, 2016

This week we spend a surprising amount of time actually talking about SWCT...the main topic: the influx of new cards that are dropping as Untradable. Why? We can't get our heads around it completely. We discuss it in relation to the "1 pull per account" mechanic as well, and are of different opinions over how they affect things.
Other discussion highlights: "Selling out a base card"; good-bye Rancor. And Rhett starts chasing green-gradients...less than 24 hours before a bundle goes on sale with all of them and they sell out for good.

**Special Mini Episode!** Mar 22, 2016
Every once in a while, something so noteworthy happens in the app that we just can't get our heads around it. The mini base cards certainly put us there. We headed straight to the Illuminerdy studios and hashed it out in an appropriately shorter-than-usual mini-episode. Michael doesn't pull punches, taking a strong stand against this set. "For the sake of the many, don't buy mini", even overturning his long-standing assertion that whatever variant Topps will release with Poggle on it, he will buy, insisting that no one at all should buy these cards to send a message that this is the line. And we explore many/mini possible directions this trend could go, from mini-Widevision (Vision?) to Mini-Relics (paint chips?) to mini-sigs (Initials?) to other sizes, pico to nano. #ForTheManyNoMini

**A Year in SWCT, Sending 500 Blind Trades (to 7 people)** Mar 19, 2016
Happy Birthday SWCT! This week we talk about:

Vote in Star Wars Podcast Awards if you haven't! We're in New Show, Trade Fed is in Collecting. Polls open through 3/24

Michael's ease in resolving a multi-hundred blind trade bug (thanks Rhett and #WalkForTheFix!)

Revisited fun

Sneaking variants in base trades: Futility of flipping over cards in the trade offer

Pi day in SWCT vs. other Topps Digital apps

Primes

Dejarik - we like this set

Meditation Chamber card count update

Djas Puhr found! Apparently we weren't in-depth-enough fans to recognize this character

Post-show:

Ancient Aztec sports

90's baseball

The Waffle Sandwich at Waffle House

Sped-up cooking videos

**Rhett's Login Woes, SWCT/Virgin Galactic Promotion** Mar 09, 2016
This episode includes talk including, but certainly not limited to:
- Rhett's technical problems...deleted the app and redownloaded, then locked out for 24 hours. He used to care a little that this was a problem, now he really does. #WalkForTheFix
- Vote for us and others, best new Star Wars Podcast of 2015
- Poggle hoarding with JB1127
- Discussing Virgin Galactic promotion
- New sets: Grafitti Splatter & its mechanic, Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Galactic Ships, Star Wars Card Trader: The Phantom Menace!
- Preppers

Election Coverage - Poggle vs Amedda in FC Showdown Mar 04, 2016

Yes, we're back. Back again. I can't think of any bigger election news this week than the Fan's Choice voice. Star Wars Podcast Award-nominee Michael Nipp gives us a behind the scenes look at the ups and downs in an exciting election day.
We also touch on the 7-day Prospecting chase, discuss new sets and the ever-expanding rainbow of variants. Enjoy!

Hoarding, Gorging, and Prospecting Feb 21, 2016

In this exciting episode we discuss:
The loss of a first attempt at the episode this week.
How Lifetime Network's Christmas movie Comfort and Joy starring The Facts of Life's Nancy McKeon stacks up against It's a Wonderful Life.
That the Meditation Chamber card seems to be part of the Pack Insert set...good luck to those completing it.
A possible "Life and Times of Qui Gon Jinn" set as a series of scenes depicting events in his life set in idyllic 1950's Americana, painted in the style of Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers.
The people shipping Yoda and Yaddle...or as they would refer to the couple, "Yodel".
Topps survey about about potential digital and physical Star Wars integration.
The need to distinguish among people acquiring quantities of white base cards for one or more characters:

Hoarding - Passion and devotion to one character, amassing as many cards as possible
Prospecting - Seeking to acquire enough white base to meld a gold should the opportunity arise, for (usually) many characters
Gorging - Amassing a large quantity of white base for (what some would say) is too many characters, for an attempt at multiple monument awards.

Marathons-for-Money, and...White base-for-Money?! Feb 12, 2016

If you enjoy listening, and you're reading this on or before Feb. 16, consider nominating us at starwarspodcastawards.com: direct link to nomination form here!
Big thanks to those who sent Jan Dodonna and info on why a card may not show up in your collection even if you trade for it. We also discuss the opposite problem, where a card does seem to be in the collection, but is not actually there, and has cost people awards cards. Frustrating to say the least...it's one thing to hem and haw about how a marathon for a few dollars devalues if not demoralizes the fun of chasing for an amount of credits that's much greater (and we spend plenty of time doing that in this episode), but it's a whole other level when you can't trust that the cards that appear to be in your collection may not be there! Also we discover the new-to-us phenomenon of people selling and buying white base, Rey in particular, for real actual money. Who knew?! Not us!

**Marathon Awards, Fashion, and Cards You Have But Can't See** Feb 04, 2016
Another week in SWCT-land and we have a couple of new sets to talk about for the first time in a while. There's also a couple of new base variants, but only one costs money outright; the gold Qui Gon shows up for those who've gotten a decent start on hoarding. Also, we explore the "can't see them but they're there" phenomenon of cards you don't appear to have (in my case, a couple of series 1 white base cards), even when accepting trades for them and observing that the total collection card count appears as though you do in fact have them. We give a shout out to the rainbow-barfing cats, and in the post-roll dig into the minutiae of dying from a gut would vs. surviving being cut in half. Enjoy!

The Fur Flies: Ewok Relics, Kittens, New Pinks, and more Jan 28, 2016

When the cat's away, the Ewok's will play. Or maybe the opposite. No new SWCT sets this week, but we do have a new kind of card, and they started with a fun one; no digital piece of cloth here, we get real, actual digital fur. I'd like to see Kitten Cards do that! No really, I think that would be great if there were digital kitten fur relics. And be reassured that the fur was obtained in ethically humane ways. Some one collecting little digital fur balls, no doubt. Otherwise, we have a new variant; the pink has lost some of its elite status this go around; you may have to hoard 70 oranges at some point, but you won't be trading for a pink...at least not this one. It's nice to have an award card, though, although it is a shame they are so expensive to pull compared to paying a dollar apiece. And a burning question that only I seemed to have...did Fan's Choice sell out within an hour of release to voters or what?
And for those who missed the Perry Como sketch that Rhett mentioned last week, it's worth a watch. Thanks to BOBAJERK for the heads up on it.

**Kitten Cards, Silver Variants, Safety Warning** Jan 21, 2016
In this ground-breaking episode we touch on:

Hypoallergenic kitten breeds (both Russian)

More appreciation for the community #OneInThePackTurnYoBack efforts

Monuments

Silver variants

ParmThePom's essay on improving pay-to-play in the app

What's notable about General Madine

Marathons in the 5K pack

Important public safety announcement: After two reports of near-accidents from listeners while driving (due to either laughter, sleep, or abhorrence; circumstances not clear), we must recommend not listening to our podcast while operating heavy machinery

Kitten Cards

A Perry Como reference

As always, @CT_Illuminerdy on Twitter, or find us in the app, to let us know what you think!

**Topps Razor, The Most Limited Variant of 2016, Q and A** Jan 14, 2016
"The dumbest, most awful thing possible is the most likely scenario."
- Topps Razor
Well this is a packed episode. We cover, and not necessarily in this order:
- Pulling a faction card vs. winning the lottery (as we recorded there was only one reported winner)
- The brilliant community work in spreading the "1 in the pack? Turn yo' back!" message
- How will Series 3/TFA Series 1 be rolled out?
- Rhett coins "Topps Razor"
- Teals: The "most limited variant of 2016"!
- Pink chases, monument chases
- The most special Q&A session of 2016! Michael gives an emotional recount of how he came to hoard Poggle
- Posters: you can pull 'em (with credits even!), but you can't trade for 'em! ...at least at first...is this a harbinger of things to come?
- New parallels: Green and orange instead of yellow and gold: for easier color recognition in trades? To make room for an even more-most-limited-499-count-gold-variant?
As this is posting, a whole lot of monument cards are appearing under "Coming Soon" in the app. Here's hoping that the 5500 count holds...and Topps Razor is proven wrong in this case!

**Michael's Poggle Rainbow and: One in the Pack? Turn Yo' Back.** Jan 08, 2016
It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon...I mean, in SWCT...although even as I type this there are new things percolating. The bold made prediction in this episode for seeing some actual base series 3 already may be coming true. In the meantime, enjoy this episode where Michael opens up about the risks he took to complete his rainbow of Poggle the Lesser cards, and Tommy steps up on the soap box to decry marathons selling out shortly before the next one drops. Look, people, let's work together here. If you didn't pull it when it first dropped, let's all agree to wait until there's two in the pack to pull so we can all get more value for our credits. We're not animals.

**The Force Awakens Eve** Dec 17, 2015
Twas the night before Star Wars, when all through the house
Not a creature was trading, not even a mouse [droid].
The blasters were hung by the Falcon with care,
In hopes that Han Solo soon would be there;
The fans were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of Skywalkers danced in their heads.
We spend an episode talking a little about cards, and a lot about a movie we haven't seen yet...have fun this weekend everyone!

Pearl, Fan's Choice Woes Continue Dec 12, 2015

It wasn't hard to predict: base variants with a count of 1. It makes sense; with just a few weeks left in 2015, and only a week until TFA, it's time for them to be played out. Also, can we just say again that we are still not please with how Fan's Choice is being handled? Sneaking it out there to avoid a rush has not improved things. Have a great pre-TFA week; for those of you already in line, stay warm!

**Marathons, Mattes, and Melted Servers** Dec 03, 2015
There's plenty to talk about this week, not the least of which is the fan favorite, Fan's Choice, which, of all things, became the marathon to cause a debacle this time around. What is there to be made of this? How could this have been considered a good idea at the time to release a limited count card for free at an announced time? We don't know, but that doesn't keep us from talking about it!
Bonus content: The first time the three of us ever recorded something and put it online. It's not worth your time, but because we've been asked after mentioning it last week, here it is. It's made to be listened to while watching the first Ewok Adventure movie; without it, I can't imagine you'll make it far into this. Actually I can't imagine you will even with it. Good luck!
http://www.thedeucecast.com/2011/12/deucetrax-caravan-of-courage.html

Welcome Back, Marathons Nov 27, 2015

Happy thanksgiving! We are thankful for all of you that listen and reach out and let us know. We are stuffed after enjoying time and food with our families, and now we are talking SWCT. First things first, we have to give credit where credit is due. Galactic Moments returned with an Ewok Adventure card, and the only possible explanation is that it's all thanks to us. You're welcome! Assisting in this effort is ~JOSh-X, who's spreadsheet tracked the days since card 45 of 1977 wasn't released, until it was, and then tracked the days since the last GM release, until it was. Also, an observant SWCT player, Ribors, on reddit noticed that the Ewok Adventure GM was released exactly 30 years after the release of the movie.
The big news of course is the new marathon sets. Germain Lussier has written another great article on SWCT detailing the marathons, including sample cards from the sets.
And finally, here's to the game changers. We spend some time talking about the effect that a single person could have on the app if he has enough disposable income to buy up a substantial amount of sought-after cards.

**Cash for cards, Tatooine economics** Nov 21, 2015
This week we find some things to talk about...Jabba's palace cards are back, and they move quickly. Topps is also burning through the Journey To The Force Awakens parallels, and while it's great that we can have a shot at any card we can pull from a physical pack, it's starting to chafe a little being asked to directly pay for these parallels also. And with the sale price bringing the direct cost of a 5 or 7 count card to $15 USD, does this undercut other low-count cards?
And the new Gorax Space Painting prompts a dream of Wilford Brimley and other Ewok movie cards.
One minor correction: When discussing Apple's 30% cut of in-app purchases, I gave the example of Spotify costing $10 per month, where all $10 goes to Spotify if signing up through their site, and only 6-something goes to them if you sign up through their app. What Spotify actually does is charge $13 per month if you sign up through their iOS app, to make up the difference. Apple's 30% take does not apply to apps where the purchase is for goods or services outside the app, for example physical goods from Amazon, or paying for a ride through Uber. Too nerdy? What can we tell you, it's in our name.

**Outrage, Spirits of the Past, 1977's Card 45, Rebel Ceremony Variants** Nov 13, 2015
Believe it or not, we don't do a lot of planning for our episodes. And despite our lack of efforts, sometimes a theme emerges. In this episode, outrage became a recurring topic. We discuss the various things that people get outraged about in the app. We discuss whether that outrage is well-founded or misplaced. We discuss whether outrage comes from a place of scarcity or abundance: does getting outraged at something mean you have less to spread around to other areas? Or, in fact, more? But other than Rhett expressing a little outrage over people spreading outrage, we didn't have much actual outrage happening. But, lo and behold, Topps gives us something to stew aoubt even as we record, in the form a free green Journey card, that's a reminder of Rhett's least favorite card in the set. We get a real, genuine moment of outrage to bring it all full circle.
Oh, and we talk about some of the new sets and cards in the app over the last week. Including, but not limited to, Rebel Ceremony variants, digital watercolor, Rebels sigs, Comic Pop Art, and that miracle of miracles (ok, maybe at this point a Galactic Moment card would be a bigger miracle, but you get the idea), the return of card 45 from the 1977 set.
At one point we mention a Porkins poster. Here's the Episode 7 character posters if you haven't seen them, with their one-eye-obscured theme. Following is the Porkins poster.

New #StarWars poster looks great! pic.twitter.com/k0z6Y1lKlN — Blockbusted Podcast (@Blockbustedpod) November 7, 2015

**100% Neon hoard, Journey to TFA, Angles, Inserts Pack, Gold Fan's Choice Vote** Nov 05, 2015
After a week of little in the way of new sets to talk about, we get a flurry of activity over the last week, from the small Whiteout set to the very large-yet-accessible Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Something for everyone, you might say, and you might also say that there's something for Rhett to complain about also. If you thought the Pack Inserts set was ridiculous for selling us the virtual wrappers of previous sets, you'll understand where he's coming from. Harder to get your head around may be the fact that the way in which the ultra-low-count-yet-hundreds-of-them Neon Base Variants has allowed something we haven't seen up until this point in the app: 100% ownership of all copies of a card by a single fan. It's debatable that Rhett was the first to do it, but it's not debatable that collecting a complete set of Neons just got a lot more expensive. Also the way in which the Neons sold out was much more of a bang than a whimper, one fan who ended up spending nearly $20,000 USD on over 200 of them described their rapid sell out as a "run on the bank."
Reddit thread with posts from the bulk Neon purchaser
We also take some time to discuss the random Lars / Beru Connection card that mysteriously appeared and was then marked Sold Out, as well as a much-needed lampoon of the Gold Fan's Choice card voting ballot. All this plus the re-appearance of the "bequeathed" pink card for 10 lucky big spenders in the app. Enjoy!

Halloween cards, Neon, and an eerie quiet... Oct 29, 2015

Well it's been an interesting week in Star Wars Card Trader land, in that there hasn't been much interesting going on. At least, not if you like new inserts. We have had one new set, in the spirit of Halloween (is this a global holiday? Does this even make sense in most places outside of the US?).
If you like base variants, though, there's been at least a little going on. Two new colors have been added to the rainbow. The 10 creatures that got their orange base variants, different of course from the orange cards we have a shot at after pulling green. And then there's the divisive Neon...ultra-rare at 5-count, and yet there's plenty to go around, and a guaranteed pull...if you pony up the cash. Here's the article mentioned during the discussion: Card Trader Digital's Much Ado About Neons.
We wonder why checklists aren't there for every set with an award card, as soon as all cards in the set have dropped. In the meantime, we go over how to view a checklist for a particular set an parallel yourself, by filtering the Checklist view in your cards using precise search terms: Shorthand search terms.
Did we miss anything? Get anything wrong? Let us know @CT_Illuminerdy!

Marathon Awards Awaken, Classic Art 2 out of control, and the Factions set Oct 23, 2015

As we record this on Wednesday night, we know what the awards are for all the marathon sets. Except of course GM. Poor GM. We round up the hits an misses in a thoroughly subjective analysis. Except for the gold premium Fan's Choice, that's objectively bad form.
So what's up with Classic Art 2? Why did it go off the rails, from a defined count set, with a once daily release, to a set of indeterminate length, dropping no less than 3 times every day? By the time they switched, we were long settled on what fit our budgets as far as what parallels to chase, and it's been a stretch budget stretch to have that amount compressed from 3 days into 1. Why is not something we'll likely ever know, but it doesn't stop us from imagining Mr. Topps in is top hat and monocle demanding that action be taken to squeeze more spending from the digital fan base. While, of course, stroking a cat.
And lastly we unravel the Factions parallels...nice looking set, and a new combination of ways to collect 'em all.

Purple Bounty Variants, Pink Returns with Ahsoka Oct 15, 2015

As some marathons have finished, and others haven't, the marathons that are left seem to be stretching things out as long as they can. We discuss the current delays, primarily the purple bounties that were release, and the ensuing Smuggler's Den deals. We talk about the return of the rare pink that arrives in the form of Ahsoka, as well as other sets that have been introduced in the last week. Speaking of sets both new and old, we introduce a new segment, "AT-AT Pack Watch", to review what's likely to show up there when the pack returns. We also have an update from our correction department...it turns out we have corrections. Not, of course, with any of our pronunciations. If you catch an error, let us know on Twitter: @CT_Illuminerdy. Each correction is worth 9 white base cards of your choice! (Send trades for them to RHETTB)

**Marathon-less Thursday, New vs Old Monuments, New chases** Oct 09, 2015
Let's have a moment of silence...for the first time since the launch of the app, it's a Thursday without a Vintage. Some of us were hoping that we'd see the start of something new in the marathon vein, others were glad for the break. Of course, after a marathon it does make sense to take a little time off to recuperate. That's not to say we don't have anything new to chase of course, we're enjoying the many shades of the new Art of the Rebellion set. And coming in at the end of the evening (for North and South America, anyway), was just the thing we needed, the return of the green/orange chase, the grilled cheese and tomato soup comfort food of the app.

We also talk a little about things from other Topps trading apps, most noteworthy, the latest version of their NFL trading card app Huddle allows up to 18 cards in a single trade. Will that make it to SWCT?

Card Trader Illustrated, Gold Schematics, and the Last Vintage Oct 02, 2015

Plenty to discuss this week as we talk about the "community effort" for more card locks that Topps "sponsored", new sets including the illogical (to certain hosts) Collegiate set, the spearmint vs. wintergreen Yavin flavors parallels, the Die Cut set, and of course the rarefied air of the Card Trader Illustrated set. Speaking of places to spend a lot of credits, we also discuss the introduction of the gold schematics, and what this could mean for future resources (Yoda's cauldron, anyone?). And finally, the beginning of the end for the first marathons, as the last Vintage drops this week.

**Schematics and Resources galore: Smugglers' Den not just for Smuggling Anymore** Sep 25, 2015
People have been asking for a set of cards involving vehicles for a long time. But what we finally got was well beyond what we'd seen anyone predict (not that we'd seen it all, though, I'm sure). Tommy, Michael, and Rhett discuss the schematics and resources that hit the app this week, and what long-term effects of having defined-count inserts with a constant demand might mean. Here's the reddit post that Tommy quotes from in the podcast:
- Resources & Schematics Megathread
What do you think of all this? Tell us on Twitter! @CT_Illuminerdy

**High-speed Smuggling Tip, First Sig Card, ESB Illustrated Set** Sep 18, 2015
We're a couple of weeks into this brave new post Force Friday world, and while we're still happy overall, we do wonder aloud about sets that haven't gotten updates about their rewards, and specifically when those deadlines are...we trust the award cards will come in due time, but how's about a heads up on when the sets need to be complete?
Also, we discuss this tip that makes "coloring up" base cards in the Smuggler's Den a breeze:
Workaround for Shredding In Bulk - from maxreebok on reddit
Unfortunately for Android users, we discovered after recording that this glitch that allows for speedy smuggling is iOS only.
We also talk about SWCT's first signature card, and what exactly Billy Dee Williams may have been doing while he "signed" the 440 blank inserts that were swapped in the Smuggler's Den.
Finally, we discuss the ESB Illustrated in-depth. It's an expansive set with options for traders of all ages and budgets.
Enjoy, and keep sending us feedback on Twitter: @CT_Illuminerdy

**The New Attitude at SWCT and Force Friday Recap** Sep 11, 2015
As we finished recording last week, it was the beginning of the end for a lot of things in SWCT. At
first it just seemed like the end of sets and updates on awards that were so overdue for closure "#NeverForget" was being used non-ironically in the community. But the bigger story seems to be the change in tone overall that we've seen since from Topps. New sets have total counts and award info upfront. Transmissions even address what's known to still need addressing. The app had a huge update and by the end of the weekend had another update to address bugs. We may not have gotten any credits for the sets we completed, but here at CTI we're unanimous in preferring this new level of communication over the previous effort.

New Sets, Old Sets, and Force Friday preview Sep 03, 2015

We've never been shy about claiming our huge amount of influence on the timing and direction of Topps choices. But imagine our surprise when they cater to our whims even as we're recording! Such was the case today, when we went over in detail the sets that remained outstanding, and even before we could wrap the episode, award cards began appearing in the app, and as you read this, checklists and award deadlines have been posted. I don't think there's really much else to say besides, "You're welcome." We discuss other new sets that have launched, including the (mostly initial) head-scratching surrounding the I Am set, and look forward to the Force Friday weekend. Enjoy everyone!
Things mentioned in this episode:
- Unresolved sets/awards post on Reddit
- Another way to look at pack odds post on VintageHan.com
- @SWCT_Info fan-run Twitter account for the most reliable notifications of new announcements

**Germain Lussier interview, Classic Art 2, Women of Star Wars** Aug 28, 2015
Joining us this week is io9.com entertainment reporter Germain Lussier, the author of How the Hell Is This JPG of Han Solo Worth $225? He's been trading cards since nearly the beginning, and wrote the article to introduce the app, who runs it, and the community surrounding it, to people not already in the know. He gives us a background into how he got pulled into the app, the approach he used for the story, and extra bits from the people he spoke with at Lucasfilm and Topps that didn't make it into the article.
In other news, Michael's bold predictions fell flat last week: Topps stays silent on TK and storyboard...Topps gently put us in our place, reminding us that our predictions come true or not at their whim. So, thus humbled, we rein in our projections for this week, which, is probably a safe hedging of our bets, given what may be launching on Force Friday. We discuss the new sets, including the changes to the Classic Art format in #2, and Women of Star Wars, overall giving both a thumbs up due to the info we've been asking for, set length, awards to be had, etc., at their launch.
Also, of course, our R2 unit reveals the final clues for the Black Sun Card Cantina contest! Join the group and collect the clues from this month's episodes for a chance to win 7 marathon cards!
Follow Germain (and us) on Twitter, and stay close with us as we approach Force Friday!

**No New Sets, Two New Pink, and How Did GM Go Wrong?** Aug 21, 2015
Like the groundhog seeing his shadow and adding additional weeks of winter, Michael's prediction of "no new sets" two weeks ago has somehow frozen the introduction of them for a second week. We discuss this strange phenomenon along with a potification, or dare I say, rumination about the reason for the GM variants that just won't seem to go away. And if you're following along with the contest brought to us by the Black Sun Card Cantina, note that once the final clues are revealed during next week's podcast, you'll have time to privately send your answer in, instead of having to be the first to post it. The winner will be selected at random from among all correct answers submitted in time. Finally, Michael pokes his head out of the ground again to make a new bold prediction. Tune in to hear it!

**65 1977s, Pink Yoda, Rising Odds** Aug 13, 2015
Michael's prediction came true: after a blistering schedule of seven sets released, Topps released absolutely no new sets. That's not to say there's nothing to talk about...there were two new kinds of chases that came in both gold and pink. One was more noteworthy than the other. Possibly the biggest kerfluffle in the community was the inadvertently exciting conclusion of what had otherwise been one of the most stable reliable sets in the game. And unfortunately the excitement was not due to the surprise of the 11 award cards that were announced. Are you part of the '77 family? How do you feel ending up one short of the expected number? Let us know on Twitter, @CT_Illuminerdy, and of course keep tuning in during August for additional pieces of the puzzle that, if you're the fastest to solve when all the pieces are given out, could net you seven marathon cards courtesy of the Black Sun Card Cantina.

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