Youngblood

When you think of great hockey movies the first couple that come to mind are probably Slap Shot and Miracle.  Those are excellent choices, but there's another movie that needs to be mentioned in the same breath... 1986's Youngblood.  It's a true eighties cult classic with a solid young cast.  Just the kind of movie I love making cards for.

These four cards have a design inspired by the 1986 Topps hockey set.  I used the Red Wing color pallete for the Mustangs and the Penguins colors for the Carl Racki Bombers card both based on the look being close to the respective team uniforms to that of the Wings and Pens. 

Even though Keanu Reeves didn't have much screen time in the movie --not even enough to warrant a first name I guess-- I still chose to make him a card because, well, it's Keanu.  It's a pretty early role for him but even back then he was making his classic Keanu faces.  I read Keanue, a Canadian, was actually a pretty decent goalie in real life.

Everywhere You Look

I was never the biggest Full House fan.  I thought it was a show for girls, and girls younger than I was in the early '90s when the show was at its height of popularity.  No, I was more of a Married... With Children, In Living Color type than I was any of the TGIF lineup shows that were just a little too campy for my taste.  Now, that's not say I haven't seen my share of Full House episodes.  Who hasn't?  I don't think anyone can deny the shows place in popular culture for anyone who grew up in the '80s and '90s. 

I came across a a picture of Danny Tanner in a Golden State Warriors warm up.  It was in a meme poking fun at bandwagon Warriors fans. Of course that had to be a card.  The image is from a 1988 episode of Full house and I thought it would be fun in the 1989-90 NBA Hoops inspired template.

The I got to wondering if there was any other cards that could be made from the show or should I just cut it out? (God, I'm so embarrassed for myself)  I remember a couple times Dave Coulier, a Michigan native, wore Detroit sports team gear.  A quick image search revealed a picture of "Uncle Joey" in full Red Wings goalie gear playing a little Tanner living room hockey against one of those Olsen girls. You got it, dude! (I'm a loser) Threw that image in the 1986 Topps hockey inspired design.  The reason being was that I've done a few other Red Wings fantasy cards in the same template so why break with tradition?  Two Full House cards.

Was there anymore I could squeeze out of this syndication monster?  Enter the 3rd adult male living in the home helping to raise three young girls.  Jesse Katsopolis may not have been the sportiest of uncles, but the dude sure could easy rock out.  Jesse and his Rippers are definitely worthy of a 1991 ProSet MusiCards tribute.

So, there you have it.  Three cards from a show I never watched but have probably seen every episode of.

Game On!

I think when Wayne's World came out in 1992 it was pretty much everyone's favorite movie at the time.  I know it was mine.

These Wayne and Garth cards are a couple that I probably should have made quite awhile ago.  Better late than never.

For these I chose to make them in the 1986 Topps style design for a couple of reasons.  For one, I already had it ready to go having first used it for my Cameron Frye card.  The other reason is that the 1992 Topps hockey is kind of blah.  In '92 Topps used the same basic design for all four major sports.  Plus, I wanted these to have a more vintage feel.  Although I'm not a huge hockey guy, I do really like the Blackhawks logo so I wanted a design that called for a logo.  I think it's one of the best looking logos in sports, all political correctness aside.

*You may notice that the name team name Blackhawks is two separate words which is how it was spelled until 1986.

Hockey Pac

Well, you can file this one under cards that I probably won't be able to get autographed.  But, in case Pac is alive and planning the greatest comeback ever I've got a card for custom card for him to sign. This is one of the more famous images on Tupac and practically begging to be a card.

This one is inspired by the 1986 Topps hockey set.  This is the second time (Cameron Frye) I've used this design, and also the second Red Wing.

Cameron Frye

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of those movies that is just kind of synonymous with the 1980's, so it was only fitting that it got the Phantom Cardboard treatment.

Has there ever been a more pull forable (not a word?) character than the depressive, hypochondriac Cameron Frye?

Cameron sporting Gordie Howe's winged wheel sweater in the movie made him perfect for a custom card. I was turned on about making this one because it's the only hockey card I've done, although I'd really get a kick out of making some cards from Slap Shot too.

I chose the 1986 Topps hockey design, the year of Ferris Bueller's release.  It all came together pretty well, in my opinion.  I was able to recreate the design with no frustration which is always a bonus.

Now I wait for a TTM success from Mr. Alan Ruck.

The comparison