Inception and How It Relates To Card Collecting

Its rare that my wife and I get to see a movie anymore, and therefore we really have to pick and choose with greater efficiency to avoid the dogs. Being that Christopher Nolan is my favorite director, and Leonardo DiCaprio is my wife's favorite actor (naitch), we had to see Inception as close to the release date as possible. I had heard great things about the movie, and I was ridiculously exicted to see it, especially considering that Nolan finally had both the budget and creative control to work a masterpiece. Without giving away any of the movie, I want to relate it to the way that creativity means the difference between boredom and excitement.

See, I love movies like this, mainly because they break the mold of the typical hollywood experience. It’s the same reason I loved the Matrix as much as I did. It was revolutionary. Like many of the mold breaking movies before it, creativity is the main why the Matrix did what it did. No one had ever made a movie like the Matrix, and just like with certain aspects of the hobby, its originality was eventually watered down and used over and over again until it was commonplace. Hell, even the sequels had major problems living up to the billing of the original. Inception is another one of those mold breaker movies in my mind because of how the narrative was presented, as well as the ways the movie was shot and produced. Nolan has garnered a reputation of being a visionary director, and it showed with every frame in the movie. It got to a point that when I walked out into the lobby after the movie, I couldn’t help but feel that I had just witnessed an epiphany. Like someone had just smashed my brain with a sledgehammer, and put it back together in a completely different way than it had previously been assembled.

I think we have had similar creative experiences in the hobby too. Before the early 1990s, autographed cards were almost unheard of. When the first product was released with readily inserted autographs, im sure it was the same type of experience like I had last night. Same thing in 1996 with the creation of the game used jersey card. However, like with the Matrix, that originality has been watered down to the point where those cards make no difference any more. In fact, its been so long since we have had a breakthrough of that fashion, that I actually believe we are regressing to a point of parody. Each set looks the same, each card features the same aspects, and there is rarely a surprise when we open a box any more. I think the advent of the retro set filled that hole in a semi-partial way, but not in a way that was sufficient enough to drive us to a different level in the industry. Same with the manufactured patch card, regardless of its controversial existence.

The question remains, though. Is there even a capability to use creativity in a way that breeds sales through innovation in this industry? Im going to say probably not, as I think its gotten to a point where there may not be another level to ascend to. However, that doesn’t mean we have to settle for the monotony that is slowly creeping in through every nook and cranny of our hobby. I thought that Upper Deck was the absolute best at producing sets that pushed the envelope each and every year, and yet they are left operating without a license in three of the four major sports. Funny how that works. Then on the flip side of that coin, Panini is licensed in three of the four sports, and they are getting worse rather than better in terms of creating some of the most cookie cutter products on the planet. As for Topps, they may heading in the right direction with their low end products, but they are barreling down thee complete opposite way with their high end. Based on where each company is, I am not sure if there is even anyone willing to risk taking a chance with innovation because of how they have established themselves within their certain brands. Its sad, really. We just cant catch a break.

Sadly, im not saying that I can offer any type of solution, either. Just like how a food critic rarely has the know how to get into the kitchen and create the dishes they critique, I leave the card creation up to the professionals. I have some ideas, but right now, that is all they are, ideas. Nothing more. Yet, when I see that companies are moving backwards with each release instead of forward, it makes me want to get my hands dirty and learn how create rather than wait for the creators.

When it comes down to it, I am bored as hell right now and I am losing more and more interest daily. I also have a feeling I that I am not the only one out there with this feeling. I am sincerely hoping that there is someone working for one of the companies that is going to be the Christopher Nolan of the card industry. Someone with the vision that is needed to reinvent how we collect. So I ask, who is going to create the product that redefines our collecting consciousness much like what the jersey card and the auto card did almost 15 years ago? It actually may never happen again, but I sincerely hope they don’t give up trying.