National Chicle Cubs

Some of these look nice! I like that Topps used original artwork. Its much better looking that last year's T206, which had too many recycled pictures.

I found the Cubs set on ebay for a reasonable price and hit the BIN. Four days later they were in my hands. The base set features eight Cubs, seven current players and Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. There is also another Banks card among the SP's. I just bought it this weekend, but it hasn't arrived yet.

The seven current players are all of the big names. Topps did a nice job with player selection. No Cubs rookies made the list, but that's ok, since there aren't any real high-profile prospects on the way.



Ernie Banks, Artist: Mike Kupka, This looks really nice. Its based on a photo from late in Ernie's career. The uniform is one the Cubs wore from 1969 - 1971, but since there is no centennial patch, it would be either '70 or '71. This is the Ernie Banks I knew as a kid. Great card.



Marlon Byrd, Artist: Dave Hobrecht. I guess this is ok. Hobrecht had to add the Cubs logo and did a decent job. I'm much happier about Byrd's on-field performance than I am about the looks of this card.



Kosuke Fukudome, Artist: Dave Hobrecht. Sorry, but Dave struck out on this one.



The painting looks more like a WWII propaganda poster than a Cubs player. All Kosuke needs are the round glasses.



Derrek Lee, Artist: Don Higgins. Now we're back on track. Higgins has done some A&G for Topps, and it looks like he knows what he is doing.



Ted Lilly, Artist: Jeff Zachowski. Here's another nice one. This has a Turkey Red 2005 feel to it, with the old time stadium background.



Aramis Ramirez, Artist: Paul Lempa. I guess this is fine, but I don't like the sun glasses or the BP jersey.



Alfonso Soriano, Artist: Mike Kupka. Everything is ok except for Soriano's face. That doesn't really look like him, to me.



Carlos Zambrano, Artist: Don Higgins. Our second Higgins card in the set. We've got Zambrano in his usual blue alternate jersey, but otherwise, well, Higgins did a better job on the Derrek Lee card.

So that's eight Cubs, and five artists. Kupka and Zachowski get a thumbs up. Higgins and Lempka get the sideways thumb, and Hobrecht gets a thumbs down.