1996 Topps Star Wars Shadows of the Empire Trading Cards
 | $199.98 |  |
Product Details
With Star Wars gaining a resurgence in the mid-1990s, George Lucas and company came up with a story that filled in the gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Not only did it help build momentum for the theatrical releases of the Special Editions the following year, but it led to all sorts of marketing possibilities. Among these were trading cards. 1996 Topps Star Wars Shadows of the Empire is an art-based release that's a lot faster to work through than the novel.
With no film to go off of, the set spotlights original artwork. The artists? None other than the legendard Greg and Tim Hildebrandt. Based off of Steve Perry's book, the story portion of the set recreates the novels key events. Cards are done with a full-bleed design, which lets the art be the star. They're also printed on slightly thicker card stock to further add to the set's premium feel.
Although there are no traditional insert sets, 1996 Topps Star Wars Shadows of the Empire does have a chase element. That said, they're numbered as part of the base set Character cards 73 through 78 are etched foil cards. Numbers 79 to 82 are embossed foil. Etched foil cards are inserted 1:9 packs while embossed foil cards are 1:18 packs.
Also 1:200 packs has a redemption for an autographed Mastervisions card. The redemption has long since expired.
A second Star Wars Shadows of the Empire set was produced by Dark Horse. Packaged as a factory set in an embossed tin, it has six metal cards. Each has the cover artwork from the six-issue comic series.
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Checklist
1996 Topps Star Wars Shadows of the Empire Checklist
Base Set Checklist
2 Leia's Recurring Nightmare
3 Luke Feels the Dark Side
4 Leia Defends Herself
5 Reunion on Tatooine
6 Xizor Greets Vader
7 Xizor's Dirty Handiwork
8 Ferreting Out a Traitor
9 Beautiful...and Lethal
10 Xizor Summons Jabba
11 Leia Meets Dash Rendar
12 Vader Stays Sharp
13 Xizor Relishes the Good Life
14 Fancy Flying
15 Luke Scores a Tie
16 Help Me, Obi-Wan...
17 Boba Fett Escapes from Gall
18 Narrow Escape
19 Dealing with Dash
20 Vader Grows Wary of Xizor
21 Xizor Wants It All
22 The Emperor Insists
23 It'th Greedo'th Uncle
24 The Waiting Game
25 Luke Hones His Lightsaber Skills
26 Swoop Troop Attack
27 Luke Axes a Swooper
28 Good Ol' Beggar's Canyon
29 Vader Destroys the Rebel Base
30 Guri Does Xizor's Dirty Work
31 Luke and Dash's Bothan Mission
32 Dash's Persuasive Charm
33 Attack on the Suprosa
34 Leia Meets Guri
35 Luke and Melan Are Ambushed
36 Luke's Taken Prisoner
37 Guri Turns the Tables
38 Boarding Guri's Stinger
39 Chewbacca in Disguise
40 Leia and Chewie Go Underground
41 Leia Visits Spero's Plant Shop
42 Vader Seethes Over Luke's Escape
43 Leia Arrives at Xizor's Palace
44 Leia Finally Meets Xizor
45 Leia Is Smitten
46 Vader Senses His Son
47 Leia Prepares for Xizor
48 Hyperspace...At Last!
49 Xizor Prepares for Leia
50 The Kiss
52 Xizor Sharpens His Claws
53 Dash Does It Again
54 Luke Becomes One with The Force
55 Xizor's Troubled World
56 Vader Uncovers Xizor's Secret Past
57 Same Beast, Different Sewer
58 Dash Fires the Guide
59 Artoo and Threepio Helm the Falcon
60 Luke Blocks Xizor's Fire
61 Will Xizor Call Luke's Bluff?
62 Five Minutes Until Impact
63 Guri Goes Toe-to-Toe with Luke
64 Xizor Narrowly Escapes
65 Xizor's Castle Blows Up
66 Battle Over Coruscant: Part I
67 Battle Over Coruscant: Part II
68 Battle Over Coruscant: Part III
69 Good Riddance, Xizor!
70 Watch Out, Dash!
71 Dash's Secret Getaway
72 Luke Plans Han's Rescue
73 Luke Skywalker - Etched Foil
74 Leia & Chewbacca - Etched Foil
75 Lando Calrissian - Etched Foil
76 R2-D2 & C-3PO - Etched Foil
77 Dash & Leebo - Etched Foil
78 Prince Xizor - Etched Foil
79 Guri - Embossed Etched Foil
80 Darth Vader - Embossed Foil
81 Jix and Big Gizz - Embossed Foil
82 Boba Fett - Embossed Foil
83 Millennium Falcon
84 Outrider
85 Virago
86 Stinger
87 Swoop
88 Slave I
89 IG-88's Bold Attack on Boba Fett
90 Fett Fends Off Fellow Bounty Hunters
91 4-LOM Tries His Luck Against Fett
92 Another Narrow Escape for Boba Fett
93 Fett Deals with Zuckuss
94 At Last, Fett Delivers Han to Jabba
95 Dash Battles AT-ATs on Hoth
96 Dash Uncovers the Swooper's Plot
97 Dash Aboard the Suprosa
98 Dash Attacks Xizor's Skyhook
99 Dash Rides Ord Mantell Hovertrain
100 Dash Battles IG-88 on Ord Mantell
Promo Card Checklist
SOTE2 Darth Vader
SOTE3 Luke Skywalker
SOTE4 Dash Rendar (Star Wars Galaxy Magazine)
SOTE6 Guri (Fan Magazine)
SOTE7 R2-D2, C-3PO
aven crane
I am curious if you can give me any info on a sheet of Shadows of the Empire, gold guilt cards, uncut, not for resale, Topps, signed by 2 artist, referred as chase cards, with Gripper Guide & Slitter Guides. Sline Printing. Trying to get price estimate.