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Marvel Heroes and Villains SketchaFEX cards are very similar
to Marvel Masterpiece Sketch Cards. These sketch cards were released
an average of 1 per box. Each card is an original sketch from one of the
artists hired by Marvel. The cards released were not copies, they were
the actual card drawn by the artist, making them one of a kind cards.
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For these sketch cards, Marvel/Rittenhouse commissioned over
80 artists for the Marvel Heroes and Villains set. Each artist was sent
over 100 blank cards, but they did not have to complete all of them, nor
did Marvel have to use all of them. They were hired to draw a character
from the Marvel Universe on each card any way they wanted. They were not
limited to a character or a medium, anything goes. The only requirement
is that they were approved by Marvel for release (so no kinky stuff). Some
cards are basic inked, some artist went the extra mile and painted or colored
the cards. Once finished, the cards were sent back to the company. If they
were approved for release they were cut to size and placed in a pack.
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Unlike the Marvel Masterpiece set, there was an official artist
list released for this set. The list below is the official list released
by Rittenhouse.
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Marvel allowed the artists to scan the cards they created and
release the images as preview after sending the cards in, so there is some
account of what was sent in to Marvel. So with the list above and the scans
from the artists and people who have pulled the cards a lot of the cards
can be accounted for.
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To add another loop in the sketch card roller coaster some
of the artist received Artist Proof blanks. These cards were given to the
artist to do with as they wished. They could make original cards to sell
as commission pieces and/or to sell on Ebay. They did not have to be returned
to Marvel for distribution. The only rules were the art on the cards portrayed
Marvel characters and the cards had to be approved by Marvel before sale
(again, no kinky stuff). Though they are true sketch card originals, the
artist proofs are not as valued as the others found in the card sets since
the character and art style are normally chosen by the purchaser, making
it less of a gamble. The Artist Proof cards look just like the original
pulled cards except for the "Artist Proof" stamp on the back
of the card.
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The original sketch cards packed and distributed in card boxes
have gone for $25.00 to over $500.00 depending on the artist, the character
and the quality of the art. Many people have put down the $80.00+ for multiple
boxes and even bought full cases to get more of these valuable cards in
hopes of getting their favorite character or artist.
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Below are the Gambit SketchaFEX cards
that were made for the Marvel Heroes and Villains. Not
all have been found, but it has been confirmed that these cards were turned
into Marvel for release and approved. By clicking on the image you will
get a larger image of the card.
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Be Aware:
If purchasing any of these cards be sure
of authenticity. Due to the high price tag on these cards there have been
fraud cards made. Always ask for a picture or scan of the back to see the
foil "Skybox" stamp. Also ask for the artist's name, if possible
(some are unsigned). Most artist will have a deviantart page or a website
that features scans of their cards to prove the were made. You should also
check out Scoundrel
Artist Community. A lot of the artists of these Sketch Cards hang out
in the forum. They also keep a running tab of card counts and artist info
on each set.
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