Upper Deck Releases 'Marvel Beginnings - Series 1' Trading Card Set

Most Comprehensive Collection Of Marvel Universe Trading Cards Starts Now. ‘Panel Focus’ Insert Cards Provide Actual Pieces Of Some Of The Most Valuable Comic Books In History!

Carlsbad, CA (May 11, 2011) - The Upper Deck Company, in conjunction with Marvel Entertainment, LLC, has just released its much-anticipated “Marvel Beginnings - Series1” trading card set. The three-part series will encompass a 540-card base set with this debut installment including the first 180 cards from the set and features many of Marvel’s most famous heroes and villains of all time. Marvel Beginnings will also boast sought-after sketch cards, autograph cards and many other collectible chase cards that are must-haves for any serious Marvel collector.

Upper Deck’s latest entertainment-based, hobby-only set brings a thrilling dichotomy to the modern mythology of the Marvel Universe. It honors the traditional legends – characters like Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Elektra, Shocker, Loki and American Eagle – and updates them with intense new artistic interpretations. Comic book fans around the globe will be able to learn about each character’s first appearance and their impact upon the Marvel Universe on the backs of their favorite trading cards, while celebrating the coolest characters ever created through fresh new compositions.

Kicking off the top-notch insert card lineup are one-of-a-kind artist sketch cards (1:72 packs) from some of the industry’s most talented illustrators including Charles Hall, Jim Cheung, Katie Cook, and more. Choice autograph cards include signatures from comic icons like Stan Lee and Brian Michael Bendis! Additionally, unique villain hologram cards (1:72) are sure to wow collectors lucky enough to pull them from a pack.

Another notable surprise inside Marvel Beginnings is the rare “Marvel Ultimate Collection Panel Focus” insert set. Much like the memorabilia cards produced in sports trading cards, these panel cards will allow collectors and fans alike to actually touch and feel real pages from some of the most momentous and expensive comics that exist (The Amazing Spider-Man #2, The Avengers # 57 and Daredevil #181, to name a few) and are sure to draw serious attention and conversation from collectors.

“The product development team worked unbelievably hard to put together a compelling and comprehensive checklist of Marvel characters,” said Brandon Miller, Upper Deck’s brand manager for Marvel. “The first 180 cards from Series 1 will lay the ground work and create even more excitement for the two subsequent releases. We’re anxious to see the reaction from knowledgeable Marvel fans.”

Marvel Beginnings brings your favorite Marvel characters to life by polishing up their legendary history. Each base card combines a large modern portrait with a small snapshot of the featured character’s original image. Upper Deck has also just brought some exciting new subsets to the entertainment market including “X-Men Die-Cut” and “Marvel Prime” micromotion cards which combine to fall one per pack.

Another collectible component to the release is the insert collection entitled “Breakthrough Issues,” which also fall at a rate of one per pack. This represents your chance to collect all the momentous Marvel covers without spending thousands of dollars on the real issues! The lineup includes such notables as “Amazing Fantasy” (Issue #15) – 1st Appearance of Spider-Man; “Daredevil,” (vol. 1, Issue #181) – Death of Elektra; “Incredible Hulk” (vol. 1, Issue #1) – 1st Appearance of Hulk; and “X-Men” (vol. 1, Issue #100) – Sacrifice and Death of Jean Grey

Upper Deck’s Marvel Beginnings - Series 1 Trading Cards boasts seven cards per pack, 24 packs per box, and is currently on hobby store shelves.

About Upper Deck

Upper Deck is the leading sports and entertainment trading card and collectibles company. For more information on Upper Deck and its products please visit www.upperdeck.com.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com.