Last week I was pleasantly surprised to find myself sponsored by Tristar Productions. I’ve always liked Tristar, especially their World’s Greatest Chase stuff (speaking of which, I have some of that to open soon as well). This partnership will allow me to share product previews, news, and reviews like this one.

Tristar sent me a box of TNA iMPACT! to review, and before I crack the seal on this I have to make an admission: I stopped watching wrestling when WCW was still in business. So, I really don’t know what to expect, even though I see some familiar faces on the box.

Each box boasts “4 guaranteed hits” which include two autographs, one TNA Kiss card (or an additional autograph), and one parallel. There are 20 packs per box, with 5 cards per pack.



There is a 99 card base set, plus a checklist card. My box had one complete set (with checklist), with 17 duplicates. The base design is simple, but slick. The photography is excellent. Card stock is glossy, and I found no defects in any of my packs.



My parallel card of Sheik Abdul Bashir is numbered to 20, hand has a neat glitter effect to it. That said, I’m not sure how well glitter and wrestling mix. Perhaps if it was a ladies wrestling set, I’d like the glitter more. If it were me, foil or prismatic accents would of been a better choice.



I got two autographs and one dual autograph instead of the TNA Kiss card. I know who Scott Steiner is, but the other three guys (Amazing Red, Jesse Neal, and Rhino) I’m clueless on. Perhaps someone will let me know if they are good or not? The Steiner is numbered to 25, and the other two are numbered to 60. Like the parallel card, these have the glitter effect that doesn’t seem to work with the theme. That said, even though I’m an on-card autograph lover, clear stickers are the way to go. The sticker works with the design, rather than distract. In my opinion, the dual signature design is way better than the single signature design.



Overall, it’s not a bad product (especially when it can be found for a little over $40 a box). Fans of wrestling should find good value in these boxes, especially if they are pulling autographs of major stars like Mick Foley and Kurt Angle. Scott Steiner is a cool autograph to have, and it reminds me of the Steiner Brothers tag team days in WCW.

TNA is poised to become a huge property now that they are squaring off against WWE on Monday nights, and competition is always a boon to the hobby. I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tristar has for collectors. I’m not just saying that to say that either. I like the smaller companies a great deal more than Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck. Why? They are willing to innovate and take risks. Far too often the big three get lazy and forget they need to impress collectors.