That Card Collectors Podcast

INSIDE UPPER DECK

This week we’re joined by Paul Zickler, Director of SportsBrand at Upper Deck, for a rare look behind the curtain at how one of the hobby’s biggest manufacturers thinks about the cards we collect.

Having seen the trading-card business from the rights-holder, player, and manufacturer sides, Paul brings a fascinating perspective on what actually goes into getting a card from an idea to a pack - and why the process can take up to two years.

We go back to the beginnings of Upper Deck hockey andexplore how more than three decades of products evolved into the range collectors know today, how the annual release calendar comes together, and why offering collectors different ways and price points to participate still matters.

From Young Guns to The Cup, the growth of women’s hockey tonew technology, we get into how Upper Deck balances innovation with authenticity and quality, how products develop as the hobby changes, and why genuine connections between athletes and collecting can make such a difference.

And for those of us who arrived through non-sports cards,there’s a fascinating look at how ideas move between hockey and entertainment - and why the two worlds might be closer than they first appear.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Meet Paul Zickler of Upper Deck04:08 Paul’s Road Through Sports & Back to Upper Deck11:44 Upper Deck Hockey: 36 Years, Flagship & Young Guns16:27 The Growth of Hockey & Making a Statement at The National29:20 How Upper Deck Builds the Hockey Product Calendar35:21 The Cup, Rookie Autos & Game-Used Innovation39:48 Growing PWHL Cards & Upper Deck Moments45:56 Authenticity, Quality & What Makes Upper Deck Different53:24 Players, Collectors & Building Genuine Connections57:43 From Hockey to Entertainment & What Comes Next

---

👇 CONNECT WITH US

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThatCCPod

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Pop-culture trading cards, with a side of sports.

Hosted by Ian Taylor (@happy.place.cards), talking cards andcollecting: non-sports, the hobby, creator and industry interviews, and the community around it.

Established in 2019 as the Marvel Card Collectors Podcast,we’re now in Season 2 — same authentic passion, refocused.

Founding member of The Certified Trading Card Association.

#EnjoyCollecting

FROM COLLECTOR TO CREATOR.

This week we’re joined by artist and collector Tim Colon,fresh from New York Comic Con and with plenty to talk about.

Tim talks about how collecting led him into sketch cards,starting with buying cards and becoming part of the community before gradually turning to creating art of his own — and eventually official sketch-card work for Upper Deck.

We talk about what it feels like to see your own artworkpulled from a pack, how being a collector shapes how Tim approaches every card, and the people who helped him get from posting in Facebook groups to working on releases such as Batman Metal and Fleer Ultra Superman.

There’s also a very real look at the work behind the art:fitting it around family and a day job, spending hours on a single sketch, and continuing to learn from the artists he admires.

Underneath all of it is community. Tim is very clear that hedidn’t get here alone, and that the collectors, artists, and friends around him remain the foundation. With new projects already opening up, including his first Fanatics work, Tim’s story still feels like it’s only getting started.

Follow Tim here; https://www.instagram.com/art_timcolon/

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Meet Tim Colon & New York Comic Con

05:06 From Collector to Sketch Card Artist

18:25 Marvel Masterpieces, e-Pack & Lessons Learned

25:38 The Collector Hat: Sketch Cards, Batman & Thanos

38:03 Seeing Your Own Art Pulled from a Pack

45:00 The Sets Tim Wishes He’d Worked On

56:19 DC Masterpieces & How Tim Builds a Sketch

1:04:56 Art After Hours, Family & a First Fanatics Project

1:21:21 What Comes Next & Why Community Matters

---

👇 CONNECT WITH US

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThatCCPod

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Pop-culture trading cards, with a side of sports.

Hosted by Ian Taylor (@happy.place.cards), talking cards andcollecting: non-sports, the hobby, creator and industry interviews, and the community around it.

Established in 2019 as the Marvel Card Collectors Podcast,we’re now in Season 2 — same authentic passion, refocused.

Founding member of The Certified Trading Card Association.

#EnjoyCollecting

COLLECT WHAT YOU LOVE.

This week we’re joined by UK-based Marvel collector BenMarshall, who takes us through a collecting journey that started with GI Joe and X-Men, and eventually led him into Marvel cards and the dangerous world of original sketch art.

While Mystique became the focus of his character collection,Rogue remains a firm favourite, and somewhere along the way Ben gave himself a new challenge: build his own Marvel Masterpieces set entirely from sketches - one card for each character, and only when the artwork genuinely feels right.

That gives us plenty to look at: recent pickups, favouriteartists, Lydi Li, Ash Gonzales, transformation sketches, the joy - and danger - of commissions, and one rather spectacular Savage Land Rogue all make an appearance.

PLUS, we get into why the community side of collectingmatters, hear Ben’s excitement for GI Joe cards from Upper Deck, and why sometimes the smartest collecting strategy is simply to buy the cards that make you happy.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Meet Ben Marshall (with Josh literally ‘phoning it in’from a Card Show)
05:35 From GI Joe to Marvel Cards
10:11 Discovering Sketch Cards & the Community
21:07 Mystique, Rogue & Character Collecting
23:26 Building a Marvel Masterpieces Set from Sketches
29:13 Recent Pickups, Favourite Artists & Cards That Speak to You
1:00:34 Big Reveals, Commissions & Savage Land Rogue
1:11:54 What’s Next? GI Joe, Grails & Enjoying Collecting

---

👇 CONNECT WITH US

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThatCCPod

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Pop-culture trading cards, with a side of sports.

Hosted by Ian Taylor (@happy.place.cards), talking cards andcollecting: non-sports, the hobby, creator and industry interviews, and the community around it.

Established in 2019 as the Marvel Card Collectors Podcast,we’re now in Season 2 — same authentic passion, refocused.

Founding member of The Certified Trading Card Association.

 #EnjoyCollecting

NOSTALGIA INC.

Ian, Keith, Wesley, and Josh are back with a full house and we kick things off with TCG pre-release events, getting collectors out from behind their screens, playing face-to-face, and the community side of cards that comes with actually having to interact with other humans. What a concept!

Then Upper Deck enters the chat. With new Hasbro and The Jim Henson Company licensing deals on the table, we get into Transformers, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and plenty more — before inevitably imagining what Upper Deck could do with them. PMGs, lenticulars, sound cards, ridiculous manufactured hits... it escalates quickly.

From there, we start spending Upper Deck’s money. Which properties deserve a proper trading card set? Video games, classic television, cult favourites, forgotten gems, and the things we grew up with all get thrown into the mix as we imagine the sets, autos, inserts, and cards we’d love to see become real.

PLUS, we reveal the winner of our DC Absolute Universe Convention Exclusive giveaway and finish with some very nice pickups — including Thanos, Godzilla, and one seriously impressive custom art reveal.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Full House, Storms & TCG Pre-Releases

07:01 Upper Deck x Hasbro – Transformers and More

33:31 Upper Deck x Jim Henson – Labyrinth, Dark Crystal & More

47:42 Dream Trading Card Licences

1:09:49 Giveaway Winner & a YouTube Update

1:13:12 Mail Calls – Thanos, Godzilla & More

1:23:10 A Very Large Custom Art Reveal

1:30:56 CTCA & Sign-Off

---

👇 CONNECT WITH US

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThatCCPod

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Pop-culture trading cards, with a side of sports.

Hosted by Ian Taylor (@happy.place.cards), talking cards and collecting: non-sports, the hobby, creator and industry interviews, and the community around it.

Established in 2019 as the Marvel Card Collectors Podcast, we’re now in Season 2 — same authentic passion, refocused.

Founding member of The Certified Trading Card Association.

#EnjoyCollecting

UPPER DECK DC SUPER SPECTACULAR!

Our first Sunday Card Church live show in a while turned into exactly what the name promised, as Ian, Josh, and Wesley got stuck into two brand-new Upper Deck releases: DC Platinum and DC Inspirations: World of DC.

Platinum brought the colour, original artwork, and creator cards, along with some seriously gorgeous pulls, one particularly nice Peacemaker hit, and a card sacrificed in the name of science.

Then Inspirations changed things up completely. Beautiful cover art, tactile cards, unusual finishes, and some genuinely stunning parallels left us more than a little impressed — and occasionally completely flummoxed.

PLUS, we round things out with a giveaway for a sealed DC Absolute Universe convention exclusive pack.

This was a very visual episode, so if you’re listening on audio, head over to YouTube to see the cards for yourself. They really are rather lovely.

#EnjoyCollecting

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 DC SUPER SPECTACULAR – We’re Live

03:07 DC Platinum – What to Expect

11:30 Opening Upper Deck DC Platinum

21:38 Colour, Hits, and One Card Sacrificed for Science

31:43 A Big Peacemaker Pull

1:02:02 DC Platinum Recap and Verdict

1:09:17 Opening DC Inspirations: World of DC

1:18:00 Numbered Hits and Something Completely Different

1:29:07 Pearlescence!

1:38:41 DC Inspirations Verdict and Hits Recap

1:47:17 Absolute Universe Giveaway and Sign-Off

---

👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

We’re back from our summer break, and the hobby hasn’t exactly been quiet.

This week, we get into the latest wave of Marvel releases,including 2026 Mint and 2026 Chrome, before musing on whether the sudden rush of attention around non-sports is genuine growth, good old-fashioned hype, or a little bit of both.

That takes us into non-sports “rookies” 🤢and investment talk, the renewed appetite for vintage wax, and why older product is suddenly finding its way back onto breaking tables.

There’s also plenty from Upper Deck, including a first look at DC Platinum, some serious Sandman appreciation, and an opening of their San Diego Comic-Con Absolute Universe exclusive.

PLUS, we crack a box of 2025–26 Clear Cut Hockey, reveal an upcoming giveaway, briefly lose the show to Wesley’s lawnmower, and somehow discover that old trading cards are basically sausage meat.

It’s good to be back.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 We’re Back! Summer Break, One Piece, and General Nonsense

03:09 Marvel Mint, Chrome, and the Latest Shiny Thing

10:39 Is Non-Sports Really “Blowing Up”?

14:01 Non-Sports “Rookies” 🤢, Investment Talk, and Hobby Hype

21:32 Speccing, Vintage Wax, and the Sausage Factory

28:42 Upper Deck, DC Platinum, and Sandman Appreciation

40:30 Opening the SDCC Absolute Universe Exclusive

49:22 Giveaway Plans and a Side of Sports

51:45 Upper Deck Clear Cut Hockey – One Card, One Shot

57:32 Hasbro, Transformers, and What’s Coming Next

---

👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" KevinMacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep intothe non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

Fresh back from Chicago, this week Ian and Josh relive their trip to the 46th National Sports Collectors Convention, with Keith and Jason firing in questions from home.

It’s a full National debrief, from the scale of the show and the crush of the crowds to the way the big booths turned floor space into proper hobby theatre. Think live breaks, giveaways, custom cards, free slabs, app sign-ups, and enough collector temptation to test even the strongest willpower.

Was there much non-sports to be found? Ian and Josh go hunting beyond the sports tables, from Pokémon, One Piece, Marvel, and DC to sealed boxes, autos, vintage oddities, and the Star Wars-heavy Heritage Auctions display.

We also get into show logistics, favourite moments, Chicago food, Target restocks, Lollapalooza chaos, and why The National is as much about people, networking, and industry handshakes as it is about buying cardboard.

BIG love to the Upper Deck team and to all who we met at the show.

Plus, Jason signs off from regular podcast duties with a heartfelt farewell. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro to The National, Not “Nationals”

02:36 Josh’s First Look at the Scale of The National

07:40 Meeting IRL and the Industry Side of the Show

12:23 Queues, Crowds, and Product Flying Off Tables

17:03 eBay Live, Whatnot, and Big Booth Activations

20:18 Custom Cards, Freebies, and Fanatics Instant Rips

29:26 Upper Deck, Hockey Breaks, and Show Questions

34:25 Wi-Fi, Venue Logistics, and Future Host Cities

39:20 Spending, Pickups, and the Non-Sports Hunt

53:26 Favourite Moments, Chicago, Target, and Lollapalooza

1:14:03 Networking, Vintage Sports, and Million-Dollar Displays

1:29:43 Jason’s Farewell and Episode Sign-Off

---

👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

This week, we are joined by Nick Jarman, Founder and CEO of the Certified Trading Card Association.

Nick talks us through what the CTCA is, and its goal to bring more confidence, accountability, and support to the wider trading card industry.

We dig into the CTCA Community Membership, the Global Trading Card Registry, certified breakers, trusted retailers, hobby wellbeing, and collector protection.

We also talk about Nick’s recent trip to Fanatics Fest, plans for The National, and why collaboration may matter more than competition as the trading card hobby continues to grow.

Expect serious hobby infrastructure chat, a few carefully dodged announcements, some Tom Holland-level spoiler avoidance, and just enough air drumming to keep the podcast professionally unprofessional.

Find out more about the CTCA here: https://thectca.org/

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Air Drumming, Intros & Meet Nick Jarman
02:23 What Is the CTCA?
06:30 Community Membership and Collector Support
08:32 Fanatics Fest, The National and Hobby Growth
11:01 Nick’s Background and the CTCA Origin Story
17:52 Global Trading Card Registry and Stolen Slabs
23:09 Pushback, Relentlessness and Why Trust Matters
28:01 Healthy Hobby, Spending Habits and Collector Wellbeing
35:25 Certified Breakers, Platforms and Self-Regulation
42:35 Nick’s Personal Collection and Hometown Heroes
49:57 Show Presence, Fanatics Fest and Hobby Networking
1:01:34 How to Join the CTCA and Episode Signoff

---

👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – check out his show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep into the non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

Welcome to the first Home Show of our glorious eighth year!

This week, Ian, Jason, Josh, Keith and Wesley catch up on apacked mix of hobby chaos, including DC Annual from Upper Deck (and its e-Pack ‘Pack Wars’ longevity), Magic: The Gathering’s Marvel Super Heroes release, Topps Chrome Marvel 2026 teasers, and one of the weirdest card comp debates we’ve seen in a LONG while.

Expect seller-fee maths, Facebook group drama, WTAF pricinglogic, some very shiny Marvel Magic cards, PLUS a little DC appreciation sprinkled in, and just enough Topps Chrome to make Keith buy more boxes.

---

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome to the Home Show
02:42 WTAF? Seller Deductions and Card Comps
16:49 DC Annual Box Break Review
23:45 e-Pack, Pack Wars and Prize Cards
35:03 Magic: The Gathering Meets Marvel Super Heroes
41:02 Scene Boxes, Collector Packs and How Magic Works
45:00 Where Magic Sits in the Card Hobby
55:07 Marvel Magic Art Showcase
1:22:41 Topps Chrome Tease, The National & Episode Farewell

---

👇 JOIN THE COMMUNITY & WATCH VISUAL EPISODES

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thatccpod

• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJx2Ddsda7tRKBzWW1OMCrA

• All Platforms Hub: https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

---

🎙️ SHOW CREDITS

• Intro: Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel BaseCard Podcast – check out his show here:https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠

• Music: "I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" KevinMacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

---

ABOUT THAT CARD COLLECTORS PODCAST

Welcome to That Card Collectors Podcast! We dive deep intothe non-sports, sports, and pop-culture trading card universe. Subscribe for weekly hobby updates, honest set reviews, and authentic grassroots collector culture. #EnjoyCollecting

Standby for ACTION as we celebrate 7 years of the podcast in sublime company and in support of a good cause!

Expect nudity, childish humour, blatant brand placement and we MIGHT just might talk about cards.

All in support of PLAY FOR YOUR FREEDOM - find out more and donate here; https://mentalcon.org

PLEASE LIKE & SUBSCRIBE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL! It really helps us out!

Our links are all here; https://linktr.ee/ThatCCPod

========

Music;

"I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Intro;

Smooth vocals by Greg McLaughlin of The Rebel Base Card Podcast – find his show here; ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2T5nysLpxbK2ZpRrgcCO8I⁠