When it comes to trading cards for the first Christopher Reeve film, Topps might be the more famous one, but it’s not the only one. 1978 Drake’s Superman: The Movie trading cards offer a more condensed look. It’s also tougher to track down than its mainstream counterpart.
The food-issue release was part of a promotion by Drake’s Cakes. They were found for a limited time in family pack boxes of the following treats:
- Coffee Cake Jr.
- Creme Fingers
- Cup Cakes
- Devil Dogs
- Funny Bones
- Pound Cake
- Ring Ding Jrs.
- Swiss Rolls
- Yankee Doodles
- Yodels
A complete set of 1978 Drake’s Superman: The Movie has 24 cards. That’s not a lot but considering you could only get one at a time, full runs aren’t that common today. Even singles are not in high supply, especially for those looking for top-condition cards.
The cards themselves are attractive. Fronts have a black and silver border that’s split by red, white and blue stripes. A large photo is in the middle with the movie’s title plastered as a banner across the top. Instead of traditional numbering, they’re labeled by a scene number.
Backs have a caption that goes with the image on the front. While many of the film’s key moments are touched on, cards aren’t chronological and the story is far from complete.
1978 Drake’s Superman: The Movie Checklist
Base Set
24 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Standing guard over the city of Metropolis, Superman uses his powers in a never-ending battle against evil.
2 Superman fights for Truth, Justice and the American Way.
3 Superman bores his way through solid concrete into an abandoned subway tunnel leading to the underground layer of Lex Luthor.
4 The space ship containing the infant Superman races away from the disintegrating Planet Krypton on its way to Earth.
5 Christopher Reeve turns into Superman from the mild-mannered Clark Kent.
6 Superman wages a never-ending battle against crime and coruption in the city of Metropolis.
7 Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman.
8 The mysterious young visitor from Krypton emerges from the rocket of Jor-El after landing in the wheatfields of Smallville.
9 Superman relentlessly stalks the arch-criminal Lex Luthor.
10 Elders of the Planet Krypton order military police to watch the activities of their leading scientist Jor-El.
11 Day or night, Superman soars over Metropolis to fight crime and injustice.
12 “The Man of Steel” becomes a human railroad track to save lives and avert certain disaster.
13 The defender of Truth, Justice and the American Way soars past a symbol of America’s greatness in search of criminals.
14 With their son’s spaceship safely on its way, Jor-El and Lara dodge debris as Krypton begins to disintegrate.
15 Amid the energy columns, the spaceship containing the infant Superman, is prepared for launch just before the disintegration of Krypton.
16 Even opening a soft drink for editor Perry White proves too much for mild-mannered Clark Kent, as ace reporter Lois Lane comes to his aid.
17 Having promised to remain on Krypton, Jor-El and Lara nonetheless prepare their son, the future Superman, for his solo flight to Earth.
18 Foster parents Jonathan and Martha Kent discover the super-human powers of the boy they have found in the wheatfields of Smallville.
19 Master criminal Lex Luthor immobilizes Superman with Kryptonite while his plan of destruction unfolds without interference.
20 Carving a trench of molten earth, the spaceship containing the young Superman lands on Earth near the astonished Jonathan and Martha Kent.
21 Neither petty criminals nor arch-villains can escape the relentless pursuit and amazing powers of Superman.
22 Jor-El and Lara watch the tiny capsule carrying their son disappear into the vastness of space bound for Earth.
23 In the trial chamber, Jor-El, an elder of Krypton and its leading elder condemns three Krytonian villains.
24 Lois Lane clings to a seatbelt from the Daily Planet helicopter as it teeters over the edge of the newspaper building, high above Metropolis.
