1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces is one of those sets that change the industry forever. Much like Impel’s Marvel Universe line did just a couple of years earlier, Masterpieces expanded comic cards in a new direction — actually, a couple of directions. Marvel trading cards have never been the same since.
1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces Checklist Overview
The first big transformation of 1992 Marvel Masterpieces is the use of fantasy-style art as opposed to the usual comic interpretations. To do so, SkyBox enlisted the legendary Joe Jusko. He brought his detailed moody and life-like style to the product and did every card on the checklist, from base through to the inserts.
As for the base set, there’s 100 cards. It’s a character-driven release with a dynamic Jusko painting on the front. And they truly are a showcase. Other than a thin gold border, character name, and a small Marvel Masterpieces logo on the front, it’s all art.
Backs go for elegance as well, albeit with more information. Info include the character’s real name and their first appearance. A more lengthy writeup fleshes out a bio. The picture on the back shows the first time they graced a cover.
Packs have just one insert set. Five Battle Spectra cards show some of the biggest rivalries in the Marvel universe at the time. Both characters are showcased mid-fight, adding yet another element and dynamic to the overall checklist. More than that, these use etched-foil technology, a somewhat intricate process that adds more detail and pop than cards with a flat foil finish. These land 1:12 packs or about two per box.
Marvel Cards Get Premium
All this together leads into the second major evolution created by 1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces. It brought a premium spin to Marvel trading cards, something that is a major driver in today’s products decades later. Everything about the product was of the highest quality at the time.
Besides the iconic artwork, glossy cards and fancy inserts, the premium theme carries over to the packaging. Hobby boxes, which have 36 packs of six cards, are all numbered. The print run? A total of 350,000 boxes. The early ’90s were wild. Cases, which have 20 boxes, also have a numbered seal — all 17,500 of them.
1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces also has 35,000 numbered factory tin sets. These have both the 100-card base and Battle Spectra sets. There are also five Lost Marvels cards for characters who didn’t make the final cut.
Despite the massive numbers, this is a set that is popular on the secondary market. It’s a testament to its quality, not to mention the nostalgia it invokes.
This set kicked off a five-year run for the Masterpieces line. Since then it has been resurrected by Upper Deck a couple of different times. They even brought back Jusko for the 2016 set.
1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces Checklist
Set size: 100 cards
Cards per pack: 6
Packs per box: 36
Boxes per case: 20
Shop for 1992 SkyBox Marvel Masterpieces boxes on eBay.
Base Set
100 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Blob
2 Blaze
3 Black Widow
4 Black Panther
5 Black Cat
6 Bishop
7 Beast
8 Archangel
9 Apocalypse
10 Adam Warlock
11 Darkhawk
12 Daredevil
13 Cyclops
14 Colossus
15 Captain Britain
16 Captain America
17 Cage
18 Cable
19 Bullseye
20 Dazzler
21 Enchantress
22 Elektra
23 Electro
24 Dr. Strange
25 Dr. Octopus
26 Dr. Doom
27 Dormammu
28 Deathlok
29 Gambit
30 Galactus
31 Human Torch
32 Hulk
33 Hobgoblin
34 Hawkeye
35 Havok
36 Green Goblin
37 Ghost Rider
38 Iron Man
39 Invisible Woman
40 Iceman
41 Lizard
42 Leader
43 Kingpin
44 Kang
45 Juggernaut
46 Jean Grey
47 Mandarin
48 Major Victory
49 Magneto
50 Loki
51 Moon Knight
52 Mole Man
53 Mojo
54 Mephisto
55 Meggan
56 Namorita
57 Namor
58 Mr. Sinister
59 Mr. Fantastic
60 Morbius
61 Nightmare
62 Nightcrawler
63 Night Thrasher
64 Nick Fury
65 Psylocke
66 Professor X
67 Phoenix
68 Nova
69 Northstar
70 Nomad
71 Quicksilver
72 Quasar
73 Punisher
74 Shatterstar
75 Shadowcat
76 Sauron
77 Sandman
78 Sabretooth
79 Rogue
80 Red Skull
81 Silver Sable
82 She-Hulk
83 Thanos
84 Super Skrull
85 Strong Guy
86 Storm
87 Spider-Man
88 Speedball
89 Sleepwalker
90 Silver Surfer
91 Thing
92 Thor
93 Wonder Man
94 Wolverine
95 White Queen
96 Weapon Omega
97 Venom
98 Ultron
99 Tombstone
100 Checklist
Battle Spectra Checklist
5 cards.
1:12 packs.
1-D Thing vs. Hulk
2-D Silver Surfer vs. Thanos
3-D Wolverine vs. Sabretooth
4-D Spider-man vs. Venom
5-D Captain America vs. Red Skull
Lost Marvel Checklist
5 cards.
Available in tin factory set only.
LM-1 Scarlet Witch
LM-2 Feral
LM-3 Deathbird
LM-4 Typhoid Mary
LM-5 Jubilee
Promo Cards
36 Hulk – part of three-card cello pack, ‘Prototype’ on the back
86 Spider-Man – part of three-card cello pack, ‘Prototype’ on the back
98 Wolverine – part of three-card cello pack, ‘Prototype’ on the back
Captain America – Advance Comics
Hulk – Marvel Age #11
Psylocke – Wizard Magazine #13 (September, 1992)
Silver Surfer – Comics Buyer’s Guide
Spider-Man – Previews
Wolverine – Up ‘n Coming
