Generally speaking, I would think most card collectors would prefer color cards over black & white ones. But recently, I saw Dan's posting about the 1960s LOST IN SPACE set by Topps, and I realized that it is one set that I'm really glad was NOT in color. The reason is that the first season of that series was all shot in Black & White, and that was the most serious season of the show. It had real science fiction plots, and even real suspense, with monsters (like that giant Cyclops) that were deadly, instead of just goofy looking and acting. The Robinson family wore astronaut type costumes (that looked kind of like a tin-foil fabric)instead of those silly orange turtle neck outfits they wore in the later "color years". Meanwhile, Dr. Smith was a serious menace who was trying to sabotage/ kill the others during season one, instead of the gay acting clown he evolved into. I still enjoyed the later series to some extent, but it was so dumbed down and campy, compared to the first black & white season which adults could also enjoy.
Thank goodness the Topps series used the first season (and the cool Cyclops, the best card in the lot) instead of the later color seasons. It wouldn't be the same at ALL in garish color.
So it got me thinking, are there other sets that other collectors like in part, because they do NOT have color? Or perhaps just part color (like duotone)? One of my favorite monster sets, HORROR MONSTER green and orange used black & white photos with a duotone effect to make certain monsters in the foreground JUMP out at you, to great effect. I think that set would qualify as one that is better black & white than it would have been if it were in full color.
What does the forum think? Any other examples of B&W favorites?
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1956 Topps Jets should probably be considered a B+W series, despite the red border. I like it a lot, but no one else seems to take a fancy to it. Features about the only glossy photos I am aware of from the 1950's.
Best in collecting, Bill Bengen
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b & w psa sets and unopened wax packs and or full boxes i collect are the following 5 sets.
1964 munsters base set, like stickers are color
1964 addams family
1965 gillgan's island
1966 get smart full panel
1967 star trek
i'd be curious what those 5 sets in color would have looked like.
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That's interesting. Both the Addams Family and The Munsters were black and white series and remained black and white despite color coming on strong during the mid 1960s (which sold more TVs). So while Lost in Space, and Get Smart, and I think Get Smart all started in BW but converted to color, the two monster oriented ones did not. (It would have been misplaced to change the mood... and I think it would have also messed up the cards to a great extent.) And yet, with Outer Limits which was all filmed in BW, they added color to the BW photos in the Topps card set and it looked really cool!
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Current Topic - Color VS. Black & White cards (like Lost In Space & others)
