WWE TOPPS RUMBLE PACK
(2010)
I hadn't heard of the WWE Rumble Pack series of trading cards, probably for a couple of really good reasons. For one, the set was clearly targeted at younger fans, the same folks who were likely subscribing to the WWE Kids Magazine around the same time. And second, at least according to my research, this line only lasted one year.
One look at the base card set and you can tell these cards aren't primarily being marketed at adult collectors.
The color scheme is all wacky, with odd shapes and stars adorning every edge of the card. And many of the cards show off wrestlers in the midst of jumping, diving, punching or something equally active.
It's almost a wink and a nod to the card recipients, saying "Can you believe these crazy wrestlers and their crazy moves? How crazy are they, right?"
This Chris Jericho card is probably sideways, by the way, especially if you consider the Rumble Pack logo is all disjointed as shown here. But I prefer to leave it facing this way, because it shows Jericho a jump that may even be too wacky for Good Old Y2J.
Each card back is chock full of kid-friendly information, such as a brief biography of The All-American American Jack Swagger, written in a font that makes Comic Sans almost nuanced by comparison.
Beyond the base card set, you've got 30 cards with artist's renderings of CM Punk and his contemporaries at the time. On one hand, the cartoons are kind of silly but on the other hand... I haven't seen many card collections go this route before, so... points for originality?
Speaking of original ideas... wrestling finger puppets, anyone? The idea behind this gimmick is that you peel the cardboard around the perforations, and the bottom of the card becomes the case for your Evan Bourne finger puppet. Pretty clever!
In addition, the Rumble Pack cards featured temporary tattoos, the kind you used to run under the sink as a child and affix them to your arm, hoping a part of William Regal or Christian's face didn't fall off in the process. While not completely original for the trading card game, it's another fun way to keep the audience engaged.
This 2010 set features all of your favorites from AEW.... er, I mean, WWE.