It's October 1993. You're 10 years old. You walk into your local comics shop and spy a box of some card set called Marvel Masterpieces. They're more expensive than your usual jam, but you decide to splurge, and BOOM - Bill Sienkiewicz's nightmarishly abstract Wolverine slaps you in the face! You flip through the pack frantically, looking for anything familiar your young brain can cling to. Jim Lee? Rob Liefeld? No! Some dude named Kent Williams painted Nightcrawler looking like a slinky wretch! And Dave Dorman was paid to draw 100% of Venom's actual esophagus! 

But maybe there's like, a cool hologram in there somewhere? Magneto, maybe, or Punisher? Also no! Only an inscrutable homage to some mid-90s X-Men 2099 C-listers!

As weird as this set must have seemed at the time, I'm there for it as an adult, first and foremost because the art is (mostly) unbelievable. But there's a lot of other fun, weird stuff going on. Let's hit the beat. Pre-read the wise words of the [Gentlemen of Leisure](https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2017/12/unstacking-deck-marvel-masterpieces.html) or the crazy deep exposition of [DynaEtch on Blowout Forums](https://www.blowoutforums.com/showpost.php?p=18460012&postcount=8) if you want more.

# Background

* **Set Name:** Marvel Masterpieces
* **Publisher:** SkyBox
* **Year:** 1993
* **Size:** 90 base cards (including checklist) + 8 X-Men 2099 inserts

# Art: 8/10

As probably anyone reading a review of an early 1990s Marvel card set knows, the *1992* Marvel Masterpieces set was painted, in its entirety, by the very talented Joe Jusko. And although it would have been cool indeed for *every* MM set to feature only a single artist, or perhaps a small set (e.g., the Hildebrandts in 1994, the fearsome foursome in 1995, or Vallejo/Bell in 1996), 1993 is the only set, excepting the oddball 2007/2008 batches, to feature a broad mix of artists. Joe Jusko again carried a lot of water with 16 cards, but other artists -- probably about 20 -- pitched in to varying degrees.  

That decision was consequential, because although some of the resulting art is truly spectacular and consistent on an artist-by-artist basis, the stylistic divergence *between* artists is abrupt and distracting. That divergence is emphasized by the fact that each artist's cards are inserted pretty much randomly, rather than in sequential blocks. But for purposes of our review, I'm primarily going to group them.

We have to start with Bill Sienkiewicz. This guy (epic in the 1980s on New Mutants, and still working today) is insane in the best possible way. Although not the promo artist (Julie Bell's Iron Man and Silver Surfer appear on the packs), he kicks it off *very* strong with a fantastic Hulk, and then adds my personal all-time favorite Wolverine -- a portrait that to me conveys Wolvie splattering his *own* blood toward the viewer as he extends and brandishes his claws with an unhinged intensity. I'm lukewarm on his Sabretooth, but Ghost Rider is superb, and Vulture has a surprisingly whimsical, chill vibe for a dude whose whole thing is, like, abducting people off into the sky.

[Look at how good these are! C'mon, let's find out who owns these paintings and invite ourselves over.](https://preview.redd.it/1qr1eo97xuih1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ea6bcc14fcb7a1ed8ca9f9b8bfa5e4b2afdbe4a)

Next, Julie Bell. She's another favorite. Her particular brand of anatomically realist fantasy art -- which I view as sort of an elevated Jusko -- almost always delivers, and here she contributes not only the aforementioned Iron Man and Silver Surfer (which I think are just okay) but also a master-level Colossus and Psylocke. 

[A lot of people think Silver Surfer's expression and posture are more consistent with a guy falling OFF a surfboard. And once you see it, you don't blame them.](https://preview.redd.it/2aiel4efxuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c9ad35323895d997b3efc27c42f4dc3ec0794f6)

[I don't know why Colossus is punching through that wall, but he looks GREAT doing it. It can't be easy to paint chrome like that, but here it's so real you can imagine reaching out and polishing that smooth Russian flat top.](https://preview.redd.it/uv1j14efxuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec022fd17f336e1eb70b4f348fa9b138cd4849ae)

[I don't know where Julie Bell came up with this ninja pose, but the gracefully arced body and trailing psy-blade are perfection.](https://preview.redd.it/cv8804efxuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c393aea4770693346c5f9e8bc274074328e2886)

Kent Williams is another legitimate painter who is probably too good for this kind of work. His vibe isn't far from Sienkiewicz, but it's a little more *otherworldly*. In the books, Nightcrawler is constantly shunned for his unsettling appearance - and this version, unlike the rakish, smiling swashbuckler we usually see, is a legitimate creep.

[You know somebody in Editorial looked at these and was, like, they're goddamn SUPERHEROES, Kent, not your weird night terrors.](https://preview.redd.it/hj4425xyxuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f17bdfbb2fe26e2f9852a902da6553b57b40774)

Next, Jusko, who did 16 cards (far more than anyone else). Most of these are at least solid, but Iron Fist, Domino, and Deadpool are all true classics that jump off the page. 

[Jusko's set, with the exception of She-Hulk, Carnage, and the unsalvageable art direction of Ravage, works very well.](https://preview.redd.it/f82uncj9yuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5e0d4e65b913666cdfcccac79ac58940fa374b0)

[This card alone should've taken Domino straight to the top.](https://preview.redd.it/ap2ibej9yuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=71a68fa75381d47d9f1849bdd37788612f9768d5)

[Deadpool, still pretty much just a murderer at this stage, again looks fantastic on a trading card.](https://preview.redd.it/e5qkp25myuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b5bef82910db9f473c58d15f87e24acd553b1da)

If the entire set had been as good as 30 or so cards contributed by these four artists, we'd be able to close early and go home for the day. A handful of other cards match that level, as I detail below in the Curation section. But there are a couple artists who are an extreme tonal mismatch for the prevailing theme. I'm specifically thinking of Brett Blevins and a few others. Blevins's stuff may be fine or even great in other settings, but it doesn't jive with the "Masterpieces" vibe, and in general these cards seem maybe just a touch above the ubiquitous one-of-one sketches that are offered as inserts in every set for the last 15-20 years. 

[Seriously, Brett, they're not bad. They're fun. Rhino, Omega Red, and Scorpion are all playing with perspective in interesting ways. But you don't hang Dilbert next to the Mona Lisa, and Marvel shouldn't give us that Wolverine and then this Night Thrasher in the same set. ](https://preview.redd.it/y9jv3i7xyuih1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=823992f7863032182fa5621201cd1e013dc4bee0)

[This card is just gross, and I think pretty much every other artist drawing Venom on a trading card has opted to avoid the unnecessary and unwanted throat-cavity angle.](https://preview.redd.it/x528kcp7zuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a5f47a047826c1ed5a4473e4ab6b965f4f8ea81)

[Why is Spider-Man shrunk down to the size of an insect? And why are the fly's legs facing upward? Is he, like, SAVING the fly? Fighting it? It makes no sense.](https://preview.redd.it/jzc8rcp7zuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa3c45c6204525a36b8965b7b3421132bbbaa0e5)

[Glenn Fabry has some very nice cards in this set, but the perspective on his Doom leaves the mask looking boxy, and his expression, such as it is, looks worried or uncertain. I can't tell if there are letters written on the mouthpiece, either. \\"Help\\"? It's not working for me.](https://preview.redd.it/zifbndp7zuih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9d4b973410133417fd230ddf8793ae26070b893)

So, where are we with the art? The highs are *extremely* high, and the artistic risks that pay off deserve a reward. But consistency suffers, and there's a lot of mid-tier filler, so I'm going to score it below our other iconic sets (X-Men Series I, 1992 MM, and a few upcoming others).

# Cardbacks: 8/10

These cardbacks are quite good: they're split down the middle between a blurb on one side with name, group affiliation, first appearance, and some flavor text, and then an excerpt from an early character appearance on the other side, with a bonus fact running along the bottom. The front art is attributed (albeit in microscopic font), and although the total package is a bit crowded, it's a nice idea and the execution generally works.

The Real Gentlemen of Leisure review (cited above) outlines many instances where the "first appearance" fact is arguably wrong or at least misleading, as well as some other slightly weird inconsistencies with or glosses on then-current 1990s canon. I don't have the comics depth for that, but I do appreciate some of the more tongue-in-cheek choices for character art.

[God bless whoever dug up that picture of Forge. And in many instances, these weird little snippets of dialogue work better than the generic high-minded quotes that cardbacks often feature.](https://preview.redd.it/4lx5dtu90vih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c39fbe28d58b0cc587b344098d3b0a3da9e1f15)

# Curation: 9/10

Just like with the 1992 MM, this set focuses on the characters. No team portraits, no versus battles, no cards dedicated exclusively to Quasar's arm bands. And I have no problem with that. Am I glad that we have 6 base set cards and all 8 inserts devoted to Marvel 2099 characters? Absolutely not, and in retrospect, it's embarrassing. But we can't totally blame Marvel for pumping its new stuff, and unlike Marvel Universe IV, the inclusions are mostly within the realm of reason. 

Let's look at some other favorites:

[The OG 1940s triptych of Human Torch, Captain America, and Namor is inexplicably not aligned in the set, so this is easy to miss, but grouped together, they look great. Kudos to Jim Steranko.](https://preview.redd.it/gbrcy3s82vih1.jpg?width=2890&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ade75c4348565c9cdc073352977292918353e80b)

[Lou Harrison is another artist at home with oil painting who mostly kills this set with hyper-realistic anatomy and detail. I will note some dissatisfaction with the canonically accurate but still weird coif of spiked hair in the front.](https://preview.redd.it/ia6navsr0vih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c249a65024466dbba275d4840f1346fde8d8de5)

[U.S. Agent never really did much for me, but the forceful, dynamic pose here by Frank Spinks is aces.](https://preview.redd.it/nsa3zwsr0vih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26bc3cde6f7f8c52d393b2fe5b18dd14e42c0d00)

[George Perez's Beast is a little more cartoony than most cards in this set, but look at those laser beams! The focus on Beast's agility pays off.](https://preview.redd.it/oiti7wsr0vih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08e8835d8a253c85d803e019e06b7e55a410770a)

[Spider-Man got a dud in this set, but Spider-Woman $by the excellent Tristan Schane$ is fully dialed in. This one's indeed a masterpiece.](https://preview.redd.it/6mtfuvsr0vih1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f90384fe277742bdb005be413542c0b9afbf7bda)

# Inserts/Parallels: 4/10

This is going to upset people, but in my book, the 8-card DynaEtch X-Men 2099 set (inserted at 1:9 packs) is probably the worst 1990s Marvel insert package that comes to mind. I'll chalk a lot of my reaction up to the fact that I know literally nothing about these characters, so I have no emotional attachment and no mental framework for processing whether they're supposed to be intimidating, conflicted, heroic, whatever. But I think this is also far from Bob Larkin's best work - the female poses are all stiff, the Egyptian backgrounds make no sense to a non-reader of the book, and there is just nothing about these guys that interests me. Also, although the sparkly, embossed "DynaEtch" card tech could possibly be cool under other circumstances, it's certainly not as impressive as the assorted holograms in most other 1990s sets.

[They're lame. They just are.](https://preview.redd.it/zmaza3cz1vih1.jpg?width=2138&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ace9051971bda5c60a0d71d1891011c9413aea3)

So it's a shame, but 1993 MM loses a lot of points on this metric, and that will prevent it from being a real player in our rankings.

[](https://preview.redd.it/marvel-set-reviews-marvel-universe-iv-1993-v0-4q8inf49vghh1.jpg?width=1309&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb4f54e5c9f3d09d0df50804c1468f08b9cb2270)

# Affordability/Availability: 10/10

They printed *350,000* boxes of this set and 840,000 of each base card, so they're, uh, pretty cheap. Like, give-'em-away cheap. I paid $50 for the best set and $25 for the chase cards last year, and if you're patient, you can probably snipe them on auction or at Goodwill for less than that. 

# Overall Score: 38/50

It should be obvious that I love this set. The character list is super tight, much of the art remains jaw-dropping, the cardbacks are cool, and the whole thing is super easy to collect. This is a binder that I'm always happy to flip through, and it's fortuitous that pretty much anyone can drop a few bucks and pick it up. But the lack of a decent chase set is pretty much fatal for purposes of the overall rankings.

# Overall Set Ranking (in progress)

1. [X-Men Series I (1992) (46/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1v25pfh/marvel_set_reviews_xmen_series_i_1992_plus/)
2. [Marvel Masterpieces (1992) (41/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1uvvten/marvel_set_reviews_marvel_masterpieces_1992/)
3. [Marvel Universe II (1991) (39/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1ujdqud/marvel_set_reviews_marvel_universe_ii_1991/)
4. Marvel Masterpieces (1993) (39/50)
5. [Marvel Universe III (1992) (36/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1upisjj/marvel_set_reviews_marvel_universe_iii_1992/)
6. [Marvel Universe I (1990) (35/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1ud52q0/marvel_set_reviews_marvel_universe_i_1990/)
7. [Marvel Universe IV (1993) (32/50)](https://www.reddit.com/r/marveltradingcards/comments/1vfuvs2/marvel_set_reviews_marvel_universe_iv_1993/)

Marvel Set Reviews: Marvel Masterpieces (1993)