Trading Cards: The Best of Boris

Published by Comic Images in 1994, these cards are the standard 3.5x2.5 size, printed with full bleed (colour right to the edges of the cards.) The cards are printed on chromium stock, this being a special format with a layer of (presumably) chromium foil, so thin as to be transparent, with a card backing, the metal foil being embossed and overprinted with transparent ink which gives a metallic lustre to the image background, over which are portions printed in opaque ink, this being covered by a transparent layer which seems to be plastic, the whole being covered with a UV-opaque layer. The resultant image gives an illusion of depth and is bright and colourful, but which is difficult to scan with pleasing results.

The set consists of 90 cards, 79 being images previously published in series 1 to 4, and 10 being previously unpublished on trading cards. In addition to the basic set there are 6 Omnichrome cards (3 to a box,) 3 Triadmiration subset cards (1 to a box,) a medallion card (one in five boxes,) and a signature card (500 in total) signed by Boris himself. A parallel set of Holochrome cards, with refractive backgrounds, was included at two cards per box. These refractive cards in some light have a rainbow glow, and in others will give an opalescent backdrop (and, curiously, scan very well indeed, with none of the refractive effects visible.) The set was published in 1995.

The cards are listed below in numerical order. The images are included purely to give an idea of what's in the card set, and there is no larger image behind the thumbnail. The spelling here is taken directly from the back of the cards, errors included.

Buyers of the custom binder for this set also received the Uncut Six-Card Strip which is an uncut sheet comprising, as the name suggests, six images arranged as two rows of three cards. Unusually, this is not a normal uncut sheet since instead of six card-backs on the reverse there is a single advertisement for the card set – a case of preaching to the converted since the purchaser has already committed to collecting the set! The paintings are not included on any of the other cards in the set but, due to the absence of card-backs, they remain untitled. I have shown the artworks in the order that they are printed with their titles in parentheses.

Base & Holochrome sets
BoB.01: FreyaFreya, Boris Vallejo BoB.02: Scorpio, the ScorpionScorpio, the Scorpion, Boris Vallejo BoB.03: KalevanpojatKalevanpojat, Boris Vallejo
BoB.04: DolphinsEcco the Dolphin, Boris Vallejo BoB.05: BollaBolla, Boris Vallejo BoB.06: DeijaniraDeianeira, Boris Vallejo
BoB.07: White AngelWhite Angel, Boris Vallejo BoB.08: Triton and MermaidTriton and the Mermaid, Boris Vallejo BoB.09: Hammer ThrowHammer Throw, Boris Vallejo
BoB.10: At the DoorAt the Door, Boris Vallejo BoB.11: Hercules and CerberusHercules versus Cerberus, Boris Vallejo BoB.12: DraculaDracula (revised), Boris Vallejo
BoB.13: WeightliftingWeightlifting, Boris Vallejo BoB.14: Magic RingWarrior Witch of Hel, Boris Vallejo BoB.15: Soap
(Counterfeit Lover)Counterfeit Lover, Boris Vallejo
BoB.16: QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl, Boris Vallejo BoB.17: AtlasAtlas, Boris Vallejo BoB.18: BasiliskBasilisk, Boris Vallejo
BoB.19: Star ControlStar Control, Boris Vallejo BoB.20: Noah's Ark
Noah's ark (original), Boris Vallejo
BoB.21: The Broken SwordThe Broken Sword, Boris Vallejo
BoB.22: Hesperides and LadonHesperides and Ladon the Dragon, Boris Vallejo BoB.23: AstarteAstarte (1992), Boris Vallejo BoB.24: Es and the CreationEs and the Creation, Boris Vallejo
BoB.25: Medusa IIGorgon (1990), Boris Vallejo BoB.26: Wings of WorWings of Wor, Boris Vallejo BoB.27: Indian ChiefIn Praise of a Higher Spirit, Boris Vallejo
BoB.28: AlpnuAlpnu, Boris Vallejo BoB.29: Daphne and ApolloDaphne and Apollo, Boris Vallejo BoB.30: MosesMoses, Boris Vallejo
BoB.31: Thiassi Abducting IdumThiassi Abducting Idun, Boris Vallejo BoB.32: MimirMimir, Boris Vallejo BoB.33: The FuriesThe Furies, Boris Vallejo
BoB.34: Diana and Actaeon
- mis-titled ArtemisDiana and Actaeon, Boris Vallejo
BoB.35: Dejanira and NessusDeianeira and Nessus, Boris Vallejo BoB.36: Condor ChuquiCondor-Chuqui, Boris Vallejo
BoB.37: Death StalkerDeathstalker II, Boris Vallejo BoB.38: RowingRowing, Boris Vallejo BoB.39: DungeonDeathstalker III, Boris Vallejo
BoB.40: FreedomFreedom (1992), Boris Vallejo BoB.41: Gryphon KeeperGryphon Keeper, Boris Vallejo BoB.42: UnicornE Pluribus Unicorn, Boris Vallejo
BoB.43: Perseus and MedusaPerseus Defeats Medusa, Boris Vallejo BoB.44: Queen of the AmazonsAmazons (1986), Boris Vallejo BoB.45: TattooTattoo, Boris Vallejo
BoB.46: Yesterday and TomorrowSteppe, Boris Vallejo BoB.47: Sword and SerpentsSwords and Serpents, Boris Vallejo BoB.48: White EagleAgainst the Prince of Hell, Boris Vallejo
BoB.49: Gemini, the TwinsGemini, the Twins, Boris Vallejo BoB.50: Death RideNever Say Never Again - preliminary art b, Boris Vallejo BoB.51: Against The OddsConan the Triumphant, Boris Vallejo
BoB.52: Scarlet MenaceDemon Night, Boris Vallejo BoB.53: DumbellDumbbell, Boris Vallejo BoB.54: Mayan SerpentClash of Star-Kings, Boris Vallejo
BoB.55: ElijahElijah (righthand side), Boris Vallejo BoB.56: MedeaMedea (calendar version), Boris Vallejo BoB.57: Aquarius, the Water BearerAquarius, the Water Bearer, Boris Vallejo
BoB.58: Gryphon AireGryphon's Eyrie, Boris Vallejo BoB.59: Mistress of the CatsMistress of the Felines, Boris Vallejo BoB.60: Hard DriveThe Shattered Sphere, Boris Vallejo
BoB.61: The VictoriousConan the Victorious, Boris Vallejo BoB.62: NumdjaNumdja, Boris Vallejo BoB.63: Amazon RiderChosen of Mida, Boris Vallejo
BoB.64: Artemis
- mis-titled Diana And ActaeonArtemis, Boris Vallejo
BoB.65: Death Stalker IVDeathstalker_IV, Boris Vallejo BoB.66: SachmetSachmet, Boris Vallejo
BoB.67: PyramidsThe Vengeance of Orion, Boris Vallejo BoB.68: Venus In the Half ShellTo Sail Beyond the Sunset, Boris Vallejo BoB.69: Red AmazonWhen Hell Laughs, Boris Vallejo
BoB.70: Metal AngelMetal Angel, Boris Vallejo BoB.71: AbgalAbgal, Boris Vallejo BoB.72: HydraHydra, Boris Vallejo
BoB.73: In the Moons of BoreaIn the Moons of Borea, Boris Vallejo BoB.74: ArcheryArchery, Boris Vallejo BoB.75: Libra, The BalanceLibra, the Balance, Boris Vallejo
BoB.76: Aries, the RamAries, the Ram, Boris Vallejo BoB.77: EquestrianEquestrian, Boris Vallejo BoB.78: Thor and KrungnirKrungnir Battling Thor, Boris Vallejo
BoB.79: ShotputThe Shot-Putter, Boris Vallejo BoB.80: BlackstarPhantasy Star IV, Boris Vallejo BoB.81: Quest
Quest, Boris Vallejo
BoB.82: TalismanMore Magic, Boris Vallejo BoB.83: Spring GardenSpring Garden, Boris Vallejo BoB.84: AmaethonAmaethon, Boris Vallejo
BoB.85: Golden AxGolden Axe II, Boris Vallejo BoB.86: AuroraAurora, Boris Vallejo BoB.87: Crystal GryphonCrystal Gryphon, Boris Vallejo
BoB.88: AriadneAriadne, Boris Vallejo BoB.89: AmberTalisman, Boris Vallejo BoB.90: Checklist onlyNo Image placeholder
OmniChrome set
BoB.O1: Brotan the BreederBrotan the Breeder, Boris Vallejo BoB.O2: She VampireShe Vampire, Boris Vallejo BoB.O3: Haesel The SlaveHaesel the Slave, Boris Vallejo
BoB.O4: LeoLeo, the Lion, Boris Vallejo BoB.O5: Live Tattoos
Live Tattoos, Boris Vallejo
BoB.O6: NomadsNomads of Gor, Boris Vallejo
Triadmiration set
BoB.T1: AphroditeAphrodite, Boris Vallejo BoB.T2: HebatHebat, Boris Vallejo BoB.T3: NerydsThe Water Nymphs, Boris Vallejo
Medallion & Autograph cards
BoB.Med: Two-Headed BeastOld Style Beer (revised), Boris Vallejo   BoB.Auto: The MagnificentConan the Magnificent, Boris Vallejo
Uncut Six-Card Strip
(Night)Night, Boris Vallejo (Dragon Rigger)Dragon Rigger, Boris Vallejo (Hippocampus)Hippocampus, Boris Vallejo
(Tinirau)Tinirau, Boris Vallejo (Leda and the Swan)Leda and the Swan (1989), Boris Vallejo (Gryphon)Gryphon (1991), Boris Vallejo


Page last updated: 2023-07-15