Front . . . Back . . . In Between: Three Unique Looks at Panini America’s Kaboom! Insert

Collectors across the country finally started getting their first live look at Panini America’s Target-only 2014-15 Excalibur Basketball earlier this week as the product began making its way to store shelves in certain parts of the country. But there’s one dazzling aspect of Excalibur — the super-rare, super-cool, super-hero inspired Kaboom! insert — that likely has not yet been appreciated in its entirety. Indeed, the extreme scarcity of the illustrated Kaboom! chase — featuring original artwork from Hungarian artist Gyula Nemeth — means that many of the cards have not yet surfaced on the secondary market.

But today, we’re going to explore every colorful, creative card in the 49-card Kaboom! set by offering three distinct views of each one. We’re going to show you image files of the front and back of each card as they are submitted for league approval and turned over to the Panini America production facility. And while those simple color copies may offer a better perspective on Nemeth’s unique artwork, they don’t necessarily communicate the Kaboom! effect that takes place when the printing technology is added.

So after you appreciate the front and back of each card in their production-file form, we’ve also added images of each of the cards in their final fantastic form. Enjoy the gallery and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for continued coverage.