Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyCox3
From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I don't understand all this love for the first two Bowman Mantles over the '52 Topps. Those Mantles (and all 1950-52 Bowmans) are crude, almost child-like depictions. The artistry, if you want to call it that, is laughable (Paul Richards, anyone?). The best efforts look more like comic book illustrations rather than anything approximating portraiture. The 1950's also feels really late in the game for using simplistic artwork over actual photography. If that appeals to you, however, 1953 Topps would be a more sound option to me. Couple all of this with their odd and inconsistent sizing over just a few short years, and you've completely lost me. '53 Color-'55 are things of beauty. Bowman finally got a handle on crafting beautiful cards, and then they were gone.
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Oddly enough I really dislike the sizing of early Topps. I much prefer the smaller Bowmans from 48-52 and I enjoy the size differences. I probably like 1950 sizing the best. As for the art it's just much more appealing to me on 50-52 Bowman than either 52 or 53 Topps. The bold black outlines are somewhat of an OCD thing with me and art, and they add a LOT visually for me on early Bowman art cards. The 52 and 53 Topps sets are just meh when I compare them side by side with 50-52 Bowman.