It’s not a bird, and it’s not a plane.
But it is the first new Fleer Brilliants set in more than two decades.
Just days after the latest Superman reboot soared to a $125 million opening weekend, Upper Deck’s new Fleer Brilliants Superman trading card set landed on retail-store shelves packed with parallels and serial-numbered chases.
The second major release and first flagship Superman set under Upper Deck’s new DC Universe license, Fleer Brilliants Superman delivers a 90-card base set on rainbow foilboard alongside the summer’s biggest movie.
For Upper Deck, placing its newest flagship Superman set alongside filmmaker James Gunn’s blockbuster had been a priority since announcing its new deal with DC in July 2024.
According to Grant Sandground, Upper Deck’s president of product development, it was critical to take advantage of any renewed interest in the character — even if it meant working with a tight timeline.
“We knew we had to get something available, and we needed to execute in a short time period,” Sandground told cllct. “The Fleer Brilliants brand, which leans into technology, that's something we can control. We're not waiting on actors to sign trading cards. We're not waiting on licensors to deliver image assets.
“We can kind of control a lot more of that because we have access to the comic art. We have access to an array of different foilboard technologies. We can control a lot more of the elements to make sure we nail the timing.”
The revival of the Fleer Brilliants brand will be notable for both savvy collectors and new hobbyists alike. For those new to the space, Brilliants delivers attractive foilboard and a number of color-matching parallels. For more experienced collectors, Fleer Brilliants has long been a key set with highly coveted chases from one of the most popular eras of collecting.
Fleer Brilliants Superman launches with mega box and blaster box configurations and exclusive parallels for each. Mega boxes, which cost about $55 on the secondary market, come with 70 total cards and exclusive purple parallels. Blaster boxes, which retail for around $30, come with 40 cards per box and exclusive Blue (Walmart), Red (Target) and Yellow (GameStop) parallels for the major retailers.
For experienced collectors, the most notable parallel might be Golden Flight, which is numbered to just 24 examples as a reference to the famous 24KT Gold parallels. Also numbered out of 24, the 24KT Gold variations have been some of the most coveted parallels from the late 1990s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale for any Fleer Brilliants card is the $109,200 paid for a 1998-99 Fleer Brilliants 24KT Gold Kobe Bryant PSA 7.5 at Goldin in 2021.
“Those are some of the most popular parallel cards issued during a time where inserts and parallels were king,” Sandground said. “That was really before autographs and memorabilia really entrenched themselves in collectors as a primary chase … We've seen a renaissance in chasing rare insert cards that don't have autographs. We’re delving into rainbow foils and spectacular substrates, and we are positioned well with the Fleer Brilliants brand to kind of tap into those areas.”
Insert chases include Classic Covers, Superman Revenge Squad and Illuminators. Powered by the Sun cards are considered rare inserts, while The Last Sun of Krypton cards are case hits.
The focus for Upper Deck now turns to San Diego Comic-Con from July 24 to July 27 where the manufacturer will sell two convention exclusive DC sets.
The first, a nod to the 1938 Goudey Heads Up release, [will feature characters who appeared in DC Comics’ first 10 years, including Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman])https://www.instagram.com/p/DLz_88JxcoN/?img_index=1). The cards will feature Goudey’s iconic square design and artwork from the classic comics.
The second set is a Peacemaker release inspired by the HBO show starring John Cena. Season 2 of Peacemaker is scheduled to premier Aug. 21.
Beyond San Diego Comic-Con, collectors can expect more flagship Batman and Superman sets from Upper Deck later this year and in early 2026. A Metal Universe Batman set, which features the first Precious Metal Gems Batman cards, is tentatively scheduled for a late summer or fall release.
Upper Deck is then aiming to deliver a Fleer Ultra Superman set with original artwork in late 2025 or early 2026.
“It’s such a rich IP — it’s one of the greatest IPs on planet Earth, especially from the perspective of a trading card manufacturer,” Sandground said. “We’ve been doing entertainment cards for 20-plus years … So we know how to build this stuff.
“I’d argue [DC] has the best villains of any comic universe and some of the biggest heroes as well. It’s such a rich IP for us and we have such a rich diversity of brands that we can bring to this.”
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.