For the first time in over two decades, Fleer Brilliants is back. The beloved trading card line, last seen in 1999, makes its long-awaited return on Wednesday, July 16, with a dazzling new collection dedicated entirely to Superman. To mark the occasion, Upper Deck Director of Entertainment Brands Travis Rhea spoke with me about the legacy of Fleer Brilliants, the decision to highlight the Man of Steel, and what collectors can expect from this premium release.
A Nostalgic Brand, a Perfect Moment
According to Rhea, bringing back Fleer Brilliants was always going to require the right timing.
“So many people have nostalgic feelings toward the Fleer Brilliants brand,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that when we brought it back, it was for a truly special occasion.”
With a new Superman movie on the horizon, Upper Deck’s team saw the opportunity to reintroduce Fleer Brilliants in a way that celebrated both the past and the present. Work on the set began in mid-2024 with the aim of launching alongside the film’s release.
Why Superman?
This is Upper Deck’s first dedicated Superman trading card set, and Rhea noted that the character’s bright, larger-than-life world fit perfectly with the Fleer Brilliants aesthetic. “The Fleer Brilliants style of trading cards fits so perfectly with the colorful, vibrant world of Superman,” he explained. The cards utilize rainbow foilboard for a shimmering, premium look, but the company was just as focused on making them accessible to both die-hard collectors and brand-new fans.
Variants with Lore and Style
Among the biggest talking points are the themed parallels like Red Heat Vision and Green Kryptonite. Rhea said these design choices were born from Superman’s deep mythology.
“Because we had access to so much creative artwork that spans generations of Superman storytelling, we knew there were going to be a ton of opportunities to group key moments in very fun ways,” he said. “Things like Red Heat Vision and Green Kryptonite have direct ties to the Superman lore, so adding those fun chase element designs was very fun for our designers.”
Honoring Superman’s Comic Book Legacy
The set also includes “Classic Covers,” inserts showcasing iconic comic book art from across Superman’s publishing history. Rhea revealed just how deep Upper Deck went: “I can tell you that we went as far back as possible, as there is a Classic Covers card of Action Comics #1! Covers have always been such an important part of comic book fandom because they are the first thing someone sees that draws them in to read the rest of the book.”
Collaboration with DC
For all of the creative freedom Upper Deck brought to the project, Rhea stressed that the set was a true partnership with DC. Cards like Powered by the Sun and Illuminators required careful collaboration to ensure authenticity.
“DC are incredible to work with because they allowed us to put our card knowledge on top of their iconic characters,” he said. “We worked closely to ensure that each character featured with these inserts made sense for the theme, but DC gave us a lot of room to make sure the cards were a perfect combination of both companies.”
Balancing Rarity and Accessibility
With serial-numbered cards, exclusive parallels, and Mega Box-only inserts, balancing the thrill of rare pulls with broader accessibility was key.
“It’s always a fine balance between making a set accessible while also ensuring collectors can also find themselves at a loss for words because they just pulled a rare or even a 1-of-1 card,” Rhea explained. Whether fans buy a blaster box or a Mega Box, Upper Deck ensured that everyone walks away with a mix of parallels, inserts, and chases.
Not a One-Off
While Fleer Brilliants Superman feels like a milestone celebration, Rhea confirmed that it’s also just the start of something bigger.
“This is just the beginning! We will have Skybox Metal Universe Batman launching later this year,” he teased. That set, too, will be history-spanning and filled with Upper Deck’s signature flair.
A Final, Super Question
And if Rhea himself had Superman’s powers for a single day?
“I admit that it would be tempting to search sealed packs for the best cards, but the pack opening experience is half the fun,” he laughed.
Instead, he’d use super speed “to see how fast I could open a whole case of Mega Boxes.”
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