For the first time in over 20 years, Fleer Brilliants is back. The beloved trading card line, last seen in 1999, made its long-awaited return on Wednesday, July 16th, featuring a dazzling new collection entirely dedicated to Superman. To mark this opportunity, Travis Lea, the entertainment brand’s upper deck director, spoke to me about the legacy of Flyer Brilliant, the decision to highlight the man in steel, and what collectors can expect from this premium release.
Nostalgic brand, perfect moment
According to Rhea, getting the Fleer Brilliants back always required the right timing.
“So many people have nostalgic feelings about the Fleer Brilliants brand,” he said. “When we got it back, we wanted to make sure it was for a really special occasion.”
With the new Superman films on the horizon, the team on the upper deck saw an opportunity to reintroduce the flier’s glow in a way that celebrates both the past and the present. Work on the set began in mid-2024 with the aim of launching along with the release of the film.
Why Superman?
This was the first dedicated Superman trading card set in the upper deck, and Rhea pointed out that it fits perfectly with the character’s bright, bigger-than-life world aesthetic. “The Flyer Brilliant Style trading cards are very perfect for the colorful and vibrant world of Superman,” he explained. The cards utilize rainbow foil boards for a sparkling, premium look, but the company focused on making it accessible to both stubborn collectors and new fans.
Lore and style variations
Among the biggest topics are similarities between themes such as Red Heat Vision and Green Kryptonite. Rhea said these design choices came from the deep myth of Superman.
“We had access to so many creative artwork that spanned generations of Superman storytelling, so we knew there were plenty of opportunities to group key moments in a very enjoyable way,” he said. “Things like Red Heat Vision and Green Kryptonite have a direct connection to Superman lore, so adding designs for those fun chase elements was a lot of fun for designers.”
Honoring the legacy of Superman comic book
This set also includes a “classic cover.” It also includes inserts introducing iconic comic book art from Superman’s publishing history. Rare revealed how deep the upper deck has become. “There’s a classic cover card for Action Comic #1, so you know you went as far as you can.
Collaboration with DC
For all of the creative Freedom upper decks brought to the project, Leah emphasized that the set is a true partnership with DC. Cards like cards with the Sun and Illuminator required careful collaboration to ensure reliability.
“D.C. allowed me to put card knowledge on top of iconic characters, so I can’t believe we’ll work together,” he said. “We worked closely to make sure each character featured in these inserts had meaning in the theme, but DC gave us a lot of space to make sure the cards were the perfect combination of both companies.”
The balance between rarity and accessibility
With serial number cards, exclusive similarities, and megabox-only inserts, it was important to balance the thrill of rare pull with wider accessibility.
“It’s always a balance between making the set accessible and ensuring that the collector just pulls rare cards or 1-of-1 cards so he can lose his words,” explained Lea. Whether fans bought a blaster box or a megabox, the upper deck ensured that everyone would leave with a mix of similarities, inserts and pursuits.
It’s not a one-time
The Fleer Brilliants Superman feels like a milestone celebration, but Rhea has confirmed that it is also the beginning of something bigger.
“This is just the beginning! Skybox Metal Universe Batman will be released later this year,” he teased. The set also spans history and is filled with the distinctive talent of the upper deck.
The last super question
And what if Rare herself had the powers of Superman for a day?
“I acknowledge that searching for sealed packs for the best cards is appealing, but the opening experience of the pack is half the fun,” he laughed.
Instead, he uses Super Speed to “see how quickly you can open the entire megabox case.”
