Wait (Part 1)
I suggest that we wait.
("What?" the other forum members cried. "What an idiot! This lunatic rants and raves on and on and on the night before, and now he suggests that we simply wait?")
Yes, I suggest we wait. Right now, the BBC is divided into two camps, which, for purposes of clarification, I will call the "completists" and the "dissidents." At the moment, we are smack in the middle of another increment. I don't think it would be fair or respectful to the completists if the dissidents voted to stop purchasing specific cards at this point. Moreover, I believe it would shatter and destroy their expectations. If a change is to occur, I suggest it occur between increments.
Completists and Dissidents
Being we are divided into two groups, if one group wins, the other must lose - and I don't think anyone here wants to see that happen.
I would suggest the following...
Divide the BBC into two distinct camps. The completists will receive all of the Wacky titles in a given increment, while the dissidents will only receive select titles. Of course, this would mean a little more work for Patrick, but not too much work. (Sorry for speaking of you in the third person again, Patrick.) By way of illustration, if the group were to be divided as thus:
Completists: 8
Dissidents: 12
Patrick could then keep the completists' bank at 18, and, say, the dissidents' bank at 14. The same thing, always, week after week after week. One group will get charged one figure, the second group another figure. One group will receive all of the Wacky titles, the second group will receive a portion of the titles. This would be entirely up to Patrick, though. I only suggest it because, from what I've seen, Patrick is very methodical, a problem solver, and I don't believe this would present a great challenge to him.
(Mind, I'm not trying to stick everything on poor Patrick. If necessary, I could take over one of camps.)
If the dissidents choose to eliminate some titles from the bimonthly increments, it must be understood that we go along with and respect Patrick's decisions as to what titles are purchased and what titles are ignored. We cannot haunt and PM him everyday, saying, "Get this title!" or "Don't buy that title!" The decision must be Patrick's, and his alone. Personally, I have faith and confidence in his judgment. And if, by chance, an "ignored" title jumps out at me that I simply "cannot live without," it will be up to me to purchase that title on my own. Patrick is pretty good about making our purchases within the first few hours. That leaves more than ample time for anyone to make any additional purchases on their own.
Wait (Part 2)
I also suggest we wait to see what changes Topps has in store for us being "Trumpocracy: The First 100 Days" is coming to a close. Before we make any great changes, let us first see what happens. During the past few months, I received great titles and piss-poor titles. I don't think another week of two is going to make that much of a difference.
My Decision
Although I am a completist, and it really bugs me not to be, I am joining the dissidents. To be honest, I wish that Topps had never put me in this position - but I must face reality.
Postscript
I can rant and rave from my armchair all I want, but to be honest, it is highly unlikely that I will ever be able to paint some of the figures that JungHwa Im paints. What's more, during the past few years, her work has also improved. You can tell the difference between her rushed titles and the titles she obviously spent more time on. It's just this damned, unrelenting, 24 hour "thumbscrew" business that Topps is continuously applying to its writers and artists. It's the same old "quantity" vs "quality" thing - along with the one result it always yields: an inferior product. And when the inferior product is just 10% or 5% of the original product, something is very, very wrong. And, yes, I agree. A message must be sent to Topps. And if some artists are shunned, then they are shunned. It was their decision to sell out and produce rushed, inferior work. Just the other day, an artist was saying how he had spent the entire weekend working on one title. Probably morning, noon, and night. But, you know what? That's what it often takes: sacrifice. And I believe a true artist, a committed artist, a devoted artist, would rather sacrifice his or her own effort and time - in fact, its probably not even a choice - than sacrifice their art, the very creation to which they have given birth. They are going to take the time to add that extra brushstroke that may not even be noticed. They may not want to, but they have to. That is their nature; It's in their blood. And that's what gives us the artists that Patrick mentioned earlier, the artists who we respect and admire - and deservedly so.