Monster Invasion Extreme Set

The Monster Invasion Extreme Expansion

On 28 September 2011, coinciding with the release of Issue 11 of Doctor Who: Monster Invasion, a brand-new 180-card expansion was introduced under the name Extreme. Extreme represented the second major card collection of the Monster Invasion era and significantly expanded the range of cards available to collectors. The cards were distributed alongside the Monster Invasion magazine and could also be purchased separately as individual booster packs, allowing collectors to continue building their collections without necessarily purchasing the magazine.

The 180-Card Extreme Collection

The Extreme expansion consisted of 180 cards, divided between the established Monster Invasion rarity tiers. The collection retained the same colour-coded card categories used by the original Test Set and national collection, providing continuity between the different releases.

The checklist consisted of:

150 Common cards

18 Rare cards

6 Super Rare cards

5 Ultra Rare cards

1 Infinite card

The combination of the rarity structure and the established category system meant that Extreme remained immediately recognisable as part of the Monster Invasion card game, while providing collectors with an entirely new checklist to complete.

The Extreme Infinite — The Silence

The ultimate chase card of the Extreme expansion was its single Infinite card, featuring the Silence unleashing its electrical attack. The card is particularly distinctive because it departed from the landscape orientation used by the previous Infinite/lenticular cards. Instead, the Silence Infinite was produced in portrait orientation, giving it a noticeably different appearance within the collection. The card's scarcity has also made it one of the most desirable cards in the Monster Invasion series. Collector evidence suggests that the Extreme Infinite may be considerably scarcer than the original national-release Infinite, Assimilate. However, no confirmed publisher production figure has currently been located, so its precise rarity remains difficult to establish. It's combination of an unusual portrait format, lenticular presentation and extremely limited availability makes the Silence Infinite one of the defining cards of the Extreme expansion.

The Three Autograph Cards

The three known Monster Invasion autograph cards were:

• The Doctor — supplied with Issue 11

• Rory Williams — included with the second Monster Invasion card tin

• Amy Pond — available exclusively through a subscriber offer

The different distribution methods make completing the three-card autograph set considerably more difficult than simply collecting the standard Extreme checklist. Each card required access to a different product or promotional route.

The Doctor Autograph Card

The launch of Extreme was accompanied by a particularly unusual promotional card: an exclusive Doctor autograph card. The card was supplied free with Issue 11, making it directly associated with the launch of the Extreme expansion. Rather than forming part of the 180-card Extreme checklist, the autograph card was a separate promotional release. Two additional autograph cards were subsequently produced featuring Amy Pond and Rory Williams. However, unlike the Doctor card, these were distributed through different channels.

The Rory Autograph Tin

The Rory autograph card was particularly notable because it was guaranteed within the second Monster Invasion card tin. This provided collectors with a specific route to obtaining the card, although the limited production of the tins meant that surviving examples are now considerably harder to locate. The tin therefore served two purposes: it provided another way of purchasing Monster Invasion booster packs while simultaneously introducing an exclusive promotional card into the collection.

The Amy Autograph Card

The Amy Pond autograph card was even more restricted. Rather than being distributed through ordinary retail products, it was made available to subscribers who opted to purchase it through the subscription service. This distribution method makes the Amy card particularly interesting from a collecting perspective. Unlike a card obtainable by repeatedly purchasing ordinary booster packs, access to it was dependent upon participation in the Monster Invasion subscription programme and taking up the additional offer.

Extremely Limited Production

The three autograph cards are now exceptionally difficult to find. Collector research has suggested that their production may have been limited to approximately 5,000 examples, although this figure should currently be regarded as an estimate unless contemporary publisher documentation confirming the exact print quantity can be located. Regardless of the precise original production figure, surviving examples are considerably less common than ordinary Monster Invasion cards. Their distribution through individual promotional channels also means that the number of collectors who originally had an opportunity to obtain each card was much smaller than for standard booster cards.

An Important Expansion in the Monster Invasion Timeline

Extreme occupies an important position in the development of Monster Invasion. It introduced another substantial checklist only a few months after the national collection and demonstrated that the card game was intended to continue developing beyond its original 165-card release.

The expansion also illustrates how BBC Magazines used multiple distribution methods to maintain interest in the collection. Standard booster packs continued to be sold through magazines and newsagents, while tins, subscription offers and magazine-exclusive promotions provided collectors with additional incentives to continue collecting.

For modern collectors, Extreme is therefore more than simply the second 180-card checklist. Its Infinite card, three autograph cards and multiple distribution methods make it one of the most complex sections of the Monster Invasion collecting landscape.