View source for Wacky Packages

{{short description|Trading cards featuring parodies of consumer products}}
{{redirect|Wacky Packs|the brand of kids' meals called "Wacky Pack"|Sonic Drive-In}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2022}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox Toy
|name=''Wacky Packages''
|image= Wacky packages logonew.png
|image_size = 200
|caption= Logo
|type= [[Trading card]]s, [[sticker]]s
|inventor=  
|country= [[United States]]
|company= [[Topps]]
|from= 1967–1992, 2004
|to= present
|website= 
}}
'''''Wacky Packages''''' are a series of humorous [[trading card]]s featuring [[parodies]] of [[consumer products]]. The cards were produced by [[Topps]] beginning in 1967, first in die-cut, then in peel-and-stick [[sticker]] format. There were 16 series produced between 1973 and 1977, with some reprints and several new series released up to the present day.

At the height of their popularity from 1973 to 1975, ''Wacky Packages'' were the best-selling Topps product, even more popular than Topps [[baseball card]]s, when they were by far the most sold trading card items in the United States.<ref>[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=18180067053001016264&q=501+F+Supp.+485&hl=en&as_sdt=20006 ''Fleer Corp. v. Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. and Major League Baseball Players' Association''] on the U.S. District Court, 501 F. Supp. 485 (E. D. Pennsylvania, 30 June 1980)</ref>

Relying on the talents of such [[cartoonist]]s and [[comics]] artists as [[Kim Deitch]], [[George Evans (cartoonist)|George Evans]], [[Drew Friedman (cartoonist)|Drew Friedman]], [[Bill Griffith]], [[Jay Lynch]], [[Norman Saunders (artist)|Norman Saunders]], [[Art Spiegelman]], [[Bhob Stewart]] and [[Tom Sutton]],<ref>[http://wackypackages.org/originalart/past.html Original art] on wacky packages.org</ref> the cards spoofed well-known brands and packaging.

== History ==
=== First releases (1960s) ===
The very first ''Wacky Packages'' series was produced in 1967 and featured 44 die-cut cards that were made to be punched out, licked on the back and stuck to surfaces. This series featured parodies created by Art Spiegelman and primarily painted by Norm Saunders. Two of the cards – "Cracked Animals" and "Ratz Crackers" – were pulled from production after the initial run. "Moron Salt" was pulled later and replaced by "Jolly Mean Giant", which was also pulled soon after that. In all, 14 of the 44 cards were pulled from the series, all of them due to cease-and-desist letters sent to Topps by the companies that, at the time, owned the products being parodied. This series was followed by a somewhat different series called ''Wacky Ads''  in 1969, featuring parodies and roughs by Jay Lynch and Kim Deitch, with finished paintings by Tom Sutton. 30 of the 36 {{convert|3 x 5|inch|adj=on}} cards were designed to look like miniature billboards with a die-cut around the parodied product, so it could be punched out of the horizontal billboard scene, then also be licked on the back and stuck to surfaces. There were two different printings of the ''Ads'', the first with long perforations on the stickers' die-cuts and the second with short perforations. Card no. 25, "Good and Empty", was pulled from the first printing and never replaced after [[Leaf Brands]], which then owned the parodied product [[Good & Plenty]], sued Topps. At least two extra ''Ads'', "Mixwell Hearse Coffee" and "Muleburro Cigarettes", are now known to have been finished, but were never released as actual cards.

===  1970s ===
[[File:WackyPackGulp200.jpg|thumb|150px|"Gulp Oil", a parody of [[Gulf Oil]]; a sticker from the 11th series (1974)]]
''Wacky Packages'' returned in 1973 as peel-and-stick stickers. From 1973 to 1977, 16 different series were produced and sold, originally (with ''Series 1''–''15'') in 5-cent packs containing three (later reduced to two) stickers, a stick of bubble gum and a puzzle piece with a sticker checklist on the back of it. For ''Series 16'', the price rose to 10 cents per pack containing three stickers, a stick of bubble gum, and a puzzle piece/sticker checklist.  ''Series 7'' was also available in some areas in packs without bubble gum for a short period of time. There were, on average, between 27 and 33 cards in each series and nine puzzle/checklist cards in each series, each puzzle parodying a Topps product that was always one of the stickers in each series (thus avoiding potential complaints that would often lead to the aforementioned cease-and-desist letters; see [[#First releases (1960s)|First releases (1960s)]] above). ''Series 1'' re-used 30 designs from the 1967 die-cut series and ''Series 2'' re-used 25 designs from the 1969 ''Wacky Ads'', plus eight new parodies. From ''Series 3'' to ''Series 16'', each new release had original parodies. All in all, there were 488 different cards over 16 series (one card from ''Series 2'' was re-released in ''Series 14'' for unknown reasons). These cards can be distinguished from all later releases by a lack of a number on the front of the cards and having mostly tan or white backs.

=== 1985, 1991 and cancelled 1992 series ===
Two newly designed series were produced later in both 1985 and 1991. A 1992 series was planned, started and even nearly completed, but was halted in mid-production and never released,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hipsteria.com/wacky/wacky_92.asp |title=The Lost 1992 Series |first=Fred |last=Wheaton |website=hipsteria.com |access-date=July 21, 2020 }}</ref> according to Fred Wheaton, one of the many recent artists for the modern ''Wacky Packages'' run.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.beckettmedia.com/non-sport-update/current-issue/non-sport-update-print-current-issue/non-sport-august-september-20-issue |magazine=[[Non-Sport Update]] |title=Strike Up the Band-Ache: Seventies Stickers Spark Wacky's Wheaton |date=August 2020 |volume=31 |number=#4 |first=Chris |last=Mixer |pages=16–17 |publisher=[[Beckett Media]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

=== 2004 and beyond ===
''Wacky Packages'' returned in 2004 with the release of the first ''All-New Series'' (''ANS'') set of stickers. New series have appeared almost annually, on average, between then and 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wackypackages.org/stickers/6th_2007/ |title=Topps Wacky Packages 6th Series 2007 (ANS6) |publisher=Greg Grant |access-date=April 5, 2017 }}</ref> ''ANS1'' and ''ANS2'' consisted of 55 base cards with one level of [[Trading card#Terminology|chase card]]s, then, from ''ANS3'' to ''ANS5'', two levels of chase cards. ''ANS6'' was released as a ''Jumbo Series'' and consists of 80 base cards and four levels of chase cards. ''ANS7'' saw the return of the 55-card base set, but with more levels of chase cards, as well as border color variations and sketch cards. Card backs in this run had a mixture of puzzle pieces, checklists and parodies of coupons, websites and billboards depending on the series and, from ''ANS7'' onward, had both multiple levels of chase cards and multiple border color variations. The ''ANS'' sets also saw the return of original 1970s ''Wacky Packages'' cartoonist [[Jay Lynch]], plus newcomers David Gross, Strephon Taylor, Neil Camera, Fred Wheaton, Smokin' Joe McWilliams, [[Mark Parisi]], Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore, Sam Gambino and [[Joe Simko]]. ''ANS3'' and ''ANS4'' both included the work of underground artist [[M. Wartella]].

In 2017, a new series was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ''Wacky Packages''. This new series included 90 new base cards, including modern-day remakes of classic 1967 cards, plus exclusive "Best of the 80's", "Best of the 90's" and "Best of the 00's" subsets. It also included the usual border color variations. In 2018, Topps released a new series spoofing various film genres. This set included 300 cards in separate subsets.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

== Reprints ==
Many of the original 1973–1977 cards have been reissued over the years in various series.

=== 1979 and 1980 rerun series ===
[[File:Wacky-packages-1979.png|thumb|1979 first rerun series wrapper]]
Four rerun series with 66 cards each were produced&nbsp;–&nbsp;the first two in 1979 and the last two in 1980&nbsp;– for a total of 264 cards. These series consisted of images from the 1973–77 cards, as well as one previously unpublished image&nbsp;– ''Series 4'' card  no. 235 "Frosted Ice Krunkles"&nbsp;– which was exclusive to the rerun series (and was one of three previously unpublished stickers originally intended for ''Series 12'' (the other two, along with this one, were published in ''Wacky Pack Flashback''; see [[#2008 Flashback series|2008 ''Flashback'' series]] below)).  Each card can be distinguished easily by its number (e.g., "No. 1 of 66") printed on the front. These four series were the first since the 1967 die-cut series and the 1969 ''Wacky Ads'' series to number their cards, in this case on the front instead of the back as the die-cuts did; ''Ads'' was the first series to be numbered on the front. Front-of-the-card numbering has continued from this point on all the way up to the most recent series.

=== 1982 and 1986 album series ===
Two series of album stickers were produced for 1982 and 1986 and consisted of 120 and 77 stickers, respectively. These stickers also consisted of images from the 1973–77 cards, as well as one previously unpublished image – card no. 85 ("Schnozmopolitan") in the 1982 album series (which was intended for ''Series 11'') and four new images that were exclusive to the same series and based on [[Ralston Purina]] breakfast cereals of the time. The stickers were of a reduced size in comparison to the standard cards ({{convert|2.125|x|3|in|mm}}) and were designed to be affixed to a display album that was sold separately. Only the 1982 album series and its matching album were actually released to stores; the 1986 album series was cancelled for unknown reasons and no album is known to exist for it.

=== 2008 ''Flashback'' series ===
On March 30, 2008, Topps released a series called ''Wacky Pack Flashback''. This series contained parodies from previously released series, including nine of the 14 pulled parodies from the die-cuts released as peel-and-stick stickers for the first time (see [[#First releases (1960s)|First releases (1960s)]] above), 20 from the 1973 posters also released as peel-and-stick stickers for the first time (see [[#Wacky Package Posters|''Wacky Package Posters'']] below), one from one of the rerun series (the fourth and final series from 1980; see [[#1979 and 1980 rerun series|1979 and 1980 rerun series]] above) and two from the 1982 album series (see [[#1982 and 1986 album series|1982 and 1986 album series]] above), as well as eight unreleased parodies from the original 1970s run (titled ''Lost Wackys''), to make a series of 72 base cards. This set also featured a number of chase cards and border color variations outside of the main set (this was the first ''Wacky Packages'' series to feature such variations, though definitely ''not'' the last). Its card backs republished many of the ''Wacky Ads'' (again, see [[#First releases (1960s)|First releases (1960s)]] above). On December 10, 2008, Topps released a second series called ''Wacky Pack Flashback 2''. This set also contained more parodies from previously released series, including two more from the 1973 posters again released as peel-and-stick stickers for the first time, six based on a 1980 test-marketed (and given a ''very'' limited release to stores) ''Wacky Cans'' series (a series of 12 small plastic cans of fruit-flavored candy shapes with a paper label adhered to each of them) also released as peel-and-stick stickers for the first time, another one from the 1982 album series, one from a 1985 "Irish" series (this series was actually released exclusively in the [[United Kingdom]] and never released in the [[United States]]) and nine unreleased parodies from the cancelled 1992 series (also titled ''Lost Wackys''), to make another series of 72 base cards. ''Wacky Pack Flashback 2'' also featured a number of chase cards and border color variations outside of the main set. Its card backs republished a few of the ''Wacky Ads'' and a few previously unpublished coupon parodies (other coupon parodies of a similar nature were previously included on card backs for ''ANS1''; both of these sets of parodies were probably originally intended as card backs for the cancelled 1992 series).

===2014 ''Chrome'' series===
On July 23, 2014, Topps released a series called ''Wacky Packages Chrome''. This series contained a metallic chromium non-sticker card set of 110 base cards consisting of the 1967 die-cuts, the 1973 ''Series 2'' and ''3'' and the checklists for all three series (with each checklist having its respective series' Topps product parody on the front of the card (minus a black border)), as well as four metallic chromium non-sticker card subsets consisting of the 36 1969 ''Wacky Ads'', 10 ''Lost Wackys'', 20 ''Cutting Room Floor'' parodies, and five ''Where Are They Now?'' parodies (the last one taken from five of the base cards, with all five of them re-done with contemporary (as of 2014) packaging artwork), for a total of 181 cards. Like the two ''Flashback'' series, this one featured a number of chase cards outside of the main set, but it had no border variations.

==Promotional items==
''Wacky Packages'' promotional stickers have been placed in numerous products since the 1970s as incentives to purchase the product or to promote a new series release. Some of these promotional stickers were used as inserts in bags of [[Wonder Bread]] (easily identifiable today by their greasy surfaces) during 1973–74, running for three series of stickers. Other promotional stickers have also appeared at different times in [[Hostess Brands|Hostess]] pastries, [[Shedd's Peanut Butter]] plastic containers, [[Ralston Purina]] breakfast cereals and, more recently, in a number of [[DC Comics]] publications (to promote the then-new ''ANS1'') and in the [[Abrams Books]] line of products.

==Spin-off items==
Topps has created a variety of additional ''Wacky Packages'' spin-off products over the years.

===''Wacky Package Posters''===
In 1973, a series of 24 oversized paper posters was produced. 22 of the 24 parodies re-used artwork from the original 1970s run (the other two were brand new parodies). These posters were created from new artwork painted at a significantly larger size than was done for the stickers. In addition to being sold in stores, the posters were also advertised on various ''Wacky Packages'' series wrappers and could be obtained by sending $2.00 to Topps. A second series of 24 posters was produced in 1974 with a differently colored wrapper, but it was nearly identical to the first series, except that three of the original posters (all three of them [[General Mills]] breakfast cereal parodies, with one of the three being one of the two brand new ones) were replaced with three new ones that were especially made for that series (again re-using artwork from the original 1970s run for all three of them). Packs in the 1973 series contained one poster and a piece of bubble gum, while packs in the 1974 series also contained one poster, but no piece of bubble gum.

On August 30, 2012, a modern-day series of 24 oversized paper posters was produced as a new set called ''Wacky Packages Posters Series One'', with 21 of them depicting enlargements of re-used artwork from the ''All New Series'' run, as well as including three new parodies that were especially made for ''this'' series. As this series maintained the aspect ratio of the original art, the posters were significantly wider than the 1973–74 posters. This new series was sold exclusively through the Topps Online Store. This run of posters has not been continued since 2012.

===''Wacky Packages Postcards'', ''Wacky Halloween Postcards'' and ''Wacky Packages Postcards April Fools''===
On November 21, 2007, Topps released the first of its various ''Wacky Packages Postcards'' series. Originally created by artist Neil Camera, the first three-card series was released in two editions: a limited edition of 100 autographed and numbered sets and a regular unautographed edition. Since then, the ''Postcards'' series have been expanded to include additional titles and artists. As of 2024 nine regular series (which were all released between 2007 and 2013), seven special [[Halloween]] series called ''Wacky Halloween Postcards'' (which parodied mostly candy products in connection with the holiday, with the first five series released on a one-series-a-year basis between 2009 and 2013, the sixth series released seven years later in 2020 and the seventh series released three years after that in 2023) and two special [[April Fools' Day]] series called ''Wacky Packages Postcards April Fools 2020'' and ''Wacky Packages Postcards April Fools Edition! 2023'', as well as several promotional cards that were released at various trading card shows, have appeared. Each series (except for ''Wacky Halloween Postcards 2009'', which was originally released as a subset of ''Wacky Packages Postcards Series 4'', presumably to test the concept) had two editions: a limited edition of autographed and numbered sets and a regular edition of unautographed sets. Two ''Limited Edition Official Collector Binder'' three-ring binders (the first one with a mostly red cover and the second one with a mostly yellow cover) were made for the ''Postcards'' series and one ''Limited Edition Official Collector Binder'' three-ring binder (with a mostly orange cover containing a black spider web background pattern) was made for the ''Halloween Postcards'' series. These series also included various sketch cards by ''Wacky Packages'' artists such as Neil Camera, Smokin' Joe McWilliams, Sam Gambino and Brent Engstrom. ''Wacky Packages Postcards'', ''Wacky Halloween Postcards'', ''Wacky Packages Postcards April Fools 2020'' and ''Wacky Packages Postcards April Fools Edition! 2023'' were all sold exclusively through the Topps Online Store.

===''Wacky Packages Old School''===
On February 23, 2010, Topps released ''Series 1'' of an ongoing series called ''Wacky Packages Old School'' that was (and still is) sold exclusively through the Topps Online Store. This line, created by David Gross, was initially designed to resemble the boxes, wrappers, stickers and puzzle pieces/checklists of the original 1973–1977 run. Some, but not all, of the series included 33 stickers, along with a nine-piece puzzle with checklists on the backs, with the parodies mostly based on products from the 1970s that Topps did not parody in the original 1970s run (''Series 8'' from 2019, ''Series 9'' from 2020 and ''Series 10'' from 2022, however, had parodies based on products from the 1980s that Topps did not parody in the 1985 series). Also included in some of the series were various chase cards and a sketch card in every box. The ''Old School Series 1'' sketch cards were all done by Jay Lynch. As of 2024, 11 ''Old School'' series (with 33 stickers in ''Series 1''–''5'', 30 stickers in ''Series 6''–''10'' and 28 stickers in ''Series 11'') and one subset in Topps' ''Wacky Packages 50th Anniversary Series'' (2017) (with 10 stickers that were also parodies based on products from the 1970s that Topps did not parody in the original 1970s run) have been released, for a total of 353 stickers.

===''Wacky Packages Erasers''===
Topps released two series of ''Wacky Packages Erasers'', the first one on March 23, 2011 and the second one on October 12, 2011, each with 24 ''Wacky Packages All-New Series'' parody designs; each pack included one eraser with a paper label of the design wrapped around it and a miniature sticker of that eraser. Four of the erasers in each of the two series were rare ones. No further series have been released since 2011.

===''Wacky Packages Comics''===
As of 2024, Topps has released six issues of ''Wacky Packages Comics''. Issue No. 5 was released on April 1, 2013&nbsp;– Topps' self-proclaimed Wacky Packages Day&nbsp;– with an April Fools' Day theme illustrated by Brent Engstrom.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.nsu-magazine.com/april-1st-is-wacky-packages-day-no-foolin/ |title=April 1st is Wacky Packages Day...No Foolin! |magazine=[[Non-Sport Update]] |date=February 11, 2013 |access-date=April 5, 2017 |first=Harris |last=Toser }}</ref>

===''Wacky Packages Minis''===
In March 2020, Super Impulse USA licensed the Wacky Packages brand through Topps and created ''Wacky Packages Minis'', miniature 3D plastic models of various parody products. The models were about {{convert|1|inch|cm}} in length, and were sold in various quantities. They contained information on each side. Each package contained the models, a sticker, and a checklist showing all of the collectable items that the company offered. There were a total of 82 different models available, with some more rare than others.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/super-impulse-launches-wacky-packages-minis-301104052.html |title=Super Impulse Launches Wacky Packages Minis |magazine=[[Non-Sport Update]] |date=August 5, 2020 |access-date=July 27, 2021 }}</ref>

==''Garbage Pail Kids'' connection==
One unreleased sticker, painted by John Pound for the 1985 series, spawned the various ''[[Garbage Pail Kids]]'' trading card series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pound |first=John |title=Unpublished Garbage Pail Kids |url=http://www.poundart.com/gpk/index.html#unpubwackygpk |access-date=July 31, 2024}}</ref>

==Merchandise==
There have been numerous other types of ''Wacky Packages''-related merchandise made through the years such as T-shirts, art books, wall calendars, wall graphics, canvas art, three-ring binders and collector albums.

==Bibliography==
* ''Fleer Corp. v. Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. and Major League Baseball Players' Association'', 501 F. Supp. 485 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 30 June 1980).
* "Digging in the Vault for the Secrets of Wacky Packages: Topps Goes Back to Class in Wacky Packages Old School Series 2", ''Non-Sport Update'' Vol. 21, No. 6, December 2010&nbsp;– January 2011. (Roxanne Toser Non-Sport Enterprises, Inc.)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}

{{Topps Sports Card Products By Year}}
{{Non-sports trading cards}}

[[Category:American black comedy]]
[[Category:Parodies of advertising]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1967]]
[[Category:Stickers]]
[[Category:Topps franchises]]
[[Category:Trading cards]]
[[Category:1960s fads and trends]]
[[Category:1970s fads and trends]]