~ Series Introduction ~
~ Product Overview ~
~ Artwork Images - Card Fronts ~
~ Artwork Images - Card Backs ~
~ Fun Facts & Tid-bits ~
~ GPK 101 : Annotated Names ~
~ GPK History Section ~
~ Comprehensive Checklist ~

Release Date: OCTOBER 1985

86 CARD SET : 84 Cards + 2 Variations
Card Variations : 42a, 42b
Note : 36 Puzzle, 4 Preview, 4 Checklist and 1 Name Change
131 TOTAL CARD SET : 86 Cards + 45 Changes

BLUE BOX (1-495-40-01-5) - 1 Variation
(Box Artwork : John Pound)

BLUE WAX WRAPPER - 2 Variations (Below)
(The 1st - 15th Original Series and 1st - 7th All-New Series "WRAPPER & BOX CHART")

WRAPPER (0-495-21-01-5) - With "25¢" Logo
Note: "Messy TESSIE" or "Live MIKE" Puzzle and Previews, 49b "Schizo FRAN" Card and Checklists
(Rendered Artwork : Tom Bunk)

WRAPPER (0-495-21-02-5) - Without "25¢" Logo
Note: "Live MIKE" Puzzle and Previews, 49b "Schizo FRAN" or "FRAN FRAN" Card and Checklists
(Rendered Artwork : Tom Bunk)


RACK PACK (1-935-93-01-6) - With Cardboard Sleeve
Released in 1986 With 2nd Series Singles, 2nd and 3rd Series Singles or 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Series Singles
(Rendered Artwork : Tom Bunk)


RETAILER ADVERTISEMENT POSTER (4-495-08-01-5)(10" x 14")
(Poster Artwork : John Pound)

WHOLESALER SELL SHEET (# 495)(8" x 11")
(Mock-Up Box With 1st Series Pink Pack Color)
(Box Artwork : John Pound; Rendered Packs : Tom Bunk)


STICKER ALBUM - Imperial Toy Corporation
(For 1st And 2nd Series Releases; 12 Stickable Pages; One 6-Pocket Sheet)
(Album Artwork : John Pound)


24/48 ct. CASE DISPLAY BOX (No Picture)

ARTWORK IMAGES
CARD FRONTS

(CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK)

ARTWORK IMAGES
CARD BACKS

(CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK)

1. Matte Finish card backs (non-gloss) have been found in the first and second print runs of the 2nd series GPK’s -- a production error.

2. The first series to have 3 Print Runs.

3. The first of two series to have a Name Change. From card 49b "Schizo FRAN" to "FRAN FRAN".





4. The Only Series To Change A Puzzle.  From "Messy TESSIE" to "Live MIKE".

5. The first series to have twin cards with Different Number Colors. Cards 46a "Rappin’ RON" (black number) and 46b "RAY Gun" (white number).

6. The only series that has a Different Sized Name Bar And smaller GPK Header to accommodate the die cut sticker. Cards 73a "Gorgeous GEORGE" and 73b "Dollar BILL". The only GPK name bar where the name is stacked.


7. The first series to have the GPK Header With the ® (registered Trademark) Symbol.

8. The first series to have a Light Blue Name Bar. (dark blue, dark pink, yellow, red, and light blue ... no light pink in this series.)

9. The first of two series to have exactly the Same Name as another series. Card 63a "Spacey STACEY" and 13b "Spacey STACEY" (1st series).




10. The first series to have a Sideways Card (opposed to upright). Cards 48a "Tongue Tied TIM" and 48b "MARTY Mouthful".

11. The series has two cards with the Same First Name.  Cards 44b "One-Eyed JACK" and 58a "Cracked JACK".

12. The first series to have a card with The GPK Logo found within the artwork itself and not just on the header. The "Garbage Pail Kid" (singular) logo found on the name plate on the plaque of cards 75a "Off-The-Wall PAUL" and 75b "ZACH Plaque".

GPK HISTORY SECTION

1. An Unpublished 2nd Series Concept drawn by John Pound never made the 1985 release. This piece was later reworked for a parody set titled the Meanie Babies (spoofing the Beanie Babies), drawn by John Pound who was commissioned by Comic Images to draw the entire series, titled #6 "PICKLES".


2. The Ribbon Artwork on the backside of the card was created and drawn by Mark Newgarden.

3. Another unpublished 2nd series GPK idea that was also considered for the 6th series Garbage Pail Kids set. The image ended up being used for the GPK Poster set (Poster # 7 - "Eat My Face!, Garbage Pail Kids") and also used for the 16th series as the unpublished card 639a "GUY Pie" and 639b "Pepperoni Toni" to replace a removed piece of artwork. The image ended up being published in the All-New Series 1 set for card 9a "Cheesy CHARLIE" and 9b "Pizza Face CHASE" (notice the four fingers on the character instead of the three fingers of later character releases).


4. The 2nd Series 'award' and 'license' Backs Idea came From an older Topps set titled "Funny Licenses" card set and ideas from the 1968 "Kooky Awards" die-cut sticker set, but the art drawn by Tom Bunk and the writing on the back by Mark Newgarden, is all new, original artwork. There are 3 UNPUBLISHED backs that can be seen within the "Artwork Images : Card Backs" section above.

5. In 1987, Topps started production on a 2nd Series GPK Mini set following the release of the 9th U.S. series. Even though the Topps Vault on eBay mentioned this was an unpublished "mini" set, with the production code 4-490-05-03-7, it is unknown whether this was intended to be a U.S. release or possibly another international release. If released within the U.S., with the lawsuit guidelines following the 7th series, any release after the 9th series had to have the banner style GPK header, and look less like Cabbage Patch Kids ... unless Topps could squeeze in such a release before the guidelines went into effect. The arrow on the card front also points towards the card image, leading one to believe that the card would have been die-cut, more of a U.S. phenomenon (besides the 1st Argentina "Basuritas" release), than an international release. Below are several acetate test cards as auctioned off of eBay:


6. During the 2nd and 3rd series, with the initual interest of GPK growing, Topps came up with a "mass" Letter that touched upon the main questions asked by collectors, offering a way to obtain the cards through local hobby shops (the reverse side of the letter contained a few hobby shop addresses including Roxanne Toser of "Non-Sport Update" when she was still dealing and selling to the public and before she started the nonsport publication). The letter gave little insight behind the creators of the GPK and mentioned Topps did not accept concept ideas from the public. A local rumor mentioned a "Soft-Boiled SAM" puzzle could be completed, my original letter in 1986 came back with "Other: Aaron, your friends are kidding you, there is no completed puzzle for the card Soft-Boiled SAM".

("CLICK" Picture for Larger Image)

7. Uncut GPK Sheets were auctioned off of eBay, through the Topps Vault in the Summer of 2006; A front image for the 2nd series GPK set; Sheet number 4-495-05-01-5.


8. Garbage Pail Kids Chewy Candies were produced in 1986 after the release of the 1st and 2nd series GPK. The candy product used various artwork from the 1st and 2nd series sets as image mascots on the candy wrappers. Three assortment of flavors can be found; cherry, grape and strawberry, along with several GPK characters for each color wrapper variation.


2nd Series GPK Characters

42b "Muggin' MEGAN", 44b "One-Eyed JACK", 49b "Fran FRAN", 51b "BRETT Sweat",
55b "Brutal BRAD", 56b "Brutal Bridget", 61b "Pegleg PETER", 62b "CHRIS Hiss", plus more.
(See the 1st Series section for 1st Series GPK character information)

9. The Original Concept Piece for cards 46a "Rappin’ RON" and 46b "RAY Gun" had the character actually holding guns.

V = Variation
C = Change
(Variation, Change and Print Run information on Printable Checklist page)

 * PRINTABLE CHECKLIST *

131 Total Cards = 72 Puzzle Pieces (36 Changes) + 40 Cards + 8 Checklists (4 Changes) + 8 Puzzle Previews (4 Changes) + 2 Variations + 1 Name Change (Not Including Asterisks *, **)

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