Artists Get Early Jump on 2018S2 GPK Sketch Cards

Updated 9/12 to remove Magnus Von Robotsoon and add Emma Burges per the checklist from Topps.

Updated 7/20 to add Ryan Moffett

Updated 5/29 to add Mike Stephens.

Updated 5/17 to add Clinton Yeager.

Update 9/12: Topps has released the official list of sketch artists for the first time as part of their checklist. The checklist can be found here. The article has been updated below to reflect all official names.

Topps has decided to make a number of changes to the sketch cards for the next retail set. One change right off the bat is the early jump start they have given the sketch artists. Before being officially announced by Topps, sketch artists were invited and sketch blanks already sent out to begin work! With a perspective fall launch, artists have been given ample time to complete the sketches. A mid-June deadline has been set by Topps for artists to return their batch of sketch cards.

Perhaps the biggest change to the sketch cards is the cards themselves. As stated in the e-mail invite to artists, Topps is going with a “Horror” theme for the upcoming set. While artists can still draw any of the previous approved characters, they are being encouraged to draw previous horror themed sketches this time around. The sketches all feature a new orange banner with black lettering for the first time. Orange nameplates are also found on the front of regular sized sketches. Classic horror GPK characters adorn the backs of the cards as well. Nasty Nick appears on the back of the regular and panoramic sketches. While Dead Ted and Weird Wendy can be found on the back of the new 3-panel sketch type, Tryptych. This new sketch type has been used previously in Star Wars sets by Topps, but is making its GPK debut. The tryptych looks to be replacing Dual Artist Panoramic sketches. Artists are are no longer being asked to complete those. Topps is also staying true to the theme by offering for the first time coffin shaped die-cut sketches. Artists were given both coffin and trashcan die-cut sketches to complete. After a small survey of artists it would appear all were given the same number of sketches to complete. Each artist is set to complete 36 regular sized, 8 puzzle, 6 die-cut (mixture of coffin and trashcan), 3 panoramic and 2 tryptych. Some artists who have already received their sketches have complained of quality issues. Many artists are reporting that some or all of their tryptych sketches came creased. They also have a handful some badly off centered regular sketches. No word yet from Topps if those sketches will be replaced prior to production.

The confirmed sketch lineup for the upcoming set is just as robust as the previous offerings. The last set, 2017S2 Battle of the Bands, had a record 55 artists take part. Of those 55, so far the following 44 have confirmed they are coming back. Those returning artists are; Bryan Abston, Simone Arena, Ro Garcia Astorga, Quinton Baker, Michael Barnard, Bobby Blakey, John Brewer, Neil Camera, Pat Chaimuang, Daniel Contois, Jasmine Contois, Sobot Cortez, Jason Crosby, Dave Dabila, Vincenzo “Chenduz” D’Ippolito, Joseph “Grotesque” Dobbins, David Gacey, Patrick Giles, Jon Gregory, Kelly Greider, Jason Heil, Lowell Isaac, Simon Jacobsohn, Robert Jimenez, Kevin Lea, Paul Mangione, Mike McHugh, Rory McQueen, “Smokin” Joe McWilliams, Chris Meeks, Lily Mercado, Rich Molinelli, JM Monserrat, Victor Moreno, Darrin Pepe, Steve Potter, Cathy Razim, Chad Scheres, Brent Scotchmer, Matt Steffens, Floydman Sumner, Gregory Tilson, Dan Burn Webster, and Gavin Williams. A total of 11 artists, for various reasons, have decided to not do GPK sketch cards this time, they are; Mike Arnold, Sean Bolger, Josh Ginter, Cecilia Granata, Marisol Henriquez, Matthew Kirscht, Ande Moores, Barry Nygma, Anthony Skubis, Magnus Von Robotsoon, and Matthew White.

Topps isn’t stopping there. So far an additional 14 artists have been identified that are either new to GPK, or returning sketch artists. After making their debut on last year’s online GPK Classic set the following artists will make their retail debuts; David Acevedo, Joey Fitchett, Shane Garvey, Daniel Goodroad, and Rickey Kipfer. Also, Dennis Gortakowski, Ryan Moffett, and longtime GPK artist David Gross will be making their GPK sketch card returns after some time off. Finally, Topps has added brand new GPK artists Emma Burges, Jay O’ Leary, Shawn Cruz, Clinton Yeager, Mike Stephens and Todd Rayner to the lineup. That brings the current known sketch artist total to 58. That is a new record high for a GPK set. There could still remain some artists out there that haven’t spoke up. This article will be updated as new artists begin known.

The final big change to sketch cards this time around is centered on artist return cards. In previous sets artists could e-mail a scan of the card to Topps for approval. However, after a number of controversies within the card hobby, Topps is changing the rules. Last year with the Star Wars sets rumors begin to swirl online about a few artists that were using questionable means to complete sketches. From using an overhead projector, to tracing images, to even using photocopied images, collectors started to question the legitimacy of sketches from a select few artists, (Note: No artists being questioned have worked on a GPK set to date.) There were also rumors of artists having other artists do their returns for them. Topps also begin to see artist returns being sent to collectors from artists prior to the set’s release. This all has added up to changes across all Topps brands when it comes to artist sketches. Starting with this next retail set, all artist returns need to be completed and mailed back to Topps with the regular sketch cards by the deadline. Topps will work to approve the sketches, and mail them back to the artists just prior to the set’s release date. In turn artists can deliver to their clients upon the release. While it does protect the quality of sketches going out, it opens up the possibility of shipping loss and damage. The “banned sketch” list continues to be the same. Artists are not allowed to sketch cards featuring Stan Lee, Gene Simmons, the Hundreds set, Riot Fest set, and all Disney properties including Star Wars and Marvel.

Expect sketch previews to start showing up from artists as the art director begins approving sketches. While no official announcement has been made, except a fall 2018 launch for 2018 Series 2 Garbage Pail Kids.

 

Jago Studios & Topps Announce Garbage Pail Kids Mobile Video Game

Get your iPhone and Android cell phones fired up, because soon you will be collecting and battling with GPKs digitally! Today startup video game developer Jago Studios in partnership with Topps, announced a mobile game based on the Garbage Pail Kids franchise. Information about the game is sparse. Right now based on their website and social media accounts the game is called, “GPK the Game”. In the press release Jago describes the game as a “card-collecting role-playing game”. The coming soon images provided by the company show a number of different “packs” featuring Adam Bomb on the front. The company says they will be using characters from the OS series all the way to current releases. It would appear there will be more to the game than just opening packs and collecting cards. Topps Global Licensing President Ira Friedman also mentions in the press release that players will be able to, “virtually battle with GPK collectible cards”.

Jago Studios is a brand new video game company started by CEO Stuart Drexler. Drexler has worked on digital games based on a number of major toy franchises over the last 20 years. For Disney, Drexler oversaw the hugely popular Club Penguin game. Topps has also been involved with a number of the same franchises, producing card sets over the years. This will be the debut game from Jago Studios. The company was launched specifically with the license from Topps to produce card collecting and role playing games for the GPK brand.

Drexler, who will also serve as the Executive Producer for the game, said this on his partnership with Topps, “We are thrilled to be working with Topps and look forward to bringing these memorable characters to life in a new way fans can interact with, directly on their mobile devices.” Jago says the game is currently in a private beta stage. No release date for the game has been announced. The game will be “free-to-play” and available worldwide in the App Store and Google Play. Collectors can get updates from the company directly at gpkthegame.com  or on TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

GARBAGE PAIL KIDS® MOBILE GAME COMING FROM JAGO STUDIOS & TOPPS

The Controversial ‘80s Craze Inspires New RPG Card Battler

LOS ANGELES— May 22, 2018— Jago Studios, an independent developer of mobile games, today announced it is partnering with The Topps Company on the development of an upcoming mobile game based on Garbage Pail Kids (GPK). The card-collecting role-playing game will include characters from the original GPK line of collectible trading cards and stickers issued by Topps in the 1980s, as well as contemporary cards more recently released.

“Garbage Pail Kids are icons of the ‘80s and a mobile card battler featuring their freaky antics is a natural expansion for the infamous and beloved brand,” said Stuart Drexler, Jago Studios Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We are thrilled to be working with Topps and look forward to bringing these memorable characters to life in a new way fans can interact with, directly on their mobile devices.”

Recently celebrating its 30th anniversary, GPK enjoyed massive playground popularity in the 1980s as children around the world collected and traded hundreds of millions of cards, much to the disgust and dismay of their parents. Depicting kids in foul and comical scenarios, such as Fryin’ Brian, sizzling in the electric chair or Tee-Vee Stevie, mesmerized by multiple screens, GPK created over 600 collectible characters between 1985 and 1988. Fans loved the outrageous parodies and passionately worked to complete their collections, with many schools banning GPK cards outright, claiming they were a distraction to students. New GPK packs were issued in 2003 and were met with massive enthusiasm, initiating a new era for the notorious brand. Garbage Pail Kids cards continue to sell today at over 14,000 retail outlets across North America.

Currently in private beta, this game designed for GPK fans is the debut project from Jago Studios with Drexler as Executive Producer. Drexler founded Jago Studios in 2017, launching the company with the exclusive license to develop card-collecting and role-playing games across platforms for GPK. He brings over 20 years of experience creating interactive games, toys, and content for global brands including Moshi Monsters, Habbo, Barbie, Elmo, Harry Potter, and LEGO. At Disney Interactive Media Group, Drexler oversaw product development across all of Disney’s virtual worlds, including the ground-breaking Club Penguin massively multiplayer online gaming platform.

“The game from Jago Studios will bring our Garbage Pail Kids to mobile devices around the world in a new way people haven’t had before,” said Ira Friedman, Vice President, Global Licensing at The Topps Company. “For fans from the ‘80s or the new generation just learning about the brand, virtually battling with GPK collectible cards offers a new mobile social experience that remains faithful to the irreverent heritage of Garbage Pail Kids.”

The upcoming free-to-play mobile game will be available worldwide on the App Store and Google Play. For more information and to receive updates on the game, visit gpkthegame.com or follow @gpkgame on TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

About Jago Studios
Founded in 2017, Jago Studios creates interactive social entertainment oozing with irreverence and virality. Their core team of game and brand veterans has decades of experience developing high profile, influential entertainment licenses, and intellectual properties. Jago Studios invents, designs, and launches compelling play experiences made for mobile-first lifestyles, tickling the funny bone and strengthening meaningful social connections as people play together and laugh together. Jago is currently creating a series of comical free-to-play mobile RPG Card Battlers. Visit jagostudios.com for more information.

About The Topps Company

Founded in 1938, The Topps Company, Inc. is the preeminent creator and brand marketer of physical and digital sports cards, entertainment cards and collectibles, and distinctive confectionery products. Topps’ leading sports and entertainment products include Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Bundesliga, Indian Premier League, Star Wars, WWE, UFC, Wacky Packages®, Garbage Pail Kids®, Mars Attacks® and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectibles.  Topps’ app portfolio, including Topps BUNT®, Topps NFL HUDDLE®, TOPPS KICK® and Topps® Star Wars℠: Card Trader, has been a hit with millions of fans around the world.  Topps’ confectionery brands include Ring Pop®, Push Pop®, Baby Bottle Pop®, Juicy Drop® Pop, and Bazooka® bubble gum.  Topps was acquired by Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners in October 2007.  For additional information, visit Topps.com and Candymania.com.

Gross Card Con Details Come Together for Santa Clara and Las Vegas

After a big turnout this last February in Las Vegas, details are now coming together for Gross Card Con events in Santa Clara, CA this year and Las Vegas next year. Show promoters have decided to expand the Gross Card Con into a second show. GCC at the ToyXpo is set to take place Aug. 24-26 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

While this version of GCC isn’t expected to be as big as the Vegas show, details have been announced for GPK specific events during the weekend. Nine current and former GPK artists are schedule to attend the show, all the artists also attended this past Vegas show. Set to attend are, Tom Bunk, Brent Engstrom, Joe Simko, David Gross, Jeff Zapata, Joe McWilliams, Layron DeJarnette, Michael Barnard, and Chad Scheres. Michael Barnard contributed the official artwork for the show. There will be a Q&A session with the artists on Friday afternoon during my the show. There will also be a showing of the 30 Years of Garbage documentary. Anyone with a ticket to the ToyXpo will be able to attend the showing at the on site theater. The showing is scheduled to take place Saturday night after show hours.

Attendees to the Vegas GCC earlier this year will find similar ticket options in Santa Clara. General admission tickets are available in a three day bundle or for individual days. The regular VIP package is available again for $150. That ticket included early admission everyday of the show, and admission to dinner Saturday. The Super VIP package returns, but with a number of changes. For the Santa Clara show the package costs $350, but unlike Vegas does not include hotel rooms. Super VIP ticket holders will receive a number of goodies, but nothing GPK specific. With this being the first show in the Bay Area show promoters went with a simplier approach to Super VIP tickets.

Just like previous shows, there will be a exclusive card set being offered. There will be a few exciting changes at the Santa Clara show. The set will consist of 18 cards broken down into two subsets, Skateboards and 80’s. Each of the nine artists attending will do a card for each subset. The sets will be sold sealed. For the first time, randomly inserted into sets sold at the show, will be sketch cards, show t-shirts, and merchandise awards from GPK & Wacky Warehouse. Sets will be available after the show, but the only way to have a chance at getting something randomly inserted is to buy a set at the show. More details along with pricing will be available closer to the show. The sets will once again be sold at the GPK & Wacky Warehouse booth at the show.

 

 

 

 

 

Las Vegas

Planning for the Santa Clara show hasn’t stopped show promoters from planning next years Las Vegas Gross Card Con. The Las Vegas Toy Con is changing venues for 2019. The show is set to take place at the Westgate Hotel, just off the Vegas strip from March 1-3, 2019. The new venture allows for a much larger continuous floor space, in addition to a higher quality hotel experience.

While there isn’t a lot of show details to report, tickets for the event are now on sale. The biggest change is to the Super VIP tickets. Gone are the different tickets for each different subject. In its place is one all encompassing Super VIP ticket. Purchasers of the SUPER VIP ticket will be treated to all the free goodies offered, up to there times more than the previous show. Of interest to GPK collectors will be the show exclusive card set and an autographed copy of the 30 Years to Garbage DVD. The ticket also includes 3 nights at the Westgate hotel, early entry each day of the show, and the VIP dinner Sat. night. Also included will be a VIP Concierge service that included a hot breakfast each morning, as well as snacks and drinks throughout the day. Due to the upgraded hotel, VIP concierge service, and additional goodies show promoters have raised the cost of the SUPER VIP ticket to $1000. If you are sharing a room with someone you can get two Super VIP tickets for $1500. The Super VIP tickets are limited to 100, and as of this writing are already half sold. Other ticket options remain such as the regular VIP package. That package costs $150 and included the Sat night dinner, and early access to the show all three days. General admission tickets for the weekend and individual days will also be available.

10 Questions With..Garbage Pail Kids Sketch Artist Vincenzo “Chenduz” D’Ippolito

Chenduz has been a fan favorite sketch artist for a number of sets now, a sketch card veteran. Sitting down with Vincenzo at the Gross Card Con in Las Vegas was a highlight. He was so appreciative of being able to attend. His attitude was contagious. You could tell he loved meeting the GPK artists and collectors. GPK collectors kept him busy during the show with commission requests. In the interview we talk about how he first found GPKs as a kid, how the kids in the Netherlands would battle for the cards, and what the future holds for his sketch art.

GPKNews – You started doing GPK sketches with the 2015S1 set. Dare I say you are one of the GPK sketch veterans now. You live in the Netherlands, how does someone living overseas get the attention of Topps, and hired on to work on sketches?

Vincenzo D’Ippolito – Well I actually don’t know. I started doing fan art. On the forums some guy saw my sketch card, and he offered to buy the card. I said sure, I was not expecting that. That started the ball rolling. I think it started off there.

GPKNews – What other cards sets have you worked on for Topps or other companies?

VD – I started on the Wacky Packages Old School Series 5. After that I had to prove myself again with Wacky Packages set 2014 series 1. After that I got the invite for GPK 2015. Now for Topps I’m doing Star Wars and Walking Dead. I’m also working for Upper Deck, I did a Spiderman set last year. I have a new project coming up for Upper Deck. I worked with Neal Camera on the Monster series. I’m on the list for Cryptozoic. I just missed the boat for Rick and Morty, but I will help on the next set I hope.

GPKNews – What are your memories of GPK as a kid? Did you collect?

VD – Yeah, there was one day I was in the mall with my mom and little brother. We were grocery shopping and my eye caught the pink packs in the cigarette section. I said what is that? I picked it up and just bought it for the gum. I wasn’t even sure what it was. It’s like you bought a piece of gum and three cards came with it. Then you saw all these funny faces. Then when you arrived at school it was crazy. People were trading the cards. In the Netherlands we battled each other with the cards. We played a game where you throw the card against the wall. The one who’s closest to the wall, won. So we battled.

GPKNews – How hard was it to get your hands on cards back then? Did you collect the European releases or the US releases?

VD – The cards were everywhere. If you went around the corner where they sold the candy there were 400 wrappers everywhere. The most series we saw were the black ones, series 5. Then the red ones, the UK series. These were all the UK releases. One day a kid at school came back from vacation, and he had a bigger Garbage Pail Kids card than I was used to. I was like what is it, he showed it to me and it was Melba Toast. I said to myself there’s more than series 6 out there. He told us these are the original ones. The arrow was different, it was pointing to the die-cut. I asked him to battle that card. I put up like 30 UK cards, and we started throwing against the wall, and I won. That’s my first US card, and I still have it at home. That’s how I discovered US GPKs.

GPKNews – What was the GPK collecting community like back then? Did you have friends that collected? 

VD – Yes mostly the guys, I don’t remember any girls playing with the cards. The kids had stacks of cards in their backpacks with elastic around them. Nobody cared about mint condition. It was all about the quantity. We would put up stacks against each other, it was three straight years in a row.

GPKNews – How is the collecting community in Netherlands now? Do you know anyone there that collects?

VD – Yeah I know a couple of guys that collect. There is one friend of mine, Stephen, he lives around the corner from me. He’s a huge collector. He collects final art. My brother is a huge collector. I still try to fill out everything, besides the parallels because it gets a little extreme. For me base sets are like the main thing, and I always pick a character with a nice autograph. The most I like is my name, Vinnie or Vincent.

GPKNews – You have been a sketch card fan favorite. Collectors look forward to seeing your work each release. You’ve done sketches on 8 releases now. Is it hard to keep things from getting stale? What do you do differently each release? 

VD – For me even if I have to draw Adam Bomb 10 times, it comes out different 10 times. It depends on the day and the mood. You want to keep on changing, you want to add new colors. I did the half tone dots and the splash. You want to keep improving and surprise the people with a nice card. I can’t get enough of the Garbage Pail Kids.

GPKNews – So far you’ve only done sketches for GPK. Have you thought about trying your hand are doing final card paintings?

VD – Wow, I don’t think its up to me. I’ve already showed my dedication to the brand. I’m still going hard core. I really hope to do a final art one day. Even if its just one, I would love to do it.

GPKNews – This is your first GCC. Do you attend cons in the Netherlands as an artist?

VD – We did one in 2016, in my home town of Rotterdam. The excitement was beyond the sketch card part I’m doing. We don’t have Garbage Pail Kids anymore at the moment in Holland. Non-Sports cards are not big, so its really difficult. They walk by and say they remember them from when they were a kid, and they ask about the cards, but not really for the sketch cards. For me sitting there is tough. Being here is like a dream come true. Everybody knows you, I get requests. Its beyond what I expected.

GPKNews – What are you thoughts about GCC? How as the GPK fan interaction been for you?

VD – Wow, its mind blowing. I should be on the other side of the tables. Meeting all the artists I admire and look up to. They are so friendly. Even the fans its ridiculous. I didn’t know so many people were into my art and sketch cards. Shaking hands and spreading the love, that’s the thing. GPK is all day every day.

GPKNews – Finally do you have an all time favorite Garbage Pail Kid?

VD – My number one, its difficult. You can’t beat Adam Bomb, he’s like the plush toy you take to sleep. If I have to choose one, its the Dracula guy, number one, the vampire, Nasty Nick. Its the funnest thing with the Barbie doll. Its like Alien Ian has the same thing going on, grabbing the girl and being amor. I think that’s my favorite one. All the return cards I get from artists are all Nasty Nick, they know I want the Vampire guy. There’s no C name for that one, but if there was a C name it would be Vampire Vinnie!

10 Questions With…Garbage Pail Kids Artist David Gross

Along with Joe Simko and Brent Engstrom, David Gross is one of the main artists behind the current Garbage Pail Kids sets. He’s done dozens of GPKs to date, with his biggest contribution set to happen in the 2018S2 set. David is popular on Facebook with collectors for sharing not only the final paintings once release, but also the rejected concepts Topps doesn’t use. I sat down with David at Gross Card Con in Las Vegas. We talked about the lifecycle of a GPK, his thoughts on digital vs. traditional painting, and some changes to GPK he’s lobbied Topps for.

GPKNews – I think more than ever in 2017 GPK collectors have really gravitated to your work. I know you are a Wacky Packages guy, but how much fun are you having working on the GPK brand?

David Gross – I love working on the Garbage Pail Kids, I’m actually enjoying working on them little more than the Wacky’s lately. I’ve been doing probably 2 to 1 Garbage Pail Kids at this point.

GPKNews – You continue to post your rejected concepts on Facebook with each release. GPK collectors continue to get a kick out of the ones Topps decides not to use. What’s more fun for you, coming up with the concepts and the rough, or the final paining of the card and seeing your concept in its final form?

DG – I like both of them. I’d probably say painting them. I stay up all night and talk to Brent, we just paint all night.

GPKNews – How much time on average does it take for a GPK to come to life? From the initial concept, to the pencil rough, color rough, back and forth with the Art Director, and then the final painting? How much time do you spend on each retail card?

DG – I start with a thumbnail sketch. I just start drawing out a general idea until I get the right pose. Then I probably spend about an hour sketching it out in pencil. Then another hour or so on the final pencil. Then paintings can run anywhere from 4 hours for the rushed to get it done overnight online ones, to if I have time, I’ll spend two days on some. The halloween set we recently did I spent almost 3 days on every painting, because I had time on that one. It was a lot of fun to be able to do that again.

GPKNews – I know you are a big music guy, so you had a lot of fun working on Battle of the Bands. I think the work you did on the Halloween set might have been your best last year? What set did you enjoy most working on in the last year?

DG – Easily the Halloween set. Having the time and the subject matter was my favorite.

GPKNews – I know you work a lot behind the scenes with the people at Topps to give the GPK collector a voice. Is it hard to get Topps to understand what the longtime collector wants?

DG – They will listen but they also have the bottom line, so its been difficult to get them to do what collectors feel they should be doing . With Colin for example, he has a tough job because he has to answer to people above him. So he has to make their demands work, collectors demands work, and artists demands work. Its a stressful job. We try our best to do what we can. I think there will be some more changes coming up. I’ve been pushing a lot of stuff and hopefully they will come through.

GPKNews – In the second half of last year I think there’s been some progress towards what collectors are looking for. Especially in the concepts and art, and a little in set structure. Its baby steps, but steps nonetheless. Do you sense some of the things GPK collectors ask for are starting to become a reality?

DG – First thing I’m hoping we get backs, back. I think thats the number one thing, if I’m reading what collectors want the most. I think the Classic set was a good idea that they dropped the ball on a couple things on that by not having backs on there and the arrow and everything else on there that everyone wanted. I think they did learn a lesson on there from the Wacky Packages Old School set. That one sold out in three days. I think if they do another Classic set, they will look at that and try to fix some of the problems.

GPKNews – I’ve asked a few artists this, and wanted to get your thoughts. Right now retail GPKs still must be painted, but Colin has allowed some digital work in the online sets. What thoughts do you have, specifically when it comes to GPK art, on creating cards digitally vs. the old fashioned way?

DG – When I first started doing it, the first things I sent to Topps were digital. That was way back in 2003 or 2004. First thing they said to me was can you paint them, I said yeah of course. So I sent in samples of them painted, and that’s how I got the job doing Wacky’s. I’ve always painted everything, except occasionally on the Wacky’s I do some of the lettering digitally. For the most part I even paint all the lettering on those. I don’t really have an interest in the digital artwork, and never do it myself.

GPKNews – Do you think we will see the day where the main way of creating GPKs or the like are done digitally?

DG – I hope painting continues to rule the day. I don’t think people will want all digital paintings. If you don’t get the textures right they look weird. I’ve seen some stuff where the figures look like the backgrounds. You need to be able to differentiate all the textures. I just think the hand painted quality is much nicer.

GPKNews – Finally this is your second GCC here in Vegas. How does this one compare to the first? How has the fan interaction been?

DG – Great, this has been much better than the first one. The layout of the room is much easier to talk to people. I get to talk to the other artists, which I didn’t get to do last time all lined up in one long row. I have people on both sides of me in front and back, its been great. Last year I brought the rejected books, I started drawing them and I never looked up in two days This time I took some orders, draw them at night, bring them back the next morning so I’ve been able to have a lot more interaction this time around.

2018 Series 2 Garbage Pail Kids Oh the Horror-ible Retail Sell Sheet

Late last week Topps officially announced the details for the next retail set by releasing the Hobby/Collector sell sheet for 2018 Series 2 Garbage Pail Kids Oh the Horror-ible. Thanks to Wildwood Enterprises we are able to bring you the retail sell sheet. While the configuration of the next set is similar to previous releases, Topps is making a number of changes this time. This time 200 cards make up the base set, (100 new cards in a/b versions). This is an increase over the last couple of releases. Once again, the set will be broken down into various subsets all based on horror and sci-fi themes. That’s not all the changes Topps has in store.

Retail 24 pack boxes, and Target Gravity Feed 36 pack boxes are set to return once again. Puke (Green) parallels will return 1 per pack in all retail pack types. Fool’s Gold borders randomly inserted in all pack types are also back and limited to /50 of each. Phlegm (Yellow) parallels will once again be found 1:4 packs in Target Gravity Feed boxes. Topps will debut a new Insert set called Trick or Treats. These are described as Halloween candy inspired GPKs. They will only be found in Target Gravity Feed packs. Finally, regular sized sketches, artist autographs, and printing plates will be randomly inserted in all retail pack types.

Blaster Boxes (Value Box) will return once again and be sold in two versions. However, this time around there isn’t much difference in the “EA” and “SE” versions. After exhausting all Gross Bears artwork, it looks like Topps will focus only on Bathroom Buddies. Both boxes will contains 3 “lost unpublished Series 2 artwork” from the Bathroom Buddies sets. The only difference in boxes appears to be one will have a $9.99 price label, and the other box without. Blaster boxes will continue to have 5 packs each, and contain 16 boxes per case. The popular Loaded Puzzle sketches will be randomly inserted into Blaster boxes once again.

Fat Packs also return to the retail lineup. These packs are roughly twice the size of regular pack. The “Classic” insert series returns as each Fat pack will contain 2 Classic Monster Stickers. These are reprints of past GPK monsters. Dead Ted and Nasty Nick both appear on the sell sheet. Each Fat pack also contains 2 Puke parallels. Topps will be adding a brand new parallel type called “Jelly”. No details on what those will look like yet. Those are set to fall 1 per Fat pack. Much like previous releases, Panoramic sketch cards will also be randomly inserted into Fat packs.

To view the Retail sell sheet as a PDF click here, or check out the pictures below. 2018 Series 2 Garbage Pail Kids Oh the Horrible is set to release Sept. 19, 2018.