Category Archives: Best of…

If GPK in 2022 was known for set delays and giant print runs, 2023 quite possibly will be known for getting back to normalcy. After years of set delays, Topps returned to more of a normal schedule by the end of 2023. Collectors finally got the long delayed GPK Vacation set in early 2023, saw Chrome 6 in the middle of the year, and ended with InterGoolatic in the fall. Additionally, the giant unrealistic print runs from 2022 returned to a more realistic number in 2023. In the online realm, there were once again a number of 6 week sets, as well as the usual releases celebrating different events. Online sales remained strong through the year, but started to slow as the year ended. With lower print runs and lower online sales, GPK’s popularity may be softening in the new year.

GPK merchandise begin to see a transition. Products long in the pipeline and delayed from Covid were finally released. However, Fanatics begin to limit new licensed products as the company transitioned from old Topps management to Fanatics. Collectors still got a number of different products from GetAGrip, multiple comic releases from Dynamite, and a number of individual products from longtime licensees Abrams, Insight Editions, GPKNation, Super Impulse, and License 2 Play. One new comer, Flix Candy, debuted with a popular candy item.

2023 was another strong year with multiple retail, online, and merchandise releases. It’s time to take a look back at what stood out in 2023. The following is the 7th annual 2023 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards. Winners have been selected by the editor of GPKNews.com in eight categories. Additionally, a Reader’s Choice winner was also named in each category. Readers of GPKNews were able to vote in a poll on GPKNews’ Facebook page in mid-December. On some awards there is agreement, while others vary in opinion. Let the debate begin! It’s time to celebrate the best in GPKs for 2023!

And the winners are…

2023 GPK Retail Set of the Year
Winner: 2023S2 InterGoolatic Mayhem
Reader’s Choice: 2023 InterGoolatic Mayhem

Due to the late 2022 release of Chrome 5, collectors had 4 retail sets to vote on in this category for the first time. It didn’t matter, in the biggest squash of the Reader’s Choice awards, 2023S2 InterGoolatic Mayhem was the easy winner. We agree as the set is the 2023 Retail Set of the Year winner. Feedback from collectors on the set’s release was nearly unanimously positive. Collectors enjoyed the sci-fi theme, gags, and artwork in the set. Additionally, the quality control for Topps on the set, while not perfect, was a marked improvement over previous releases. This all added up to easily the set of the year. Honorable mention: 2023S1 Vacation, 2023 Chrome 6, 2022 Chrome 5.

2023 Online GPK Set of the Year
Winner: GPK x View Askew
Reader’s Choice: 2023 Oh the Horror-ible Expansion Set (1-6)

Topps decided to run back many of the online releases in 2023. There was another Ermsy Entertainment Blend, another MLB x GPK set by Alex Pardee, more six week expansion sets, and the usual Valentine’s, Krashers, and award winner sets. There was one new theme this year, and it’s this year’s 2023 Online GPK Set of the Year. The GPK x View Askew set was sold simultaneously at SDCC and on Topps.com. The cards celebrated the films of director Kevin Smith. The set saw some positive publicity for the GPK brand. Both GPK collectors and Kevin Smith fans chased parallels of the key cards in the set throughout the year. In the Reader’s Choice voting, collectors chose this year’s Oh the Horror-ible set just barely over the View Askew set. Surprisingly, Sapphire dropped in popularity for the first time, finishing third in voting. Honorable mention: 2023 Oh the Horror-ible Expansion (1-6), Sapphire 3, Valentine’s Day is Cancelled, and GPK x MLB 2.

2023 Non-Traditional Set of the Year
Winner: 2023 Topps International Trading Card Day
Reader’s Choice: 2023 Topps International Trading Card Day

Who doesn’t like free cards? Well, no one! This year’s 2023 International Trading Card Day GPK set is this year’s winner for Non-Traditional Set. For the second year in a row, collectors around the country burned gallons of gas as they drove from store to store to claim their free GPK pack. A wide selection of base cards and auto inserts had collectors trading and selling for weeks to complete their sets. Honorable mention: 2023 NYCC Set, Fanatics Executive Set.

2023 Topps GPK Licensee of the Year
Winner: GetAGrip Skateboards
Reader’s Choice: GetAGrip Skateboards

The company that somehow got original GPK artist John Pound to sign cards, is easily this year’s GPK Licensee of the Year. GetAGrip shocked the collecting world by releasing two blind bag skateboard releases this year that were highlighted by autographs from John Pound. Pound had refused for years to be involved with anything GPK. That wasn’t all GetAGrip did this year. The company also released a wooden toy product, Deadwoodz, and some high end GPK themed neon lights. No company released a wider variety of GPK merchandise this year. Honorable mention: Dynamite Entertainment, GPK Nation, Super Impulse, and Flix Candy.

2023 Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Marion Carole Miller
Reader’s Choice: Marion Carole Miller

2023 was a banner year for new GPK sketch artists. A record 19 artists made their GPK debut this year. They ranged from first time sketch artists to veterans of other Topps sets. The result was a number of excellent sketch cards in the final set of the year, InterGoolatic Mayhem. This was such a hard category to choose a winner in, there could have easily been any of 10 different winners. However, despite all the online promotion, reader’s agreed with GPKNews that Marion Carole Miller is the GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year. The artist brought his unique style to both returns and pack inserted sketches that has already found a large fan base. Collectors will hope to chase his sketches for years to come. Honorable mention: Eddie Rhodes, Eric Lassen, Steve Martin, Fox Layng, and Julia McKenzie.

2023 Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Chris Meeks
Reader’s Choice: Bekki Sharp

We have three-peat! This year’s GPK Sketch Artist of the Year is once again Chris Meeks. Chris Meeks has set himself apart from his peers when it comes to GPK sketch cards. His GPK returns routinely fetch the highest figures in the secondary market. He continues to contribute to all GPK sets, with his pack inserted cards also being high quality. There are a lot of great GPK sketch artists, but right now Meeks stands out. The Reader’s Choice award once again saw heavy promotion by multiple artists. This year Bekki Sharp came out on top after a close vote. Honorable mention: Bekki Sharp, David Acevedo, Eric Medina, Mike Stephens, and Gavin Williams.

2023 GPK Artist of the Year
Winner: David Gross
Reader’s Choice: David Gross

It’s now four years in a row, as David Gross is the GPKNews Artist of the Year. Gross also won the Reader’s vote in a landslide once again. All the artists do a fantastic job on the artwork for the sets throughout the year. However, it’s the gag writing that puts Gross’ cards a cut above. From the obvious to the small details, he makes sure the gags are just as important as the art. Another banner year for new GPK artwork!  Honorable mention: Joe Simko, Brent Engstrom, and Rory McQueen.

2023 GPK Card of the Year
Winner: Marty Mayhem (Trashy TV Philly Promo 1a Artist/Concept David Gross)
Reader’s Choice: Ghost Buster (InterGoolatic 74a Artist/Concept Brent Engstrom)

In the Reader’s Choice voting it was neck and neck between the Marty Mayhem and Ghost Buster for Card of the Year. Ghost Buster was the most popular card from the most popular set of the year. So why then was Marry Mayhem chosen as the Card of the Year? This card helped to advance that ever so rare Disney GPK card. There haven’t yet been any main stream Disney or Star Wars cards, but with the help of Adam F Goldberg, the card was able to be approved and used as a promo card at the Philly Non-Sport card show. The card expertly depicts Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem in GPK form. A popular card that helps to make inroads to Disney properties makes it the Card of the Year. Honorable mention: Ghost Buster, Spacin Jason, Night Mary, Silent Bobby, AI Adam, and Sleepy Faye.

Welcome to the 7th annual GPKNews 2023 Best of GPK Awards. This year saw Topps get back on schedule post pandemic, a good number of retail and online sets, and another round of GPK merchandise. What were your favorite things GPK in 2023? It’s your turn to help choose the Reader’s Choice awards!

Click here to vote now in the 2023 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards!

Read on for an explanation about how the categories and nominees were chosen, along with the fine print of voting.

Here are the categories to be voted on this year:

• 2023 Retail Set of the Year – With Chrome 5 coming out after last year’s awards, there are four retail sets to choose from in 2023!
• 2023 Online Set of the Year – Another full year of online offers! Everything from expansion sets, MLB, packed out sets, and sets with sketches! What was your favorite online release of the year?
• 2023 Non-Traditional Set of the Year – Second year for this award! Do you like sets from stores, sets from cons, or maybe you’re a Fanatics executive? Which one was your favorite?
• 2023 Licensee of the Year – Always a hotly contested category. Which company represented GPK best this year?
• 2023 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year – The rookie sketch artist award is back! A whopping 17 first time GPK artists in 2023 to choose from!
• 2023 GPK Sketch Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have had official Topps GPK sketch cards appear in a set in 2023. Two retail and two online sets featured sketches this year! Over xx sketch artists in 2023. Who was your favorite?
• 2023 GPK Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have painted an official Topps GPK final published card in 2023. Retail, Online, Convention, and Licensed sets are eligible. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2023 GPK Card of the Year – All GPKs published in 2023 are eligible. Retail, Online, Convention, and Licensed cards are eligible. For nomination purposes if a/b versions are available, only the “a” card is listed. There are hundreds to pick from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!

Categories and nominees were chosen by the Editor of GPKNews.com. Any GPK releases after 12/17 will be eligible in next year’s (2024) awards. Categories such as best artist, sketch artist, and best card also contain a write-in option. Write-in votes will only be counted for a valid artist/card. Voting will be live from Sunday 12/17 through Sunday 12/24 @ 8:00 PM(PST). Voting will only be done through Facebook. Participants can only vote once. Vote totals or individual votes cast will not be made public. Winners will be revealed in a future article that will appear on GPKNews.com right around the 1st of January.

When future collectors look back at 2022 perhaps what will be most remembered are the giant increases in production for Garbage Pail Kids sets. Or maybe collectors are going to remember continued delays, followed by multiple releases at a fast and furious pace. Regardless, 2022 was another eventful year in GPK. Retail sets continued to see delays throughout the first half of 2022. Once again 2021 Vacation did not see production during the year, frustrating many collectors. Topps did release 2022 Book Worms and 2021 Chrome 4 in the second half of the year, (2022 Chrome 5 was also released on 12/23, but was too late to be included in the awards ballot.) When Topps finally released the sets, the result was an increase in production unlike anything seen in the GPK world in the last decade plus. Online sets saw a steady stream of releases during the year, that only increased in number in the last quarter of the year. Sales overall remained strong for online sets, with average print runs higher than ever before. Its clear demand and popularity of the GPK brand continues to increase year of year.

GPK licensed merchandise started returning to normal after more delays in 2021. Many products still saw delays in 2022, but it’s clear companies have gotten a better handle on production delays and release dates. The highlight of GPK merchandise was a GPK video game from iam8bit. The 8-bit old school video game showed collectors what should have been back in the mid-1980’s. GetAGrip continued a year full of very popular skateboard releases. While dolls of all types from plush, to bag clips, to vinyl all saw releases with original GPK classic figures the focus for licensees. Book publisher’s also had highlights with Abrams calendar and cookbook, and Simon & Schuster GPK tarot book, and Dynamite comics being popular items.

2022 started out slow, but by the end of the year collector’s wallets were left empty with numerous retail, online, and merchandise releases. Let’s take a look back at what stood out in 2022 for Garbage Pail Kids. It’s time for the 6th annual 2022 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards! Winners have been selected by the editor of GPKNews.com in seven categories, (NFT Set of the year and Rookie Sketch Artist was not awarded in 2022 due to limited options). Additionally, a Reader’s Choice winner was also named in each category. Readers of GPKNews were able to vote in a poll on GPKNews’ Facebook page in mid-December. On some awards there is agreement, while others vary in opinion. Let the debate begin! It’s time to celebrate the best in GPKs for 2022!

And the winners are…

2022 GPK Retail Set of the Year
Winner: 2022S1 GPK Book Worms
Reader’s Choice: 2021 GPK Chrome OS 4

There were two retail sets for collectors to collect in 2022. Most collectors like their shiny cards, and that was still the case as Chrome 4 won the Reader’s Choice voting. However, Chrome 4 was marked by multiple spelling and editing errors throughout the set. This is one of the reasons why 2022S1 GPK Book Worms is the Retail Set of the Year. Collectors had been waiting nearly a year and a half for a retail release. The artists delivered with one of the better sets top to bottom for artwork and gags. Even if you weren’t an avid reader, the subject matter was easy to understand and the new artwork was once again top notch. (Note: Chrome 5 was released too late in the year to be considered in this year’s awards.) Honorable mention: 2021 Chrome OS 4.

2022 Online GPK Set of the Year
Winner: Oh the Horror-ible Expansion Set (1-6)
Reader’s Choice: 2022 GPK Sapphire (OS3 & OS4)

Topps took some new chances in 2022 with online offerings. The sets that sold the most were the sets that were not favored by GPK collectors, but instead resonated with other groups of collectors. Ermsy Entertainment Blend, GPK x MLB, and Taste Buds all set high sales marks, but were preferred by either fans of the artists involved, baseball collectors, or family members of breweries. Once again collectors choose shiny cards, and went with 2022 Sapphire for the Reader’s Choice winner. GPKNews however is picking the Oh the Horror-ible Expansion Set (1-6) for Online Set of the Year. Horror themed cards will forever be a favorite of GPK collectors. The artists once again nailed the artwork and gags with the sets being some of the most popular of the year.  Honorable mention: 2022 GPK Sapphire (OS3 & OS4), Complexland Skateboard Deck Stickers, We Hate the 80’s Expansion Set (1-6), Valentine’s Day Disgusting Dating.

2022 Non-Traditional Set of the Year
Winner: Topps International Trading Card Day
Reader’s Choice: Topps International Trading Card Day

2022 also saw Topps take some chances with the brand and offer sets in different scenarios other than traditional stores or online. That’s why we have this new category this year. There were a number of sets only available at Cons or in hobby stores this year. Some were free, others could be purchased. None saw collectors spend more money on gas this year than the Non-Traditional Set of the Year Winner, Topps International Trading Card Day. For the first time, GPK was included in this yearly event. Collectors visiting their local hobby store could score a free pack of GPK cards. This set caught the imagination of collectors as prices initially soared for unopened packs and cards, before the realization of the production set in. It was a fun few weeks, as collectors traded to complete their sets. Honorable mention: ComplexCon California Takeover, Adam Bomb Mis-Fortune Telling Machine, SDCC Scavenger Hunt. 
2022 Topps GPK Licensee of the Year
Winner: iam8bit
Reader’s Choice: GetAGrip Skateboards

Another hotly contested vote this year for Licensee of the Year. iam8bit is this year’s winner for their 8-bit GPK Video Game, Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum. From the teaser video, to the game play, and even selling an actually NES cartridge of the game, iam8bit excelled at how to promote a brand and make a high quality product. Collectors were immediately brought back to the mid-80’s in what should have been created then. Meanwhile Reader’s Choice winner, GetAGrip continued to be popular with collectors for their skateboard decks, wheels, and general GPK merchandise. Honorable mention: GetAGrip, Dynamite Entertainment, GPK Nation, Abrams Books, Simon & Schuster.

2022 Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Chris Meeks
Reader’s Choice: David Acevedo

For the first time there is a back to back winner. This year’s GPK Sketch Artist of the Year is once again Chris Meeks. There were not a lot of chances for artists to shine this year. With only one retail set, and three online sets some artists saw more opportunities than others. When it’s all said and done though, Chris Meeks really dominated this category this year. His level of detail in pack inserted, online, and returns really made his work stand out. Some Meeks returns sold at prices only previously seen in final card artwork. With Pat Chaimuang not doing GPK sketches in 2022, it opened up the Reader’s Choice award. After a lot of online promotion, David Acevedo beat out a number of other talented artists in a close vote for the reader’s favorite.  Honorable mention: David Acevedo, Eric Medina, Mike Stephens, Jasmine Contois, and Greg “13” Treize.

2022 GPK Artist of the Year
Winner: David Gross
Reader’s Choice: David Gross

For the third straight year, David Gross is the GPKNews Artist of the Year. Gross also won the Reader’s vote in a landslide. Once again his gag writing really is where he shines year after year. There were nearly two dozen gags in Book Worms and the online expansion sets that could have been considered for card of the year. Another great year for new GPK artwork!  Honorable mention: Rory McQueen, Joe Simko, Brent Engstrom.

2022 GPK Card of the Year
Winner: Adam Book (Book Worms 72a Artist/Concept Brent Engstrom)
Reader’s Choice: Adam Book (Book Worms 72a Artist/Concept Brent Engstrom)

Every year there are so many great choices for Card of the Year. 2022 was no exception, and the voting by readers showed. There were three cards that fought neck and neck all week in readers’ voting. Adam Book barely edged out Jabbed Jack and Adam Bomb Skateboard Sticker to win. We agree, as the card of the Year goes to Brent Engstrom’s Adam Book card from Book Worms. Collector’s may complain they are tired of seeing Adam Bomb, but that’s just not the case in voting or popularity of cards. Jabbed Jack was strongly considered as well, as the gag, (How did a Disney gag get approved!?), and art were excellent. Honorable mention: Jabbed Jack, Adam Bomb Skateboard Sticker, Beetle Julie, Joking Jack, Sapphire Steve.

Welcome to the 6th annual GPKNews 2022 Best of GPK Awards. This year in GPK saw more delays, huge production numbers, and lots of merchandise. So what were your favorite things GPK in 2022? It’s your turn to help choose the Reader’s Choice awards!

Click here to vote now in the 2022 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards!

Read on for an explanation about how the categories and nominees were chosen, along with the fine print of voting.

Here are the categories to be voted on this year:

• 2022- Retail Set of the Year – This category returns in 2022, after 2021 saw only one set released. 2022 had both Book Worms and Chrome 4! What was your favorite set of the year?
• 2022 Online Set of the Year – Topps kicked it into overdrive with online sets in 2022. There are a lot to choose from! What was your favorite online release of the year?
• 2022 Non-Traditional Set of the Year – New category for 2022! Topps expanded their distribution methods in 2022. To collect these sets you had to visit a Convention or hobby store. Which one was your favorite?
• 2022 Digital NFT Set of the Year – There is no award category for NFT set of the year. After taking many months off, Topps only released one NFT set this year. Topps is poised to offer more GPK NFTs in 2023!
• 2022 Licensee of the Year – So much licensed GPK merchandise in 2022! Which company did it best this year?
• 2022 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year – The rookie sketch artist award is taking 2022 off. There were only two artist debuts in 2022. Let’s see if Topps adds more new talent in 2023!
• 2022 GPK Sketch Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have had official Topps GPK sketch cards appear in a set in 2022. There were only one retail, two online, and one con set to feature sketches this year. There are over 60 artists to choose from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2022 GPK Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have painted an official Topps GPK final published card in 2022. Retail, Online, Convention, and Licensed sets are eligible. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2022 GPK Card of the Year – All GPKs published in 2022 are eligible. Retail, Online, Convention, and Licensed cards are eligible. For nomination purposes if a/b versions are available, only the “a” card is listed. There are hundreds to pick from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!

Categories and nominees were chosen by the Editor of GPKNews.com. Any GPK releases after 12/16, including Chrome 5 and future online releases, will be eligible in next year’s (2023) awards. Categories such as best artist, sketch artist, and best card also contain a write-in option. Write-in votes will only be counted for a valid artist/card. Voting will be live from Friday 12/16 through Saturday 12/24 @ 8:00 PM(PST). Voting will only be done through Facebook. Participants can only vote once. Vote totals or individual votes cast will not be made public. Winners will be revealed in a future article that will appear on GPKNews.com right around the 1st of January.

2021 is going to be remembered in the Garbage Pail Kids community as the year of the delay. Topps had big plans to followup on a hugely successful 2020, with a 2021 filled with cards sets, merchandise, video games, and licensed deals. However, it quickly became clear that GPK collectors would have to exercise patience. Most of the delays were caused by printing delays and shipping issues. Only one retail set made it to market in 2021, as both 2021S2 Vacation and Chrome 4 were pushed to 2022. The huge demand industry wide for trading cards meant only so many printing slots available to card manufacturers. GPK sadly is taking a backseat to other, more profitable brands in the Topps hierarchy, leaving collectors yearning to bust packs. Online releases saw its own multi-month delay as well. After a backlash from fans of the K-pop band BTS to a proposed card in the Shammy’s set, online GPKs went on hiatus for four months. GPK collectors were once again left without an explanation from Topps and no online sets.

Officially licensed GPK products were not immune to delays either. Manufacturers, especially of toys, saw product announcements and shipping dates continue to get delayed. Merchandise sat, and continues to sit on ships in the ocean as manufacturing in China and port delays in the US has wreaked havoc on the entire industry. The early 2021 announcement of a mashup with Madballs and GPK only resulted in a few clothing items as the toys and cards have yet to materialize. Toy figures from Super Impulse and The Loyal Subjects saw delays of months. GetAGrip Skateboards released Series 3 wheels, while Series 2 sits on a ship in the Pacific. There were also numerous plans Topps announced they were working on at the end of 2020 that have yet to be launched, such as video games, and foreign card releases.

Despite the delays, there was still a lot for collectors to collect from online sets, to books, die-cast cars, figures, skateboards, coins, pins, and clothing. Let’s take a look back at what stood out in 2021 for Garbage Pail Kids. It’s time for the 5th annual 2021 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards! Winners have been selected by the editor of GPKNews.com in seven categories, (Retail Set of the Year was not awarded in 2021 since there was only one set released). Additionally, a Reader’s Choice winner was also named in each category. Readers of GPKNews were able to vote in a poll on GPKNews’ Facebook page in mid-December. On some awards there is agreement, while others vary in opinion. Let the debate begin! Its time to celebrate the best in GPKs for 2021!

And the winners are…

2021 Online GPK Set of the Year
Winner: GameStonk
Reader’s Choice: Oh the Horror-ible Expansion Sets 1-2

Not quite as many online offerings from Topps this year. Online sets were put on hiatus by Topps after a proposed BTS card in the Shammy set caused controversy online. Sets that were offered were diverse. Two On Demand sets, con sets, horror, holiday and award sets all were among the available sets in 2021. Sales exploded for online sales with the majority of sets selling over 1000 copies. Rarely does a GPK set catch fire and bring in sales from outside the community. But that happened early in 2021 with this year’s Online Set of the Year, GameStonk. The set was based on the real life revolt against Wall Street with the Reddit/GameStop scandal. Sales of the set exploded to just over 13,000 copies, making it the highest selling online GPK set ever, a record that may never be broken. Honorable mention: Oh the Horrible-ible Expansion (1-2), Krashers 2, Funny Valentine, and GPK Collector Club (Intro-Set 3).

2021 NFT Digital Set of the Year
Winner: Food Fight
Reader’s Choice: Food Fight

The NFT space is much like the Wild West, and with Topps in 2021, NFTs were certainly a wild experience. The year started with Topps continuing to focus on a number of NFT GPK offers, including this year’s NFT Set of the Year, Food Fight. The set saw Topps try a number of new things in the NFT space to bring in new collectors. The set was a companion product to the retail physical 2021S1 Food Fight set. Packs of the physical product contained redemption cards for collectors to claim a free Food Fight NFT pack. This allowed for long time collectors who were skeptical of NFTs to give the technology a try. Sadly, after Food Fight, Topps abandoned the Wax platform to start their own website to offer the company’s other NFT brands. Only a contract with Wax keeps GPK NFTs only on their platform for now, with Topps not empathizing the product. Honorable mention: GameStonk, GPK Nifty Kids, Bernventures. 

2021 Topps GPK Licensee of the Year
Winner: GetAGrip Skateboards
Reader’s Choice: GetAGrip Skateboards

Want to know how your website has made it? Someone creates a bot to cheat an online poll! This year’s reader’s choice award was a hotly contested affair between two companies whose main focus is GPK. It’s not surprising these two were at the top of the poll. Collectors who vote on this award always vote for the company who’s main focus is GPK products. After the removal of thousands of bot votes, new comer GetAGrip Skateboards edged out last year’s winner, GPK Nation, for this year’s GPK Licensee of the Year. Collectors flocked to GetAGrip in 2021, crashing their website with each launch to claim Rory McQueen’s exceptional artwork on skateboards and wheels. Accompanying promo cards with the same artwork on each product has vaulted GetAGrips products to the top of most collector’s wantlists. Honorable mention: GPK Nation, Funko, The Loyal Subjects, Abrams Books.

2021 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Andrew Artz
Reader’s Choice: Adam Dobrzeniecki 

Topps started off 2021 using a new crop of first time GPK sketch artists in the 2021S1 Food Fight set. Those eight newbies were the extent of the new blood this year. This category is always a tough one, and the award could have gone to any of the talented artists. The Facebook campaigns are always strongest with this award, and this year was no exception. This ended up being a two horse race for collectors. Reader’s choose Adam Dobrzeniecki for his wonderful full color sketches from Food Fight. GPKNews however, choose Andrew Artz as the Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year. Both his full color and B&W sketch work was among the best in the Food Fight set. Andrew also did the artwork on a number of licensed coins for GPK Nation in 2021. Who does Topps plan on adding to the lineup in 2022? Honorable mention: Adam Dobrzeniecki, Nik Muggli, Robert Ball.

2021 Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Chris Meeks
Reader’s Choice: Pat Chaimuang

Pat Chaimuamg and Jasmine Contois have had a strangle hold on this award for the past few years. This year for the first time some new faces moved to the top of the list. The GPKNews Sketch Artist of the Year is Chris Meeks. Chris shined throughout the year with exceptional work in Food Fight and both On Demand sets. His work in Krashers 2 was a giant highlight, form his postage stamp sketches to full color sketches. His official Artist Proof cards were a highlight both among collectors and eBay bidders. The reader’s choice award for the first time in a while was a six artist race with Pat Chaimuang edging out Greg Treize to win. Another great year of sketches for collectors! Honorable mention: Pat Chaimuang, Greg Treize, David Acevedo, Rory McQueen, Jasmine Contois.

2021 GPK Artist of the Year
Winner: David Gross
Reader’s Choice: David Gross

For the second year in a row, David Gross is the GPK Artist of the Year. David had another great year both from a gag and painting standpoint. He remains collectors favorite gag writer, from his Wax Max Food Fight card to an as yet unreleased Collector’s Club card from set 4, the time spent on understanding what both experienced and casual collectors want stands out. David also had a number of stand out paintings. Joe Blow from Collector’s Club Set 3, and Mid Summer from Oh the Horror-ible Expansion 2, both highlight some of the his intricate painting. He also introduced a new medium to GPKs with the use of linocut on his Beth Death card from Bizarre Holidays. Another year full of highlights for collectors! Honorable mention: Joe Simko, Rory McQueen, Brent Engstrom.

2021 GPK Card of the Year
Winner: Joe Blow (Collector’s Club Set 3 #1a Artist/Concept David Gross)
Reader’s Choice: Semi Colin (GetAGrip Skateboard Promo Artist/Concert Rory McQueen)

The choice for Card of the Year could have come from any number of options in 2021. Remakes of classic cards, innovative art styles, and collecting parodies were just some of the highlights for collectors this year. This year’s GPKNews Card of the Year goes to the Joe Blow remake in the Collector Club Set 3. This year long club might be controversial among collectors, but the Joe Blow card painted by David Gross is a standout. The bright pink exploding gum on the black background, while Joe skates, is an eye popping example for collectors. Honorable mention: Semi Colin, Jim Mint 10, Beth Death, Wax Max.

Welcome to the 5th annual GPKNews 2021 Best of GPK Awards. This year GPK was marked by highs, lulls, and delays. So what were your favorite things GPK in 2021? It’s your turn to help choose the Reader’s Choice awards!

https://poll.app.do/2021-gpknews-com-best-of-gpks

Read on for an explanation about how the categories and nominees were chosen, along with the fine print of voting.

Here are the categories to be voted on this year:

• 2021- Retail Set of the Year – Sadly there is no category this year for retail set of the year. Due to printing delays, Topps only released 2021S1 Food Fight. There could be as many as six nominees in 2022!
• 2021 Online Set of the Year – Topps took a few months off from online sets in the middle of the year, but there’s still plenty to choose from the beginning and end of 2021!
• 2021 Digital NFT Set of the Year – Are you an NFT wizard? Choose your favorite set of 2021!
• 2021 Licensee of the Year – Merchandise a plenty in 2021. Which company did it best this year?
• 2021 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year – Eight artists made their GPK debuts in 2021. Who was your favorite?
• 2021 GPK Sketch Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have had official Topps GPK sketch cards appear in a set in 2021. One retail, and two On Demand sets contained sketches in 2021. This year there were 61 sketch artists that did sketches! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2021 GPK Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have painted an official Topps GPK final published card in 2021. Retail, Online, and Licensed sets are eligible. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2021 GPK Card of the Year – All GPKs published in 2021 are eligible. Retail, Online, and Licensed cards are eligible. For nomination purposes if a/b versions are available, only the “a” card is listed. There are hundreds to pick from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!

Categories and nominees were chosen by the Editor of GPKNews.com. Categories such as best artist, sketch artist, and best card also contain a write-in option. Write-in votes will only be counted for a valid artist/card. Voting will be live from Friday 12/17 through Friday 12/24 @ 8:00 PM(PST). Voting will only be done through Facebook. Participants can only vote once. Vote totals or individual votes cast will not be made public. Winners will be revealed in a future article that will appear on GPKNews.com right around the 1st of January.

When the history of Garbage Pail Kids is written, 2020 could go down as one of the most important years for the brand. Everything Topps has done with the brand over the last couple of years has help lead to 2020, and the 35th anniversary of GPKs. When you throw in a worldwide pandemic that saw many collectibles markets explode, it created a perfect storm for GPKs. Topps decided to hit the gas pedal this year and throw everything at the brand and it looks to have paid off. 2020 retail sets saw the return of card back art and checklists, and the end of subset numbering. All things that had held back the brand for years in collectors minds. That could have been enough for the core group of collectors, but Topps wanted more. 2020 saw Topps finally relent, and being back Chrome technology to GPKs. Online sets also saw an explosion after declining in previous years. Topps has a full lineup already planned for retail releases, online releases, and foreign releases that will keep collectors busy in 2021.

While the card sets remain popular, Topps focus on licensed merchandise also helps explain the growth in GPKs. 2020 saw many different types of licensing deals made by Topps, many that will be felt for years to come. Companies like FYE, Just Funky, Beeline Creative, and Greenlight Collectibles all continued their deals in 2020 and offered collectors a wide range of quality merchandise throughout the year, many of it available in retail stores across the country. GPK Nation debuted in 2020 and took the hobby by storm with their online only launches of limited coins, pins, and other merchandise. Perhaps the most important licensed item was the debut of the RL Stine novel, Welcome to Smellville, published by Abrams books. Topps has a lot more licensed merchandise set to launch throughout 2021 for collectors to enjoy.

2020 saw so much in the Garbage Pail Kids world. Let’s take a look back at what stood out in 2020 for Garbage Pail Kids. It’s time for the 4th annual 2020 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards! Winners have been selected by the editor of GPKNews.com in eight categories, (Sketch Card Rookie of the Year returns in 2020, along with the debut of WAX Blockchain Digital Set of the year). Additionally, a Reader’s Choice winner was also named in each category. Readers of GPKNews were able to vote in a poll on GPKNews’ Facebook page in mid-December. On some awards there is agreement, while others vary in opinion. Let the debate begin! Its time to celebrate the best in GPKs for 2020!

And the winners are…

2020 Retail GPK Set of the Year
Winner: 2020 Garbage Pail Kids Chrome OS 3
Reader’s Choice: 2020 Garbage Pail Kids Chrome OS 3

As in years past, this category wasn’t close in voting. Chrome won easily in a landslide. I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise. Since 2014, collectors have been begging Topps to continue the Chrome brand in GPKs. However, Topps kept refusing after poor sales of Chrome OS 2 made them hesitant to do the set again. After six years, Topps finally relented, and collectors rejoiced. Chrome OS 3 saw demand unlike any other GPK set over the last 10 years. The gamble appears to have paid off for Topps, as more chrome is planned in 2021. That doesn’t mean the other retail sets were bad this year. In fact the original art and gags in retail sets in 2020 was better overall than it has been in years. However, some missteps by Topps in set structure, kept those sets from winning set of the year. Popular reprints, fantastic new original pieces, all on shiny card stock is what lead Chrome OS 3 to winning set of the year. Honorable mention: 2020S2 35th Anniversary.

2020 Online GPK Set of the Year
Winner: Gone Exotic Sets 1-3
Reader’s Choice: GPK Sapphire

This category is so hard to pick a winner. Mainly because there was so many different types of online sets offered by Topps in 2020. There were weekly series sets like Bizarre Holidays, Gone Exotic, and 2020 Was the Worst. There also were new and innovative On Demand sets like Halloween Stories and Untold Stories. Topps tried untraditional sets such as Skateboard Stickers, Gross Greetings, and GPK Kitchen. Finally, a packed out Chrome sister set, Sapphire, took the collecting world by storm at the end of the year. So how to pick a winner in this category? I went with a set that set the stage for the GPK explosion of 2020. When the pandemic took hold, nothing was bigger in pop culture as the Netflix docuseries Tiger King. It made perfect sense that Topps would work with Netflix and offer multiple GPK sets based on the show. Artist David Gross perfectly captured the characters with his gags and artwork. The first set remains the highest selling online GPK set to date. Readers may have voted for Sapphire because of its chrome goodness, but Gone Exotic gets the win for helping to jumpstart GPK in 2020. Honorable mention: GPK Sapphire, Skateboard Stickers, 35 Years of Untold Stories.

2020 WAX Blockchain Digital Set of the Year
Winner: OS 1
Reader’s Choice: OS 1

2020 saw the debut of a completely new type of collectible, digital only cards on the WAX Blockchain. These NFTs saw plenty of controversy as many physical collectors have shunned the idea of collecting digital cards. Topps Digital has big plans in the coming years for not only GPKs, but many different brands to launch on WAX. They started with GPKs, and the growing pains were felt by collectors trying to figure out how to use this new technology to collect GPKs. Four sets were released throughout the year, with OS 1 being the overwhelming choice as the set of the year. Topps and WAX weren’t sure what kind of demand would be there for these digital collectibles, so they went with a smaller print run to start with OS 1. WAX NFT followers and GPK collector early adopters snapped up all the packs within 24 hours. Prices on the secondary market quickly rose as collectors tried to complete sets. With a proven demand, Topps experimented with print runs on the remaining sets in 2020. While packs sold out in just mins., secondary market prices crashed due to over production and lack of demand. On boarding technology and website ease of use will have to improve in 2021 if Topps wants to lure more physical collectors to the digital world. Honorable mention: OS 2

2020 Topps GPK Licensee of the Year
Winner: GPK Nation
Reader’s Choice: GPK Nation

This is another category which is impossible pick a winner. There are many different types of licensed merchandise. Perhaps the most influential licensed merchandise of the year was the RL Stine novel, Welcome to Smellville. That is the first book in a planned series by the Goosebumps author. These books may do more for the future of the GPK brand than anything else. However, this award is voted on by the core collector base, and nothing caused quite a stir in the GPK licensed space this year than GPK Nation. Also known as Collectibles Nation, the company was started this year by Louis Gregory and The Goldberg’s TV show creator, Adam F. Goldberg. The company has offered a steady stream of high quality merchandise, all of it licensed by Topps and all limited in production. It’s the limited nature of the collectibles and the erratic nature of the launches that saw much controversy with collectors. However, the company has learned to expand some print runs and now offers a semi-regular launch schedule. Collectors have seemed to enjoy the wide variety of merchandise being produced by the company with coins, pins, and ornaments proving to be the most popular. Not everything has been a hit, (wine topper?), but collectors still voted GPK Nation the top licensee of 2020. Honorable mention: FYE, Abrams Books, Greenlight Collectibles, USAopoly.

2020 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: “GPK” Nik Castaneda
Reader’s Choice: Bekki Sharp

This award took a hiatus in 2019, because Topps just didn’t use many new artists. That all changed in 2020, as some veteran artists decided to take a break, Topps had to begin adding new ones. Topps chose a really good group of artists to make their GPK debuts in 2020. This category never disappoints in reader voting as there were numerous Facebook campaigns to increase vote totals. Any of the artists nominated truly could have won this award this year. The reader’s favorite this year was Bekki Sharp, who does fantastic work all the way from the UK. However, GPKNews has chosen “GPK” Nik Castaneda as this year’s GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year.  Nik, a longtime GPK collector, started with 2020S1 Late to School, and continued to work on numerous sets throughout the year. His initial pack inserted and return sketches followed the standard GPK art style and quickly became collector favorites. Nik then begin to also draw GPK characters in his unique style. This led to Topps using his artwork in the WAX Blockchain OS 2 set, and his own online release, Gross Greetings. The future is bright for Nik and all these artists as they continue sketch work into 2021. Honorable mention: Bekki Sharp, Jeff Cox, Karl Jones, Greg “13” Trieze, Brandhen Snyder, Jeff Dionise.

2020 Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Pat Chaimuang
Reader’s Choice: Pat Chaimuang

This is a category that gets collectors highly emotional. Everyone has their favorite sketch artists. 20% of the votes in this category were write in votes for 17 different artists not listed! There are so many great artists doing sketch cards, how can you pick just one? While there were 59 choices in 2020, for the second year in a row the top two spots in voting came down to Pat Chaimuang and Jasmine Contois. These two artists have separated themselves as fan favorites. While Jasmine had another fantastic year, this year’s Sketch Artist of the Year is Pat Chaimuang. Pat’s artwork stands out in a crowded field, and sees the most demand. Collectors who can obtain a return sketch from Pat get a masterpiece. It’s unbelievable Topps hasn’t chosen Pat to do an online set in his style. This will be the second year in a row Pat has won the Reader’s Choice portion of this award, and it appears he won’t be giving up that title anytime soon. Honorable mention: Jasmine Contois, David Acevedo, Rory McQueen, Lowell Isaac.

2020 GPK Artist of the Year
Winner: David Gross
Reader’s Choice: Joe Simko

This was another category where collector voting was focused on two artists at the top. Since Topps has streamlined their final card artists, you can’t really go wrong with any of them as all their art is fantastic. Joe Simko had the reader’s vote this year. Simko’s artwork is the face of GPK licensing. His characters are so smooth, he’s a perennial fan favorite. However, this year’s GPK Artist of the Year is David Gross. David’s strongest quality has always been the gags for the cards. He had a banner year in 2020. David had top cards in every retail set, from Hot Flora Teacher in 2020S1 Late to School, to New Wave Dave in 2020S2 35th Anniversary, to Adam Burn in Chrome OS 3. He also continually has some of the top gags in online sets that not only brings the collector a chuckle, but also makes them think. He also knows how to get collectors riled up, (what, both “a” and “b” cards are named Ashley?!?). It also should be noted that David did extensive work throughout 2019 with the new GPK Brand Manager to help improve retail set content and structure. Many of the things collectors saw return to GPKs in 2020S1 can directly be attributed to his passion for the GPK brand with Topps management. Honorable mention: Joe Simko, Brent Engstrom, Smokin Joe McWilliams, Rory McQueen.

2020 GPK Card of the Year
Winner: Hopeful Harper (2020S2 35th Anniversary #32b Artist/Concept Smokin’ Joe McWilliams)
Reader’s Choice: T2 Tootie (Chrome OS 3 #AN8a Artist/Concept: Joe Simko)

Once again 2020 saw hundreds of choices for collectors in this category. Once again many different cards received votes. Could there really be any other choice for Card of the Year? Collector anticipation was off the charts for the return of Chrome to GPKs in 2020. Collectors waited six long years for this. The gag for the card is perfect, a collector waiting a very long time for his Chrome 3 box. It’s almost as it Smokin Joe knew Topps would delay the set an additional week when he drew the card, also adding to the gag itself. It’s the perfect card to represent 2020 for GPK collectors. Honorable mention: T2 Tootie, Adam Burn, Adam Bomb, Joe Chaotic, Hot Flora Teacher.

2020 marks the 4th year of the Best of GPK awards. This year saw the Garbage Pail Kids brand reach heights its hasn’t seen in over a decade. So what were your favorite things GPK in 2020? It’s your turn to help choose the Reader’s Choice awards!

https://poll.app.do/2020-gpknews-com-best-of-gpks

Read on for an explanation about how the categories and nominees were chosen, along with the fine print of voting.

Here are the categories to be voted on this year:

• 2020 Retail Set of the Year – Can Chrome beat out either of the regular retail sets from this year?
• 2020 Online Set of the Year – On Demand sets, weekly sets, one time sets, packed out sets. So many to choose from. Only sets released in 2020 are eligible.
• 2020 Digital WAX Blockchain Set of the Year – A new category in 2020 for the digital GPK collectors.
• 2020 Licensee of the Year – More merchandise in 2020 than ever before. Which company did it best this year?
• 2020 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year – The ROY award is back in 2020. Seven great artists who made their GPK debuts to choose from.
• 2020 GPK Sketch Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have had official Topps GPK sketch cards appear in a set in 2020. There were two retail sets, and 4 On Demand sets that contained sketches in 2020. This year there were 59 sketch artists that did sketches! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2020 GPK Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have painted an official Topps GPK final published card in 2020. Retail and Online sets are eligible. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2020 GPK Card of the Year – All GPKs published in 2020 are eligible. Retail and Online cards are eligible. For nomination purposes if a/b versions are available, only the “a” card is listed. There are hundreds to pick from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!

Categories and nominees were chosen by the Editor of GPKNews.com. Categories such as best artist, sketch artist, and best card also contain a write-in option. Write-in votes will only be counted for a valid artist/card. Voting will be live from Friday 12/18 through Friday 12/25 @ 8:00 PM(EST). Voting will only be done through Facebook. Participants can only vote once. Vote totals or individual votes cast will not be made public. Winners will be revealed in a future article that will appear on GPKNews.com right around the 1st of January.

In a lot of ways 2019 was a lot like 2018, and in a lot of ways it wasn’t. Looking at the surface, the 2019 retail sets looked a lot like the 2018 retail sets. Both sets were sequels, so to speak, of 2018 sets. Once again, both sets were well received by collectors. But the similarities stop there. 2019 saw the last set from former Brand Manager Colin Walton, (We Hate the 90’s), and the first set from new Brand Manager Jessica Kanzer, (Revenge of Oh the Horror-ible). The changes didn’t stop there. While many changes won’t be seen until the first set of 2020, plans were put into motion early in 2019 to help bring the GPK brand back to a place collectors enjoy. The final card artists were paired down to just four main ones on the retail set, with a couple of others added in for online/licensing sets. Card numbers on the fronts, card back artwork,  and checklists on the back were all things that started to brought back to the GPK world in 2019, especially with online sets. 2020 will see these return to retail sets along with the phasing out of subsets. While the changes can’t happen fast enough for some collectors, the work put in by artists to help cut through the red tape at Topps is happening, and should continue into 2020.

However, 2019 may be remembered for the changes to both online GPK offerings and GPK licensed merchandise. On Demand GPK sets were offered throughout the year. With the addition of sketch cards and parallels, they helped set sales records for GPK online sales. Topps then went back to daily GPK cards to end the year, and collectors enjoyed those, with all cards doing solid sales. Meanwhile, GPK licensed merchandise really took off in 2019. New companies were added to previous licensees to produce everything from food, to tiki mugs, to clothing items. A mobile game and animated shorts were also offered in 2019, showing the GPK license can be used almost anywhere. Collectors should expect much more of GPK merchandise and online sets in 2020.

Let’s take a look back at what stood out in 2019 for Garbage Pail Kids. It’s time for the 3rd annual 2019 GPKNews.com Best of GPK Awards! Winners have been selected by the editor of GPKNews.com in six categories, (Sketch Card Rookie of the Year was not held this year). Additionally, a Reader’s Choice winner was also named in each category. Readers of GPKNews were able to vote in a poll on GPKNews’ Facebook page in mid-December. On some awards there is agreement, while others vary in opinion. Let the debate begin! Its time to celebrate the best in GPKs for 2019!

And the winners are…

2019 Retail GPK Set of the Year
Winner: 2019 Series 2 Revenge of Oh the Horror-ible
Reader’s Choice: 2019 Series 2 Revenge of Oh the Horror-ible

This should come as no surprise to anyone. Once again this year, this category wasn’t close in reader’s voting. It was a landslide for horror! There is a large crossover between horror fans and GPK collectors. Many of the artists are huge horror fans themselves, and it showed in the artwork. Artists were able to use many of the gags not used for the 2018 horror set. Only using four artists greatly helped the overall quality of the artwork on the set. There were a number of memorable cards from the series, and many fewer duds compared to previous series. Collectors and distributors really flocked to this product, as the print run was the highest of any GPK set in years. Blacklight parallel cards and Tombstone figures in collectors boxes helped make this set a home run for Topps in 2019. Honorable mention: 2019S1 We Hate the 90’s

2019 Online GPK Set of the Year
Winner: We Hate the Holidays
Reader’s Choice: We Hate the Holidays

2019 saw a comeback of sorts of GPK cards offered on topps.com. There was a little bit of everything for collectors. Four different On Demand sets with sketches, licensed sets, and even the return of daily GPKs saw lots of choices for collectors. Collectors didn’t hesitate buying GPKs online in 2019. Sales records were set with each set’s release throughout the year. Perhaps that’s why the best selling online set of the year is also our choice for 2019 Online Set of the Year. We Hate the Holidays had all the ingredients to be a successful set. The holiday theme is always a hit with collectors, and this set saw many holidays included in one set. Classic characters were used for the set in various different holiday gags. Finally, the on demand formula that includes parallels, and a 1:2 chance of a sketch made this set a winner for collectors. The set sold out in just a few days on topps.com, and was also easily the reader’s choice for Online set of the year. Scratch & Stink, Valentine’s Day is Gross, 2019 Was the Worst.

2019 Topps GPK Licensee of the Year
Winner: FYE
Reader’s Choice: FYE

This year FYE breaks the strong hold Creepy Co. has on the award. This category was perhaps the most diverse and challenging to vote for in this year’s awards. There are so many choices now for collectors when it comes to GPK merchandise. FYE won this year perhaps because of the wide variety of items offered. Candy Bars, Energy Drinks, Cereal, Hot Sauce, were just a few of the popular items FYE launched in 2019. Other licensees might want to take note, all of FYE’s items were easily purchased both online and in their stores. No con exclusives, or limited items here. Just a lot of GPK consumables with some great artwork on the packaging. This might be the reason why they beat out companies like Super7, Beeline, and Creepy Co. in 2019. Honorable mention: Super7, Creepy Co., Beeline Creative, Jago Studios.

2019 Sketch Artist of the Year
Winner: Jasmine Contois
Reader’s Choice: Pat Chaimuang

Every year this category is really impossible to chose a winner. There were over 60 artists that completed sketches for GPK sets in 2019. Not only did both retail sets have sketches, but there were also four online On Demand sets to feature sketch work. Readers certainly have their strong favorites when it comes to sketch artists. There were many write in votes, even a couple of mini write-in campaigns. However, two names stood out this year for different reasons. The reader’s choice winner for this year was Pat Chaimuang. His style and work stands out among the sketch artists. Buying a return from Pat, gets collectors a true masterpiece for their collection. It just doesn’t stop there. Pat’s retail set work is also top notch, and his sketches constantly fetch some of the highest prices on the secondary market. However, this year’s GPKNews.com winner is Jasmine Contois. Jasmine set her self apart from the sketch artists in 2019, especially in the second half of the year. Not only has her work improved year over year, but her choices in mediums make her sketches stand out. This was most evident in the sketches she completed for the We Hate the Holidays On Demand set. The bright colors and addition of glitter, made the cards a hit with collectors. These return level cards were some of most sought after at the end of 2019, and why Jasmine Contois becomes the first female sketch award winner. Honorable mention: Pat Chaimuang, Mike McHugh, Rory McQueen, Chenduz, Nail Camera, Chris Meeks.

2019 GPK Artist of the Year
Winner: Joe Simko
Reader’s Choice: Tie Joe Simko & Brent Engstrom

Joe Simko marks the third different winner of this award in the three years of the awards. All five nominated artists had great years. With Simko, Engstrom, Gross, McWilliams doing most of the work on retail sets, and Camera helping out with online sets there was a lot of really good artwork this year. What perhaps stood out for collectors in 2019 was the licensing artwork Joe Simko did for the GPK brand in 2019. Almost every licensed item had some or all of the artwork completed by Simko. Some standouts included the cards for the Geekitikis, WWE cards, and artwork for packaging of FYE items. His retail work was also popular with collectors in 2019 with cards like Vampire Ella and Sparkling Spaulding becoming collector favorites. Honorable mention: Brent Engstrom, Smokin Joe McWilliams, David Gross, Neil Camera.

2019 GPK Card of the Year
Winner: Maddie Balls (We Hate the 90’s Toys #5a Artist/Concept: Joe McWilliams)
Reader’s Choice: Kill or Be Kilian (Revenge Oh the Horror-ible 1980’s Horror #15a Artist/Concept: Brent Engstrom)

Once again there were hundreds of GPKs painted by artists this year. Choosing just one is tough. This category always seems many different cards receive votes. This year from no exception. Its no surprise that the Reader’s Choice winner for this year comes from the most popular set of the year. Brent Engstrom’s Kill or be Kilian card was very popular with collectors. However, the GPKNews.com winner this year is Maddie Balls from the We Hate the 90’s set. This card has it all. A great mashup with a popular toy from the 90’s and using popular GPK characters. his artwork marches the outstanding gag, as Smokin Joe included many different characters on the card. These are the reason cards like this one will continue to be popular with collectors. Honorable mention: Kill or be Kilian, Dead Ted, Vampire Ella, Sparkling Spaulding.

2019 marks the 3rd year of the Best of GPK awards. This year saw two well received US retail sets, expanding online offerings, and an explosion of GPK branded merchandise. So what were your favorite things GPK in 2019? It’s your turn to help choose the Reader’s Choice awards!

https://poll.app.do/2019-gpknews-com-best-of-gpks

Read on for an explanation about how the categories and nominees were chosen, along with the fine print of voting.

Here are the categories to be voted on this year:

• 2019 Retail Set of the Year – Which of the two GPK Retail sets did you enjoy the most?
• 2019 Online Set of the Year – More online offerings from On Demand to Daily GPKs in 2019. Only sets released in 2019 are eligible.
• 2019 Licensee of the Year – Maybe the toughest category this year? So much merchandise to choose from. Which company did it best this year?
• 2019 GPK Rookie Sketch Artist of the Year – No ROY this year. Only one new artist debuted, so we are leaving this one off the ballot this year. Maybe more will debut in 2020?
• 2019 GPK Sketch Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have had official Topps GPK sketch cards appear in a set in 2019. There were two retail sets, and 4 On Demand sets that contained sketches in 2019. This year there were just over 60 sketch artists that did sketches! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2019 GPK Artist of the Year – To be eligible an artist must have painted an official Topps GPK final published card in 2019. Retail and Online sets are eligible. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!
• 2019 GPK Card of the Year – All GPKs published in 2019 are eligible. Retail and Online cards are eligible. For nomination purposes if a/b versions are available, only the “a” card is listed. There are hundreds to pick from! Don’t see your favorite on the list? Feel free to choose the write-in option and vote for them!

Categories and nominees were chosen by the Editor of GPKNews.com. Categories such as best artist, sketch artist, rookie sketch artist, and best card also contain a write-in option. Write-in votes will only be counted for a valid artist/card. Voting will be live from Friday 12/20 through Friday 12/27 @ 3:00 PM(EST). Voting will only be done through Facebook. Participants can only vote once. Vote totals or individual votes cast will not be made public. Winners will be revealed in a future article that will appear on GPKNews.com right around the 1st of January.