Worst Original Series Wacky and Why

[slamjim]

So what are your worst OS 1-16 Wacky choices? We always have best sticker posts. What ONE sticker do you really hate and why? I'm sure we could all list a number of them we don't like but just pick one. If you can, tell us how you would have improved it (gags or even visually).

Mine is Nooseweek. Besides the terrible artwork I think they really missed the mark on the gags. The supporting gags are very weak to what is actually a very good name. I think the gags should have played up the readers wanting to commit suicide from the contents of the magazine. Depressing news all around. Visually I'd like to have seen a full body image instead of the head closeup. The noose coming down from the E in the name with the guy holding the magazine in his dying hand. Have some supporting gags on both sides of him that are actual articles in the magazine like on Bum's Life or National Geografink or some other magazine Wackys that a supporting depressing the reader to the point of offing himself.

[70s_Kid]

So what are your worst OS 1-16 Wacky choices? We always have best sticker posts. What ONE sticker do you really hate and why? I'm sure we could all list a number of them we don't like but just pick one. If you can, tell us how you would have improved it (gags or even visually).

Mine is Nooseweek. Besides the terrible artwork I think they really missed the mark on the gags. The supporting gags are very weak to what is actually a very good name. I think the gags should have played up the readers wanting to commit suicide from the contents of the magazine. Depressing news all around. Visually I'd like to have seen a full body image instead of the head closeup. The noose coming down from the E in the name with the guy holding the magazine in his dying hand. Have some supporting gags on both sides of him that are actual articles in the magazine like on Bum's Life or National Geografink or some other magazine Wackys that a supporting depressing the reader to the point of offing himself.

I can't pick just one right away, but one that comes to mind is Hawaiin Punks...  I didn't like the artwork of the pummeled guy...

[Ruffs]

So what are your worst OS 1-16 Wacky choices? We always have best sticker posts. What ONE sticker do you really hate and why? I'm sure we could all list a number of them we don't like but just pick one. If you can, tell us how you would have improved it (gags or even visually).

Mine is Nooseweek. Besides the terrible artwork I think they really missed the mark on the gags. The supporting gags are very weak to what is actually a very good name. I think the gags should have played up the readers wanting to commit suicide from the contents of the magazine. Depressing news all around. Visually I'd like to have seen a full body image instead of the head closeup. The noose coming down from the E in the name with the guy holding the magazine in his dying hand. Have some supporting gags on both sides of him that are actual articles in the magazine like on Bum's Life or National Geografink or some other magazine Wackys that a supporting depressing the reader to the point of offing himself.

The one card that immediately popped into my head was MULEBURRO. I remember back when I was a kid & 1st saw the card I thought it didn't match the real pack, the heading of the name was off centered of course back then that's what I smoked BUT I did like the card.

[Go_Bum]

One that comes to mind is "Blunder". Really lame gag and artwork.

[BumChex]

Gi-Toe and Mold Rush. I just don't like the art or the joke.

[Hawaiian punks]

Nooseweek, is my pick. Even as a kid, I never liked it. Just never seem to fit in with all the others, art work especially.

[BumChex]

Nooseweek, is my pick. Even as a kid, I never liked it. Just never seem to fit in with all the others, art work especially.

I totally agree. Although I think the character is sort of funny the whole thing is in bad taste.

[Zenergizer]

Nooseweek is definitely a weak title, but I never liked Messy Marker.  I think it's
just a real stretch for a title gag, and the whole vampire connection just doesn't
do it for me.

[View Monster]

I have always disliked Botch Tape. The tape dispenser is out of proportion and looks more like Santa’s sleigh than a tape dispenser. The adhesive on the tape is on the wrong side and the “flys” look more like termites. Also, there is way too much black on the sticker and it has very little gag material. Totally sucks.

[Porkie]

OMG, Brad, you don't like the original GI Toe?!? That's one of my favorites! A giant toe wrestling an ape to the ground (on the side panel) is so bizarre! Interesting too that I kinda like Botch now because it has so much black on it - an odd variation to me. Funny.


Anyway, I went through the original series I knew as a kid (2nd through 14th) and notice that the ones I didn't like much back then are still the ones I don't like much. They tend to have "flat" characters on them that -- like Nooseweek (which is definitely very high on my list too) -- just don't fit, or they don't have any characters on them at all. The same goes for the 1st, 15th, and 16th. Definitely a pattern for me.

I know you asked for one, but I had to list more than one since the first one that came to mind was "Nooseweek" - lol!

1st - Spray-Nit, Cover Ghoul - Although not flat drawings, the characters on these freak me out. Really dislike them. Spray-Nit especially.
2nd - Blecch - Dull gag and no characters. Bottle also somewhat "flat" (e.g. "Skip" from the 9th series is ok because the artwork is good)
6th - Valveater - For some reason the guy on this one REALLY bugs me! No idea why! lol
7th - Medi-Quak - The duck is very "flat" imo. Artwork doesn't feel like Wacky artwork; feels like a non-Topps company
7th - Caged - Flat artwork on dog. And man I really want to make that "g" look like a "g" and not a "q" !!!
13th - Nooseweek - Flat artwork that doesn't fit (as others have described)
13th - National Spittoon - Same as Nooseweek
15th - Ultra Sheep, Sore Mel, Moron - Gags are fine but again, artwork is flat and feels like a non-Topps sticker
16th - Fling 'ems - Flat character; gag is wordy and yet unfunny at the same time

[paulygsparodies]

Personally guys, I'm not fond of Brandy Land...
'cuz years ago, my little brother Steve caught me looking at it and got me grounded.

Pauly

[bandaches]

I focused on my two most beloved series 1 and 2.  Sugarmess sucks, no art, no gag, no nothing...it surely is a mess.  I even passed on getting the original art for this long ago at a cheap price as I didn't want it on my wall.

[BumChex]

I focused on my two most beloved series 1 and 2.  Sugarmess sucks, no art, no gag, no nothing...it surely is a mess.  I even passed on getting the original art for this long ago at a cheap price as I didn't want it on my wall.

It was such a great title they used it twice...LOL

[BumChex]

OMG, Brad, you don't like the original GI Toe?!? That's one of my favorites! A giant toe wrestling an ape to the ground (on the side panel) is so bizarre! Interesting too that I kinda like Botch now because it has so much black on it - an odd variation to me. Funny.

I don't know? It just isn't for me.

[Go_Bum]

Big Muc is real clunker, dull flat artwork and not funny at all.

[crackedjerk]

Very difficult to choose, so I'll go with the one that first popped into my head: Balding.  The reason I dislike it so much is that it isn't the kind of product that Wackys "should" be satirizing.  If I saw a wacky with an automobile or record player, I'd feel the same way.  Nothing inherently wrong with the gag or artwork, but the product just seemed so out of place.

[Porkie]

I don't know? It just isn't for me.

Absolutely. I just find it funny how many different cards are coming up now.


One other card I forgot that's on my "not a favorite" list: 10th - Pupsi-Cola - The dog just doesn't look much like a dog to me. It's like a hybrid dog-woman or something. Always struck me as odd looking.

[BumChex]

Absolutely. I just find it funny how many different cards are coming up now.


One other card I forgot that's on my "not a favorite" list: 10th - Pupsi-Cola - The dog just doesn't look much like a dog to me. It's like a hybrid dog-woman or something. Always struck me as odd looking.

Hey, don't be down on Pupsi. He's an icon
You better hope Brother Shoe doesn't read this!

[Buzzooka]

Is there a correlation between the less delsirable titles that are flat and two dimensional to titles that Norm did not do?

[Ruffs]

Absolutely. I just find it funny how many different cards are coming up now.


One other card I forgot that's on my "not a favorite" list: 10th - Pupsi-Cola - The dog just doesn't look much like a dog to me. It's like a hybrid dog-woman or something. Always struck me as odd looking.

PAY NO ATTENTION BROTHER SHOE,  PAY NO ATTENTION !!!!!

[bandaches]

PAY NO ATTENTION BROTHER SHOE,  PAY NO ATTENTION !!!!!

I'd be interested if our choices today would be the same as when we were kids and less caught up in the "did Norm do it".  I can say with certainty I hated Sugarmess as a kid and do now.  I also didn't like Paul Maul as a kid nor do I like that title now either.  Paul Maul's only desirability was that it was tough to find, I had several checklists marking it as the only missing piece. 

[slamjim]

Very difficult to choose, so I'll go with the one that first popped into my head: Balding.  The reason I dislike it so much is that it isn't the kind of product that Wackys "should" be satirizing.  If I saw a wacky with an automobile or record player, I'd feel the same way.  Nothing inherently wrong with the gag or artwork, but the product just seemed so out of place.

I appreciate Balding much more once I saw the larger artwork in the book. I never really noticed the guy on the ball before. He's great.

Bhob Stewart sent me a rough for OLDS3 that fits into the category of things you just can't use for a Wacky. Cool drawing but the gag exists outside the confines of the product. Check it out:

[Playskull]

Heave makes me wanna heave.  Lame gag, artwork isn't anything special and all those bright flowers are annoying.  Vomit humor and flowers are just an odd combination.

[Mashbox]

Sugarmess is easily the worst original series Wacky. Gag isn't funny, artwork is dull, and they had to put it in two series on top of that. There's just simply nothing memorable about this Wacky other than the fact that it sucks.

Blecch is pretty bad, but that's more of a case of a Wacky that worked fine as a Wacky Ad but not as a Wacky by itself. Nertz would also fall into that category.

[Pupsi-Cola]

Hey, don't be down on Pupsi. He's an icon
You better hope Brother Shoe doesn't read this!

LOL Brad.

[Porkie]

Doh! Open mouth... insert foot... No offense, Shoe!

Since I couldn't find an embarrassed smiley (amazingly), I will instead wear the fool's cap for the remainder of this post:

Funny, now that I look at it, the fangs on Porkie seem totally out of place... Uh oh...

[bandaches]

Sugarmess is easily the worst original series Wacky. Gag isn't funny, artwork is dull, and they had to put it in two series on top of that. There's just simply nothing memorable about this Wacky other than the fact that it sucks.

Blecch is pretty bad, but that's more of a case of a Wacky that worked fine as a Wacky Ad but not as a Wacky by itself. Nertz would also fall into that category.

you and I are totally in synch, Blecch and Nertz are probably my next least favorites from those early series.

[paste_anyplace]

I'm going to go with Wash 'n Fly. I suspect that even as a kid I knew that the gag needed to be "Wash 'n Die."

[Bigmuc13]

That kid with the fat cheeks on Fatina always gave me the creeps.  I always hated that one, even as a kid.  I think Nertz is my runner up.  That one has pretty much nothing going for it.  No art, and nothing funny about it.  For me, it wasn't always about the artwork, but I admit even as a kid, I did notice how good it was.  With that said, growing up one of my all time favorites was Sail'em.  Not sure why I liked it so much, but I awalys loved lookig at that one.

[sco(o)t]

I always though series 3 LUCKY STRIDE was one of the weaker titles... Maybe something like UNLUCKY STROKE would be too blunt though. I guess the lack of characters also made this one of me least faves.

In series 4, MUSTARD CHARGE never really resonated with me. The tag lines seemed like a stretch and no characters. Perhaps MONSTER CHARGE...

[Gurgle]

About half of the ones being mentioned here are also on the bottom rung for me while the other half I like a lot.

My least favorite is probably Sugarmess... followed by Blecch.

But the Wacky I found most annoying was Cram because of the stupid wording, "NO ONE will have to cram it down your throat to get you to eat it."

[Dr Popper]

But the Wacky I found most annoying was Cram because of the stupid wording, "NO ONE will have to cram it down your throat to get you to eat it."

That's always bugged me to.  The artwork is very good but they goofed big time on the gag!

[Porkie]

That's always bugged me to.  The artwork is very good but they goofed big time on the gag!

Me three. Also she seems overly angry/cruel or something to me -- just slightly over the top -- contrasted with the gal on 7th Flopp (who is a serious hottie imo!)


Bigmuc13: lol! I still have the same reaction to that kid! Freaks me out!


More less-than-favorites:
* 4th Escuire foot polish. What the heck does "Escuire" mean?
* 6th AIRRAID has some really bizarre characters -- mb someone was involved in a bad break-up?
* 15th Fear Out Iron Ons -- seriously flat artwork throughout

[Pupsi-Cola]

Doh! Open mouth... insert foot... No offense, Shoe!

Since I couldn't find an embarrassed smiley (amazingly), I will instead wear the fool's cap for the remainder of this post:

Funny, now that I look at it, the fangs on Porkie seem totally out of place... Uh oh...

No offense taken Porkie.

[jaylynch]

How do you guys remember all these gags?   Well... I'm workin' on something here....   Does anyone remember if there was ever a Wacky of a breakfast cerial where the individual pieces of cereal are exploding?  I'm just wondering how the painter of that one (if there ever was such a one) handled such a thing.