Gallery?

[View-Monster]

A super-noob question, but...

Been a WP fan for a long time, new to the board.

I've seen a lot of references to 'The Gallery'. Is this the WP Gallery book by Paul Argyropoulos, the web site by Greg Grant, or something else entirely?

Thanks!

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v-M

[RawGoo]

When I use the name "The Gallery" I am referring to book by Paul Argyropoulos.

[Pupsi-Cola]

When I use the name "The Gallery" I am referring to book by Paul Argyropoulos.

Ditto.

[View-Monster]

Thanks for the responses. I've read mixed comments about the book, though. Is it worth picking up? I already own both the Abrams WP editions. Is there more/better info/images in the Gallery?

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V-M

[sco(o)t]

Thanks for the responses. I've read mixed comments about the book, though. Is it worth picking up? I already own both the Abrams WP editions. Is there more/better info/images in the Gallery?

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V-M

Well, apples and oranges really. The Abrams books are nice coffee table picture books. The Wacky Packages Gallery discusses each release in detail, noting variations, wrapper codes, etc. It was, and probably remains, the  most extensive effort to document the original series Wacky Packages, and related product rollouts,  in detail. I think every WP collector should own this. New information has come to light in subsequent years so an updated version would be nice, but that ship may have sailed.

   Many of the critiques of the book, on Amazon for example, have to do with the graphic design and layout of the book, size of the images, etc. My opinion... buy this as a reference guide for all the great information, much of which is not available elsewhere,  and not as picture book. I still see the Gallery on eBay for around $25 now and then. Well worth it. How else will you know how terribly puny your own collection is until confronted face-on with the enormity of WP in general and all its variations and obscure related products. 

[MoldRush]

Thanks for the responses. I've read mixed comments about the book, though. Is it worth picking up? I already own both the Abrams WP editions. Is there more/better info/images in the Gallery?

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V-M

To expand on Scoot's comments, Paul and Phil first published The Wacky Packages Handbook, and then an updated second edition, in the late 90's.  These presented complete technical info about all the series - pulled titles, sheet configurations, box and wrapper codes and variations, etc.  All in all a major expansion from Roxanne Toser's The Beat Goes On, the first attempt at a book dedicated entirely to Wackys.  However, none of these books had extensive images, and The WP Gallery subsequently addressed that, while still retaining the technical information from the earlier books.  So the Gallery really is the complete and definitive reference.  I completely agree with Scoot that every serious Wacky collector should have a copy.  The later Abrams books raised the bar as far as pure appreciation of the artwork, but the Gallery really ties everything together.