Author Topic: 2017 WP Christmas Series  (Read 10039 times)

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Offline Baked Bears

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2017 WP Christmas Series
« on: January 21, 2017, 02:16:49 PM »
Proposal:  A 2017 Wacky Packages Christmas Series?

How would everyone feel about a 2017 WP Christmas series, particularly the illustrators who hold a bit of sway with Topps?  I'm not sure exactly, however if such a series was to begin now, there should (might?) be ample time for a November/December release.

(To keep things orderly, I am dividing the following into several different sections or categories, though these would not necessarily have to be subsets.)

TOYS
 - For this section, I would suggest parodies of new toys out on the market, as well as updated versions of classic toys (for example, Tinker Toys, Barrel of Monkeys, View Master, Silly Putty, Tonka Trucks, See 'N Say, Fisher-Price Little Snoopy, etc..)  Many of these toys have already been updated and/or introduced to the Wacky pantheon in the Old School Series and All New Series, some even multiple times (e.g. Play-Doh.)  However, I'm confidant that if we put our minds together, we could come up with a rather comprehensive list.

MOVIES/TELEVISION SPECIALS
 - Possibilities: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story, Frosty the Snowman, It's a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, etc.. (Personally I would love to see a parody of Rudolph along with several of the misfit toys.)

FOOD/CANDY
 - This category would be a little bit tricky.  There are many manufactures, say, of candy canes and fruit cakes.  For the most part, the packaging of candy canes is relatively the same.  The difficulty lies in choosing the manufacturer.  This would be a necessity.  The manufacturer would have to be popular and nationwide.  Why?  To avoid the "generic" pitfalls that degenerated the MLB series, Disg-Race to the White House series, and, it appears, will happen again soon in upcoming series (e.g. Beyonce Queen Bee Honey.)

At this point, I have to go off on a tangent.  As much as I might like to say that I am not prone to advertising, the exact opposite is the case.  We live with, say, Tony the Tiger much of our lives.  He has appeared in our homes, our kitchens, our markets, and our televisions for years on end, and, over this time, has become a very familiar face.  In a sense, he, the Jolly Green Giant, Toucan Sam, the Pillsbury Doughboy, etc. (depending upon ones' experiences) have become "old friends."  They bring a sense of familiarity, and, in turn, comfort.  They become, whether we like it or not, no matter how much we may try to resist, part of our experience, part of our very lives.  I realize that Wackys poke fun at popular culture - and that has been a large part of their appeal.  Another part of their appeal, however, lies in the fact that we have a psychological connection with the products they parody.  This, I believe, is why there have been so many complaints of late in regard to "generic" Wackys: Only a partial connection exists.  We may recognize, say, ballpark hotdogs, however we connect even more with the brands "Ballpark" or "Oscar Meyer."  We may unwrap a generic chocolate bar, but wouldn't we rather unwrap a Hershey bar?  That, in our hands, is the "real thing."  Not the "cheap and crappy" generic chocolate.  Place a basket of each on an office table at work and see which bar disappears first.  Better yet, hand out a bunch of Hershey bars to everyone at work, but slip somebody a generic bar.  Then sit back and watch the "What the hell is this?" expression on their face.  They would be insulted.  (Just don't choose your boss for this little experiment.)

So, going back to the food and candy...

These would have to be brand name products, or, if there isn't really a familiar brand name, say, in the case of candy canes or fruit cakes, we would have to add a brand name appeal to the product.  This is much easier said, than done.  One way would be to attach a parody of a familiar store name to the unfamiliar brand name product.  Personally, I have never purchased candy canes from Walmart, but I'm sure they must sell them.  (I buy mine at Dollar Tree.)  So, first parody Walmart somewhere on the candy cane Wacky.  Second, parody the largest manufacturer of candy canes (which could very well be the actual company selling to Walmart.)  Third, parody the actual box of candy canes.  Even in this last stage, it would be crucial to parody something that EVERYBODY can relate to, such as the fact that you're lucky if they're not broken.  (Or lucky if you can remove them from the box of twelve out without breaking one.)

Besides candy canes and fruitcakes, possibilities for this category could be ribbon candy, Christmas Hershey Kisses, Christmas M&Ms, gingerbread men, the Life Saver Storybook, and the Christmas assortment of rock solid, hard candies stuck together in one large mass inside a bowl that grandma would put out year after year after year - and you would need a mini jackhammer to remove.  (I can envision a cackling grandmom laughing in the background as a sweat pours from an aggravated child trying to remove a piece.)

OTHER PRODUCTS
- As with the food and candy, care would have to be taken with this category as well.  The products parodied would have to have as many connections with people as possible.

Possibilities: Artificial Christmas trees, a box of little, twinkling Christmas tree lights, inflatable lawn figures (that, of course, never remain inflated, etc..)  Oh, and a nutcracker.  (Perhaps a nag housewife in disguise as a soldier.  The "nutcracker" pun would speak for itself.)


Lastly, the parodies would have to remain secular.

So, any suggestions, comments, or ideas?  I'm sure we could come up with a very cool and unique set.


Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2017, 02:42:20 PM »
Forgot two things:

CD/RECORD category
- Bing Crosby "White Christmas," Nat King Cole "The Christmas Song," Dean Martin "Walking in a Winterland"

Possible Christmas series title: "Wreck the Halls"

Offline koduck

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2017, 03:51:49 PM »
And don't forget the pickles!


Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2017, 04:39:35 PM »
Neil, that is sharp!  I love it!

It's also always pleasantly surprising to come upon something quite unexpected like this, not to mention having it directly handed to you upon a platter.

The experience is like, well, suddenly happening upon a treasure, a gemstone, as it were - this particular gemstone being an emerald!  Or (keeping with the Christmas theme) when having finally unwrapped all of your other presents - with no more to be seen or found - your parents, with "eyes full of tinsel and fire" (God bless Greg Lake,) slowly reveal a last "hidden" present - which happens to be the "one" present you've been hoping for.

Thanks!

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2017, 05:18:41 PM »
Also, the more I look at your image, the stronger and more insistent my feelings become in regard to such a Christmas WP series.  You've already captured it in this sole card.  I also realize that there is another psychological appeal to such a series, namely the very connection with Christmas itself.  The Santa, pickles, and bow all ring out Christmas, but I believe it is the Christmas colors between the pickles and the bow that instantly, immediately, first grabs your attention.  If a shrink were to flash this in front of you for a micro-second and then ask the first word that springs to mind, the word would have to be "Christmas."  That is how it hit me.  It was only after this first "hit" to the eyes that the other delightful details followed upon closer examination.  But you knew this.  You know what colors can do, their power.  That is one of the things that makes a good artist.  Again, thank you.

(Postscript: Now convince Topps as to a Christmas series!  First and foremost, you obviously appreciate holidays.  Perhaps just as importantly, you love doing this.  It is apparent in your work.  You may not wear your heart on your sleeve, but you do wear it on your illustrations.  Secondly, you are familiar and knowledgeable both with the subtleties and power of art - and satire - as well as how they affect the intellect and emotions, so this should be right up your alley.  Thirdly, it is dinner on the table next Christmas season for you and your fellow artists.  And lastly, it will bring warm smiles and laughs to both friends and strangers scattered far and wide.  It will be an act of goodwill all around.)

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2017, 05:57:03 PM »
I just noticed that they're "pickle" canes.  Fantastic!

Offline koduck

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2017, 07:33:59 PM »
Also, the more I look at your image, the stronger and more insistent my feelings become in regard to such a Christmas WP series.  You've already captured it in this sole card.  I also realize that there is another psychological appeal to such a series, namely the very connection with Christmas itself.  The Santa, pickles, and bow all ring out Christmas, but I believe it is the Christmas colors between the pickles and the bow that instantly, immediately, first grabs your attention.  If a shrink were to flash this in front of you for a micro-second and then ask the first word that springs to mind, the word would have to be "Christmas."  That is how it hit me.  It was only after this first "hit" to the eyes that the other delightful details followed upon closer examination.  But you knew this.  You know what colors can do, their power.  That is one of the things that makes a good artist.  Again, thank you.

(Postscript: Now convince Topps as to a Christmas series!  First and foremost, you obviously appreciate holidays.  Perhaps just as importantly, you love doing this.  It is apparent in your work.  You may not wear your heart on your sleeve, but you do wear it on your illustrations.  Secondly, you are familiar and knowledgeable both with the subtleties and power of art - and satire - as well as how they affect the intellect and emotions, so this should be right up your alley.  Thirdly, it is dinner on the table next Christmas season for you and your fellow artists.  And lastly, it will bring warm smiles and laughs to both friends and strangers scattered far and wide.  It will be an act of goodwill all around.)

Wow!Thanks for the very thoughtful reply! I'm very glad to hear you enjoy the pickle art! In short, I think you've got some solid ideas for a christmas set, which in my humble opinion, deserve a good look! I'm right in the middle of work, but I'll stop back soon when I have the time to give a more considerate review.

Offline dth1971

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2017, 06:49:41 AM »
Well, it's too early.

I could think of a Wacky Packages take on the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" DVD calling it "A Charlie Bum Christmas".

If a Wacky Packages Christmas edition is a go, could there be by 2018-2019 an OFFICAL Topps made Wacky Packages Halloween edition?
« Last Edit: January 22, 2017, 06:40:51 PM by dth1971 »

Offline DrDeal

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2017, 10:16:53 AM »
Neil, that is sharp!  I love it!

It's also always pleasantly surprising to come upon something quite unexpected like this, not to mention having it directly handed to you upon a platter.

The experience is like, well, suddenly happening upon a treasure, a gemstone, as it were - this particular gemstone being an emerald!  Or (keeping with the Christmas theme) when having finally unwrapped all of your other presents - with no more to be seen or found - your parents, with "eyes full of tinsel and fire" (God bless Greg Lake,) slowly reveal a last "hidden" present - which happens to be the "one" present you've been hoping for.

Thanks!

Great ideas. Your posts on this topic are some the most thoughtful and passionate set requests posted in quite some time. Your fondness for this hobby really shines through and is great to see.

Regards, Andrew

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2017, 02:19:36 PM »
dth1971,

I like the "A Charlie Bum Christmas" DVD idea a lot.  It doesn't take much of a stretch of the imagination to envision the Peanuts gang as a group of slobby down-and-outers (kind of like what Pigpen already is) gathered around Snoopy's condemned, ramshackle doghouse.  (I can also picture Snoopy and Woodstock sharing a an "XXX" bottle together with bleary eyes and maybe an ice pack on one of their heads or those little bubbles and fizz symbols that often floated above the head of Leroy Lockhorn in the comics.  I don't know if Topps would go quite this far, though!)  In the right hands, and without losing humor, this gag wouldn't have to be entirely disparaging, either.  Even though they might be down-and-out, a certain sense of Christmas camaraderie could still prevail.

(As an aside, this is one of the reasons I like the forum.  Between all of the members, we can generate some very cool ideas.  I, myself, would have never thought of "Charlie Bum," for example.  In a sense, we are are all stuck in our own minds with our own personal takes on things, but together we could create something that anyone alone could not - something with very real potential.)

An actual Halloween series would, indeed, be nice.  It really strikes me as somewhat odd that Topps never issued such a series, what with the Halloween postcards all of those many years.  An Easter series would also be doable, too.  Mind, none of these sets - Christmas, Halloween, or Easter - would have to be very large.  33 cards would easily suffice, much like the Old School sets.  Moreover, the stickers would be "strong" in the sense that only the very best ideas/illustrations/gags would make it into the set.


DrDeal/Andrew,

Thank you for the kind words.

As far as the Christmas series goes, yes, I am very passionate about it.  The idea has been gestating inside me for some time now, looking for some means of escape to break out into the real world and grow.  Moreover, I honestly believe it could actually be done.  I also can see no reason at all why it shouldn't be done.  After half a century, I still don't know - or even pretend to know - the order of the universe and how it operates.  Much of the time, all I can do is observe.  I have seen, though, time and again, that passion and positivity, once unleashed, can snowball into some of the most extraordinary things.  Passion and positivity are forces, energy.  Not your common forces of energy like gravity, etc., but energy nonetheless.  And energy is what powers the world.  That being said, let's harness it now.  So, put on your Wacky thinking cap, flip up your brain switch, and let's see what kind of creature springs to life!

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2017, 02:56:55 PM »
Food for Thought: "A Charlie Bum Christmas"


To get around censorship, perhaps Snoopy and Woodstock could be drinking eggnog (or XXX eggnog.)

Charlie Bum, with five o'clock shadow, would have to have a hairy beer gut protruding out of that zigzag shirt of his.

A sign could be posted near a "sleeping" Lucy (or affixed to her shirt) that reads, "The Doctor is (Passed) Out."  Being a "tough guy," Lucy could also have a tattoo.

Peppermint Patty could be hussy-ish.  (I always thought that if the Peanuts grew up, the much stronger-willed Peppermint Patty would betray Marcie and be the first one to get 'ole Chuck into the sack.  Possibly Lucy, too, but I think she would psychoanalyze poor Charlie Brown so much and become so impatient with him that he'd never be able to get it up.  Think about it.)

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2017, 03:03:36 PM »
Drats!  I forgot that it is wintertime and Charlie is dressed differently.



Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2017, 03:23:31 PM »



Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2017, 09:00:43 PM »
Another take on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" might be "A Charlie Burn Christmas."  In his hands, Charlie holds the ends of two, sparking electrical cords which have just short circuited.  Very little remains of the tree; It is basically a charred twig with a few flames still lingering here and there.  Similarly, very little remains of Snoopy's doghouse; Just a few charred timbers and twisted ornaments.  Soot surrounds the immediate "blast" area, including Charlie's face and front of his jacket.  Behind him stands the Peanuts gang, also covered in filthy soot.  (Perhaps a few pieces of their clothing could be torn and burnt - while their bodies remain uninjured - in that unrealistic way often portrayed in cartoons and movies.)  The gang's heads are tilted back and mouths wide open (in that huge way that Charles Schulz illustrates, that is, the open mouth taking up most of the head,) while they chant in unison, "Way to go, Charlie Burn!"  All of their mouths are turned downward in a grimace, except Pig-Pen's - who happens to be smiling and enjoying the mess.  Charlie's expression is one of total, complete disappointment and humiliation, and there are two or three little black swirls rising above his head.  Perhaps they are traces of smoke?  Or perhaps they are traces of his simmering humiliation.  Somewhere - perhaps still attached to the doghouse, perhaps lying in the snow - is a black bird's nest with what appears to be a miniature roasted chicken resting inside of it as if it was on a platter. 

Offline koduck

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2017, 07:41:46 AM »

An actual Halloween series would, indeed, be nice.  It really strikes me as somewhat odd that Topps never issued such a series, what with the Halloween postcards all of those many years. 


I'm curious as to why you don't consider the Halloween postcards an actual series. Would like to hear more on your take.

Offline Beanball

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #15 on: January 24, 2017, 11:42:04 AM »
Another take on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" might be "A Charlie Burn Christmas."  In his hands, Charlie holds the ends of two, sparking electrical cords which have just short circuited.  Very little remains of the tree; It is basically a charred twig with a few flames still lingering here and there.  Similarly, very little remains of Snoopy's doghouse; Just a few charred timbers and twisted ornaments.  Soot surrounds the immediate "blast" area, including Charlie's face and front of his jacket.  Behind him stands the Peanuts gang, also covered in filthy soot.  (Perhaps a few pieces of their clothing could be torn and burnt - while their bodies remain uninjured - in that unrealistic way often portrayed in cartoons and movies.)  The gang's heads are tilted back and mouths wide open (in that huge way that Charles Schulz illustrates, that is, the open mouth taking up most of the head,) while they chant in unison, "Way to go, Charlie Burn!"  All of their mouths are turned downward in a grimace, except Pig-Pen's - who happens to be smiling and enjoying the mess.  Charlie's expression is one of total, complete disappointment and humiliation, and there are two or three little black swirls rising above his head.  Perhaps they are traces of smoke?  Or perhaps they are traces of his simmering humiliation.  Somewhere - perhaps still attached to the doghouse, perhaps lying in the snow - is a black bird's nest with what appears to be a miniature roasted chicken resting inside of it as if it was on a platter.
I very much like your idea about a Christmas Wacky Series.
Perhaps Snoopy could have a better of Gallo Port or Old Grand Mom in his hand.

Offline Zenergizer

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2017, 12:53:21 PM »
In fact, the Halloween series is much more of an authentic series than the 2016 postcards, although we're catching up to you, Neil!  ;)

Offline paulygsparodies

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2017, 03:12:43 PM »
1st, I prefer "A Charred Black Christmas".
2nd, didn't Package Parodies do a christmas version of Pringles?

Pauly

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2017, 07:01:18 PM »
Sorry, but even though I've been a member of the forum for a number of years, I haven't begun posting until recently - and do not know how to reply to individual posts or do the "insert quote" thing.  (But I'm slowly learning.)  Thus I'm responding to everyone at once.

Pauly -

Yes, I like "A Charred Black Christmas" as well, what with the play on both Charlie Brown's first and last names.  It also has a certain ring to it, what with the alliteration going on between the the real name and parody name.  In fact, it's growing on me more and more with every passing minute. 

Right now, I couldn't honestly tell you if Package Parodies did a Christmas version of Pringles.  They may have.  I'm going to have to dig out that album later and took a look.

Get back to you.


Beanball -

Gallo Port or Old Grand Mom would, indeed, be a nice touch - if Topps would allow it.  Aside from postcards, they seemed to have shied away from alcohol and cigarettes - in favor of mild profanities, implied nudity, and scatological humor.  (Being that I am a teacher, and hand out Wackys liberally as incentives for good grades, etc., I have to be aware of these things.  Principals tend to frown upon, say, Fig Leaf Nudetons!)  Going back, though, adding Gallo Port would be like throwing in a little bonus - similar to the framed Band-Ache art in Thefty Crime Sak.


Neil -

I'm not sure whether you mean all of the Halloween postcards combined over the years as one big series - or - each individual years' sets as separate, small series.

So I'll answer both questions.

As far as one big series goes, well, it isn't.  (It could be, possibly, if all of the Halloween postcard parodies were reissued as one vast set of standard-size sticker cards.)  As it stands, though, some of the sets are highly distinct from the others.  For example, the first set is nothing at all like what came after: card size, etc..  Similarly, the "coffin" set is shaped differently from the rectangular cards.  And there was also the set - I believe it had StarBeast (I could go look, but I'm being lazy with my feet up on the table and don't wish to break my train of thought) - in which a couple of parodies shared the same card.  All seen together, the combined Halloween cards resemble distinct - very distinct - layers of rock strata throughout the years.

As far as any particular Halloween set being a series unto itself, I suppose it could be, depending upon one's point of view. I think both of us would have to agree that it would be a "mini" series.  But there's the rub.  A series could be 7 cards - or it could be 100.  Topps, however, set a precedent for what constitutes a regular Wacky series.  On average, first, 33, and then, later on, 55.  And this is what people have come to expect.

Also, the Halloween "series" are all candy parodies.  (Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate and admire many of these parodies, including the aforementioned StarBeast.)  But is Halloween all about candy?  Not necessarily.  Let's see. Off the top of my head, there's those petrified ginger cookies, Ivin's Famous Spiced Wafers.  One might also parody toilet paper or eggs.  (Mischief Night.)  And then there's Old School:  those chincy Ben Cooper's Costumes and the Aurora model monster kits, you know, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the dungeon, the hanging cage with the rats, the mad scientist's laboratory, etc..  But here again, Topps set another precedent insofar as "regular series" are concerned:  They have variety.  Subsets are unified by a particular theme, not the regular sets, however.  And people respond more to variety, I believe, at least in the case of regular series of Wacky Packages.  You are offering them choices.  Not just pet foods.  Not just soups.  (This is also what is bothering a lot of people when it comes to the new "Trump" cards.  If you look over the posts, they state it plain and clear; It's almost a continual refrain.  For the most part, the cards are just Trump, Trump, Trump!  This bothers me, as well.  I kind of picture myself as the Grinch enduring all of that bothersome noise, Noise, NOISE!  At any rate, I railed against this last night.  Tonight I'm letting it go.)

When I responded to the member who suggested a Halloween set, I already had in mind a preconceived idea as to what such a set might be like - the preconception, of course, originating from Topps.  In this particular case, 33 cards with variety.  When I suggested the Christmas series on another thread, again I had variety in mind: Movies, songs, food, etc., not just exclusively, say, toys.

Well, there's my case.  I suppose we could debate the issue ad infinitum, however nothing would ever really be resolved one way or another.  We all have different points of view.  As I kind of mentioned on the Christmas thread, though, people become accustomed to the familiar - and embrace it, internalize it.  And in the case of what constitutes a Wacky "series," Topps set the standard. This is what we came to know; This is what we became familiar with - and embraced.   (I know that this would never happen, but image the outcry, the veritable uproar, if Topps released the next Old School series with 32 or 34 cards - and every single parody featured Richard M. Nixon to boot!  OMG!)




Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2017, 07:13:39 PM »
Neil -

It could also just be a matter of vocabulary.  I call the individual Halloween sets, well, just that, "sets."  If the set has more than a certain number of cards, then it becomes a series.

As to this mysterious, defining number?  Who knows?

It's kind of like that paradox about a pile of sand.  Does one thousand grains make up a pile?  Does one hundred grains?  Does fifty grains?  Does twenty grains?  Does five grains?  Four?  Three?  Two?

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2017, 08:28:58 PM »
Another Christmas possibility...

"Hawkmark" Cards

There are a zillion cards like these.  (See picture below.) The picture-perfect, comforting winter scene of birds on a branch.  Ah...  So peaceful and serene.  The way life should be if we only had time to relax and take solace in the natural world.

I chose this particular picture because the chickadee is portrayed wearing a Santa hat.  (This is a pet peeve of mine and bothers me to no end.  Put a Santa hat on something and it automatically qualifies it as Christmasy?  Chickadees with Santa hats?  M&Ms with Santa hats?  Yoda with a Santa hat?)

At any rate, place a hawk with intense, focused eyes swooping down behind the songbirds with outstretched wings and talons, milliseconds away from grabbing the oblivious chickadee (with the Santa hat.)  Oh, and the hawk will also have a Santa hat.  In the upper left hand corner, place a sticker stating that this is one of those "sound" cards - with a genuine hawk screech.

I realize that "Hallmark," or in this case, "Hawkmark," would normally be printed on the back of the card.  A way to get around this might be to have the card wrapped in cellophane (being it is an expensive "sound" greeting card) and another sticker (perhaps in the lower right hand corner) stating "Hawkmark" - and an outrageous price.  Or have the card in a box (part of a "set" of 12 - not "series," Neil, being all of the cards are exactly the same - joking with you, of course) with a "Hawkmark" label affixed to the outside of the box, or, a side or corner of the box overlapping the card(s) inside upon which "Hawkmark" could be written in fine, gold lettering, along with a phrase like "Cards of Distinction." (Or should that be "Extinction?")

And finally, "Seasons Eatings"




Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2017, 08:35:03 PM »
The "sound" sticker should also have 3 or 4 tiny, dancing/floating, merry musical notes.

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2017, 08:49:16 PM »
One final note.

If this was a box of cards (such as the box pictured below,) along with "Hawkmark," ect. centered on the header, one could also include a small sprig of holly leaves and berries at either end.  Upon closer inspection, however, the red "berries" would actually be tiny pieces of bird organs - for example, small sections of intestines.


Offline slamjim

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2017, 08:50:51 PM »

As far as any particular Halloween set being a series unto itself, I suppose it could be, depending upon one's point of view. I think both of us would have to agree that it would be a "mini" series.  But there's the rub.  A series could be 7 cards - or it could be 100.  Topps, however, set a precedent for what constitutes a regular Wacky series.  On average, first, 33, and then, later on, 55.  And this is what people have come to expect.

If the next Old School set is not 32 or 33 stickers would it not be a set? It's going to be 25 this time and some other changes as well. 25 still sounds like a set to me but you will have to decide. You could take the 9 from the 50th set and combine them with the 25 from OLDS6 and you'd get 34 so that is what I'm thinking.


And then there's Old School:  those chincy Ben Cooper's Costumes and the Aurora model monster kits, you know, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the dungeon, the hanging cage with the rats, the mad scientist's laboratory, etc..  But here again, Topps set another precedent insofar as "regular series" are concerned:  They have variety.  Subsets are unified by a particular theme, not the regular sets, however.  And people respond more to variety, I believe, at least in the case of regular series of Wacky Packages.  You are offering them choices.  Not just pet foods.  Not just soups. 

Hmmm. After reading this paragraph you may like Old School 6 even more....

Also, variety is important (I chart out every Old School set into specific categories to make sure I get a certain amount from each though this time around I had a bit less of the household, cleaning, pet stuff, etc because of the change from 33 to 35 cards though most categories are still represented. That said I don't think having all candy should be a criteria for not saying a card set is a set. I would say the Postcards are a series that has numbered sets same as any other series. Much smaller size but they came out consistently for a number of years, with a specific purpose, set-up, look, card count, theme, etc. Old School's theme is the 1970s products not used the first time around. Postcards theme is Halloween and more specifically candy that is popular around Halloween. I don't really see much of a difference.


Offline Jean Nutty

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2017, 07:43:47 AM »
The picture-perfect, comforting winter scene of birds on a branch.  Ah...  So peaceful and serene.  The way life should be if we only had time to relax and take solace in the natural world.

We always have time to relax.  We just convince ourselves that we don't.   :icon_rr:


Offline Baked Bears

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2017, 03:45:38 PM »
You're absolutely right.

Offline Baked Bears

  • Posts: 1422
Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #26 on: January 25, 2017, 06:42:05 PM »
As far as the terminology regarding "sets" and "series," there seems to be a bit of confusion.  To begin with, I think Topps was in error when they first began to label the sets as series (Series #1, Series #2, and so on.)  But they did, and now we are saddled with that terminology.

Actually, "Wacky Packages" is the "series" - much like a television series.  The series isn't simply season #1.  It's all of the seasons combined, all of the episodes combined.  Despite its hiatuses and changes, Wacky Packages is a single huge series that's been running for 50 years.  And within this series, we have a run of "sets" beginning with the die-cuts.  Series #5, for example, or ANS7 or the 2010 Halloween postcards, are all "sets" within the "Wacky Packages" series.  And then there are the subsets within the sets: Rude Foods, Lame Games, etc..  Consider: What is a "subset" a subset of?  Just that, a set. 

At any rate, I've digressed.

A few days ago, member "dth1971" posted the following:

If a Wacky Packages Christmas edition is a go, could there be by 2018-2019 an OFFICAL Topps made Wacky Packages Halloween edition?

My response was:

It really strikes me as somewhat odd that Topps never issued such a series, what with the Halloween postcards all of those many years.

When I first read this member's post, I, like some of you, perhaps, thought, "But, wait!  We've already had Halloween sets.  What is this member talking about?"

Did they completely miss out on the Halloween postcard sets?

Highly unlikely.

Are they simply off their rocker?

Perhaps.  But then and again, anybody who makes posts on a Wacky Packages forum must be slightly off their rocker.  (And we revel in that!)

So I gave it a bit more thought.  Perhaps what the member was suggesting and/or requesting was a Halloween set that was a reflection of the regular, standard sets.  A set larger than the postcard sets (that is, more cards,) as well as a set with more variety.  (And, as of this moment, there is no such Halloween set as the one in which I just described, such as the set the forum member was alluding to.  Hence, their post and my reply.)  I do, believe, though that their suggestion has merit and should be taken under consideration.  Perhaps this is what people desire?

Mind, please don't take my words the wrong way.  I was simply trying to understand and address a post I received.  Personally, I admire the Halloween sets and hold them in high regard. In my opinion, they are up there among my favorites, some of the best sets released to date.  In particular, I appreciate the fact that most are printed on larger cards enabling me to appreciate the fine artwork in closer detail.  (It's kind of like the thing with the old record album covers VS. the smaller artwork on compact disc covers.)  Also, the fact that the products were candies handed out on Halloween to trick-or-treaters - individual Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, etc. - was not lost on me - and I enjoyed them for exactly what they were.  If one were to produce a set like the aforementioned forum member suggested - the larger set with more variety - it would, compared to the other Halloween sets, obviously be different.  That doesn't necessarily imply that one set would be better or worse than the other.  They would just be different.


On another note, downsizing to 25 cards in the Old School 6 set is tampering with tradition.  33 was not a randomly selected number.  Far from it.  It was chosen because it had meaning.  Personally, I don't care if there were 25, 33, or 55 cards in the set.  But some people do.  To me, it makes little or no difference.  To others, though, the difference is vast.  And they MUST have 33 cards in their set.  Not a mishmash set of 33 cards made up of different sets.  But an actual bonafide set of 33 cards.

As a teacher, I often create my own math worksheets for my kids.  This way I can target a specific skill, area of difficulty, etc..  Usually, I put around 10 problems on an assignment (thinking, perhaps wishfully, that the children will spend more time and care on them.)  Sometimes, though, I might only include 9 problems.  And that's when it starts:

"Mr. Teacher Man, you only put 9 problems on the homework!"

"Yes, I know."

"But there's supposed to be ten"

"Yes?"

That means each problem is going to be worth 11 points, not 10 points.  One hundred divided by 9 is 11 points."

"You're absolutely right."

 "But they should all be worth 10 points each."

"Okay," I say.  "You can round all of the answers to 10 points each."

"But they're worth 11 points."

"Fine.  Tomorrow I'll give you 11 problems, and everything will even out."

"Eleven?  But there's only supposed to be ten!"



And so it goes.

As George Clooney's character said in  O Brother Where Art Thou, "It's a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart."

  Logic or reasoning makes little or no difference in the scenario above.  One only wastes their breath trying to persuade or convince.  The best one can do is simply to accept.  It has taken me a long while to understand this (and I'll probably never fully understand it), but some people are just this way: very precise, very sequential, very exact.  To them, if there are supposed to be ten problems, then that's the way it has to be.  To them, if there are supposed to be 33 cards, then that's they way it has to be.  Children or adults, it really doesn't matter.  This is just their nature.  Black socks in this stack, gray socks in that stack, white socks in this stack - in that exact order, mind - and undies over there, lined parallel with the right hand side of the dresser drawer.  This is the order of things - and must not, cannot be broken.  (My dresser drawer, on the other hand, could contain literally anything: foreign coins, pens, a five inch long, dead grasshopper in a jar, you name it.)

McDonalds has spent millions to ensure that Big Mucs taste the same from Tampa to San Diego to Seattle to Bangor.  People expect Big Mucs to taste a certain way, and McDonalds has taken it upon themselves to cater to the people, rather than dismiss and alienate them somewhere outside of the bell curve.  They prefer the curve to be as wide as possible.  The more numbers inside, the higher the financial gain.  The more outliers, the greater the loss of revenue.

Whether precise, sequential, technical, or confluent, most people embrace consistency; They like tradition.  Traditions are formed, and more importantly, traditions prevail.  People find comfort in that.  They like to know that things will remain the same.  And this matters a lot.  Why?  I suppose that consistency, tradition, etc. all add up to the same thing, the one thing that people desire most above everything else: security.

So, do people seek security, can people find security even in such a thing as Wacky Packages? 

Without a doubt.

I often see my students with their Wackys treating them in almost a sacred way.  They've forged a relationship with them, carry the cards with them and keep them close like Linus with his blanket.

Change, of course, is inevitable.  And many, many changes have been made for the better.  Sometimes, though, even the slightest change can quickly escalate from a ripple into a wave, producing severe and profound consequences.  And sometimes even the slightest difference will make all the difference in the world.

Offline koduck

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Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #27 on: January 26, 2017, 11:52:55 AM »


Mind, please don't take my words the wrong way.  I was simply trying to understand and address a post I received.  Personally, I admire the Halloween sets and hold them in high regard. In my opinion, they are up there among my favorites, some of the best sets released to date.  In particular, I appreciate the fact that most are printed on larger cards enabling me to appreciate the fine artwork in closer detail. 

Thanks again for the very thoughtful reply! And no worries, I was just curious to hear your take on the Halloween postcards. And you explained it very well!

Offline crackedjerk

  • Posts: 1509
Re: 2017 WP Christmas Series
« Reply #28 on: February 07, 2017, 07:20:12 PM »
I had to scan this thread due to a lack of time, but I like the idea of a Christmas-specific set very much.   In fact, I think I mentioned something along those lines in the thread about Neil's recent Halloween cards.  I don't know exactly how it would fit into the Wacky universe, but combining Wackys and Christmas seems almost as natural as Wackys and Halloween.  I'd love to see it in some form or fashion.