Author Topic: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"  (Read 12856 times)

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Offline Shrunken Donuts

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When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« on: July 12, 2017, 04:37:59 PM »
I'd have to trace it back to 2008 with the release of the Flashback Series. Up until that point, it was fun to collect the newer stuff because all the "chase" cards were obtainable. Even something like Coach Motel, while frustratingly underproduced, was a realistic goal for everyone. Then came the Flasback Series and those DAMN GOLD BORDERS!!!  What was it, 70+ Gold titles to obtain with a chance of a gold border in like 1 in every 208 packs?  99% of us could no longer "collect them all."  It was all downhill from there. By the way, could Topps have picked a WORSE time to have collectors chasing these Willy Wonka golden tickets with the economy tanking in '08 and '09?  Look at all the ANS releases after the Flasbacks: The ridiculous odds, the sketch cards, all the border variations and special subsets and border variations *OF* subsets, etc, etc. ?  It was game over for many collectors.

Offline NationalSpittoon

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2017, 04:58:16 PM »
I believe we can all agree with you in the fact that there are too many chase items with terrible odds. It's almost like you could win the lottery before you pull one of these items....

...and then you buy the item in question because you have the money for it.  :]


We can all pray that we can have an OLDS 6 with straight tan or white backs... PICK ONE.
And there are no chase cards. One checklist per pack.
Because they actually want these to be like the OS, right!?

Offline bandaches

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2017, 06:43:03 PM »
I'd have to trace it back to 2008 with the release of the Flashback Series. Up until that point, it was fun to collect the newer stuff because all the "chase" cards were obtainable. Even something like Coach Motel, while frustratingly underproduced, was a realistic goal for everyone. Then came the Flasback Series and those DAMN GOLD BORDERS!!!  What was it, 70+ Gold titles to obtain with a chance of a gold border in like 1 in every 208 packs?  99% of us could no longer "collect them all."  It was all downhill from there. By the way, could Topps have picked a WORSE time to have collectors chasing these Willy Wonka golden tickets with the economy tanking in '08 and '09?  Look at all the ANS releases after the Flasbacks: The ridiculous odds, the sketch cards, all the border variations and special subsets and border variations *OF* subsets, etc, etc. ?  It was game over for many collectors.
forgetting about the fact that the odds were bad, it was chasing garbage!  gold colored borders?  Really?
Contact me at bandaches@yahoo.com as I have tons of wackys for sale!  Visit my website http://www.wackypackage.com/

Offline MoldRush

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2017, 07:57:52 PM »
While I understand (and sometimes buy into) the completist tendencies of collecting in general, the concept of extremely underproduced chase cards has been around for about 25 years now, and the long-term value retention of these cards, or lack thereof, more often than not does not justify acquiring them.  What is intrinsically valuable about a gold-bordered variation sticker?  I have the utmost respect for the Mag 7 OS pulled titles, die cuts, etc because these were the unintended result of forced production changes.  The ANS-era chase cards are a contrived rarity.  When the parallel border sets started I just scaled back to base sets and the basic subsets, be they foils, magnets, static clings, etc., and whatever bonus box and blister pack bonus cards I could get relatively easily.  For me, jumping the shark has more to do with a drop-off in artistic quality rather than the attainability of chase cards.  For the latter, I simply lower my expectations and adjust my collecting strategy accordingly.

Offline Shrunken Donuts

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2017, 08:09:28 PM »
Yep, a more accurate name for them would have been "mustard" borders.  Topps should have left the borders black and had an all gold background instead -- a TRUE gold. And made this gold subset tough yet obtainable. Maybe 2-3 golds per box. Instead they opted for unrealistic odds, mustard borders and distracting backgrounds.  >(

Offline Fanatical_and_Sickly

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2017, 08:03:08 AM »
For me, it was ANS6.
That was the introduction of the Mega Packs. More than doubling the amount of swill to buy in order to get the chase cards. Coupled with a near doubling of the pack odds to get the chase cards. Meaning 4 times the swill to collect the set. Blatant money grab by Topps.

Offline Swiski

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2017, 12:22:54 PM »
I was satisfied until the MLB Baseball set last year. Then it all started going down hill. Don't like made-up products at all. It defeats the purpose of making a parody!

Offline slamjim

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2017, 05:21:45 PM »
Don't expect Olds 6 to be in packs or a box. I think it's going to come out as a set to buy due to costs and the last sets sales. Nice simple set of 31 cards (white back I think).

Offline bigtomi

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2017, 05:30:54 PM »
Don't expect Olds 6 to be in packs or a box. I think it's going to come out as a set to buy due to costs and the last sets sales. Nice simple set of 31 cards (white back I think).
Interesting. Would miss having a box and packs to open to be surprised by the contents...but, OTOH, less "stuff" to keep/store appeals to me.

Offline drono

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2017, 01:25:04 PM »
For me it was OS16.  It's been all downhill since then.

Offline lucidjc

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2017, 01:26:56 PM »
Don't expect Olds 6 to be in packs or a box. I think it's going to come out as a set to buy due to costs and the last sets sales. Nice simple set of 31 cards (white back I think).

How will the sketch be incorporated?



Jim

Offline bigtomi

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2017, 01:39:31 PM »
For me it was OS16.  It's been all downhill since then.
LOL

Offline bigtomi

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #12 on: July 16, 2017, 01:42:48 PM »
How will the sketch be incorporated?
Dave will come to your house and draw it for you.  hehehehe

Offline DrDeal

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2017, 02:26:31 PM »
Don't expect Olds 6 to be in packs or a box. I think it's going to come out as a set to buy due to costs and the last sets sales. Nice simple set of 31 cards (white back I think).

Looking forward to Olds 6 being sold as a set. How much will the gold border sets limited to 50 sets go for? Will there also be pink flourescent background sets for sale?

Offline slamjim

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2017, 08:17:07 PM »
Looking forward to Olds 6 being sold as a set. How much will the gold border sets limited to 50 sets go for? Will there also be pink flourescent background sets for sale?

Don't think they will have anything but a white or tan back available (I think it will be white). Don;t know anything about sketches yet.

Offline NationalSpittoon

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2017, 03:28:39 AM »
Don't think they will have anything but a white or tan back available (I think it will be white). Don;t know anything about sketches yet.

Not having sketches doesn't bother me too much honestly.. And if they are all white back it would be great!

IMO, less inserts = BETTER. I will miss the packs though. That takes a part out of the fun of opening old packs.

Offline DrDeal

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2017, 04:27:53 AM »
Don't think they will have anything but a white or tan back available (I think it will be white). Don;t know anything about sketches yet.
Glad to hear that. I didn't really expect gold or pink border sets. Nice to hear this release will not be a "maximum collector expenditure" type of set. Looking forward to a set with traditional black borders. I don't prefer the borderless Wackies we got in the 50th set.

Offline Beanball

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2017, 10:54:04 AM »
Don't think they will have anything but a white or tan back available (I think it will be white). Don;t know anything about sketches yet.
Maybe it can be wrapped in a pack and inserted in a mini display box.
Just saying.
Pass the word.
Like cool-o-rama, man.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2017, 10:55:44 AM by Beanball »

Offline Playbug

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2017, 11:19:28 AM »
Hi folks, haven't been on the forum in quite a while. I was reading the posts and agree with what people are saying here about the out of control amount to collect. I know it is your choice, to do that if you wish, but at the same time I do like buying the packs in the retail stores when possible and do not like it when I get variation cards that I know I am not going to collect. Especially when i am just trying to get a cool base set.

I must say, I did enjoy the recent 50th anniversary release. I liked a lot of the parodies and thought I seemed to be more of a real and successful attempt at spoofing products and actually being funny then just a churning out of material just to get it out there.

Hope everyone is doing well and will try to get back on more often.
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World

Offline Choke_Wagon

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #19 on: August 21, 2017, 08:19:28 PM »
Will Olds 6 be printed offset or by like the Print On Demand finish? I like the total feel of the Olds series. But the On Demand had the glossy feel front that might not look good for Olds 6.

Also totally bummed with MLB and 50th Series, Introducing fake or made up products totally kills the Wacky brand we love. It seems like this is what Topps wants now- cheap unmemorable spur of the moment gags that have no lasting power.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2017, 09:37:20 PM by Choke_Wagon »

Online Joe G.

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #20 on: August 22, 2017, 11:30:58 AM »
Well MLB Wackys was an experiment.  They were a hybrid and named to reflect that.  So they aren't full fledged Wackys and I wouldn't judge them as such. As a unique hybrid experiment I enjoyed them for a few reasons.  I hadn't purchased a baseball card since I was a kid so it was kinda nice to grab some cards of the home team and be able to once again collect an MLB like set.  Also they did have thick borders, the die cut (or kiss cut however you term it) and for the most part were hand painted and felt like Wackys.  Wackys lost it on the 50th and then POD.  They are called Wackys but for too many reasons, not worth repeating, they really aren't.  The bottom line is that they don't feel or look like Wackys anymore.  There have been many parody product sets throughout the years and it was Wackys look and feel that set them apart.  Once Topps abandoned that in an effort to reduce costs and maximize profits, the cards lost the signature Wacky look and, for me, jumped the shark.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2017, 08:44:25 PM by Joe G. »

Offline Plastered Peanut

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #21 on: August 28, 2017, 08:32:47 PM »
For me personally, it was the introduction of potty humor and gross-out humor.   I could almost tolerate the lottery-like odds of the chase cards, because once those were introduced, the "completist" in me was shot down.  Yeh, it would be cool to have one of the rare cards, but who gave a Ratz ass if I didn't.  Some good friends on the forum gave me some of the ultra-rare chase cards, which hold a priceless place in my collection--not so much because of their rarity, but mostly because good friends gave them to me.  I did start to tire of all the multiplying "chase" cards that seemed to grow with each new series, but the nail in the coffin was the potty humor.   After ANS11, it was no more for me.

Which is a bit of irony.   As a kid, I also stopped at OS11, but not by choice....I just never saw OS12 and above in stores!!
Wacky on,
David
Send me your borderless wackys!

Offline Slaytex99

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #22 on: August 29, 2017, 07:30:46 PM »
I hate the potty humor.  It's totally not needed and disrespects the original series which emphasized clever, borderline rebellious gags.

Offline freetoes

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #23 on: September 07, 2017, 07:38:35 PM »
A lot of interesting points.  For some, Wackys jumped the shark before Fonzie did.  For others, it was the gross-out humor that would never have been adopted in the days when grown-ups walked the earth.

For me too, it was the explosion of chase cards and other manufactured rarities.  (I called this "the TV Guide treatment.")  Once I had a fixed, exact number of titles; now I wouldn't even try.  I'd go crazy just trying to maintain a master list, never mind trying to "Collect 'em All."

Still, in 20 years, there will be collectors chasing that ANS title they never could find back in the day.  It'll be interesting to see which ones are most in demand.

Offline Paul_Maul

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2017, 03:38:30 AM »


Still, in 20 years, there will be collectors chasing that ANS title they never could find back in the day.  It'll be interesting to see which ones are most in demand.

I highly doubt it, unless it's a wealthy member of this forum looking for something to do in retirement.

Offline dth1971

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #25 on: September 08, 2017, 11:43:40 AM »
The 2016 Wacky Packages MLB series when they started to not spoof real products and that process continued mostly into the 2017 Wacky Packages 50th. Anniversary series?

Offline freetoes

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #26 on: September 08, 2017, 01:47:43 PM »
I highly doubt it, unless it's a wealthy member of this forum looking for something to do in retirement.

They won't be out there in any great numbers.  But as we approach mid-century, there'll likely be a handful of die-hards looking for a Coach Motel here, or an Easy Burn there.  We shall see.

Trying to amass all the titles and variations could keep one busy throughout retirement.

Offline drono

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #27 on: September 09, 2017, 03:45:13 AM »
Trying to amass all the titles and variations could keep one busy throughout retirement.

Unintended variations (production errors, running out of paper backing and printing on whatever you could get) -- yes.  Intended variations solely for the purpose of gouging the buyer for more money (different color borders, different color backs) -- no.

Online mikecho

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #28 on: September 09, 2017, 11:25:22 AM »
I've got to put in my two cents' worth here. Wackys jumped the shark for me not only when they started doing different colored borders, but also when they started doing stickers from specialty boxes that you couldn't get in regular brick-and-mortar stores. I'm glad I stopped when I did (originally at ANS8; I only got Chrome a little bit later because I wanted to) because after that, it just got too much for me, money-wise. ANS10, ANS11, 2014 S1 and 2015 S1 (the last two should've been called what they were: ANS12 and ANS13) - all of them really killed it for me. I would've got ANS9 if there had been only one Awful Apps subset with 20 stickers in it, just like the Wack-O-Mercials in ANS7. When they only did 10 Awful Apps in ANS9 and then another 10 in ANS10 (which was the point when it started getting too extensive - and expensive - for my tastes) I knew that was it. Since I'm unemployed (and still am to this day), I couldn't afford it anymore. However, once again, I might've gotten ANS9 if all 20 Awful Apps had been in it, thus completing what I call the Wacky Internet sub-series or the Wacky World Wide Web (the 20 Awful Apps and the 55 previously-released Wacky Websites from ANS1 to ANS4 and then later in ANS7), but Topps didn't even think of that one, unfortunately for me. Ah well, what might have been...I'd have had all of the single digit ANS if that had happened. I have to admit, though, I originally stopped at FB 2 and couldn't even get ANS7 and ANS8 until I found this forum. To the person(s) who helped me get them, thank you.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2021, 05:02:30 PM by mikecho »

Offline JailOJohn

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #29 on: July 27, 2021, 01:30:03 PM »
For me, it was Original Series 11 back when I was a kid. I was only about 10, but hated the magazine covers and could see that they were trying to imitate Fleer Crazy Covers. There WERE some good stickers in series 12-16, but most drug stores where I was at stopped selling them. Not sure if sales were down, or what. Eventually I stopped buying. I am not 100 percent sure if I lost interest and stopped looking for them, or they actually were not available in my area any more...

Offline MoldRush

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #30 on: July 27, 2021, 05:04:02 PM »
For me, it was Original Series 11 back when I was a kid. I was only about 10, but hated the magazine covers and could see that they were trying to imitate Fleer Crazy Covers. There WERE some good stickers in series 12-16, but most drug stores where I was at stopped selling them. Not sure if sales were down, or what. Eventually I stopped buying. I am not 100 percent sure if I lost interest and stopped looking for them, or they actually were not available in my area any more...
I could never say OS jumped the shark, only that they had to get more creative with available products to spoof.  Fewer kiddie cereals and more drain cleaners, spark plugs, board games, etc.  But you may be right that some sellers gave up on them in the later series.  The fad/craze aspect may have fizzled out by the time Series 9 or 10 was reached.

Offline g.u.e.s.t.

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #31 on: July 27, 2021, 06:50:29 PM »
For me it was the border variations. Far too many of them and who cares about border colors? And the MLB set was terrible.

Offline DaffyBP

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #32 on: July 27, 2021, 09:33:37 PM »
The border colors and hard-to-complete chase sets are frustrating, but since I am not a completist, I only concentrate on buying what I like. Personally, I am VERY thankful that Topps revived Wacky Packages in the 21st Century. It honestly came as a complete surprise to me...and even better (for an old 55 year old like me), was the advent of the Old School concept. For me these are like having Series 17, 18, 19, 20, etc. from back in the 70s. If you lie awake at night thinking of the stickers that you might never be able to add to your collection, then yeah, the modern strategies are aggravating. But from Topps' standpoint, how do you milk the profit out of what is arguably a niche market of (I'm guessing) mostly middle aged collectors?

This is probably a topic for another thread, but I wonder if anyone will still be collecting these stickers in 50 years??

Offline ToadallyDude

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #33 on: July 30, 2021, 04:09:16 PM »
I agree with most of the comments on this thread & have always been a bit of an OS snob.  But I think the biggest mistake with the ANS wasn't 'chase cards' in general.  It was that it's ridiculous to CHASE something you already HAVE, namely the base set of artwork.  I'm not a fan at all of 'manufactured rarity' and high cost of completion as concepts.  But... the CHASE should be for something COOL... like a new title that isn't in the base set.  THAT feels more like trying to get the "Bum Chex" that Johnny down the street has for some reason even though your checklist doesn't even list it and his does.  But when it came to the titles themselves, we didn't care if some kid wrote his name on the back or peeled the border... if you had the titles, your set was complete.  And so it should be with ANS.  If you own a copy of the MonaLisa... would you really pay 10x more to have another one with an UGLY PINK BORDER???  I think not.

"He says they've already got one!"
-- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Online mikecho

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Re: When did Wackys "jump the shark?"
« Reply #34 on: July 30, 2021, 04:26:30 PM »
For me, it was Original Series 11 back when I was a kid. I was only about 10, but hated the magazine covers and could see that they were trying to imitate Fleer Crazy Covers. There WERE some good stickers in series 12-16, but most drug stores where I was at stopped selling them. Not sure if sales were down, or what. Eventually I stopped buying. I am not 100 percent sure if I lost interest and stopped looking for them, or they actually were not available in my area any more...
You've got to admit, though, Wacky Magazines (which, btw, was originally going to be a separate series from Wacky Packages before they merged the two) didn't just imitate Crazy Magazine Covers, they outright surpassed them, and not just artwork-wise. Just compare the two of them and you'll see what I mean. I ought to know, I collected them both back in the day (however, I only got the first of Fleer's three series and never even saw the other two, or even knew they existed, until later). This contest is no contest, pure and simple. In fact, not only should it not be considered a contest, it never even was one to begin with the way I see it.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2021, 10:59:31 AM by mikecho »