Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging

[MoldRush]

I also have a propensity for titles where the product contents themselves play a role in the parody, like the drunken peanuts of Plastered, the little mints becoming explosives in Dynamites and Tic Toc, and so forth.

[Gurgle]

Same. I would also include contents that are beyond the actual product, like Lavirus, Gillo, Log Cave-in

I also have a propensity for titles where the product contents themselves play a role in the parody, like the drunken peanuts of Plastered, the little mints becoming explosives in Dynamites and Tic Toc, and so forth.

[Swiski]

Yes...or My Sink perfume, which is one of my favorite floating flotsam and jetsam vintage titles. I love the Dave Gross' Players Peanuts in the most recent wednesday weekly series, showing the colorful dice and poker chips in the jar.

[MoldRush]

My Sink makes me think of that Little Rascals episode where the kids threw a shoe, a belt, and other assorted crap into a cake batter, then baking it.  Weep-Wow!!!

[Swiski]

Weakinson Sore compared to Wilkinson Sword blades. I love how the three cannon balls in the parody art were strategically placed to represent the three holes on the real product!

[sco(o)t]

Weakinson Sore compared to Wilkinson Sword blades. I love how the three cannon balls in the parody art were strategically placed to represent the three holes on the real product!

It’s those little touches that make Wackys special.

[MoldRush]

Weakinson Sore compared to Wilkinson Sword blades. I love how the three cannon balls in the parody art were strategically placed to represent the three holes on the real product!

I had no idea there was a version of the real product with the similar graphics.  Generally speaking razor blade packaging is usually very drab even today.

As far as the parody, this is a Saunders lover’s dream piece.  Multiple soldiers and horses, what else could you ask for?  I also have a new appreciation for this after seeing the image slightly enlarged.  Really amazing work.

[Swiski]

Playbug and Playboy...

[BustedFinger]

It just occurred to me that this entire thread would have been so much better if the Wacky and Real product images were uploaded together as one image like this:

[MoldRush]

Playbug and Playboy...

Of all the OS 1-16 titles and complete series that totally eluded me from 1973-75, I have to say IOU and Playbug were the only ones that really surprised me.  Who would have thought a kiddie product like Wackys would venture out into adult magazines territory, albeit without getting really risqué?  And Fleer Crazy Covers did “Henhouse” (Penthouse) too.  Crazy! 

[lucidjc]

Playbug and Playboy...

Once again, i'm going to need a bigger sampling.


jim

[MoldRush]

Swiski’s done an excellent job finding magazine issues which are decent approximate matches and align with the timeframe of the parody, and this is a good example.  Shorts Illustrated was another.

[Swiski]

Swiski’s done an excellent job finding magazine issues which are decent approximate matches and align with the timeframe of the parody, and this is a good example.  Shorts Illustrated was another.

Thank you! Magazines are the toughest to match up since none of them parody a specific issue. So I look for real covers that either have the title and background in similar colors, or the people on the cover in a somewhat similar pose on the parody.

Speaking of Playbug and the correct timeframe...it's strange that the Playbug parody was from 1975, but the date on the cover is 1984. A vision from the future where bugs with human bodies replace human beings? To me, the parody artwork mixes the movies The Fly with Planet of the Apes. What's with the message in the bottle?

[MoldRush]

Thank you! Magazines are the toughest to match up since none of them parody a specific issue. So I look for real covers that either have the title and background in similar colors, or the people on the cover in a somewhat similar pose on the parody.

A vision from the future where bugs with human bodies replace human beings? To me, the parody artwork mixes the movies The Fly with Planet of the Apes. What's with the message in the bottle?

Understood, sometimes matching the cover’s color scheme is as close as you can get, like the Sport magazine issue you posted.

Interesting take on the bug head - other than the obvious in servicing the parody, the hybrid beach bunny does conjure up imagery somewhere between David Lynch and David Cronenberg cinematic visions lol.  Message in the bottle is probably some kind of inside joke we weren’t meant to figure out.

[Fanatical_and_Sickly]

The insect symbol on the paper is possibly an homage to the way the rabbit ears were always ‘hidden in plain site’ on the actual covers.
The original rough appears that it had a note to explain it, but it’s cut off

[mikecho]

Thank you! Magazines are the toughest to match up since none of them parody a specific issue. So I look for real covers that either have the title and background in similar colors, or the people on the cover in a somewhat similar pose on the parody.

Speaking of Playbug and the correct timeframe...it's strange that the Playbug parody was from 1975, but the date on the cover is 1984. A vision from the future where bugs with human bodies replace human beings? To me, the parody artwork mixes the movies The Fly with Planet of the Apes. What's with the message in the bottle?

Right! All she needs is the insect leg for an arm, a la The Fly (1958) (btw, was that the left arm or the right arm? I can't remember).

[Bigmuc13]

It just occurred to me that this entire thread would have been so much better if the Wacky and Real product images were uploaded together as one image like this:

That is great! Also, I wonder why they decided to have the guy in the front part of the sticker riding a horse without any shoes on!

[Swiski]

Slayer compared to Bayer aspirin...

[MoldRush]

Ballistics and Wackys - perfect together!

Another great “product conversion” concept which I alluded to with Mrs. Pole’s - great rendering, another fantastic glass bottle, well-detailed aspirin bullets and a really funny little mobster character! Not much by way of gags, but who cares?  The visual more than makes up for it.

I read recently on Rusty’s site that the 3rd Series Reissues were basically color xerox copies from existing stickers, robbing that series of the more quality images that finished Wackys should have.  I was not aware of that, but I do remember many of the images from that set looking a bit ‘antiqued’, for lack of a better word.  Point being, I’ve never seen a Slayer with a high-quality image close-up.  Can’t remember if the Abrams book image for this title was scanned directly from the painting as opposed to also being second generation.

[Swiski]

Hippy compared to Heavy Trash Bags...

[MoldRush]

Hippy compared to Heavy Trash Bags...

Easy to forget this is the second parody for Hefty, along with Heavy from the 10th.  I like how the real product has the Jonathan Winters uniformed character, which drives both parodies very well.  A nice basic Wacky with goofy character and funny enough taglines.  This title was also used in the ANS-era Flashbacks I believe.

[mikecho]

Easy to forget this is the second parody for Hefty, along with Heavy from the 10th.  I like how the real product has the Jonathan Winters uniformed character, which drives both parodies very well.  A nice basic Wacky with goofy character and funny enough taglines.  This title was also used in the ANS-era Flashbacks I believe.

I checked out the Flashbacks on the Master Spreadsheet. Hippy Trash Bags was in the first of the two series, Wacky Pack Flashback.

[BustedFinger]

Hippy compared to Heavy Trash Bags...

Note there is a light blue rectangle near the top of the image.  Didn't I read somewhere or maybe Jay posted one time that the original design said something about "Nickel Bags" there?

[MoldRush]

Wouldn’t surprise me, they really laid it on thick with the hippie humor back then.  I guess in the 1974-75 timeframe, for those who were irritated or amused enough by the hippie lifestyle, the ‘Summer of Love’ was not yet that distant a memory.

[mikecho]

Wouldn’t surprise me, they really laid it on thick with the hippie humor back then.  I guess in the 1974-75 timeframe, for those who were irritated or amused enough by the hippie lifestyle, the ‘Summer of Love’ was not yet that distant a memory.

And then Charles Manson and his Family had to ruin the hippy lifestyle for everyone else in the world. In other words, they effectively killed it along with their unfortunate victims.

[MoldRush]

I’ve been watching the Manson miniseries “Helter Skelter: An American Myth” on the Epix channel, which is very good.  Rather than focusing entirely on the Tate-LaBianca murders and trial as most previous documentaries have done, this one traces Manson’s early life and how the manipulation skills he developed in the prison system as a means of survival led to his cult-like dominance of the so-called Family members which were actually broken souls that he hand-picked.

[drono]

I’ve been watching the Manson miniseries “Helter Skelter: An American Myth” on the Epix channel, which is very good.

I agree; it's very good.  It certainly explains a lot on why he turned out like he did.  I think the last episode (6) was the end of the series.  I was amazed that the family members interviewed seemed normal now and even the ones that went to jail seemed to turn their lives around while incarcerated.

[MoldRush]

I agree; it's very good.  It certainly explains a lot on why he turned out like he did.  I think the last episode (6) was the end of the series.  I was amazed that the family members interviewed seemed normal now and even the ones that went to jail seemed to turn their lives around while incarcerated.

I’ve watched all but the 6th and last episode.  It’s waiting on the DVR.

Agree those interviewed seem completely free of any lingering mental issues from having been under Manson’s influence.  Probably just good fortune for most of them, that Manson was ripped away from them after just a couple years, as opposed to someone who spends decades in a more organized and sophisticated cult environment.  The one member who I think has been incapable of breaking free from the mental chains is Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme.  Saw some stuff on the internet about her.

[Swiski]

Flunk compared to Fluff, along with the original parody Flopp from series 7...

[MoldRush]

Like ‘em both but Flunk has better detailing in the glass jar, both the translucence of the glass and the dimpled surface detailing.  It also has that ‘fridge light’ illumination effect that’s been noted on a few other titles.  But what’s the deal with changing the painted scalloped pattern along the edge of the lid to that melty, drippy thing that’s going on there?

[RawGoo]

Like ‘em both but Flunk has better detailing in the glass jar, both the translucence of the glass and the dimpled surface detailing.  It also has that ‘fridge light’ illumination effect that’s been noted on a few other titles.  But what’s the deal with changing the painted scalloped pattern along the edge of the lid to that melty, drippy thing that’s going on there?

Agreed, the lid is disappointing, but the glass jar, especially with the logo in it, is great.

[drono]

But what’s the deal with changing the painted scalloped pattern along the edge of the lid to that melty, drippy thing that’s going on there?

The whipped marshmallow (real product) is turning to mush (mushmallow)?  It would have made sense to continue that pattern all the way around the lid though.

[MoldRush]

The whipped marshmallow (real product) is turning to mush (mushmallow)?  It would have made sense to continue that pattern all the way around the lid though.

Yes, if it was oozing through from beneath the lid that would make sense, but the way it’s been painted it looks a bit odd.

[Zenergizer]

I think Fluff originated from my area of the country, too.

I don't mind the occasional marshmallow on ice cream sundaes, but otherwise,
never liked it.

That, and Underwood Deviled Ham, and my Mother always made both for
my older brother.  Just give me a nice PB&J, preferrably strawberry jelly.

[mikecho]

I think Fluff originated from my area of the country, too.

I don't mind the occasional marshmallow on ice cream sundaes, but otherwise,
never liked it.

That, and Underwood Deviled Ham, and my Mother always made both for
my older brother.  Just give me a nice PB&J, preferably strawberry jelly.

You're right. I never even heard of the Fluffernutter (Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter on two slices of bread) until I got a CD of a record album called Tee Vee Toons: The Commercials (TVT Records 1989) and heard the Marshmallow Fluff jingle for it (called "If You Like Fluff Fluff Fluff") and it wasn't until later than that that I found out the sandwich was popular in the 1970s.