Sometimes I think that if it wasn't for Norm Saunders we probably wouldn't be here today on this forum or even doing this hobby. I really believe the success of them back in the early 70's was mainly due to his art.
Ya know, I agree to a large part but I think Wacky Packages success is also based on other factors coming together at the right time, as is often the case with pop culture "hits". As others have mentioned before, the climate was right for the "put it to the man" attitude that Wackies brought. Young teens were getting more involved in politics, environmental issues, etc. so were more open to parody of cultural icons. Other similarly directed publications such as MAD and NATIONAL LAMPOON, were hitting their prime about the same time. Wackies had that edge... just a hint of taboo... of being something your parents might not approve of.
And it was delivered in the trading card/sticker format very popular at the time.
I remember at 11 or 12 years old thinking they were kinda treating me as more of an adult than most other items targeted at me. They gave me credit for some smarts and a sense of humor just slightly higher than,
say, a HUCKLEBERRY HOUND cartoon did. I felt I got the inside joke, at least most of the time.
I will definitely agree that the prime reason Wackies transcended being a "pet rock" kind of pop culture hit of 3 months in duration, is because of the quality of the artwork and wit associated with them. This is what gave them their staying power over the years. We all know people who love the original series and lost interest with later new releases because the new titles might not have been on equal footing. We also all know people who are new to the hobby because they are drawn to those original works and titles.
Bare with me, but I often compare Wacky Packages to the television show M*A*S*H*. It was common to make a hit movie/book into a television show. Often, they didn't last but a season or two. They would exhaust the potential rather shortly, and that was even when they were half-way decent to start with. M*A*S*H* should have been no different and should have died after 2 or 3 seasons, tops. But it had that added qualities of good writing, acting. and characters people enjoyed. These aspects came together and allowed it to meet with success well beyond what it's life span should have been, by all other accounts. In like fashion, Wackies were blessed with great artwork and humor.
I collect all kinds of other parody/spoof items, but Wackies stand heads above almost all others because of these qualities. This is what Norm infused from the start and gave them its great start. We are lucky such a talent was involved and was allowed to breath the life into it. As some proof of this, we can look at other products that tried to share in the success of Wacky Packages such as Crazy Covers, Daffy Patches, Chug-a-Cans, etc. Each of these other sets may have some specific titles that are wittier, or have a better joke, but most suffer from lesser artistic efforts.
