THE
ABRAMS BOOK
GARBAGE
PAIL KIDS
~ Book Introduction ~
~ Product Overview ~
~ Card Artwork Images ~
~ Fun Facts & Tid-bits ~
~ GPK 101 :
Annotated Names ~
~ GPK History Section ~
~ Comprehensive Checklist ~
Release Date: APRIL
2012
The first official
Topps Garbage Pail Kids book was released on April 1, 2012 with a $19.95 SRP
tag -- although it shipped two weeks early in the month of March if ordered
online and available for far less pricewise. The 224 page book was published
by Abrams ComicArts and covers the first five original GPK series sets; OS1
- OS5 (orginal series 1 through original series 5). The book is accompanied
with 4 bonus sticker cards of previously unpublished GPK artwork.
224 PAGE BOOK : Hardcover
4 BONUS CARDS
BOOK
(Original Artwork
: John Pound)
(Rendered Artwork : Tom Bunk)
BOOK DIMENSION
- 7.2 x 5.9 x 1.1 Inches
ISBN-10 (141970270X)
ISBN-13 (978-141970279)
1 of 4 : HOLE IN
JUAN
2
of 4 : TICKED-OFF
TUCKER
3
of 4 BUSY
BEA
4
of 4 TRIM
JIM
FUN
FACTS & TIDBITS
1. Like the previous two Abrams
Wacky Package art books, the Garbage Pail Book is also designed to look
like, and feel like, a Trading Card Wax Pack from the '80s. The hardcover
book has a slab of gum pictured on the front cover with the accompanied
pages containing the trading card artwork; while the dust jacket acts as
the wrapper. The card artwork on page measures roughly 4.0 x 5.5 inches
(as opposed to the released 2.5 x 3.5 inches card size), slightly smaller
than the original 5 x 7 final artwork.
2 . Since an artbook catered to adults is considered a far different
art medium than trading cards marketed
towards children, Topps can take the liberty of including bonus material
with the book as Promotional Use (not for resale). This material
can be far edgier than a regular card release, with themes and content potentially
not suitable for a younger audience (two gun themes, and two sharp instruments).
The Abrams Wacky Packages art books (and calendar) contained similar adult
topics such as alcohol and cigarettes not found in recent releases.
3. The artwork images present in the book are reproduced from Transparencies
of the original art; less than nine images are from digital files that were
touched-up (remastered). The only nostalgic feeling the artwork is missing
are the die-lines for the peel away sticker.
Explanatory Notations and Definitions of the GPK Book Card Names
| 1 of 4 |
HOLE
IN JUAN
= Hole in one.
def'n: Hole in one - (in sports; golf) A shot from the tee that finishes in the hole. (slang) The entrance (gunshot) wound on the body. def'n: Hole - (in sports) One of the divisions of a golf course, from tee to cup. A hollowed place in something solid; a cavity or pit. An opening or perforation. |
| (unpublished) |
LOUIE
KABLOOEY - Rhyme; the name Louie with
the word kablooey.
def'n: Kablooey - Used to convey that something has happened in an abrupt way. Destroyed or ruined. |
| 2 of 4 |
TICKED-OFF TUCKER
- Tucker; T name to go with the words
'ticked-off'.
def'n: Tick Off - informal. To annoy; make angry. def'n: Tick - The quick, light, dry sound made by a clock or watch. |
| (unpublished) |
QUITTIN' TIME QUINN
- Quinn; Q name to go with the words "quitting time".
def'n: Quit - To stop, cease, or discontinue: quit work at five. To stop working. def'n: Time - A part of time. Some point in time; particular point in time: what time is it? |
| 3 of 4 |
BUSY BEA
= Busy bee (As in the saying
"As busy as a bee").
def'n: Busy - Having plenty to do; working. Make busy; keep busy: the bees busied themselves at making honey. def'n: Bee - Insect with four wings that produces wax to make honeycombs and gathers nectar and pollen to make honey. |
| (unpublished) |
HANDY MANDY
- Rhyme: Then name Mandy with the word handy.
def'n: Handy - To be useful or helpful. Skilled with the hands; dexterous. |
| 4 of 4 |
TRIM JIM
- Rhyme: The name Jim with the word trim.
def'n: Trim - Make neat by cutting away parts. To remove (parts that are not needed or not neat). |
| (unpublished) |
GROOMIN' TRUMAN
- Rhyme: The name Truman with the
word groom(ing).
def'n: Groom - To take care of the appearance of; make neat and tidy. |
GPK
HISTORY SECTION
1.
The original
card release for 1st series 9a Boozin' BRUCE and 9b Drunk KEN had the Artwork
mistakingly Reversed; the baby bottle reads 'LO TOR TUG. The image
has been faithfully restored to its original position for the Abrams book,
where the baby bottle now correctly reads OL' ROT GUT.
2. The French LES CRADOS (GPK) Book was released October of
2012, close to the time that the U.S. BNS1 set was released, published by
Huggin Muninn Editions, for 20 euro. The hardcover book is almost exactly
the same size as its American counterpart; it includes Les Crados sets 1 and
2, covering the U.S. OS1 - OS5 cards only ... perhaps if another U.S. Abrams
book is released covering OS6 - OS10, another Les Crados book will be released
as well. The French edition is not designed to look like a card pack, therefor,
there is no dust jacket on the book, and the release does not include any
bonus cards. However, the book clocks in with over 224 pages, and includes
a section in the back with eighteen images from the U.S. OS1 - OS5 sets that
were not included in the Les Crados sets; although, the image for 176a Condo
MINNIE and 176b BILL Ding
is missing with page 218 resulting in a blank page. There are also additional
Les Crados images at the end of the book along with a Les Crados En France
story.
(Front and Back Covers)
3.
The
book release covers all images from the 1st series GPK through the 5th series
GPK set from the 1985 through 1986 period.
|
#
|
NAME
|
ARTIST
FRONT |
ARTIST
/ WRITER
BACK |
ORIGINAL SERIES
AND CARD NUMBER |
| 1 of 4 |
Hole In JUAN
|
John Pound
|
Tom Bunk - Rendered
Artwork
|
OS10 - 408a(&b) - unpublished
|
| 2 of 4 |
Ticked-Off TUCKER
|
Tom Bunk
|
Tom Bunk - Rendered
Artwork
|
OS16 - 641a(&b) - unpublished
|
| 3 of 4 |
Busy BEA
|
James Warhola
|
Tom Bunk - Rendered
Artwork
|
OS16 - 645a(&b) - unpublished
|
| 4 of 4 |
Trim JIM
|
Tom Bunk
|
Tom Bunk - Rendered
Artwork
|
OS16 - 658a(&b) - unpublished
|
4 Total Cards = 4 Bonus Sticker Cards