Topps introduced Wacky Packages in 1967, a line of comic trading cards that parodied consumer products. The cards were die-cut stickers and included a stick of gum. Topps continued to produce them until 1992 and reissued them in 2004 with new targets of satire.
In 1967, baseball card company Topps introduced a new line of comic trading cards that parodied existing products and iconic advertisements. Topps has called this series Wacky Packs, although many avid collectors still refer to them as Wacky Packs. They were sold alongside baseball cards and other novelties in the candy section of many grocery and department stores, and could also be found in specialty card stores and some drugstores.
Just like their baseball card counterparts, Wacky Packages contained a random mix of trading cards and a stick of chewing gum. Unlike baseball cards, the original cards were die-cut stickers. Later editions may also include solid cutout cards, with sections from a larger puzzle on the back.
Wacky Packages parodied most consumer products of their time. For example, Crest® toothpaste could be rendered as Crust toothpaste. The artwork, created by a mix of Madison Avenue and underground artists, would satirize every detail of the original Crest® packaging, from the iconic block lettering to the seal of approval. Grotesque figures and crass humor were the hallmarks of these parodies.
Other consumer products were also popular targets for Wacky Packages makers. BAND-AID® Bandages became Band-Ache, Skittles® candy became Spittles, and Liquid-Plumr® opener transformed into Liquid Bummr. All artwork and advertising copy was based on these distorted concepts.
In the case of Liquid Bummr, the main image shows a depressed man being ejected from a sewer. The ad copy reads “Spit out bad news” and “Liquid Bummr: For All Depressed Types.” In a parody of Wacky Packages, few details go unnoticed.
The Topps company continued to produce whimsical packs on a semi-regular basis until 1992. At various times during the original production, they even sold Topps’ lines of baseball cards. Interest in the cards may have waned for the younger demographic, but nostalgic adult collectors have continued to keep the trading industry alive. Some original cards and promotional items are extremely rare and valuable, especially the uncut panels and cloth stickers issued in 1968.
In 2004, the Topps company decided to reissue the classic Wacky Packages and also commission new titles. These new cards are now sold as sealed trading packs containing a mixture of paper stickers, solid cutouts, and specialty stickers. The tradition of including puzzle pieces on the back of each card has also been preserved. New targets of satire include familiar websites, movies, television shows, and video game titles.
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