Wacky Packages

Ordered on November 22, 2008, but must already be too late to receive the 1st printing, as I received the 2nd printing, instead (even though picture of book's dust jacket on Amazon product page is of 1st edition, as indicated by "Interview with Art Spiegelman"--whereas 2nd printing says "Introduction by Art Spiegelman"). The four bonus stickers included in the back are: Schmutz Beer, Alcohol Seltzer, Blast Blew Ribbon Beer, and KOOK Cigarettes.

They were making these stickers when I was still a young child. My brother used to stick them all over his bedstead (fond memories) and I'd stick them on my school portfolios in Middle School. Always good for a laugh, then and now. The book is a neat time machine, of sorts. Though it only covers a few series and decades, it's still a great memorial to the concept "What If...MAD made stickers of the products/genres/fads/styles that they parodied?" (yes I grew up with MAD too.) I recommend this interesting book, esp. if you grew up with the stickers and some of the tacky stuff they make fun of.

'Wacky Packages' are a series of collectible stickers featuring parodies of consumer products and brands. They first appeared in 1967 and were the only Topps Company product to achieve higher sales than their line of baseball cards - but until now have received relatively slim mention. This new book is the first collection of Series One through Seven and offers images of over two hundred rare stickers. Collections strong in advertising, art, or collectibles will find it a popular pick with each page offering a full-page color image of a 'wacky package' sticker.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This illustrated several stickers I remember but LOTS I never saw. This is a fun look at what humor used to be like.

As one of the cartoonists who created a few of the Wacky Packages shown in the book, my view of the project is far from objective---but I thought it was fun to see such pop ephemera resurface 34 years later as an Abrams art book! Who would've thought, back in 1974, as I cruised the aisles of the San Francisco Safeway with Art Spiegelman, hunting for likely targets, that our little barbs sent at consumerism and package design would have such staying power? I shudder to think it, but more people probably saw my "Generally Demented Light Bulbs" or "Kentucky Fried Fingers" Wacky Packs than ever read one of my Zippy comic books.
-Bill Griffith
Zippy:Walk A Mile In My Muu-Muu(Zippy (Graphic Novels))