PRODUCTION ARTWORK (NA) — BITS & BOBS BACKSTORY — CARD ANNOTATION

The Topps assistant director, Mark Newgarden, from the NPD (New Product Development) department, and concept artist and writer Jay Lynch, created the card-type for the OS9 Garbage Pail kids reverse backs, where artist Jay Lynch sketched out most of the 'HUMOUR' card artwork images while artist Gary Whitney completed a portion of the inking and most likely all of the lettering. Since the introduction of completed puzzles to the GPK franchise, the amount of reverse card artwork is greatly reduced and follows the same layout as the previous releases containing two main puzzles. Twenty known backs were completed for the OS9 set. The NPD department would create the artwork and card type, but the actual Art department was in charge of the overall design and layout, and would produce the composition of the front side and card backs as well as the promotional material and packaging. Composition images were generated to help guide the final card type design and artwork placement. "I did the final art for the comic backs of the GPK cards—but I did roughs of them first." — JAY Lynch, per email, circa December 1999. The 'COMIC RELIEF' backs are a parody of, and inspired by, 'RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!' bizarre events. The Ripley's Believe It or Not! franchise was founded by Robert Ripley, with non-sport, black & white newspaper panels starting in 1919, all the way to current, full-colour versions, that oftentimes stated the person's name and the town/city & state that they resided in. A trading card set was released in 1970 by the Fleer Corporation, samples pictured above. There are twelve horizontal card layouts, with boxed or blocked sections, and eight vertical card layouts, that resemble the older page setup with less bordering. Collectors would eventually see another, shorter version, for the Original Series 14 release. "I wrote and did roughs. I [also] did [the] finished art... although the lettering and maybe the inking is by Gary Whitney based on my rough. Gary and I did a weekly comic strip at that time... and Gary and I often worked together. Sometimes I can't tell us apart, drawing-wise. [...] I know Mark [Newgarden] did many "Would We Lie To You?" backs, too. I don't know if mine and his were part of the same series. You can tell his... the color is more blended, and the black lines on mine print a little sharper, since I did mine in 2 pieces, and Mark did his in 1 piece." — JAY Lynch, per email, circa March 2003.

Card No. 340 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains OS3 & OS1 GPK characters; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 340a Half-Baked BETTY and 340b Rollin' ROLANDA, showcases the OS3 character artwork for card (92a MARVIN Gardens and) 92b Spittin' SPENCER, and the OS1 character for card (26a Slobby ROBBIE and) 26b Fat MATT, where the name 'MAT' on the card back is missing one 'T'. The spitter is seen off of his plinth and free roaming, spitting out of a city building window, sans bird on his head (there could've been a pigeon!). Naturally, spitting straight down is not much of an accomplishment, not with gravity on your side, or rather, at your bottom. Fatty MATTY is seen surrounded by a wall of pizzas, holding two pizza slices, instead of his regular ice cream and candy, and has tomato sauce drippings, rather than ice cream on his frontside. On average, an 18-inch large pizza weighs between three-to-four pounds, depending on the toppings, the type of crust, etcetera. On the ligth side, fifty-three large pizzas would roughly weigh 159 pounds (53x3), and an adult human stomach, on average, can hold 8.8lbs (roughly four liters; one liter in pounds; 2.2x4). "His LAST meal!" indeed, your stomach would certainly split or "explode" at this acute gastric dilatation stage, causing a tear or rupture.

Card No. 341 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS5 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 341a Juicy BRUCE and 341b Fruity RUDY, contains the OS5 character artwork for card (193a Shattered SHELBY and) 193b Cracked CRAIG. The cracked character is showcased within a framed, horizontal mirror, rather than the familiar, vertically-framed trading card. The mirror cracks are all somewhat similar, even with the missing shards, dissecting the character in pretty much the same way, except the right-most fragment doesn't really contain a green eyeball. This very old superstition, of breaking a mirror and having seven years of bad luck, may stretch back to ancient Greece & the Roman Empire times. The Greeks believed that a reflection in water (along with mirrors in future civilizations) revealed one's soul that could potentially be stolen. The Romans learned to manufacture these gods-observing mirrored devices. Since the Romans believed that a body renewed itself every seven years, your bad luck would eventually run out. Unfortunately, the GPK character appears to have had more of a curse, lasting only one day, never to renew his luck. Did his reflected image then disappear?

Card No. 343 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS1 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 343a Con VIC and 343b AL Catraz, showcases the OS1 character artwork for card (29a Bony JOANIE and) 29b Thin LYNN. The wasting-away-to-nothing character is, non-metaphorically speaking, disintegrating as she listlessly stands there on unstable feet. The white diaper has been 'changed' to yellow shorts, as not to get lost within all of the white bones. As the comic points out, in order to have a pimple, the character would need to have a layer of skin. Pimples (aka spots or zits) develop when sebaceous (oil) glands within the epidermis become clogged and infected, which can lead to swollen, pus-filled lesions.

Card No. 349 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS6 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 349a Polluted PERCEY and 349b Barnacle BILL, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card (234a HARRY Canary and) 234b BURT Cage. The character is seen with four protruding limbs poking out of a different bird cage, planting 'bird' seed in a plowed field. Of course, birdseed is any type of plant seed or blend of seed (often millet, hemp, sunflowers, etcetera...) for feeding birds, and not giving rise to fledglings, but just seedlings. BURT definitely got a taste for bird whilst stuck in that cage, but his 'bird'-seed dreams were dashed. Note the 'Springfield' listed for both IL and MA, much like Springfield within The Simpsons cartoon show, "an average-sized, fictional city within an unknown state in the United States", there's a Springfield community within at least 34 states (some factoid sources say in all 50 states), but the common name of Riverside actually has more.

Card No. 350 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS1 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 350a MISTY Suds and 350b AMELIA Airhead, showcases the OS1 character artwork for card 27a Brainy JANIE (and 27b JENNY Genius). The braniac character is seen sitting behind a Manhattan phone book, sporting a new red ribbon. Since the usual highly-intelletual Brainy JANIE is apparently forgetful when it comes to written-down telephone numbers, perhaps instead of memorizing, she could have used one of those cord & phonebook covers that attached to phonebooths back in the day, and attached it to her telephone nook area. NOTE: the Topps Chewing Gum company originated in Brooklyn, where the character is from.

Card No. 352 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS6 GPK character; based off of artwork by TOM BUNK — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 352a HERMAN Hormone and 352b Turned-On RON, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card (212a Upliftin' CLIFTON and) 212b Air-Head JED. The character is seen with his eyes closed and without his levitating ice cream cone. The character may be speaking several of the most obsure languages known to man: Xhosa, Pirahã, Sentinelese, Rotokas, Kawishana, Breton, Archi, Belarusian, Catalan, Cornish, Pawnee, Taa, Paakantyi, Njerep, Ongota, Asturian, Silbo Gomero, Klingon, Occitan, Koro, Michif, Ayapaneco, Taushiro, etcetera. Sir Norbert Sturdley sounds like no Studley.

Card No. 353 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS6 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 353a Bazooka JOANNE and 353b Bubbly Babs, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card 240a Radar RAY (and 240b EVE Droppin'). The character is portrayed as more of an infant (still with his headful of yellow-yarn hair), in a small crib-like bed, next to two other apparent newborns. The two neighbours have a blue (usually assoicated with male) and pink (usually associated with female) baby blanket, while RAY has a yellow baby blanket to match his earwax & hair. The average weight of a new born baby is roughly 7lbs, so a 9.5lb baby is quite big, especially if 7lbs is just the ears alone; 3.5lbs per ear!

CHECKLIST CARDS: 337 & 339

Card No. 356 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS2 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 356a Momma MIA and 356b Electric SHARI, showcases the OS2 character artwork for card (52a Dirty HARRY and) 52b ROB Slob. Instead of sitting within the character's usual pigsty, the piggy is seen sitting within a rare porcelain 'pigpen', within a body of clean water. A bath every six years, that's every 2,190th day... on average, 2/3 of Americans bathe daily, some other countries shower two-three times a week. Even at a penny each, the snowflake collection would get extremely pricey, and would drive a completist insane. Per rules & regulations, the character for cards 49a Double HEATHER & 49b Schizo FRAN/FRAN FRAN are still able to run for public office in Gary, Indiana, but the character for cards 249a Many LENNY & Lotta CARLOTTA would not be able to.

Card No. 359 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS2 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 359a Kerosene KERRY and 359b Blazin' BLAKE, showcases the OS2 character artwork for card (44a SY Clops and) 44b One-Eyed JACK. The cyclops character has apparently moved from a more remote island seascape to a more electricty-based cityscape. Not entirely sure an Eyesore, NV location exists, but that singular and circular washing-machine window pane could definitely cause an eyesore, as opposed to sore eyes, since he only has one (now a blue colour, instead of brown). We've heard of a smoked duck, but not really a smoking duck, unless your Howard the Duck (1986). Another 'BOB' will show up on card #364.

Card No. 360 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS6 GPK character; based off of artwork by JAMES WARHOLA — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 360a MARCUS Mucus and 360b Gun BERYL, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card 248a HECTOR Collector (and 248b G.P.KAY). The excessive collector is seen, looking extremely put-off, sitting amonst his 1 million plus GPK collection pile, but as the humour comic states, ALL sticker cards are of #84a JOE Blow from the OS3 release. Does HECTOR have really bad luck? Is he only opening OS3 packs I wonder? Of course, a shady looking NORM less (more like GORM-Less) character did not create GPK, nor is his name listed amoung the many steam engine inventors.

Card No. 362 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS2 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 362a DOUG Food and 362b NICK Yick, showcases the OS6 character artwork for cards 73a Gorgeous GEORGE and 73b Dollar BILL. The card showcases BOTH twin characters facing each other, face-to-face, emphasizing that GPK stickers come as twin cards A + B. The burger food chain may have paid to have this 'negative' news advertised, because all news is good news, and they've included a $1 off coupon to assist on sales... every consumer and collector likes a coupon! Basically, pig latin is just the altering of words to create a 'secret language', i.e. 'pig latin' would be igpay atinlay. Although pig latin it is not spoken by pigs, it is estimated that 30% of English words have Latin roots, so part of it would technically be made up of the Latin language.

Card No. 364 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS1 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 364a Sticky RICKY and 364b Gooey LOUIE, showcases the OS1 character artwork for card 8a ADAM Bomb (and 8b Blasted BILLY). The character is seen zapping a turkey leg and a potato, instead of holding his detonator. One definitely doesn't need a micro-wave when you have the power of an atomic fireball, which causes a high-pressure wave, developing the outward blast effect. Technically, Los Alamos is in the state of New Mexico, not Arizona, and is 210 miles from the location of the first nuclear explosion testing site, with a plutonium implosion device, on the plains of the Alamogordo Bombing Range, fka Jornada del Muerto. The forename 'Bob' is extremely common, it would not be uncommon to come across such a mug if your name was Bob.

Card No. 369 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains two OS6 GPK characters; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 369a Scalped RALPH and 369b Bone-Head FRED, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card (229a CLAIRE Stare and) 229b Bloodshot SCOTT & for card 239a JERRY Atric (and 239b ABRAHAM Wrinklin'). Of course, these comic backs are based on fibbery, and not facts, but one must be between the ages of seventeen and forty-one in order to enlist in any Navy Officer programs. The term 'Aye, aye' means 'Yes, yes' and originally came from the British Royal navy centuries ago. "Aye, aye, captain (or 'sir')" is a response of affirmation once an order is given. 'Aye' being a homonym of 'eye' (eyeballs), but with naturally different meanings. NOTE: even though JERRY Atric might still have all of his original teeth, they are all apparently not in his mouth.

21-Piece Completed Puzzles I & J — Original Series GPK cards: 368a NAT Splat and 368b Jugglin' JUD Original Final Artwork: JOHN POUND Original Series — two Puzzle Preview cards: 368a + 368b — fourty-two Puzzle Piece cards (21x2; 'a' + 'b'): 335, 336, 338, 342, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 351, 354, 355, 357, 358, 361, 363, 365, 366, 367, 370, 375.

Card No. 371 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS1 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 371a Grippin' GRIFFIN and 371b REN Wrench, showcases the OS1 character artwork for card (2a Junkfood JOHN and) 2b RAY Decay. The character can still be seen with a death grip, holding onto his candy cane and ice cream cone. A cavity, of course, is the decayed part of a tooth; the empty space within the once solid tooth. With only two teeth, even if halved, each tooth would have seventeen of these cavities, or cavernous holes... not much left for eating treats, only the ability to lick, drink and suck. Per gums, the character may have lost the other eighteen primary teeth, and should eventually get permanent teeth, around six or seven years of age; additional teeth for future tooth decay.

Card No. 372 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS6 GPK character; based off of artwork by TOM BUNK — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 372a JACK Frost and 372b Window PAYNE, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card 243a LEE Tree (and 243b Sherwood FOREST). The character can be standing within a wooded area, without his rake or red bird. It appears the character is more plantlike than he is human, since he seemingly has more tree maladies than he does human ailmants. Officially called IP/Halley, Halley's Comet was named after English astronomer Edmond Halley by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille. There is an OS7 card character (#286a) HALEY Comet and an OS8 card character (318A) HALEY's Vomit that parodies the IP/Halley nomenclature.

Card No. 372 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains an OS2 GPK character; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 373a DESI Island and 373b Marooned MAUREEN, showcases the OS2 character artwork for card (67a Phony LISA and) 67b MONA Loser. The character can be sitting, but in a full body pose, where the actual artwork and card image only captures a bust (half-length) portrait-style painting. The Mona Lisa (aka Monna/Madam Lisa) artwork was created between 1503—1506 by artist Leonardo da Vinci. The word is spelled with an extra 'N' in Italian, in north Italian dialect, the derogatory or vulgar meaning is p***y, and also stupid or idiot. NOTE: the name Sal P. Teracina may be a tribute to the late, New Jersey born, artist Sal Terracina.

Card No. 374 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Contains two OS4 GPK characters; based off of artwork by JOHN POUND & TOM BUNK — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 374a Swiss KRIS and 374b Cheesy CHANDRA, showcases the OS4 character artwork for card 136a Swollen SUE ELLEN (and 136b Bloated BLAIR) & for card 155a Spikey MIKEY (and 155b Nailed NEIL). The dumbfounded five-year old character is seen stupefied in heavy contemplation, over the penta-heavy questions. If the cheeky character's zip code is '55555', she is most certainly from the state of Minnesota, Carver County. Although I would think Spikey MIKEY was originally from somewhere in India, he apparently moved to O.P. Kansas at some point, and had fallen asleep on a similar bed of nails. Perhaps they were afraid to wake him and waited those 45 days to pry him up.

Card No. 376 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Based Off of the OS4 GPK Character Artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 376a Retchin' GRETCHEN and 376b Ill JILL, showcases the OS4 character artwork for card 128a Sloshed JOSH (and 128b Low CAL); the image can be found on the backside of 2015S1 GPK Wacky Packages card #46 Snoot Loops as an Absolut Sweedish Vodka ad parody. The character can be seen still stuck inside a soda-pop bottle. Not sure if one can hold their breath for 3yrs, 10mos & 24 days... and can a bottle be returned not empty? Heavy carbonated drinks can cause excessive belching & burps and potential gas, in the long run, perhaps that's why Sloshed JOSH resides in Flatulence, Michigan. I completed this page in August 2023, fast approaching 40yrs of Bazooka gum being stuck in OS GPK packs!

Card No. 377 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Based Off of the OS3 GPK Character Artwork by JOHN POUND — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 377a Closet CLYDE and 377b Hooked HOWIE, showcases the OS3 character artwork for card 93a DREW Blood (and 93b Bustin' DUSTIN). The character is seen in the same troubled, twisted & tied-up state. The character has a few non-metaphorically speaking, broken bones added to the mix of knocked-out teeth & noseblood spill below him, several more lumps & bumps added to his noggin, and an extra plaster/adhesive bandage added to the bottom of his CPK shoe. The write up mentions he has broken over 800 bones (instead of 'has broken bones 800x)... the human body is made up of 206 different bones, so the character collectively has broken possibly ALL of his bones up to 4x each! The 'G.P.K. Wrestling Assn.' title could very well be a name parody of the infamous WWF (World Wrestling Federation) of the 80s and 90s. The passage references the word 'MATCH' in two different ways, pertaining to either winning or losing a wrestling match (= a sporting event) and a match[stick] (= the stem of a match, esp. a wooden version); since this is singular, I'd imagine losing a match relating to a matchbox and not a matchbook.

Card No. 378 — Artwork by JAY LYNCH — Line & Lettering Assistance by GARY WHITNEY Based Off of the OS6 GPK Character Artwork by JAMES WARHOLA — The comic back, for OS9 reverse card 378a Empty EMMY and 378b RAGGED AGGIE, showcases the OS6 character artwork for card (231a ASHLEY TRAY and) 231b BERNIE Burns. The character can be seen standing completely upright, off of his regular desk, pretty mobile, and moving around. Although not a comic speech bubble, the information is located within the character's billowing smokestack. The character doesn't technically smoke, not that we know of, where the cigarette is sitting within his ashtray mouth, with the butt on the outside... so not sure what he might have needed that match for, except to light up. There are around 250 matches within a large matchbox containter, so it would take roughly 200 boxes to have created this wooden matchstick Taj Mahal. I ponder if the surname for 'Alvin Phleps' is supposed to be spelled as 'Phelps'.