RELEASE DATE : NOVEMBER 2011

The GPK Flashback 3 was released in late 2011 by the Topps Company, Inc. and shipped during the month of October for an early November release — only eight months after the Flashback 2 set; a span of a year exists between the FB1 and FB2 releases. The GPK base set is comprised of 66 nostalgic characters by mainly veteran artists John Pound and Tom Bunk, including the Lost GPK subset that consists of four unpublished images, for a total of 160 base set cards, with twin names, rounded out by the ten Where Are They Now? artwork subset, portraying classic GPK as they would appear today. The series is art directed by Colin Walton with supervising editor John Williams; various returning OS and ANS artists (see checklist), as well as newcomer Jason Edmiston.

ARTISTS : JOHN POUND, TOM BUNK, , JAMES WARHOLA, DAVID BURKE, HOWARD CRUSE, BRENT ENGSTROM, DAVID GROSS, MARK PINGITORE, JOE SIMKO, LAYRON DEJARNETTE, JASON EDMISTON
WRITERS : HOWARD CRUSE, COLIN WALTON, JUNE GONZALES, ETC.



170 CARD SET : 170 BASE CARDS
868 TOTAL CARDS = 170 Base Card Stickers (including Lost GPK, WATN? and ADAM Mania cards) + 170 Green Parallel + 170 Pink Parallel + 170 Silver Parallel + 170 Gold Parallel + 5 Motion 3D Cards + 9 Sketch Cards (9 Different Artists) + 1 Autograph Card + 3 Bonus Stickers + 1 Printing Plate

Each pack, with a suggested retail price of $1.99 contains 8 sticker cards on 14 card stock and a chance to come across a 3-D Motion card (inserted 1:12 packs, ADAM Boom 1:85), an ADAM Bomb Adam Mania card (1:8), an original Printing Plate card (1:2,635), an artist Sketch (1:467) or ADAM Bomb Autograph card (1:7,700) and four levels of parallels; Gross Green border (1:2, Adam Mania 1:24), Punk Pink border (1:3, Adam Mania 1:48), Silver border (1:6, Adam Mania 1:96) and Gold border (1:62, Adam Mania 1:990). The set also contains three bonus base cards that can be found within Blister packs.

HOBBY & RETAIL PRODUCTION RUNS
PACKAGE ARTWORK : JOHN POUND
DISPLAY BOX : 3 VARIATIONS
WRAPPER : 3 VARIATIONS

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BOX CODE : 1-757-50-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-11757-2 — 24 PACKS
CASE CODE : 2-757-60-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-21757-9 — 8 BOXES / #757-11H
HOBBY ADVERTISEMENT POSTER (10.5" x 17") - NONE PRODUCED
WRAPPER CODE : 0-757-54-04-1 — UPC 0-41116-01757-5
NOTE: PACKS WITH NO 'H' SYMBOL OR PRICE — 8 CARD CT.

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RETAIL PRODUCTION RUN







VALUE PACK DISPLAY BOX CODE : 1-757-50-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-41757-3 — 18 PACKS
VALUE PACK CASE BOX CODE : 2-757-50-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-51757-?
VALUE PACK / RACK PACK CODE : 0-757-54-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-31757-6 — 24 CARDS + POSTER (1 of 5)

[NO PIC]

BOX CODE : 1-758-50-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-11758-? — 24 PACKS
CASE BOX CODE : ? — UPC 0-41116-21758-? — 8 BOX / 24 PACK CT. — WAL*MART CANCELLED?
WRAPPER CODE : 0-758-54-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-01758 -?



BOX CODE : 1-758-50-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-71758-1 — 24 PACKS
CASE BOX CODE : ? — UPC 0-41116-81758-? — 8 BOX / 24 PACK CT. — TARGET
WRAPPER CODE : 0-758-54-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-61758-4




BOX CODE : 1-758-50-03-1 — UPC 0-41116-41758-? — SPECIALTY MARKT; 16 PACKS
CASE BOX CODE : ? — UPC 0-41116-51758-? — 8 BOX / 16 PACK CT. — RITE AID, ETCETERA
PEGHOOK WRAPPER CODE : 0-758-54-03?-1 — UPC 0-41116-31758-3



GRAVITY FEED BOX CODE: 2-759-03-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-11759 -? — DOLLAR STORE / 4 CARDS
GRAVITY CASE BOX CODE: 2-759-94-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-21759-?
GRAVITY WRAPPER CODE: 0-759-54-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-01759-?



BLISTER PACK CODE : 5-759-30-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-61759-1
NOTE: PACK w/ B1, B2 or B3 BONUS CARD; TARGET / 2 PACKS
DISPLAY BOX : 2-759-60-0?-1 — UPC 0-41116-71759-?
CARDBOARD CASE BOX : 2-759-94-0?-1 — UPC 0-41116-81759-?
WRAPPER CODE : ?



GRAVITY FEED BOX CODE : 2-771-03-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-11771-3 — TARGET / 8 CARDS
GRAVITY FEED CASE BOX CODE : 2-771-94-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-21771-?
WRAPPER CODE : 0-771-54-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-01771-1

[NO PIC]

GRAVITY FEED MINI BOX CODE : 2-771-03-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-31771-? — WAL*MART / 8 CARDS
GRAVITY FEED CASE BOX CODE : 2-771-94-0?-1 — UPC 0-41116-?1771-?
WRAPPER CODE : 0-771-54-0?-1 — UPC 0-41116-?1771-?

CANCELLED

BONUS BOX CODE : 1-939-50-01-1 — UPC 0-41116-31771-?
BOX W/ B4 BONUS CARD; WAL*MART
BONUS CASE BOX CODE : ? — UPC ?
BONUS WRAPPER CODE : ? — UPC ?

CANCELLED

BONUS BOX CODE : 1-939-50-02-1 — UPC 0-41116-21939-?
BOX W/ B5 BONUS CARD; TARGET + TOPPS ONLINE
BONUS CASE BOX CODE : ? — UPC ?
BONUS WRAPPER CODE : ? — UPC ?

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PROMO MATERIAL + PRINT & ADVERTISING



DEALER VIRTUAL PREVIEW SHEET BROCHURE (8.5" x 11") - PDF ONLY
DEALER SELL SHEET (8.5" x 11") + ANNOUNCEMENT - PDF/DIGITAL ONLY
ARTWORK : JOHN POUND

TARGET DISPLAY SHEET - EXCELL MARKETING - NONE



NON-SPORT UPDATE AD
GPK AD : DEC 2011 - JAN 2012; VOL 22, NO.6



NON-SPORT UPDATE AD
GPK CARD REVIEW : DEC 2011 - JAN 2012; VOL 22, NO.6

— The third and final GPK Flashback set has done away with the checkerboard and 8-bit borders of the FB and FB2 sets, respetively; the set can be found with a Solid Yellow Border that does not distract from the artwork. The set is very reminiscent of the 2nd Sgorbions Italy release with the yellow border theme. It can also be pointed out, by comparison, that the tone adjustment for the Flashback 3 set is several times better than the original Flashback set.

— The newly introduced ADAM Bomb Autograph Card, a rare signed card by John Pound, is the original ADAM Bomb character from the OS 1st Series without a card number or 'PEEL HERE' arrow; the updated GPK banner header is used. Original series artwork by John Pound is found on the backside as well; with the signature spot blank on the frontside within the nameplate. The card is inserted one out of every 7,700 packs.



— The Where Are They Now? subset puts several original GPK characters into nowaday scenarios, twenty-five years later as young adults. This is the only all-new artwork created for the Flashback, throwback set created by Tom Bunk, Joe Simko, Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore, Layron DeJarnette, Jason Edmiston and Dave Gross. The card set has the original character card images on the backside although both card backs only have the 'A' names but no 'B' names and a new banner is placed on the mock-up image.



— Although there is no hobby box poster for this release, there are five Collectable Posters that come folded and packaged within the new GPK Value Packs ($4.99 / 24 Cards + Poster); these packs are very reminiscent of the OS2 thru OS4 Rack Packs (minus the poster). The posters measure 12in x14in and can be found with the following characters with nameplates: Up CHUCK, Fryin' RYAN, Snooty SAM, ALICE Island, and SALLY Suction. It seems more logical to remove the nameplates and have the GPK header remain intact.



— The 3-D Trading Cards for this GPK set, much like the FB2 set, are a step above the previous hologram motion cards. A total of five 3-D cards can be found for the release; the cards can be found 1 out of every 12 packs at random, except for the ADAM Boom 3-D card can only be found 1 out of every 85 packs.

— The set also features four levels of Parallel Chase Cards to collect that mirrors the yellow border, 160 base card set. These chase card parallel sets can be found in either a Green Gross border card inserted 1:2 packs, a Punk Pink border inserted 1:3 packs, a Silver border card inserted 1 out of every 6 packs or a Gold border set inserted 1:62 packs. The ADAM Mania level Of parallels is a bit rarer as follows: Green 1:24 ratio, Pink 1:48 ratio, Silver 1:96 ratio and Gold 1:990 ratio. For each different parallel, the color of the border, logo background and nameplate are always the same.



— The Censored beer can on the OS2 charcter cards 7a Disgustin' JUSTIN and 7b Vile KYLE have the 'BEER' label removed from the can as compared to the OS2 47a Disgustin' JUSTIN and 7b Vile KYLE cards; the images are uncensored for the Chrome OS2 set released in July of 2014.



— Card characters 12a Gorgeous GEORGE and 12b Dollar BILL no longer have a different sized Stacked Nameplate nor a smaller GPK header to accommodate the die cut sticker as the OS2 set for cards 73a and 73b; the die cut was oval in shape, matching the actual U.S. dollar bill shape. However, more of the ruffled shirt can now be seen for the artwork.



— Card 22b Hy GENE has the word 'Hy' in larger case letters and placed in a Bold Status, HY Gene, whereas the name 'Gene' is not in bold and contains smaller case letters. Card 36a BUCK Puck has the name 'Buck' in smaller case letters and not in bold lettering, whereas the word 'puck' is placed in bold with larger case letters.

— The second Prestigious GPK Award goes to the character card Toothie RUTHIE which can both be found as a base card twin in the original Flashback set as numbers 40a and 40b as well as in the Flashback 3 set as bonus card number B3. However, since the character was used as a Where Are They Now? topic, it is traditional to find these same characters as the bonus cards within the Flashback realm; by comparison, the tone adjustment for the Flashback 3 set is several times better than the original Flashback set.



— The set contains two separate Checklists, one for the A-name cards, and another for the B-name cards. As with ANS6, ANS7, and the FB and FB2 sets, this is the fifth release that has a checklist outlined by the color blue. The other blue phenomenon, the GPK logo is always blue in the set, there is no red GPK card logo on ANY card fronts. The ADAM Mania subset are the only cards with the GPK banner header in the light blue color of yesteryears as well as the ADAM Bomb Autograph card.

— GPK Veteran Artist Tom Bunk contributed three final artwork pieces for the GPK Flashback 3 Where Are They Now? (WATN?) subset. Below are a few roughs found in some of their earliest stages for cards 71a Stormy HEATHER and 71b APRIL Showers accompanied by Mark Pinigitore's concept, cards 78a CHRIS Mess and 78b SANDY Clod and cards 80a BERN-Out and 80b Dim-Bulb BOB; this version has the characters eyes open with a different mouth expression. Art director Colin Walton wanted to get rid of the wrinkled-skin characters of the previous two Flashback releases. More images can be seen within Tom Bunk's 'Bunk Sale' Flashback section.




— GPK Next-Gen Artist newcomer Jason Edmiston, a commercial illustrator, contributed one final artwork piece for the GPK Flashback 3 WATN? subset. Below is the original tight pencil sketch for cards 73a Phony LISA and 73b MONA Loser based off of Mark Pingitore's original concept piece (to the right); the image in general speaks volumes of society's over-scrutinizing behaviour and an individual's lack of privacy.



— The 1986 Giant Stickers card backs are continued within the Flashback 3 set with the front and card backs for #12 (front only) through #15—not including #14 back; #1 through #12 (back only) can be located within the first Flashback set. The images for the fifteen Giant Sticker set can also be found on Mini Giant Cards released within retail jumbo packs for the 2015S2 '30th Anniversary' GPK set; these particular cards can no longer be considered 'giant', per se. Joe Simko and June Gonzalez contributed all the writing for the card backs; a continuation of the Fakebook, Facebook parody from the previous release.



— GPK Next-Gen Artist Mark Pingitore sketched out several concept pieces for the WATN? subset that did not make it into the set, including the following image showcasing OS2 character 74a MARK Bark and 74b Kennel Kenny after being neutered wearing An Elizabethan collar; also known as an E-cone or just plain cone. Besides supplying several concepts for other artists to complete, Pingitore also completed two of the WATN? titles himself for cards 72a Jolted JOEL and 72b Live MIKE (the concept can be seen on the FB2 page) and 79a Scalped RALPH and 79b Bone-Head FRED.



— GPK Next-Gen Artist Brent Engstrom contributed one final artwork piece for the GPK Flashback 3 set which can be seen on the 'Artwork Gallery' page. Below is the original tight pencil sketch for cards 76a JACK O. Lantern and 76b DUNCAN Pumpkin from the WATN? base card subset; it's nice to see these older GPK characters with five fingers again. Engstrom also worked on all ten themes and digital work for the ADAM Mania cards for this release.



— The previously unpublished artwork for the Lost GPK cards 67a and 67b through 70a and 70b were pulled from various sets within the Garbage Pail Kids canon; pictured and described below are the images and where they originally stemmed from:



Cards 67a Prickly PETE and 67b Thorny BARB stem from a rejected concept piece by Tom Bunk in late 1985 and intended for the OS3 set released early in 1986; one of the first pieces Tom completed after switching from a card-back artist to a card-front artist. This same concept was later reworked and used within the Trash Can Trolls pardy card set released in the summer of 1992; painted by Pat Pigott that became cards 25a Prickly PETE and 25b Thorny BARB. Coming full circle in 2011, the twin cards now share the same name.



Cards 68a Arach NED and 68b Web JEB is an unpublished Tom Bunk GPK character that was painted in 1986 and was intended for the OS4 release; it is very reminiscent of the John Pound artwork for OS3 cards 98a CHARLOTTE Web and 98b DIDI T.; it is unknown whether the selected names were on the original artwork. A scan of Bunk's original photograhic slide from the 80's was used with the character having a bald head; the painting was touched-up later in-house at Topps where they added the yellow hair for the final product which was never published at the time.



Cards 69a Shadowy SHELIA and 69b Vaporized VAL is a previously unpublished piece painted by John Pound in 1986 and also intended for an earlier GPK release. The image can be found in Mark Newgarden's 2006 book 'We All Die Alone' which pays a very small tribute to his time working at Topps. The single word above the painting states 'OUT'; it would not make the cut. As a nice happy ending, minus the image of the painting, the selected names for the 2011 published cards are the first two asterisked suggested names below the original artwork. Another cool name listed was 'MEGAN Megaton'.



Cards 70a Dunkin' DUNCAN and 70b WILL Hung also keep the same names from their original intended release. The 1989 unreleased OS16 GPK image was painted by John Pound as card number 651a/b and did not find its way within the published 2003 ANS1 card set; but is fortunately out of the well and seeing the light-of-day in 2011.