DISPLAY BOX — 1 VARIATION : CODE 1-588-70-01-6
MAIN CHARACTER ARTWORK : JOHN POUND
SUPPORTING CHARACTER ARTWORK : TOM BUNK
DESIGN : BRAD KAHLHAMER



WRAPPER — 1 VARIATION : WRAPPER CODE 0-588-15-01-6
18 POSTERS : POSTER CODE 4-588-26-01-6
RENDERED ARTWORK : TOM BUNK



SELL SHEET — 1 VARIATION : CODE #588 : UPC 0-4111600588-6
RENDERED & NEW ARTWORK : TOM BUNK

POSTER #1 • DRINK GARBAGE PAIL KOLA — painted by artist JOHN Pound





Pictured below is the final artwork image (T-L) as sold off of the online auction site eBay, along with a 2005 Topps Vault magazine ad (T-R) from the Non-Sport Update pubication, issue June/July Vol. 16 - No. 3, where the characters from Poster #1 Drink Garbage Pail Kola can be found within. The poster image pokes fun at product placement adverts.


The 'HOUSE SPECIAL' picture in the background of the poster is a rejected painting completed by John Pound for the OS1 set that was eventually published within the GIANT GPK set as card #8 Take A Garbage Pail Kid To Lunch (T-L) which is very similar to the unpublished OS10 piece by Tom Bunk (T-R). The Giant card image can also be found within poster #13 Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, suggsting that the GIANT set was completed prior to the Poster set, which originally was supposed to be the 2nd Series Giant set.


The 'G.P.KOLA' bottle image in the poster, with a rat instead of a character inside, can also be found on OS4 cards 128a Sloshed JOSH & 128b Low CAL (T-L) painted by John Pound with the same style red lettering instead of blue. The same café environment is found in OS11 cards 422a SHERI Cola & 422b All-Night DINAH (T-R) also by John Pound picturing the same toilet drink and contents, tablecloth, booth, window curtain, the girl's clothes, and ribbon style. In place of 'HOUSE SPECIAL', the sign in the background now simply reads 'SODAS'.


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POSTER #2 • HANG IN THERE, BABY — painted by artist JOHN Pound




The 'HANG IN THERE!' slogan message is a parody of the feline cat posters of the late 80's with the dangling kitten 'hanging' from a tree limb with only one paw, whereas now, a hangman's rope or noose is assisting the critter instead. To 'HANG IN' is to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances.

A similar Garfield-like cat image can be found within the OS4 set for card images 159a Catty KATHY & 159b KITTY Litter by David Burke and is much more humanoid in appearance but still very cat-like in character. The OS4 and Poster set were released around the same time and Mark Newgarden and Art Spiegelman were art directing both at the same time.

Artist David Burke was tested out with GPK for the OS4 release and most likely given a tight pencil sketch of Pound's to work from. The character is given CPK yarn-like hair (replacing the forehead whiskers) and the dead rat from Poster #1 Drink Garbage Pail Kola may be the same one that the cat is grasping in its paw.


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POSTER #3 • SUGAR CRUSTED SEWAGE — painted by artist JOHN Pound



The Poster #3 Sugar Crusted Sewage image is very similar to the Wacky Packages parody card product brand by Topps throws a satirical spin on brand name items. This particular product image is a parody of the popular kids cereal Kelloggs 'Rice Krispies' and their spin-off editions, 'Cocoa Krispies' and 'Frosted Krispies' (R) with the three mascot characters Snap, Crackle and Pop, whereas the GPK cereal has a slob-like character that could be called Slop.

The final artwork image above as sold off of the auction house eBay and painted by artist John Pound can be seen with two additional dead rats, the third Poster image in a row with connections to dead rats.


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POSTER #4 • GPK : THE INSIDE DOPE — painted by artist JOHN Pound



The Poster #4 pokes fun at the slogan 'THE INSIDE SCOOP', where 'scoop' is informal for an exclusive piece of news or inside story and 'scope' is informal meaning to look at something carefully; to scan and lastly, 'dope' is informal for a stupid person. The image is a parody of science anatomy models that give a literal inside look at organs, et cetera and dissects and analyzes a GPK character.

The above final artwork poster image was an unpublished concept intended for the OS2 GPK set and later considered for the OS6 GPK set as well.


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POSTER #5 • VISIT GARBAGE PAIL LAND — painted by artist TOM Bunk



The Poster #5 image contains a boat titled 'HATE-BOAT' which is a parody of the popular television show The Love Boat that premiered in 1977 and ran for ten years. Additionally, the 'TUNNEL OF HATE' is a parody of the title 'TUNNEL OF LOVE' that pokes fun at 'visit' *insert locale* tourism advertising campaigns; and specifically in this case, an amusement park and it's many rides and attractions.

Tom Bunk's original artwork as auctioned off of eBay is pictured above and a preliminary tight color rough (R), both very MAD magazine-like in appearance and structure. Coincidentally, the image contains another rat character.


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POSTER #6 • KEEP OUT! — painted by artist TOM Bunk





A 'KEEP OUT!' warning sign strategically placed on a bedroom door or clubhouse is important during the prepubescent (pre/pube/scent) or the formative adolescent years, to keep club activity or whatnot secret. These public warnings stem from 'private property' signs that oftentimes can be found fenced off by barbwire.

A similar pigtail girl cut up in a jump rope barbwire theme was later painted by John Pound and placed in the ANS4 set for cards 15a Jumpin' JEN and 15b MEGAN Trouble.


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POSTER #7 • EAT MY FACE! — painted by artist JOHN Pound




A parody of the phrase 'EAT MY DUST!', or the derogatory 'EAT MY SH*T', that's also a 1976 movie title; the idiom 'EAT MY DUST' means to be outperformed (or outrun) by someone, usually by a very wide margin, in this case, a food challeges or self-eating contests.

The 'PIZZA-FACE' concept was created for OS2 set, painted and considered for the OS6 set, placed within the unpublished OS16 set as cards 639a GUY Pie and 639b Pepperoni Toni, and eventually printed on card for the ANS1 set in 2003 as cards 9a Cheesy CHARLIE and 9b Pizza Face CHASE. Note the CPK-like eyes and the four fingers on the character instead of the three fingers that followed the GPK character model releases after the OS9 release.


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POSTER #8 • SLIME MAGAZINE — painted by artist Tom Bunk



The poster features GPK character 19a Corroded CARL and 19b Crater CHRIS , originally painted by artist John Pound for the Original Series 1 (OS1) set, that is a very Wacky Packages-like parody. The product is poking fun at the Time Magazine publication, particularly their 'MAN OF THE YEAR' yearly cover (BR); the 'KID OF THE YEAR' title was replaced with 'ZIT OF THE YEAR' to ante up the grossness.

Tom Bunk's final artwork above as auctioned off of eBay and his tight color rough (TL) is pictured for comparison; a large safety pin was added to the character and a larger amount of whitehead squirt. The name 'Crater CHRIS', 'Garbage Pail Kids Zit of the Year' and 'GPK—A NO CLASS ACT?' print was added to the final artwork. Bunk had suggested 'BANNED!'


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POSTER #9 • GPK CALENDAR — painted by artist TOM Bunk



The 'calendar girl' image is reminiscent of GPK character 122a Broad MAUD and 122b Large MARGE, painted by Tom Bunk for the Original Series 3 (OS3) set, with a ponytail rather than pigtails and works as a pin-up model tribute, where the mass-produced pictures are meant to be 'pinned-up' to a wall for informal display.

Tom Bunk's final artwork above, tight pencil (TL) and color rough T(R) are pictured for comparison; The upper 1987 squares are eventually removed, and the head position and hair color changed.


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POSTER #10 • DOUBLE-CROSSING THE DELAWARE — painted by artist JAMES Warhola



The patriotic poster image is a parody of the famous 1851 painting 'George Washington Crossing The Delaware' by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. The George 'Washingdone' character is a bit more stressed (attempting to pull out his hair) than stoic for the GPK version having to deal with a boatload of garbage-gang idiots.

To double-cross is to deceive or betray someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating; no GPK character is being helpful to the atual crossing over, but only causing a bunch of mayhem. The GPK Poster set marks the first release where artists James Warhola participated, well in advance of the OS6 set. The GPK characters are a bit more crude and not as detailed or as defined as the OS6 card counterparts cousins.


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POSTER #11 • NATL. GARBAGE PAIL — painted by artist TOM Bunk



The periodical poster image, done up in the tradition of the 'National Lampoon' humor magazine, which ran from 1970 through 1998, is a parody of the supermarket gossip tabloid 'The National Enquirer' that was founded in 1926. The poster showcases several iconic GPK characters including, from top to bottom, and left to right, OS3 Peepin' TOM, OS2 PATTY Putty, OS2 CHRIS Hiss, OS3 LES Vegas, OS2 Double HEATHER, OS2 Leaky LINDSAY, and OS1 ADAM Bomb, along with his brother Blasted BILLY.

Tom Bunk's final artwork above and color sketch (R) shows the development during production. A fly has been added to the final artwork, the Elvis impersonator's outfit color has been changed from yellow to green and the 'LAS VEGAS' misspelling corrected for the final image. OS3 Peepin' TOM is spelled 'Peeping TOM' and the 'LIFT BEFORE STOOTING' (acetate paper) was left on for the artwork sale on eBay, which should be spelled 'SHOOTING'.


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POSTER #12 • I 'HEART' GPK — painted by artist JAMES Warhola



A great GPK poster image by James Warhola, nephew of Andy Warhol, that pokes fun at the popular slogan I 'HEART' _________, in this case, I LOVE NEW YORK stylized as I 'HEART' NY (R), which is the slogan, log and song that are the basis of an advertising campaign to promote tourism in the state of New York started in 1977. The registered® trademarked™ logo is owned by the New York State department of Economic Development.

The I 'HEART' GPK painting shows the character using his own heart, cut out with the held hand saw, and used as the stylized 'HEART'. The image shows a liberal amount of lost blood and the 'LIFT ACETATE BEFORE SHOOTING' notice has been left on the image for the eBay sale.


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POSTER #13 • BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP — painted by artist JAMES Warhola



The poster illusion image, if viewed from a distance, is a skull with cross-bones. The poster contains six different card images from the GIANT GPK set on the wall around the vanity table. From left to right, top to bottom, cards #7 WHY FIGHT IT, COLLECT GPK, #12 IT TAKES GUTS TO BE A GPK, # 5 HAVE A NICE DAVE, #11 HOW TO BE A GPK, #8 TAKE A GPK TO LUNCH! — the image can also be found on poster #1 DRINK GARBAGE PAIL KOLA — and #6 HOOKED ON GPK. As mentioned previously, the Poster set was originally planned to be the 2nd Series GIANT GPK set.

The GPK poster image is a parody of the 1892 drawing "All is Vanity" (above) created by Charles Allan Gilbert. Where 'vanity' is one of the seven deadly sins and a human skull, used as a focal point in a painting, is refered to as momento mori—remember you will die, hence, vanity is a deadly sin. The addition of the crossbones to the GPK parody adds a level of additional humor; one of various meanings of a skull and crossbones, poison, etcetera, as a symbol of death and especially as a memento mori reminder on tombstones.
The final artwork above painted by newcomer James Warhola remains to be a dark subject matter in tone and color, but bring a brightness of color and a lightness of humor at the center of the image, including the murderess having cut up a victim, with the pictured wood-cutting axe or splitting maul, and stuffed him in the bottom drawer of the vanity cabinet.


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POSTER #14 • BEFORE AND AFTER — painted by artist JOHN Pound



The more-or-less, how to make Cabbage Patch Kids look like Garbage Pail Kids poster was painted by artist John Pound. The image is reminiscent of the unpublished OS16 character 626a Interracial RACHEL and 626b Stitched STELLA with the botched job—ruining through clumsiness or ineptitude, also painted by Pound; the card image was later released within the 2010 Flashback GPK set as cards 68a Stitched STELLA and 38b Patchwork PAULA.

The poster pokes fun at 'before and after' portrait pictures, be it weight, facial hair, et cetera; but in this case it's about a back alley plastic surgery job by a sketchy doctor (a.k.a. a mad scientist). The 'LOOK LIKE GARBAGE' is a title parody of 'LOOK LIKE A MOVIE STAR'


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POSTER #15 • GONE WITH THE GARBAGE — painted by artist TOM Bunk




The garbage-man poster image painted by artist Tom Bunk is a parody of the popular movie poster "Gone With The Wind" (BR), a 1939 romance movie starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, where the character is smooching a large bag of trash as his love interest.

Tom Bunk's preliminary color rough is pictured (TL) can be compared with the final artwork above. The layout remains mostly the same with the 'movie scenes' at the bottom of the poster being rearranged. The drooling character has been switched to a puckering-up character.


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POSTER #16 • HOW TO BE A GARBAGE PAIL KID — painted by artist JOHN Pound




This psuedo 'HOW TO BE COOL' diagram image, a hodgepodge of GPK pieces, can also be found as card #11 HOW TO BE A GARBAGE PAIL KID within the GIANT GPK card set; both images are exactly the same except for their dimensions, 11x17 instead of 5x7, perfect for a wall poster. Most of the painful bodily afflictions being pointed out can be located within the GPK card series, such as 'MUSHROOM CLOUD', 'HIT BY LIGHTNING', 'TOO GROSS TO DISCUSS' (melting), 'TOILET HUMOR', 'CREEPY INSECTS', 'THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME' (garbage can), including the torn off arm can be found within the OS1 set, 'HOLES IN BODY', 'LEAKY NOSE', 'WEAR CLOTHING OF BOTH SEXES', including the veined legs located within the OS2 set and 'SNAKES FOR HAIR' found within the OS3 set.

Per John Pound's pencil artwork the character was originally titled the 'ULTIMATE GPK'. 'Ultimate' is about the best achievable or imaginable of its kin, the utmost, the epitome, the zenith. Oftentimes connected with 'warrior', 'fighter', 'showdown' and in this case, the ultimate visual guide at HOW TO BE A GARBAGE PAIL KID, a vey rare instance of the usual plural GPK header found in the singular form.


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POSTER #17 • GPK WANTS YOU — painted by artist JOHN Pound




The patriotic poster image, originally painted for the OS3 set for cards 110a Snooty SAM and 110b U.S. ARNIE, by artist John Pound, is a classic parody of the iconic 1917 U.S. Army recruitment character "Uncle Sam" (initials U.S.) painted by J.M. Flagg (BL), picking his nose rather than pointing accusingly to the general public. The U.S. recruitment poster is based off of the popular 1914 British "Lord Kitchener Wants You" advertisement poster (BR) where the hat and finger-pointing were brought over to 'our side' with a red, white and blue paint-job finish.

Althougth seperated, the U.S. has history of borrowing from our original Motherland, including the re-naming of England towns, rather than creating new ones, i.e. (New) York, (New) Hampshire, (New) Jersey island, etcetera. The GPK image can also be located within the 2011 Flashback Series 3 set and as a major mascot for the 2016 "American as Applie Pie in Your Face" Yearly set.


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POSTER #18 • BUSTED! — painted by artist JOHN Pound




A fantastic humor poster where 'art imitates life', which is based on the reality of how GPK cards were 'kicked' out of school and banned from classrooms. Busted—getting caught in the act of doing something wrong, i.e. possessing GPK cards on school grounds. The poster image can also be found as card #14 BUSTED! from the Giant GPK card set with the original curved GPK header rather than the straight GPK banner at the bottom (B). The poster image was also used for the OS5 through OS8 retail ad posters with an enlarged, straight GPK banner and some subtle changes.

In both the poster and Giant card, there are several OS1 and OS2 characters found throughout the image, along with various award and license card backs. As can be discerned from L-R from the 'SCHOOL' sign to the ground: 45a Leaky Lindsay & 45b Messy TESSIE, 27a Brainy JANIE & 27b JENNY Genius, 49a Double Heather & 49b Schizo FRAN/FRAN FRAN, 30a New Wave DAVE & 30b Graffiti PETEY, 8a ADAM Bomb & 8b Blasted BILLY, 73a Gorgeous GEORGE & 73b Dollar BILL, 3a Up CHUCK & 3b Heavin' STEVEN, 83a Ugh LEE & 83b Sumo SID, 77a Ghastley ASHLEY & 77b Acne AMY, 54a Fryin' RYAN & 54b Charred CHAD, 79a Sewer SUE & 79b MICHELLE Muck, 74a MARK Bark & 74b Kennel KENNY, 57a TOMMY Gun & 57b Dead FRED, 67a Phony LISA & 67b MONA Loser, 43a Smelly KELLY & 43b DOUG Plug, 44a SY CLOPS & 44b One-Eyed JACK, 66a MATT Ratt & 66b RACHEL Rodent, 62a Greaser GREG & 62b CHRIS Hiss, 5a Dead TED & 5b JAY Decay, 65a Shrunken ED & 65b Cheeky CHARLES, 42a PATTY Putty & 42b Muggin' MEGAN, 18a Cranky FRANKIE & 18b Bad BRAD, 75a Off-The-Wall PAUL & 75b ZACH Plaque, 46a Rappin' RON & 46b RAY Gun, 4a Fryin' BRIAN & 4b Electric BILL, 39a Buggy BETTY & 39b Green JEAN, 41a Mean GENE & 41b Joltin' JOE, and 40a Unstitched MITCH & 40b Damaged DON.

— Two additional Concepts listed for the GIANT GPK set or GPK Poster set were titled 'Miami Lice', a parody of the television show Miami Vice, and 'E Pluribus Garbage', a Garbage Pail Kids coat-of-arms.

— Pictured below is a partial color rough artwork and tight ink version for the final Wrapper created by artist Tom Bunk for the release. The character at the bottom left hand corner is changed up quite bit for the final artwork — clothing and color has been changed, hair added and the snot strand removed. The rendered artwork for the OS3 character 110a Snooty SAM & 110b U.S. Arnie remains pretty much the same for the final wrapper.



— The unpublished Box Artwork as auctioned off of eBay during July of 2008. The image of the OS4 character 126a Armpit BRITT & 126b Shaggy AGGIE was replaced by the poster parody image of the OS3 character 110a Snooty SAM & 110b U.S. Arnie. Also pictured further below are two corresponding wrapper concepts in rough pencil and color rough stages with the catchphrase 'PICK OF THE LITTER' completed by artist Tom Bunk. The character may have been the first 'calendar girl' selection but switched to the OS3-like character 122a Broad MAUD & 122b Large MARGE. This would've made a nice OS4 and Poster set crossover since they were released around the same time.




— The Checklist is found on the back of the wrapper, coded 0-588-15-01-6; all of the posters have the same code: 4-588-26-01-6.

— The images for all eighteen posters can be found on Mini Poster Cards released within retail value boxes for the 2015 Series 2 '30th Anniversary' GPK set. The backside portrays the original wrapper — although, the GPK original curved header has been replaced with the replaced GPK banner; as well as on many of the front side of several cards.