GIGANTIC GARBAGE PAIL KID POSTER BLOG

The Garbage Pail Kid poster set was released in 1986. There are 18 posters measuring 12"x17" and they were sold for $0.99 each.
I have never found a decent scan of any of these on the internet, and believe me I've looked. When I decided to scan these myself I found out why. First of all when you unfold them they are so large that you have to scan them in two sections and then photoshop them back together again. Second of all they have creases and can tear easily so you have to be careful and gently press them flat without damaging them. So I spent quite a while creating the best scans possible. I've fully accepted the fact that I am a complete nerd but it's winter and it's cold outside so what else do I have to do with my free time?
One of the best things about the poster series is that all of the artwork is original and separate from the regular card series. Some of the images come from rejected card ideas.

Here's the front and back of the package the posters came in:


This wrapper illustration was done by Tom Bunk.


The back of the wrapper has the checklist.


#1 DRINK GARBAGE PAIL KOLA

The GPK Kola bottle was also used for card #128 from the 4th series (SLOSHED JOSH/ LOW CAL) except the logo is in red.



The poster in the background that says "HOUSE SPECIAL" features artwork from the giant series 2 card "TAKE A GARBAGE PAIL KID TO LUNCH".



Also this poster was an obvious inspiration for card #422 from the 11th series (SHERI COLA/ ALL-NIGHT DINA).




#2 HANG IN THERE, BABY!

This one is a spoof of a motivational poster that was popular during the 80s. You may have seen it while stretched back in a dentist's chair.



The cat is from card #159 from the 4th series (CATTY KATHY/ KITTY LITTER).




#3 SUGAR CRUSTED SEWAGE


#4 GPK- THE INSIDE DOPE


#5 VISIT GARBAGE PAIL LAND


#6 KEEP OUT!

The barbed wire idea was used a couple of times later in the G.P.K. cards in series 10 card #394 (BARB WIRE/ PLAY PENNY) and new series 4 card #15 (JUMPIN' JEN/ MEGAN TROUBLE).






#7 EAT MY FACE!

This artwork almost made it into the unproduced 16th series. It finally ended up as the new series 1 card #9 (CHEESY CHARLIE/ PIZZA FACE CHASE).




#8 SLIME MAGAZINE

A spoof of "TIME" magazine this card features (CRATER CHRIS) from card #19 in the 1st series.




#9 GPK CALENDAR

This is a wonderful calendar for the upcoming year 1987 featuring the star of stage, screen, and sewer BROAD MAUDE a.k.a. LARGE MARGE (card # 122 from the 3rd series).



By the way don't confuse this "Large Marge" with the one that shocked us all the year before in 1985's awesome hit "Pee Wee's Big Adventure".


"Tell 'em large Marge sent ya!!"


#10 DOUBLE-CROSSING THE DELAWARE

A spoof of the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware river. I like Tom Bunk's version better.




#11 NATNL. GARBAGE PAIL

A spoof of the "National Enquirer" features quite a few of the early Garbage Pail Kids:

Series 1
#8 ADAM BOMB/ BLASTED BILLY
Series 2
#42 PATTY PUTTY
#45 LEAKY LINDSAY
#49 DOUBLE HEATHER
#62 CHRIS HISS
Series 3
#114 PEEPING TOM
#117 LES VEGAS





#12 I LOVE GPK


#13 "BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP"

This one is a spoof of the classic illusion "ALL IS VANITY" and when viewed from a distance a skull appears. Here's the original illusion:



After noticing that the Garbage Pail Kid in this poster has beard stubble I'm 99.9% sure that it is supposed to be SWELL MEL/ DRESSY JESSE from card #20 of the 1st series. I don't think I understood what a homosexual cross-dresser was when I was in 3rd grade but we sure as hell thought this was funny.




#14 BEFORE & AFTER

This poster is pretty neat because it's one of the only times that they come right out and portray the defacing of a Cabbage Patch Kid doll. Of course everyone was aware that the whole series was based on ripping on the dolls from the beginning but it was done in a semi-sneaky way.
Topps got taken to court a few times later on and forced to make changes to their model sheets for the characters and they also had to change the logo for later series to a banner rather than the Cabbage Patch-type logo they began with. But at this point they were totally flirting with the line in a lot of ways.

The "after" image is quite similar to the unpublished "Interracial Rachel" card.




#15 GONE WITH THE GARBAGE

This poster is a spoof of the "Gone With The Wind" movie poster.



There's quite a few odd things about this poster that I have to mention. Most of it has to do with the fake credits at the bottom. Since it's probably not easy to read on the scan I'll type them out below:

"STARRING MICKEY HICKEY AS THE IMPULSIVE YOUNG SANITATION ENGINEER. MICHELLE MUCK AS THE SACK OF REFUSE NO MAN COULD TAME."

(First off, the leading man and lady pictured look nothing like Micky Hicky and Michelle Muck. Also Micky Hicky isn't even the correct name, it's Nicky Hicky. See for yourself.)



Let's continue...
"WITH RAY GUN- BROAD MAUD- THIN LYNN- CHRIS HISS- MUGGIN' MEGAN PRODUCED, DIRECTED, & WRITTEN BY ART APART, MARK BARK, JUNKFOOD AND A CAST OF PLASTER. FILMED IN SMEGMASCOPE SOUND BY DULLBY JOHN, TOMMY GUN, LOONEY LENNY, STINKY STAN, HONEST ABE, BAD BRAD AND GEEKY GARY."

(Not a big deal but I did notice a typo where on the poster they accidently split up Junkfood John's name, but check this out, the movie is supposedly filmed in SMEGMASCOPE? Does whoever wrote this know what "SMEGMA" is? If you've never heard of this before check out the definition below from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.)

SMEG·MA
Pronunciation:
\ˈsmeg-mə\
Function:
noun
Date:circa 1819
: the secretion of a sebaceous gland ; specifically : the cheesy sebaceous matter that collects between the glans penis and the foreskin or around the clitoris and labia minora.

(That's even too gross for Garbage Pail Kids)


#16 HOW TO BE A GARBAGE PAIL KID

This artwork is the same as card #11 from the giant card series 2.
The stuff dripping from his arm labeled "TOO GROSS TO DISCUSS" must be smegma.


#17 GPK WANTS YOU

A spoof of the famous Uncle Sam poster.



This artwork was also used for card #110 (SNOOTY SAM/ U.S. ARNIE) from series 3.




#18 BUSTED!

This is the same artwork from card #14 from the giant series 2.

"Busted...like a cheap rubber band."