s’Not
another anniversary! The “35th Anniversay” 2020 Series 2 (aka
“2020S2” project, fo short) GPK set announcement was released by the
Topps Company, Inc. the week of April 22, 2020 with hobby electronic sell sheets
breaking down the source material with mock-up promotional images, and retail
electronic sheets hitting the dark web a day later on April 23, 2020. The anniversary
set was scheduled to be released in September 2020 and stated “2020 Garbage
Pail Kids Series 2: 35th Anniversary set! This year’s release will showcase new
shaped sketch cards, new location relic cards, fun card backs, and new packaging!”,
but instead was pushed back to Wednesday, October 29th… more of a OS2 release
date anniversary. This extensive delay on the release date followed news that
the upcoming OS3 Chrome set would also be pushed out to late November and production
numbers on both releases would be lowered; reducing preorder promises already
placed. Product started to hit Target and Walmart store shelves early the week
of the release and the Topps Shop posted items online on October 30th, 2020 and
sold out of product very fast; they tend to have limited stock as not to compete
with retailers.

def’n:
35TH — Being number 35 in a countable series;
years.
def’n: ANNIVERSARY — The date
on which an event took place in a previous year(s).

The
GPK series included all-new artwork and contributions by artists Brent Engstrom,
Joe Simko, David Gross, Smokin’ Joe McWilliams, Jessica Kanzer (brand manager,
art director), David Waldeck (graphic design editor, product development), and
Olga Vega (designer, entertainment packaging manager); along with original series
artwork by veteran artist John Pound, Tom Bunk, et cetara. This would be the last
set credit for David Waldeck, he went on to work for Kodansha publishing as a
letterer after this release, starting in April 2020. The release would introduce
new value box and Collector hobby box packaging, and continue reverse card backs
with artwork, puzzles, and checklists. For the first print run, each foil or plastic
pack contains eight sticker cards, with a suggested retail price of $1.99, except
value boxes that have “packs with a special insert may contain only 6 cards”.
Hobby Collector boxes that have packs with exclusive premium content may contain
only two-five cards per pack.

NOTE:
DISPLAY BOX MOCK-UP WRAPPER
WRAPPER ARTWORK
: DAVID GROSS — BOX ARTWORK : DAVID GROSS
SIDE ARTWORK : BRENT ENGSTROM
+ JOE SIMKO + DAVID GROSS
LAYOUT DESIGN : JESSICA KANZER + OLGA VEGA

200
BASE CARDS = 100 A+B CARD SETS — BASE
CARDS + CHASE INSERT SUBSET CARDS
1,685 Total Items = 200 Base Card Stickers
+ 200 Green Booger Parallel (R+H Display) + 200 Blue Spit Parallel (R+H Display)
+ 200 Purple Jelly Parallel (R Fat Pack) + 200 Yellow Phlegm Parallel (R Value
Box) + 200 Fools Gold Parallel (R+H) + 200 Black Bruised Parallel (HC) + 200 Red
Bloody Nose Parallel (HC) +
20 Fan Favorites (R Fat Pack) + 10 No Ragerts Tattoos (R+H Display) + 10 Midlife
Crisis (R Value Box) + 10 Wacky Package GPK Merch (HC) + 10 Location Relic Cards
(HC) + 10 SP Topps Artist & Employee Cards + 2 Tin Trash Cans (HC) + 1 Standard
Sketch (R+H Display) + 1 two-panel Panoramic Sketch (Value Box) + 1 three-panel
Triptych Sketch (HC) + 2 Shaped Sketch (HC) + 1 four-regular Loaded Puzzle Sketch
(R Value Box) + 4 Artist Autographs (4 dif’t artists / 200 cards) + 1 Printing
Plate + 2 Redemption OS1 or OS2 Cards + 1 Be a GPK Redemption Card + 0 Promo Card
(NOT PUBLISHED) + 1 R.L.Stine Card.

*

PRODUCT
RELEASE SHEETS
e-SHEETS + PROMOTIONAL
PICS : HOBBY PAGES 1-3 + RETAIL PAGES 1-3

‘CLICK’
PIC TO VIEW ALL PAGES

*

HOBBY
PRODUCTION RUN

HOBBY
+ RETAIL COUNTER DISPLAY BOX ODDS
BASE PARALLELS borders: Green Booger — 1:2, Blue Spit [99 per subject,
exclusive] — 1:24, and Fool’s Gold [35 per subject] — 1:317 •
SKETCH cards: regular Standard — 1:481 • PRINTING PLATE card [4 per
subject] — 1:3,184 • ARTIST AUTOGRAPH card [35 per subject] — 1:249
• Temporary TATTOO cards — 1:3 • OS1 or OS2 pack redemption card
— 1:123,888 • Be a GPK redemption card — 1:123,888.

TOPPS SHOP ONLINE INFORMATION

2020 Garbage Pail Kids Series 2: “35th Anniversary” – Hobby Box [2020
GPK Series 2 Hobby] SRP: $48.00
U.S. Description: Celebrate 35 years of outrageous
and gross fun with the 2020 GPK Series 2: 35th Anniversary set! This year’s
release will showcase new shaped sketch cards, new location relic cards, fun card
backs, and new packaging!
Specs — SKU: FGC004002, Product Type: Hobby
Box, Property: Garbage Pail Kids, Year: 2020.
NOTE: Topps UK Description:
Not Posted.

DISPLAY
BOX — PKG009775 — UPC 8-87521-09360-1 — 24 PACK; $48.00 SRP
NOTE:
TEMPORARY TATTOO CARDS
CASE — PKG009776 — FGC004002 (H) + FGC004004
(R) — UPC 8-87521-09361-8 — 8 BOX / 24 PACK CT
FOIL PACK —
PKG009774 — UPC 8-87521-09359-5 — NO ‘H’ ON WRAPPER; $1.99 SRP

*

HOBBY
COLLECTOR PREMIUM BOX ODDS
BASE PARALLELS
borders: Black Bruised [HC exclusive] — 1:2, Red Bloody Nose [75 per
subject, HC exclusive] — 1:18, Fool’s Gold [35 per subject] —
1:317 • PRINTING PLATE card 1:1,281 • SKETCH cards: Shaped (Trash Can
or Poo Pile, HC exclusive) — 1:127, Triptych [HC exclusive]
— 1:1,268 • ARTIST AUTOGRAPH card [35 per subject] — 1:111 •
Location Relics [250 per subject, HC exclusive) — 1:52 •
GPK Wacky Packages [HC exclusive] — 1:24 • Garbage Can Tin [2
versions — Rare Graffiti SP](HC exclusive) — 1:1 • OS1 or
OS2 pack redemption card — 1:124,200 • Be a GPK redemption card —
1:124,200.

TOPPS SHOP
ONLINE INFORMATION
2020 Garbage Pail
Kids Series 2: “35th Anniversary” – Collector’s Edition [2020 GPK Series
2 Hobby] SRP: $96.00
U.S. Description: Celebrate 35 years of outrageous and
gross fun with the 2020 GPK Series 2: 35th Anniversary set! This year’s release
will showcase new shaped sketch cards, new location relic cards, fun card backs,
and new packaging!
Specs — SKU: FGC004003, Product Type: Hobby Box, Property:
Garbage Pail Kids, Year: 2020.
NOTE: Topps UK Description: Not Posted.

COLLECTOR BOX — PKG009779 — UPC 8-87521-09363-2 — ‘COLLECTOR EDITION’
& ‘H’ ON BOX
NOTE: LOCATION RELIC + GPK WACKY PACKAGES CARDS
GARBAGE
CAN — PKG009778
BOX BREAKDOWN: 1 REGULAR CAN (COMMON) OR
1 RARE GRAFFITI CAN (RARE)
CASE — PKG009780 — FGC004003 —
UPC 8-87521-09364-9 — 8 BOX / 24 PACK COUNT
CASE BREAKDOWN:
4 REGULAR CAN (COMMON) OR 2 RARE GRAFFITI CAN (RARE) ON AVERAGE
FOIL
PACK — PKG009777 — UPC 8-87521-09362-? — ‘COLLECTOR EDITION’ &
‘H’ ON WRAPPER
NOTE: WRAPPER WITH A “PACKS WITH A SPECIAL
INSERT MAY CONTAIN ONLY 2-6 CARDS – EXCLUSIVE PREMIUM CONTENT” MESSAGE

*

RETAIL
PRODUCTION RUN

FAT
PACK RETAIL ODDS
BASE PARALLELS
borders: Purple Jelly [Fat Pack] — 1:2, Fool’s Gold [35 per subject] —
1:106 • PRINTING PLATE [4 per subject] — 1:1,053 • SKETCH cards:
Standard — 1:160 • ARTIST AUTHOGRAPH card [35 per subject] — 1:83
• Fan Favourites Cards — 2:1 (Fat Pack exclusive) • OS1
or OS2 pack redemption card — 1:112,655 • Be a GPK redemption card —
1:112,655.

VALUE
PACK — PKG009782 — UPC 8-87521-09365-6 — $4.99 SRP;
NOTE: FAN
FAVORITES CARDS + JELLY PURPLE PARALLEL CARDS
CASE BOX — PKG009783 — FGC00? — UPC 8-87521-? — 1/108
COUNT

*

VALUE
BOX RETAIL ODDS
BASE PARALLELS
borders: Green Booger — 1:1, Yellow Phlegm — 1:10, Fool’s Gold [35 per
subject] — 1:317 • PRINTING PLATE [4 per subject] — 1:3,219 •
SKETCH cards: Standard — 1:480, Panoramic [3 per artist] — 1:2,590,
Loaded [6 per artist] — 1:314 • ARTIST AUTHOGRAPH card [35 per subject]
— 1:249 • Midlife Crisis — 3:1 (Value Box exclusive) •
OS1 or OS2 pack redemption card — 1:225,315 • Be a GPK redemption card
— 1:225,315.

TOPPS
SHOP ONLINE INFORMATION
U.S. Description:
Celebrate 35 years of outrageous and gross fun with the 2020 GPK Series 2: 35th
Anniversary set! This year’s release will showcase new shaped sketch cards,
new location relic cards, fun card backs, and new packaging!
Specs —
SKU: FGC004007, Product Type: Hobby Box, Property: Garbage Pail Kids, Year: 2020.

VALUE
BOX — PKG009785 — UPC 8-87521-09368-7 — ‘5 PACK’; NO PRICE; TARGET
NOTE:
THREE MIDLIFE CRISIS CARDS; FIRST TARGET VALUE BOX WITH NO PRICE
CASE
— PKG009786 — FGC004006 — UPC 8-87521-09369-4
— 40/5+1
COUNT
FOIL PACK — PKG009784 — UPC 8-87521-09367-0
NOTE:
WRAPPER WITH A “PACKS WITH A SPECIAL INSERT MAY CONTAIN ONLY 6 CARDS”
MESSAGE

VALUE BOX — PKG009787
— UPC 8-87521-09370-0 — ‘5 PACK’; NO PRICE; WAL*MART, ONLINE
NOTE:
THREE MIDLIFE CRISIS CARDS; AS WITH 2020S1 RELEASE, WAL*MART BOX WAS TO HAVE A
BONUS CARD
CASE — PKG009786 — FGC004007 — UPC 8-87521-09371-7
— 40/5+1 COUNT
FOIL
PACK — PKG009784 — UPC 8-87521-09367-0
NOTE:
WRAPPER WITH A “PACKS WITH A SPECIAL INSERT MAY CONTAIN ONLY 6 CARDS”
MESSAGE

WAL*MART.COM
BONUS CARD EXCLUSIVE
2020 Topps Garbage
Pail Kids Value Box – 35th Anniversary | Special ? Promo Card NOT
RELEASED
NOT INCLUDED | Walmart Exclusive
| Over 40 cards Walmart # 584957975 — $9.98

—
It is unknown exactly why, but a large portion of the mock-up
artwork images submitted by the artists to Topps, to show character placement
on card, were drastically changed and completely blown way out of Proportion—for
the card and character composition. Sometimes by not placing certain parts of
the artwork over the banner, chopping off part of the arwork, and printing images
too dark—the color contrast.

—
Artist Brent Engstrom’s All-New Series
contributions to the ‘One Extra Character Added…’ subset for cards 72a Feeding
TIM & 72b CANDANCE Opener, as well as the character for cards 76a Waxy WESLEY
& 76b MAX Wax, were re-worked original concepts from the ANS period.
Engstrom took to social media on November 03, 2020,
and stated, “This was one of the first gags I submitted to Topps around fifteen
years ago. Another one that needed some corrections. It’s in the 35th set, but
not quite like this.” Topps placed the Kid’s cranium lid behind the GPK banner.

—
Per artist JOE Simko, the suggested Nomenclature
for cards 75a U.F. OWEN & 75b TP PETEY had been changed by the Topps Company
during production. Simko posted an image to social media on November 07, 2020
stating: “Topps changed my submitted A and B names of King-On RON & BUD
Head. To that I say KABLAH!” The
artwork composition is a tribute to All-New Series 6 cards 40a LEONARD Nimrod,
40b Trekkie TREVOR & P2 Alien ALAN, painted by artist JOHN Pound. The Star
Trek character, Spock, can be seen in the background with his booger-covered Vulcan
salute, per Nimoy, a “double-fingered version of Churchill’s victory sign”.

—
Artist DAVID Gross posted two Rejected
GPK x Wacky Packages concepts to social media in November, 2020. Although not
technically ‘rejected’, per se, the unused concepts were overlooked for a subset
that concentrated on Wacky Packages-style products that parodied current GPK licenses.
The ‘Flopps Garbage Frail Kids Cheapy Toy’ is a
parody of the Topps Garbage Pail Kids Cheap Toys released in 1986, and the ‘Garbage
Pyro Kids Roaster’ product is a parody of the GPK Posters released in 1986.

—
Almost all of the GPK x Wacky Packages products found within
the Garbage Fail Kids subset are based off of licensed
items already released to the public. However, card #7 Bars Attacks (Upchucking),
based off of Sidekick Lab’s upcoming Mars Attacks: Uprising card set, sold via
Kickstarter, wasn’t released until early 2021.

—
Per artist DAVID Gross, as posted to social media on November
12, 2020, concerning an edited Rough Concept of the
Battle of the Bands submission for cards 85a Clashing CLARK & 85b LONDON Brawling,
that showcased lead guitarist Mick Jones and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer (both
co-lead vocalists), stating, “card pictured is my mock-up as I intended it
to look. Color schemed and set up like the album cover. The rough had Paul (Simonon;
bassist) and Topper (Headon; drummer) on it but we dropped them for the final.”
The album was released on December 14, 1979.

—
Per November 30, 2020 post by artist Rich Molinelli
on Facebook: “I did 16 new Certificates for 35th anniversary, … I can’t
wait to see them in hand and I’m so excited to have done something like this
for Garbage Pail Kids. Some were redos off the older ones with more modern take
and some are my own original ideas!” Per December 01, 2002 post by artist
Rich Molinelli on Instagram, richmolinelli: So I
just found out that my #garbagepailkids #35thanniversary #certificate I did for
@topps came out on 10/28/2020. I did 16 new cards! I’ll post them up over
the next few weeks. On April 10, 2023, RAM mentioned, “Let’s go on a journey….shall
we? Day 1 – I’m the artist who created these Garbage Pail Kids 35th Anniversary
Certificates for Topps. Some of these might have printed differently then versions
I have on my computer but that’s null. Stay tuned for more….I wrote, drew and
did all the art duties. Spread the word if truly want to.”

—
Artist DAVID Gross posted two alternate Concept
Pieces of artwork to social media during November, 2020, for the Garbage
Fail Kids ‘Cherry Blah’ Low Energy Snooze Drink; Topps went with the sleepier
title. These are, of course, a parody of the FYE GPK energy drink; Topps took
to poking fun at their own licensed products for this Wacky release.

—
The first release to contain the rare Short
Print (SP) cards showcasing images of various GPK artists, and strangely,
various Topps employees.

—
The Target blaster box may be the first Target
Blaster Box that does not portray the “$9.99
SRP” on the packing, and is without a listed price, much like the usual Wal*Mart
blaster box version.

Fifty-two artists contributed to the Sketch cards
for the 2020S2 release—listed alphabetically by surname (w/ ‘handle’): David
Acevedo, Simone Arena, Quinton Baker, Bobby Blakey, John Brewer, Emily (Emma)
Burges, Neil Camera, Nik ‘GPKNik!!’ Castaneda, Pat.rick (Anutpong) Chaimuang,
Daniel Contois, Jasmine Contois, Sebastian ‘Sobot’ Cortez, Jeffrey Cox, Jason
Crosby, David Dabila, Vincent ‘Chenduz’ D’Ippolito, Gregory Fages, Joey ‘Yoga
Demon’ Fitchett, Robert ‘el smetcho’ Garcia, K. GRiMM, Patrick Giles, Kelly Greider,
Jason Heil, Lowell Isaac Hildebrandt, Simon Jacobsohn, Robert Jimenez, David ‘Gacey’
Jones, Karl Jones, Rickey Kipfer, Mike McHugh, Rory McQueen, Chris Meeks, Lily
Mercado, Rich Molinelli, John ‘Ziggy’ Monserrat, Victor Moreno, Jay ‘Toofless’
O’Leary, Darrin Pepe, Todd Rayner, Cathy Razim, Chad Scheres, B.rent Scotchmer
, Bekki Sharp, Anthony Skubis , B.arry Nygma, Matt Steffens, Mike Stephens, Brandhen
Snyder, Greg Tilson, DBA Ryan Morrison [?], Gavin Williams, and Clinton Yeager.