Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Nov 6, 2014 18:28:44 GMT -6
Joe Simko, one of the creators working on the current line of Garbage Pail Kids trading cards as well as the new comics, talks about the enduring popularity of the franchise and the challenges that presents to him as an artist.
www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/the-garbage-pail-kids-are-coming-to-comics
The Garbage Pail Kids were a cultural phenomenon in the mid-‘80s. Taking a gross parody of the Cabbage Patch Kids and branding it into something entirely of their own, Topps released 15 series of Garbage Pail Kids stickers over a 5-year period. The brand went away for a while, but retro is all the rage these days. The success of the new Garbage Pail Kids stickers has forced Topps’ hand, as these revolting children can no longer be contained on some sticky adhesives. The Kids are coming alive in a new comic book.
Coming in December 2014, the Garbage Pail Kids will hit your favorite local comic shop’s shelves with Topps and IDW’s first issue, ringing up for $3.99. A Deluxe Edition of the first issue will be available for a buck more at $4.99. For the admission price, you’ll receive 32 gross pages of bowel movements, upchucking, and the occasional life lesson (usually about bowel movements or upchucking).
We caught up with Joe Simko, one of the creative minds behind the impending Garbage Pail Kids comic and one of the artists who’s responsible for the trading card line, regarding the popularity of the brand, the difficulties it faces in making the leap to print, and more. IGN Logo
IGN Comics: What has made the Garbage Pail Kids so memorable and successful nearly 30 years after their initial line of stickers in 1985?
Joe Simko: I think the Garbage Pail Kids stickers today bring back memories to a lot of fans of that first time they experienced a sense of rebellion or anti-authority within mainstream kids’ pop culture. It's a feeling of being alive. A lot of it had to do with that original John Pound and Tom Bunk artwork; edgy and gross characters while being simultaneously being cute and collectible.
IGN: Garbage Pail Kids has coasted on nostalgia while bringing new generations in, something that the world of comics can easily relate to. What makes the Garbage Pail Kids translate well into a comic book?
Simko: Well, I know that some of the current Garbage Pail artists such as Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore and myself included have wanted to do a GPK comic for a while. So we are happy to now have that chance to explore this new venue for the Garbage Pail Kids.
As for how well GPK translates to the comic book format might be different to each artist. I know for myself it can be quite challenging since these characters have been simply stand-alone paintings for so long without any cohesive plot or narration. Yes, I'm including the 1987 movie. The stickers feature a wealth of so many characters without any kind of story cannon behind them. It's all new ground for GPK, which actually makes it very fun to create at the same time. Although there have been many mini-comic strips of the characters on the back of the sticker cards, there has never been a full-on multi-page story featuring the kids in this way. So, depicting the GPK characters with all their extreme personalities and fitting them together in some kind sequential imagery will be an exciting way for comic readers and GPK fans to see these characters in a new form, or de-form.
IGN: The backs of the stickers have included comic strips with snippy one-liners and witty anecdotes for decades, as you've mentioned. Is this the kind of thing we can expect for the impending line of comic books? What types of misadventures will the Kids be getting into?
Simko: There are several artists/writers for the first issue. So as an anthology comic, each story will be self contained, but from what I've seen, the hearts and minds, and boogers and vomit are all there. The theme of this first issue is Comic Book/Superheroes, so the Kids' misadventures will embrace that subject.
IGN: The Garbage Pail Kids have had a strong presence at Comic-Con the past few years, this year in particular, and has been well received. This crossover into the world of comics almost seemed destined to happen at some point. How has fan response been at those events for the Garbage Pail Kids?
Simko: Actually, yes, being from NY, I've been attending the New York Comic Con for a while now, and have noticed a popular resurgence in the promotion of GPK there. I know GPK is also promoted at the San Diego Comic Con also. I'm glad to see that. I see lots of foot traffic around the NYCC booth. Collectors and new fans seem interested in any GPK items that are available, whether it's promo cards, jumbo card sets, shirts, or actual sticker packs. The die-hard fans can be very vocal, so it's important to keep the GPK property consistently fresh, but done well too.
IGN: What are the challenges you face as an artist when taking something that is solidified as a pop culture staple and adapting it to a new medium, such as comic books?
Simko: I think the hardest part of taking anything iconic from pop culture that is known for one art form and adapting it to another format is keeping the majority of collectors and fans happy with its transition. The fans are important to this whole thing. Since the Garbage Pail Kids are shifting from sticker cards to comic books, I don't think the transition will be that hard to digest, yes, even with all the disgusting bodily fluids.
It's easy to adapt to a comic book since it's still a print-based medium, and the audience is virtually the same. A transition from the stickers to something such as, say, an animated series or a big budget scripted movie will have a lot more judgment and critiquing by fans over the creators. That would be a heavier challenge to take on. I'll say this though, it's a challenge that I would gladly face as I even have a concept idea for a fictional Garbage Pail Kids movie. A way in which it truly represents the sticker cards gross-out greatness for the fans and exhilarating enough to reel in the norms.
IGN: Plus it's almost like starting from scratch, since so little story has been previously scripted with these characters in the past. Speaking of Garbage Pail Kids movies, a documentary is in the works to show the longevity the brand has had in the realm of pop culture. You've had your hand in that for some time now, right?
Simko: The Garbage Pail Kids documentary is basically a look back at how these little pieces of artwork caused such a stir in the mid-80's. They really were an incredible force causing school banning, parent and educator outrage, even a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The producers of the documentary are made up of myself, June Gonzales, Krystle-Dawn Tiedeman, and Jeff Zapata. It will be directed by Sean Tiedeman, who's last film was about the 1980's arcade culture called The King of Arcades.
The GPK documentary is titled 30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story, and will not only highlight the phenomenon of the stickers, but show how this particular anti-establishment art form peaked to such a high level of notoriety within just a few short years then virtually disappeared, until now. We want to include as much as we can with interviews from the original creators, show lost news footage, and visit super-fan collections.
With this GPK documentary, we are doing the whole thing ourselves, and it is not affiliated with Topps in any way. So in order to help with funding we have taken our film to Indiegogo to help reach out to the fans for support in backing it. The money raised will help us with much production costs including editing time, various music licensing and flight travel for important interviews. Each person who helps donate will get some really cool 30 Years of Garbage art gifts. We have rare promo cards, the movie poster, and original hand drawn GPK sketch cards as gifts for donating.
Check out 30yearsofgarbage.com The DVD, which will have loads of extra interviews and stories is available for presale on the site. We even have perks at some of the higher levels that offer original GPK artwork, or you can have your self portrait painted by a GPK artist. A teaser clip of the film is also at 30yearsofgarbage.com for viewing. We will continuously have updates with stories and photos on the web page throughout the next few weeks keeping fans in the loop of our progress until our campaign ends Nov. 14th. We really need the fan support to get this film made. The history of the Garbage Pail Kids sensation demands to be shown.
IGN: The line of stickers, obviously what put the Garbage Pail Kids on the map, is still going strong with more releases on the way in the coming months, too. Will the comic feature characters from the '80s, new characters from the current and impending sets, or both?
Simko: It's all up to each writer/artist which characters they want to incorporate. All the Kids in my first story are from the original series. I'm sure most of us will use the classic characters since they are such strong archetypes, but I'm certain a few of the Brand New and current Yearly Series characters will be puking in from time to time.
IGN: How to draw a Garbage Pail Kid is often the most harped-on criticism by fans of the series; some artists get it right in the eyes of the fans, while others get dragged through the mud. Just how important is it to mix in established Garbage Pail Kids artists such as Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore and yourself into this project? Do you feel as though the art, thus far, is consistent with what we've seen from the brand over the years?
Simko: That couldn't be a truer statement. With the new artists, I think we each add something that perhaps another one may not. Although none of us can match the exact brush strokes of original GPK artist John Pound, I believe we balance each other out with our distinct styles and keep the spirit of the Garbage Pail Universe alive.
I think having some of the current GPK artists work on the comic is a good way to keep the thread of the GPK universe connected. I heard that veteran GPK writer/artist Jay Lynch may be writing or illustrating a story also--now that would be a perfect fit since he comes from the world of underground comix. Hopefully it's true that he is involved. If he’s not in this first issue, then hopefully the next one.
IGN: Fans will certainly hope that this line of comics is here to stay. What can prospective readers -- fans and non-fans alike -- look forward to when this hits shelves in 2015?
Simko: I sure hope we can continue to do more issues as well and explore the Garbage Pail Universe. These comics plan to evoke a style that is reminiscent of the independent underground comix era. Fringe humor storytelling, unique art styles that aren't so superhero "house" style based, and off course imagery flooded with the staple GPK gross-out gags.
www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/the-garbage-pail-kids-are-coming-to-comics
The Garbage Pail Kids were a cultural phenomenon in the mid-‘80s. Taking a gross parody of the Cabbage Patch Kids and branding it into something entirely of their own, Topps released 15 series of Garbage Pail Kids stickers over a 5-year period. The brand went away for a while, but retro is all the rage these days. The success of the new Garbage Pail Kids stickers has forced Topps’ hand, as these revolting children can no longer be contained on some sticky adhesives. The Kids are coming alive in a new comic book.
Coming in December 2014, the Garbage Pail Kids will hit your favorite local comic shop’s shelves with Topps and IDW’s first issue, ringing up for $3.99. A Deluxe Edition of the first issue will be available for a buck more at $4.99. For the admission price, you’ll receive 32 gross pages of bowel movements, upchucking, and the occasional life lesson (usually about bowel movements or upchucking).
We caught up with Joe Simko, one of the creative minds behind the impending Garbage Pail Kids comic and one of the artists who’s responsible for the trading card line, regarding the popularity of the brand, the difficulties it faces in making the leap to print, and more. IGN Logo
IGN Comics: What has made the Garbage Pail Kids so memorable and successful nearly 30 years after their initial line of stickers in 1985?
Joe Simko: I think the Garbage Pail Kids stickers today bring back memories to a lot of fans of that first time they experienced a sense of rebellion or anti-authority within mainstream kids’ pop culture. It's a feeling of being alive. A lot of it had to do with that original John Pound and Tom Bunk artwork; edgy and gross characters while being simultaneously being cute and collectible.
IGN: Garbage Pail Kids has coasted on nostalgia while bringing new generations in, something that the world of comics can easily relate to. What makes the Garbage Pail Kids translate well into a comic book?
Simko: Well, I know that some of the current Garbage Pail artists such as Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore and myself included have wanted to do a GPK comic for a while. So we are happy to now have that chance to explore this new venue for the Garbage Pail Kids.
As for how well GPK translates to the comic book format might be different to each artist. I know for myself it can be quite challenging since these characters have been simply stand-alone paintings for so long without any cohesive plot or narration. Yes, I'm including the 1987 movie. The stickers feature a wealth of so many characters without any kind of story cannon behind them. It's all new ground for GPK, which actually makes it very fun to create at the same time. Although there have been many mini-comic strips of the characters on the back of the sticker cards, there has never been a full-on multi-page story featuring the kids in this way. So, depicting the GPK characters with all their extreme personalities and fitting them together in some kind sequential imagery will be an exciting way for comic readers and GPK fans to see these characters in a new form, or de-form.
IGN: The backs of the stickers have included comic strips with snippy one-liners and witty anecdotes for decades, as you've mentioned. Is this the kind of thing we can expect for the impending line of comic books? What types of misadventures will the Kids be getting into?
Simko: There are several artists/writers for the first issue. So as an anthology comic, each story will be self contained, but from what I've seen, the hearts and minds, and boogers and vomit are all there. The theme of this first issue is Comic Book/Superheroes, so the Kids' misadventures will embrace that subject.
IGN: The Garbage Pail Kids have had a strong presence at Comic-Con the past few years, this year in particular, and has been well received. This crossover into the world of comics almost seemed destined to happen at some point. How has fan response been at those events for the Garbage Pail Kids?
Simko: Actually, yes, being from NY, I've been attending the New York Comic Con for a while now, and have noticed a popular resurgence in the promotion of GPK there. I know GPK is also promoted at the San Diego Comic Con also. I'm glad to see that. I see lots of foot traffic around the NYCC booth. Collectors and new fans seem interested in any GPK items that are available, whether it's promo cards, jumbo card sets, shirts, or actual sticker packs. The die-hard fans can be very vocal, so it's important to keep the GPK property consistently fresh, but done well too.
IGN: What are the challenges you face as an artist when taking something that is solidified as a pop culture staple and adapting it to a new medium, such as comic books?
Simko: I think the hardest part of taking anything iconic from pop culture that is known for one art form and adapting it to another format is keeping the majority of collectors and fans happy with its transition. The fans are important to this whole thing. Since the Garbage Pail Kids are shifting from sticker cards to comic books, I don't think the transition will be that hard to digest, yes, even with all the disgusting bodily fluids.
It's easy to adapt to a comic book since it's still a print-based medium, and the audience is virtually the same. A transition from the stickers to something such as, say, an animated series or a big budget scripted movie will have a lot more judgment and critiquing by fans over the creators. That would be a heavier challenge to take on. I'll say this though, it's a challenge that I would gladly face as I even have a concept idea for a fictional Garbage Pail Kids movie. A way in which it truly represents the sticker cards gross-out greatness for the fans and exhilarating enough to reel in the norms.
IGN: Plus it's almost like starting from scratch, since so little story has been previously scripted with these characters in the past. Speaking of Garbage Pail Kids movies, a documentary is in the works to show the longevity the brand has had in the realm of pop culture. You've had your hand in that for some time now, right?
Simko: The Garbage Pail Kids documentary is basically a look back at how these little pieces of artwork caused such a stir in the mid-80's. They really were an incredible force causing school banning, parent and educator outrage, even a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The producers of the documentary are made up of myself, June Gonzales, Krystle-Dawn Tiedeman, and Jeff Zapata. It will be directed by Sean Tiedeman, who's last film was about the 1980's arcade culture called The King of Arcades.
The GPK documentary is titled 30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story, and will not only highlight the phenomenon of the stickers, but show how this particular anti-establishment art form peaked to such a high level of notoriety within just a few short years then virtually disappeared, until now. We want to include as much as we can with interviews from the original creators, show lost news footage, and visit super-fan collections.
With this GPK documentary, we are doing the whole thing ourselves, and it is not affiliated with Topps in any way. So in order to help with funding we have taken our film to Indiegogo to help reach out to the fans for support in backing it. The money raised will help us with much production costs including editing time, various music licensing and flight travel for important interviews. Each person who helps donate will get some really cool 30 Years of Garbage art gifts. We have rare promo cards, the movie poster, and original hand drawn GPK sketch cards as gifts for donating.
Check out 30yearsofgarbage.com The DVD, which will have loads of extra interviews and stories is available for presale on the site. We even have perks at some of the higher levels that offer original GPK artwork, or you can have your self portrait painted by a GPK artist. A teaser clip of the film is also at 30yearsofgarbage.com for viewing. We will continuously have updates with stories and photos on the web page throughout the next few weeks keeping fans in the loop of our progress until our campaign ends Nov. 14th. We really need the fan support to get this film made. The history of the Garbage Pail Kids sensation demands to be shown.
IGN: The line of stickers, obviously what put the Garbage Pail Kids on the map, is still going strong with more releases on the way in the coming months, too. Will the comic feature characters from the '80s, new characters from the current and impending sets, or both?
Simko: It's all up to each writer/artist which characters they want to incorporate. All the Kids in my first story are from the original series. I'm sure most of us will use the classic characters since they are such strong archetypes, but I'm certain a few of the Brand New and current Yearly Series characters will be puking in from time to time.
IGN: How to draw a Garbage Pail Kid is often the most harped-on criticism by fans of the series; some artists get it right in the eyes of the fans, while others get dragged through the mud. Just how important is it to mix in established Garbage Pail Kids artists such as Brent Engstrom, Mark Pingitore and yourself into this project? Do you feel as though the art, thus far, is consistent with what we've seen from the brand over the years?
Simko: That couldn't be a truer statement. With the new artists, I think we each add something that perhaps another one may not. Although none of us can match the exact brush strokes of original GPK artist John Pound, I believe we balance each other out with our distinct styles and keep the spirit of the Garbage Pail Universe alive.
I think having some of the current GPK artists work on the comic is a good way to keep the thread of the GPK universe connected. I heard that veteran GPK writer/artist Jay Lynch may be writing or illustrating a story also--now that would be a perfect fit since he comes from the world of underground comix. Hopefully it's true that he is involved. If he’s not in this first issue, then hopefully the next one.
IGN: Fans will certainly hope that this line of comics is here to stay. What can prospective readers -- fans and non-fans alike -- look forward to when this hits shelves in 2015?
Simko: I sure hope we can continue to do more issues as well and explore the Garbage Pail Universe. These comics plan to evoke a style that is reminiscent of the independent underground comix era. Fringe humor storytelling, unique art styles that aren't so superhero "house" style based, and off course imagery flooded with the staple GPK gross-out gags.