My 1991 "Wacky Package" drawings

Louse & Garbage by DF

all pencil sketches included here
are © Drew Friedman

In 1991, I was creating many concept sketches and pencil drawings for the TOPPS company, including for their latest set of the hugely popular sticker series "Wacky Packages". Mark Newgarden was the editor and art director for the 1991 series, and the writers for the card fronts included Newgarden, Jay Lynch, Jordan Bochanis,  John Mariano and myself. I drew about 22 tight pencil images which would (with one exception) be painted by the illustrator Patrick Piggott. 

Unfortunately, many of the cards I created (mostly parodying popular magazine covers of the day) were ultimately not used, the "Lost Wacky's". The problem was that Topps gave the go-ahead to proceed into a second series before the first series had even been marketed. When the numbers were finally crunched, it was decided that the team should move along with other satirical projects. Most of these pencil drawings have never been seen till now, aside from several turning up on a Wacky Packs site but incorrectly attributed to other artists.

painting by Pat Piggott: PP (unused)

Popps Magazine by DF

finished card painted by PP

TV Died by DF

painting by PP (unused)

BOB magazine by DF

painting by PP (unused)

The baby Splitters Club by DF

finished card by PP

SAD by DF (ironically I'd become a regular in MAD, a "Usual Gang of Idiot" a year later)
heh heh...

painting by PP (unused)

Boys' Lice by DF

painting by PP (unused)

Chin magazine by DF/not painted/unused

Frank Snot-ra Booger style marinara sauce/not painted/unused

Famine circle by DF

finished art without lettering by PP (unused)

MUMMOREX by DF

finished card painted by Tom Bunk

Heaventeen/not painted/unused

Paul E. Newman's Rancid Dressing by DF/not painted/unused

Rock 'em Sock 'Em Rabbis by DF/not painted/unused

Scar by DF

painting by PP (unused)

Soldier of misfortune by DF

painting by PP (unused)

Spleen Beat by DF

painting by PP (unused)

Sweat Valley High by DF

painting by PP (unused)

The following printed cards were originally penciled by me (unfortunately I have no copies of my sketches):

PREZ, painted by PP

Yuppie Chow, painted by PP

Barf's, painting by PP

Howard's Shempoo/card back, painting by PP

Salesman's order sheet for the '91 wacky packs (which were released in 1992)

 thanks to Mark Newgarden & Michael Campbell

Life of the Party Bibs

 "Life of the Party Bibs", cheap novelty item for adults. From the 1950's

                                          

"Life of the Party Aprons", cheap novelty sister product

To learn everything you need to know about cheap novelty items, order this essential book:
http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Laffs-Art-Novelty-Item/dp/0810955997

Sister Kathie Lee-Semple McPherson

Sister Kathie Lee

"SCANDALOUS" the new musical about the life of the 1920's and 30's evangelist and media celebrity Aimee Semple McPherson is poised to open on Broadway, with the book and lyrics  by the bewildering TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford. So when Ed Johnson, the design director at the NY Observer asked me to create a cover image to run with their interview with Ms. Gifford and an article about the show, morphing Kathie Lee into "Sister Aimee" made the most sense to me. 

Sister Aimee sermonizing to an admirer

Read the full Observer article here: 

http://observer.com/2012/10/praise-be-kathie-lee-delightfully-ditzy-daytime-queen-puts-the-fun-back-in-fundamentalism-with-preacher-feature-scandalous/

My rough sketch placed in the layout

the finished cover

MAD' LY YOURS...

To help celebrate MAD Magazine's 60th anniversary this year...

... I've been fortunate in receiving several personalized drawings from some of the legendary cartoonists (the "Usual gang of Idiots") who've worked for MAD over the years, including the above drawing by the great Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of MAD. This drawing is from 1980 (where I was most likely the main instigator in the weekly chaos that ensued during his class at the School of Visual Arts. Harvey privately thanked me on several occasions for keeping the class "lively') and was used in the class publication Kar-Tunz, before Harvey's personal inscription was added. 

Read all about my memories of Harvey Kurtzman and his SVA class here:

http://www.tcj.com/seriously-funny/

Jack Davis sent me this inscribed drawing recently as a thank you for interviewing him last year at the Brooklyn Comics festival and for writing a tribute to him for the recent anthology of his work from Fantagraphics:

http://drewfriedman.blogspot.com/2011/12/one-only-jack-davis.html

Sergio Aragonas drew this for me during my 1974 visit to the MAD offices. Read about it here:

http://drewfriedman.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-visit-to-mad-magazine.html

In 1990, Don Martin and I struck up a phone friendship. I sent "Mad's Maddest Artist" a copy of my new book, "Warts & all", co-written by my brother Josh, and this was the thank-you drawing I received in return.