Title: Topps Monster Tatoos/Monster Tattoos!
Post by: Hepcat on September 25, 2022, 12:15:28 AM
Post by: Hepcat on September 25, 2022, 12:15:28 AM
Topps released a Monster Tatoo set in 1962. The tattoos were printed on the inside of this bubble gum wrapper:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%202/MonsterTattoos7.jpg)
The drawings appear to have been rendered by the legendary Jack Davis:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9a/10/4c/9a104c37fe17fea2668625fca5de8cb9.jpg)
Here's a look at several dozen of the tattoos from the Topps Archives courtesy of de-mented Eric:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861982/mon2.jpg)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861983/mon3.jpg)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861984/mon4.jpg)
Topps then re-issued these tattoos in 1974-75 on the inside of these four wrappers:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801612/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_02.png) (https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801613/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_03.png)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801614/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_04.png) (https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801611/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_01.png)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_Wrappers.jpg) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_Wrappers_2.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_wrappers_3.jpg)
The re-issued tattoos differ in three ways:
1. The ones issued in 1962 are not numbered while the ones issued in 1974-75 have a number as well as an A or B series designation:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%202/MonsterTattoos1.jpg)
2. The ones issued in 1962 are coloured with darker inks with purple being a popular colour. The ones from 1974-75 feature lighter pastel colouring.
3. Finally, it seems that for the 1974-75 re-issue the Topps graphics department employed white-out to remove details from Davis' original drawings thus simplifying them and making them less likely to smudge/smear during the printing process. The original pictures from 1962 are in the top row while the simplified artwork is in the bottom row below:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861399/Comparison.jpg)
Multifold lines and inking can be seen to have been removed from the old hag's hair in particular.
Lonnie Cummins has done a lot of research on these tattoos including a great job cataloguing the two issues:
However many of these tattoos there are, they're a delight to non-sport card collectors, monster enthusiasts and Jack Davis fans alike. Bubble gum and tattoos are after all a very tough combo to beat.
8)
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%202/MonsterTattoos7.jpg)
The drawings appear to have been rendered by the legendary Jack Davis:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9a/10/4c/9a104c37fe17fea2668625fca5de8cb9.jpg)
Here's a look at several dozen of the tattoos from the Topps Archives courtesy of de-mented Eric:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861982/mon2.jpg)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861983/mon3.jpg)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861984/mon4.jpg)
Topps then re-issued these tattoos in 1974-75 on the inside of these four wrappers:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801612/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_02.png) (https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801613/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_03.png)
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801614/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_04.png) (https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/6801611/MonsterTattooBubbleGum1975_01.png)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_Wrappers.jpg) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_Wrappers_2.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Jack_Davis_wrappers_3.jpg)
The re-issued tattoos differ in three ways:
1. The ones issued in 1962 are not numbered while the ones issued in 1974-75 have a number as well as an A or B series designation:
(http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/Balticprince/General%20Album%202/MonsterTattoos1.jpg)
2. The ones issued in 1962 are coloured with darker inks with purple being a popular colour. The ones from 1974-75 feature lighter pastel colouring.
3. Finally, it seems that for the 1974-75 re-issue the Topps graphics department employed white-out to remove details from Davis' original drawings thus simplifying them and making them less likely to smudge/smear during the printing process. The original pictures from 1962 are in the top row while the simplified artwork is in the bottom row below:
(https://d28lcup14p4e72.cloudfront.net/220100/7861399/Comparison.jpg)
Multifold lines and inking can be seen to have been removed from the old hag's hair in particular.
Lonnie Cummins has done a lot of research on these tattoos including a great job cataloguing the two issues:
Quote from: Lonnie Cummins1962 "Monster Tatoos" visual checklist... to make things simpler, I matched the first 60 tatoos to the 1974 numbering, although they aren't actually numbered of course. Just missing two images from the 1962 issues (used 1974/1975 images in checklist)...
1974/1975 "Monster Tattoos"...
However many of these tattoos there are, they're a delight to non-sport card collectors, monster enthusiasts and Jack Davis fans alike. Bubble gum and tattoos are after all a very tough combo to beat.
8)
Title: Re: Topps Monster Tatoos/Monster Tattoos!
Post by: Sir Masksalot on September 25, 2022, 06:41:54 AM
Post by: Sir Masksalot on September 25, 2022, 06:41:54 AM
I love the artwork on these. Thanks for all the pics and research,
Hepcat, Mr Cummins, and "de-mented Eric".
Hepcat, Mr Cummins, and "de-mented Eric".
Title: Re: Topps Monster Tatoos/Monster Tattoos!
Post by: marsattacks666 on September 25, 2022, 09:14:12 AM
Post by: marsattacks666 on September 25, 2022, 09:14:12 AM
So awesome