Madballs vs. Garbage Pail Kids Release Limited-Edition Collabs

Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Madballs brand, and The Topps Company, owner of the Garbage Pail Kids brand (“GPK”), have released limited-edition collaborations. By playfully pitting the two brands against one another, licensees such as Chalk Line, Dynamite Entertainment and Premium DNA have brought the brands back to life for a face-off. 

The collaborations feature new artwork that pits entire groups of Madballs and Garbage Pail Kids characters against one another, as well as individual characters from each brand, in fun, tongue-and-cheek ways. 

“When the grossest, wackiest and nastiest brands from the ’80s collide, only awesomeness can follow,” says Carlos Villagra, creative director, Cloudco Entertainment. “We have been having a blast working with top partners to deliver products that fans, current and new, young and young at heart, will love. Creatively, this has been a dream project, featuring artwork from legendary artists from both brands, James Groman (Madballs) and Joe Simko (Garbage Pail Kids).” 

Chalk Line’s limited-edition run includes a satin logo jacket and two styles of retro polyester shorts that feature Madballs and GPK characters. This July, Dynamite Entertainment will be releasing four comic issues that take fans all the way back to the first time Madballs and GPK meet as neighbors. Premium DNA created a series of two-pack Madballs vs. GPK figurines, available for pre-sale now. Each figure stands six inches tall and features MADular articulation for part swapping and customization. The first 1,500 Madballs vs. GPK orders will receive a set of four Madballs vs. GPK trading card stickers in a vintage-style wax pack, with artwork by GPK illustrator, Joe Simko. 

“Megafans have been asking for a Madballs and GPK ‘mash-up’ since both brands launched in the ’80s, so it’s been a very long time coming,” says Robert Prinzo, global licensing head, Cloudco Entertainment. “We’re grateful to Ira Friedman, our licensing partner at Topps, and our licensees for taking these timeless properties from two different universes and delivering a retro-cool program that’s leaving fans asking for more.” 

Additional product partners include Topps (trading cards), Mad Engine (apparel and accessories), Mishka NYC (streetwear, apparel, accessories and vinyl Medicom figures), Pinfinity (augmented reality pins), Super Impulse (collectible toys) and others to be announced.