Forgotten 80's: Part one - Grossville High

Something new about something old. In ‘Forgotten 80’s’ I take a look at stuff that has slipped through the cracks and into obscurity. This blog features the 1987 Fleer bubblegum card series ‘Grossville High’.

“I loined it at Grossville” – Grossville High slogan

Topps’ ‘Garbage Pail Kids’ phenomenon was already starting to die down by the time rival card manufacturer Fleer debuted their ‘Grossville High’ series. The premise; A High School filled with a variety of odd and disgusting characters. I could’ve saved Fleer a lot of time and money and just let them copy my yearbook.

Ultimately ‘Grossville High’ came and went without causing much of a stir. I was in middle school at the time, just past the age where a [normal] kid would be into such a thing yet I still enthusiastically collected this series. I’d show them to my friends who would just roll their eyes at me. Heck, I didn’t care. Let them have their girlfriends and their spooning sessions, I had a shoebox full of colorful stickers! [Ever try to spoon with a bubblegum card? My advice? Don’t, or else buy Band aids. Lots and lots of Band aids].

The actual stickers featured bright, colorful artwork that was a bit more amateurish than the ‘Garbage Pail Kids’ line but still very cool. The backs, like ‘GPK’, featured “wacky” stuff like yearbook entries and the Grossville High Bulletin board. Here’s a sample from the Grossville High Lunch Menu.

Monday: Slug salad, Sliced raw Meatloaf with Slime Gravy, French Flies, Puke Pudding, Sloth Milk.

Did my Mom write these things? Anyway, you get the gist of it. Subtle as a kick to the taters.

Grossville High closed it’s doors forever after only one year and, like algebra, it has been forgotten by nearly everybody... until now.

The Grossvile line-up [some of these names are bit more clever than you’d think] 1. Peter Picker, 2 . Napper John, 3. Pam Hocks, 4. Grody Jody, 5. Dick Thickbrick, [I kid you not], 6. Brad Breath, 7. B.O. Joe, 8. Billy Bob Slob, 9. Cheatsheet Charlie, 10. Pretty Boy Roy, 11. Jack The Zipper, 12. Blind Date Kate, 13. Dale Fail, 14. Norman Nerdwood, 15. Close Shave Dave, 16. Jackie Acne, 17. Tony Tattoo, 18. Guy Fly, 19. Debbie Desperate, 20. Aersol Flynn, 21. Dr. Zoolittle, 22. Prima Donna, 23. Vinnie The Vice, 24. Fanny Form, 25. Ty Tannic, 26. Lila Brarian, 27. Janitor Jim, 28. Telulah Ptomaine, 29. Ortho-Dennis, 30. Homeroom Rhonda, 31. Brian Brownie, 32. Bob Beaker, 33. Mao Tse Tongue, 34. Kris Kross, 35. George Gorge, 36. Dan Druff, 37. Joe Stereo, 38. Lou Libel, 39. Vic Vomit, 40. Judy Cooty, 41. Teri Two-Faced, 42. Walter Weird, 43. Bea Flat, 44. Coach Roachbomb, 45. Jim Nausia, 46. Jane Pain, 47. Clyde Cleat, 48. Foxanne, 49. Nurse Curse, 50. Sam Speed, 51 Static Ling, 52. Airhead Ned, 53. Driver Ed, 54. Lovesick Rick, 55. Bruce Screwloose, 56. Prof. Square Rootski, 57. Koo-Kooracha, 58. Miss Body English, 59. Bess Stress, 60. Betty Blooper, 61. Ray Spray, 62. Prof. Lyle Lobe, 63. Chucky Chews, 64. Prof. Sigmund Fraud, 65. Ty Rant, 66. Bullpen Glen

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