Wacky Packages

CAMALS LINE-ART BY RICK VARESI

CAMALS FINAL PAINTING BY NORM SAUNDERS

Camals Line-Art

In February of 2007, The Topps Vault eBay Auctions sold this black & white Camals rendering as the 1973 1st Series Checklist Art.  Although that was true, the 1-11/16" and 1-3/8" notations were too large for just a checklist.

As it turns out, this artwork was also used on the 1967 die cut Display Box and Wrapper.  But that's not the most interesting part.

It would seem that this was NOT drawn from the final Norm Saunders painting, that we all know and love.  It appears to be a line-art version of the Camals rough-art, which has never surfaced.

Most notably, the line-art camel has two humps*, whereas the final painting and actual product have only one*.  The unseen rough was created by Paul Laikin, based on a gag he did for Cracked Magazine in 1961.  His earlier Cracked Magazine Camal also donned two humps.

Other slight differences on the line-art include the camel's X'd out eye, missing tongue, and upside-down tail.  The angles of the pyramids are off kilter, and the camel head is absent on top of the pack.  The smaller text and subliminal message are missing, although the other wackys on the Display Box have their small text intact.

It seems that at least 3 of the 5 (if not all) of the line-art shown on the die-cut Display Box were drawn from roughs - Camals, Weakies, & Campy.

Similarly, the artwork on the 1969 Wacky Ads 5-cent box was derived from the rough art.

*NOTE: Dromedary Camels have one-hump, and Bactrian Camels have two!