By: Honey Morales
Fright Flicks was a popular trading card set in the 1980s among young horror lovers. It featured images from classic films in the horror and science fiction genres, along with corny one-liners and Ripley’s-style “Can you believe it?” facts. Images from Aliens, Day of the Dead, A Nightmare on Elm Street (Parts 1, 2, and 3), Poltergeist, The Fly (1986), Ghostbusters, and Predator
Topps blessed us with a fantastic series of trading cards called Fright Flicks. This was like heaven for a horror buff. The films depicted on the cards were accompanied by zany sayings. It softens the scary monsters and other creatures a bit for younger audiences. The backs of the cards feature PG-rated stories. They could have included more information about the movie advertised on the cover, but instead, they gave the young reader a short ghost story/urban legend suitable for telling around a campfire. It’s cool to be a kid of ten and try to scare your friends with a narrative you made up and passed off as your own. Also, you get to rule the school as the undisputed master of all things terrifying. Nothing gives kids a greater sense of agency than spreading untruths with nothing but a trading card to back them up.
The packaging was typical Topps fare. These packs found success thanks to the cartoon adaptations of the terrors. Topps cards have always had some of my favorite artwork. I was always able to identify them from a distance.
LOVE, those stickers! Typical of Topps, once again. I enjoyed the sticker packs, and the cards were great as well. Usually only the title of the film or the name of the protagonist, this was always my favorite of the bunch A pack of Topps trading cards isn’t complete without a piece of chewing gum more durable than a block of concrete.
In sum, these are good cards that capture the spirit of their period, which saw horror characters making the transition to cartoons and breakfast cereal mascots. They’re an excellent memento that any horror enthusiast needs to add to their collection. No less than a couple of packs.