Horror and hilarity collide in 1988 Topps Fright Flicks trading cards. It’s also something of a miracle that it even exists given that more than a dozen films are on the checklist.
Coming out at a time when ’80s horror was peaking, the result is both gross and funny. To that end, it’s also a bit of a throwback to the 1960s when the two genres often went together, albeit with a lot less blood and severed body parts.
1988 Topps Fright Flicks Checklist Overview
Spanning 90 cards, the 1988 Topps Fright Flicks checklist features 14 different films:
- Alien (1979)
- An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- Poltergeist (1982)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- A Nightmare of Elm Street II (1985)
- Day of the Dead (1985)
- Fright Night (1985)
- Poltergeist II (1985)
- Aliens (1986)
- The Fly (1986)
- A Nightmare of Elm Street III (1987)
- Predator (1987)
- Pumpkinhead/Vengeance: The Demon (1988)
Freddy and Friends
Freddy Krueger plays the most prominent role in the set, represented not only in three different films but the original and first two sequels all have several cards. This shouldn’t be too surprising given the franchise’s popularity in the late 1980s and into the ’90s.
It’s also notable that all but one of the cards from Pumpkinhead use the film’s original title, Vengeance: The Demon.
Images don’t hold much, if anything, back, showcasing aliens at their grossest and monsters on the hunt. Blood and guts are on full display. However, Fright Flicks also takes a comedic approach with its captions, loading the checklist up with puns and other nonsense. It’s similar to the You’ll Die Laughing sets Topps had done in the past as well as several other monster-themed products over the decades. The end result uncomfortably fun. Unless your parents weren’t into such things — and actually caught on to what you were buying. Then it might have just been uncomfortable for different reasons.
Backs have a couple of parts. There’s a marquee at the bottom listing the movie the card is showcasing. The bulk of the card back space has nothing to do with the movies, or any movie for that matter. Headlined “Did It Ever Happen?” these have short campfire stories and urban legends. In case you were wondering whether the tales are real, Topps actually has a disclaimer directing collectors to the wrapper that has a slightly more legal disclaimer clarifying that, in fact, the events didn’t happen.
Stickers
Eleven stickers are also part of 1988 Topps Fright Flicks. Most of these have more punny captions, although designs are a little more varied and creative than the base set. Backs go together to form a collage of featured monsters.
1988 Topps Fright Flicks is an extremely popular set today. There’s appeal to genre fans in general but the set also represents some of the earliest, or only, trading cards for several enduring films and franchises. Boxes lead the way, selling for several hundreds. But sales of packs, sets and even singles are strong as well.
1988 Topps Fright Flicks Checklist
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Set size: 90 cards
Cards per pack: 10
Packs per box: 36
Shop for 1988 Topps Fright Flicks boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
90 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Title Card
2 Man, That Soup Is Hot!
3 Gotta Quit This Nailbiting Habit!
4 I Really Oughta Stop Gargling with Kerosene!
5 I Visit My Dentist Once a Year…Unfortunately, He Died!
6 Doc, How Do I Get a Head In This Life?
7 Baby, You’re the Greatest!
8 Talk About Obscene Phone Calls!
9 Okay, Who Took a Bite Out of My Bran Muffin?
10 Darn! Now I’ll Have to Learn Shorthand!
11 Open Wide And Say Aaah!
12 I Ordered a Pizza – Not a Pizza Face!
13 I Gotta Stop Hammering Nails With My Head!
14 Do I Get Extra Sauce with These Ribs?
15 Must Have Been Someone I Ate!
16 Hi! I’m the New Babysitter!
17 I’ve Got a Stake In Your Future!
18 Hey — Who Swiped My Undershirt?
19 Let Your Fingers Do the Walking!
20 Better Fix That Broken Window, Paul – A Fly Could Get In!
21 Now Don’t Get Cross!
22 I Tell You, That Nuclear Plant is Safe!
23 Eek! A Mouse!
24 Well I’ll Be a Monkey’s Uncle…Oh Yeah, I Am.
25 She’s Not Exactly a “10” — But She’s a Perfect 1/10th!
26 Sorry — Wrong Answer!
27 The Singles Scene is Murder!
28 Warning: I Brake for Small Animals — And Eat Them!
29 Now You Put on the Bunny Outfit!
30 That’s a Heck of a Hangnail You Got There, Pal!
31 Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall — Who’s the Grossest One of All!
32 Hello, I’m from Acme Pest Control!
33 Oh No – Now I’ll Need to Buy New Gloves!
34 Mayhem? I’m Up For It!
35 One Tube of Acne Gel — King Size!
36 What Do You Mean? I Just Had a Manicure!
37 By the Way, How’s the Meatloaf Here?
38 They Sure Have Ugly Girls in This Neighborhood!
39 Give Grandma a Great Big Sloppy Kiss!
40 No Job is Too Big for Your Local Exterminator!
41 Darn It, I Forgot the Marshmallows!
42 By the Way – Are You Insured?
43 Honey, Shut the Window — I Feel a Draft in Here!
44 Trick or Treat!
45 Dishwashing Liquid? I’m Soaking In It!
46 Braces? Really, You Think So?
47 Next Time I’ll Use an Electric Razor!
48 The Unkindest Cut of All!
49 TV Has Gone To My Head!
50 Okay Everybody, Arms Extended – And Stretch, 1-2-3!
51 Is This the Line for Ballet Tickets?
52 When You Said You’d Have Me for Dinner, I Thought You Meant —
53 Am I Tired — Dead Tired!
54 Nancy! Come Sit Next to Daddy!
55 When I Said “Hand Me That Screwdriver” —
56 Billy … Suzie? Okay, I Give Up. Who Is It?
57 Mommy! You Forgot to Pay the Paper Boy!
58 I Should Have Passed on That Last Egg Cream!
59 The Label Said Not To Open Before Christmas!
60 I Wanna Roast Me a Boy Scout!
61 Whew, I’m Really Shot!
62 Charlene, Something Inside Me is Yearning to Be Released!
63 Can You Spare a Dime for a Bite?
64 It Takes a Lot of Guts To Do This!
65 Cheese!
66 All Right — Bring Back the Lighter for a Refund!
67 Okay Dudes, Let’s Take It from the Top!
68 But Why Can’t I Join the Boy’s Choir?
69 What Big Teeth You Have, Grandma!
70 But Leave the Side Burns!
71 Stay for Coffee?
72 I’ve Had It with Those Miracle Diets!
73 I Said I’d Give Blood, But This is Ridiculous!
74 I’ll Call You Later, Something Just Came Up!
75 And for My Next Shadow Picture…
76 I’ve Gone All To Pieces Over You, Honey!
77 Mommy, I Want a Glass of Water – Make That Two!
78 Who Said You Could Touch My Toys?
79 Phooey — Nothing’s Good on TV Tonight!
80 Have You Seen Your Dentist This Year?
81 Hey, You’re Right — I Can See Myself!
82 Hey Pop, That Microwave Really Works!
83 Try the Shrimp Tempura — It’s Delicious!
84 Gary Will Be Here at 8:00 and I Can’t Do a Thing With My Hair!
85 Later, Kids!
86 Whadda You Mean, Success Has Gone To My Head?
87 There’s Just Never Enough Pate To Go Around!
88 I’ve Got a Bone To Pick with You!
89 Man, My Dogs Are Killing Me!
90 Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Stickers Checklist
11 cards.
1 per pack.
1 T.V. Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
2 Long Live The Queen
3 Fright Night
4 Freddy for President
5 Do The Freddy
6 The Fly
7 Freddy vs. Dream Warriors
8 Predator
9 The Man of Your Dreams is BACK!
10 Slimer
11 Pumpkinhead
1988 Topps Fright Flicks Checklist by Film
The following breaks the 90-card base set down by film.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
8 Talk About Obscene Phone Calls!
12 I Ordered a Pizza – Not a Pizza Face!
18 Hey — Who Swiped My Undershirt?
53 Am I Tired — Dead Tired!
A Nightmare on Elm Street II
1 Title Card
4 I Really Oughta Stop Gargling with Kerosene!
15 Must Have Been Someone I Ate!
19 Let Your Fingers Do the Walking!
33 Oh No – Now I’ll Need to Buy New Gloves!
41 Darn It, I Forgot the Marshmallows!
47 Next Time I’ll Use an Electric Razor!
75 And for My Next Shadow Picture…
85 Later, Kids!
A Nightmare on Elm Street III
25 She’s Not Exactly a “10” — But She’s a Perfect 1/10th!
27 The Singles Scene is Murder!
31 Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall — Who’s the Grossest One of All!
49 TV Has Gone To My Head!
52 When You Said You’d Have Me for Dinner, I Thought You Meant —
61 Whew, I’m Really Shot!
63 Can You Spare a Dime for a Bite?
66 All Right — Bring Back the Lighter for a Refund!
73 I Said I’d Give Blood, But This is Ridiculous!
79 Phooey — Nothing’s Good on TV Tonight!
Alien
34 Mayhem? I’m Up For It!
40 No Job is Too Big for Your Local Exterminator!
70 But Leave the Side Burns!
74 I’ll Call You Later, Something Just Came Up!
83 Try the Shrimp Tempura — It’s Delicious!
86 Whadda You Mean, Success Has Gone To My Head?
90 Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Aliens
11 Open Wide And Say Aaah!
23 Eek! A Mouse!
46 Braces? Really, You Think So?
50 Okay Everybody, Arms Extended – And Stretch, 1-2-3!
57 Mommy! You Forgot to Pay the Paper Boy!
59 The Label Said Not To Open Before Christmas!
62 Charlene, Something Inside Me is Yearning to Be Released!
64 It Takes a Lot of Guts To Do This!
An American Werewolf in London
24 Well I’ll Be a Monkey’s Uncle…Oh Yeah, I Am.
26 Sorry — Wrong Answer!
29 Now You Put on the Bunny Outfit!
37 By the Way, How’s the Meatloaf Here?
45 Dishwashing Liquid? I’m Soaking In It!
54 Nancy! Come Sit Next to Daddy!
Day of the Dead
3 Gotta Quit This Nailbiting Habit!
6 Doc, How Do I Get a Head In This Life?
30 That’s a Heck of a Hangnail You Got There, Pal!
42 By the Way – Are You Insured?
51 Is This the Line for Ballet Tickets?
67 Okay Dudes, Let’s Take It from the Top!
69 What Big Teeth You Have, Grandma!
71 Stay for Coffee?
78 Who Said You Could Touch My Toys?
Fright Night
2 Man, That Soup Is Hot!
10 Darn! Now I’ll Have to Learn Shorthand!
13 I Gotta Stop Hammering Nails With My Head!
17 I’ve Got a Stake In Your Future!
21 Now Don’t Get Cross!
36 What Do You Mean? I Just Had a Manicure!
44 Trick or Treat!
55 When I Said “Hand Me That Screwdriver” —
68 But Why Can’t I Join the Boy’s Choir?
82 Hey Pop, That Microwave Really Works!
Ghostbusters
5 I Visit My Dentist Once a Year…Unfortunately, He Died!
39 Give Grandma a Great Big Sloppy Kiss!
60 I Wanna Roast Me a Boy Scout!
87 There’s Just Never Enough Pate To Go Around!
89 Man, My Dogs Are Killing Me!
Poltergeist
43 Honey, Shut the Window — I Feel a Draft in Here!
76 I’ve Gone All To Pieces Over You, Honey!
77 Mommy, I Want a Glass of Water – Make That Two!
80 Have You Seen Your Dentist This Year?
Poltergeist II
14 Do I Get Extra Sauce with These Ribs?
58 I Should Have Passed on That Last Egg Cream!
Predator
16 Hi! I’m the New Babysitter!
38 They Sure Have Ugly Girls in This Neighborhood!
88 I’ve Got a Bone To Pick with You!
Pumpkinhead/Vengence: The Demon
7 Baby, You’re the Greatest!
28 Warning: I Brake for Small Animals — And Eat Them!
48 The Unkindest Cut of All!
65 Cheese!
72 I’ve Had It with Those Miracle Diets!
84 Gary Will Be Here at 8:00 and I Can’t Do a Thing With My Hair!
The Fly (1986)
9 Okay, Who Took a Bite Out of My Bran Muffin?
20 Better Fix That Broken Window, Paul – A Fly Could Get In!
22 I Tell You, That Nuclear Plant is Safe!
32 Hello, I’m from Acme Pest Control!
35 One Tube of Acne Gel — King Size!
56 Billy … Suzie? Okay, I Give Up. Who Is It?
81 Hey, You’re Right — I Can See Myself!
