With the Garbage Pail Kids fad coming to an end, Topps was looking for new ways to delight kids and disgust teachers. Enter 1988 Topps Dinosaurs Attack, a story-based set that combines prehistoric creatures, science fiction and a whole lot of blood and gore.
Done in the same vein as Mars Attacks, 1988 Topps Dinosaurs Attack tell a tale of all sorts ofJurassic Park wannabes invading the modern world. The results are bloody, silly and completely over-the-top. Innocent people are eaten, bystanders are maimed, even a dog is crushed.
With just 55 cards, the base set is easy to build. Card fronts are similar to Mars Attacks. They have a white border and a detailed painted image. Along the bottom is a caption in a black bar and the card number inside a yellow splatter.
Every pack of 1988 Topps Dinosaurs Attack also comes with one of 11 dinosaur stickers. These are more traditional in the sense that they’re just about dinosaurs. They’re not nearly as subversive as the base set.
Although the release has some big-time fans, it wasn’t a huge success during its initial release. A comic adaptation originally lasted just one issue. It remained this way until 2013 when IDW published the entire mini series. Today, boxes and sets are extremely affordable. The ample supply makes them easy to find as well.