Joe Simko Explained

Joe Simko
Occupation:Illustrator
Known For:Garbage Pail Kids
The Sweet Rot
Craniacs

Joe Simko is a New York City based illustrator who has contributed to Topps’ Garbage Pail Kids[1] and Wacky Packages trading cards. He is the producer and co-director of the Garbage Pail Kids documentary film, 30 Years of Garbage. He is the illustrator/author of the book series, The Sweet Rot, and has designed artwork for bands, creating album covers, tour posters and concert shirts for such acts as Metallica, Gwar, Misfits, The Vans Warped Tour, etc. His project Cereal Killers Trading Cards, 1st Series was released May 2, 2011. The Cereal Killers cards spoof breakfast cereals with popular horror films. Joe wrote and painted all 55 cards for the first and second set and launched the series through his company, Wax Eye. 2nd Series was released through Wax Eye in June 2012. [2]

He is the creator of Craniacs with former Topps senior VP executive Ira Friedman. Craniacs is an all-ages trading card series and is currently in development with Titmouse, Inc for an animated television series.

Early life

Joe Simko was born in Meadowbrooke, PA, and raised in Southampton, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cartooning. He was the very first recipient of the now annual Joe Orlando memorial award from his graduating department that year. Among Simko’s instructors at the School of Visual Arts were Joe Orlando (VP of DC Comics and associate editor of Mad), Klaus Jansen, Sal Almendola, and Carmine Infantino.

Career

After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, Simko held a full-time position as an artist for men’s neckwear, creating design pieces for ties. In 2000 Simko was hired as a full-time, in-house storyboard artist for national television commercials at GEM Studios in New York City, creating storyboard illustrations for top NYC ad agencies such as J Walter Thompson, BBDO, DDB, etc.

At this time he also did freelance jobs designing show posters for local bands. This freelance work gained some notice, and he began working for higher profile groups. In 2006, he designed all of the artwork for the large traveling rock tour, The Vans Warped Tour. In 2007, the Japanese rock festival MAGMA commissioned him to design all the artwork for their tour and oversee all the art direction as the managing artist. Two 20feet tall inflatable monsters based on Simko's character designs were also created for the Japan Rock concerts.

Simko has created artwork for clients and organizations including Topps, Abrams Books, Reed Pop, Ride Snowboards, Sims Snowboards, Outlook Skateboards, The Gotham Girls Roller Derby League, Fangoria Magazine, New York Hardcore Tattoos, Spooky Empire's Ultimate Horror Weekend, Monster Mania, JLO Hangtag for Andy Hilfiger, and the NYC clothing boutique Live Fast.

His list of musical clients includes Metallica, The Misfits, GWAR, Less Than Jake, Trivium, Murphy's Law, Dwarves, Sonic Youth, Good Riddance, The Undead, Peelander Z, and others.

In 2006, a Simko designed shirt was used in the film Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. The shirt was originally designed for the NYC store Live Fast.

2009, Simko began his current career as writer/illustrator for the Topps Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages brands, designing artworks for trading cards and licensed products.

2010, Simko launched The Sweet Rot book series as author and illustrator. An original story showcasing a group of wildly eccentric little kids also known as "little rotters" in the make-believe town of Pollilop Drop, The Sweet Rot is published by Schiffer Books.

In 2011, Simko and his wife June Gonzales launched Wax Eye, a pop cultured art based company. The company has released three trading card series to date: Cereal Killers series 1, Cereal Killers series 2, and Stupid Heroes; as well as a mobile app game Cereal Boom; and a T-shirt line based on the Cereal Killers brand.

In 2014, Simko formed the independent film production company Peel Here Productions,[3] along with partners June Gonzales and Jeff Zapata. Under this film company, they have released the documentary film based on the Garbage Pail Kids phenomenon titled 30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story.

2022, Simko co-produced a series of GPK stop-motion animated shorts directed by animation company Jamroll Studios. He later developed the GPK animated short film Mad Mike: Fury Load written by Adam F. Goldberg, producer/creator of ABC's The Goldbergs.

In 2023, Simko designed a series of promotional character paintings and cereal box prop artwork for the Sci-Fi film Divinity, directed by Eddie Alcazar and produced by Steven Soderbergh. The same year, Simko co-created CRANIACS with former Topps senior exec Ira Friedman, under their company IFE. The Craniacs IP made their debut in the form of a series of trading cards released in hobby stores nationwide in the fall of 2023.

Simko's continued work with the Garbage Pail Kids brand has led him to work on continued licensed products, including designing artwork for GPK x Stranger Things toys. He's designed artwork for GPK cereal, a cookbook, pop-up book and has worked with major children's book author R.L. Stine designing book covers for a series of GPK chapter books written by Stine.

Artwork for rock music festivals

Published artwork

Art shows

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2000

1999

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://garbage_pail_kids.tripod.com/US_New_Flashback_Series.htm GPK artist bios
  2. Simko, Joe. "It's Called the Music Business", Alternative Press Magazine, May 2009, page 37.
  3. Web site: 30 YEARS OF GARBAGE: The Garbage Pail Kids Story.
  4. Simko, Joe. Schiffer website, Spring 2010. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.
  5. Miret, Roger. Revolver Magazine, New York,2009.
  6. Pfouts, Sherri Schiffer website, Spring 2008. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.
  7. Doll Magazine, Tokyo, Japan. June 2007. Issue 238, back cover artwork
  8. Burgess, Aaron. "Built To Last", Revolver Magazine, NY, New York. March 2007. page 101
  9. King, Dennis. The Art of Modern Rock site 2007. page 61, page 167. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.
  10. Jones, Howard. "Kill Switch Engage", Skinnie Magazine, Rancho Cucamonga, California. November 2006. page 44.
  11. Rio, Dale. "Derby's Image Makers", Blood and Thunder Magazine Winter 2006, page 44
  12. Spin, Spring 2006. page 35
  13. King, Dennis., Grushkin, Paul. The Art of Modern Rock site 2004. page 483. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.

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