Dodgers plus a history of violence

I recently received a package from Tony of Off-Hiatus Baseball Cards, who is about the only man I know who writes baseball card blog posts as long as I do. Something he sent made me stop for a moment, and as usual, do a little research.

But first, the most important thing: the Dodgers he sent.

Let's look at them in all of their splendor:

 This completes the 2014 Bowman Dodgers team set for me ... I think - one never knows with Bowman.

And here's an extra blue parallel of Guerrero since he might get DFA'd soon because for some reason the Dodgers feel compelled to have Carl Crawford play for them again.

Speaking of Carl, this card completes the silver foil version of the Dodgers' Chasing History insert set for me. There were way too many Dodgers in this set. Stuff like this almost convinces me to start collecting Colorado Rockies instead of Dodgers. Life would be so much simpler. Depressing, but simpler.

I have an unhealthy number of parallels of this card. I probably should just try to collect all of them, except for the fact that I don't remember who Luis Cruz is anymore.

Sandy retired 49 years ago, which means I'm collecting a 15-card insert set in 2015. This is my third card from the set and there are 12 to go. This was not a good idea. By anyone. Including me.

Tommy is going in my far-from-complete 2014 Allen and Ginter set. So, yes, I can contain myself that 2015 Ginter is coming out this week. ... until I see the Clubber Lang card, and then Target better damn well be open.

I am embarrassed by my lack of Dodgers from the 1989 and 1990 Sportflics sets. It's right up there on my "top 10 embarrassing things about night owl" list. No, you're not going to get me to reveal that list. Not even for all the remaining '89 and '90 Sportflics Dodgers.

Mini-Joc! Look, you guys! Somebody is still sending me Joc Pederson cards!

Of course, this arrived before he did his Home Run Derby thing. I haven't even bothered to look at prices of Pederson cards since then.

So then, along with those great Dodgers cards, Tony sent something else that is close to my heart. Although admittedly, I found them a little disturbing.

Yes, butts. On my candy bars and on my Wacky Packages.  But, really, that's not what I'm referring to, as scary as that is.

Here are the other modern-day Wacky Packages that I received:

Do you see a common theme?

Those who collected Wacky Packages back in the 1970s may have noticed it right away: there's an awful lot of blood and violence in today's Wacky Packs.

That's not the Wacky Packs that I remember. The ones I collected then were more goofy than gruesome.

There wasn't much blood. Sure, there was violence, but mostly of the implied, cartoon variety:

I'm sure I'm the only one who's a little alarmed by this. Most bloggers grew up on Wacky's offspring, Garbage Pail Kids, which were darker than the '70s Wacky Packs. And I admit I avoid watching slasher movies because they leave me rattled for days. I can't handle that stuff.

These bloodier cards probably ruins any attempt to collect current Wacky Pack stickers, although my fondness for the ones from the '70s has grown even stronger now.

You'll never get me out of the '70s.