The Untold History of ODD RODS®!
View Odd Rods® artist BK Taylor's Bio!
In 1969 the Odd Rods® series was born.
While still in school, cartoonist B.K. Taylor began sending samples to various outlets in the hopes of being published. Strangely, and to his surprise, the Donruss Company contacted him, asking for art for a bubblegum card series. Strange, because he hadn't even included this company in the original mailing!
Regardless, this was the beginning of what would become an American phenomenon. Bizarre creatures in weird dragsters, funny cars and rods were drawn and sent in to the Memphis office of Donruss.
Kids across the country discovered the Odd Rods® cards and began peeling them from their backing and sticking them on everything -- bikes, jackets, books and, to the frustration of many angry mothers, bedroom doors, walls and windows!
With the first series Taylor received a nominal buyout, and nothing more. But to a young and very hopeful cartoonist, it was a dream come true. It soon became evident that the series was a hit, and Donruss, now under new management, once again contacted Taylor with a request for a second series.
The difference this time was the assumption of the principals at Donruss that Taylor headed a working studio. (The company policy was to contract only with incorporated businesses or studios, for insurance of delivery.)
Not wanting to let this opportunity get away, and since the new management was now offering a royalty, Taylor thought, "Okay, I'll become a company!" A rerun of an old TV series called "Outer Limits" was airing as he thought of what to call his new venture. Thus began the Outer Limits Corporation, with Taylor as President, CEO, Creative Director and art department. (Company Christmas parties were very quiet.)
The pressure heightened as marketing directors at Donruss would call and say, "Get your staff to work, we need the next series ASAP!" Taylor would look around his small empty studio and shout, "Get to work, guys!" and then sit down at his solitary drawing board, inking and painting franticly into the night.
Luckily there was the help of a classmate with car layout, which literally, and thankfully, saved deadlines.
B. K. recalls one particularly humorous (and somewhat terrifying) incident, when the Donruss executives called to say they were coming to Detroit on other business, and would like to visit the Outer Limits Studios while in town. Suddenly Taylor's life became a sitcom episode, with panicked calls to friends who had a small studio, begging them to help with the charade. Taking the challenge, everyone rushed to make Outer Limits signs to cover the existing logos, the staff was coached on what to say when Don Russ arrived, and Odd Rods® artwork was placed on all drawing boards. Fortunately, at the last minute the executives called to say there wasn't enough time to fit in their visit - averting what would surely have been a disaster!
In future years the series grew to include not only Odd Rods®, but also Odder Odd Rods®, Fantastic Odd Rods®, Odd Rod All Stars®, Silly Cycles®, and Fiends and Machines®. The impact of these cards was far-reaching, and nothing less than amazing. To this day Taylor hears from collectors on the internet or at public appearances who reminisce about their youthful obsession with Odd Rods®.
There were other card series with Donruss covering every sport imaginable, and later Taylor went on to illustrate for many humor/satire publications and children's books, as well as writing and performing for television.
Looking back, B. K. marvels at the unique experience of dreaming up the hundreds of Odd Rods® characters and monsters with total creative freedom. "Commercial illustration now is so much more restrictive. With Odd Rods®, it was great fun to draw whatever came to mind - total unleashing of the imagination."
Now the fanatical phenomenon is unleashed once again -- Odd Rods® are back!
View Odd Rods® artist BK Taylor's Bio!
