For years, many have found themselves captivated by various obsessions, from strategic games like chess to addictive puzzles like Sudoku, or even the simple pleasure of a Twix bar. In the early 1990s, a new type of addiction emerged in the form of the Where’s Wally? books. Created by Martin Handford, this series began as a visually engaging game of hide-and-seek, but quickly evolved into something far more intricate and mentally stimulating, particularly with the release of the third book, The Fantastic Journey (1989).
Handford’s concept was straightforward yet brilliant: to illustrate detailed crowd scenes where readers had to locate Wally, a cheerful, bespectacled character always wearing a red-and-white striped sweater. The initial book presented familiar settings – beaches, train stations, ski slopes – rendered with wit, energy, and exquisite detail. However, by the third installment, Handford’s imagination truly took flight. Wally embarked on a quest alongside a wizard reminiscent of Gandalf, traversing fantastical realms filled with battling monks, flying carpets, red dwarves, underground hunters, and the especially bewildering Land of the Wallies. The simple task of finding a needle in a haystack transformed into a delightful yet challenging pursuit of locating a pin within a stack of pins, engaging children and adults for hours, even days.
The series continued to escalate in complexity. Where’s Wally in Hollywood featured a grand finale inspired by Busby Berkeley musicals, showcasing hundreds of Wallies, along with Wenda (his girlfriend), Odlaw (his nemesis), Woof (his dog, identifiable only by his striped tail), and Wizard Whitebeard. Following this, The Wonder Book pushed the boundaries further, culminating in a search for Woof in the Land of Woofs – a task likened to finding a black pin in a black pinstack in a dark room, virtually impossible. The author humorously recounts his own defeat in this particular challenge, admitting to never finding Woof.
The article then draws a humorous comparison to the publishing pace of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, highlighting the long gap between Where’s Wally? books. It suggests that a closer look at The Great Picture Hunt reveals the reason for the extended production time. Handford’s signature style, characterized by hard-edged crispness, became even more densely populated and elaborate over time. While the first book was far from sparsely detailed, it appears almost minimalist compared to the newer volumes.
Handford’s settings range from the mundane to the surreal, from a sports field filled with playful visual puns that appeal to children (like a “pear skater” and a tennis “ace”) to a world where balloons and Victorian-era steamers clash with green dragons. His distinctive crowds, packed together, perched on ladders, in crow’s nests, or on tightropes, are a hallmark of the series. Though the individuals are depicted with minimal detail – just dots and squiggles for faces, as seen from afar – the sheer density invites closer inspection, revealing hidden patterns, jokes, connections, and subtle references to previous pages or books. This incredible level of detail is truly awe-inspiring, making the search tasks set by Handford genuinely challenging. Readers are not only tasked with finding Wally, Wenda, and their companions, but also locating dropped objects like keys, cameras, scrolls, and Woof’s bone. Furthermore, intricate, ongoing searches span multiple pictures, and the inclusion of two identical “spot the difference” Wallyworlds is described as headache-inducing.
Despite the overwhelming detail and complexity, the Where’s Wally? books maintain a lighthearted and happy tone. Even when torturers appear in The Fantastic Journey, their actions are limited to tickling. Monsters are present in The Great Picture Hunt, but no characters are ever truly in danger. Violence is purely slapstick. However, beneath the playful surface, the article suggests a more unsettling undercurrent related to the nature of crowds. The books hint at the idea of losing oneself in a crowd, how crowds can become uncontrollable mobs, and the surrender of individuality and will. Wally’s role within these crowds is also presented as peculiar – always present yet detached, observing with a calm, all-accepting smile.
Finally, the review reflects on the immense effort required by Handford to create these intricate “human anthills.” Each illustration is compared to a vast Victorian narrative painting, like Frith’s Derby Day, but executed in the style of Tintin, infused with humor and requiring incredible patience. Referencing James Joyce’s ambition for readers to spend lifetimes unraveling Finnegans Wake, the author humorously suggests that finding all the hidden elements in Where’s Wally?, particularly Woof’s bones and Wally in the Land of the Wallies, would necessitate a sabbatical and reading glasses. Ultimately, the books are deemed perfect for keeping the average 10-year-old occupied on a rainy summer day, implying their enduring appeal and challenging nature for all ages.
The review concludes with a note about the author, Sean French, and his recent novel.
