Dinosaurs, Spacemen, and Ghouls
By Where's Wally, 1990
Welcome to one of the busiest movie sets you will ever see. This scene comes from the world of Where's Wally, the beloved puzzle books created by British illustrator Martin Handford in the late 1980s. Known as Where's Waldo in North America, the series invited readers to hunt for a striped-shirted traveler hidden among enormous crowds. This particular picture pulls back the curtain on filmmaking, showing how movie magic gets made with dinosaurs, spacemen, and ghouls all sharing one chaotic studio.
Look closely and you will spot flying saucers dangling from wires, a fake volcano spewing orange lava, and a giant elephant statue surrounded by film crews. The note in the top corner sets the theme, asking what is real and what is just movie trickery. Handford packed every inch with tiny gags and busy little characters, all drawn in his signature flat, colorful style with crisp ink outlines. Half the fun is forgetting to search for Wally at all and simply enjoying the dozens of small stories happening side by side.
These illustrations were never meant to hang in a gallery, yet they became a cultural phenomenon that sold millions of copies worldwide. Part of their charm is how they reward patience and a sharp eye. Take your time, lean in, and see how many funny details you can find before the spacemen and dinosaurs distract you.