Tuesday, September 13, 2022

1969-1970 Fleer Justice League of America Gum & Tattoo featuring Martian Manhunter Temporary Tattoo

This is the most awesome thing in the history of words ending in “some!” You know how much awesome history that is? It includes the invention of the Charleston Chew and the polio vaccine, that’s how awesome it is! But most importantly, Fleer Justice League of America Gum & Tattoo packs from 1969 featuring rare Martian Manhunter licensing! For 1/100th of an American dollar, you could temporarily add J’onn J’onzz to any part of your suddenly more manly body! That’s a sum smaller than the Atom, another favorite Leaguer of mine who also gets his own rare merchandising! Sock it to me! Hawkman, Flash, and Green Arrow joined the DC Trinity here as well! My only regret is no Sea King for the Aquaman Shrine.

The art is from a panel in Justice League of America #71, cover dated May 1969, by Dick Dillon and Sid Greene. The "ZOK" is all tattoo, though.

I’m not sure why the wrappers are copyrighted to ’69 and this header card ’70, but I presume one accompanied the other back in the day. For one copper Lincoln, you could twist the knob on your favorite gumball machine and receive not just something sweet to rot your teeth, but a primer tattoo for your upcoming career as a n’er-do-well. Then again, maybe these images of your favorite DC Super-Heroes would inspire a military career, so who’s to say? All I know is along the way, you’d be faced with the Manhunter from Mars, off in the corner and somehow smaller than the Atom. Somebody explain to these ding-dang licensors Ray Palmer’s union suit is invisible when he’s normal sized, unless of course he’s shown actual size and looking over his shoulder at the other Leaguers way off in the distance. That’s probably it...
Praise H’ronmeer for Dan Goodsell and his now defunct blog a sampler of things specifically the posting from Wednesday, August 16, 2006! He does however now have a Flickr

2 comments:

kevin from new orleans said...

Did you know that M.M. has a backup story in the Wonder Woman Dark Crisis one shot?

Diabolu Frank said...

Nope, but I'll check it out...