Favourite brands of bubble gum!

[Hepcat]

I was never a gum chewer, but I loved chocolate cigarettes.

These?

[Flower]

I liked the chocolate ones too.  I don't recall the packaging.

[Hepcat]

Here's a picture of the vending machine card for Leaf Rain-Blo gum:



Sadly they're no longer available for a penny in gumball machines (but then again no longer are dimes and quarters 90% silver either). Leaf Rain-Blo gum is still available however in cellophane packages at your corner candy store!

[BigShadow]

I used to chew Bazooka Joe all the time in the 80's and 90's, mainly for the comic.  I wonder if anyone has done a reference book with all the comics?

[Hepcat]

Yes, probably several. This 60th anniversary one was published on 14 May 2013 and is available on Amazon and elsewhere:

[BigShadow]

Yes, probably several. This 60th anniversary one was published on 14 May 2013 and is available on Amazon and elsewhere:

Just added it to my Amazon cart.  Looks like a really cool book!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hepcat]

Leaf Spheroids are among the very best gumballs I've ever tasted:



I used to be able to buy them in rolls of six(?) similar to these Dubble Bubble Cry Baby rolls:



The Spheroids were a lot better though since the sour crystals were in the center of the gumball leaving the outside of the gumball nice and  smooth in texture. The Cry Baby gumballs have a rough texture.

Sadly I've not seen Spheroids for perhaps fifteen years.

[Hepcat]

The 1970s
With the 1970s series, it's deja vu all over again as the comics are re-issued for the third time (and more, later in the decade). The 'D' designation in the code number has been dropped. The codes now start with the year of release. Another difference is most of the individual series have expanded from 42 to 45 comics and generally the numbering is now continuous from one set to the next. Throughout the decade the individual comic 'values' increase in worth towards prizes. For variation collectors, most of the sets have alternate versions to chase after.
I've extended this section into 1981 as the dividing point for good reason: the 81 series marks the last appearance of the original Bazooka Joe and his gang. Next time we see the comics, Joe has a new gang! They are completely revamped. But in the meantime ...



"Whole Number" series
#271-315
'Cherry' version

"Whole Number" series
#271-315
'Grape' version

This very unusual series seems to fit between D-10 and the 71 series. For lack of a better name, I call it the "Whole Number" series. I'm open to suggestions. The set contains 45 comics ranging from #271-315. Where did Topps pull those numbers from? It's an anomaly. All comics are reprints from earlier 'D' series. The most distinguishing feature is all comics are found in both pink and purple versions that correspond with Cherry or Grape Bazooka bubble gum.

Where did you find that write-up?

[Hepcat]

And since Halloween is just a week away, here are a few more pictures lifted off the net of the most monsterrific bubble gum tattoo set of them all, the Topps Monster Tatoo set featuring artwork by the legendary Jack Davis that Topps released in 1962:

Here are a few more shots of 1962 Monster Tatoos from the Topps Archives courtesy of de-mented Eric:








The tattoos were printed on the inside of this wrapper:




Topps then re-issued these tattoos in 1974-75 on the inside of these four wrappers:

 








The re-issued tattoos differ in three ways:

1. The ones issued in 1962 are not numbered while the ones issued in 1974-75 have a number as well as an A or B series designation:




2. The ones issued in 1962 are coloured with darker inks with purple being a popular colour. The ones from 1974-75 feature lighter pastel colouring.


3. Finally, it seems that for the 1974-75 re-issue the Topps graphics department employed white-out to remove details from Davis' original drawings thus simplifying them and making them less likely to smudge/smear during the printing process. The original pictures from 1962 are in the top row while the simplified artwork is in the bottom row below:




Multifold lines and inking can be seen to have been removed from the old hag's hair in particular.

However many of these tattoos there are, they're a delight to non-sport card collectors, monster enthusiasts and Jack Davis fans alike. Bubble gum and tattoos are after all a very tough combo to beat.

[Hepcat]

Here are scans of my set of Topps Bugs Bunny Roadrunner Tattoos from 1976(?):













A set can be seen to consist of 16 yellow Bugs Bunny wrappers, 16 purple Bugs Bunny wrappers and 16 red Roadrunner wrappers.

[Hepcat]

I've had this Bozo machine for perhaps fifteen years:



But when I saw this unused O-Pee-Chee warehouse stock one on Etsy a few weeks ago I couldn't resist:











My heart opened immediately and my wallet quickly followed. It arrived at my door a couple of days ago. I'll fill it with the gumballs from my old machine.

[Wolfman]

The bubble gum cigars, or the gold rush gum that came in a small bag with a drawstring. I don't know the brand of either.

JP

[Hepcat]

The bubble gum cigars....

Those were made by Philadelphia Gum under their Swell brand name:







Sadly the fascist anti-smoking brigade has made the Cigars very difficult to find outside of (expensive) specialty stores in my neck of the woods. Bastards! Just because I don't smoke doesn't mean I should be denied my bubble gum!

...the gold rush gum that came in a small bag with a drawstring.

Those were a Topps product:

[Wolfman]

I vividly remember there was a brown bubble gum cigar when I was a kid. I'm talking mid 60's. I can't remember the flavor for the life of me, but I know it did exist briefly.

JP

[Hepcat]

Must have been Pink Owl then:



An excellent chew to be sure!