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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Super Friends Paint By Numbers - 1974

sgLet's all paint the Super Friends! Including Batman and Robin, whom you don't see on this package!

Younger comic fans probably can't imagine an environment where, given the choice of characters to put on your product, someone would choose Aquaman or Wonder Woman over Batman. And yet, in 1974, Batman was about on par with his other Super Friends in terms of merchandisability.

Oddly enough, while the Superman and Wonder Woman drawings look original, the Aquaman is clearly lifted from the cover of Aquaman #56 by Nick Cardy. Why you wouldn't just use the beautiful Alex Toth Super Friends piece--the very one awaiting you inside the box--is beyond me.

When I first came across this set on ebay, it went for over $100.00 MIB and I simply wasn't willing to pay that much. When I found it again in another auction two weeks later, I prepared myself for a bidding war. Surprisingly, I was the first, last, and only bidder, and took it home for only $25.00. Ah, the mysteries of ebay!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow, flashback time! I remember having this as a kid, and actually painting it! This is another good reason for me to stay OUT of ebay....too many temptations! ;-) Speaking of the Super Friends, do you have the SF coloring book that Whitman made during the first season? It featured Wendy and Marvin, plus some benign aliens. I had it as a kid and colored in it, but when I went to get another copy it was gone...and I've never seen it since.

rob! said...

i've seen the SF coloring book on ebay a few times but have yet to pick it up...i had it as a kid, too!

Plaidstallions said...

I have the SF colouring book, I'm trying to find it.