] type='image/vnd.microsoft.icon'/>

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Just Look For Aquaman!"

F.O.A.M. member Wil Radcliffe sent me what might be the single most off-the-wall Aquaman reference, period. This is a 60-second radio ad for a towing/auto repair service called Chuck's Towing that operates in right around the border between Michigan and Indiana:


...what. the. hell.

Wil wonders if they have Aquaman or the Aquaman logo on their truck (I'm sure DC would like to know that, too), but doesn't know for sure. Five bucks American to any F.O.A.M.er in the area who snaps a picture of one of Chuck's trucks and sends it in, Aquaman or no. An amazing find, thanks Wil!


Broken Record Department: Can you picture any business using The Flash or Green Lantern in such an offhand way? Once again, we see an example of Aquaman being part of the culture in a way that only few comic book characters have managed.

15 comments:

JasonMotesBowles said...

I wonder if he just means the trucks are aqua-blue? I have seen around Cincinnati, a delivery truck with The Flash painted on the side!

Russell said...

I live in this (general) area. I should make it my QUEST this summer to try to track this thing down. Haha!

Did anyone else see the comic-strip HI & LOIS last week where the teenage son Chip was wearing a Green Lantern logo t-shirt? I saw it and wondered if the artist even knew what it was....and how many others would recognize it.

Wings1295 said...

Weird.

Okay Russell, we are counting on you!

rick duncan said...

I just called Chuck at Chuck's Towing in Burr Oak, Michigan. He told me a great story about how blue is his favorite color and when he was starting his towing business, he went all the way to Tennessee (I think) to pick up a truck he had bought on-line based partly on the fact that it was blue. When he got there it was actually green.

He says that the paint color on the truck is called "International Aqua Green." The color always looks blue in digital photos but is actually green. He said he was really "pissed" when he got the truck, but the color has been so popular with his customers, he has painted his whole fleet the same "Aqua" color. He says its visible from far away. So when someone calls for a tow, he says just "look for the aqua truck."

Chuck said the Aquaman comment was the radio station's idea. He also said if he wouldn't get in trouble he might start using an Aquaman logo.

Anyway he seems like a great guy and he said he would check out the Shrine when he got back to his office.

Anonymous said...

Chuck is my dad and I can vouche for the story it is all true. Alot of people around that area now call him the aqua man and we have found that its grown on him :)

rick duncan said...

Your dad probably thought I was nuts, but I enjoyed talking to him.
(PS. Send Rob a picture and we can split the five bucks.;)

Marc Tyler Nobleman said...

As for arbitrary DC heroes in ads, don't forget the Hawkman Baby Ruth TV commercial of 1997.

John said...

Actually, I was more intrigued by the term "Michiana". Neat.

David J. Cutler said...

Would be nice if this didn't start automatically on every page load--scares me every time haha. (Maybe I'm the only one).

rob! said...

David--sorry about that, it doesn't do that for me when I set it up.

David J. Cutler said...

That's okay, Rob, it might be an issue with Google Chrome, haven't been using this browser long.

Dixon said...

Wow! What a funny story.

You see, this is why I absolutely love the Aquaman Shrine. When the Shrine first began, we all knew what to expect. Every day brought a piece of recognizable Aquaman merchandise or paraphernalia. Now that the Shrine has continued on for years, however, the Aquaman related items just keep getting more unusual, more unexpected, and more esoteric! You never know what you're going to see.

This blog never fails to completely capture my interest and bring a smile to my face, Rob.

rob! said...

Thanks Dix! I love finding this incredibly obscure stuff, too.

Anonymous said...

I am Chucks daugter and i can tellu the whole thing is true we still havent hearhim saying how the end of how the truck is a differnt color than what it should be, but ill tell u what

1 i wouldnt mind having the aquaman logo on the side of our truckn (with D.C. approval

2 hes never goning to live this down but we all got a great laugh out of this thanks will

Anonymous said...

I am Chucks daugter and i can tellu the whole thing is true we still havent hearhim saying how the end of how the truck is a differnt color than what it should be, but ill tell u what

1 i wouldnt mind having the aquaman logo on the side of our truckn (with D.C. approval

2 hes never goning to live this down but we all got a great laugh out of this thanks will