INSIDE LOOK: Best news of the summer? Might be…
Finally, finally, finally — Ben Cooper superhero costumes are making a comeback this Halloween, hot on the heels of last year’s Star Wars selection.
Yep, Superman, Batman and the Flash will be offered exclusively at Spirit Halloween stores as early as late August or more likely just after Labor Day. Not just that, there will be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Gremlins selections, as well. Each set runs $24.99. (It’s not yet clear whether these will be sold online.)
Dig this INSIDE LOOK at each costume:
“To keep our assortment fresh this year Rubies is offering two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Leonardo and Michelangelo), three DC superheroes (Superman, Batman and Flash) and one Gremlins item (Gizmo),” said Mark Von Ohlen, spokesperson for mass-market costumer Rubies, which owns the Ben Cooper brand. “All of these properties are big nostalgia brands that have a following stretching for years.”
Unfortunately, there are no Marvel selections this time out but who knows what the future might bring.
Personally, I’m most enthusiastic about the superheroes because I pretty much lived in my Batman costume when I was a kid. And while these are not exact replicas of what we wore back in the day — we don’t need the pants, I’d agree, and the graphics have been altered — they certainly capture the, well, spirit of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Plus, don’t forget — Superman and Batman, for example, were often tweaked during Ben Cooper’s heyday.
I’ve long advocated that old Ben Cooper designs would make great T-shirts and the brand actually offered a selection at San Diego Comic-Con, featuring the likes of the Creature From the Black Lagoon. But even if we don’t get T-shirts of the old superhero designs, these new sets certainly go a long way toward scratching that itch. I cannot wait to get my hands on these, especially Batman (of course).
Young Dan in 1973. I had the Batman play suit and had to make do when the pants ripped. That’s a Mexican Adam West mask, by the way.
“Ben Cooper has a big following and we are seeing more and more nostalgia brands from the ’80s and ’90s are very popular today,” Von Ohlen said. “At San Diego Comic-Con we had a booth featuring the Ben Cooper masks that are coming out in Spirit this Halloween plus a collection of vintage masks and we debuted our T-shirt collection, which was a big hit with fans. We hope to expand the lineup of Ben Cooper over the next few years to include other beloved brands and characters and possibly expand into other categories.”
Time to start stocking up on the Pop Rocks, Bottle Caps and Fun Dip, folks.
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MORE
— 13 Groovy BEN COOPER Designs That Would Make Great T-Shirts. Click here.
— The TOP 13 Frank Romano BEN COOPER Costume Designs — RANKED. Click here.
August 7, 2022
Sorry, but it’s just not the same without the off model designs.
August 7, 2022
I think T public has the classic Cooper Batman design, but I have not seen that Superman. I hope the sell well enough to maybe make a true playset for adults.
August 7, 2022
I appreciate these exist, but even moreso than the costumes, I wish the boxes had those wonderful Ben Cooper graphics, mostly lifted from the comics. I do really dig the Batman ’66 box, and the fact Superman mask looks like the Super Friends design!
August 7, 2022
What grabs me is the Flash. The mask is clearly patterned after the original but without the lightning bolt, etc. And while the chest design is not the same, they appear to have tried to emulate the texture effect. Same concept, modern take. Plus, here you get the Ben Cooper full-figure treatment — and it’s Silver/Bronze Age Flash, not New 52 or whatnot.
August 7, 2022
The Flash is the best design as it’s the closest to what the original Ben Cooper looked like.
August 7, 2022
Where’s my Spidey costume from 1978 though???
August 16, 2022
I love that they’re doing this, but the only thing I find slightly annoying about it is that they’re marketing the Batman costume as being based on the TV show, when they actually have the colors and the bat-logo wrong. If they’re going to be that far off then just go full off-model with the original look Batman Halloween costume (which had a charm all its own).
September 15, 2022
Ordered 2 of the Superman ones through the Spirit website. Showed up yesterday. Put one on my Superman shelf and tore open the other. I was kind of sad that it didn’t have the legs. I put it on and my 16 year old daughter laughed at me! I paid $30 each and if I am being honest, these are VERY overpriced for what they are. Still a fun item to add to the collection..
October 20, 2023
I wish they would choose a female character to redo in this style! Wonder Woman, she-ra, strawberry shortcake!? Please