ROBIN WEEK: Shades of the Hostess advertisements of the ’70s and ’80…
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Welcome to ROBIN WEEK! One of the greatest heroes in comics history debuted 80 years ago this month — and we’re celebrating with a series of features saluting the Boys, Girls and Teens Wonder. For the complete index of features, click here.
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I love Robin. There might not be a ROBIN WEEK if I didn’t.
Thing is, a good Robin story is hard to come by these days. This isn’t an anti-Damian thing. Quite the opposite: I think he’s the second-best Robin.
It’s just that DC just isn’t publishing many Robin solo stories — or even Batman and Robin team-ups these days. Instead, he’s primarily in Teen Titans, with an ocasional guest appearance here and there.
So I was absolutely delighted by Snickers’ ad campaign celebrating the 80th anniversary of Batman last year. There was a Golden Age tribute and a Silver Age homage but the best of them was a two-pager that set Batman, Robin and Batgirl firmly in the Disco-era Bronze Age.
The tale had such the right vibe — focusing as it does on Robin and Batgirl — that it was like finding a lost short story from Batman Family.
Dig it:
Now, it turns out the artist of the piece was Graham Nolan, who made his Batbones in the ’90s but who also has a healthy appreciation for Bathistory.
“The Bronze Age comics are what I grew up on,” Nolan told me. “It’s also my favorite period for Batman. Researching the Disco clothes was a blast!”
Well he certainly nailed it — especially that final panel with Batgirl and Robin grooving like Tony and Stephanie on the dance floor.
Anyway, what I love about these Snickers ads is that they also work as homages to the classic Hostess advertisements from the same period — and you can click here to check out 13 GROOVY BRONZE AGE DC COMICS HOSTESS ADS.
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MORE
— The ROBIN WEEK Index of Features. Click here.
— The TOP 13 ROBIN COSTUMES Ever — RANKED. Click here.
March 10, 2020
This Snickers print ad is very majorly groovy.
March 10, 2020
I love this. I was a big fan of Graham Nolan and Chuck Dixon’s run on Detective, as well as the Batman Family/Detective Comics Dollar Comic run!
March 10, 2020
Obviously this Batman has never seen the dance moves of his Adam West TV Batman counterpart based on his last statement to Robin above.
January 30, 2022
Holy Hunger Pangs! I remember this! Looking at it from 2022, I kept hoping Clayface would morph into Betty White! (“Have a Snickers, Clayface, you’re not you when you’re hungry.” CLAYFACE: “I’m never me!”) Seriously, thanks!