Bazooka Joe Makes Comeback With NFL, NBA Stars In New Comic Series

Remember Bazooka Joe? The cheeky youngster with an eyepatch and baseball cap trailed by a motley crew? As an advertising front for one of the original bubblegum brands, the character first appeared around 1954. He was featured in tiny comic strips wrapped around pieces of Bazooka bubble gum. The strips revolved around corny jokes and gags, called “dad jokes” today. In its heyday, Bazooka Joe became one of the most recognizable candy mascots in the U.S.

Despite the explosion of manga, graphic novels and webtoons, Bazooka Candy Brands decided that the time was ripe for an infusion of nostalgia. For the first time in nearly 30 years, the company has introduced a new limited-edition comic series wrapped inside pieces of Bazooka bubble gum. The strips depict standout athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA. Among them: Dak Prescott, Jason Kelce and Freddie Freeman.

The athletes are also investors in the company. Through the private equity firm Patricof, the athletes poured $10 million into Bazooka after the brand’s acquisition in a $700 million deal by Apax Partners in 2023. Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner had owned the brand for 15 years. The cash infusion was influenced by positive market projections: “The U.S. confectionery sector could hit sales of $61 billion by 2028, which is up from $48 billion in 2023,” reports Forbes.

Childhood Rituals Are Revived And Reimagined

“Authenticity is everything in marketing today,” says Tony Jacobs, president and CEO of Bazooka Candy Brands. “For decades, Bazooka built its business on a simple ritual: unwrap a piece of gum, unfold a comic, laugh—or groan—at the punchline, and then share it with friends and family.” Today, digital interactions rule, but Jacobs’ company is betting on a tangible item that people can hold, share and collect. “Every trend sparks a counter-trend,” he notes.

The new series encompasses 36 comics across three formats, each designed to capture aspects of sports culture. The athletes appear as cartoon characters, interacting and setting up gags with Bazooka Joe and his gang.

Educational twists are included, as Joe and the athletes explain sports terminology and lingo. The “Player Portrait” series includes collectible portraits of the athletes rendered in comic style.

What’s it like for a six-time All-Star and 2009 World Series champion to be cartooned and wrapped up into a rectangular piece of bubble gum? Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, who won those titles, terms it a “surreal” experience. “When I first saw myself as a Bazooka comic character, I couldn’t stop smiling,” Sabathia says. “I’ve worn a lot of uniforms, but being drawn into a strip, it made me feel like a kid again.”

The other athletes in the series include: Jason Kelce (former Philadelphia Eagles), DK Metcalf (Pittsburgh Steelers), Anders Lee (NY Islanders), CJ McCollum (Washington Wizards), Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Deja Kelly (WNBA), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Flau’jae Johnson (LSU Tigers), Freddie Freeman (LA Dodgers), and Karl-Anthony Towns (NY Knicks), and Adam Henrique (Edmonton Oilers).

Digital Access To Comics Is Rapidly Expanding

The Bazooka Joe refresh addresses the challenge that legacy brands face: how to honor their heritage while modernizing and staying relevant to new consumers. To achieve that, the company also invites fans to create personalized “Bazookafied” player cards. Favored athletes can be customized with accessories and styles that can be shared digitally. Other comics submitted by fans can earn gear, pro-signed merchandise and limited-edition comic coloring books.

Digital access to comics is “rapidly expanding,” says Catherine Zappa, vice president of Digital Acquisitions at Hoopla Digital, used by 11,000 public libraries in North America. Zappa says there’s been a notable increase in borrows across its catalog of more than 35,000 comic, manga and graphic novel titles. “This growth reflects a sustained appetite for classic characters and serialized storytelling, especially among younger, more mobile readers,” she says.

The U.S. comic books market, covering various formats, was estimated at $1.23 billion in 2024, according to Grand View Research, based in San Francisco. The mainstream acceptance of comics across film, television and gaming has helped the industry grow.

Fandoms are created when digital comics and other media converge, Zappa adds. “Adaptations in TV, film, and gaming continue to breathe new life into legacy titles and characters,” she says. Such repurposing sparks interest in the original source material. “Comics are proving they are far from a fading art form. They’re thriving in new and exciting ways.”