Before Bazooka Joe, This Patriotic Gum Came In A Roll And Starred An Atomic Age Mascot

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Chewing gum, originally made of chicle from sapodilla trees, has a surprisingly ancient history. Society has been smacking on gum for centuries, starting with the Mayans and the Aztecs before the habit developed further in the United States. By the late 1880s, names like Adams New York No. 1 and the well-known Wrigley Company were lining American shelves, introducing licorice and minty flavors before the arrival of the iconic bubble gum flavor in 1928.

Dubble Bubble may have kicked off the sugary bubble gum craze, but once the Topps Company popped up with Bazooka 19 years later, the industry became high stakes. Bazooka bubble gum has been inherently American since its postwar debut in 1947, even wrapped in red, white, and blue. For those born after 1953, Bazooka Joe has always been the face of the brand. The bubble gum mascot even headlined his own comic strip, carefully folded into every Bazooka wrapper.

It's hard to imagine Bazooka without Joe today, but before the eye-patch-wearing youngster became the gum's ambassador, another curious kid took the spotlight: "The Atom Bubble Boy." Seemingly named Bazooka, this Atomic Age lad had one superpower — blowing out-of-this-world-sized bubbles that could take him anywhere on Earth.

Bazooka's tagline at the time was "The Atom Bubble Gum," and the mischievous Atom Bubble Boy was its emblem. Every decade brings new candy trends, and in the years leading up to the Cold War, the nation was captivated by all things atomic. With red hair and a crisp collared shirt, this early Bazooka mascot was eye-patch free and flaunted nuclear-level bubble-blowing abilities. Unfortunately, the public didn't seem to connect with him.

Though the character leaned into the atomic craze and was initially celebrated, something about him simply didn't resonate. As impressive as his bubble-powered adventures were, the Atom Bubble Boy lasted only two years. By the early '50s, he had disappeared from the packaging and comics to make way for his protégé, Bazooka Joe.

It's worth noting that when Bazooka Joe was introduced, the gum also dropped in price — from 5 cents down to a penny — so not all of the brand's early struggles can be blamed on the Atom Bubble Boy. While still sporting America's colors, the gum was originally packaged in a roll, similar to Mentos or Rolo. Even with six pieces in each roll, Bazooka was considered a bit pricey at the time.