The Silver Surfer Slurpee Cup

The Silver Surfer Slurpee Cup

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Description
Southland Corporation’s chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores is known for proprietary products like the Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs, and Slurpee® beverages, a sweet, semi-frozen, flavored drink. 7-Eleven promoted Slurpees with limited-edition cup designs to appeal to kids and teens and to encourage repeat business. These collectible plastic cups from 1975 feature Marvel comic book characters. The 10 designs in the museum’s collection are from a total of 60 in the series and include Captain America, Red Sonja, Dr. Doom, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Falcon, The Vision, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, and Cyclops. The 12-oz. size predates the popularity of supersized (1.2 liter) drinks.
Omar Knedlik invented a machine to make frozen beverages with a slushy consistency in the late 1950s. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with his brand, the ICEE Company, to sell the same product under a different name. 7-Eleven has been selling Slurpees since 1967.
This plastic Slurpee cup from the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores was produced in 1975 as one of a series featuring Marvel Comics superheroes. It shows the Silver Surfer character and this quote: AT FIRST I WAS SENT TO EARTH TO DESTROY IT... SENT AS THE HERALD OF GALACTUS. BUT HERE I LEARNED THAT MANKIND, THOUGH OFTEN IGNORANT, IS WORTHY OF LIFE... WORTHY OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE SILVER SURFER!
Object Name
cup
date made
1975
maker
Southland Corporation
Physical Description
plastic (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 5 in x 3 1/4 in; 12.7 cm x 8.255 cm
ID Number
2012.0040.09
catalog number
2012.0040.09
accession number
2012.0040
subject
Comics
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
Food
FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000
Exhibition
Food: Transforming the American Table
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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