28. Lunchbox and Thermos

This lunchbox and thermos are decorated with images of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, characters from DC comic books, illustrating “Super Powers.” The lunch set, made by Aladdin Industries of Nashville, was used by an elementary school student living in Potomac, probably in the 1990s. The box is metal with a plastic handle; the thermos is all plastic. It was acquired by a Society staff member at a 2006 family yard sale after chatting with the original owner, a young woman home from college for the summer.

DC comics created Superman in 1938, Batman in 1939, and Wonder Woman in 1941. Aladdin Industries, founded in 1914 to manufacture vacuum bottles, began making metal lunch boxes in the 1940s. It became a leader in the trade by licensing the images of popular characters, the first being movie star Hopalong Cassidy in 1950. As recorded on the both pieces, these “Super Powers” characters were trademarked and copyrighted by DC Comics in 1983.

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