Big Belly Burger | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | The Adventures of Superman #441 (June 1988) |
Created by | John Byrne |
In-story information | |
Type of business | Restaurants |
Owner(s) | LexCorp |
Big Belly Burger is a fictional fast food restaurant chain in the DC Comics universe. It has appeared in a number of comic book titles and stories, alongside multiple appearances in other media, most notably including various television series set in the Arrowverse.
Big Belly Burger was created by writer John Byrne in the comic book Adventures of Superman in June 1988. The fast food chain was given its initial visual appearance by penciller Jerry Ordway. [1] The restaurant was inspired by Bob's Big Boy, a real-world chain of restaurants. [2]
In DC Comics publications, Big Belly Burger is said to be one of the largest fast-food chains in the United States. Founded in Coast City [3] in the 1950s, [4] the chain opened restaurants across the world following its purchase by LexCorp. [3] Big Belly Burger is well known in the DC Comics universe for its French fries, milkshakes, and large hamburgers. Its signature menu items include three burgers: the Belly Buster, [5] [6] [7] the Belly Flop, [7] [8] and the Cheesemeister Deluxe. [9] [lower-alpha 1] Its signature milkshake is the "Chocorrific", [11] although it also sells a strawberry-banana shake. [12] Desserts sold include apple pie and a "Drizzle Doodle" (whose exact composition is not defined). [11] The restaurant is depicted as also selling a hot dogs [6] egg salad sandwiches, [13] chicken sliders, fish sandwiches, [12] and breakfast items. [14] The chain's products include "value" combination meals (main item, side, and drink) [14] and "Jolly Meals", [15] a child's meal that comes in a box with an action figure. [16] The "Smiley Meal" is a similar boxed meal including a burger, fries, and cookie. [17]
The Big Belly Burger mascot is a smiling, bearded, red-haired man with glasses (modeled on comic book writer and editor Andy Helfer). [18] The mascot is often depicted holding aloft a plate on which a large hamburger rests. [19] Variations of the mascot also appear, such as a mascot with an upraised arm and no plate. [20] Beginning around 2008, a Big Belly Burger logo began to be depicted in DC Comics. This logo consists of a large red circle with a heavy black border, a smaller white smiley off-center at the top of the red circle, and two three-fingered cartoonish hands (one in the red circle, one opposite the smiley at the top of the red circle). The image looks like a rotund, smiling person patting a fat stomach and giving a thumb's up. [21] Big Belly Burger also has a catchphrase, "It's Belly Belly good" (a play on the words "very very good"). [17] [22] [23] The slogan "Big Choices, Big Value, Big Belly!" has also been used. [14]
All Big Belly Burgers have a drive-through. [12] [15] Some Big Belly Burger locations are depicted in the comics as having a "Playplace", an area where small children can play on jungle gym equipment and slides. [16] At least one has a jukebox. [13]
Big Belly Burger frequently appears in Superman comics. One notable appearance was in a 1990 story in which the villainous magical imp Mr. Mxyzptlk animated a Big Belly Burger mascot statue and used it to fight Superman. [22] In 1999, Superman characters Jimmy Olsen and Perry White were depicted in an advertisement for the fast food chain: [24] [lower-alpha 2]
Jimmy Olsen: You'd better hustle with those Big Belly Burgers, Mr. White. Perry White: Great Caesar's Ghost! I'm grilling as fast as I can, Olsen... and don't call me Chef!"
In January 2016, Jimmy Olsen mentions that the first time he and Clark Kent spent time together was at a Big Belly Burger, and that he had his first interview with Superman at the same restaurant after the meal. A background image in the same issue of Superman shows a Big Belly Burger "Employee of the Month" named Stan, who bears a strong resemblance to legendary comic book writer, editor, and publisher Stan Lee. [25]
The superhero Booster Gold was once depicted as working (for a brief time) at a Big Belly Burger. [26] He also is depicted appearing in Big Belly Burger television advertisements, [27] and a Big Belly Burger sticker appeared on Booster Gold's coffin along with other corporate sponsors (including Soder Cola, Cap's Hobby Shoppe, EZ Caskets, Guardian Cigarettes, Lit Beer, Pep Cereals, and Vertigo Comics). [28]
Big Belly Burger made two appearances in the Son of Vulcan limited series comic book. The first issue of the publication depicted Big Belly Burger as the location where 14-year-old orphan Miguel "Mikey" Devante worked when he met the superhero Vulcan and received his powers from him. [29] The fictional restaurant appeared again in the limited series' final issue, after Devante defeated a group of supervillains. [30]
Will Payton, the teenage version of the superhero Starman, is depicted as a Big Belly Burger employee in a 1989 story, [31] and the DC Comics alien Nix Uotan is depicted working at Big Belly Burger during his exile on Earth in a 2008 story. [21] The superheroine Skyrocket of the superhero group Power Company also was depicted working at a Big Belly Burger in order to earn money prior to becoming a hero-for-hire in a 2002 tale. [32] Captain Marvel ate a Big Belly Burger at almost every meal during his time with the Justice League. [33]
The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1. Nicknamed "the Scarlet Speedster", all incarnations of the Flash possess "superspeed", which includes the ability to run, move, and think extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes, and seemingly violate certain laws of physics.
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics No. 73 on September 19, 1941, the same issue that debuted Aquaman. His real name is Oliver Jonas Queen, a wealthy businessman, owner of Queen Industries, and a well-known celebrity in Star City. He uses this position to hide the fact that he is Green Arrow. Partly inspired by Robin Hood, Green Arrow is an archer who uses his skills to fight crime in his home cities of Star City and Seattle, as well as alongside his fellow superheroes as a member of the Justice League. The world's greatest archer, as well as a competent swordsman and martial artist, Green Arrow deploys a range of trick arrows with various special functions, such as glue, explosive-tipped, grappling hook, flash grenade, tear gas, and even kryptonite arrows for use in a range of special situations.
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC as part of its Saturday-morning cartoon lineup. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics.
Vibe is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Geoffrey Johns is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash, and Superman has drawn critical acclaim. He co-created the DC character Courtney Whitmore based on his deceased sister. He also expanded the Green Lantern mythology, adding in new concepts and co-creating numerous characters. Among the DC characters and concepts he co-created are Larfleeze, the Sinestro Corps, the Indigo Tribe, the Red Lantern Corps, Atrocitus, the Black Lantern Corps, Jessica Cruz, Hunter Zolomon, Tar Pit, Simon Baz, Bleez, Miss Martian, and Kate Kane.
Guardian are DC Comics superheroes introduced in April 1942 by writer/artist Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby.
Earth-One is a name given to two fictional universes that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in Justice League of America #21, after The Flash #123 explained how Golden Age (Earth-Two) versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Silver Age counterparts. This Earth-One continuity included the DC Silver Age heroes, including the Justice League of America.
Andrew Kreisberg is an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of the television series The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow.
Green Arrow, a DC Comics superhero, has appeared in media other than comic books since 1973, including animated shows, live-action productions, and video games.
Throughout his 80-year history, the Flash has appeared in numerous media.
Arrow is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is the first series of the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with other related television series. The series premiered in the United States on The CW on October 10, 2012, and ran for eight seasons until January 28, 2020. Arrow was primarily filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in The Fury of Firestorm #23, created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of a computer software firm who opposed the superhero Firestorm because of his recklessness, eventually becoming the second wife of Edward Raymond and stepmother to Ronnie Raymond, one-half of the integrated dual identity of the superhero.
The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. The series were developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns, Ali Adler, Phil Klemmer, Salim Akil, and Caroline Dries. Set in a shared fictional multiverse much like the DC Universe and DC Multiverse in comic books, it was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast and characters that span six live-action television series and two animated series.
"Pilot" is the pilot and first episode of the first season of the American television series The Flash. The episode was written by Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, based on a story by Greg Berlanti, Kreisberg, and Johns, and directed by David Nutter. The series is a spin-off of Arrow; many of the characters in The Flash were introduced during its second season. Based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, the episode revolves around Barry Allen, a forensic scientist working for the Central City Police Department. On the night that a particle accelerator launches, a malfunction causes it to explode during a storm. At the same time, Barry is struck by lightning. He wakes from a coma after nine months, and discovers that he has developed a new power: super speed.
The first season of the American television series The Flash premiered on The CW on October 7, 2014, and concluded on May 19, 2015, after airing 23 episodes. The series is based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. It is a spin-off from Arrow, existing in the same fictional universe, and was produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment, with Andrew Kreisberg serving as showrunner.
John Diggle, also known by his code names Freelancer and Spartan, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise and Superman & Lois, first introduced in the 2012 pilot episode of the television series Arrow. The character was created for the series by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. Diggle is portrayed by David Ramsey