Kickapoo Joy Juice

Last updated

Kickapoo Joy Juice
Kickapoo Joy Juice logo.jpg
Type Soft drink
Distributor Monarch Beverage Company
Country of origin  United States
Introduced1965 [1]
ColorGreen
Flavor Citrus
VariantsKickapoo Fruit Shine
Kickapoo Fuzzy Navel
Kickapoo Malibu
Related products Mountain Dew
Website DrinkKickapoo.com

Kickapoo Joy Juice is a citrus-flavored soft drink brand owned by the Monarch Beverage Company. [2] [3] [4] The name was introduced in Li'l Abner , a comic strip that ran from 1934 through 1977. [5] [6] [7] Although Li'l Abner's Kickapoo Joy Juice was an alcoholic drink, the real-life beverage is a lightly carbonated soft drink . [1] [8]

Contents

Li'l Abner

"Kickapoo Joy Juice" was a fictional beverage coined in the American comic strip Li'l Abner . [7] Al Capp, the cartoonist, described the beverage as "a liquor of such stupefying potency that the hardiest citizens of Dogpatch, after the first burning sip, rose into the air, stiff as frozen codfish". [3] [4] [9] It was said to be an elixir of such power that the fumes alone have been known to melt the rivets off battleships.

Capp asserted in 1965 that the cartoon "never has suggested that the drink is moonshine", in response to claims that the Kickapoo Joy Juice of Li'l Abner was an illicitly distilled liquor. [1] [10] [11] Brewed by Hairless Joe and Lonesome Polecat, two of the comic strip's backwoods poachers, the ingredients of the brew are both mysterious and all-encompassing, [12] (much like the contents of their cave, which has been known to harbor prehistoric monsters.) When a batch "needs more body", the formidable pair simply goes out and clubs "a body" (often a moose), and tosses it in. [4] Over the years, the "recipe" has called for live grizzly bears, panthers, kerosene, horseshoes and anvils, among other ingredients.

Product

A glass and can of Kickapoo Joy Juice Kickapoo Joy Juice 2.jpg
A glass and can of Kickapoo Joy Juice

The real-life drink was introduced in 1965 under NuGrape, a former brand of the Monarch Beverage Company. [1] That year, Nugrape worked out a deal with Al Capp, the owner of the "Kickapoo Joy Juice" rights, to produce the beverage as a carbonated soft drink. Capp, however, would have the last word on all advertising and promotion. [1] Kickapoo Joy Juice's early advertising campaign was very similar to Mountain Dew's of the time – using characters from Li'l Abner to create and market a hillbilly feeling. [13] Although the product is distributed largely in Asian markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia and Bangladesh), the can still comes decorated with a vintage Li'l Abner drawing. [14]

The Wall Street Journal had a regular feature on mixed drinks, and once published in it a recipe for Kickapoo Joy Juice. The backstory is that it had been illicit hooch ginned up by soldiers during World War II, often starting from alcohol intended for fuel for torpedoes and the like.

Variants

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Capp</span> American cartoonist and humorist (1909–1979)

Alfred Gerald Caplin, better known as Al Capp, was an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip Li'l Abner, which he created in 1934 and continued writing and drawing until 1977. He also wrote the comic strips Abbie an' Slats and Long Sam (1954). He won the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award in 1947 for Cartoonist of the Year, and their 1979 Elzie Segar Award, posthumously for his "unique and outstanding contribution to the profession of cartooning".

<i>Lil Abner</i> 1934–1977 American comic strip by Al Capp

Li'l Abner was a satirical American comic strip that appeared in multiple newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies living in the impoverished fictional mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and illustrated by Al Capp (1909–1979), the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934, through November 13, 1977. The Sunday page debuted on February 24, 1935, six months after the daily. It was originally distributed by United Feature Syndicate and later by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shmoo</span> Fictional cartoon species by Al Capp

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<i>Lil Abner</i> (musical) American musical based on comic strip by Al Capp

Li'l Abner is a 1956 musical with a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene De Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Based on the comic strip Li'l Abner by Al Capp, the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies, but it is also a pointed satire on other topics, ranging from American politics and incompetence in the United States federal government to propriety and gender roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadie Hawkins Day</span> American folk event and pseudo-holiday

Sadie Hawkins Day is an American folk event and pseudo-holiday originated by Al Capp's hillbilly comic strip Li'l Abner (1934–1977). The annual comic strip storyline inspired real-world Sadie Hawkins events, the premise of which is that women ask men for a date or dancing. "Sadie Hawkins Day" was introduced in the comic strip on November 15, 1937; the storyline ran until the beginning of December. The storyline was revisited the following October/November, and inspired a fad on college campuses. By 1939, Life reported that 201 colleges in 188 cities held a Sadie Hawkins Day event.

<i>Fearless Fosdick</i> American comic strip character

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogpatch USA</span> Former theme park in northwest Arkansas

Dogpatch USA was a theme park located in northwest Arkansas along State Highway 7 between the cities of Harrison and Jasper, an area known today as Marble Falls. It was based on the comic strip Li'l Abner, created by cartoonist Al Capp and set in a fictional village called Dogpatch. The park opened in 1968, and closed in 1993.

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Dogpatch was the fictional setting of cartoonist Al Capp's classic comic strip Li'l Abner (1934–1977).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadie Hawkins dance</span> School dance to which women invite men

A Sadie Hawkins dance or turnabout is a usually informal dance sponsored by a high school, middle school or college, to which the ladies invite the gentlemen to be their dates. This is contrary to the custom of the guys typically inviting the girls to be their dates to school dances such as prom in the spring and homecoming in the fall. These dances are primarily a United States event.

The Monarch Beverage Company Inc is a diversified, international beverage company based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company's CEO is Jacques Bombal. The company was founded in 1965 by Frank Armstrong. Monarch Beverage Company aimed to establish itself by offering lesser-known soft drink brands that had strong regional sales and appeal. Monarch Beverage Company purchased Dad's Root Beer product line from IC Industries of Chicago in 1986. Around that time, it was the second largest volume root beer brand and was distributed by the Coca-Cola bottler network. In 2007, The Dad's Root Beer Company, LLC of Jasper, Indiana, acquired the Dad's Root Beer brand as well as the rights to Bubble Up, Dr. Wells and Sun Crest in the U.S. and some other countries from The Monarch Beverage Co. of Atlanta.

Li'l Abner is a 1959 musical comedy film based on the comic strip of the same name created by Al Capp and the successful Broadway musical of the same name that opened in 1956. The film was produced by Norman Panama and directed by Melvin Frank. It was the second film to be based on the comic strip, the first being RKO's 1940 film, Li'l Abner.

Kickapoo may refer to:

Sun Crest. is a brand of flavored carbonated soft drink manufactured by The Dad's Root Beer Company, LLC. of Jasper, Indiana and owned by Hedinger Brands, LLC, except for 6 countries in Asia owned by The Monarch Beverage Company, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia. Sun Crest Orange is currently available in fountain service and glass bottles in select markets in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NuGrape</span> Brand of grape soda

NuGrape is a brand of grape-flavored soda pop. The NuGrape brand was created in 1906, first bottled in 1921, and by April 1933, The National NuGrape Company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1922, licensing rights were sold to the Olla Bottling Works in Olla, Louisiana where it was made and distributed for many years. NuGrape was followed up by the popular Sun Crest brand of soft drinks in 1938. In 1965, the National NuGrape Company introduced Kickapoo Joy Juice, a product based on Al Capp's Li'l Abner comic strip. All three brands were acquired in 1968 by The Moxie Company. In 1970, Moxie-Monarch-NuGrape discontinued domestic U.S. sales of Kickapoo Joy Juice.

<i>Long Sam</i> American comic strip by Al Capp

Long Sam is an American comic strip created by Al Capp, writer-artist of Li'l Abner, and illustrated by Bob Lubbers. It was syndicated by United Feature Syndicate from May 31, 1954, to December 29, 1962. The strip was initially written by Capp, who soon turned the duties over to his brother, Elliot Caplin. Lubbers eventually assumed the writing duties himself in the strip's last few years.

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Li'l Abner: The Complete Dailies & Color Sundays, also known as The Complete Li'l Abner, is a series collecting the American comic strip Li'l Abner written and drawn by Al Capp, originally distributed by the syndicate United Feature Syndicate and later by Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, in total during 43 years before the strip ended. The strip debuted in August 1934 and at its peak, it had an estimated readership of over 60 million people regularly. The collection is published by The Library of American Comics.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Conway, Patrick (12 February 1965). "'Kickapoo Joy Juice' aims at a younger set". Gasden Times. p. 7. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  2. Quek, Regina (17 April 2009). "Use of unauthorized beverage bases infringes KICKAPOO marks" (PDF). World Trademark Review . Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Kickapoo Joy Juice". Monarch Beverages . 2009. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 "Kickapoo Joy Juice". Capp Enterprises. 2005. Archived from the original on 2 November 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  5. "Press: Mr. Dogpatch". Time . 19 November 1979. Archived from the original on 9 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  6. Bartimum, Tad (7 December 1980). "Kickapoo Indians Pay High Price for Tradition". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  7. 1 2 Carlson, Walter (8 February 1965). "Advertising: Kickapoo Mellows With Age". The New York Times . p. 35. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  8. Kovell (22 January 1983). "Li'l Abner was subject of toys". The Free Lance–Star . Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  9. "The Press: Die Monstersinger". Time . 6 November 1950. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  10. Leger, Richard R. (19 April 1965). "Hillbilly Names Help 'Moonshine' Soda Pop Grab Teen-Age Sales". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 12 August 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. Hiley H. Ward, ed. (1985). Media History Digest. Vol. 5. Ferdinand C. Teubner. Media History Digest Corp. p. 46.
  12. Kickapoo Joy Juice page at deniskitchen.com
  13. Hollis, Tim (May 2008). Ain't that a knee-slapper: rural comedy in the twentieth century. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 217. ISBN   978-1-934110-73-7 . Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  14. DiStefano, Joe (19 April 2008). "Malaysian Snack Attack". Gourmet . Archived from the original on 11 April 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.