Bowl Game

It's no secret that the folks at Cap'n Crunch HQ need very little reason to release a new flavor or a new themed box.  Just about every holiday gets one these days but that doesn't seem to be enough for the ambitious sailors in the Cap'n's fleet.

We're in the home stretch of football season and the Super Bowl is right around the corner so it seems like the best time to take a good look at a box of Cap'n Crunch's Touchdown Crunch!

And there's a lot going on with the box.  The main attraction here isn't seeing the Cap'n in all his quarterback glory.  And it's not seeing the Crunchberries slightly smooshed in order to look like footballs.  No, the real touchdown here is being scored on the back of the box:

We got the band back together!  There's a lot to unpack here.  The long neglected supporting cast of the Cap'n Crunch extended universe has a bit of a grid iron reunion for the Limited Edition box.  This is a great opportunity to enlighten any whippersnappers in your home about the Capn's long list of friends and foes.  Let's see who shows up:

Jean LaFoote

 

The so-called "barefoot pirate" bedeviled the crew of the S.S. Guppy for years in various commercial adventures.  Like so many breakfast antagonists before him, he just wanted to get his hands on a bowl of that sweet breakfast treat.

Crunchberry Beast

The official mascot of Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berries, the Crunchberry Beast was discovered on a remote, exotic island.  Despite the rumors you may have heard, C.B. doesn't poop crunchberries, he eats them.

Magnolia Bulkhead

Another antagonist, this one is as obsessed with Cap'n Crunch the man as she is with Cap'n Crunch the cereal.  I don't think she's ever gotten her hands on either.

Henry S. Hippo

I never tasted "Punch Crunch" but I assume they tasted like...Fruit Punch, I guess.  Doesn't really sound that appealing to me.  I guess that's why it's not around anymore.  Anyway, this guy was the mascot for it.

One of the Soggies

Now these guys were the real deal.  Back in my prime cereal eating days, the Soggies were the ultimate enemies of a cereal that prides itself on its crunchiness.  There were several of them and I think they had names but since I don't remember them, I'll call this guy "the one with the hat."

Crunchling

This little guy was a part of a Cap'n Crunch video game from a few years back.  He may be the most obscure inclusion in this whole block party mess. 

"And the Rest"

So here we have Smedley, the mascot for Peanut Butter Crunch.  I always though he was the most underrated crew member since he's the only other one with a Captain's hat.  Next is Dave, one of the crew members on the Guppy who is clearly a Dallas Cowboys fan.  And lastly is the loyal first mate, Seadog.

All in all, not a bad turnout.  And, yes, I know Carlyle and some rando pirates are also in the stands.  And maybe that dolphin representing the Miami Dolphins had a cameo in one of the commercials too.  It's ok to leave a little on the table...just not in the bowl.

Raisin Funds

Nothing beats eBay for finding product mascot collectibles.  It's definitely possible to get a good deal on an item featuring your favorite character but you're just as likely to find something you're looking for at a price that's just a little out of your reach.  Occasionally you'll find something that you didn't even know was valuable.  Apparently there's a big following for the Sun-Made Raisin Girl:

Like most product mascots, she's gone through some changes over the years.  It's not uncommon for mascots to be updated for the times, even when they're meant to have an "old school" vibe.  You can see some of the subtle changes over there years when you compare the different eras:

To me, it looks like there's been more changes to the font than the design of the Girl, but what do I know?  And speaking of things that escape me, I stumbled across an opportunity for hardcore collectors with a few extra bucks in their pocket to score what must be their "Holy Grail":

If you've got an extra $700,000.00 laying around, you can snag a 2" by 1.25" cardboard box from the 50s.  This eBay auction seems to have gotten some attention since it has 22 watchers and 5 "inquiries."  I don't know what exactly an eBay "inquiry" is but I imagine that if you're going to spend that kind of cash you might want to get some details on the box you're buying. 

And it's good that people are inquiring because the seller has some very specific ideas on who should be bidding.  He even provides a convenient list in the auction description with suggestions for who he has in mind:

Now that's an eclectic group of (hopefully) raisin enthusiasts.  Hopefully one of them will get wind of this auction and make this seller's dream come true.  Happy bidding folks!  Enjoy nature's candy!