Bazooka Joe Getting The Boot From His Gum

After almost sixty years, Bazooka Joe is being put out to pasture: The bubble gum will no longer feature the little comic strips that pretty much defined the brand.

Bazooka Joe is being retired because Bazooka itself is struggling along with the rest of the bubble gum sector. Believe it or not, bubble gum is not doing that well, and Bazooka, owned by the Topps Company, has really taken one in the bubble-blower. The company sales have halved from five years ago.

The comics will be replaced with "funtivities" and codes that unlock videos and online games, and Bazooka Joe will still be the company's mascot. Our main question will be what'll happen to the Laffy Taffy guy, who obviously also writes the Bazooka Joe comics. You're cutting his income in half, Topps!