THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 2, 1995 TAG: 9503010067
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Special Nutrition Series
Part 1: KIDS
SOURCE: STORIES BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
IT'S A BIRD. It's a plane! No, it's Banana Bolt!
Come again? You read it right the first time.
The latest superhero in comic-book land is none other than a muscled banana with thunder bolts blazing across his potassium-packed chest.
He's joined by a cast of fiber-filled friends: The Kernel, a corncob who wears Army fatigues; Flash Carotene, a carrot with black leather boots and vest; Blush the Tomato, who dons a sleek blue body suit; and Silky Stalker, a celery stick with a purple robe flowing over thigh-high green boots.
They haven't exactly reached the popularity of Batman and Wonderwoman, but the vegetables whomp! swak! bump! thud! and whump! their way through a new adventure comic book called the S.N.A.K. Posse.
The vegetable superheroes are the brainchild of New York stockbroker Robert Orchanian, who wanted to promote good eating habits among children.
``The idea is to present something to children that's fun and exciting and will get them hooked on good nutrition,'' Orchanian said.
Ronald McDonald was the inspiration behind the S.N.A.K. Posse, which stands for Super Nutritionally Activated Kids, Orchanian said.
``I figured if he could convince kids to eat hamburgers and french fries and soda,'' he explained, ``why not get someone pushing fruits and vegetables?''
So far, Orchanian and his staff have released two editions of the comic book, with the third ready for printing. He distributes them in some comic-book and health-food stores. Though not available in stores in Hampton Roads, the books can be ordered by phone.
Orchanian said the superheroes are most popular with kids 6 to 12. After that, kids get wise to the slant against cigarettes and the message for good food, exercise and clean living, he said.
``When you're 7 or 8 you see the fun, exciting story rather than the subtle message,'' Orchanian said.
But if teens aren't buying the message, pediatricians and dentists are. A number have ordered the comic book for waiting rooms.
``Someone like Popeye made spinach sales go up,'' Orchanian said. ``So this could do the same for other vegetables.'' MEMO: For more information about S.N.A.K. Posse (you can buy the first two
issues for $5.25, including postage and handling), write: HCOM Inc.,
3198 Quinlan St., Yorktown Heights, N.Y. 10598. Or call (914) 962-0878.
ILLUSTRATION: Comic book cover
by CNB