1960 Novel : Superman Candy & Toy Play Card



1960 Novel Package Corporation : Superman Candy & Toy

Superman Candy & Toy was released in 1960 by the Novel Package Corporation and distributed by Levon Products Inc. Each five-cent box contains one of four perforated "Play Card" panels. The American Card Catalog reference is R722-21.

The perforated card panels are approximately 2.45 x 3.75", taller than a standard trading card. The panels are not numbered and the backs are blank. The characters included are Superman, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, and Perry White. The Superman chest emblem on the card is reversed due to a color separation error during printing.

1960 Novel Package Corporation : Superman Candy & Toy

All four card images are from the cover of Superman Annual #1 (June 1960), penciled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye.

Curt Swan & Stan Kaye, Superman Annual 1 (Summer 1960)


For over two decades, Novel Package Co. of Brooklyn produced candy and card sets showcasing a diverse range of topics including comic characters and celebrities. Levon Products Inc. produced the advertisements for the Superman Candy & Toy release. Levon is Novel spelled backwards.

1960 Novel Package Corporation : Superman Candy & Toy - Perry White

The history of the Novel Package Corporation includes legal troubles. In 1943, Novel received a notice of judgment from the FDA for misbranding candy and violating section 5134 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the judgment, "The candy and toy occupied, in some instances, as little as 10 percent of the capacity of the package and, in general, less than one-half the capacity." No personnel were named and no claimant appeared in court. Over 35,000 packages of seized candy and toys were destroyed. Brooklyn manufacturers Pioneer Specialty Co. and Candyland Company are also named in the judgment.

In 1944, federal injunction proceedings were brought against Novel Package Corporation, Leader Novelty, and ten other Brooklyn candy concerns. Complaints included gouging the consumer, lowering the quality of candy, failing to keep proper financial records, and unsanitary manufacturing conditions. The Office of Public Affairs reported that candy molds from established firms were altered and rebranded as a more expensive product. Some candy products were being manufactured alongside straw brooms in an open loft. OPA investigators witnessed perspiring workers stirring candy mixture by hand.

Another notice of judgement for short-weighting and misbranding candy was received in 1944. Around 30,000 packages of candy and toys were seized by federal agents in Kansas City, MO, and Baltimore, MD. Again, no personnel were named and no claimant appeared in court. Most of the impounded product was delivered to a charitable organization.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station conducted multiple studies that found products from Novel were misbranded.


1960 Novel Package Corporation : Superman Candy & Toy Dealer Sheet