Scorch wanted to play the main character in the local stage adaptation of "Kingdom Hearts".
The Adventures of Kool-Aid-Man #4 (Sweepstakes Edition)
Archie Comics (1987)
The only difference between the sweepstakes edition and the regular one (besides ordering it from Kool-Aid) was the map you used for the contest. Again, I lost the cover, with this image coming from X-Entertainment, a now abandoned article site, but still up. You can actually read the comic for yourself there if you want to.
WRITER: Mike Pellowski PENCILER: Dan DeCarlo INKER: James DeCarlo LETTERER: Bill Yoshida COLORIST: Barry Grossman EDITOR: Victor Gorelick
“The Mystery of the Missing Key” is a tie-in to the sweepstakes, in which Scorch (Archie’s version of Marvel’s “Thirsties”, although there was only one Scorch) steals the key to the Kool-Aid Vault (that’s what they called the giveaway center, where you’d send Kool-Aid points to get free stuff, not counting shipping and handling; it would also be known as the “Wacky Warehouse” at some point). Kool-Aid-Man makes friends with three kids who help him track Scorch all over the Kool-Aid Kingdom. (No secret headquarter with Kool-Aid-Man battling evil in this version.)
“The Super Surfing Contest” has Scorch ruining a surfing contest at Surfin’ Berry Beach until our favorite soft drink pitcher decides to compete against him.
What they got right: Archie went for a different approach than Marvel did. Instead of fighting crime from a secret headquarters he was simply the caretaker of the Kool-Aid Kingdom who loved making sure kids had fun. While the Thirsties came off as just a bunch of fun-ruining thugs, Scorch is more like a bully, and I think Archie may have had the better approach, even if Marvel’s was more action-packed.
What they got wrong: The various areas of the Kool-Aid Kingdom was based off of the many different and colorful-named flavors of Kool-Aid at the time. Now there’s like 4 or 5 and no more colorful names and mixed flavors. Just the boring basic ones, and I miss Mountain Berry.
Recommendation: This is a tough one. It’s a quirky comic meant to sell soft drink. If you can’t get behind that you’re not going to enjoy the comic. Plus without the superhero influence it’s a different comic than Marvel’s offering, just wacky misadventures. I guess it depends on your taste in storytelling.
Tomorrow’s Comic> The Adventures of Kool-Aid-Man #8, which I swear is the last one.
BW Media Spotlight 
I think Scorch wanted to either be a heartless or Riku 😛
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Don’t mess with the large anthropomorphic jug of sugar water and red dye or he will straight out ruin your living room!
Is it just me or does the image of a young girl being burned alive by a fire elemental wielding a flame thrower seem really grim for a children’s comic?
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Oh, I’m sure there’s a parody of that somewhere, but yes you now scare me. 🙂
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