Betty Boop exhibit premieres at Comic-Con Museum
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A Betty Boop statue at the new exhibit. Photo: Comic-Con Museum
Betty Boop is the newest star at Comic-Con Museum.
State of play: Fleischer Studios and the museum collaborated on the original and exclusive "Becoming Betty Boop" exhibit that takes visitors through the beloved character's rise to a cultural icon.
Driving the news: The multimedia exhibit, which includes some of the oldest artifacts the Comic-Con Museum has hosted, made its worldwide debut Thursday. It'll be here until June 2025.
Zoom in: Some of the featured vintage artifacts — including dolls, masks, cosmetic accessories, comic books and toys — are from the 1930s.
- Visitors can watch six original, animated Betty Boop films playing in the museum theater.
- The exhibit also displays a sparkling Broadway costume and limited-edition, designer-brand collaborations and highlights the women who have voiced Betty over the years.
The intrigue: Betty Boop was the first female animated screen star in history and the first animated character to be on broadcast television, according to Fleischer Studios.
- Nearly 100 years later, "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical" is expected to premiere on Broadway in spring 2025.
Flashback: She first appeared in 1930 in the animated film "Dizzy Dishes" as a doglike stage performer, but quickly evolved into a human character.
- In 1931, Betty Boop got her name and her glamorous persona — inspired by the flappers and jazz entertainers of that time.
If you go: The Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park is open 10am-5pm daily, except Wednesday.
- Buy tickets online or at the door for $25 for adults, $12 for kids and $18 for seniors, students and military. It's free for kids under 5.
- Tickets include admission to the entire museum, including the main floor exhibit "POPnology: Yesterday's Fantasy is Today's Reality."
What's next: The annual San Diego Comic-Con, an international comic book and entertainment convention, will take over downtown July 25-28.