A PAAS promotional comic expands the Easter Bunny mythos
The box cover of the PAAS® Deluxe Egg Decorating Kit promises consumers an “Exclusive Comic”; while customers might be more interested in the stickers and tablets needed to dye Easter eggs, the kit’s comic is an interesting promotional feature that offers readers an imaginative exploration of the Easter Bunny legend.
Titled “Meet the PAAS Easter Bunny,” the comic is printed two-sided on a folded, 5.5" x 8.5" sheet of paper. Over the course of eighteen panels, the comic introduces readers to the Easter Bunny, called “Paws” by his friends — the duck Feathers and the tortoise Shelly. The anthropomorphic trio dye eggs in the secluded “Easter Valley,” with the assistance of tiny egg-shaped helpers called “Eggberts.” When Easter arrives, Paws then demonstrates how the Easter Bunny magically delivers eggs and treats across the world.
The comic is clearly intended for a juvenile audience. The kit’s inclusion of the comic may be a purchasing enticement to young readers and their supportive parents. A recent report by the National Literacy Trust notes that comics are a popular reading format for children ages 8 to 18, with approximately 40% of those surveyed indicating that they read comics at least once a month. Also, many educators and librarians extol the comics medium for its ability to engage young readers and build positive reading habits.
The comic does not credit its creators; it is unclear who wrote or illustrated the comic, although a copyright notice for the company that produced the kit, Signature Brands, LLC, is provided. While the comic may have been generated for promotional purposes, the strip displays noteworthy artistic skill: the color palette is bright and lush (fitting for the Easter season); the characters are distinctive and well-illustrated; and the lettering is bold and easily readable.
The comic’s narrative adds interesting, unique elements to the mythos surrounding the Easter Bunny, such as the fantastical Easter Valley and Eggberts. In Christian folklore, the Easter Bunny delivers decorated eggs and other treats to children on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. The traditions regarding the Easter Bunny are believed to have been brought to America by German immigrants arriving in the 1700s.
The tradition of dyeing eggs appears to precede the Easter Bunny; the egg was a pre-Christian symbol of seasonal regeneration. As detailed by Encyclopedia Britannica editor Michael Ray in his article “What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?”:
The tradition of dyeing and decorating Easter eggs is ancient, and its origin is obscure, but it has been practiced in both the Eastern Orthodox and the Western churches since the Middle Ages. The church prohibited the eating of eggs during Holy Week, but chickens continued to lay eggs during that week, and the notion of specially identifying those as Holy Week eggs brought about their decoration. The egg itself became a symbol of the Resurrection. Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, the egg symbolized new life emerging from the eggshell.
It is fitting that PAAS has produced a comic that introduces new elements to the Easter Bunny legend, given the brand’s longstanding association with the Easter tradition of dyed eggs. As stated on the PAAS website:
The original PAAS® Easter egg dye was invented by an American named William Townley. Mr. Townley owned a drug store in Newark, New Jersey, where he concocted recipes for home products. In the late 1800s, he came up with a recipe for Easter egg dye tablets that tinted eggs five cheerful colors. Neighborhood families started buying Townley’s Easter Egg Dye packets in 1881 for only five cents and mixed them with water and white vinegar to create the perfect egg dye!
Soon, Mr. Townley realized that he had a wonderful product that other families would like to use to brighten their Easter tradition. He renamed his business the PAAS® Dye Company. The name PAAS® comes from “Passen,” the word that his Pennsylvania Dutch neighbors used for Easter.
The Meet the PAAS Easter Bunny comic features a new home and friends for the Easter Bunny, gives the legendary rabbit an actual name, and explains how the Easter Bunny creates and transports so many dyed eggs. It is a short, neatly illustrated comic that is sure to engage young readers while they dye their Easter eggs.
NOTES AND FURTHER READING:
Meet the PAAS Easter Bunny (Promotional comic found in PAAS Deluxe Egg Decorating Kit, 2024; creative credits not provided; Signature Brands, LLC)
“Children and young people’s engagement with comics in 2023” (National Literacy Trust, March 18, 2024)
“Three reasons your child should be reading comics (or at least why you shouldn’t worry about it)” (Sarah Stanley; WRAL.com, May 18, 2022)
“How Teachers Engage Reluctant Readers with Classroom Comics” (DonorsChoose.org, February 2, 2017)
“Easter Symbols and Traditions” (History.com, October, 27, 2009; updated March 19, 2024)
“What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?” (Michael Ray; Britannica.com, currently posted as of March 31, 2024)
“About Us” (PAAS Website, currently posted as of March 31, 2024)
Attention, all Secret Dictionary Club members — use Code Ten to decipher the following message: YEB KQOXDC RKFO CSQRDON K EXSMYBX SX WSCCSCCSZZS.
BONUS COMIC STRIP:
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