New Betty Boop exhibit to premiere at Comic-Con Museum

For nearly 100 years, she’s remained a cultural icon. Soon, Comic-Con Museum visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the worldwide debut of “Becoming Betty Boop,” a Comic-Con Museum exclusive and original exhibit opening on Thursday, June 27.

In collaboration with Fleischer Studios, Comic-Con Museum curated this one-of-a-kind multimedia exhibit to take fans on a nostalgic journey, starting with Betty’s beginnings to rise to international popularity — and what makes her a fan favorite today. Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive poster created by comic artist and Fleischer Studios creative director, Frank Caruso, for this exhibit, along with a line of new and Comic-Con Museum-exclusive merchandise.

“Betty’s influence on international animation and the popular arts continues to be monumental. She entertains and inspires audiences with her flair for independence, self-determination, and glamour,” said Comic-Con Museum executive director Rita Vandergaw. “Fleischer Studios has opened its vault doors to Comic-Con Museum to display some of the oldest artifacts we’ve ever exhibited at the Museum. We can’t wait for visitors to experience this exhibit and be dazzled by Betty in all forms—vintage items, costumes, and even on the screen in our theater.”

First seen in 1930 in the animated film Dizzy Dishes as a dog-like character, Betty Boop quickly evolved into a fully human character, was officially given her name in 1931, and became the first female animated screen star in history. Personifying the fabulous flappers and jazz artists of the day, she was also the earliest animated character on broadcast television, drawn live on-air by creator Max Fleischer.

“This wonderful exhibition weaves Betty’s origins from the inkwell on my grandfather’s desk, with the explosive growth in her popularity from 1930 to the present day, and the worldwide icon she has become in motion pictures, television, licensing, and now musical theater. It’s lucky visitors will get to join Betty on the dazzling and amazing ride of becoming Betty Boop,” said Mark Fleischer, Max’s grandson and chairman/CEO of Fleischer Studios.

Highlights of the exhibit include:

• Never-before-seen artifacts, including dolls, masks, cosmetic accessories, comic books, toys, and more, some dating back to 1930;
• Glamorous costumes;
• Limited edition brand collaborations, such as those with Pantone and Zac Posen;
• Spotlights on Betty’s supporting cast, such as Pudgy, Grampy, Fearless Fred, and more;
• Six original animated Betty Boop films regularly play in the museum theater adjacent to the exhibit.

Also highlighted are the eight women who have voiced Betty over the years, from voice artist Margie Hynes in the 1930s to her best-known original voice artist May Questel to actress Jasmine Amy Rogers, who stars as Betty in “BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical,” which debuted in Chicago last year and is expected to premiere on Broadway in spring of 2025.

History and animation enthusiasts will appreciate the background of innovative industry pioneers Max and Dave Fleischer, founders of Fleischer Studios. Their enormous success transcends their characters’ portrayals on screen, expanding to who and what is behind their design, including the hire of the first-ever woman in the commercial animation industry in 1930, Lillian Friedman, and the tools the brothers employed, featuring Max Fleischer’s invention of the rotoscope in the early 1900s. The rotoscope is the tool that made modern animation possible by allowing animators to draw realistic animations based on live-action footage and still widely used today in computerized form.

Tickets can be purchased in advance starting Saturday, June 1, at comic-con.org/museum or the door, and include admission to the entire museum, including the continuation of the main floor exhibit “POPnology: Yesterday’s Fantasy is Today’s Reality.”

Comic-Con Museum is open Thursdays through Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. Closed on Wednesdays. Admission (adults ages 18-plus) is $25; children (ages 6-12) are $12; seniors (65-plus), students (13-17), and military are $18. Children 5 and below are free.