Cherry Poptart (1982) 1

Depending on your sweet tooth, and maybe your cheat day, today, tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow is National Cherry Tart Day.

We’re gonna call it today. Or, as National Day Calendar recommends, make three of the desserts just to be on the safe side and go on a confectionary bender.

However, we do warn today’s Master of Ceremonies is for the adult collector in the audience. Cherry, or Cherry Poptart as she was originally known, is a promiscuous, perpetual 18-year old blond star of her own title. Her story plots are male fantasies brought to the page by creator Larry Welz. They have been likened to adult Archie Comics due in no small part to Welz’s simplistic drawings.

Cherry Poptart (1982) 1

Cherry first graced the black-and-white comic world in 1982, published by Last Gasp for the first 13 issues. Kitchen Sink Press picked up issues 14 and 15 and Welz self-published under Cherry Comics for the remainder of the series. The original run was 22 issues.

The title was changed to simply Cherry beginning with issue three. Kellogg’s threatened legal action due to its trademark on the Pop-Tart title.

In 1992, the series produced a spin-off, Cherry’s Jubilee, running four issues. A one-shot included a story by Sandman creator Neil Gaiman in Cherry Deluxe.

A collection of stories is also available.

The non-holiday’s origins aren’t as documented as our emcees’. The best we can do is offer some recipes and hope you enjoy your just desserts.