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Introduction

The Super Soaker was first released in 1990 as the Power Drencher and by 1991 was rebranded the alliterative Super Soaker. The brainchild of NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson, the Super Soaker went on to be one of the hottest toys of the early 1990s, with annual sales of over 20 million. This section of Aqua-Zone discusses the career of Lonnie Johnson and the invention of the Super Soaker, the Super Soaker craze of the early 1990s, and the backlash against the Super Soaker in the summer of 1992.

Table of Contents

Lonnie Johnson and the Invention of the Super Soaker

A short biography of Lonnie Johnson, detailing his early life, career, and the invention and initial marketing of the Super Soaker.

Meteoric Success

The Super Soaker became a runaway success by the summer of 1991, this section focuses on the Super Soaker mania of the early 1990s.

The Backlash Against the Super Soaker

With great success always comes scrutiny. Parents, mayors, and more came out against the Super Soaker in the summer of 1992.

A Brief History of Larami

A brief look at the history of Larami and its sale to Hasbro in 1995.


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Super Soaker Logo, 1991-2003


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