Cartoon Characters on Stamps

Between 2022 and 2026, Deutsche Post has turned some of the most beloved cartoon and comic characters in the world into postage stamps. The special issue series "Helden der Kindheit" ("Heroes of Childhood") brought us Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry and the Flintstones, while the sister series "Superhelden" ("Superheroes") was launched in July 2022 with Spider-Man and went on to honour Hulk, Iron Man and Black Panther, as well as the DC heroes Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash. Two further special issues celebrate play itself — the LEGO "Internationaler Tag des Spielens" (World Play Day) stamp and an iconic set of PLAYMOBIL figures.

All of these stamps are issued as a 10er-Bogen — a sheet of ten gummed (nassklebend) stamps with a face value of 0,95 € for the recent issues, while the earlier MARVEL "Superhelden" sheets and the PLAYMOBIL issue are 0,85 €, the rate that paid a standard letter at the time. Each stamp carries the letter "E" franking value valid for standard letters up to 20 g and postcards within Germany, plus a two-dimensional matrix code, the security feature that has become the German postal landscape's calling card since 2021.

Two Series, Many Heroes

"Helden der Kindheit" has been celebrating the animated icons of childhood — the characters first encountered on television and in the cinema — with one new issue each year. It already includes releases for Das Sams and, most recently, the trio of classic cartoons covered here. "Superhelden", by contrast, spotlights the superheroes of the comic multiverse — beginning with the MARVEL heroes Spider-Man, Black Panther, Iron Man and Hulk between 2022 and 2024, and continuing since 2025 with the caped heroes of the DC universe, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash, rendered as lively stamp motifs set against comic-style panels.

Bugs Bunny & Tom & Jerry — The Classic Cartoon Rivals

The two newest motifs of the "Helden der Kindheit" series are characters who love to pull the wool over each other's eyes. Bugs Bunny, the world's most famous cartoon rabbit and star of the Looney Tunes, first appeared in 1938 in the Warner Bros. cartoon short "Porky's Hare Hunt". Happy to live a quiet life, Bugs is constantly pestered by a long line of enemies — yet he never seeks a fight. When conflict finds him, he stays cool and relies on his wits rather than his muscles. The stamp (art. no. 151105554) shows Bugs popping up from his rabbit hole and was designed by Jennifer Dengler, Bonn. ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Tom & Jerry reinvented the ancient game of cat and mouse. Tom, the lovable but none-too-clever house cat, and Jerry, the quick, sharp and clever little mouse, spend most of their time chasing and teasing each other — and although they look like sworn enemies, a deep friendship lies behind their rivalry. They debuted in 1940 in the cartoon short "Puss Gets the Boot" (German title: "Jerry treibt's zu bunt"). On the stamp (art. no. 151105555), the pair torments each other in a kitchen full of flying pastries. ™ & © Turner Entertainment Co.

The Flintstones — The First Prime-Time Cartoon

The Flintstones may live in the Stone Age, but the situations they land in are anything but primitive! Together with their best friends, the Rubbles, they delight young and old with prehistoric versions of modern comforts and problems. Devised by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the very first episode of "The Flintstones" aired on US television on 30 September 1960 — making it the first animated series ever to run in prime time. From July 1966, "Familie Feuerstein" was also broadcast in West Germany. The Stone Age sitcom went on to become the most popular cartoon series of its era and, with 166 episodes, the longest in its genre. The stamp (art. no. 151105605) shows the whole Flintstones family driving through Bedrock in the Flintmobile with the Rubbles aboard. ™ & © Hanna-Barbera.

SpongeBob — A Pop Culture Icon from Bikini Bottom

When creator Stephen Hillenburg (1961–2018) designed his yellow, box-shaped sponge with the bulging eyes and prominent front teeth, nobody suspected that the character would become a unique pop culture icon. Since 1999, "SpongeBob SquarePants" has run as its own animated series, which continues to this day and has spawned numerous feature films. The German premiere followed on 23 August 2002 on Super RTL, while US viewers had watched SpongeBob's yellow debut since 1 May 1999. The series celebrates friendship — and the stamp (art. no. 151105579) shows SpongeBob with his loyal friends Patrick and Sandy. Children can even bring the colourful world to life with a tiptoi® pen. Designed by Ingo Boehm, Berlin and Jan-Niklas Kröger, Bonn. © Viacom; SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg.

Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man & Black Panther — The MARVEL Superheroes

The "Superhelden" series actually began not with DC but with MARVEL. It was launched on 7 July 2022 with Spider-Man (Michel 3697, art. no. 151105414, 0,85 €), designed by Thomas Steinacker, Bonn. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the friendly neighbourhood arachnid first appeared in "Amazing Fantasy #15" (August 1962) before starring in his own series "The Amazing Spider-Man" from March 1963 — and he later swung from the comics page onto the big screen in the MARVEL Cinematic Universe and onto Disney+. The stamp, printed by Giesecke + Devrient Currency Technology GmbH Leipzig, shows Spider-Man swinging through the city canyons — a perfect summary of MARVEL's most relatable hero.

Black Panther (Michel 3720, art. no. 151105427, 0,85 €) followed on 6 October 2022, also designed by Thomas Steinacker. T'Challa, king of the hidden African nation Wakanda, is MARVEL's first Black superhero: created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966 in "Fantastic Four #52", he protects his kingdom in a suit of vibranium that absorbs the kinetic energy of any blow. The "Black Panther in Aktion" motif on this gummed sheet ties in with the release of the Hollywood film "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever", and was printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH, Berlin.

Iron Man (Michel 3784, art. no. 151105465, 0,85 €) was issued on 7 September 2023, designed by Thomas Steinacker and Jan-Niklas Kröger, Bonn. The self-made superhero Tony Stark, first drawn by Don Heck in "Tales of Suspense #39" (March 1963), celebrates his 60th anniversary here — and the sheet shows "Iron Man in Aktion", the armour-clad genius of Stark Industries flying through the air.

Hulk (Michel 3847, art. no. 151105501, 0,85 €) closed the MARVEL run on 1 August 2024, designed by Thomas Steinacker and Jan-Niklas Kröger and printed by Royal Joh. Enschedé, Haarlem. "Hulk in Aktion" captures the green giant — Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in "The Incredible Hulk #1" (1962) — in a moment of trademark fury. As a founding member of the Avengers alongside Iron Man and Black Panther, he rounds out this MARVEL quartet.

Superman, Wonder Woman & The Flash — The DC Superheroes

Think of a typical superhero — superhumanly strong, costumed, with a hidden identity — and the first name that comes to mind is Superman, the athlete in the skin-tight blue suit, the flowing red cape and the world-famous "S" on his chest. Considered the first modern superhero, he was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and made his debut on 18 April 1938 in "Action Comics #1". Superman's stamp (art. no. 151105547, issued 3 July 2025) shows him hovering before comic panels. ™ & © DC.

Wonder Woman — beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, faster than Hermes and stronger than Hercules — is the most famous heroine in DC history. Also known as Diana Prince, the Amazon princess from the hidden island of Themyscira had her debut on 21 October 1941 in "All Star Comics #8"; her story has since been told in more than seven thousand comics or collected editions. The stamp bearing her portrait (art. no. 151105546) was issued on 4 September 2025, designed by Jan-Niklas Kröger and Thomas Steinacker, Bonn. ™ & © DC.

The Flash draws his incredible speed from the speed force, an energy field that has granted superhuman velocity to several heroes over the centuries. Three men have carried the title of the "Fastest Man Alive": Jay Garrick, Barry Allen and Wally West. The Flash first appeared in 1940 in "Flash Comics #1" — and because he commands not only speed but also time, he has often travelled through eras and dimensions. He now graces the newest issue of the "Superhelden" series (art. no. 151105590, issued 2 July 2026), designed by Jan-Niklas Kröger, Bonn. ™ & © DC.

Beyond the Cartoons: LEGO & PLAYMOBIL

Since 1989, the right of every child to rest and leisure, to play and to take part freely in cultural and artistic life has been anchored in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child — yet only about twenty-five percent of parents in Germany are aware of it. To draw attention to this fundamental right, the Internationaler Tag des Spielens (World Play Day), initiated by the LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation and other global organisations, was added to the official list of UN observances. The stamp (art. no. 151105567, issued 5 June 2025) shows a group of playing children. © 2025 The LEGO Group; design by Our LEGO® Agency EMEA, London.

The system toy presented in 1974 was the first to place figures at the centre of play — the iconic PLAYMOBIL figures made by geobra Brandstätter. The special stamp "Spielfiguren" (art. no. 151105489, issued 1 March 2024) shows a colourful selection of these iconic figures that have become inseparable from the lives of countless children and fans. With a face value of 0,85 €, this issue is designed to be used together with an  Ergänzungsmarke (supplementary stamp) for franking a standard letter.

The Thirteen Issues at a Glance

Why These Issues Matter

For a thematic collector, this set of stamps is a gift. They capture the heroes of childhood — Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, the Flintstones and SpongeBob — together with the comic-book giants of both the DC and MARVEL universes, all in a uniform, modern German stamp style with the security matrix code. The Marvel run (Spider-Man, Black Panther, Iron Man, Hulk) at 0,85 € and the DC run (Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash) at 0,95 € sit together on elegantly arranged sheets of ten, unharmed and ready for the album.

Because the series is still growing — the Flintstones and The Flash arrived in July 2026 — this is the perfect moment to start a "Cartoons & Superheroes" section of your collection, picking up the 0,85 € MARVEL sheets while they are still easy to obtain.

Enquire About These Stamps via WhatsApp Explore More Stamps at Philately World