[1] Pez dispensers are a part of popular culture in many nations, an example being "Soul Candy" in the Japanese manga series Bleach.

PEZ was first marketed as a compressed peppermint sweet in Vienna, Austria, in 1927 by Eduard Haas III.

Over time, a new manufacturing process evolved and the hard pressed brick shape known today was created.

In 1952 Eduard Haas introduced his product to the United States, and Curtis Allina headed Pez's US business.

Santa Claus, Popeye, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were among the first character dispensers.

Machines were later introduced in Switzerland and then in Austria, in October 1956; these were produced by Glerios / R.Seipel & Co. and Theodor Braun (Vienna).

Some, like those found on the bottom of the dispenser feet, will tell which mold position the specific piece came from.

In the 1970s, three historical figures were created: Betsy Ross, Daniel Boone, and Paul Revere, which were released as part of the Bicentennial series.

These dispenser heads were not made to actually look like the people they represented, but instead used generic faces with different accessories.

In 2007, a limited edition Elvis set was released featuring three dispensers from different periods in Presley's life.

In 2008, the first Star Trek dispensers were released in a gift set with the seven original series crew and the Starship Enterprise.

In 2009, in honour of the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Pez released a boxed set with dispensers in the likenesses of the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, Dorothy Gale, Toto, Glinda, the Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West.

In 2011, a two-piece limited edition set was released for charity featuring Prince William and his wife-to-be, Kate Middleton.

In 2011, an eight-piece limited edition set was released featuring characters from The Lord of the Rings as they appear in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films: Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gollum.

The characters were Mike Wazowski, James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, Scott "Squishy" Squibbles and Randall Boggs.

Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield, Fimbul the Hunter, Radagast, Kili, Bofur and Dwalin are displayed in a printed cardboard box.

[10] The Pez collecting hobby has grown to the point where several conventions are held annually around the world.

[citation needed] Envision Media Arts are developing an animated film version of Pez with Cameron Fay writing a screenplay, Lee Nelson and David Buelow producing, and Gregg Rossen, Catherine Judit Kaehne, Brian Sawyer and Jonathan Hung executive producing the film.

The object of the game is to earn 25 points through playing cards with Pez flavours and dispensers.