Nike Air Jordan 7 Retro 'Marvin the Martian' Release Date, Pics and Retail Price

Nike is going back to the past, adding some extra cartoon flavor with its release of the Air Jordan 7 Retro "Marvin the Martian" sneaker on August 15.  

This is a non-traditional anniversary release, as the original Air Jordan 7 came out 23 years ago in 1992, but no one really needs to follow normal standards when you can get Marvin the Martian involved.

Release Date: Saturday, August 15

Price: $190

Find: Pre-order at Nike.com and at select shoe stores throughout the country while supplies last.

Jordan and Looney Tunes characters will be forever linked thanks to the 1996 film Space Jam. It's only fitting the two sides would come together for a shoe release, which is only made better by the fact these shoes fit in 2015. 

Oftentimes, a retro release is designed only for nostalgic purposes. There's nothing wrong with that, as it's become fashionable to buy what's new, though many still enjoy the feel of going down memory lane.

But take a look at the design in this picture from Highsnobiety:

There's nothing about it that makes this feel like a shoe from 1992, which is appropriate because the original release marked a change in the look. 

According to FootLocker.com's official description of the Air Jordan 7, the original ad campaign 23 years ago was very different than the previous iterations:

"

The Air Jordan VII marked several changes in the Air Jordan series: There was minimal Nike branding both on the shoe and in the marketing campaigns. Ads shifted from MJ's teamup with Mars Blackmon to Michael and Bugs Bunny. One commercial featured the duo both wearing the AJ VII beating another team in a game of hoops.

"

That makes sense because the Air Jordan 7 came out after Jordan won his first NBA title and was on the verge of leading the Dream Team to a gold medal at the Olympics. 

Being able to blend the past and the present is what makes the best retro items, which these shoes definitely do. 

Here's a side-angle view of the shoe that helps define the unique design, per SoleSerious:

The colors make this shoe, which is logical because Marvin the Martian has a unique look that is defined by his colors.

Nike has developed a strong fundamental understanding of what makes a Jordan sneaker great and how to incorporate elements from pop culture to help set things off.