The comics may not have been socially acceptable, but they had cool ads in them. Comic book ads from the1950s and 1960s barrys pearls of. Here are a 10 crazy vintage comic book ads i recently stumbled across. The muscle ad was already virtually an art form when the likes. As the ads says, all you have to do is buy these special xray glasses and you can become. Ray is a member of the justice league in the justice league unlimited cartoon show.
The ebay item number can be found in the middle of the listing page, inside the item description tab. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Famous 98 pound weakling charles atlas ad from 1972 flickr. Advertisements in comic books have promised unbelievable products for decades. One recurring and ubiquitous ad was for the magazine grit. Who can forget the charles atlas ads, the x ray specks, sea monkeys, or the mysterious grab bag. I picked this issue up from a quarter bin at a comic book convention recently. This site is devoted to the advertising in old comics. Xray specs are a great novelty item and icebreaker for doctors, dentists, radiologists, stockbrokers, detectives and security personnel. See more ideas about vintage comics, vintage comic books and vintage ads.
Sep 10, 2014 comic book adverts of the 1960s70s its been so long since ive opened up a new comic book, i dont even know if they still run ads anymore. As the worlds leading publisher of licensed materials, we have a broader appeal than traditional comics with titles based on buffy the vampire slayer, angel. May 27, 2019 can you remember these ads on the back of comics. Its the care bears here to offer you a deal on all of your favorite cartoon tiein comics. Having to be so cynical see more ideas about vintage comic books, vintage comics and comic books. Since the companies strived to be as enticingly vague as possible, you rarely knew exactly what youd be getting. Some versions of the advertisement featured an illustration of a young man using the xray specs to examine the bones in his hand while a voluptuous woman stood in the background, as though awaiting her turn to be xrayed. Comic book ads from the1950s and 1960s i do miss old comics. Demarais, who is 39, became fascinated with mailorder comic novelities as a kid in smalltown siloam springs, arkansas, where hes lived most of his life. But if you look in older comic books youll see a treasure trove of sneaky ads, crazy claims. When i was a kid, my brother collected comic books. Vintage bodybuilding ads of yesteryear 10 february 2012. I remember 95% of all these ads and always wondered why doctors didnt use the x ray specs to see if you had a broken bone. The ebay item number can be found in the middle of the listing page.
Xray specs and other such dubious products the likes of charles atlas and joe weider exhorted the youth of the day to exchange with their cash in exchange for muscles, girls and getting their own back on the bully boy. The strange history of comic book advertisements syfy wire. X ray specs are a great novelty item and icebreaker for doctors, dentists, radiologists, stockbrokers, detectives and security personnel. Take xray specs to parties, gettogethers, and hospitals. While i never read a single issue of xmen 2099, i was a fringe fan of the 2099 concept from marvel comics. These classic ads in the back of comic books tricked kids from the 50s through the 80s. Vintage comic book ads that were too good to be true. I remember 95% of all these ads and always wondered why doctors didnt use the xray specs to see if you had a broken bone. Founded in the early 1880s, grit is, somewhat surprisingly, still going today, catering to middle america with very little change in content over the last century and claiming itself to be americas greatest family newspaper. Comic book adverts of the 1960s70s its been so long since ive opened up a new comic book, i dont even know if they still run ads anymore. View market values for books, store your collection, and meet fellow comic fans. Comic book ads xray specs and the beyond be a real man.
You could send away for xray specs, joy buzzers, the hypnocoin, assorted novelties and gags like a fake arm cast. Nov 15, 2011 generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, x ray specs, and even 7foottall monsters with glowinthedark eyes. When dc comics later purchased quality comics, happy terrill was retconned as a member of the freedom fighters on earthx. The ads were so exotic to me, particularly the xray specs because we couldnt order anything as we were in australia. Yes i know they were pants now but at the time i imagined these things really worked. Mailorder mysteries reveals the real products behind comic.
No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Xray glasses were definitely not what they claimed to be, disappointing many by proving. No comic book was harmed in the making of this article. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles.
Famous 98 pound weakling charles atlas ad from 1972. X ray vision glasses ad on the back of every comic book. This was among those many comic book lures that almost. No advertisements to own a nuclear sub or army tank can be found nowadays. Just as well, i probably would have blown a bunch of money on this crap. It begins with illustrated pseudocomics, moves on seedandsalve selling, muscle ads, guns, cereal, candy, bikes, the ads of the 60s and 70s my childhood, and hence of great interest to the world and finally, ten tons of stuff that doesnt belong elsewhere. Fantastic ads like these ruled the back of my beloved comic books with every issue. Ad placement dark horse comics, the largest independent comicbook publisher in the us, has over 25 years experience in creating comics with the best writers and artists in the industry. Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, xray specs, and. I was perusing my comic book collection and found a bunch of cool ads im going to scan in and post.
This one is actually pretty stripped down compared to the others, without very much text at all, and this is the first ad of theirs ive seen where theyve used a cartoony character rather than a photo or realistic drawing. Look at any bright point of light such as city streetlights, holiday lights, or candles and see the words xray magically appears. In the comics of fifties onwards, among the myriad of adverts for sea monkeys, x ray specs and other such dubious products the likes of charles atlas and joe weider exhorted the youth of the day to exchange with their cash in exchange for muscles, girls and getting their own back on the bully boy. Im trying to where to access archives of comic series with their ads still included i started with comixology and marvel unlimited, but their issues dont include the original ads. To say that ad was slightly misleading would be an. It was the first issue of his first miniseries, and i imagine this miniseries was created to capitalize on the characters popularity from the spiderman and his amazing friends cartoon. Take x ray specs to parties, gettogethers, and hospitals.
Look at any bright point of light such as city streetlights, holiday lights, or candles and see the words x ray magically appears. In todays comic books you dont see the advertisements you used to no ads with outrageous promises to be taller or more muscular. Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, x ray specs, and even 7foottall monsters with glowinthedark eyes. I got a pair of x ray specs from a local joke shop a few years ago.
Star comics was a division of marvel that was used mostly for cartoonrelated comics and other titles that would appeal to young children. X ray glasses were definitely not what they claimed to be, disappointing many by proving to be nothing more than a couple of pieces of cardboard inside a plastic frame creating a sort of loosely defined optical illusion that made people look somewhat like x. Every gallerys images are by their original company or artist. Comic book ads 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 next. The ad that stoked every young comic book readers imagination was the one for xray specs. Notable comic book advertisements concept comic vine. Old comic book ads that were total scams kryptonite. Ordering from those ads usually involved leaps of faith. Sep 29, 2011 generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, x ray specs, and even 7foottall monsters with glow. Who can forget the charles atlas ads, the xray specks, sea monkeys, or the mysterious grab bag. Comics and graphic novels have given us many famous and notable advertisements through the years. All ad digital art ship within 48 hours and include a 30day moneyback guarantee. The company moved from chicago to racine, wisconsin in 1926, to detroit in the 1930s, and from the detroit area to bradenton, florida in 1986.
Classic comic strip etsy shop for handmade, vintage. I had the greedy green hand bank and can remember going through all those ads coveting all the rubber bats, flying ghosts and other cheap dissappointing junk that was hyped up. I supposed the optical illusion disclaimer shouldve been a tipoff, but hey, who paid attention to fine print when the prospect. George has the story of one fan who bought one, which resulted in an er visit and 28 stitches. The first ray was langford happy terrill, a quality comics character. Pop art vintage, vintage comic books, vintage comics, vintage ads, vintage posters, creepy vintage, retro ads, retro advertising, old advertisements. Jul 28, 2017 old comic book ads x ray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true. It showed a cute little squirrel monkey sitting in the palm of someones hand.
So this is our fourth installment of grit, with the previous ones being from 1963, 1972, and 1980. If you like looking at these old ads, check these others ive uploaded since these. Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, xray specs, and even 7foottall monsters with glowinthedark eyes. I found this on the back of an issue of dcs worlds finest. Right there on the inside cover of my favorite comic book. Blushingly funny illusion xray spex the ads, which would be so unacceptable today, showed an illustration of a man wearing the xray specs looking. Its a classic ad that also got a sequel where a new weakling, jack, is bullied at a school dance instead of a beach. He never had a speaking role in the show but he could be seen on the satellite and in various battles. This page archives old ads for original comic book art.
Charles atlas one of the most famous comic book ads in existence. May 31, 2018 also fairly upsetting through a modern lens was the attempt to appeal to young creeps with things like hypnotizing kits and x ray glasses. Yepthe games up now this looked possible so i painted a coin like this and wasted hours trying hypnotize the neighbors dog selling the militaryindustrial complex. This ad introduced the 98 pound weakling, named mac, who birthed the cliche of having sand kicked into his face by a bully. Many of my favorite comic book ads were comeons for mysterious products. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true. Every inch of ad space and illustration was taken up with everything important to a kid.
From the 40s to the 70s, ads for grit would appear regularly in comics, not necessarily offering. X ray specs were long advertised with the slogan see the bones in your hand, see through clothes. At least, thats what vintage comicbook ads would have you believe. Posted on january 16, 2017 by the vintage toy advertiser 2 our latest edition of nontoy ad tuesday features a selection of 1970s and 80s north american ads for converse footwear, bubble yum, oreos, super friends school supplies, iron on transfers, junior sales club of america, and crosman air guns.
Of course, xray spex caught my attention because i loved the. The ads, which would be so unacceptable today, showed an illustration of a man wearing the x ray specs looking right through a womens dress. Xray specs were long advertised with the slogan see the bones in your hand, see through clothes. What was even better was the fact that the army set came with a german army set as well. These ads offered kids the opportunity to see through everything from fingers, an eggshell, and possibly even clothing all for the cost of a dollar. Im a college student in the process of doing a research project about how advertising in comic books has evolved over time. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. A polaris submarinemore than seven feet longwhich i dreamt of traveling in along the forthclyde canal, avoiding the ghostly weeds, the garbage, discarded shopping trolleys, and the imaginary gangsterspale, bloated and tethered to weighty blocks of concrete. Mailorder mysteries reveals the real products behind. I was never really a fan of the stories except superman and richie rich, but for some reason i loved the advertisements. While most vintage comic book products didnt deliver as advertised, one actually did. I got a pair of xray specs from a local joke shop a few years ago. A polaris submarinemore than seven feet longwhich i dreamt of traveling in along the.
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