Other talk did you ever fall for a comic book ad as a kid. Comic book adds were one of the few pleasures we never knew we were having in the 70s and 80s. These are the ads i salivated over mostand to be frank a part of me. If you were a kid who read comic books, odds are that you begged your parents to buy one of the many scam products showed on the ad pages. In terms of suggestiveness its hard to beat hrm the sega ads from uk comic viz. Comic book ads xray specs and the beyond be a real man, learn karate. I always wanted a pair and so did every comic book reader in the world. Great advertisements from the golden age of comic books, a large size paperback that reprints in colour comic book ads from the forties and fifties. Youve probably seen the comic books with ads for xray glasses or xray specs that promise to give the wearer amazing powers to see through solid objects like walls, and clothing. Yes i know they were pants now but at the time i imagined these things really worked.
In this ad they have fewer items, but devote more space to each one. The current paper version is sold under the name xray spex. Comic book ads x ray specs and the beyond be a real man, learn karate. Check these old comic book ads out and read the details of what you really got when you ordered. X ray vision and mirrors in superman so i am kind of new to the whole comics scene, and i was just wondering something useless about superman. Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, xray specs, and. Line inspectors are also stationed at various points on the production line to. Xrayed cartoons and comics funny pictures from cartoonstock. The strange history of comic book advertisements syfy wire. 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. Ascii characters only characters found on a standard us keyboard. Ray jones saved to vintage comic book ads best comic book ads ever gotta get me some fu sandals. Its the care bears here to offer you a deal on all of your favorite cartoon tiein comics.
Xray specs, or any number of other tempting gizmos and toys. Their comic book ads were typically full page in size and usually in the inside front or back covers. Darling pet munkees songs based on old comic book ads. Formerly known by names including atlas and timely, marvel entertainment is the publisher of comic books featuring iconic characters and teams such as the fantastic four, spiderman, the. Xray specs are american novelties, purported to allow users to see through or into solid objects. The ad showed a guy looking at the bones in his hand while a young lady stood by, patiently waiting her turn to be examined.
Comic book advertisements are a common feature in american comic books mainly from the 1940s onwards. Some of the military ones, like the ad for revolutionary soldiers. 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. Its well known, and there is a whole industry that thrives on it. Those xray specs which always promised sheer awesomeness, but never delivered. In reality the glasses merely create an optical illusion. Star comics was a division of marvel that was used mostly for cartoonrelated comics and other titles that would appeal to young children. What did the xray glasses advertised in the back of. One thing has stayed consistent in western world comic books, however, and thats the often bizarre advertisements. These classic ads in the back of comic books tricked kids from the 50s through the 80s. Remember those vintage comic book ads for xray specs and sea monkeys. You could send away for x ray specs, joy buzzers, the hypnocoin, assorted novelties and gags like a fake arm cast. Referencing the early issues of action comics, widely considered to be the first superhero comic, there are barely any ads at all.
Novelty historian kirk demarais tests xray specs and. Mailorder mysteries and hey skinny are both instant nostalgia. I got a pair of xray specs from a local joke shop a few years ago. Sea monkeys that could live in a goldfish bowl and be trained to perform tricks. Xray glasses are a novelty product designed to create the illusion that the user. Charles atlas was certainly an inspiration to puny peter parker types, though i lean more towards the xray specs which allowed you to checkout the goods prior to unwrapping. From a dogeared pile of yellowing comic books found in an old box at the back of the haunted closet, a collection of comic book ads that both tantalized and intrigued me, then and now. Comic book ads from the1950s and 1960s i do miss old comics.
The xray spex in particular were drawn by a professional daredevil named henri lamothe, who is the in the guinness book of world records for making the worlds highest shallow dive, from 28 feet into 12 inches of water. This is why as kids, every so often wed come across an ad in a comic book, for something we knew was too good to be true. The comics may not have been socially acceptable, but they had cool ads in them. X rayed funny cartoons from cartoonstock directory the worlds largest online collection of cartoons and comics. As these advertisements were directed at young people, many made sensational claims, and sold the products for a few dollars to be sent to a post office box. The first time i ever saw comics for sale was in 1979, when the.
If you cant get to the show, youll be able to order them from the organizer, chad maupin, who goes by big bot design. Half these xray specs ads seem to be emphasizing the possibility of seeing through a ladies dress. These ads are as much a part of the history and lore of comic books as the stories themselves. If they dont, its a shame, because a lot of the enjoyment came from these strange little adverts directed at kids. We went to the comic book place, like the drug store or the trails end bookstore in odessa and spent our hardearned allowance on. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true. Right there on the inside cover of my favorite comic book. X ray glasses classic ad this is a scan of an old comic book. Of course, not all of the products in the comic book ads were completely fake. A pair of glasses enabled you to see through clothing.
Home comic headquarters video game headquarters comic ads video game ads comic covers tabloid. Did they advertise these in the same comic books that shangchi ran around barefoot. The company is still around and thriving today online. Whether it was a lowquality toy or a useless gadget, these advertisements made everything look incredible.
Its amazing and it came from the same mind that brought us sea monkeys. And a sevenfoot submarine you and a friend could pilot. As i type this, i have a pair of ancient x ray specs sitting on a shelf. In the 60s and way beyond, you couldnt pick up a comic book without seeing an ad for xray specs. For example, for what seemed like a ridiculously low price, a person could purchase some xray specs. Its been so long since ive opened up a new comic book, i dont even know if they still run ads anymore. Here weve got another installment from our friends at fun factory see a 1980 ad from them here. From sea monkeys to xray specs, comic book ads take me. From xray specs to polaris nuclear submarines, the amazing. But if you look in older comic books youll see a treasure trove of sneaky ads, crazy claims. Having to be so cynical see more ideas about vintage comic books, vintage comics and comic books. As strange as many of these ads are, they definitely hold a kind of magic. World of xray comic books all regular issues are out of stock.
The brand advertised heavily in comic books and on tv and led many unsuspecting unathletic kids to believe that all they needed to not be chosen last in gym class was a pair of expensive sneakers. How a feral squirrelmonkey attacked its new owner, why a submarine disintegrated on the front lawn, how xray specs caused nothing but confusion and other crazy comic book advertising stories. Aside from the creep factor look through womens clothes. I am looking at a copy of an ad that ran in the back of comic books in the 1950s and early 1960s. Most of them were nothing but snake oil and empty promises, but roxanne carter, an aspiring writer with a closeted fatfetish, lets her curiosity get the best of her when she sees an ad that claims it can make her wildest fantasy a reality. Look at some inside pages by clicking customer images under the cover. Jan 02, 2012 he shares his findings funny, bizarre, a little bit heartbreaking in mailorder mysteries.
If you happened to be one of those who sent off for a pair with hard earned money saved from an allowance or paper route you were, no. Use our interactive diagrams, accessories, and expert repair help to fix your mtd lawn tractor. What kid did not order or dream of ordering such classics as sea monkeys, polaris subs or x ray glasses that we saw in the comic books. The ad that stoked every young comic book readers imagination was the one for xray specs. Sure, they were almost certainly ripoffs, but who cares. Vintage ad for xray specs it wasnt too long ago when i wrote an essay about some of the cool stuff that was advertised in comic books from sea monkeys and xray glasses to bodybuilding hints from charles atlas and money national radiology day november a history of xray vision eyewear. In todays comic books you dont see the advertisements you used to no ads with outrageous promises to be taller or more muscular. Back in the day, comic books were our refuge, our secret pleasure.
These are posted for the enjoyment of all comic book fans. Vintage ad for xray specs old comic books, vintage comic books, vintage. Scroll down to add issues to your want list and well email you when they arrive. Vintage comic book ads that were too good to be true. Young boys reading superhero comics saw a lot of body building ads and ads to get taller, thinner, and richer. How xray glasses is made material, manufacture, history, used. In reality, the spectacles merely create an optical illusion. See more ideas about vintage comics, vintage comic books and vintage ads. But still, wed put money in an envelope and four to. You waited six to eight weeks for delivery, only to find out that, no, these xray glasses did not in fact use real xrays probably a good thing since. Comic book ads from the1950s and 1960s barrys pearls of. Mtd lawn tractor parts that fit, straight from the manufacturer.
Fantastic ads like these ruled the back of my beloved comic books with every issue. X ray specs was a british comic strip illustrated by mike lacey that appeared in the first issue of the british comic monster fun on 14 june 1975. The man with the xray eyes 1963 the house of stuff. 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.
Some of the military ones, like the ad for revolutionary. Went to a comic book store yesterday page 2 financial. It features a young boy who acquired a set of x ray spectacles with whom he could see through everything. I couldnt really read the book so i was more interested in the ads for things like the package of 101 soldiers or grit magazine and, of course, the xray specs. Its not until the comic shifts from the 30s to the 40s, gaining international success, that we. Find and follow posts tagged x ray specs on tumblr. Im actually kind of surprised to see xray spex in 1978 for some reason i thought that was more of a 50s60s thing but apparently i was mistaken on that. Things like xray specs, sea monkeys, throw your voice, 7 ft tall ghostmonster that u control, etc.
No advertisements to own a nuclear sub or army tank can be found nowadays. The xray card above is nothing less than a much earlier, nonstereo version of the famous xray specs, spex, and gogs famous from boomerera comic book ads. Classic comic ads neverending cache of disappointment wired. The illusion that they do work, when you hold up your. I used to enjoy the ads on the back page, like the xray glasses ad. Posts about xray glasses written by comicbookadsblog.
The ads really played on the guillibility of kids back then to extreme measures. Airport screeners could get xrated xray views the new. Its been a while since ive done a classified page, so here you go. If superman were to use his x ray vision while looking at a mirror, would he be able to see through an object behind him, or would he just see through the mirror. But in those preinternet days, there was no way for lil schoolkids to. Jan 17, 2018 old comic book ads x ray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout duration. The science of xray specs and sea monkeys these products advertised in the back of comic books promised improbable feats of science. Vintage comic book ads that were total scams 20 photos the funny pictures for those of us who grew up in the and we know that toys back then were simple, yet lots of fun. Products offered included novelty items, toys, and selfimprovement courses such as drawing and body building. Xray specsthey were just plastic glasses with weird thinly striped lenses.