It’s been a while since I’ve done a post about old comic ads but lo! I return with such a post! I’ve been re-reading a lot of my 70’s era comics one more time as I prepare to unload them either on eBay or to the shop. And like I’ve previously mentioned, the advertisements were some of the best things about the comics of my youth.
And one of the most prolific figures of the 70’s – and of comic advertisements – was one Evel Knievel.
Evel Knievel was a pop icon of the 70’s. If you don’t know who he is, he was the daredevil cyclist who crashed more often than he succeeded. I do believe he broke every bone in his body but in no way did this fact and idiocy forestall his career or popularity.
This was borne out by the proliferation of ads that littered comic books in the days of yore. Every kid wanted to be Evel and mothers everywhere wrung their hands in abject fear. I, alas, was a more cautious child and did not care for the possibility of dying or traction. But I sure as hell wanted an Evel Knievel toy! Like this gem:
Awesome right?! And I never had one. The humanity. I could only console myself with the ads and wistfulness of wanting. Here are some more cool Evel ads:
Look up some Evel in your downtime! It’s fun stuff!
Possibly one of the most mysterious and beloved creatures that haunted comic book ads and my imagination back in those halcyon days of the late 70’s and early 80’s. I can still vividly recall the Sea Monkey ad in my childhood comics with its vaguely Arthurian theme. Strange aquatic beasts with hints of an underwater Camelot in the background. What were they? Who were they?
The answers to these questions could be found if I simply filled out the conveniently attached form and mailed it in with $1.25 from my allowance. Dare I introduce these enigmatic creatures into my house? Alas, my Mom said no. And there was no budging her. Thus I never realized my curiousity. A tragic tale to be sure.
I later learned that Sea Monkeys were not what they appeared to be but were a variation of shrimp that were able to be shipped from the “suspended animation” state that they entered. If one sent away for them, they would receive the Sea Monkeys along with a water purifier package, a food package, and “life eggs”.
Following the instructions provided, the lucky recipient would use the supplied packages and in a couple days’ time have wonderful aquatic creatures to thrill him.
Not very magical I know. But I would imagine to a 7 year old kid, it was pretty darn awesome! The wonder of Sea Monkeys was not lost however. In 1992 or so, Howie Mandel starred in The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys, a TV show about a professor who introduces human-sized Sea Monkeys into society. It was a short-lived program unfortunately. Or fortunately dependent on one’s viewpoint.
I’m a long way off from that wide-eyed youth of 30 years ago but the Sea Monkeys still remain a fondly-remembered aspect of my childhood.
In case an alien that stands for Truth, Justice, and the American Way ever crosses your path, you may wish some insurance. I mean who knows what this guy’s M.O. could really be?
If you were an impressionable youth in the 70’s and 80’s you likely read comic books. And it was possible that you believed in the aforementioned alien being. But it was a good thing indeed that you read comic books because the answers and solutions to a lot of life’s problems lurked between those colorful covers. Especially amongst the advertisements!
Case in point:
See? You could mail away to receive actual chunks of Kryptonite!! And if you did so – which I never did because I don’t believe in flying aliens with spit curls – you got your insurance. You were a friend to Superman. You kept the Kryptonite out of the hands of his nefarious foes. You probably didn’t have any other friends but that’s a post of a different sort
If anyone has any Kryptonite rocks, I’d love to see them. And perhaps any tales of the lonely childhood that accompanied the rocks.
One of the coolest things about reading comics back in the day were the advertisements. I know that may seem a weird thing to state in this day of DVD and skipping through commercials on your DVR but there were so many great and fun and informative ads between the covers of the average 70’s/80’s comic book.
There were ads for all of these wonderful toys and books and medallions, you name it! If it could be remotely comic/pop related it garnered a page. And you have to remember that 30 + years ago there wasn’t the proliferation of toys that there is today. Comic books and baseball cards were pretty much it for entertainment back then. And getting kids interested in these other items was a bit of a task. Enter the comic book ad. Brilliant!
I spent as much time perusing the ads as I did reading the comic book. One of my favorite ads was this:
A classic! Little green army men have been around for years and years. But where did you actually get them? It always seemed as if you arbitrarily came across them in little Mom ‘N’ Pop stores or the five-and-dime stores that your Mom would drag you to while on family vacation.
Well this ad promised release from those vacation visits. Mail in the form and they came to your home!! Instant army men!! These toys I’ve always felt were a rite of passage for a boy. I don’t think I knew a fellow kid in the neighborhood who didn’t have green army men.
There are plenty of these articles and ads I can write reflect upon and I will in future posts. Thought I’d establish a beachhead with the army
See you later!
Comicazi Mike
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