With a Deal Like That, How Could You Say No?

December 1972

Jungle Action #2

Ah, Columbia House, I remember spending way too much time looking at your ads, deciding which albums I would pick out from the ones listed… I never actually did join the record club, but as a kid obsessed with music, I always enjoyed looking at their ads.

I like to think of ads like this as a sort of time capsule – here you get to see all the latest and greatest hits of 1972, and that can really reflect what was going on at that time.

I always associated Columbia House ads more with magazines than comic books, but most of the ads in this issue of Jungle Action seemed to be aimed at a more mature crowd.

And on a side note, I never imagined that I would need a tag for Engelbert Humperdink on this blog, but I guess this ad just proved me wrong!

Flipit – Possibly One of the Least Exciting Toys Ever

April 1980

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #7

Much like Snippys, I think Flipits are banking on the appeal of their characters to sell the product, because the product itself seems… well… kinda lame.

That’s right – you throw it, and it lands on its feet! It sounds like seconds of fun for the entire family! Were kids’ standards really that low in 1980?

And by the way, has anyone out there ever heard of Super Chick before? Because I sure haven’t.

 

Do you enjoy reading Comic Book Ads? If so, please consider supporting me by clicking here for my Amazon link – I’ll get a percentage from everything you order! Thanks!

$10,000 for a Penny? I’m a Millionaire!!

December 1972

Jungle Action #2

A penny that’s worth $10,000?! That’s amazing! I could possibly have one in my possession right now! If only I knew what year it was from… oh wait, it’s covered in the ad. I guess the only way to know is to buy their catalog!

I actually have a penny from 1911 on my desk (which I randomly got in change somewhere), so it looks like I’ve got $200 coming to me! Awesome!

Not Just Gum, Entertainment Too!

April 1980

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #7

So here we have “gumfighting do’s and don’ts” from Hubba Bubba, where they attempt to take bubble blowing, normally a mindless, idle activity, and turn it into something fun and exciting – competitive, even! I certainly give them credit for this novel approach!

They make a really big deal about how Hubba Bubba won’t stick to your face – I guess it never really occurred to me that something like that would be a big selling point, but given the choice, I supposed I’d go with the less messy gum too.

 

Do you enjoy reading Comic Book Ads? If so, please consider supporting me by clicking here for my Amazon link – I’ll get a percentage from everything you order! Thanks!

An Entirely Different Type of Hero

January 1997 (1996)

Deadpool #1

Personally, I’ve always seen comics and sports as two forms of entertainment on entirely opposite ends of the spectrum. I know that there must be some comics nerds who also watch sports, and some sports jocks who also read comics, but the idea just seems kind of foreign to me. That’s why this ad for a set of Michael Jordan videos just felt really out of place to me when I found it in the pages of Deadpool.

I should probably make some joke about this deal being a slam dunk or something like that, but I just can’t think of anything good at the moment. Feel free to do better in the comments!

 

Do you enjoy reading Comic Book Ads? If so, please consider supporting me by clicking here for my Amazon link – I’ll get a percentage from everything you order! Thanks!

Encouraging Kids to Play With Scissors

April 1980

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #7

What can make even the most mundane objects fun? Cartoon characters!! That’s why Snippys are so much more than mere office/school supplies! Yes, these “FABULOUS CARTOON SCISSORS” make it fun to cut stuff up!

I love that they’re encouraging you to collect these… ’cause if there’s one thing that kids love to collect, it’s… umm… office supplies…?

 

Do you enjoy reading Comic Book Ads? If so, please consider supporting me by clicking here for my Amazon link – I’ll get a percentage from everything you order! Thanks!

The Oh-So-Classy Classifieds

December 1989

Wonder Woman #37

Classifieds provide a smorgasbord  of cheesiness – they’re the cheapest advertising that money can buy in comics, meaning that they’re usually the lowest quality… which also means they can sometimes be the most entertaining!

I think my favorite on here is the “Live Chameleon FREE!” ad (of course, the lizard is only free if you buy a six-month supply of food). Though the “!!GET ALL THE GIRLS!!  !!BECOME RICH & POPULAR!!  * ONLY $3.95 *” is pretty great – for only $3.95, how could you afford not to order??

Accident Investigation – Precursor to CSI?

December 1972

Jungle Action #2

How many times have you been sitting around reading comic books and thinking, “You know, I really wish I had a better career”? Well, comics can help with that! Here’s your introduction to the exciting and lucrative world of accident investigation!

Yes, even a lowly factory worker can do this, so that means you can too!

The thing that I wonder about, though, is when Jim mentions that it’s part of “the biggest business in the world” – since when has insurance been that big of a business?

That’s Less Than Three Cents Per Soldier!

April 1980

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #7

Ah, little plastic soldiers – a staple in the category of cheap, cheesy toys! Here you can get two full armies of Roman soldiers for less than three dollars! Quite a bargain!

However, much like the Sea-Monkeys, I wonder how many kids were thrilled by this exciting battle scene, only to be disappointed upon receiving their tiny, monochromatic soldiers.

 

Do you enjoy reading Comic Book Ads? If so, please consider supporting me by clicking here for my Amazon link – I’ll get a percentage from everything you order! Thanks!