Spider-Man backpack!

What's the ad for?

Dorman's Cheese
Year
1986

Spotted in...

The Scoop

 It's cool that they gave you the choice of how many UPC symbols to include. Doesn't seem like much a deal though. I did a bit of searching on the internet to see if I could come up with some photos of the actual backpack. All I found was people selling the actual ad?!? At a price-point of $7.99? Do people actually buy and collect just the ads? This is a dollar book if that. Couldn't they just buy the comic and clip out the old ad?

132 Roman Soldiers

What's the ad for?

132 Roman Soldiers. Two complete armies!
Year
1981

Spotted in...

The Scoop

This ad was featured prominently in back of comic books from the 60s to the early 80's. The art was by Russ Heath. Below is what Heath had to say about the ad in an interview featured at wtv-zone.com

A lot of people didn't know I did them because they didn't want them signed.  I did have a small "RH" on the lower left hand corner of the Revolutionary soldiers and I don't remember about the Roman soldiers.   Then they would blame me, I'd never seen the damned things, because they're like a bas relief or whatever they call it.  They're not fully formed, not three dimensional.  It would be flat things that were shaped a little and the kids felt gypped and they figured that it was my fault.

A lot of kids were disappointed with these toy soldiers. I guess it's another four color promise that never lived up to it's expectations.

The insult that made a man out of "Mac"

What's the ad for?

Bodybuilding books by Charles Atlas
Year
1972

Spotted in...

The Scoop

So apparently the story featured in the ad is based on the life of Angelo Siciliano, a young Italian immigrant. After getting sand kicked in his face, probably over at Coney Island, he decided that enough was enough. No more being a 97 pound weakling. So Siciliano joined the YMCA and became obsessed with working out. He won competitions and in 1921 was named  "The World's Most Perfectly Developed Man". He then got a job as the strongman in the Coney Island Circus Side Show. The year after that he changed his name to...Charles Atlas. I bet you didn't see that coming.

Altas told "Half Alive" scrawny teenagers that they didn't have to toil away in the YMCA gym to become the next  Angelo Siciliano. All they had to do was buy his book and perform "15 minutes a day of pleasant practice- in the privacy of your own room". I'd have to guess but I think they were already doing that pleasant practice everyday in the privacy of their own room. Probably involved more pulling than lifting.

Heroes helping Heroes

What's the ad for?
"A Time for Heroes" by Meatloaf single.
Year
1987

Spotted in

The Scoop

Wow, what a bad song, but I guess it was for a good cause, the 1987 International Summer Special Olympic Games. Meatloaf teamed up with Brian May of  Queen fame. It's a steamer. The art in the ad is horrendous too. Ah well. Listen to the song below.

Nobody likes a bag of bones...

What's the ad for?
The Do-It-Yourself Gain-A-Pound-A-Day Kit
Year
1972

Spotted in

 

 

The Scoop

The Do-It-Yourself Gain-A-Pound-A-Day Kit. Wow. That's a lot of hyphens. No where in the ad does it say you'll gain muscle...just pounds. You can gain a pound a day by eating doughnuts too.

Young America Record Club

What's the ad for?
Young America Record Club Top Hit Records
Year
1969

Spotted in

Hulk it for Halloween!

What's the ad for?
Marvel Character Halloween costumes
Year
1975

Spotted in

A little late I know but I just came across it last night. Flame Retardant for Safety!

Join the Best! G.I. Joe

What's the ad for?
G.I. Joe Mobile Strike Force Team
Year
1982

Spotted in

The Scoop

The Mobile Strike Force Team, a G.I. Joe fan club. I would have loved to join this as a kid. Never did. Maybe it was because I lived in Canada. Or maybe the fact that most of the comics I read at the time were DC seventies titles my mom would bring home form the quarter bins. Anyway, below are images of the some of the things you would get when you joined the Mobile Strike Force Team. All images are borrowed from www.yojoe.com, a great site for all things G.I. Joe.

Dog Tags

Military Web Belt

Membership Card

Poster featuring the cover of Marvel's G.I. Joe #1

“I have just one request before you disintegrate me!” I said. “Can I finish my lunch?”

What's the ad for?
Banana-Talkies and Banana-Compass
Year
1979

Spotted in

I'm not sure how a Banana-Compass would send for help but hey, maybe it's different then a regular compass. I stole the below images of the Banana-Talkies from ebay. Anyone every get one of these?

Battlestar Galactica Gold-colored Cylon Centurian Leader

What's the ad for?
Gold-colored Cylon Centurian Leader from Battlestar Galactica
Year
1979

Spotted in

I was down in Seattle this weekend and I stopped by the EMP museum. They currently have a Battlestar Galactica exhibit that features life-size replica Viper and Cylon Raider ships, along with various props and costumes. It's a small exhibit but was a nice bonus for any BSG fan. For me the main draw to the EMP was the Nirvana exhibit. If you ever get the chance, make sure to check out the museum. This was my third time there and it is always worth a couple hours of time to check it out. The permanent exhibits are worth it alone. I mean can you ever see this piece of Rock and Roll history enough?

The Magic Power of Witchcraft

What's the ad for?
The Magic Power of Witchcraft by Gavin and Yvonne Frost
Year
1976

Spotted in

Oh Charlton...the crazy ads you had. Here's one for "The Magic Power of Witchcraft" by Gavin and Yvonne Frost. Click on their names to visit their current blog. The two are well known Wican's and founded the The Church and School of Wicca in 1968.

Free! Lone Ranger Western Town!

What's the ad for?
Lone Ranger Western Town
Year
1982

Spotted in

Space Age Solid State Electronic

What's the ad for?
Space Age Solid State Walkie Talkie
Year
1978

Spotted in

War games of the board variety

What's the ad for?

WW II board games

Year

1985

Spotted in

The Scoop

Couldn't find anything out about these games. Even the ever resourceful www.boardgamegeek.com had nothing on this. Did Model Expo make the games or just distribute. I'm guessing the later. They are still around, Model Expo that is. Anyone ever order any of these games?

Stuntman T-Shirt

What's the ad for?

Stuntman's Association of Motion Pictures T-Shirt

Year

1984

Spotted in

The scoop

When I first saw this ad I doubted if this Stuntman's Association of Motion Picture even actually existed. Then I Googled it and it does! Now I want one of these T-Shirts. The art in this art...horrible. I can't tell if I'm looking at the front of this dude or the back. That's really messed up man.

Star Trek V Collectible Figures

What's the ad for?

Star Trek V Collectible Figures

Year

1989

Spotted in

 The scoop

These 8 inch collectible figures were released by Galoob in 1989 to coincide with the release of the William Shatner directed Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. The film did was a box office disappointment and so were these toys as they were cheaply made (but not cheap at $19.95 each). Visit the "A Piece of the Action" blog for a detailed review of the Spock figure. Maybe Galoob should have stuck to making Game Genies.

Let's play Ninja!

What's the ad for?

Ninja Star Target Game
Year
1987

Spotted in
Daredevil # 244, Marvel Comics
The scoop

Remember the eighties when Ninjas were the coolest? There was ninja video games, ninja movies, ninja toys, heck even ninja turtles. Ninja's were all the rage in the eighties. Now you can stop playing Star Wars with your friends and play Ninja instead. I think it's funny that the foam throwing stars come from "Lady Shogun Martial Arts Supply."

At the bottom of the above ad you see a teaser for Amazing Spider-Man #290 banner ad. "Peter Parker Proposes? Possibly." Spoiler alert! He does!

G.I. Joe - Hasbro Direct

What's the ad for?

G.I. Joe figures and vehicle mail order offer
Year
1988

Spotted in

Go Joe! Have a good weekend.

The Corgi Adventures of Corgi Boy

What's the ad for?

Corgi Die-cast cars
Year
1972

Spotted in

The scoop

Funny ad. I've never seen toy cars marketed as such. You know, a fantasy setting and all. Weird.

The Folk Box

What's the ad for?

The Folk Box
Year
1971

Spotted in

The scoop

The Folk Box was released by Elektra Records in 1964 and consisted of four LP's with each side featuring a particular style of Folk or Traditional music. From what I read, this was an excellent collection. Since this ad was ran seven years after its release, it was most likely a way to unload unsold copies. For those interested, listed below are the styles of folk music featured in each LP side.

Side 1: Songs of the Old World and Migration to the New

Side 2: Settling, Exploring and Growing in the New World

Side 3: Work Song

Side 4: Many Worshippers, One God

Side 5: Country Music - From Ballads to Bluegrass

Side 6: Nothing But The Blues

Side 7: Of War, Love and Hope

Side 8: Broadsides, Topical Songs, Protest Songs