What You Think You See Is Not What You Think You Get

Comic book ads back in the 1960s were quite amazing …

When I found out I could pick up bottles from soft drinks that were discarded along the roadside and turn them in for 3 cents a piece at the corner store and immediately support my comic book habit, I was in heaven !

RC Cola bottles would get a nickle a piece ! I don’t know exactly why the extra two cents a bottle…

But … I digress …

I particularly loved the Sargent Rock WWII based and the Scot Jackson racing comics and the occasional super hero comic if it involved robots of some sort.

“Mod Wheels” comics and the “Hot Wheels” (after the really cool metal cars) comic books were simply awful … blatant commercial crapola.

“Drag ‘N Wheels” and “Hot Rods and Racing Cars” were simply cool and realistic with great stories and art. I scarfed them up as soon as they would come in.

Some comic book producers made really good products.

Great stories especially. Sometimes the art seemed a bit rushed – but it was always appropriate to the story.

The ads would hit me sort of funny …

… sometimes would make me crazy !

It wasn’t until I found out I could get even more money for mowing the yards of some of the older ladies in the neighborhood and could afford a couple of dollars to send away for matchbox cars and the like …

But some of the ads made me wonder who the heck could fall for such tripe – However … the ads could really drum up that “gotta have it” complex !

Some ads were so outrageous that even a 9 year old would give it a “yeah, right” ! Who would fall for that ? They are no doubt the same who fall for those emails from guys in Nigeria claiming to be the grandson of some big poo-bah and need to transfer several million dollars … tragically some really do believe it !

Wow ! A submarine ?!? A real Nuclear Submarine for $7 bucks ?!?

And this is what comes –

What about that Jet Rocket Ship for only five bucks ?!?! REALLY cool !

And this is what comes … cardboard … Still – pretty cool if you’re … like … uh … six !

A buddy of mine ordered the Sea Monkeys … only to find they were just brine shrimp … basically just a packet of freeze dried fish food with a fancy package –

We never could figure out how to “train” these shrimp .. uhhh … “sea monkeys” like the ad said …

I fell once for disappointment.

I ordered the 7 foot tall skeleton …

… and it was just a plastic poster …

worth a dollar after all …

but the ad made me think it was like a model kit !

I always wondered about the ads for live animals …

All I could think of is the poor creatures banging around in a mail truck.

I did order the army men and it was a real blast !

I got more than my money’s worth. And the ad was quite honest.

So let the buyer beware – or at least keep both eyes open.

Category: Tony Rollo Blog