Considering the generally G-rated fare of Silver Age comics, there were certainly enough of these types of advertisement that seemed aimed at more prurient adolescent fantasies than being a superhero. Most of the ads included an attractive woman, just in case your own imagination didn't trigger all the possible uses Spy-Pen or similar devices had for you.
The "scientific optical principle" that the X-ray specs really worked under apparently was simply that a small feather inside the glasses made you think you were seeing something you weren't.
You've gotta love the zombie-like way she's got her hands out in front of her.
This is slightly creepy actually.
ReplyDeleteThe perennial discussions of when Bronze replaced Silver or when Tungsten replaced Zinc (or whatever labels are accepted) are too unclear and prone to argument. To me, it is all much easier to track by the adverts. Ads for X-Ray Specs and Sea Monkeys were replaced by reputable toys from Mattel. Glossy back cover ads for selling seeds or "Grit" became upcoming movie posters. Nowadays, is there ever an ad that is less than a full page? Is there ever an ad as intriguing as "1,000 Plastic Army Men"?
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'll confess. The disappearance of these adverts are, to me, an easy way to track when comics stopped being fun.
nickbackm, the fantasies of adolescent boys are creepy.
ReplyDeleteGosh -- how I remember that Man From UNCLE ad! I didn't want the gizmo to spy on girls ... I wanted one just to be a 'secret agent!' (Though, to hear my friends tell it, what I really became was a space cadet....)
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