The Big Bang Theory Promo

No, this entry is not about Sheldon's popular show; rather, it's a 1988 cable trade magazine dual ad for both the "War Of The Worlds" series and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Although the ad touts the high numbers for the new "WOTW" series, you may remember that it only lasted for two seasons before being cancelled, whereas "ST:TNG" went for all seven before the studio voluntarily ended it. The magazine was an over-sized publication, and it took six page scans to get the entire two-page spread (the painting for which is quite spectacular), which I then pieced back together. Most of the time the scans here are larger than the actual item featured; but this one is close to the actual size of the original. By the way, I did post this in one of my other blogs awhile back, here, since it spans ST also.

(Click on image to enlarge; once the image loads,
you may have to click it again to view full-size.)

Bonus: A full-page ad from my 1967 issue #2 of Charlton's "Blue Beetle" comic, advertising their various superheroes. Cool!

Amazing Spider-Man #42

Comics were the first thing I collected as a kid that I actually kept, and I still have each one I bought growing up. Sadly, not very many of the pre-1970 issues are in good enough shape to be worth much to a collector; but they are worth a lot to me for the memories they invoke. This time we look at my dog-eared copy of "The Amazing Spider-Man" #42, published in 1966, in which Peter meets Mary Jane for the first time, and she utters the famous line "Face it, Tiger... you just hit the jackpot!" I'm guessing MJ didn't have a problem with self-esteem or confidence.

(Click on images to enlarge; once the image loads,
you may have to click it again to view full-size.)

Below is the first page, a great full-page drawing of Spidey as he seemingly robs a bank. Spidey's life is the manifestation of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished."

And lastly, the final page with the famous last panel, as Peter's jaw drops and his pants get tight. Notice that he is not looking at her face in that scene.

From the same issue comes the ad below for the Marvel super-hero cartoons that were playing at the time, the fondly-remembered short episodes that it was a stretch to call "animated." Today we would label them "motion comics," which are comic panels with some elements that slide around the screen, and limited arm and leg motions, accompanied by dialog, music and sound effects. "When Captain America throws his mighty shield!" (Click here to visit a page with the audio.)

For more information about this issue, with a comprehensive review, visit this site:

http://www.samruby.com/AmazingSpider-ManA/amazing_spiderman_042.htm

Batman Magic Photo Kit

From one of the late 1960's comics in my collection, comes this ad for a mysterious "something" that makes photos. For years I wondered what it could be... it surely wasn't a camera.

(Click on image to view full size. After it opens, you may need to click it again to view it larger.)

Some of the mystery may now finally be dispelled, at least for me, as in researching this item I found this comment on another blog that featured the same ad...

Andy Vaughn on August 23rd, 2007
I had the Batman Photo kit in the younger days. It consisted of 6 negatives with scenes from various Batman stories of the day (I remember a couple of them were Batman fighting the Bouncer). Several pieces of photo paper, and a hard plastic sheath were also included. You would take the photo paper, and place a negative over it, then place both in the plastic sheath which you would then hold up to a light source for 5 minutes. After that, a picture would appear from the negative onto the paper. It was really neat, and I remember playing with it for hours. However it was lost somewhere in time. Sure which I would have kept up with it!

And there you have it.

1966 comic book ads

The first things I ever collected were comics, and looking through those earliest ones I bought as an 8 year old (that I still have) I am amused and taken back in time by the ads themselves. I liked "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." but this ad about a pen that "let you see through walls" was a bit deceptive. It doesn't mention that you must first have a hole in said wall or door to use the pen!

Below is a time capsule of all the shows I liked to watch on Saturday mornings in 1966, spent in my pyjamas and nursing a bowl of cereal ( I liked "Ka-Boom" cereal, remember that one?).