What A Book!: 'Mail-Order Mysteries' by Kirk Demarais

This colorfully eye-popping book exposes the "real stuff" kids got whenever they ordered something from old comic book ads back in the day. You know, stuff like the Secret Agent Spy Camera, X-ray Spex, Sea-Monkeys, etc. Sometimes they'd get pretty much what they expected, but MOST of the time "disappointment" was the name of the game. By documenting more than 150 of these "extraordinary, peculiar, and downright fraudulent collectibles", Demarais also reveals the secrets behind these too-good-to-be-true widgets and gizmos found only advertised within the comic books of yesteryear.

Here, take a look at some of the fun inside...

Horrifying!
Exciting!
Thrilling!
Disappointing.
(And it's all FREE... for only $1.00)

                                                                                                                                          Just add water!
Guaranteed to
grow disappointment!

                      Not X-actly what
kids X-pected...




I absolutely love this book! It's SO up my alley it's not even funny. Great layout/design, colorful, fantastic photos of everything, AND it's totally retro! I give it an A+!

So if you're at all intrigued by this mini-review, go get yourself a copy. Or, heck, you could mail-order one... At least now you'd REALLY know what you were getting BEFORE you got it!

Monsanto: From chemicals and plastics to amusement park wonder

Today, there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding Monsanto and their practices. Perhaps there always has been, but I don't want to go into any of that here. I just want to focus on some of the company's more exciting achievements such as their creation of "NEW colors, NEW materials, and NEW designs for plastic housewares" as well as having sponsored two of the most beloved and sadly missed attractions at Disneyland.

Doesn't that ad up there make plastic look enticing? It's all just so COLORFUL and SHINY! By the look of it, I'd say marketing was certainly a Monsanto strong point. Check out what the text says in the ad. "LOOK... TOUCH... LIFT... and see what wonderful uses today's stylists and designers have found for plastic's lustrous lightness, fluid grace. Now plastic housewares are at home in every room of the house... reflecting the skill of craftsmen working with Lustrex, Monsanto's styrene plastic molding powder. Modern, exciting, durable, they are available in a wide range of colors, including crystal clear and the newest pastels. Look for these exciting new plastic housewares at your favorite store... you'll use them everywhere!" Well, wrap 'em up 'cause I'll take every last one of 'em! I'm a total sucker for slick talk and fancy presentations.

Speaking of presentations... Monsanto sponsored two classic Disneyland attractions. One was the big, plastic, walk-thru House of the Future which lasted from 1957-1967. And the other was everyone's favorite, the awesome Adventure Thru Inner Space ride. That one lasted considerably longer, existing from 1967-1985.



"Gee, but peeping in on the people

of tomorrow sure is romantic, Johnny!"



"Don't open the drapes, Delores.

I have a feeling we're being watched..."

Unfortunately, I was born a bit too late to have enjoyed the HotF first-hand. But, boy, did I enjoy me some Inner Space! I can remember being sooo fascinated with that ride, especially at the beginning where the HUGE microscope "shrinks" you down to atomic proportions. Of course, at a certain age it became obvious to me that it was all just an illusion, with tiny fake people. But up until then I was totally convinced. A little scared, even.



I'm probably in that line somewhere crying

because I'm afraid I'll soon be shrunken.






















Riding along in your atommobile, there just wasn't

ANYthing else like it. Period.























Say what you will about the Monsanto of today. And I DO understand that plenty of people have much to say... I, however, much prefer the Monsanto of yesteryear. And I'll take it in a crystal clear, Lustrex plastic container, please.

Show & Tell: Art Frahm's 'The Crossing Guard'

While wandering through an antique mall over the weekend, I stumbled across this colorful gem of a picture hanging in a simple 8x10 frame. My eyes just about popped out of their sockets because, as my good friend Matt said, "It's sooo up Anthony's alley!" And if you're a regular Pop Circus visitor you know how true a statement that really was. So, of course, I snatched that puppy right up and took it home. But I was curious to know more about the artist. Just WHO was this Frahm person? Was this print out of a book, or was it one in a series? I had to know more. To the internet I went, and what I found was quite interesting...

Art Frahm (1907-1981) was an American painter of campy pin-up girls and advertising. He lived in Chicago and was active from the 1940s to 1960s. Today he's best known for his "ladies in distress" pictures involving beautiful young women whose panties mysteriously flutter to the ground in public situations, often causing them to spill their bag of groceries.

Frahm was commercially successful, and even his falling-panties paintings were later imitated by other pin-up artists. In fact, to this day the falling-panties art has a small cult following as mid-20th century kitsch, or even as fetish art.

In addition to pin-ups, Frahm created a series of humorous hobo-themed calendar illustrations. Another set of paintings celebrated traffic safety, complete with smiling, chubby crossing guards and schoolchildren. (Ding! Ding! Ding! Just like the one I have!) His advertising art included works for Coca-Cola and Coppertone.


























Boy, talk about one extreme to the other, huh? Somehow, Frahm even managed to make an adorable pup look like a "horn dog" in the second picture. That's a bit TOO creepy. I think I'll just stick with the traffic safety series, thank you very much.

Attack of the "B" movie posters!

I don't know about you, but I really love a good, bad "B" movie! And I love 'em even better the worse they are... Yes, I'm one of "those" people. I can't help it. I enjoy over-the-top schlock, bad acting, and low-budget special effects. I find all of it quite humorous and entertaining. My husband... not so much. He only sometimes sees the humor, and even then his patience wears thin way quicker than I'd prefer. Oh, well. He's such an awesome man and husband in countless other ways, I guess I shouldn't complain. Instead, I'll share with you some of my favorite "B" movie posters I found pictures of in one of my neat, old books! Sound like fun? Oh, good!

'Youth Runs Wild', 1944

Tires + youngsters = TROUBLE!

'I Was a Shoplifter', 1950

Might I suggest casting Winona Ryder and
Lindsay Lohan in a modern-day remake?

'The She-

Creature', 1957

I've known one or two of

these in my time...

'The Man From

Planet X', 1951

I like this poster SOOO much!

The dude from Planet X is

quite spooky, no?



'Terror From the

Year 5,000', 1958

Note to self: Need not worry.

You will be long since dead

come the year 5,000...

Everyone else can suck it!



'The Brain

Eaters', 1958

Yummm!

'Ghoulies', 1985

Get it?!

Well, I had fun with these, and I hope you did, too. Do YOU have any favorite "B" movies that you enjoy watching again, and again? My all-time fave "B" movie to watch would easily be 'This Island Earth' from 1955. Check it out if you've never seen it. It's got an awesome space monster... Bye, bye!

"Bras and panties and briefs, oh my!"

Hey, everyone, it's time for a party! And the attire for this shindig is nothing but your skivvies, so if you'd like to peel everything else off and join the fun, go right ahead! Though, you might want to draw your blinds and curtains first...

These old ads for men's and women's unmentionables are quite a hoot to look back on nowadays. However, not only good for a hearty chuckle, they're also interesting examples of classic advertising methods. Come take a look, won't you?...





Something tells me these three

just participated in something

completely satisfying.
































Ooh, la la!



See, no matter how badly you

want to rip those shorts off of

another man, you can't tear the fly!

 

I can't believe that's not a

vagina stitched onto the front...



Men, hide your dix

in Globe-tailored Slix!































Just place them, press them

and forget them? I'd love to

see that lady play an entire
game of tennis with those
booby cups on...



No equal for... GAY.

"Stick 'em up... and WAY out!"

Well, if it isn't a million he's feeling like,

he's obviously feeling "something"

quite special...

Now, wouldn't you say this is

taking Casual Friday just a

little too far?

That about does it for this Pantie Party, or Skivvy Soiree. I hope you all had fun! And don't forget to put your clothes back on BEFORE you re-open those blinds and curtains, unless you enjoy that sort of thing...


~ All images taken from the postcard books, 'Brief Encounters: Men's Underwear in the Classic Age of Advertising' and 'Brief Encounters: Women's Underwear in the Classic Age of Advertising'. Both published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Ovaltine'... To wake up GAY in the morning!

"Why be content to waken tired, listless, or low in the morning - when you should be gay and radiantly alive? Why not follow this simple plan thousands are using for sparkling morning freshness? Just drink a warm cup of Ovaltine at bedtime each night."

So, where's the disclaimer that states side effects include an increased desire to participate in same-sex frivolities before lunch?


~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

"Hey, Santa! Whatcha sellin'?" - The jolly old elf in advertising.

How can anyone say "No" to a face like that? Besides, it's freakin' Santa Claus! And WHO doesn't like him?? Well, if YOU don't, go play on the freeway. You're dumb! Plus, you'll probably get coal in your stocking...

Anyway, for the rest of us who DO still like good ol' Saint Nick, I've compiled a gallery to display just some of the finer examples of his contribution to advertising. This would also be considered an "old skool" edition, mostly because I don't think any of these ads date past the 1960s. Oh, and F.Y.I., these are only the tip of the iceberg. As I continue to sort through and find more gems, I'm sure the urge to share will be much too hard to resist! So, for now, please enjoy what I've collected below.






I really like how colorful this is! And how great is it that
the "train" is actually one of the Christmas crackers?!





























I think the detailed artwork in this is very
impressive! Love the lettering font, too!

































As if Santa wasn't already huge enough with
everyone, here he's quite literally HUGE...
He's a GIANT! Just look at how he towers
over those rocky mountains beneath him!
And I'm sure it's because he eats lots and
lots of Sunkist Seedless Navel Oranges!

 



































I can't even tell you how MUCH I absolutely
LOVE this image! It just makes me HAPPY
in all sorts of ways! Even just the name
"Ribbon Candy Rocket" makes me giddy...
Yep, I'm gay.



































I like this, but what I DON'T like is how
Jack and Betty just demand, "Bring us
Tinker Toys." WHERE, may I ask, is the
"Please" in that request? Hmm? I think
Santa ought to skip their house!



































Isn't this great? I just hope that was the
LAST house on Santa's route...
































Again, another very pleasing one to me!































I don't know about you, but a Thermos has
NEVER been on MY Christmas wish list.



It'd sure be a shame if all Santa was carrying
in his bag-o-tricks was Colgate products, huh?
He'd BETTER have some toys in there, too!

  































Not sure if this is from the 1950s or '60s, but it
rings early '60s to me, for some reason. Is Santa
actually demonstrating that the television is
slightly narrower than his own waistline?
Could that really be a selling point?



































This is quite nice.
It reminds me of Santa's Village!






























Well, that'll do it for today's gallery, kids. Check back again, real soon, to see what else is NEW at the circus! In the meantime, try to relax and enjoy the holiday season. "See" you later!


~ All images taken from the book, 'Christmas: Vintage Holiday Graphics'. Edited by Jim Heimann. Published by Taschen. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Lifebuoy Health Soap'... The soap of considerate people.

"Peggy, did you catch a whiff of Fran?"

"Oh, my. I thought I smelled something, Helen. But, you know, I'm not the least bit surprised. The other day, we were at the supermarket together and I couldn't help noticing that she had some cheap, off-brand bath soap in her shopping cart..."

"Tsk, tsk. What some women won't do to save a few pennies!"


~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Bile Beans'... To be attractively slim, and to ensure regular daily elimination!

While Bile Beans were initially pitched as a cure for biliousness, the influenza epidemic of 1899 was too good an opportunity to miss. Horrible though the flu was, a lot of people would recover after a week or so anyway, and it was an easy matter for quacks to point to cases where the recovery coincided with the taking of their medicine.

A leaflet enclosed with the Beans stated that they were also a cure for cirrhosis of the liver, blackheads, and all "female complaints" (Sorry about that, ladies), and later they were mainly targeted at women, using glamorous pictures that now appear incongruous with the unattractive product name. Although the leaflet said that the Beans did not include mercury, bismuth, or aloes, they did contain aloin - an aloe extract with laxative properties that is no longer considered safe because of its potential side effects. The other ingredients were cardamom, peppermint oil and wheat flour, with a black gelatin coating. Yummmy!
 
The story behind the Beans went that an Australian scientist, Charles Forde, had discovered an ancient aboriginal remedy. The actual inventor was a Canadian called Charles E. Fulford, and the story about the aborigines was completely made up. Although this was revealed during a 1905 court case where Fulford sued the proprietor of an imitation product, the Bile Beans became very popular in the 20th century and were still on sale in the 1980s.
 
 
~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. All info taken from thequackdoctor.com. ~ 
 
 

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Scott Tissue'... When peculiar, private itching breaks concentration.

"When I asked Mary what was the matter she complained of an itching. I asked a friend's advice at Mother's Club that afternoon. She said it was probably caused by harsh or impure toilet tissue, and recommended Scott Tissue." Those were the days when advertising still used some level of discretion. Boy, nowadays we see animated bears dancing around on the T.V. with toilet paper confetti stuck on their rumps! I suppose the people who are marketing that particular product think they're being subtle, but come on... Those damned poo bears are pretty blatant! And I guess I just find it somehow more disturbing since it's trying to be all cutesy-cartoony about bears pooping and the toilet paper sticking to their dirty butts. It's just gross, you know? Not that I'm a prude, because that certainly isn't the case.

Another part of the ad text that I find interesting is where it goes on to share how experiences like Mary's "are common. Harsh tissue can cause serious inflammation. Women and girls especially, because of their peculiar requirements, need a soft, highly absorbent tissue - such as Scott Tissue or Waldorf."

Evidently, those "tissue issues" can mean some serious "sh*t" for the ladies. Or so they'd like us to think...

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Listerine'... Because halitosis makes you unpopular.

"Don't fool yourself! Since halitosis never announces itself to the victim, you simply cannot know when you have it." Ya gotta love that sales tactic! Nothing seems more effective than fear or paranoia to really push a product. And if that doesn't work, surely knocking down people's self-esteem by telling them they'll be "unpopular" should do the trick! If you click to enlarge the advertisement, pay particular attention to the FACTS in the lower right-hand corner. I love that they're relying on what 68 hairdressers had to say about their clientele, "many of them from wealthy classes". And, after all, "Who should know better than they?"


~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic'... Does a body good!

In this chill tonic, which came out in 1878, Edwin Wiley Grove found a way to bottle a quinine (only known malaria medication of the time) mixture that would eliminate the bitter taste. This tasteless tonic, which some claimed wasn't all that tasteless, was quite an improvement over taking straight quinine for fever and chills caused by malaria. A sweet syrup and lemon flavor was added to the quinine, along with cinchonine and cinchonidine, which were the main ingredients in crystal form within the tonic. The chill tonic was so popular that the British army made it standard issue for every soldier going off to mosquito infested lands and, by 1890, more bottles of Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic were sold than bottles of Coca-Cola.

So much success... All achieved with a marketing campaign like that one??!
Boy, have times changed.


~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just What the Doctor Odrered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Madonna "strikes a pose" for Dolce & Gabbana

I'm so excited! I just discovered this awesome new ad campaign Madonna did for the D & G Spring/Summer 2010 Women's collection, and she looks terrific! Quite Italiano, too. The photo concept was obviously meant to play off her Ciccone name, and I think it really works!

I'm no dummy, I do realize that some Photoshop wizardry must have taken place here. Notice her hands... do they seem a bit different to you? Let me put it this way, she hasn't been wearing gloves while performing on stage or in her videos solely for the sake of fashion. And what about her face? I'm not real sure where plastic surgery ends and digital makeover begins, if at all. But I must ask, has she always had cheekbones like that?! I'm afraid that she may be morphing into Cher.
Please, Madonna, don't let that happen!


















As if anyone would ever see her washing dishes...




That'll do it for this Madonna Monday moment.
Ciao, baby!