The marketing was targeted toward children who read comic books and the sea monkeys were advertised as almost anthropomorphic creatures that would instantly spring to life when they were introduced to water. Children of the 1960s and 70s first learned one of lifes great lessonsyou get what you pay forin the pages of their favorite comic books. Sea monkeys were intensely marketed in comic books throughout the 1960s and early 1970s using illustrations by the comic book illustrator joe orlando. In 1992, cbs broadcast a sea monkey tv show, starring, naturally. In the lavish mailorder mysteries, demarais supplies a chronicle of the more popular and infamous products. Seamonkeys 1960s 1970s comic books mid century new etsy. Sea monkeys was developed in 1957, a brand name for brine shrimp a group of crustaceans that undergo cryptobiosis which were sold in hatching kits. A 1978 comic book ad for seamonkeys, with art by the comic book artist joe orlando, who would serve as vice president of dc comics.
A pair of glasses enabled you to see through clothing. The product was heavily marketed in the 1960s and 70s, especially in comic books, and remains a presence. Sea monkeys mars will send no more comic books, art. George has the story of one fan who bought one, which resulted in an er visit and 28 stitches. Seamonkeys documentary explores toy creators dark side. The new name was based on their saltwater habitat, together with the supposed resemblance of the animals tails to those of monkeys. In 1960 he began selling brine shrimp under the seamonkey name through mail order. Vintage comic book ads that were too good to be true. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles. Seamonkeys 1960s 1970s comics comic books mid century new t.
Cheesy ads promoting all sorts of questionable items have appeared throughout the history of comic books. The sea monkey scam gets worse thoughts from botswana by. If you were a regular reader of comic books in the 60s and 70s, you probably couldnt help but notice the recurring ad that offered you your very own kidsized polaris nuclear submarine all for the low price of about seven bucks. Nov 05, 2009 now the comic books that i bought werent advertising sea monkeys, they were advertising irritatingly fashionable vans shoes, games like mortal kombat, with its almost cult like fervor, and there were double page ads for bigname movies. May 12, 2015 print advertising for seamonkeys puts the s in sensationalism.
The battle over the seamonkey fortune the new york times. It wasnt that no one was buying them, it was that no one wanted to sell them, so harold got the idea to place an ad for instant life inside comic books to market directly to kids. This series of ads, illustrated by joe orlando later vice president of dc comics, ran in comic books throughout the 1970s and depicted the sea creatures as a nuclear family, sans clothing, with crowns on. The same equipment was repurposed into kits for seamonkeys skitrials, seamonkeys fox hunt, and seamonkeys mystery robo diver. Comic books are a world of scifi and fantasy, but we have to admit, some of these crazy plots feel eerily familiar. One of the ubiquitous and most intriguing ads that could be found in the pages of a comic book were those for sea monkeys, an underwater family of weird little mammalian fish that you could keep all to your own. Enter the wonderful world of amazing live seamonkeys. If you use the add to want list tab to add this issue to your want list, we will email you when it becomes available. First, they were just miniature shrimp with an incredibly short lifespan. As jack hitt wrote in the nyt, sea monkeys were soaked in the art of humbug.
May 15, 2018 enter the wonderful world of amazing live seamonkeys. Sea monkeys that could live in a goldfish bowl and be trained to perform tricks. Sold by cbr adventures and ships from amazon fulfillment. We had sea monkeys in superman dc comics, we had it in harvey comics, archie, in fact every comic book on the market we bought 303 million pages of advertising a year for years. Despite their incredibly short lifespan, sea monkeys remain one of the most infamous comic book pop culture. We had seamonkeys in superman dc comics, we had it in harvey comics, archie, in fact every comic book on the market we bought 303 million pages of advertising a year for years. In 1960 he began selling brine shrimp under the sea monkey name through mail order.
I put it in the linen closet and promptly forgot it. I sort of see my life as the innocence before the sea monkeys and the jaded postsea monkeys child i became. The product was marketed in comic books heavily during the 1960s, 1970s and is still a maintains a strong presence. The marketing was targeted toward children who read comic books and the seamonkeys were advertised as almost anthropomorphic creatures that would instantly spring to life when they were introduced to water. Love the graphics of the happy family of sea monkeys in the picture. Sea monkeys were actual humanoids with tails and funny crowned heads that lived in a bowl. Apr 17, 2016 a 1978 comic book ad for sea monkeys, with art by the comic book artist joe orlando, who would serve as vice president of dc comics and associate publisher of mad magazine. Apr 05, 2020 the same equipment was repurposed into kits for sea monkeys skitrials, sea monkeys fox hunt, and sea monkeys mystery robo diver. This series of ads, illustrated by joe orlando later vice president of dc comics, ran in comic books throughout the 1970s and depicted the sea creatures as a nuclear family, sans clothing, with crowns on their heads. As kids, we all saw that advertisement for the amazing live seamonkeys in the back of comic books that showed a family of little magical underwater creatures and placed an order immediately. Dreams of ruling over a kingdom of these instant pet merpeople were soon dashed when we realized they were neither people, nor monkeys, but tiny marine microcrustaceans.
These ads looked distinctly stylish and welldesigned. Oct 04, 2010 people who know me know i blame sea monkeys for a lot of things. Advertisements in comic books have promised unbelievable products for. Comic adventures of sea monkeys volume 1 phillips, carol on. Seamonkeys were intensely marketed in comic books throughout the 1960s and early 1970s using illustrations by the comicbook illustrator joe orlando. Cheezy comic book mail order ads featured fantastical items that could not be ignored by wideeyed children. Life in lockdown with my wonderful brand new family of sea. Top 10 outrageous comic book advertisements youtube. Print advertising for seamonkeys puts the s in sensationalism. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, sea monkeys were advertised in comic books and sold via mail order.
And a sevenfoot submarine you and a friend could pilot. I sort of see my life as the innocence before the sea monkeys and the jaded post sea monkeys child i became. A polaris submarinemore than seven feet longwhich i dreamt of traveling in along the forthclyde canal, avoiding the ghostly weeds, the garbage, discarded shopping trolleys, and the imaginary gangsters. These showed humanoid animals that bear no resemblance to the crustaceans. The strange history of comic book advertisements syfy wire. Far more than just a mere listing, each item includes the original ad, a picture of the actual item, and exploratory text broken into three or four parts. I never had them as a kid in the 90s but, in 2019, i was gifted a kit for christmas. See more ideas about sea monkeys, sea and vintage tiki. Perhaps the pictures above will bring you back in time. Jul 28, 2017 old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true.
Seamonkeys was developed in 1957, a brand name for brine shrimp a group of crustaceans that undergo cryptobiosis which were sold in hatching kits. What would a vintage comic book be without ads for sea monkeys. Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic lasergun plans, xray specs, and even 7foottall monsters with glowinthedark eyes. Back in 1960s and 70s, the back pages of comic books were filled with ads for fun novelty items, like whoopee cushions, spy pens, decoder rings, and even sea monkeys. A mailorder advertisement for seamonkeys that appeared in numerous american childrens comicbooks during the early 1970s click picture to enlarge it for reading the advert transcience corporation. The product was marketed in comic books heavily during the 1960s, 1970s and is still maintains a strong presence in popular culture today. With the help of elaborate ads that seemed to appear in every comic book released during the late 1960s and 1970s, the scientific marvels known as sea monkeys became one of the most popular toys of all time. We all saw these beautiful sea monkey adverts in our richy rich comic books. Sea monkeys could be ordered by mail directly from the sea monkey headquarters. From comicbook advertisements to cryptobiotic artemia. Seamonkeys 1960s 1970s comics comic books mid century. Jun 03, 2014 top 10 outrageous comic book advertisements from many of the comic book lists on this site you can tell is big supporter of comic books. Amazing live seamonkeys executive set gear pets as kids, we all saw that advertisement for the amazing live seamonkeys in the back of comic books that showed a family of little magical underwater creatures and placed an order immediately.
He and his new wife, the 60s bondage film star yolanda signorelli, moved into a sprawling ranch south of dc, which they started turning into a wildlife reserve with part of the sea monkey fortune. In 1960, seamonkeys began to appear in comic book ads, although without their soontobefamous name. Let it sit for 24 hours away from excess sun or cold. These classic ads in the back of comic books tricked kids from the 50s through the 80s.