WIZBANG! Pet Demon

(2B pencil on a 139mm x 87mm postcard)

- NOT AVAILABLE - 

Even pets were not immune to comic-book ads and there were quite a few different ones, whether it was the now infamous sea monkeys, or even squirrel monkeys (which were a real con, because you actually did get nothing for your money). As with other items that were advertised, they were sold as something wonderful and exotic, when they were really very mundane (sea monkeys were just brine shrimp).

 

With these Wizbang ads, I decided to reference them with an advert selling everything you could possibly need to grow your own little pet demon. A strange DIY kit that would probably sell well if it was advertised.

WIZBANG! Death-Ray Specs

(2B pencil on a 139mm x 87mm postcard)

 

Of all the comic-book ads which existed, the one that most tend to remember are the iconic "X-Ray Specs" ones. The original adverts tended to show the same character looking at the bones in their hand, or looking through the dress of a woman. It was responsible for many a child parting with their pocket money and was something of a catalyst in introducing them to this strange world of bullshit comic-book ads. I chose to spoof it here and kept the artwork for it very basic.

WIZBANG! Star Portal

(2B pencil on a 139mm x 87mm postcard)

  - NOT AVAILABLE -

As I remember, the original small-ads were very crude in their appearance, so the rough nature you see in the ones I've done do match that. This is helped by doing them with a simple 2B pencil, which gives them that rough "letterpress" feel that the original adverts once had. So it's fortunate that I didn't choose a fineliner, because I don't think they would have looked as good.