Mail-Order Mysteries: Real Stuff from Old Comic Book Ads!
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Nostalgic deep-dive into comic advert oddities.
If you fondly recall flipping through comic books not just for the stories but for the bizarre ads in the margins, "Mail-Order Mysteries" could be a delightful time capsule for you. It’s a treasure trove of the promises versus realities of these products that tapped into the imagination of youth. Picking up this book is like rifling through a childhood memory chest, reigniting the joys and letdowns of those whimsical purchases.
Mail-Order Mysteries: Real Stuff from Old Comic Book Ads!
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
ISBN: 9781608870264
Authors:
Kirk Demarais
Publisher: Insight Editions
Date of Publication: 2011-10-11
Format: Paperback
Goodreads rating: 4.1
(rated by 556 readers)
Description
Rediscover your sense of wonder! Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic laser-gun plans, x-ray specs, and even 7-foot-tall monsters (with glow-in-the-dark eyes!). But what would you really get if you entrusted your hard-earned $1.69 to the post office? Mail-Order Mysteries answers this question, revealing the amazing truths (and agonizing exaggerations) about the actual products marketed to kids in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Pop-culture historian Kirk Demarais shares his astonishing collection, including: 100 Toy Soldiers in a Footlocker, Count Dante’s World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets, GRIT Hercules Wrist Band, Hypno-Coin, Life-Size Monsters, Mystic Smoke, Sea Monkeys, Soil From Dracula’s Castle, U-Control Ghost, Ventrilo Voice Thrower... and many, many more! With more than 150 extraordinary, peculiar, and downright fraudulent collectibles, Mail-Order Mysteries is a must-have book for comic book fans everywhere. Trust us.
Condition guide
Book Condition Guide
Books in Like New Condition
This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Very Good Condition
This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Good Condition
We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Well Read Condition
This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
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Nostalgic deep-dive into comic advert oddities.
If you fondly recall flipping through comic books not just for the stories but for the bizarre ads in the margins, "Mail-Order Mysteries" could be a delightful time capsule for you. It’s a treasure trove of the promises versus realities of these products that tapped into the imagination of youth. Picking up this book is like rifling through a childhood memory chest, reigniting the joys and letdowns of those whimsical purchases.
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