Television And The Bubble Bath Queen!!

One reason all of you should be reading romance comics is for the window they give you on society at the time they were published.

For example, what was televiosion like in 1949? How about television advertising?

Let's look at Search For Love #1 (1950), which hit stands in late 1949, and see what the TV landscape was like back then (at least in the views of comic creators).

We first learn that jerky "man-in-the-street" interviews are nothing new:

More people should do this when Jimmy Kimmel tries to make them look stupid...

Heh...asking a woman to give out her name and address on TV. Nothing bad could ever come of that!

But what about advertising?

Well, he hasn't married a witch, so Joe would have been out of luck in coming up with an advertising campaign...except he was lucky enough to turn on the television that night!

And so was born the idea of using sex to sell!!

Because Helen was foolish enough to give out her address on TV, Joe is able to look her up!

Increase sales 50% in 6 weeks? Someone has unrealistic expectations!

Helen says no, and Joe proves that he's no Don Draper by actually respecting her refusal!! But they begin to date...and fall in love!!

Now, you think Joe might say, "That's was still a good idea--I'll just find some other beautiful gal to take a bath on TV!!" Nope, he just does the passive-aggressive mopey act until Helen "volunteers" to rescue his career!

Aww...

And so Helen strips down for love and advertising!!

Va-va-voom!!

And what was the impact of advertising in those days?

10-inch screen? Try not to laugh at our poor forefathers and their primitive television technology. Why, I bet that new 16-inch screen wasn't even 1080p!!

And...

Wall Street approved of girls taking baths!!

So that just leaves the big question--how did the soap sell?

340%?!?!? Holy crap!!

But since this is a romance comic, the ultimate impact of selling out and taking a bath on television is...

The rest of the story involves the usual tropes--Helen is so lovely and popular she gets a television career, Helen falls in love with an aging movie idol who's really just using her to revive his own career, they get in a fight that causes their plane to crash and Helen becomes Two-Face (no, seriously!), Joe loves her and takes her back anyway. You know, just like any couple.

But it''s fun to look back and see that in 1949--at least according to one comic book--that a single TV commercial could boost sales 340%, almost double a company's stock, and launch Americans to upgrade their televisions so they can better see girls taking bubble baths!! Those were the days...

That Time The Vision Went On The Tonight Show With Charo And Pee-Wee Herman!

You remember back in the day when John Byrne ruined the Vision, right?

Well, he almost redeemed himself by having the Vision go on Johnny Carson.

See, it turns out that after his transformation, no one recognized our favorite syntheziod:

Gee, a little bit of self-aware commentary there, Mr. Byrne?

Well, the Vision takes that advice to heart...

And, in his logical mind, the best move is...

To interrupt a taping of the Tonight Show!!

And based on the audience reaction...

...yeah, he really does need the PR!

Johnny knows how to roll with the unexpected...

Did I mention Charo was a guest that night?

Sigh...

Well, Vision's TV appearance was no doubt effect, but it also amused the hell out of his teammates:

Reminder: you were only allowed to be on Byrne's West Coast Avengers if you wore red and/or black, or gave up color altogether. No one knows why...

From Avengers Spotlight #23 (1989)

Manic Monday--Monkeyshines!

Cleanliness is next to godliness!

Look--what other blog is going to help you start your week by showing you a chimpanzee washing a lion in a waterfall?

Plus, from another story in the very same issue:

"...only criminal monkeys will have guns!"

I tell you, life at a veterinary clinic was never dull!!




From Daktari #3 (1968)

The Flying Nun Does Top Gun!!

In this age of reboots and re-imaginings, do you know who most needs to come back to screen and comics?

Yup, The Flying Nun!

Some of you are no doubt shaking your head as if in a dream. Oh, youngsters, there really was a network television series called The Flying Nun. Set at a convent in Puerto Rico, it starred future two-time Oscar winner Sally Field as Sister Bertrille!! Who could, as the title implies, fly.

How? let Wikipedia tell us:

Sister Bertrille could be relied upon to solve any problem that came her way by her ability to catch a passing breeze and fly. This was generally attributed to her weighing under 90 pounds (41 kilograms), high winds at the Convent high on the ocean bluffs, and the large, heavily starched cornette that was the headpiece for her habit.

 Look, you may scoff, but this show lasted for 3 seasons on ABC. It had more episodes than Star Trek, for heaven's sake!!

And, as was the style in those days, it had it's own Dell comic book.

And to prove how worthy the franchise is of revival, check out this story!

The nuns take the orphans on a trip to tour a U.S. aircraft carrier!

But one of the orphans, Felipe, is a tad too curious!

All goes well enough, with no one aware of Felipe's presence...

Disaster strikes!

Oh, no!!

Fortunately, Sister Bertrille can save him!!

Yay!!

So, someone get to work on The Flying Nun Rebirth, will you?



From The Flying Nun #2 (1968)