This is the latest in a series (of indefinite length and regularity) of pieces looking at advertisements in comic books over the decades that amused me for whatever reason. Here is an archive of all installments of this feature.

Today we look at an ad for an inflatable doll, a bull whip and Vitalis hair cream! Sounds like a fun Saturday night!

From Charlton's The Phantom #38, from June 1970...



That is an awesome ad, because it tries to come up with reasons why you'd want an inflatable doll. Burglar deterrent, of course! To give my daughter! Of course!

Naturally, these "realistic" dolls did not actually fully match the female anatomy in certain areas, so you have to love the disappointed kid who got this and discovered that fact. I also love thinking of moms finding this in the mail. "Billy, did you order a life size inflatable doll?" Or then poor Billy trying to take them up on their return policy!

Next, from 1955, we have an ad parents probably hated even more than the doll, a freakin' BULLWHIP!!!



Younger siblings and pets must have LOVED that bit.

Finally, in a sign of the changing demographics of comics, from 1951, we have an ad for Vitalis Hair Cream. I love that there was a time when Bert Parks' endorsement would have ever carried the day. "Oh, you know that guy who hosts that game show on the RADIO? I need to have hair like him!"



Feel free to send in other amusing comic book ads to bcronin@comicbookresources.com for future installments!