This is "I Saw It Advertised One Day," a feature where I take a look at old comic book advertisements that interested me for whatever reason.
Today, we look at a collection of thirty of the greatest Marvel and DC house ads from the past.
One of the very best house ads was a pair of ads by the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz that helped promote Power Man and Iron Fist. They were rare examples of house ads where one ad would help set up the other ad...
This fascinating house ad introduced two distinct new titles that Marvel was trying out in 1961. A more "sophisticated" science fiction series called Amazing Adult Fantasy (which, come on, totally sounds like a porn comic) and a superhero title, the Fantastic something or other. Amazing Adult Fantasy, of course, would eventually turn to superheroes itself for its final issue (involving some sort of Spider-teen).
This Alan Davis ad for Fall of the Mutants is one of the most famous pieces of comic book art ever designed solely for an ad...
These Watchmen ads were great little snippets into the minds of the characters. This Rorschach one even has a quote that did not exist in the series itself...
Michael Golden helped promote the then-upcoming Micronauts series with this sort of guerilla house ad...
Dark Knight Returns was advertised with this very cool house ad...
It continued with the ad for the series later on, post-Carrie Kelley introduction...
Marvel fans of 1986 certainly are familiar with this house ad...
Rom's introduction to the Marvel Universe was promoted with this great house ad...
Neil Gaiman's Sandman was promoted nicely in this distinct house ad...
DC's house ads of the late 1950s were all pretty much the same, but this Justice League one was still very cool....
Mike Zeck channeled Bruce Lee with this memorable Shang Chi house ad...
Byrne and Claremont's X-Men run was quickly promoted using this impressive house ad. Marvel must have seen some awesome returns on the sales on Byrne's first few issues...
Alan Davis was at it again with this excellent house ad to promote the 50th anniversary of Detective Comics #1...
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Jim Lee's X-Men #1 got this memorable house ad...
DC did a bunch of ads slowly promoting the fact that Jack Kirby was joining DC Comics...
At the same time, DC was also promoting a new take on Superman...
Jim Lee had barely been working as a regular artist for Marvel before they already started using his artwork to promote comics in house ads...
Crisis on Infinite Earths had a great catch phrase to sell it, "Worlds will live. Worlds will die." (thanks to my buddy Keith Morgan for reminding me to feature this one)...
Batman: Year One had a nice, understated house ad...
When the Mutant Registration Act was a possibility in the Marvel Universe, this disturbingly realistic house ad showed up in Marvel books, seeming almost like it was a real political ad...
Jean Grey's "secret" return was promoted so much that it really wasn't all that much of a secret when it finally came out...
I really like the use of dossiers for this Suicide Squad house ad...
This Inferno ad is not as good as Fall of The Mutants, but it still works well...
Action Comics #600 knew what moment in the issue fans were going to be the most interested in...
Bill Sienkiewicz is always the guy to turn to for awesome house ads, like this "No More X-Babies" ad for New Mutants...
A crossover between Power Man and Iron Fist and Daredevil was nicely advertised with this unique Denys Cowan ads...
Finally, this house ad is especially memorable because it is promoting a comic book that never actually came out!
Feel free to suggest ads that you think should be here. I'll swap out ads if you send in a suggestion for one that I think is better than the ones I have already featured here. I've already added "Worlds will live. Worlds will die" and the Mutant Registration Act ad.
Be sure to drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com if you have ideas for future installments of "I Saw It Advertised One Day"!!