Monday, April 16, 2012

Manic Monday--Thinking Too Much About Marvel House Ads, Part I

I've discussed before how the original run of the X-Men wasn't all that popular (to the point of the Thomas/Adams run being replaced by bi-monthly reprints for almost 5 years).

Of course, the All-New, All-Different (except for Cyclops, and Jean Grey, and...) X-Men changed all that. Which makes this ad (as appearing in Hulk Annual #9 (1980) all the more puzzling:

Think about it--at the height of the Claremont/Byrne run, Marvel thought they could goose sales by comparing it to the All-Old, All-The Same X-Men, who never ever sold. Heck, they even showed them in those butt-ugly costumes (the worst costumes ever designed by Jack Kirby, probably...am I right?).

I mean, not all that many people actually liked the original X-Men...that's why they were shelved, right? And replaced with a new cast when they were brought back? So you use them as a sales comparison because...?

I guess that inability to think outside the box is why I'm not in marketing...

3 comments:

Jon Hendry said...

And who thought the snowman getup was a good idea?

Phillip Russell said...

Yeah, I don't know what's more baffling, Iceman's "Frosty" getup or the tombstone for Thunderbird. Because nothing gets me interested in reading a team book than a reference to someone who made two appearances five years ago then died!

Martin Gray said...

I remember that ad, it was a hoot. And while the original X-Men weren't a big hit, they were part of the Marvel landscape for years - I'm sure they ticked a few nostalgia buttons.