“Love Doll,” 1971

Never be bored or alone again!

He Dreamed of a Perfect Woman, 1957

Cooling Tomato Aspic Layers, 1972

Army Laughs, 1973

Army Laughs was one of many cheap humor publications that now aptly represent the “golden age of low-to-mid-level magazine cartooning.” Army Laughs typically featured art by noteworthy cartoonists; the cover of this issue is by Don Orehek, whose work one can find in Cracked, Playboy, and Saturday Evening Post. The quality was not always at the level found in more well-known publications; these second-rate humor mags often served as a dumping ground for hastily done work –  a quick way to make a buck. The magazine contains as assortment of bawdy comics (the women all have enormous knockers), cornball jokes, and the occasional titillating nudie pin-up photo.

Learn The Bop By Record, 1958

Ford “Feel”, 1949

Action Jeans, 1983 [Or, the Mystery of Chuck Norris' Pants Solved]

Fruits and Vegetables Hold Charming Bouquets, 1971

Satan Is My Ally, 1957

Cover of Fantastic, Vol 6:4, May 1957. The image accompanies a Harlan Ellison short story titled “Satan is My Ally.”

‘TEEN Magazine Cover, September 1958

X-Ray Specs, 1965

X-RAY SPECS

An Hilarious Optical Illusion

Only $1.00

Scientific optical principle really works. Imagine — you put on the “X-Ray” Specs and hold your hand in front of ou. You seem to be able to look right through the flesh and see the bones underneath. Look at your friend. Is that really his body you “see” under his clothes? Loads of of laughs and fun at parties. Send only $1 plus 25 cents shipping charges or order COD and pay postman on delivery $1 plus COD shipping charges. Money back guarantee either way.

Honor House Products Corp.

Lynbrook, NJ, Dept. 68XR02

Wieneroni Casserole, 1966

From Ladies Home Journal, February 1966

A little bit of Karo

puts a little bit of you

into every dish you cook

GAG CARDS – Each Gag Card is a Carload of Laughs! 1958

One time when I was a kid, I stumbled across a cache of little white cards in my mother’s box of school mementos that she kept under her bed. She had collected the little business-style cards embossed with the names of her classmates, the kind of cards that seniors generally hand out with their yearbook picture. Mixed in with these cards, I found some that didn’t seem to fit. They were the same size, but had weird slogans printed on them instead of names. I surmised that they must have been jokes — even though I certainly did not understand what in the world they were about. I hadn’t thought of this experience until I saw this ad from the Sept. 1958 issue of ‘Teen Magazine for “Gag Cards.” This is exactly what those cards were! It’s kind of fun to look at these as an early form of text messaging or social networking. I realize the cards just contain goofy jokes and expressions, but they come from an era when teens didn’t have many avenues for getting their snark on. These gag cards allowed them to cut loose in at least some way, with some mild-mannered innuendo. These are relics from the original era of the teenager, ephemeral items that few probably thought worthy enough to save. I am definitely going to ask my Mom if she kept those cards now that I know what they are.

GAG CARDS
Each Gag Card is a Carload of Laughs

Great Moments in Metal – The Ramones (1987)

From Creem Metal, October 1987

Werewolf Ring

I think this ad is kind of misleading. “Werewolf ring” makes me think of a ring that a werewolf wears, or a ring you wear in order to turn into a werewolf. And what does it mean by the “secret club” comment?

Werewolf Siren Ring
It’s a ring! It’s a siren! Blow into it and it sounds like a police car. Sounds like cry of werewolf, too. Great for fans and secret clubs. Only 75 cents plus 39 cents for postage and handling.