DC Digest Ad - 1972

My pal (and DigestFan) Craig Wichman sent me this awesome, rarely-seen DC ad promoting their first two digest efforts--Laurel & Hardy and Tarzan, both scheduled for 1972.

I say "scheduled", because the Laurel & Hardy book was never published. Its hard to imagine a reason why some modest little book such as this would get pulled from the schedule--especially after an ad had been put together. For pete's sake, why?

This is the kind of comicus obscurus I love finding out about, but I think its a safe bet not one single person working at DC at the time remembers why the book was pulled.

Soon after, DC amended the ad to be Tarzan only, leaving it to be the only digest book the company produced for years.

Thanks Craig!

DC Paperbacks Ad - 1977

The last of our new updates comes from DigestFan and all around good egg Craig Wichman--this ad for the line of paperbacks from Tempo Books featuring classic DC stories that were all published around 1977.

I remember seeing this ad in almost every DC book for what seemed like a year, but it was probably only a month or two.

I eventually got the JLA one and a few others, though that Super Friends puzzle has yet to be added to the collection. I need to correct that sometime.

Thanks Craig!

Tarzan Digest Ad - 1972

This sweet ad for DC's sole 1972 Tarzan Digest is courtesy Craig Wichman, who holds the distinction of contributing material to all three of my blogs, a Blogging Hat Trick, if you will.

Craig is a member of F.O.A.M.(Friend of AquaMan), a BWFF(Black and White Friend Forever), and...whatever designation is appropriate for here, I've yet to come up with something(sorry, Craig).

Anyway, it's a way cool ad, and probably the only one DC ever ran for the book...they generally advertised the digests much less than they did the treasuries.

DC Sampler #2 Ad - 1984

This is one the very few ads DC ran for the digests past their initial debut in 1980, in the second, 1984 edition of the DC Sampler.

(If I may digress a moment--I don't know any comic fans who didn't loooove the DC Samplers. First, they were free, so you couldn't beat the price. Second, the ads were almost always really beautifully put-together, some giving you glimpses of events that were to come, which were exciting as all get out.

In this same Sampler, there was one for Saga of the Swamp Thing--it contained a gorgeous, moody two-page shot of the swamp by Bissette and Totleben, with an equally moody, evocative piece of writing by Moore. Nowhere in the ad did the Swamp Thing actually appear. Way, way cool.)

Ok--anyway, I like this ad because it features a rare moment of Superman being sarcastic. You can't see it here, but when the cast of Funny Stuff says "...and every other month--Superman!", he replies "Thanks heaps." Does Supes not particularly like sharing digest duties with the various funny animal stars of the DCU?

DC Comics June 1980 Ad

One of DC's most memorable, fun ads, courtesy Ross Andru and(I assume) Dick Giordano.

I still wish DC had shown these digest covers at a little bigger size, but what the hey--this ad has lots of enthusiasm, which is always important in trying to sell the books.

DC Comics April 1980 Ad

A handsome ad promoting of DC's most fun concepts, the Year's Best collections. The hand holding a book that has a hand on it, though, makes my head hurt.

I didn't mention this at the time of posting this book, but...1)man, would I hate to have to sit behind Deadman, and 2)on the upper left corner you can see Zan and Janya, pretty much the only time they got to mingle with the rest of the DCU!

DC Comics February 1980 Ad

Another fine ad, this one containing some surprises--recognize that issue of Jonah Hex and Other Western Tales? Nope, me either!

Since the last ad promoted the third issue of Hex, it's safe to assume that this is a never published fourth issue! It seems strange that DC would prepare this issue--complete with cover painting--and have it ready enough to be advertised and then never release it.

I mean, it was just a digest title. This was before reprint fees kicked in for writers and artists, so this issue must have been very cheap to produce. Even if you thought it would bomb, would it have been that big a loss?

We may never know. But I what we do know is that Santa was promising something he would never deliver...

DC Comics December 1979 Ad

Ok, we're making progress here--this ad has a lot more visual punch, and I like how they have the books actual size. The Super Friends collection is one of their best, so DC had every reason to be proud!

DC Comics October 1979 Ad

Another dull-ish ad--I think we waste a little too much space on the tagline and show the covers too small--but still fun, promoting the second issues of Best of DC and Jonah Hex and Other Western Tales.

Unlike the first ad posted a few days ago, DC actually tried to reproduce the cover paintings for both issues, which was a nice touch--those covers really helped the books stand-out, so it made sense for DC to highlight that.

"Daily Planet" September 1979 Ad

I caught this ad for DC Special Series #19 in DC's "Daily Planet" feature for their September 1979 comics.

I always liked DC's "Daily Planet" thing, I thought it was a fun way of promoting their books, like Marvel was so good at with "Bullpen Bulletins". "Ask the Answer Man", "Hembeck", "Direct Currents"...what's not to love?

Interesting tidbit...all the art used to promote the Secret Origins digest is clipped from Nick Cardy's Secret Origins covers from 1973!

DC Comics September 1979 Ad

This ad ran in DC's September 1979 comics, highlighting two volumes of omnibus title DC Speical Series--DC Special Series #18 and #19.

Clearly, DC didn't put a lot of work into this one--it's about a visually drab as an ad can get. Luckily, not all of their ads looked like this...

DC Comics August 1979 Ad

Before we head off to profiling Adventure Comics Digest I thought we'd show some contemporary ads DC was running to promote the new digest line.

This ran in their August 1979 comics, highlighting their first two releases--Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #1 and Jonah Hex and Other Western Tales #1.

While these are a far cry from the inventively-designed house ads DC ran in the sixties and early seventies, its still fun to see them! More to come!