I have a couple of issues with those ads ... and I never thought of it in humorous terms. I mean, the joke just passed me by completely. Seems kind of obvious now that you point it out.
The drawing is actually a copy from the cover of an issue of Captain America (where he fights both whirlwind and the trapster)- can't recall what issue, I got it buried under here somewhere. :)
That ad falls under the 'hmmm, I've seen that figure/drawing somewhere before' category for sure! - Mike from Trinidad
I'm with Doug, Karen, I think you're getting just a tad too personal... ;)
Anyway, not only are they ugly, they're also scary and bouncing - Chef's salty chocolate balls have got nothing on these. By the way, are you guys absolutely sure about that artwork? To me it looks more like something done by one of those Neal Adams clones at Continuity Comics.
Omigosh, you're so right! It's totally a copy of that cover figure-- it's very easy to check via MileHigh's site. Which means that it certainly could have been lifted by one of the clones Edo mentioned. The inking's quite good, I notice-- and that element doesn't look to be as direct a swipe from the original. Also, note that on the CA cover, Cap's right hand looks like it's sort of clutching his own behind (Hmm. Awkward. Did he just take an unfortunate blaster-shot to his right gluteous maximus??)-- whereas in the add, that hand has been altered to have the fingers spreading forward. Really, an improvement. Captain Clueless' whole character design is just stupid, though. That's what I completely remember from seeing this add for the first time way back when. Why is he green? Why no shirt? He's hopelessly generic-looking, so what defines him as "Captain Clueless", as it were? Heck, shouldn't he have been drawn in a more comic style?
I'm pretty sure I (pointlessly)gave it for more analytical thought than the ad agency ever did. . . heh. . .
Ah, the innocence of the 70's. Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI swear I never touched Captain Clueless' Ugly Balls! But I wonder how they would have stood up against Bon Scott's fancy Big Balls.
ReplyDeleteWho did the drawing?
ReplyDelete'70s? That's mid- to late '80s, man!
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of issues with those ads ... and I never thought of it in humorous terms. I mean, the joke just passed me by completely. Seems kind of obvious now that you point it out.
ReplyDeleteI never made the connection, but I've been eager to taste Chef's Salty Chocolate balls from 'South Park'..
ReplyDeleteConan O'Brien seemed to enjoy 'em just fine.
How about those Schweddy Balls ?
ReplyDeleteThe drawing is actually a copy from the cover of an issue of Captain America (where he fights both whirlwind and the trapster)- can't recall what issue, I got it buried under here somewhere. :)
ReplyDeleteThat ad falls under the 'hmmm, I've seen that figure/drawing somewhere before' category for sure! - Mike from Trinidad
Good eye. It's Captain America 324.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike and Anthony--it's from Mike Zeck.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Doug, Karen, I think you're getting just a tad too personal... ;)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, not only are they ugly, they're also scary and bouncing - Chef's salty chocolate balls have got nothing on these.
By the way, are you guys absolutely sure about that artwork? To me it looks more like something done by one of those Neal Adams clones at Continuity Comics.
Omigosh, you're so right! It's totally a copy of that cover figure-- it's very easy to check via MileHigh's site. Which means that it certainly could have been lifted by one of the clones Edo mentioned. The inking's quite good, I notice-- and that element doesn't look to be as direct a swipe from the original. Also, note that on the CA cover, Cap's right hand looks like it's sort of clutching his own behind (Hmm. Awkward. Did he just take an unfortunate blaster-shot to his right gluteous maximus??)-- whereas in the add, that hand has been altered to have the fingers spreading forward. Really, an improvement. Captain Clueless' whole character design is just stupid, though. That's what I completely remember from seeing this add for the first time way back when. Why is he green? Why no shirt? He's hopelessly generic-looking, so what defines him as "Captain Clueless", as it were? Heck, shouldn't he have been drawn in a more comic style?
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I (pointlessly)gave it for more analytical thought than the ad agency ever did. . . heh. . .
HB