Rick Patrick: Greene Publishing, Inc.
I am a huge fan of old comic books. I haven't always been a fan of old comic books, I just like the comic books I liked when I was a kid; they're just old comic books now. I still have a stack of them in the house where I grew up. I do admit, it's fun to pull some of those old comic books and once again read of the wacky military adventures of Sad Sack, or the crime-stopping exploits of Batman, or the trials of growing up as “that poor little rich kid, Richie Rich.”
In addition to the entertainment of the comic books themselves, I get a kick out of all the ads you can see in the backs of those old comic books. How many of you ordered your very own “family” of Sea Monkeys for only $1.25 (plus $0.50 for shipping and handling)? If you did, you know what I'm talking about and you may have even felt the same level of disappointment I felt when they, shall we say, didn't quite measure up to expectations. (Spoiler alert: The “real” Sea Monkeys don't look anything like the picture in the old comic book ad! They don't have little crowns on their heads or anything!)
I remember my father allowed me to save my allowance money and order my very own family of Sea Monkeys for only $1.25 (plus $0.50 for shipping and handling). When my “kit” arrived, I carefully followed the instructions that were included. I treated the water, I added the Sea Monkey eggs, I even added a small scoop of growth food five days later. The Sea Monkeys did hatch, and they did grow; but they did not do any of the tricks the ad said they would do. I came out of that experience a little more jaded, but a bit wiser at the same time.
Looking back, I think this was one of those times my father let me learn my “valuable life lesson” on my own; when all it would cost me was $1.25 (plus $0.50 for shipping and handling). Now, I wonder if I can still get that really cool looking Polaris Sub (large enough for two kids) that actually shoots torpedoes and has the working periscope, for just $6.98 (plus $0.75 for shipping and handling).