Of all the novelty gadgets, swindles and pranks I've come across in old comic book ads, the strangest one (by far) was this ad for a Darling Pet Monkey:
(By the way....for those of you accustomed to Photoshop tomfoolery
here at Comic Coverage, I assure you...this ad is the "real deal".)
Every time I've seen the monkey ad, my thoughts always drift back to those families of the 1940's, 50's and early 60's who found themselves the unwitting recipients of a live squirrel monkey that Junior ordered from his comic books.
As I read the sales pitch, a number of questions come to mind:
1. Do these eyes look warm to you? "Feral and jugular-craving", maybe....but warm? Not on your life....which it just might come down to if you brought this leering homunculus into your home.
2. Lollipops....no doubt recommended by 4 out of 5 veterinarians and zoologists?
3. Right....but did their guarantee also cover the years of psychotherapy required after finding a dead monkey in your mailbox?
Taking a wild guess here, but those "instructions" were probably little more than a five page non-liability statement from "Animal Farm", with precious little information on how to deal with the monkey flinging its fecal matter at family members while they sleep.
Yes...an adorable pet and companion....FOR SATAN!
"SKREEEEEEEEEECH!"
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Now that brings back memories! I was never allowed to buy a monkey, but I wanted to buy one. It would have been great fun playing with a squirrel monkey and Sea monkies too. Of course I was never allowed to buy Sea monkies either. Oh well, I was spared lots of disappointment from getting a dead monkey in the mail and brine shrimp.
Posted by: Dan Lietha | March 06, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Hi Dan! We never got the monkey, either....but my brother and I did get a batch of Sea Monkeys, though I don't remember if we got them from the ad or somewhere else.
As you can imagine, the Sea Monkeys were a big disappointment. They looked nothing like the happy cartoon family in the comic book ads! A rip-off of epic proportions.
Posted by: Mark Engblom | March 06, 2007 at 03:13 PM
Yup, I did order one in 1969... have a photo of me at 15 with him! Let me know where to send it!
Posted by: ronzo | March 21, 2007 at 09:03 AM
Hi Ronzo! Send the photo to the email address below:
[email protected]
Can't wait to see it! I'd love to do a follow-up post featuring your photo and recollections!
Posted by: Mark Engblom | March 21, 2007 at 01:23 PM