Sponsored by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, produced by American Visuals Corporations, and all wrapped up in the NRA (National Rifle Association). This one-shoot give-way comic was advertised in the back of many "boys won" magazines and comic books in the early 1950s. Often given away with "How To Be An NRA Ranger" pamphlet, and NRA Ranger targets, for shooting practice. 

The comic contains all kinds of insidious NRA propaganda, about "pioneering" Americans, guides of what to and not to shoot, along with all kinds of "fun" with rifles. Which includes "Games and Targets" with your rifle. Sending the message, that while you must be safe with your new rifle, guns are fun, guns are great, guns, guns, and more guns!!!

And us non-American folk still wonder why there is such an ingrained fascination for guns in the United States! 

A comic book produced by the Catechetical Guild Education Society in 1956. It depicts the trials and tribulations of the Catholic Church in America during the 18th and 19th centuries, through a large 64 pages. Between the late 1940s and into the mid-70s, the Catechetical Guild produced an extensive number of comic book titles. The groups comics made their way into the hands of young people via their church network. They produced almost exclusively religious and political propaganda tomes. Among their publications are the cult comic classics, such as Firebrands Of Christ (1947) and Is This Tomorrow: America Under Communism (1947).

Produced sometime around 1967/68, this Batman and Robin knock-off comic showed that American superhero culture was alive and well during the intensity of the war. This particular comic book, has continued to be popular among young Vietnamese. It stands in contrast to home grown comic books from the country, with its campy "comic book" violence. Many comic books from Vietnam and other countries in South East Asia often feature extreme and brutal violence. 

According to this one-shot, give-away comic book, learning the accordion will make you the most popular kid in class. You'll get around, and attract the attention of all the cool kids. There's no fun, like playing the accordion. Interested in learning this wonderful instrument? Want to join a 6 piece accordion band? Well at the back of the comic book there's a "No cost" ... "No strings" ... "No obligation"... Voucher. Entitling you to a free trail accordion lesson. How could you not resist? Sign me up now! In Tune With Fun, is a wonderful piece of 50s marketing through a one-shot comic book. Evocative of that "more innocent age", that the media and marketing 'mad men' of the time wanted to project.

Way back in September 2014, there was the Mix-Tape Monday post about the odd little genre of Splatter Platters (or death discs), the quirky and morbid teen tragedy genre of music from the 1950s and 60s. Songs that told stories of lost love, usually through a motor vehicle accident. The genre was at its height during the 50s and early 60s, and faded in popularity soon after. Songs like Jan & Dean's Dead Man's Curve in 1964, and the Shangri-Las Leader Of The Pack also from 1964, were the peak of the genre, that all but disappeared, until artists of the 70s and 80s rediscovered the genre, and began to be inspired by them.

From The Damned's New Rose (1977), with its opening line that is directly lifted from Leader Of The Pack, and Good Riddance's 2003 punk cover of it, to The Bonzo Doo-Dah Band's comedy song Death Cab For Cutie (1967), to the deeply dark and depressing Emma (1983) by The Sisters Of Mercy (itself a cover of the Hot Chocolate song from 1974). There's the wonderful Pearl Jam cover of Last Kiss (2000), originally recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961. As well as lead singer of The Damned, David Vanian with his band The Phantom Chords covering the British splatter platter Johnny Remember Me, first recorded by Johnny Leyton also in 1961. So download and enjoy.

A quack doctor medical device that appeared in the late 1800s, these painful looking instruments made all kinds of claims for their curative properties. Apparently sticking a large rubber dildo up your rear-end could cure anything from constipation, piles, and prostate prostate trouble, to nervousness, improve acne and aid restful sleep. Seriously! You'd think the last thing you'd have is a restful sleep after someone had shoved one of those bad boys up your bum. 

These things were marketed right into the late 1930s. Then in 1938, a new Federal Law in the United States covered such quack devices, and they became outlawed. 

Vintage ads for rectal dilators. At least the "Recto Rotor" a particularly painful looking instrument of torture, has lube vents.

Back in the primitive days of video gaming, the best most homes could hope for was a TV console with a series of generic Pong style paddle and ball based games. The Magnavox Odyssey was the world's first commercial home video game console. It was first demonstrated in April 1972. 

A surreal piece of anonymous agitprop in comic book form. Published in 1986 by a fake publisher, only referred to as "Comics U.S.A.", who or why this comic was produced remains a mystery. It came out at the height of tensions between Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the erratic, provocative dictator who ruled Libya, and the US President of the time Ronald Reagan. 

Obviously by the title, it's a variation on the Alice In Wonderland theme, that takes a massive swipe at the dictator, alluding to having sex with animals, generally being an insane homicidal tyrant, and a bit of a big cry baby. Featuring a Daffy Duck type character, references to characters from Alice In Wonderland, and the TV show Fantasy Island. As well as Ronald Reagan himself.