June 12, 2002

6:08 AM

"SuperHeroes would use Hostess Cupcakes, Twinkies, or Fruit Pies to foil criminal plots, stop potential riots or capture escaping felons. No matter how nefarious the villain or potentially dangerous the situation, there was nothing the taste of fudgy icing or creamy filling couldn’t stop".

An ad man recalls the silly plotlines and stringent guidelines writing comic book advertisements for Hostess Cupcakes. A great collection of the Hostess ads here, and more here.
posted by iconomy (17 comments total)

Kinda related to this.
posted by jpburns at 6:21 AM on June 12, 2002

great post iconomy. haven't een that many fruit pie adds in one place before. actually, i'm kind of scared.
posted by das_2099 at 6:24 AM on June 12, 2002

"I'd take care of you, Superman, but I've got my hands full of delicious Twinkie cakes."

Is it just me, or does that seem mildly suggestive?
posted by adampsyche at 6:25 AM on June 12, 2002

One of the recent Fantastic Four comic books featured a candlelight dinner between Reed and Sue - for dessert she'd bought a couple fruit pies. Reed says, "You know I can't resist those!"
posted by straight at 6:42 AM on June 12, 2002

Balance that with this: Super Rico, a Puerto Rican super-frog invented by New York students and used by a teacher as a learning aid. "Each student wrote one chapter of the story, which tells of a frog who gets his powers after a scientist takes him from the rain forest into his lab. He escapes from the scientist's evil son, El Doctor Gringo, and goes back to the rain forest. After learning to harness his powers, Super Rico defends Puerto Rico from El Doctor Gringo's attempt to destroy the island.

"The adventures are filled with allusions to the students' own experiences. Super Rico saves his future wife, Mamita Coquita, from an abusive lover. Leaper, Super Rico's brother, betrays him when he collaborates with the evil doctor. The hero even saves the island from terrorism when El Doctor Gringo threatens to blow up a Navy ship. "
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:36 AM on June 12, 2002

I'm gonna get me one a them snap-together Girl Victim models from Aurora.

DR. DEADLY: "KEEP HER QUIET."
GIRL VICTIM: "HELP! HELP!"
VAMPIRELLA: "DON'T WORRY. THIS IS NEW YORK. NO ONE WILL HELP HER."

[Ghost of Kitty Genovese: "No shit. Someone snap me together already."]
posted by pracowity at 7:59 AM on June 12, 2002

Hey wait, wasn't an episode of Dexter's Laborotary / The Justice Friends?
posted by brownpau at 8:04 AM on June 12, 2002

> Dexter's Laborotary

A world-wide organization of businessmen and junior scientists devoted to serving the community, promoting world peace, and keeping Dee Dee out of the lab.
posted by pracowity at 8:24 AM on June 12, 2002

Awesome. I was having a conversation with some friends last night about old comic ads. Grit in particular.
posted by eyeballkid at 8:50 AM on June 12, 2002

Comic book ads ruled. The Grit ads always said they were America's best-selling family newspaper, but I never knew anyone who sold it, got it, or even where to get a copy of it if I wanted to read it.

Grit still exists though, and it even has a website. I don't think they have kids going door-to-door selling it anymore, though.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:19 AM on June 12, 2002

Amazing Seamonkeys! X-ray specs! Giant inflatable monsters!

oh, btw, iconomy is obviously a Hostess shill...yank her account!

(j/k)
posted by rushmc at 9:51 AM on June 12, 2002

Wow, I must say I'm looking forward to the Grit World Championship of Canning. ESPN should broadcast it, right after the National Spelling Bee Contest.
posted by krunk at 9:55 AM on June 12, 2002

More comic book ads here.
posted by misterioso at 10:15 AM on June 12, 2002

Nice to see Bob Rozakis is still doing his thing. I suppose since he didn’t come on-board with Hostess till 1980, he wasn’t responsible for the best of the lot (the Fantastic Four Hostess strips from the ’70s are, arguably, the finest of the form), but his Batman ones are really good.

For what it’s worth, I did know one person who subscribed to Grit, but if I recall that was because one of her sons had answered one of those ads to sell it.
posted by sherman at 10:31 AM on June 12, 2002

Damn you, rushmc! I thought my constant allusions to creamy filling and fruit pies and fudgy icing were going unnoticed.

Seriously, though - I would never dream of becoming a corporate shill for The Hostess Bakery Company, purveyors of the finest baked goods I have ever eaten. I have too much respect for everyone here to stoop to shilling for The Hostess Bakery Company, purveyors of the finest baked goods I have ever eaten.
posted by iconomy at 11:33 AM on June 12, 2002

heh...nice touch on the member page.
posted by rushmc at 12:01 PM on June 12, 2002

I gotta say, Seanbaby's reviews of the ads are what absolutely kill me. I think The Fruit Pie Scene is my favorite.

And hey, the National Spelling Bee Contest can be very, very exciting theater.
posted by nath at 2:44 PM on June 12, 2002