Opening part 2 of the 1965 DC ads lettered and designed by Ira Schnapp with this one, the 80-Page Giant line continued to get lots of promotion and support, and Jimmy Olsen’s popularity was solid.
The same Bob Hope ad with all new lettering by Ira.
This public service ad is well meant, but perhaps describes activities beyond the means of many readers.
Seven new blurbs by Ira for this ad in September cover-dated issues. It seems likely there were some in August, but I found none.
A popular war feature about a German World War One fighter pilot received a SHOWCASE tryout, and went on to its own series. Lots of lettering by Ira, and I like his style on ACHTUNG!
Again, the same art but all new lettering on this Jerry Lewis ad.
While Jimmy Olsen’s Giant featured his greatest “scoops,” Lois Lane’s was about her scraps, spats and scuffles, highlighting the inferior way she was handled in my opinion.
Awakening interest in preserving the environment is the subject of this PSA.
DC trying to be hip with slang that was already considered corny and outdated in this ad for a BRAVE AND BOLD team-up. You have to remember that the editors were all middle-aged or older, so trying to appeal to young readers was a battle they often lost. Ira Schnapp did his best with what he was given.
DC did much better when they simply let the characters, covers and ideas sell the product, as here.
A crossover before they were a regular thing at DC. The full page ad gives Ira room for some fine display lettering, and his always fine use of black.
Six new blurbs by Ira for October issues.
This is not exactly an ad, rather a request for reader mail, though it was a promotion of the romance titles, so I’m including it here. DC was hoping reader participation would lead to more sales. Lots of fine upper and lower case work by Ira.
A rare full-page war ad from Ira promoting a new feature starring the brother of Sgt. Rock. I like the black burst with radiating lines around it.
An ad for an 80-Page Giant that’s a WORLD’S FINEST COMICS collection in everything but the title. Not sure why it was done this way.
Even Bob Hope’s comic suffered from DC’s laughable attempts to be hip.
A fine ad for a war title that was struggling.
The lame DC mascot “Johnny DC” seems to have fallen by the wayside, but Bob Hope trying to be hip is almost as bad. Many titles had subscription ads lettered by someone other than Ira Schnapp, this one for most of the line (other than romance titles) is by him.
Five new blurbs by Ira in November titles.
With the words GO-GO-GO in this ad you can almost feel the dreaded go-go checks on the horizon.
The issue of JLA in the ad above was an 80-Page Giant, thus all reprints except for this half-page filler lettered by Ira. Not an ad, but I have no better place for it than here.
Sgt. Rock confronts racism in World War Two as promoted in this ad.
Even the public service ads were trying to be hip. That word had come into use in the early 1900s, peaked in popularity in the 1940s, and was already tired by the time of this ad, though as “hipster,” still a derogatory term today.
STRANGE ADVENTURES under editor Jack Schiff was struggling to attract readers. This wasn’t a bad attempt.
DC’s promotion of three issues representing something new. Two of them were, the newness of a kooky witch in Jerry Lewis is questionable. Lots of small lettering here.
TOMAHAWK continued to be the sole representative of “western” themes at DC, though at this point it was being marketed as a war comic. I love the giant question mark by Ira.
Only the bottom half of the lettering is new on this ad, but it’s enough to consider it a new one in my opinion.
Schnapp did not always do well with scary lettering, but I think FANTASTIC and SINISTER work well in this ad. I also like the double-outlined burst.
More lame language from Robotman in this odd ad that’s almost strange enough to work, or at least provoke curiosity. I wonder where I’ve seen the phrase “‘Nuff Said” before?
Another subscription ad nicely lettered by Ira.
The final new PSA of the year ties into the United Nations again.
Still trying desperately to attract readers to this book.
While in the other “science fiction” title, a new series was being tried for the same reason. Ira’s lettering on this one is at least clever and interesting.
To sum up, I count 52 new house ads and seven new public service ads lettered by Ira Schnapp for a total of 59, his highest yearly number yet, plus that one half-page filler. And there were also a few ads by Gaspar Saladino and others. DC was promoting hard, perhaps feeling the pressure of competition from Marvel. We’ll see what happens in 1966.
Other articles like this are on the Comics Creation page of my blog.