Back when this advertisement ran, an extra $5 to $20 in your wallet went a long way! There were a lot of ads like this for what are now referred to as side gigs or side hustles in the pages of comic books and magazines. Selling shoes was not going to make anyone rich, but a few extra bucks a week was going to help. That was the pitch.
That being said, I think there is something else going on in this opportunity for a spare time shoe business. Was it really about the money or was it aimed at sating a darker passion? There’s something a little strange about their illustrated spokesman. Just look at this guy’s face. The sales kit came with “foolproof measuring equipment.” That’s all he needed to know. He didn’t have to read any further!
Yeah, something ain’t right about this fellow. He may be holding a healthy fan of greenbacks but his attention seems to be drawn elsewhere. That lunatic glint in his eyes was about something more than just money. Something else is going on here.
Was it the shoes?
Yeah, you got a great deal on a pair of penny loafers, but you just don’t know…something doesn’t feel right. You feel dirty.
This fabulous full page ad was within the pages of Millie the Model #172 published by Marvel Comics in 1965. This is back when Marvel published more than the costumed crime fighters that they are now known for and were priced at the paltry sum of 12¢!
