Sea-Monkeys: The Comic Book Ad That Sold Millions of Fake Pets
You saw it wedged between a Hostess Fruit Pie ad and a coupon for X-Ray Specs: a grinning, crowned family of pink, tailed humanoids waving from behind a castle, over the words “OWN A BOWLFUL OF HAPPINESS — Instant Pets!” For a dollar and a stamp, Sea-Monkeys promised you a trainable, smiling little family of…