There's not a person in the world who has looked at American comic books from the 50's through the 80's and isn't familiar with a device called X-Ray Specs. There would always be a half-page ad from some novelty company offering items like onion gum, joy buzzers, whoopie cushions, and the mysterious magical spectacles.
They promised the ability to see the bones in your hand, and hinted that you just might be able to see through curvaceous young ladies' clothing, as well.
Talk about something that grabbed the attention of a young male!
I never knew of a single friend of mine who actually ordered a pair, though. We just never could justify spending candy bar money on something that, while looking very intriguing, also carried with it that curious phrase "a hilarious optical illusion." That phrase seemed to imply that it didn't really use x-rays to allow a peek under young ladies' dresses! Come on, for a dollar, this thing better be the real deal!
In researching X-Ray Specs, I found the explanation on how they work here. Wow, talk about an unexciting revelation.
However, if you want to go ahead and spring for something you may never have bought as a child, you can order a pair from Stupid.com. Inflation being what it is, though, they're up to three bucks.
Comments (2)
We all know that nothing that great could ever be true. And at such an affordable price. So we never bought it. Had they ever really worked, they would have cost far more than a buck, even then. and it would be the biggest seller of all time.
Truly funny and amusing.
Posted by Scott Irving | March 1, 2009 1:50 AM
Posted on March 1, 2009 01:50
Heck when we were reading these ads in comic books, girls had cooties or we didn't like girls? I remember the ads well and was intrigued but never bought a pair? What, your not going to tewll us how it works or doesn't work? Oh yeah, I had the hand bussers, whopie cushions garlic or snapping gum. Didn't everybody? The closest thing I ever got to a pair of glasses that had the swirl pattern on the lenses was when I was being put to sleep to remove my impacted wisdom teeth. I had to wave this eye glass looking thing with swirls on it infront of my eyes while they shot me up with penethol to go to sleep.
Posted by Rivers End | April 25, 2009 9:39 PM
Posted on April 25, 2009 21:39