Could DR. STRANGE extending Credit Card privileges have led to the "Progressive Ruin" of the economy?

It's a rainy, miserable day today, and I can't quite think straight, so I was going to take the day "off" from the blog.

That was before I saw that Mike Sterling, over at "Progressive Ruin" ran an entry today dealing with THIS item:

Marvel Comics retailer promo "sign" (1992)

As a collector of ALL-THINGS DOCTOR STRANGE, I, of course, have this curiosity.
(I yoinked the image from Mikester. I mean... they're identical, so honestly, why take a pic of mine?)

I obtained mine while working at an antiquarian book store / comic shoppe back then.
My shoppe never used it as it was intended, and the managers (my friends) knew of my propensity towards Dr. Strange. So... like the "Tower of Power" ... it became mine.

It's not quite a "poster", since it's printed on a medium weight card stock and measures only about 9 inches wide by 12 inches high.
It's more of a "sign" than a "poster", and it's function falls squarely within "sign" territory anyway, since it's purpose (aside from being a ghastly eyesore - as I'll describe later) was to inform comic shoppe clientele that said establishment accepted credit cards.

However, (and I'll paraphrase what I wrote in the comments section of Mike's blog entry):
Whenever I look at this sign, it always makes me wonder;
"What the hell is UP with this thing?"

From top to bottom it's a train-wreck.

- First off; as much as I lurve DOC, I can't imagine ANYONE in a comic shoppe thinking that HE would be the BEST, most recognized figure to hawk their credit card policy.
(Unless it's that he's an upright, elder gentleman, as opposed to Marvel's corporate trademark, who is just some punk kid with a full face-mask who may or may not be a "Threat or Menace".)

- Another problem (well... it's all part of this problem really) is the DESIGN... GAH!!!
Is it SUPPOSED to be hard to determine that the "spell" Doc is casting is in the shape of the U.S. Dollar "$" sign? But then, his right hand should be pointing "the horns" downward, in order to more accurately make that work.

It's also impossible to know what the hell that red pointy thing is behind him (unless you KNOW who Doc is and what his costume looks like and that it is the collar of his Cloak of Levitation).
To the average customer, it's just a distraction.

- The art and coloring are ATROCIOUS and actually cause the consumer to look away, recoiling in horror at it's badness (and not "bad" as in "good", either).

RED lettering on a pale BLUE background?
Besides being illegible (with a crappy font) it causes the text to appear as if it's vibrating (because the two opposing colors are vying for your eyes' attention) and will seriously cause epileptic fits.
Speaking of the font itself; a "scary" font? Really? Why would you make a sign that looks all "scary", if for all intents and purposes, it's supposed to soothe you into using your credit card (ostensibly to make larger purchases)?

And shouldn't it state: "Dr. Strange SAYS..."?

This thing is just a train-wreck of signage, at cross-purposes with itself.

However, as a collector of ALL-THINGS DOCTOR STRANGE... I have it.

I loathe myself sometimes.



My apologies to Mr. Sterling.
I have no desire to "steal" his content.
It's just that, y'know... I've got a Dr. Strange centric blog that focuses on the items in my collection.
C'mon!

It's bad enough, that I'm presenting this "out of order" (as readers of this blog may have realized that) since I'm presenting items in their respective category/ subjects in a chronological manner.
When I get around to posters, prints and signs... I'll have to link BACK to this entry when this item comes around in rotation.

Let's see...
Geek? Check.
Became a comic reader/ collector? Check.
Obsessive-compulsive about it? Check.
Getting worse as the years go on? Check.
So much so that I now have a blog about it all? Check.
Obsessive-compulsive about that too? Check.

That darned Mike Sterling is right... it is a "Progressive Ruin".


Read Mike Sterling's PROGRESSIVE RUIN every day.
I do. And YOU should too.
(...and this blog. You should read my blog every day as well.)