There’s a Usenet thread talking about appliance-related mayhem in Green Lantern. In it, Ken from Chicago opens my eyes to the possibilities of product placement in comic books with this line:
“Kenmore fridge, big enough to stuff an ENTIRE human body inside.”
Sure, the brightest lights of Marvel and DC have already whored themselves for Hostess, but I’m talking about unobtrusive, in-narrative advertisements. For instance, perhaps in an upcoming issue of Birds of Prey, we could hear the following:
Oracle: It’s going to be an all-nighter, tracking these leads, Dinah.
Black Canary: Let me grab you a Yoplait Low-Fat Yogurt from the fridge, Babs.
Oracle: Great idea. The calcium will be just the boost I need.
Huntress: And since it’s low-fat, I don’t need to worry about looking like a cow in this crop-top.
Or in an upcoming issue of Uncanny X-Men:
Storm: How do you manage it all, Logan? A life of your own, three X-Men squads, and membership in the New Avengers?
Wolverine: (Tosses her a small, electronic device.) Palm Pilot, darlin’.
Storm: By the Goddess, it’s so slim!
Even in Daredevil:
Foggy: Hey, Matt, you seem kinda…
Matt: What?
Foggy: I dunno, sort of… different.
Matt: Different?
Foggy: Yeah.
Matt: Different how?
Foggy: How?
Matt: Yeah.
Foggy: Well, less… I dunno… down.
Matt: Yeah?
Foggy: Yeah.
Matt: Huh.
(During this exchange, the camera angle tracks to Matt’s medicine cabinet, where we see prescription Zoloft.)
Franklin Richards could always be shown happily enjoying a Fruit Roll-Up or playing with a developmentally appropriate toy from PlaySkool. Captain America could playfully switch the beer Wolverine usually drinks for something with a lower alcohol content. An ugly spat could erupt at Titans Tower over the last Eggo waffle.
Think about it, Marvel and DC! Then, send me a cut.