PSA Monday: Meatloaf and “A Time for Heroes”

February 6th, 2006

Filed under: Comics

Meatloaf PSA ad. Click for larger version.This ad starring Meatloaf appeared on the back cover of Marvel comics in 1987 (this scan is from New Mutants #57). It’s for a good cause — the International Special Olympics — but this has to be one of the worst PSA ads ever. (Click on the image for the full ad)

  • First, is it Meat Loaf or Meatloaf? He seems to prefer the latter former, but this ad goes with the one-word moniker, so I’m going to stick with that.
  • Meatloaf’s tagline in this ad is “Humongous Rock Star of the Universe.” Does “Humongous” refer to his popularity or to his size? Given the fact that this is ten years past his magnum opus Bat Out of Hell, and five years before the derivative-yet-still-listenable Bat of Hell II (not to mention his role as a bouncer in Wayne’s World), I suspect it refers more to his girth than his crowd drawing ability.
  • His left hand is fingering some bizarre chord on his guitar, a guitar that seems to be pointed straight out at the concert audience. And where is his right arm? All I can figure is that he’s somehow reaching back and strumming the guitar behing his back.
  • Does anybody really want everything Meatloaf’s got?
  • Maybe if he wasn’t onstage under bright lights in an orange duster he wouldn’t be sweating as much. Or maybe he’s just crying, it’s hard to tell.
  • Apparently, there’s no crime going on in the Marvel universe that night and all the heroes decided to show up to the concert, in costume, even Thor ( “Forsooth, methinks I will enjoy the vocal stylings of this minstrel known as Loaf of Meat. By Odin’s Beard — he doth be Humongous!”)
  • The art makes him look more like Tiny Tim and less like Meatloaf.

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11 Responses to “ PSA Monday: Meatloaf and “A Time for Heroes” ”

  1. Mr.Chris
    February 6th, 2006 at 1:53 pm

    Three Comments on this:
    1) Meatloaf looks like two different people in the panel at the top and the panel at the bottom.
    2) That picture of Hulk is somewhat frightening.
    3) those kids don’t really look “special”.

  2. Scott
    February 6th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
    Official Comment

    I get the feeling that the Hulk is planning on smashing Iron Man and Spider-Man together, no matter who gets in the way.

  3. Randy
    February 6th, 2006 at 2:38 pm

    I remember this ad when the comics originally came out. Any idea who did the artwork for it? Or is no one willing to take the blame for it??

  4. liz
    February 6th, 2006 at 9:11 pm

    It is, in fact, Meat Loaf. I remember some interview from long ago where the newspaper editorial guidelines mandated that he be referred to as “Mr. Loaf”.

  5. Chuck T.
    February 7th, 2006 at 8:15 am

    Son of a…ooh, I hate Meatloaf. I think Bat out of Hell was one of the three albums my folks had as a kid. Hate him so much, I think I may have actively worked against this charity. This may also actually be teh cut-off point for ads in comics being cool and charming: Where are you when you need you, Twinkies ads and Count Dante and Charles Atlas and O.J. Simpson?
    Wait, scratch that last one.
    Anyway, thanks a bunch and happy birthday!

  6. Carl
    February 7th, 2006 at 11:51 am

    The “latter” is the “one-word monicker”.

    Meat Loaf actually does sweat like that on stage. When his then-fiance told her mother she was marrying him, her next words were “Yes, Mom, the big sweaty guy.”

  7. jake saint
    February 7th, 2006 at 1:23 pm

    Shouldn’t the Thor joke just be:
    “…Volstagg?”

  8. BA
    February 9th, 2006 at 2:21 am

    I remember seeing that ad back when it was first published. My reaction to that picture was – and continues to be – to think that Meat Loaf looks like he’s straining to have a really massive bowel movement.

  9. David Campbell
    February 27th, 2006 at 3:58 pm

    Oh, I suck. I didn’t see this post and I just did a whole post on this ad that covered much the same ground. I’m ripping off Dr Scott! Sorry!

  10. Scott
    February 27th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
    Official Comment

    Fess up, Dave. It’s part of your secret plan to consolidate all the comic book blogging under the “Dave’s Long Box” banner…

  11. Bret
    January 24th, 2007 at 4:10 pm

    But… Isn’t tony stark y’know rich?
    couldn’t he support the special olympics by himself?

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