Comics Ad Men

Marvin Stein’s Comics Ad Men (2020–present, Fantagraphics) is a single-issue showcase that pulls back the curtain on the commercial side of comic book history, spotlighting the forgotten artists and writers who crafted the advertisements that ran alongside the stories. Stein, who himself worked on those very ads, curates a gallery of vintage promotional artwork featuring Spider-Man and other characters, revealing the craft and hustle behind the industry’s most ephemeral pages. It’s a compact, affectionate tribute to the unsung commercial illustrators who helped define the visual language of mid-century comics.