10 of the Weirdest Marvel & DC Brand Promotions

Both Marvel and DC Comics have some of the most recognizable characters around and both publishers have loaned their characters out for the sake of corporate promotion. Fans of the Big Two have no doubt at some point seen advertisements with Superman or Spider-Man hawking some kind of real-life product.

But some promotions are just so unexpected, they have to be seen to be believed. Whether they’re odd ads in between the pages of a comic or a full-fledged one-shot, both Marvel and DC have put out promotions that few would have seen coming. Read on to discover 10 of the most unbelievable promotions from DC and Marvel history.

10 Craftsman Gave the DC Universe the Perfect Fixer

As seen in: Craftsman Bolt-On System Saves the Justice League #1

Early into the New 52, DC Comics teamed up with Craftsman Tools to promote its line of power tools with the one-shot comic Craftsman Bolt-On System Saves the Justice League #1. The comic introduced a new hero, the Technician, a skilled repairman armed with top-of-the-line tools who could fix anything from Wonder Woman’s Invisible Jet to Flash’s Cosmic Treadmill. The story showed just how handy the power tools could be when the Technician is forced to save the Justice League after the Hall of Justice is invaded by the Key. It was an odd, but intriguing and funny story.

9 Every DC/Marvel Hero Loves a Hostess Snack

As seen in: Various Marvel and DC Comics – 1975-1981

There isn’t a comic fan alive who isn’t somewhat familiar with Hostess Cake’s comic book ads. From the late 70s to the early 80s, the company teamed up with numerous publishers like Marvel and DC Comics to create ads featuring iconic characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, and Green Lantern. These one-page promos were as quick and easy to consume as a cupcake and often featured a hero discovering trouble, resolving the issue and taking a break with a Fruit Pie or a Twinkie. Though these ads haven’t been seen in years, they left a huge mark on comic book history.

As seen in: Harley-Davidson/Avengers #1

In 2012, Marvel Comics teamed up with Harley-Davidson to create a series of comics promoting their motorcycles. Beginning with Harley-Davidson/Avengers #1, the Marvel Universe got a bit bigger with the introduction of Road Force, a team of United States Military officers who all rode enhanced Harley-Davidson bikes. Following their team-up with the Avengers, Road Force had solo adventures with Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man. As a special bonus for Harley-Davidson/Iron Man, a contest was held where the winners would be drawn into the comic as members of the motorbike-operating hero team.

7 Snickers Satisfys and Saves the DC Universe

As seen in: Various DC Comics – 2010s

The 2010s saw the Snickers brand introduce its greatest advertising campaign ever with “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry”. The ads saw people turning into other, more famous people when they were starving (something that could only be remedied by Snickers). In the mid-2010s, Snickers worked with DC Comics to bring its campaign to the DC Universe. Rather than famous people, hungry DCU citizens would turn into villains like Gorilla Grodd or Doomsday, only to be stopped once they consumed a Snickers. Much like the televised ads, these promotions were humorous and reveled in the bizarre.

6 Combos Helped Create Marvel’s Ultimate Hero

As seen in: Combo Man #1

Marvel went all out when it worked with Combos Baked Snacks to promote the savory treats. In 1996, Marvel Comics released Combo Man #1, a one-shot story that introduced Rick Wilder, the titular hero. Thanks to a scientific accident involving comic books and Combos (seriously), Rick was transformed into Combo Man, an amalgamation of fourteen different Marvel Universe characters. From the top of Hulk’s head to the tips of Gambit’s toes, Combo Man was a sight to see. Combos also held a contest where fans who listed every single character that made up Combo Man could win a jacket.

5 Captain Citrus Taught the Marvel Universe How Important Oranges Are

As seen in: Avengers Assemble Featuring Captain Citrus #1

Unlike most of the promotions listed here, Marvel’s work with the Florida Department of Citrus wasn’t meant to advertise products but to promote agriculture and the health benefits of Vitamin C. In 2014, Marvel Comics published Avengers Assemble Featuring Captain Citrus #1. Citrus was introduced as a man who worked on his family’s orange grove before discovering a pair of ‘solar pods’. Marvel digitally published two additional stories with Captain Citrus teaming up with the Avengers throughout 2015 before the campaign ended. While it was short-lived, it can’t be said that Captain Citrus’ creation wasn’t well intentioned.

4 HBO Max Gave Way to a New Hero Team

As seen in: To The Max #1

When Max (previously HBO Max) launched in 2020, WarnerMedia advertised its new streaming service using DC Comics. The publisher released a short, three-issue digital series called To The Max. Each issue showcased an average person encountering a dog named Max. After grabbing Max’s collar, people would discover a remote that gave them extraordinary powers. While not as direct as most promotions, the series contained numerous references to many programs that could be found on HBO Max like Silicon Valley or Friends. It was an intriguing campaign that showed how dedicated WarnerMedia was to making its service a success.

As seen in: AXE: The Fresh-Men Issue Featuring The Avengers #1

In 2019, Marvel Comics partnered with AXE to create a group of young heroes called the Fresh-Men to help promote AXE’s new line of Ice Chill products. The heroes debuted in a five-part online video comic, but they were also featured in AXE: The Fresh-Men Issue Featuring The Avengers #1. The Fresh-Men were also directly tied to Black Panther, as the story took place at the Future Minds School of Science and Technology, which helped the team use Wakandan tech to become heroes. It was an interesting approach to advertising to Gen Z, but not exactly a successful one.

2 Marvel Will Never Live Down It’s Northrup Grumman Incident

As seen in: Avengers Featuring N.G.E.N.S #1

One of the most infamous promotions Marvel ever attempted was canceled before it could ever start. In 2017, Marvel announced a panel set for New York Comic Con that would detail its plans for a partnership with defense contractor Northrup Grumman. Fans, however, were outraged and the controversy from the announcement caused Marvel to end its partnership within days of announcing the panel. A poster teased a potential comic called Avengers Featuring N.G.E.N.S #1 that would have introduced new heroes. The comic eventually leaked online, making the whole event a particularly embarrassing moment in Marvel Comics history.

1 KFC and DC Turned Colonel Sanders into a Multiversal Icon

As seen in: Kentucky Fried Chicken Presents: The Colonel of Two Worlds #1

Arguably the most entertaining comic book promotion in history, DC Comics and KFC worked together to create an entire trilogy featuring Colonel Sanders. Inspired by the company’s real-world promotions featuring multiple Colonels, the comics took it a step further and introduced an entire panoply of Colonel Sanders variants from across the multiverse. The comics are an absolute riot and have tons of Easter Eggs that would surprise even the most hardcore DC Comics fan. Though the partnership ended years ago, DC Comics’ work with Kentucky Fried Chicken set a high bar that no other promotion has cleared since.

There’s been plenty of odd and unique promotions in Marvel and DC Comics’ histories, but these 10 stand out from all the rest.