Fun? For Boys?

"Wow! This Is What I Want" claims this comic book ad from the mid-1940's about how boys can have all the fun they could ever need from a single book. Fun For Boys was a guide for kids who seem to have trouble doing something as simplistic as actually having fun, or at least taking the natural act of finding any sort of joy in everyday life requires an instruction book. Knickerbocker Publishing ran this not only several youngster comics like the original G.I. Joe, but also some mature cheesecake magazines like Hello Buddiesl, so the publisher was circulating it mainly in military themed titles. The nitpicky nature the book has makes it look like it's an overbearing parent who criticizes every little thing their child does while taking time out of their busy day to teach them something basic. Fun For Boys seems to give trivial directions when wanting to learn low level magic tricks, or how to lasso like a cowboy, as well as learning sports like wrestling or playing ping pong. There are some helpful details involved for boys making future plans such as tips for earning money and how to save it, but these don't seem to be the main objective of a catalog promoting ventriloquism or model building. The book comes with a free game kit, although it's described as more of a pamphlet instead of a worthy bonus feature. Even though this was dollar back in the day, that would add up to at least $16.50 in today's market, so the price is not right enough for this early version of Having Fun For Dummies.