Hero’s World 2

I’ve said it before and I’ll remind everyone, it wasn’t always as easy as it is today to fly your colors. There was a time when comic book fans made due with an iron on patch on a shirt or a – yes, I’m going to go there – 7-Eleven cup.

Mego brought us the World’s Greatest Superheroes. Mead had some notebooks for school. There were some cheap rack toys licensed throughout the years.

But, where did we have to go for some reach comic book merch back in the day?

Hero’s World solved that conundrum.

Hero’s World 2

This was better than the Sear’s Wishbook – for those who might remember that perennial prize that heralded the Christmas season.

I can still recall coming in the door after school and finding that grail sitting on the end table,  ready to be worshipped while pursuing hoped for presents for the coming Christmas season.

You knew the holidays were coming when this arrived.

Hero’s World began in the Marvel Comics offices with Ivan Snyder, head of licensing for the House of Ideas. He was in charge of the mail order business in the early 1970’s. Marvel was later purchased and the licensing portion of the company farmed out.

Snyder formed his own company in 1975 titled Superhero Enterprises out of his basement. He would expand to a brick and mortar location in New Jersey including a catalog showroom store. Business grew and he opened a second store where he added DC Comics merchandise.

When Marvel and DC trademarked Superhero, Snyder was forced to change the business name to Heroes World. Business continued to grow and soon Heroes World had expanded to 12 locations. In addition, the catalog portion continued.

Along the way, Heroes World began to distribute comics. Coming full circle, Heroes World was purchased by Marvel Comics in 1994. It’s purpose was to serve as Marvel Comics sole distributor.

However, it proved incapable to keeping up with demand causing Marvel to admit defeat and return to Diamond Distributors in 1997 to continue book disbursements.

Here’s the first issue of Heroes World catalog.

Maybe this will bring back memories. If not, it acts as a curiosity from a past time before the Internet and ease of current purchasing practices.