Wednesday, May 25, 2016

LOVE JOURNAL "S.O.S. for Love! Sue W and the Bandleader"

Love advice columnists were as popular in romance comics...
...as they were in other media, like radio, tv, and newspapers!
Unfortunately, my archive of Love Journal is limited, and I don't have the issue that featured the results!
Anybody want to offer their solution?
Mark Ford was Love Journal's resident busybody, but when some of his S.O.S for Love! tales were reprinted in Journal's sister title Love Diary several years later, his name was changed to Ray Mann and the strip was retitled Prescription for Happiness!
This never-reprinted tale from Orbit's Love Journal #16 (1952) was an early assignment for John Buscema, one of the primary artists at Marvel Comics from the late 1960s until his untimely passing in 2002!
Incredibly-versatile, there was nothing John couldn't illustrate, from war to superheroes to romance to his most famous work on Conan the Barbarian!
This particular never-reprinted story is both penciled and inked by Buscema, a practice he almost always did during his first period in comics from 1949 to 1960.
After a brief stint in advertising, he returned to comics in 1966, quickly becoming the number two artist at Marvel behind Jack Kirby.
In order to match Kirby's legendary speed (up to five pages a day), Buscema stopped inking his work, except on very rare occasions.
When Kirby moved to DC in 1970, Buscema's style rapidly became the "house style" for the company.
(In fact, the original version of How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way features Buscema demonstrating anatomy, perspective, and storytelling with his unique flair.)
Next week:
The Return of Reach for Happiness...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Things are really getting juicy...)

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

INTIMATE LOVE "Desirable!"

Some of the best romance comics of the 1940s-50s came from small companies...
...as this never-reprinted tale from Standard's Intimate Love #28 (1954) proves!
All a simple misunderstanding!
Love the 1950s touches like the idea everyone in Greenwich Village is a poor bohemian/artist (our streets are filled with rich lawyers and hedge fund managers now) and the involvement of Communists!
Penciled by Art Saff and inked by Mike Peppe, the story's author is, sadly, unknown.
Next Week...
We don't know yet what we'll present!
But, we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 18 Part 2

...Greg finally chose Rita, so Karen packed her bags and headed back to Hollywood...
But that's next month!
Next Week...
We don't know yet what we'll present!
But, we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #127 (1968) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by Jay Scott Pike, inks by George Roussos, and assists from Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.
And now a word from out sponsor...


Wednesday, May 4, 2016

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 18

Let's see what's going on...
It looks like we've seen the last of Danville Corners for awhile!
Next Week...
Karen's Return to Hollywood!
We can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #127 (1968) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by Jay Scott Pike, inks by George Roussos, and assists from Dick Giordano.
And now a word from out sponsor...