Wednesday, July 31, 2013

TEEN-AGE ROMANCE "Summer Must End"

We're only at the end of July, mid-way through Summer...
Cover art by Jack Kirby and George Klein
...but this tale by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta just screamed to be told (and not for the reason you think)!
PSST!
Wanna know a secret?
This story, which we're presenting from Marvel's Teen-Age Romance #84 (1961) later appeared in Our Love Story #9 (1971) in an extremely-modified form!
The art in Our Love Story was retouched by art director John Romita to "update" the hairstyles and some of the fashions...
"Why did they do that?" you may ask...
With sales falling on most non-superhero genres in the late 1960s (including Western and war as well as romance), this "updated reprinting" became a common practice on romance comics until the genre all-but died out in the late 1970s.
Publishers would do a new 6-12 page lead story and use retouched reprints to fill out the book.
Editors felt that:
a) the plots were relatively timeless.
b) updating the art was cheaper than totally-redrawing the story. 
c) the artists were better-utilized doing stuff that sold better (like superheroes).
d) the audience for romance comics, unlike superhero comics, totally-changed every 5-6 years anyway, and wouldn't notice the "old" plots.
We had previously-posted the reprint version HERE, but didn't have the original story for a complete comparison (just the splash page).
When we finally acquired the original story we just had to do a "contrast and compare"!
Next week:
We haven't decided yet what it'll be, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)

And now a word from out sponsor...
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

ROMANTIC HEARTS "HeartBreak"

When a woman is involved with three men, it'll probably end up in...
...for someone, as this never-reprinted story from Master's Romantic Hearts V2 #6 (1954) demonstrates.
But, what about poor, faithful George Franklin?
Pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito.
The writer is unknown.
The team of Andru & Esposito worked on numerous projects including a long run on Wonder Woman in the 1960s.
They also had their own comics company in the early 1950s called MikeRoss Publications which published only four titles, three of which were romance comics!
You can see tales from one of them, Heart & Soul, HERE, HERE, and HERE!
It's possible that this story was meant for Heart & Soul, but since the book was cancelled, it ended up here.

Next week:
We haven't decided yet what it'll be, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)
And now a word from out sponsor...
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Wednesday, July 17, 2013

TEEN LOVE STORIES "Follow Your Fate" Conclusion

Roberta, Eloise's rival for Craig's affections, is about to make Eloise crash during a water-skiing routine...
This tale appeared in the first issue of the short-lived 1960s magazine called Teen Love Stories (not a comic book, as explained HERE) and was a reprint of a British romance strip (which explains some of the phrases like "That was a near thing...")
Of all the ongoing Warren Publishing b/w comic magazines (including Creepy, Vampirella, and 1984), Teen Love Stories was the shortest-lived at only three issues, all of which are very hard-to-find!
Next, back to one-entry stories for the remainder of the summer...
Next week:
We haven't decided yet what it'll be, but we can guarantee that...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)
And now a word from our sponsor...
You can own a kool komic collectible...
(t-shirt, mug, tote bag, etc.)
 ...by clicking HERE!
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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

TEEN LOVE STORIES "Follow Your Fate" Part 3

Oddly enough the story is called "Follow Your Fate", but the contents page above lists it as "Follow Your Heart".
Anyway...water-skiing boy meets water-skiing girl.
Sparks fly.
Girl sees boy with water-skiing partner (also a girl) and thinks they're perfect together, so she decides to leave without telling boy.
Next week:
OMIGAWD!
What happens next?
It's the thrill-packed finale!
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)
This tale appeared in the first issue of the short-lived 1960s magazine called Teen Love Stories (not a comic book, as explained HERE) and was a reprint of a British romance strip (which explains some of the phrases like "That was a near thing...")
Of all the ongoing Warren Publishing b/w comic magazines (including Creepy, Vampirella, and 1984), Teen Love Stories was the shortest-lived at only three issues, all of which are very hard-to-find!

And now a word from out sponsor...
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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

TEEN LOVE STORIES "Follow Your Fate" Part 2

Elodie Warren, "on holiday" in Spain, meets Craig, a handsome water skiing instructor.
Elodie also meets Roberta, Craig's partner in an aquatic show he does on the side.
Though she fears the young man may be romantically-involved with his beautiful associate, Elodie accepts Craig's dinner invitation...
Next week:
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)
This tale appeared in the first issue of the short-lived 1960s magazine called Teen Love Stories (not a comic book, as explained HERE) and was a reprint of a British romance strip (which explains some of the phrases like "That was a near thing...")
Of all the ongoing Warren Publishing b/w comic magazines (including Creepy, Vampirella, and 1984), Teen Love Stories was the shortest-lived at only three issues, all of which are very hard-to-find!

And now a word from out sponsor...
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