Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Swinging '70s Stories OUR LOVE STORY "Game of Triangles"

Though told from the viewpoint of the male protaganist...
...this story was, allegedly, written by one of the few female writers in Bronze Age comics.
Was it?
Read, and judge for yourself...
This never-reprinted tale from Marvel's Our Love Story #20 (1972) was scripted by Joy Hartle and illustrated by George Tuska and Paul Reinman.
Most people believe "Joy Hartle" was a pseudonym for Gary Freidrich.
"Joy" had only two stories to her credit, both romance tales that appeared almost simultaneously in late 1972-early 1973.
And, in fact, Gary's sister-in-law was named Joy Hartle!
But Gary was working steadily for Marvel at this point, scripting Captain America and Sgt Fury, as well as co-creating the motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider and a new version of the Frankenstein Monster (both with Mike Ploog)!
So why the pen-name?
The only thing I can think of is that these stories were done during the brief period in 1971-72 when Gary had left Marvel to work at the short-lived Skywald Publishing, and were "inventory" stories used to fill out what would've been all-reprint issues of the dying romance comics line.
BTW, the cover-featured tale has one of the worst romance comics covers I've ever seen...
Art by Alan Weiss & Frank Giacoia with retouching by Marie Severin and John Romita
Heck, the guy looks more like a stalker than a lover...
Next Week:
We're Not Sure Yet Exactly Which 1970s Story We'll Present!
But...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And now a word from out sponsor..
Visit Amazon and Buy...
Marvel's picked some of the best love comics from the 60s and 70s!
"It Happened at Woodstock," "My Heart Broke in Hollywood," "Love on the Rebound!"
Collects Love Romance #89 and #101-104; My Love #2, #14, #16 and #18-20; Teen-Age Romance #77 and #84, Our Love Story #5; and Patsy Walker #119.
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