FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Frankie in 'What -- Me Worry' "

"Sadie Hawkins Dances" were popular in the pre-Women's Lib days...

...when the concept of girls asking boys out was still considered a novelty!

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script for this never-reprinted tale from Fitzgerald's Fast Willie Jackson #6 (1977) was either by him or publisher/editor Bertram Fitzgerald.

Previously, Gus pencilled shorts and a couple of covers at Archie Comics from 1967 to the mid-1970s.

The Fast Willie books were his final credited work.

(There is a theory that Gus was really Henry Scarpelli, a versatile humor artist who did work for Archie as well as Archie-clone books for both Marvel and DC.

The period when "Gus" was active at Archie was before Scarpelli's credited work appeared there and disappeared after Scarpelli began receiving credit for his work on Archie titles.

So...it's like "Gee, Clark, we never see you when Superman's around! Why's that?"

Lois Lane couldn't prove it, either.

For the record, noted art identifier Martin O'Hearn believes Lemoine and Scarpelli are not the same person.)

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...

Visit the

Fast Willie Jackson

Comic Collectibles Store

featuring the cover art from the first, never-reprinted issue!

DEBBI'S DATES "Buddy in 'Ah--Sweet Valentine's Day!' "

Until the 1970s, there were numerous competitors with Archie Comics for the teen humor comics market...

...and here's a Valentine's Day story from one of the last titles to appear!

Written by Steve Skeates, and illustrated by Henry Scarpelli with assists by Win Mortimer and Bob Oksner, this never-reprinted tale from DC's Debbi's Dates #1 (1969) is, oddly one of the few romantic (albeit humorous) comics tales I could find with "Valentine" in the title!

Most of them involve the famous St Valentine's Day Massacre!

Both Debbi's Dates and the "sister" title Date with Debbi disappeared from the newsstands by late 1972, along with almost all DC's romance titles!

Next Week:

We Don't Yet Know What We'll Present, but...

You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If You Miss It!

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Best of DC Romance Comics

FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Dee Dee: Tickets Now On Sale"

Some women have little self-esteem...

...throwing themselves at men who don't appreciate them at all!

Bet if they did a follow-up to this never-reprinted tale from Fitzgerald Publications' Fast Willie Jackson #5 (1977), it would show Dee Dee sitting miserably with Helen, Tina, and Frankie!

In real-life, lack of self-esteem affects many intelligent, attractive women of all ethnicities, trapping them in unhealthy relationships!

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script was either by him or publisher/editor Bertam Fitzgerald.

Previously, Gus pencilled shorts and a couple of covers at Archie Comics from 1967 to the mid-1970s.

The Fast Willie books were his final credited work.

(There is a theory that Gus was really Henry Scarpelli, a versatile humor artist who did work for Archie as well as Archie-clone books for both Marvel and DC.

The period when "Gus" was active at Archie was before Scarpelli's credited work appeared there and disappeared after Scarpelli began receiving credit for his work on Archie titles.
So...it's like "Gee, Clark, we never see you when Superman's around! Why's that?"

Lois Lane couldn't prove it, either.
For the record, noted art identifier Martin O'Hearn believes Lemoine and Scarpelli are not the same person.)

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...

Visit the

Fast Willie Jackson

Comic Collectibles Store

featuring the cover art from several HTF issues
on kool kollectibles!

HARVEY "Beauty and the Beach"

When summer vacation begins, comic book teens run for, where else...

...the beach!

This never-reprinted tale from Marvel's Harvey #5 (1972) was the penultimate issue of their last attempt at "teen" humor.
Written and penciled by Stu Schwartzberg and inked by Henry Scarpelli, clearly imitating Dan DeCarlo's art style which became the "look" of Archie Comics, this book and several Millie the Model titles ended in 1972-73, leaving Archie standing alone in the teen humor genre to this day.

Next Week

Our Annual Summer RetroBlog Blogathon Begins HERE with a special re-presentation of the first Graphic Novel!

A Tale of Love, Lust, Politics, Crime, and a Man Romancing a Successful Businesswoman...and Her Daughter!

It Rhymes with LUST

by Arnold Drake, Leslie Waller, Matt Baker, and Ray Osrin

A Saga So Big...So HOT...No Single Blog Can Contain It!

You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If You Miss It!

Now a word from our sponsor!

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75 Years - 75 Stories

FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Frankie: Soap in My Eyes"

It is said that soap operas have universal appeal...

...and this tale seems to prove it!

Mind you, this was from the era when it wan't socially-acceptible for "real" men to watch soaps!

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script was either by him or publisher/editor Bertam Fitzgerald.

Previously, Gus pencilled shorts and a couple of covers at Archie Comics from 1967 to the mid-1970s.

The Fast Willie books were his final credited work.

(There is a theory that Gus was really Henry Scarpelli, a versatile humor artist who did work for Archie as well as Archie-clone books for both Marvel and DC.

The period when "Gus" was active at Archie was before Scarpelli's credited work appeared there, so...it's like "Gee, Clark, we never see you when Superman's around! Why's that?"

Lois Lane couldn't prove it, either.)

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...

Visit the

Fast Willie Jackson

Comic Collectibles Store

featuring the cover art from several HTF issues
on kool kollectibles!

FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Failing Sailing"

It's nearly the end of summer, so let's take a cruse with a bunch of comic book teenagers and young adults!

What could go wrong?

Was the story supposed to run one or two pages longer?

It seems odd to end it at this point without seeing what's in the chest...

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script for this tale from Fitzgerald's Fast Wilie Jackson #6 (1977) was either by him or publisher/editor Bertam Fitzgerald.

Previously, Gus pencilled shorts and a couple of covers at Archie Comics from 1967 to the mid-1970s.

The Fast Willie books were his final credited work.

(There is a theory that Gus was really Henry Scarpelli, a versatile humor artist who did work for Archie as well as Archie-clone books for both Marvel and DC.

The period when "Gus" was active at Archie was before Scarpelli's credited work appeared there, so...it's like "Gee, Clark, we never see you when Superman's around! Why's that?"

Lois Lane couldn't prove it, either.)

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...

Visit the

Fast Willie Jackson
Comic Collectibles Store

featuring the cover art from the HTF premiere issue
on kool kollectibles!

FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Happy Birthday, Frankie"

Here's an example of love gone wrong...

...in this never-reprinted story from the very hard-to-find Fast Willie Jackson #1 (1976).

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script was either by him or publisher/editor Bertam Fitzgerald.

Previously, Gus pencilled shorts and a couple of covers at Archie Comics from 1967 to the mid-1970s.

The Fast Willie books were his final credited work.

(There is a theory that Gus was really Henry Scarpelli, a versatile humor artist who did work for Archie as well as Archie-clone books for both Marvel and DC.

The period when "Gus" was active at Archie was before Scarpelli's credited work appeared there, so...it's like "Gee, Clark, we never see you when Superman's around! Why's that?"

Lois Lane couldn't prove it, either.)

Bertram Fitzgerald was the publisher/editor/writer of Fitzgerald Publications, doing a Black historical comic anthology, Golden Legacy, sold to schools and bookstores.

He conceived Fast Willie as a way to break into the teen comic market on the newsstands.

Two ironic notes:

1) Fitzgerald finally broke even on the series as of it's final issue, #7.

(It has been "in the red" up to that point.)

2) He failed to capitalize on the late 1970s creation of the Direct Market and comic book stores, which could've enabled him to continue publishing the title without the costs and hassle of returnable books.

Though the series has never been reprinted, it has not been forgotten....

...though not an "official" appearance, this brief interlude in Image's Savage Dragon #170 (2011) by Erik Larsen would seem to be a "Where Are They Now?" tip of the hat to the MoCity crew.

As it turns out, Willie is a distant uncle of the comic's title character...

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...

Visit the

Fast Willie Jackson
Comic Collectibles Store

featuring the cover art from all four HTF issues
on kool kollectibles!