TEEN CONFESSIONS "Wild Side"

Though the Book has "Teen" in the Title...

...these people are obviously not teenagers!

Young adults, yes!

But not teenagers!

One other note: the same art was used for both the cover and the splash page.
If the art director had left the "Wild Side" lettering in place on the lower right of the splash page (the way it is on the cover), there would've been room for the caption to go across the top of the page without it crashing into the bearded artist's model's head, throwing off the composition of the art!

Argentinian artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez began his American comics career at Charlton in 1967, doing a lot of romance comics work!
This never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Teen Confessions #61 (1970) is from the end of his romance genre work as Charlton's editors finally gave him a chance to branch out into the horror genre, which brought him to DC Comics' attention.

Unfortunately, DC had cancelled their remaining romance titles a couple of months before they hired him!
But Garcia-Lopez barely-noticed as he was swamped with work as they used him in many different genres from horror to sci-fi to superheroes!

In the early 1980s, Jose also became their primary licensed-property artist, with work on everything from lunchboxes to t-shirts to toy packaging to food items!
His work, with updated costume modifications, is used to this day!

Next Week:

We're Not Sure Yet Exactly What We'll Present!

But...

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

And now a word from our sponsor..

Support True Love Comics Tales!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Modern Masters Volume Five
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Paid Link

Halloween HeartBreak THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED! "Bridegroom, Come Back!"

" 'Til Death Do Us Part..." Takes on a Whole New Meaning...

...during the Halloween season, when the barriers between this life and the next one blur!

Steve (SpiderMan/Doctor Strange) Ditko did very few romance-themed stories during his half-century in comics.

So whenever one pops up, we take note of it, such as this tale from Charlton's This Magazine is Haunted #18 (1954).
As for who wrote it, the author is likely Charlton's go-to scripter Joe Gill, but we can't confirm it.

Next Week:

Our Final Countdown to Halloween 2024 Contribution

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

And Now...a Word from Our Sponsor...

Support True Love Comics Tales

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Steve Ditko Archives Vol 1

Strange Suspense

(Which reprints this story)

Paid Link

Amorous Education TEEN-AGE CONFIDENTIAL CONFESSIONS "Come Back to Me"

This is the story of cute girl Laurie and and star athlete Frank!

Sound like the perfect couple, eh?

What could possibly go wrong?
(If you have to ask that, you're reading the wrong blog!)

The redemptive power of True Love, courtesy of writer Joe Gill, penciler Sal Gentile, and inker Dick Giordano in a never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Teen-Age Confidential Confessions #22 (1964).

Next Week:

We Do Know What We're Going to Present!

And, If You Miss It, You'll Cry your Eyes Out!

Don't Miss a Month-Long Halloween Presentation Crossing-Over with Our "Brother" RetroBlog,

Seduction of the Innocent!

Anne Rice's

Interview with the Vampire

...the Manga!

FOXHOLE "Dear Joan--!"

Getting dumped by your Significant Other is a traumatizing experience....

...but discovering it in the middle of a pitched battle is...well...read for yourself...

Art for this tale from Charlton's FoxHole #6 (1955) by Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio, a mainstay of the Charlton line with numerous credits in both war and romance comics, so he's an excellent choice to render this story.

The writer is unknown.

Happy Memorial Day to all!

Next Week:

We're Not Sure Yet Exactly What We'll Present!
But...

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

And now a word from out sponsor..

Please Support True Love Comics Tales!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Love on the Racks

A History of American Romance Comics

TEEN-AGE LOVE "A Very Merry Christmas"

We promised you a Christmas romance story...

...and, hoo boy, did we deliver!

It's a Hallmark Channel Yuletide TV-movie in comic-book form!

It's also one of the rare Charlton covers that isn't just re-used art from the story inside, but new art by Dick Giordano!

Enjoy...

Talk about your two-for-one deals!

A Christmas story and a New Years Eve tale in one!

Though this never-reprinted story from Charlton's Teen-Age Love #44 (1965) is attributed to penciler Bill Montes and inker Jon D'Agostino, it looks like several other pencilers and inkers redrew individual panels, including Steve Ditko and Sal Trapani!

We're taking next week off, but we'll be back in January with much more graphic love!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and a
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Amorous Education HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL DIARY "Forbidden Subject"

Think college romances are tricky to deal with?

High school presents equally-difficult problems for hormonally-driven teens...

This fairly-saccharine, never-reprinted tale from Charlton's High School Confidential Diary #2 (1960) was scripted by Joe Gill, penciled by Joe Sinnott and inked by Vince Colletta.

The Comics Code Authority took a lot of the excitement out of what was a pretty exciting genre which previously was aimed at a late teen/early adult female audience!
Take a look at 1940s and 1950s stories we've run to see what I mean!

By the time the Code was revised and "loosened" in the early 1970s, it was too late for the all-but deceased romance genre!

Next Week:
We Continue with Stories Combining School and Sex!
And Yes, You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If You Miss It!

And Now a Word from Our Sponsor...
Please Support True Love Comics Tales
Visit Amazon and Buy...

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Volume 1: Super Crush

TEEN CONFESSIONS "Perfect Date"

Remember Dating Game?

They're revived it on tv as Celebrity Dating Game...

...apparently on the premise that everyday people seeking love is no longer interesting to the audience!

Let's look a a story about what would later be called a "reality show", scripted and illustrated during the original show's heyday in the 1970s...

This never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Teen Confessions #85 (1974) was illustrated by Demetrio Sanchez Gomez with a slightly-different style (and unlike the previous story we presented, he doesn't sign every page!)

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 our

True Love Comics Tales™

Comics Collectibles Shop