Wednesday, May 20, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 9 Part 2

Rita Phillips, a girl from the "wrong side of the tracks" is engaged to upper-crust Doctor Greg Marsh.
But Rita's sleazy former paramour (and employer), nightclub owner Ray Silva has decided to try to reclaim the woman he still desires...
Note the sales figures at the bottom of the page.
Secret Hearts was selling over 200,000 copies per issue!
Today, only three to five comics (out of a couple of hundred) break the 200,000 copy level on a consistant basis.
Comics in 2015 average 50,000 per issue...or less!
(Secret Hearts was considered a middle to lower-selling title in 1967!)
How times have changed...
Be back next month as we continue romance comics' longest-running soap opera!
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?)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #118 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, Jim Mooney, Ross Andru, and Gene Colan with primary inks by Jim Mooney and additional inks by a couple of others I can't identify right off.
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 9

Even as soap operas disappear from TV screens...
...we have a heck of one in graphic novel form!
Let's reintroduce the cast, catch up on doings in Danville Corners, and jump back into the narrative...
 Next Week...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #118 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, Jim Mooney, Ross Andru, and Gene Colan with primary inks by Jim Mooney and additional inks by a couple of others I can't identify right off.
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

CINDERELLA LOVE "So You Are Going to Get a Job?" & "So You Got the Job: Tips on Holding It!"

If you're old enough to read romance comics...
...you're old enough to get a job to pay for them!
The writers and artists for these never-reprinted one-pagers from St John's Cinderella Love #13 (1953) are unknown.
Next week:
The Return of Reach for Happiness...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Oh, you've heard that, eh?)

And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

CINDERELLA LOVE "My Gay Deception!"

No, it does not involve a lesbian relationship and a "beard"!
This was the 1950s, you silly gooses!
It involves photobombing with the 1950s version of PhotoShop!
Photo-manipulation software is now so prevalent in our lives that it seems we couldn't live without it.
But, as recently as the 1990s, doing what Carol did required expensive equipment and materials as well as some technical expertise.
Talk about a tale reflecting its' era...
This story from Ziff-Davis' Cinderella Love #6 (1952) was illustrated by Bob Oksner, but the writer is unknown.
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...

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 8 Part 2

Dr Greg Chambers takes his fiance, Rita Phillips, to the Silva Club to unwind after a stressful day.
But, Dr Chambers is unaware that Rita and club owner Ray Silva were once a hot 'n heavy couple when she was a singer at the venue, and that Ray has announced his intentions to Rita to reclaim her from the doctor.
Rita attempts to back out, but Greg insists, and they go.
After the couple is seated...
I take it we're not going to have a discussion about Adam West's performance as Batman when our story continues...
Be back next month as we continue romance comics' longest-running soap opera!
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)
BTW: This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #117 (1966) was written by Jack Miller, with a cover by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer with the remainder of the story something of a mish-mash with layouts and pencils by several different people including John Rosenberger, Jim Mooney and Gene Colan with primary inks by Tom Palmer and additional inks by a couple of others I can't identify right off.
And now a word from out sponsor...