REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 11

Welcome back to romance comics' longest-running soap opera...

...in the little town of Danville Corners, where lust and naughtiness reign...

I hope Peggy isn't going to take that statement literally...for reasons we'll reveal

 Next Week...

The explanation for the splash page featuring (you guessed it) Peggy!
We can guarantee that...

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

(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)

This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #120 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, and Gene Colan with inks by several people I can't identify right off.

And now a word from out sponsor...

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Gothic Romance Beach Reads for the 4th...

There's nothing like a juicy Gothic romance novel for reading while lounging on a blanket under a sun umbrella...

"Kiss of Death" from Dark Mansion of Fobidden Love #1

"Kiss of the Serpent" from Sinister House of Secret Love #4

"Bride of the Falcon" from Sinister House of Secret Love #3

And, for those who prefer a traditional prose tale to the graphic novel format...

"Legend of the Seventh Virgin" from Gothic Tales of Romance #1

and

"Will I Ever See You Again?" from Sinister House of Secret Love #3

Enjoy the long weekend!

Next week:

The Return of Reach for Happiness...

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

(We're up to the 11th episode and things are really getting juicy...)

And now a word from out sponsor...

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COWGIRL ROMANCES "Men Died for My Kisses!"

It's been a while since we've run a Western romance comic...

...so we looked for the most sensational story title we could find!

This 1950 one-shot from Atlas Comics is either #1 (if you go by the cover numbering) or #28 (if you go by the indicia on the inside cover).

The #28 indicates it's a continuation of Jeanie Comics, a teen humor title which ended two months earlier with #27.

As for why it's a one-shot, it seems rival Fiction House released their own Cowgirl Romances simultaneously...or just before...Atlas.

(We ran a couple of Fiction House's Cowgirl Romances stories HERE and HERE.)

Fiction House's title continued for 11 more issues while Atlas' book disappeared after this one appearance.

Neither the writer or artist(s) are known.

Fun fact: Atlas released six different Western romance titles in 1940-50, more than any other comics company...

Cowgirl Romances (1 issue)

Cowboy Romances (3 issues)

Love Trails (1 issue)

Rangeland Love (2 issues)

Romances of the West (3 issues)

Western Life Romances (3 issues)

You gotta give them credit.

When Atlas saw a hot trend, they jumped on it whole-heartedly!

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

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REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 10 Part 2

We Have Already Seen...

xxx

...and with that happy semi-resolution, we continue our tale...

As you can see from the ad at the end of the tale, DC had several romance titles going simultaneously!

At that point (early 1967), superheroes made up only about two-thirds of their output in any given month.

For example, the month this issue of Secret Hearts came out, DC also published Falling in Love #90, Girls' Love Stories #126, and Girls' Romances #124 (pictured).

The Young Love issue shown, #61, came out the next month.

The remaining non-costumed character titles included sci-fi anthologies (which had begun adding superhero lead features) war, and humor comics.

Compare that with today's superhero-dominated (and lower-selling) output...

This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #119 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, Ross Andru, and Gene Colan with inks by several people I can't identify right off.

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?)

And now a word from out sponsor...

Check out the

True Love Comics Tales™

Comics Collectibles Shop

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 10

How can you not love a story that opens with...

...now, let's see what leads up to this wonderfully over-the-top pronouncement!

Wait!

We're going to break off at a point where everyone is actually...happy?

What the hell is happening?

 Next Week...

Scheming, plotting, and emotional manipulation!
(Ah, that's more like it!)
We can guarantee that...

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

(Yeah, we say that a lot...but it's true!)

This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #119 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several different people including Jay Scott Pike, John Rosenberger, Ross Andru, and Gene Colan with inks by several people I can't identify right off.

And now a word from out sponsor...

Check out the

True Love Comics Tales™

Comics Collectibles Shop