Wednesday, August 19, 2015

SECRET WARS: SECRET LOVE

For those who say new romance comics aren't marketable, I offer...
...this current one-shot title from Marvel Comics, with a variant cover by the usually-amazing David Nakayama (who apparently doesn't know how easy it is to do a decent "retro-Lichtenstein" ben-day dot pattern in PhotoShop).
Note: the stories inside are much better than the cover.
The book has already sold out and is scheduled for a second printing, hopefully with a corrected cover!
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, August 12, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 12 Part 2

...actually, we haven't seen this yet, since it occurs at the end of the chapter!
So, read on...
It may say "The End", but the joy and heartbreak continue next month...
Next Week...
We don't know yet what we'll present!
But 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 #121 (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...

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 12

...as we present a splash page featuring Greg and Rita that has nothing to do with the part of the story we're running today, since they don't appear until Part 2, next week!
And, while some seek temporary oblivion in the arms of Morpheus, others are just beginning their evening's revelry...


Next Week...
The explanation for the splash page!
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...

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

PERFECT LOVE "I Didn't Want Him Back!"

For a book called "Perfect Love"...
...this series presents relationships that are anything but "perfect"!
Girls don't want Donald Trump wanna-be "bad boys" who prioritize control over others and making money above all else?
My real-world experience says otherwise, but perhaps artist Harry Anderson and the unknown writer of this tale from St John's Perfect Love #10 (1953) know something I don't...
Next week:
The Return of Reach for Happiness...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
(Things are really getting juicy...)

And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

TIPPY TEEN / VICKI "3rd Finger, Right Hand"

She's supposedly two different girls, almost a decade apart...
...even though both of them have the same boyfriend!
When this story from Tower's Tippy Teen #3 (1966) was reprinted in Atlas/Seaboard's Vicki #1 (1975), more than just the fashions and hairstyles were altered*.
Tippi became "Vicki", though her boyfriend remained "Tommy Trippit" in both versions!
Why did Seaboard change the character's name from Tippy to Vicki?
Nobody's certain.
But, since Vicki was cancelled after only four issues, the question is now moot.
 
*With sales falling on most non-superhero genres in the late 1960s (including Western and war as well as romance and teen humor [except for the Archie titles]), "updated reprinting" became a common practice on teen humor and romance comics until the genres all-but died out in the late 1970s.
Editors felt that:
a) the plots were relatively timeless.
b) updating the art was cheaper than totally-redrawing the story. 
c) the artists were better-utilized doing stuff that sold better (like superheroes).
d) the audience for teen humor and romance comics, unlike superhero comics, totally-changed every 5-6 years anyway, and wouldn't notice the "old" plots.
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...