Wednesday, March 9, 2016

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 16 Part 2

...Karen (with Ray Silva) and Greg (with Rita Phillips) saw each other at a nightclub, reviving feelings for each other that both were trying to suppress...
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #125 (1968) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by and inks by Jay Scott Pike.
Be here next month, when...
 
That's next month.
But 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!)
And now a word from out sponsor...

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 16

...as we continue romance comics' longest-running soap opera!
What will that "yes" lead to?
Next Week...
The story behind 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 #125 (1968) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by and inks by Jay Scott Pike.
And now a word from out sponsor...


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

OUR LOVE STORY "But He's the Boy I Love!"

Except for Fawcett's short-lived Negro Romance, there were no love comics stories that featured African-American protagonists...
...until this tale from Marvel's Our Love Story #5 (1970)!
Written by Stan Lee, penciled by Gene Colan, and inked by John Romita Sr, this tale does use a couple of heavy-handed cliches to try to give it "relevance".
But at least they tried...
For the record, Jack Kirby's Soul Love was just being conceived at this point.
The story of that never-produced title can be found HERE.

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...
UrbanWear with that Black is Beautiful flair!
Stand tall and proud with a Lichtenstein-style comic book image of lovers in a romantic clinch!
A Pop Art classic with a Black twist!

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

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

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

REACH FOR HAPPINESS Episode 15 Part 2

Agreeing to go out with rough-edged Ray Silva to instruct him on interacting with high-class society, Karen and he run into her old flame, Greg Marsh, and his fiancee at the chic nightclub The Colony.
Departing hastily, Ray and Karen go to a club that's more Ray's speed...
This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from DC's Secret Hearts #124 (1967) was written by Jack Miller, with layouts and pencils by several people including Jay Scott Pike, Win Mortimer, Mike Sekowsky, and Ross Andru, but I can't identify the inker.
Be here next month when we'll present another thrilling episode...
That's next month.
Remember, this Sunday is Valentine's Day!
But 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!)
And now a word from out sponsor...