IDEAL LOVE AND ROMANCE "Unfaithful!"

Sometimes the opening caption says it all...

...as this never-reprinted tale from Timely's Ideal Love and Romances #5 (1949) demonstrates.

Artist Pete Tumlinson was extremely versatile,

Besides romance books, he did war, horror, crime, and Western stories with equal aploomb!

Rendering over 150 stories (and some covers) from 1948 to 1955, he moved into commercial art (mostly book illustration) after the big comic book implosion caused by the "Seduction of the Innocent" witchhunt put many writers and artists out of work.

The writer is unknown.

BTW, though this issue was #5, it was actually the one and only issue of Ideal Love and Romance!

Before that, it was Ideal: a Classical Comic,  

With #6 it became simply Love Romances, and survived for one hundred issues until #106 (1963)!

Next Week:

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

The Golden Age of Romance Comics

LOVE DIARY "Love Slave!"

Handsome guy snuggling beautiful gal.

Looks like True Love, doesn't it?

Well, looks can be deceiving...

Typical story of the era..woman must be taught her self-destructive desires are wrong by an assertive man who knows what's best for her!

Illustrated by Marvel Comics mainstay John Buscema, this cover-featured tale from Orbit's Love Diary #47 (1954) was a reprint from just a year earlier in Orbit's Love Journal #20 (1953).

(The extremely-sexist writer is, perhaps mercifully, unknown.)

If you're wondering why it was reprinted so quickly, it was because Orbit was shutting down and simply fulfilling it's contracted obligation to the distributor to supply a specific number of issues.

It didn't matter if the books were original material or reprints.

And, at that point in comics history, creatives didn't get reprint royalties, so...

The next issue of Love Diary, also all-reprint, was the last Orbit comic ever published.

Next Week:

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

The Golden Age of Romance Comics

LOVE 1971 "Reckless Losers"

We were gone for a month while we moved into a new home...

...but now we're back with a slew of stories for your summer reading pleasure starting with the torrid tale under this psychedelic Charlie Armentano cover!

Written/pencilled by Ric Estrada and inked by Tony DeZuniga, this cover-featured, never-reprinted story from DC's Super DC Giant #21 was the only new tale in the 64-page book.

The rest were reprints with hairstyles and clothing "updated" to the then-current styles!

Note: Charlie Armentano did only two comic pages that were ever published; this cover and the back cover of DC 100-Page Super-Spectacular #5 Love Stories (1971)!

The art was apparently submitted with coloring done on the original art itself, unheard-of at the time...

I've been unable to find anything else about him on the Net.

If anyone has anything to share, please do so!

Next Week...

We Don't Know What We're Presenting...Yet!

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

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Love Stories 1971 100-Page Super-Spectacular
Replica Edition
...which features Charlie Armentaro's only other comic book art on the back cover!

REACH FOR HAPPINESS "The End"

Let's look in for the final time at the residents of Danvile Corners...

With Rita out of her coma (and breaking her engagement with Greg), Karen should be happy!
But she's experiencing self-doubt about her love, even turning down Greg's marriage proposal!
Disillusioned, Karen prepares to leave town...

With a classic "only in soap-opera" miscommunication, the series ends on a joyous note!

Did Karen and Greg live "happily ever after"?

What do you think, dear reader?

This chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #138 (1969) was written by Barbara Friedlander and Jack Miller, penciled by Jay Scott Pike and Jack Sparling, and inked by George Roussos (except for the cover which publisher Carmine Infantino penciled and editor Dick Giordano inked).

 Next Week:

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But, You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If You Miss It!

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Heart Throbs

Best of DC Romance Comics

REACH FOR HAPPINESS "Episode 29"

We've followed the lives of Karen, Greg, Rita, and the rest of the populace of Danville Corners for 56 installments...

...but now, the final chapter begins!

Has Karen suddenly developed a magic touch to solve romantic relationships (except her own)?
And where the heck is she going?

Next Week:

The Heart-Stopping Finale!
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If You Miss It!

This concluding chapter of "Reach for Happiness" from Secret Hearts #139 (1969) was written by Jack Miller and Barbara Friedlander, penciled by Jay Scott Pike and Jack Sparling, and inked by George Roussos.

Please Support

True Love Comics Tales!

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Heart Throbs

Best of DC Romance Comics