Monday, July 30, 2018

Beach Read SECRETS OF SINSTER HOUSE "Death at Castle Dunbar" Chapter 1

It's not Wednesday yet...
..but this book-length, five-part Gothic tale will take all week to tell, so let's dive in to this year's Beach Read...
...IT'S...!!!
DC's Sinister House of Secret Love transitioned from Gothic romance into straight horror title Secrets of Sinister House with this issue, #5 (1972), utilizing this already-completed tale as the book's contents.
The next issue went full "horror mode" with scary tales, snarky hosts, etc.
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(Which includes the four issues of Sinister House of Secret Love as well as this week's story...but in black and white!)

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

TENDER LOVE STORIES "My Kind of Music!"

Motorcycle, guitar, long hair, fringed jacket...
...yep, this Don Heck/Joe Sinnott cover superbly-portrays a 1970's version of a "bad boy"!
Long-time pros Jack Katz, Werner Roth, and John Tartaglone illustrated this never-reprinted tale from Skywald's Tender Love Stories #1 (1971).
Next Week:
It's our annual Beach Read blogathon as we present a book-length Gothic comic...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And now a word from our sponsor...
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Wednesday, July 18, 2018

A MOON, A GIRL...ROMANCE! "Summer Love"

Before EC Comics became (in)famous for doing horror comics...
...they covered every genre in comics, including romance!
They just didn't do all of them as well as horror...
Illustrated by "Ghastly" Graham Ingels, this never-reprinted, tacky tale from EC's A Moon, A Girl...Romance #11 (1949) is, perhaps, the perfect example of why EC is not known for its' romance comics.
That's not quite accurate...EC's post-horror comics title Confessions Illustrated was a first-rate b/w romance graphic magazine (not comic), targeted at the late-teen/young adult audience!
But it didn't sell, and, like the rest of the Picto-Fiction line is incredibly hard to find today!
Next Week:
We don't know yet what we'll present, but we can guarantee...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And now a word from our sponsor...
Please Support True Love Comics Tales
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EC Complete Picto-Fiction Library
(includes all 3 issues of Confessions Illustrated [including the never-published final issue]
Note: The Confessions Illustrated volume is unavailable seperately from the set)

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

GOTHIC ROMANCES "As Midnight Becomes Morning"

Unlike their Marvel magazine rival, Gothic Tales of Love...
...Atlas/Seaboard's Gothic Romances used "name value" comic artists to illustrate their tales!
"Caroline Rivers", the author of this tale is apparently using a pseudonym.
There is a historical Lady Caroline Rivers, but the style of the story is clearly contemporary, so she can't be the writer!
One website lists her real name as "Carolyn Weaver", but I can't find anything about her, either!
The artist is Howard Chaykin, noted for his extremely-macho work on American Flagg, Blackhawk, The Shadow, etc.
He was also doing The Scorpion for Atlas/Seaboard at the time!
Next Week:
We don't know yet what we'll present, but we can guarantee...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And now a word from our sponsor...
Please Support True Love Comics Tales
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Wednesday, July 4, 2018

HOLLYWOOD ROMANCES "Bikini"

It's the 4th of July, and many of us are at the beach!
Empowering or condescending?
Interpret this short from Charlton's Hollywood Romances #50 (1969) as you will!
BTW, we have no idea who either the writer or artist are.
Next Week:
We don't know yet what we'll present, but we can guarantee...
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And now a word from our sponsor...
Please Support True Love Comics Tales
Visit Amazon and Order...