Wednesday, January 10, 2024

John Buscema Tales LOVE DIARY "Not Meant for Love"

...artist John Buscema was able to indulge his storytelling instincts, making any tale he illustrated, even one as well-written as this, better!
Written by Dorothy Woolfolk, who later became the "womens' comics" editor at DC (including romance and superheroine titles), this never-reprinted story from Orbit's Love Diary #13 (1951) is a classic example of what a romance comic was in the genre's prime!

Next Week, a 1960s story from John Buscema!
Witness his artistic evolution decade by decade!
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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Comics and Drawings
A combination of complete checklist of Buscema's comic and magazine work and a heavily-illustrated catalog of a 2009 Italian museum exhibition of his work!

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

John Buscema Tales COWBOY ROMANCES "Cowgirls Don't Cry!"

Then-fledgling (now-legendary) artist John Buscema entered the comics field in 1949...
...and this tale, combining romance with a contemporary Western setting, was among the stories he illustrated that year!
This never-reprinted story from Atlas' Cowboy Romances #1(1949) was one of nine romance tales John illustrated that year.
Six of them were for Western romance comics!
(It was a very popular sub-genre at that point!)
BTW, John followed the established format for Atlas Comics' romance stories.
No full-page "splash" pages!
Six-panels to a page (except for the first page).
Lots of medium (from the waist up) and close-up panels.
When Buscema began working for other publishers, those restrictions no longer applied, and the artist we've come to know and admire burst forth...
Next Week, a 1950s story from John Buscema!
Witness his artistic evolution decade by decade!
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 Buy...

A combination of complete checklist of Buscema's comic and magazine work and a heavily-illustrated catalog of a 2009 Italian museum exhibition of his work!

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Love on New Year's Eve LOVE DIARY "Make Way for Love"

Though the caption on the cover references a story about three New Year's resolutions...

...the cover art doesn't show the characters from that tale (or any other story) in the issue!
At least it's by the same artist...John Buscema!






Illustrated by John Buscema and scriped by a currently-unknown writer, this never-reprinted story from Orbit's Love Diary #33 (1953) superbly-demonstrates the versatility of an artist most present-day comics fans know only for his voluminous Marvel superhero work and Conan the Barbarian!
But that'll change in January, which we decree will be...
John Buscema Month!
You'll Cry Your Eyes Out If Miss It!
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

SECRET HEARTS "So Little Time!" / FALLING IN LOVE "Perfect Gift"

Here's a bittersweet Yuletide tale about potential love that was published twice...

...first, half a century ago, in DC's Secret Hearts #87 (1963)...
...then, with the usual "updating" of fashions, hairstyles, and automobiles (and a title change) in DC's Falling in Love #128 (1972)!
Not every Christmas romance story ends like a Hallmark Channel Holiday Movie, even in the 1960s-70s!
Illustrated by veteran artist John Rosenberger, the name of the scripter of this melancholy tale is lost to the snows of time.
If you find this tale too depressing, click HERE for a much happier one we ran a couple of hears ago!

MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!!

Thursday, December 14, 2023

WITHIN OUR REACH "Gift of the Magi"

It's a Yuletide love story that never gets stale...

...as it continues, with each retelling, to demonstrate what the "Spirit of Christmas" really is!
Adapted (with very few changes) from the classic O Henry short story and illustrated by comic creative P Craig Rusell for the benefit comic  Star*Reach's Within Our Reach (1991), a Christmas charity benefit book with proceeds going equally to AmFAR and Sempervirens.
The book was also Star*Reach Publishing's final project under their own imprint.
Next Week:
Another Xmas-themed story!
Yule (sorry, couldn't resist) Cry Your Eyes Out if You Miss It!
And Now a Word from our Sponsor...
Please Support True Love Comics Tales
Visit Amazon and Buy...