FAST WILLIE JACKSON "Failing Sailing"

It's nearly the end of summer, so let's take a cruse with a bunch of comic book teenagers and young adults!

What could go wrong?

Was the story supposed to run one or two pages longer?

It seems odd to end it at this point without seeing what's in the chest...

Illustrated by Gus Lemoine, the script for this tale from Fitzgerald's Fast Wilie Jackson #6 (1977) 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...

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featuring the cover art from the HTF premiere issue
on kool kollectibles!

DARING LOVE "Dear John"

What's the worst sort of mail for a guy in the military to get from your sweetheart?

But, what are the consequences when the letter turns out to be...oh, just read the story...

Wasn't it lucky that the blindness (which is only temporary) kept him from reading the "Dear John" letter in this amazingly politically-incorrect tale?

The writer and artist for this lead story in Gilmor's Daring Love #1 (1953) are both unknown.

The book is the last of three attempts by different publishers to use the "Daring Love" title on a comic book.

None lasted more than three issues and, in fact, this was the only issue from this publisher.

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...

Check out the

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CAREER GIRL ROMANCES "No Prospects"

Here's a short from 1971 that reads more like a tale from the 1950s...

Appearing the the back of Charlton's Career Girl Romances #63 (1971), this uncredited story plays out as if Women's Lib wasn't one of the hot points of the era!

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...

Check out the

True Love Comics Tales™

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OUR LOVE STORY "Game of Triangles"

Though told from the viewpoint of the male protaganist...

...this story was, allegedly, written by one of the few female writers in Bronze Age comics.

Was it?

Read, and judge for yourself...

This never-reprinted tale from Marvel's Our Love Story #20 (1972) was scripted by Joy Hartle and illustrated by George Tuska and Paul Reinman.

Most people believe "Joy Hartle" was a pseudonym for Gary Freidrich.

"Joy" had only two stories to her credit, both romance tales that appeared almost simultaneously in late 1972-early1973.

And, in fact, Gary's sister-in-law is named Joy Hartle!

But Gary was working steadily for Marvel at this point, scripting Captain America and Sgt Fury, as well as co-creating both the motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider and a new version of the Frankenstein Monster (both with Mike Ploog)!

So why the pen-name?

The only thing I can think of is that these stories were done during the brief period in 1971-72 when Gary had left Marvel to work at the short-lived Skywald Publishing, and were "inventory" stories used to fill out what would've been all-reprint issues of the dying romance comics line.

BTW, the cover-featured tale has one of the worst romance comics covers I've ever seen...

Art by Alan Weiss & Frank Giacoia with retouching by Marie Severin and John Romita

Heck, the guy looks more like a stalker than a lover...

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...

Check out the

True Love Comics Tales™

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ACTUAL ROMANCES "I Refused to Share My Husband's Love!"

Incest (potential or otherwise) is a near-taboo subject on soap operas today...

...but the then-brand new genre of romance comics took several cracks at it back in the 1940s.

Note: this never-reprinted tale from Timely Comics' Actual Romances #1 (1949) makes the brother and sister step-siblings, just to be safe.

Though the Grand Comics Database lists Mike Sekowsky as the artist, it looks a lot like a combination of Werner Roth and Bill Everett, both of whom were working for Timely.

The writer is unknown.

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...

Check out the

True Love Comics Tales™

Comics Collectibles Shop