And here’s the original First Kiss comic book art as published back in the 1960s–with considerably more polite dialog:
Below is the original 1960s romance art with a more appropriate, but perhaps less interesting bit of dialog:
The interesting thing about the original art below is not what’s happening, but what isn’t. The story is about a woman who meets a guy and likes him until she finds out that:
A) He’s a drug-dealing, philandering crime lord.
B) He’s an ink-slinging, low-paid cartoonist.
C) He’s a truck driver.
D) He smokes.
E) He’s a communist spy, but he votes Republican.
Pick one. Then see the answer below the comic.
The answer? C. He’s a truck driver. (She’d hoped he was a doctor or lawyer.)
What gets me—besides the snobbery—is that she sees him smoking here and it absolutely isn’t a problem. These days it would really turn off a lot of potential lovers. But back in the 1960s—it was better to be a three-pack-a-day doctor than be a healthy truck driver.
By the way, eventually she decides to overlook his profession. And guess what? Everything is going to be okay because he’s going to college nights. So he must have some ambition after all!
At best, love is a leap of faith off a cliff of uncertainty…into a whirlpool of passion. At worst, it’s a belly flop into heartbreak!
But this is Leap Day. So what the heck? Leap!
The panel below is from a story about a prim, young woman who wants to be bad. So she dresses up like a slut and pretends to be faster than a race car on an oiled track. But then a boy (whom she met earlier on the boardwalk) calls her bluff and kisses her. Urk!
Instantly she’s back to her prim, confused and boy-less self! Or…is she?
Below is the original 1965 romance comic art. Football, hockey, skiing—they’re okay. But sisters stealing each others boyfriends? Now that’s a sport!
Click image to enlarge.
