I’m not going to Comic-Con this year. But there’s some great Last Kiss merchandise for sale at Prism Comics, Booth 2144.
Original Vintage Art & Text
Art by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia from the story “The Spoiler” in Secret Romance #28, Dec. 1973. Art by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia from the story “The Spoiler” in Secret Romance #28, Dec. 1973. Charlton. (The full story isn’t online. So no link this time.)
Transcript:
SCENE: Woman in background watches as a hand comes into the foreground of the panel and moves a chess piece.
WOMAN: “Strip chess?” is that a real thing?
HAND PERSON: Sure! it’s just like “strip checkers”…Except, when you get naked, it’s more intellectual!
1973 Art: Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia Re-Creation: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Grandmaster of Gags: John Lustig
DJP.lk39
WOMAN: “Strip chess?” is that a real thing?
HAND PERSON: Sure! it’s just like “strip checkers”...Except, when you get naked, it’s more intellectual!
1973 Art: Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia Re-Creation: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Grandmaster of Gags: John Lustig
DJP.lk39
“But I sometimes reward the winner!..
…Which is how I got these cold sores.”
…So if you’ll excuse me and your King. And all your knights. And your rook. Oh your rook! Grrrrrr.”
…But then sometimes I don’t. I’m really indecisive, especially where it concerns sexual innuendos.”
…Usually with a Stuckey’s gift certificate! Wait. Why did you take your pants off?”
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“Checkmate!”
“Huh? We’re not playing Twister?”
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“Checkmate!”
“Why are suddenly bringing up reproductive issues in the Czech Republic?
Are you trying to throw me off my game?”
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“I think you’ve got me Jeff.”
“Who doesn’t?”
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“I think you’ve got me Jeff.”
“Really? I had my shots before I came here.”
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“I think you’ve got me Jeff.”
“Could I maybe trade you in for that Stuckey’s gift certificate?”
Nice. By the way, I hear playing chess is the second leading cause of cold sores. (Playing twister is number one.)
I really thought it was Parchisi…(sorry about murdering the spelling)
I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided that I want to see you naked!
I am fascinated by this picture, and the one for Monday. They both show women older than the teenagers who I had always assumed were the main buyers of love comics. Does this mean that they also appealed to older women, or were they showing the type of woman a teenager could aspire to become?
It wasn’t unusual to show females in their 20s or 30s. Late teens in high school were probably featured slightly more often. But it depended on the publisher and the comic book series. For instance, Charlton had series called Brides In Love, Career Girl Romances, High School Confidential Diary, Registered Nurse, and Teen Confessions…to name just a few.
At one point, romance comics were aimed at a somewhat older crowd. The very first romance comic was Joe Simon’s and Jack Kirby’s Young Romance in 1947″. The cover proudly proclaimed “Designed for the more adult readers of comics.”
After the Comics Code came in, romance comics were definitely aimed at a younger crowd. (No hints of sex!) Still lots of young to youngish women were featured, though. I assume this satisfied considerable reader wish fulfillment for their future lives.
Thank you. As ever, you and comics are my source of education.
Thank you. As ever, you and comics are my source of education.