Young Love

Young Love

Someone in my family supposedly predicted that both of my marriages would fail within six months. (For the sake of family harmony, I’ll call her “Grand Aunt Gloompuss.”)

10.1.1.2

Given my family’s history this seemed like a pretty safe bet.

There are an unusual number of divorces in my family: My parents. Both sets of grandparents and at least one set of great grandparents.

So the odds were stacked against me. However…

My first marriage lasted nearly 10 years and would still be going strong if I hadn’t been widowed.

My second marriage is closing in on 30 years now. And that’s considerably longer than any of Grand Aunt Gloompuss’s three marriages.

I don’t have a reliable credit for the original art, but it’s likely that it was done by the Vince Colletta Studio. Allen Freeman extended the art for me when he colored it. The original appeared in First Kiss #10, 1959.

↓ Transcript
SCENE: As a car drives away with a "Just Married" sign on the back, a woman, a young boy and a young girl watch.

BOY: They’re so young!

GIRL: I give it six months!

Color by Allen Freeman

©2013 Last Kiss Inc

10.1.1.2

She’s a Ringer

She’s a Ringer

Click image to enlarge.

Original art from First Kiss #12 (1960.)

↓ Transcript
SCENE: Woman holds out her left hand to a man.
WOMAN: My hobby? I collect wedding rings!
Art by Vince Colletta Studio Color by Allen Freeman
©2012 Last Kiss Inc

Try, Try Again Honeymoon

Try, Try Again Honeymoon

Click on image to enlarge.

For some reason, I’ve been writing lots of jokes about weddings. Expect several more in the coming weeks!

Original art from First Kiss #25. Click image to enlarge.

↓ Transcript
SCENE: Bride and groom about to kiss at the church right after getting married.

BRIDE (thinking) Ninth time’s the charm!

Artist Unknown
Color by Allen Freeman

Enjoying Life to the Max?

Enjoying Life to the Max?

The original art (see below) for this gag comes from “My Secret” in First Kiss #27; It features a girl (the blonde in the panel below) who appears to be much older than her real age—14.

Things quickly spin out of control when she skips a couple of grades and ends up in a relationship which is clearly too mature for a 14-year-old!

Note for Giordano Fans:

Unfortunately, Charlton’s photostat for this panel was so poor that it was unusable. So I ended up scanning from the printed comic book.

Consequently, some of Dick Giordano’s fine line work was lost and had to be touched up here and there by my-gotta-get-it-done-now, but-definitely-not-an-artist last choice: me.

This is something I try to avoid, but sometimes happens when lines drop out and deadlines loom.

So you’re not getting pure Giordano here—which is a pity because Dick was my favorite Charlton romance artist.

↓ Transcript
SCENE: Young teen-age girl talking to two friends.

GIRL: I want to enjoy life fully! So marriage and kids will have to wait…’til I’m at least 16!

Art by Dick Giordano

Marry for Money? Never!

Marry for Money? Never!

And here’s the original 1960s art:

↓ Transcript
SCENE: Woman talking to a man.

WOMAN: I’d never marry for money! But…how much are we talking about?

Art by Vince Colletta Studio