by John | Dec 16, 2025 | Blog
Curious to see more of the vintage art? Click the link to read the entire vintage comic book for free at:
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=29203
↓ TranscriptSCENE: Bored woman sitting at a desk with a book. Man snatches the book away from her in the 2nd panel.
TITLE: A Christmas Gift for Junior?
CAPTION: I wrote Disney comics for decades. So I’ve thought a lot about what makes a good story for kids. And I’ve come to the conclusion it’s the same thing that makes any story good. Never talk down to your readers. (Even if some of ‘em need booster seats.) And always write something you’d want to read yourself. It’s that simple. --John Lustig
WOMAN: This graphic novel is sorta dull! <Yawn!> but...I guess junior will enjoy it!
MAN: Stop! If it bores you, it’ll probably bore Junior! Then he’ll get cranky and crave thrills! By the time he’s ten he could be robbing liquor stores!
CAPTION: Don’t doom your child to a life of crime! Remember: good children’s books are ageless!
1949 Artist Unknown Young at Heart Writer: John Lustig
Original Art: From the story “The Man in Her Diary” in Glamorous Romances 42
Glamorous Romance 44_22_1-2_With WordBalloons.tif
by John | Mar 4, 2025 | Blog
Original Vintage Art & Text
Original art by Vince Colletta Studio in Art by Vince Colletta Studio in the story “Man vs. Diary” in First Kiss #33, Aug. 1963. Published by Charlton.
Curious to see more? Click the link above to read the entire vintage comic book for free on ComicBookPlus.com.
↓ TranscriptSCENE: Woman sitting, writing in a blank book as she looks up and talks to a man.
WOMAN: I’m writing a best seller! I don’t have a plot yet, but there’s lots of sex!
1963 Art: Vince Colletta Studio Color: Allen Freeman
Best-Seller Material: John Lustig
33.2.1.1.Clear
by John | Dec 26, 2024 | Blog
More Last Kiss fun from Tony Isabella & Diego Jourdan Pereira!
Original Vintage Art & Text
Artist unknown–although it might be Ernie Schroeder. From the story “Get Lost!” in Alarming Tales #3, Jan. 1958. Published by Harvey.
Curious to see more? Click the link above to read the entire vintage comic book for free on ComicBookPlus.com.
↓ TranscriptSCENE: Old man looking at a large, old book. More old books behind him.
MAN (thinking): After a lifetime of study and wondering...I finally know who wrote...The Book of Love! Hmm...needs more sex.
1958 Artist Unknown New Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Writer: Tony Isabella Librarian: John Lustig
DJP.lk474
by John | Sep 17, 2024 | Blog
More Last Kiss fun with “fine jams and jellies since 1982!” Thanks, Jams!
↓ TranscriptWOMAN (with a writing pen--thinking): Dear Penthouse,
I never thought I’d be writing this letter. But my honeymoon with Rick was so boring! All he wanted to do was have sex...and mostly with me! But then this cute hotel maid came in! And--
WOW! Suddenly I wasn’t a bit bored...
Just Married10_05.3Corrected
1959 Art: Vince Colletta New Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Honorary Penthouse Editors: John Lustig & “fine jams and jellies since 1982”
by John | Aug 24, 2023 | Blog
Welcome to something different—and yet the same.
A few weeks ago, I ran a Last Kiss written by Tony Isabella that promoted support for the writers and actors on strike.It was intended as a one-off. But then…I received an e-mail from my pal Andy Mangels.
Andy’s the author of a flabbergasting number of comics, graphic novels and pop culture books. He is an idea factory. And his latest idea was that it’d be fun to see Tony’s dialogue used again—this time coming from a man instead of a woman.
Idea for today’s comic sent to John by Andy Mangels.
Andy even mocked up a carefully cropped romance comic panel with that dialogue. (See at left.)
Now the idea of running a Last Kiss with the same dialogue in a short period of time concerned me. How would readers react?
But I did like the idea of shifting genders as an experiment and novelty. And I loved the idea of supporting writers and actors again. Indeed it inspired me to write a writers strike gag of my own. (See last Friday’s Last Kiss.)
So here here’s Andy’s version of the gag. I know the art used in comic can have a big affect on how readers perceive the comic. Does it make a difference here? I’ll be interested to see how readers react. —John Lustig
Original Vintage Art & Text
Art by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia from the story “Coffee and… a Kiss, Darling!” in First Kiss #8, April 1959. Published by Charlton.
Curious to see more? Click the link above to read the entire vintage comic book for free on ComicBookPlus.com’s presentation of the comic. The story begins on Page 28.
↓ TranscriptSCENE: Man dressed as a soda founder worker or fast food restaurant worker.
MAN: It’s dull here with the writers on strike.
MAN: I miss them hitting on me...
MAN: ...and how they’re so grateful...
MAN: ...when I let them take me out!
WOMAN: And even more grateful afterwards.
WOMAN: Once you’ve been with a writer...
WOMAN: ...no other lover will do!
CAPTION: A public service announcement from Last Kiss.
CAPTION: Support the writers (and actors) on strike!
1959 Art: Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Layout & Muse: Andy Mangels
Writer: Tony Isabella
djp_LK721--Just Guy
FK08.3.3.1
