Mad Mad Modes for Moderns Mondays - College Chic

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! To start the week off right, here's a fall back-to-school edition "Mad Mad Modes for Moderns" from Girls' Love Stories #125 (February 1967). Sorta makes me want to go back to college myself!

♥♥♥

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A Classic Tale of Unrequited Love... Almost!

Every so often I come across a romance story that is a little on the bizarre side, and I just have to share! This edition of the semi-regular feature "Sweet Mystery of Love" was penciled by Tony Abruzzo and appeared in Girls' Love Stories #136 (July 1968). Contrary to what may seem like a pattern in romance comics, not all stories were about instantaneous attraction!


Janice's first mistake was agreeing to be set up on a blind date by her friend Cara with a guy named Freddy. Freddy is immediately enamored by Janice and she in turn, is completely repulsed!


After an uncomfortable evening and an awkward attempt at a kiss, Freddy professes his love for Janice. As he promises to call, she just shirks and vows to let her friend Cara know exactly how miserable the date was for her.


The next day Janice calls Cara up and reprimands her for arranging such a mismatch. Cara apologizes and suggests that she just refuse Freddy's offers to go out again. As you will see, that plan proves to be a situation that is easier said than done!


Freddy ignores (or doesn't get) Janice's attempts to get rid of him. Not only does he continue to call her, but starts showing up at her work...

...and even on her dates with other guys!

The situation becomes too much to bear, and Janice finally decides that she must confront Freddy directly and firmly. She tells him that he is not her type, and that he is wasting his time and needs to move on. Freddy calmly asserts that his love for her is unwavering, and that he will continue to be there for her until she changes her mind and embraces his love, or marries someone else -- whichever comes first.

Janice goes to the big dance with George. Having told him about the situation with Freddy, he is impressed that her talk with "Old Faithful" seems to have done the trick. As for Janice, she starts to get a little fidgety when Freddy doesn't make an appearance at the dance.


That night after the dance, Janice finds herself unable to shake thoughts of Freddy and his whereabouts. The next morning, the phone rings and Cara delivers some news -- Freddy was hit by a car just prior to the dance.


Janice quickly heads the hospital and while at Freddy's bedside, admits her realization of love for him. It seems that his absence, made her heart grow fonder.


In a way, this "Sweet Mystery of Love" is a classic tale of wanting what you can't have. In another light, it could be interpreted as a story about a young woman merely falling for her stalker. Perhaps Freddy just came on too strong and Janice wanted the thrill of the chase? What do you think? Sweet or scary?

Mad Mad Modes for Moderns Mondays - I'm Back!

"Mad Mad Modes for Moderns"
Girls Love Stories #141
(February 1969)

Hello! I'm back! Still recovering from the move and adjusting to my new home, but I have missed you all and discussing romance comics a ton -- so I am happy to get things back off the ground! Today I have for you a Jay Scott Pike illustrated "Mad Mad Modes for Moderns" featuring the timeless midi-skirt! Though I am not the biggest fan of Pike's romance work, I do think he managed to lend an air of grace to the pages of the comics. What do you think about Pike's romance comic art? I am curious to know!

1970s African-American Romance Comic Book Story + History Detectives Reminder!

My History Detectives segment airs tonight on PBS at 8pm EST/7pm CT! Since it is about the 1950 comic book Negro Romance, I thought I would post today on a 1970s story depicting African-American characters. This one is called "Make-Believe Romance" and is from Girls' Love Stories #169 (May 1972). The Grand Comics Database has it listed as being a retitled reprint, penciled and inked by Vince Colletta with retouched hairstyles to provide diversity. A very likely scenario, but at this time I do not know exactly where the story may have originally appeared or what it originally looked like. Until that little mystery is solved, enjoy the 1970s version!!!

Rumors constantly fly around the office. Gary and Lucy are in love! In actuality, Gary Walker is Lucy Weston's handsome boss, and there is not an ounce of romance between them... or so they think!


Lucy and Gary try hard to ignore the whispers heard 'round the water-cooler that they are an item. Everyone believes it to be so, except for Gary and Lucy! Frequently the two discuss the hassling they endure by fellow office mates.


The two distinctly not lovebirds come to the conclusion that it is probably their fault that everyone thinks they are an item. But, despite the fact they are always in the company of one another during work hours, they maintain that they are just really good friends.


However, whenever Lucy goes out on dates, she ends up wishing the guy was as compatible with her as Gary. And when she comes home from her dates, she dreams that someday she will find a man like Gary.


The gossip at work progressively worsens. Gary and Lucy decide to not even to fight it anymore as it would be futile. Lucy consults with her best friend, who also has her doubts about Lucy and Gary's platonic relationship.


One day while at work, Lucy is invited to the charity ball by the head manager. She agrees to go, gets gussied up, and is hopeful she will meet someone. Lo and behold! Who does she notice from across the room? Why, Gary of course! Out of the office and away from all the pressure, the two quickly see each other in a new light.


What a relief it must have been for them -- and for their nosy co-workers! I hope you enjoyed, and if you have time this evening be sure to catch me on the History Detectives!

History Detectives on PBS

Tonight 8pm EST/7pm CT
Be sure to check your local listings!

Because You Demanded It! Too Spoiled for Love!

Cover by Bill Draut
Interior art by Jack Abel

After this post back in October, many of you have requested that I feature this intriguingly titled tale from Girls' Love Stories #154 (October 1970). With a title like "Too Spoiled for Love!" -- how could I resist?!

A wondrously
over-dramatic splash page!

Lila is what you would call a playa. She dates a bunch of guys and then ditches them the second it starts to get serious.

She is cool with her lifestyle, but her parents are not. They remind her that most of her friends are either engaged or married, and some even have children. Methinks they may partially just want her out of the house! Anyhow, one evening while headed out to a club, Lila's car stalls. A handsome guy stops to help her out.


The car is in need of major work and the young man named Brett tells Lila she will have to get it towed in the morning. Brett offers Lila a ride to her destination and she accepts, but also, invites Brett to join her at The Cave to see a band called Ghostly Happenings. Groovy!


Things are different with Brett. Lila is completely smitten and has no urge to move onto the next guy. She is even given the chance to meet someone new when her dad announces that he has invited his young assistant to have dinner at their house. Lila tells Brett that she will be unable to make their second date due to her father's arrangements. Brett lets Lila know it isn't an issue... and no wonder -- Brett turns out to be her father's new assistant!


Lila's father aggressively tries to "sell" Brett on her, not knowing they already met. Once given a chance to talk in private, Lila bursts out in anger at Brett. Though he explains that their meeting on the road the night before was purely accidental, she is convinced that he helped her just to get ahead at work. She chases him out with words of resentment and while he declares his love for her she thinks to herself,

"Why? Why you, Brett? Wasn't it cruel
enough that you'd made a fool of me? Did you have
to make me fall in love with you, too?"

Attempting to ease back to her normal playgirl lifestyle, Lila is unsuccessful and can only think about Brett. She decides the best course of action is to stop running away from him and saturate her life with all things Brett until she is completely sick of him. To accomplish this, Lila asks her father if she can work at the plant where Brett acts as floor supervisor.


Lila heads to work on the assembly line. Consumed by how "dull" the job is and Brett's overwhelming presence, she looses track of the settings on the pressure gauges. All of a sudden, an explosion occurs, injuring some of the women on the line. Horrified at the chaos caused by her own negligence and brattiness, Lila splits the scene and wanders the factory. Her father catches up with her and lets her know that Brett admitted to forgetting to do the morning gauge inspection -- resulting in him being fired.


Realizing that Brett only took the blame for her actions because he really loves her, Lila goes to stop Brett from leaving. Their flame is quickly reignited and as ol' Shakespeare espoused, all's well that ends well!

Thanks as always for stopping by, and if you ever have any suggestions on stories or themes you would like to see here at Sequential Crush, please don't hesitate!

Puppy Love Week - Art Saaf's "Love Thy Neighbor"

Today's tale of puppy love is "Love Thy Neighbor" from Girls' Love Stories #157 (February 1971). This story, beautifully rendered by Art Saaf, was actually one of the first romance comic book stories I ever read -- and it really stuck with me. Read on to see why!

For Millie Hayes and Ben Mason, their first encounter was anything but the proverbial, love at first sight. In fact, Millie describes it as just the opposite.


Raised in the country, Ben has decided to bring a bit of the farm to the shared penthouse roof. Millie is completely horrified and isn't shy about showing her disdain for Ben's chickens. He in turn lets her know that he isn't that impressed with her enormous Great Dane -- Caesar.


Millie attempts to avoid Ben (though she admits there is a physical attraction to him), but random accidents seem to occur whenever the two are in the vicinity of one another.

Incident one -- faulty elevator
Incident two -- fender bender

The last straw for Millie is when Ben puts a fence up, dividing the roof in two. She doesn't speak to him for weeks until one day when Caesar tries to jump the fence... and succeeds.

Putting aside their differences for a moment, Millie helps the injured Ben by calling the doctor and staying with him while a cast is put on his fractured ankle. The whole ordeal makes Millie realize that she is falling in love with Ben. She asks if they can start over and be friends.


Ben erupts with fury, claiming that she is only being nice to him so that he doesn't sue her. Enraged that Ben doubts her sincerity, Millie starts to leave, but Ben stops her. He proclaims his love for her and also admits that he planned all the freakish accidents so that she would notice him. Stunned and a tad confused, Millie kisses him. In a moment of intense passion, Ben proposes and Millie accepts. As they continue to kiss, Millie chuckles with the knowledge that unbeknownst to Ben, Caesar was the catalyst for their reconciliation.


Memorable, eh?! The art is wonderful -- as always is the case with Saaf's work, in my opinion. The dialogue is also really amusing. Never were better insults hurled in a comic book romance!!! "Love Thy Neighbor" is a good reminder that hate is often the compatriot of love!

I have one more dog-related story for you,
so be sure to stop by Saturday!

Fashion Files - Legs by Liz Berube!

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! Sorry I disappeared for a little bit there -- life things came up, Blogger was down and then with the weekend came a trip to the Motor City Comic Con! I had a nice time and found quite a few romance books -- about a short box full! So, while I go through those, enjoy this one page fashion spread by Liz Berube!

"Legs"
Illustrated by "Elizabeth"

Girls' Love Stories #150
(April 1970)

Ugly Duckling Week - "Wallflower" from Girls' Love Stories #150 (April 1970)

In the rest of the "Ugly Duckling" stories this week, the leading ladies made transformations which helped improve their lives and catch their men. Tonight's story, "Wallflower" from Girls' Love Stories #150 (April 1970) involves a transformation gone awry!!!


Marcy Simms, a self-proclaimed "ugly duckling" and "Miss Unpopularity of 1970" is frustrated. She is frustrated by her inability to catch the attention of boys and especially one boy in particular -- Bill.


Marcy constantly spots Bill gallivanting around town with Barbara Peters. Consequently, Marcy hates Barbara. One night at a party, the oh-so-friendly Bill asks Marcy to dance. During their moment together, Marcy floats on air and convinces herself that Bill indeed is in love with her and not Barbara. When Bill thanks her for the dance and goes back to his date, Marcy is devastated and runs home. She decides that things have got to change.


And so, our "ugly duckling" begins her transformation. First comes the physical -- new clothes, a new hairstyle and new glasses (just when I had you thinkin' glasses were always shorthand for ugly in the romance comics, hehe!) to boot. Marcy's new look makes the boys swarm.


The new Marcy becomes quite popular with the boys -- too popular in fact! She begins to earn a bad reputation. This worries Bill and he takes her aside one day to chat. He acknowledges her change as being a positive thing for the most part, but that she is "too nice a girl" for such a bad rap. Marcy then throws herself at Bill -- promising to change and letting him know that she took such drastic measures in the first place just so he would notice her. Naturally, this freaks Bill out and he tries to explain that he was just trying to be a friend to her, but he had her all wrong. As he parts he suggests that in the future when she likes a guy, she should let him do the "chasing." Humiliated, Marcy vows, "All right, Bill Thomas, you win... for now! But before I'm through with you I'll make you wish you'd never met me!" And she isn't kidding!!!


Hell-bent on getting back at Bill, Marcy starts spreading rumors during a party that Bill has been cheating on Barbara with her for weeks.


Of course, everyone knows that Marcy is merely spreading ugly lies out of jealousy. Her popularity quickly fades and Marcy is left just as lonely as before her transformation.


One day, while Marcy sits alone on a park bench, Bill comes to talk to her again. He says he comes as a friend and wants to tell her the truth about herself -- warning her that it might sting. Conceding her miserableness, Marcy is all ears. Essentially, Bill tells her that she acted needy and cruel and that in the end, honesty is what will get her far in life. He also mentions that things were never serious with Barbara, so she was flipping out over nothing. Bill then departs, wishing her the best of luck. After crying for days, Marcy realizes it is time to bid adieu to the bitter and awful stranger she has become.


Marcy returns to her old physical self, and quickly dashes over to Bill's place to apologize for her behavior. Surprised by her new/old look, he envelopes her in his arms and confesses that he has been in love with her for months. He then pops "the question." Marcy is hesitant at first, telling Bill he deserves better than a wallflower. He playfully agrees, and makes his fondness for miniskirts (in moderation) known.


I certainly hope you enjoyed Ugly Duckling Week here at Sequential Crush! I know I did! I saved this story for last because it is my favorite out of the bunch -- and not just because Marcy's new look involved curly hair and glasses! It stresses to readers that old saying that true beauty comes from within -- something we all need to be reminded of once in a while!

Update: Nick Caputo (the unofficial art identifier here at Sequential Crush) is pretty sure the gorgeous cover was done by Bill Draut. He also identified the interior pencils as those of Werner Roth and the inks by Wally Wood!