The Simon and Kirby team invented Romance Comics for the most part. The power of the some of those comic book pages produced for "girls" is surprisingly intense. This image is a classic case in point. If you've never read a Simon and Kirby romance story, it's a worthwhile endeavor.
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This particular story seems to be heavily influenced by Caniff's Terry as well as the sort of romantic conflicts in popular films of their day. Like crime and horror comics, Simon and Kirby were able to set their stories in multiple locales and eras. They just thought they were writing for adults who were interested in the same kinds of stories and movies as they were. Love can happen in the middle of the Civil War, in Outer Space or at sea. They can illuminate social or cultural issues, be hilarious or traumatic, reveal and develop human character as much as any literature. It was only later that Romance comics decided they were for a niche market and lowered their ambitions to the cliches we are more familiar with.
ReplyDeleteWell put.
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