Every year, I like to share some of my favorite romance comic books!
Starting in the late 1940s, many comic book companies tried to broaden their audience by publishing romance comic books. These comics told dramatic love stories in which young women had to deal with issues of cheating, divorce, jealousy, heartache, and the search for the one.
It’s Love!
What is the lesson that we can take from these vintage comic books? I think the main thing we can learn is that love is never easy.
But, even if he is a member of the establishment or has long hair, it’s totally worth it. Right, Nicky?
I’ve written about this before but do you remember this guy?
During the Victoria Era, there was a thing called a “Vinegar Valentines” That was when people would send each other Valentines that, instead of proclaiming love, would explain why someone was still single or that they shouldn’t trust their current companion. The Snake In The Grass was an example of the type of Valentine that people used to get back then! People could even get this one custom made to change the human face of the snake to make sure that it resembled whoever was being accusing.
Can you imagine getting one of those on February 14th? I’m glad we don’t do that anymore!
I told a friend that I was going to watch The Lucky One and she said that I better make sure that I had a lot of water onhand to make sure I wasn’t dehydrated by the end of the movie. That’s some of the best advice I’ve ever received.
It’s a Nicholas Sparks adaptation. Zac Efron plays a Marine who finds a picture of Taylor Schilling in Iraq. He survives an attack that wipes out all of his friends and he feels as if it was because he was destined to find the woman in the picture. She tracks her down to Louisiana, where she’s living with her mother (Blythe Danner) and her sensitive son (Riley Thomas Stewart) and where she’s still struggling to accept the death of her brother in Iraq. Zac Efron could have avoided a lot of drama by showing her the picture as soon as he arrived at her beautiful home but instead, he takes a job as a handyman around the house. If he had avoided the drama, there would be no movie!
It’s really overdramatic because, of course, Taylor Schilling’s ex-husband (Jay R. Ferguson) is the son of the most powerful man in town and he keeps threatening to take away his son. It doesn’t matter though because Zac Efron plays a sweet man with a damaged soul, a man who never yells and who encourages Taylor’s son to play the violin and who serves as a strong male role model while all the other men in town are too busy sucking up to Ferguson’s father. Zac Efron loves dogs and long walks. He plays chess. He plays the piano. He’s served his country. And he says, “You should be kissed every day, every hour, every minute.” Don’t bother me with reality, I’m too busy over here swooning.
The Lucky One is a good movie for Valentine’s Day. Any other day, maybe it wouldn’t be so good. But for Valentine’s Day, it’s great!
Billy Ocean had a way of turning simple emotions into something cinematic, and “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” is a perfect example of that magic. The moment those warm synths and soft percussion kick in, you’re instantly transported to the neon glow of the mid-’80s — where emotions were big, melodies were lush, and love songs weren’t afraid to be earnest. Ocean’s smooth voice carries this mix of heartbreak and hope, like someone trying to stay strong while still holding on to pieces of a beautiful memory.
What makes the song so timeless is that it understands how music shapes emotion — how a single tune can unravel memories you thought were long tucked away. Ocean taps into that universal experience: hearing “your” song after a breakup and suddenly feeling the rush of everything you tried to forget. The arrangement, gently swaying between comfort and sadness, mirrors that emotional tug-of-war perfectly. There’s a sincerity here that modern ballads often miss, a belief that it’s okay to be vulnerable — even poetic — about love and loss.
Looking back, the track feels like a voice from a gentler time in pop music, when sincerity wasn’t filtered through irony. You can almost picture the record spinning on an old stereo, the room dimly lit, as Ocean’s voice fills the space with warmth. It’s not just a love song — it’s a time capsule, one that reminds you how the best music doesn’t just play in the background; it stays with you, quietly marking the chapters of your life like an old friend.
There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)
Sometimes I wonder by the look in your eyes When I’m standing beside you There’s a fever burning deep inside
Is there another in your memory? Do you think of that someone When you hear that special melody?
I always stop and think of you especially When the words of a love song Touch the very heart of me
There’ll be sad songs to make you cry Love songs often do They can touch the heart of someone new Saying, “I love you” (I love you)
I often wonder how it could be you loving me Two hearts in perfect harmony I’ll count the hours until that day (until that day) A rhapsody plays a melody for you and me
Until the moment that you give your love to me You’re the one I care for The one that I would wait for
There’ll be sad songs to make you cry Love songs often do They can touch the heart of someone new Saying, “I love you” (I love you)
There’ll be sad songs to make you cry Love songs often do They can touch the heart of someone new Saying, “I love you”
You’re my desire You take me higher My love is like a river running so deep I always stop and think of you especially When the words of a love song Touch the very heart of me
There’ll be sad songs to make you cry Love songs often do They can touch the heart of someone new Saying, “I love you”
There’ll be sad songs to make you cry Love songs often do They can touch the heart of someone new Saying, “I love you” (I love you)
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo Oooh, saying, “I love you” I love you
Do you still need some help getting in the mood for Valentine’s Day? Well, don’t worry! I’m here to help! Check out these classic romantic covers! I defy anyone not be in the mood after romance after looking at some of these bodice rippers.
I was sad to learn that trade paperbacks are not being published anymore so we won’t be getting many more covers like this. Luckily, the Internet will always be here to remind us of the time when the storm was tender.
To help you get in the mood for Valentine’s Day, here are some covers that combine two of my favorite things, love and baseball! Can you guess which one is my favorite?
If you thought Nailed At Home Plate was my favorite, you just hit a home run! Happy Valentine’s Day! And remember, Spring Training is just six days away!
I’ve seen Charlie Brown suffer through a lot of holidays but I’ve always felt especially bad for him when it comes to Valentine’s Day. In this scene from Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, he’s waiting at the mailbox for a Valentine from a “little red-headed girl.” He’s never even talked to her. He doesn’t know her name and she probably doesn’t know his. She certainly doesn’t know his address. How is she going to send him a Valentine? Lucy could have been nicer in the way she put it but she’s right. He’ll need a lot of luck.
Luckily, his loyal dog is there to shoot cupid’s arrows at him.
4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.
82 years ago, on this date, the late director Alan Parker was born in London. One of the many British directors, like the Scott brothers and Adrian Lyne, who began by directing advertisements, Parker went on to become a director known for both his intense visual style and his revolutionary use of music as a storytelling device. It’s time for….
4 Shots From 4 Alan Parker Films
Midnight Express (1978, dir by Alan Parker, DP: Michael Seresin)
Fame (1980, dir by Alan Parker, DP: Michael Seresin)
Pink Floyd — The Wall (1982, dir by Alan Parker, DP: Peter Bizou)
Angel Heart (1987, dir by Alan Parker, DP: Michael Seresin)
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly live tweets on twitter. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We tweet our way through it.
Tonight, at 9 pm et, Deanna Dawn will be hosting #ScarySocial! The movie? The original Halloween!
If you want to join us this Saturday, just hop onto twitter, start the movie at 9 pm et, and use the #ScarySocial hashtag! It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.
I know this holiday isn’t for everyone but it’s always been one of my favorites. Love is in the air! If you’re single, though, this can be a difficult day. If you’ve just broken up with someone, this is the day when you just want to stay in bed. Everyone’s been there!
If you’re celebrating today, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day! And, if you’re not celebrating, I hope you enjoy your Presidents Day weekend!
What is the lesson that we can take from these vintage comic books? I think the main thing we can learn is that love is never easy.
Through the Shattered Lens 