Comic Book Romance (For John Romita Sr.)
Article by Mitch Ryder
Let me tell you about a kid growing up in a world of comic books. That kid will see things that will blow his mind. He’ll have a very vivid imagination. He’ll understand fight scenes, basic mechanics, pseudo sciences that may one day be a reality. Most people don’t know that Phillip K. Dick prophesied most of the things we enjoy today.
I’m getting off topic. I do that. John Romita Sr. drew romance better than most authors could write it. He conveyed emotion in the eyes and he drew believable female love interests. The stories from Young Romance, Our Love Story, and so many more were a revolution to girls in the 70’s whose kid brothers were reading Spiderman and the Fantastic Four. It wasn’t a ditch effort to keep up with Archie. Marvel was actually producing romance that all ages and sexes could and would enjoy and JSR was at the forefront, because not only was he drawing those true romance books, but he was also slipping in things like this.
Young love was found in Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, and the kids at home or on the floor of the grocery store (where I myself read a lot of comics) were learning about growing up, heart throbs, flirting, kissing and heartbreaks. Romance is still alive today in comics. You don’t even have to dig that deep. I’ll miss John Romita Sr. and I will always appreciate the feelings he gave me growing up.
Hey kids. Go pick up a funny book.
