Marvel Romance

(Marvel, 2006)
™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Though it would have been good to see pre-1960s stories included in this collection, anyone looking for a crash course in Marvel romance comics (and those who want to see great art from artists usually associated with super-heroes—Jack Kirby, John Buscema, John Romita Sr., Gene Colan, etc.) couldn’t ask for a better primer.

The 60s selections might be hidebound and formula-ridden (there’s the relentless trope of anyone smoking a pipe automatically being an upwardly mobile dreamboat, at least until the 70s) but they’re all beautifully drawn. The only entry that doesn’t belong is a Patsy Walker story from her soap-opera period that’s too long to sustain a thin premise—which isn’t to say Patsy and Company don’t deserve a revival-reprint “event” month of their own.

When you get to the 70s, you can see an honest attempt by top-notch creators to give the material a (then) modern spin, resisting many of the conventions and clichés (the best being a psychedelic entry by Jim Steranko).

— S. A. Bennett

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