Marvel Romance Redux: But I Thought He Loved Me!

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

Taking old comics and replacing the word balloons with theoretically humorous text seems like an easy enough way to get cheap laughs, but, as we’ve seen with Keith Giffen’s recent What Were They Thinking? it’s not as easy as it looks. Which is why we’re lucky these old Marvel romances stories don’t just get the patented John Lustig Last Kiss process, they get John Lustig himself.

Naturally, it’s his entry, “I Was a Beach Blanket Barbarian,” that’s the highlight of the issue, though his words have to compete with incredible Jack Kirby art. And Jeff Parker hits one out of the park with “President Stripper,” which also gives the rare opportunity of seeing John Romita Sr. inks over John Buscema pencils.

This is funny stuff, but it should be noted that, while sometimes extremely dated, the original material deserves respect. If you can set aside preconceptions about “stupid girls’ comics,” you can judge for yourself by reading the stories as originally published in the Marvel Romance trade paperback.

— S. A. Bennett
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#1

April, 2006
Cover Price: $2.99
5 copies available from $1.50 		Jeff Parker, Roger Langridge, John Lustig, Stan Lee, Jimmy Palmiotti, Keith GiffenJohn Buscema, Dick Giordano, Jack Kirby, Gene Colan